The Halifax Wanderers have won their first match of the 2024 CPL season, as they defeated Vancouver FC 3-0 at Willoughby Community Park on Sunday to earn their first victory of the year, doing so thanks to a pair of braces from Ryan Telfer and Dan Nimick.
With that, they also snapped a nine-game winless skid to begin the season, picking up their first CPL win since October 6th of 2023, when they defeated Valour FC 1-0 in Winnipeg.
As for Vancouver, they’re now winless in four games after this loss, which pushes them down to fifth place in the table after this weekend.
To begin the game, Telfer had the first good look at goal in the 4th minute, as he got in behind Vancouver’s defence for a chance, but his shot would be saved by a lunging Callum Irving.
Soon after, Telfer would get another chance in the 9th minute, as he was played in behind by Clément Bayiha, and he wouldn’t miss his second opportunity to score. After taking a deft touch into space, he poked the ball past an onrushing Irving, giving his team the lead with a tidy finish.
Following that goal, however, Vancouver started to grow into the game. After David Norman Jr. nearly bundled one home on a corner, Moses Dyer had a great look at goal minutes later, flashing a dangerous left-footed shot wide of the goal.
Having survived that push, the Wanderers soon doubled their lead in the 18th minute. After a dangerous low cross toward the penalty spot, the ball bounced out to Telfer just inside the box, and he managed to curl the ball into the top left corner with a perfect strike to make it 2-0.
Then, the Wanderers nearly made it three in the 28th minute, as Wesley Timoteo found Dan Nimick with a perfect cross into the box on a free kick, and Nimick made great contact with a low strike, but sent it just wide of the far post.
At the other end, Renan Garcia fashioned a good look at goal in the 41st minute, firing a low shot toward Halifax’s goal, but Yann Fillion stood tall to the attempt. Then, Garcia fired a shot from distance on a free kick in the 45th minute, but his shot sailed just wide of the mark.
After a quiet start to the second half, however, as both teams settled into the game. Yet, the game felt like it might break open for either team, and that moment then came in the 68th minute, as Halifax’s Andre Rampersad caught Vasco Fry with a high foot, earning a straight red card for the tackle.
With that, it started to open up the game in Vancouver’s favour, as they looked to use the extra player to their advantage. As a result, Gabriel Bitar found the space to fire a shot from the edge of the box in the 69th minute, forcing a strong save out of Fillion.
That push wouldn’t last long, however, as the shorthanded Wanderers then made it 3-0 in the 77th minute. After a perfect corner into the box from Giorgio Probo, he found Nimick at the back post for a header, and the Wanderers centre back did the rest, powering the ball into the back of the net to all but confirm victory.
Despite that, Vancouver kept pushing for a goal just to makes things interesting, and they nearly found it in the 85th minute, as Alejandro Díaz fired a half-volley from inside of the box, sending his shot just over the box.
Soon after, though, Halifax then made it 4-0 in the 90th minute, as Massimo Ferrin was fouled in the box, leading to a penalty for Nimick, and he made no mistake in carefully slotting the ball home to confirm his brace.
From there, all the Wanderers needed to do was wait to confirm their victory, one that they’ll hope can jumpstart their season as they look to put this slow start behind them now.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Vancouver FC: Irving; Chung (Verhoven 70′), Romeo, Norman Jr., Gee; Enyou; Tahid (Díaz 32′), Fry (McDonnell 75′), Garcia, Cantave (Fisk 74′); Dyer
Halifax Wanderers FC: Fillion; Fernandez (Ferrazzo 57′), Dunn (Nimick 25′), Loughrey, Timoteo; Callegari, Rampersad; Bayiha (Daniels 73′), Gagnon-Laparé (Probo 73′), Ferrin; Telfer
Goals
9′ — Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers FC)
18′ — Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers FC)
77′ — Dan Nimick (Halifax Wanderers FC)
90′ — Dan Nimick (Halifax Wanderers FC) (pen.)
Discipline
51′ — Yellow: Zachary Fernandez (Halifax Wanderers FC)
56′ — Yellow: Yann Fillion (Halifax Wanderers FC)
61′ — Yellow: Paris Gee (Vancouver FC)
68′ — Red: Andre Rampersad (Halifax Wanderers FC)
74′ — Yellow: Zach Verhoven (Vancouver FC)
81′ — Yellow: Giorgio Probo (Halifax Wanderers FC)