2024 CPL Regular Season — Match #47
Halifax Wanderers FC vs. Cavalry FC
July 1, 2024 at 5 p.m. AT/2 p.m. MT
Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Watch Live: Onesoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

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Matchweek twelve of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season ends in Halifax on Monday, with a Canada Day clash between Halifax Wanderers FC and Cavalry FC.

Both sides sit in the bottom three of the CPL table heading into Monday’s match, below the playoff line, but both haven’t lost a match in over a month, setting up what could be another holiday Monday classic on the east coast.

Halifax enter the match in eighth place, with a 1-4-5 record — seven points from ten matches. They are unbeaten in four matches, drawing three in a row before picking up their first victory of the season last Sunday in Vancouver.

In that match, Ryan Telfer scored twice in the first half to give the Wanderers a commanding lead, before Dan Nimick took over in the second half, scoring from the penalty spot and adding another from a header to push the Wanderers to a 4-0 victory on the opposite side of the country. The scoring outburst set a club record for most goals in a single match, something they are hoping will translate to some goals and three points in front of their home fans on Monday afternoon.

Cavalry are two places above the Wanderers in the table, sitting on 14 points from eleven matches and a 2-8-1 record. They are riding an impressive ten-game unbeaten streak since losing on the first day of the season, but have been left frustrated at times by an abundance of draws, multiple of which have come in matches that they were leading in and dropped points.

Last time out against Atlético Ottawa, that is exactly what happened. An early goal from Tobias Warschewski had the Cavs flying out of the gates, but they weren’t able to find a second and really twist the knife. They ended up settling for a single point after Alberto Zapater headed the ball past Marco Carducci in the 39th minute.

Cavs boss Tommy Wheeldon Jr said ahead of Monday’s match that his side is used to being chased at the top of the table, not the ones doing the chasing, so it is up to them to start turning some of these draws into victories. If they avoid defeat against the Wanderers on Monday they would tie a club-record unbeaten streak at eleven games, previously set between May 1 and July 14, 2022.

Both sides will be missing important players on Monday. The Wanderers will be missing both Zachary Fernandez through suspension, while the status of Julian Dunn after picking up a knock was yet-to-be-determined as of Patrice Gheisar’s pregame press conference on Saturday afternoon. Cavalry will be without Ali Musse, William Akio, Bradley Kamdem, and Diego Gutiérrez through injuries, although Sergio Camargo returned to training and Charlie Trafford has recovered from an illness that limited his availability.

The two sides also made a signing each over the weekend, with the Wanderers announcing the addition of Canadian defender Jefferson Alphonse from League1 Quebec side CS Saint-Laurent. Cavalry signed goalkeeper Joseph Holliday — who has been training with the team and playing in League1 Alberta — to be the backup to Marco Carducci after Jack Barrett’s loan expired. Holliday, 19, has made one professional appearance — off the bench in FC Edmonton’s last-ever match back in 2022.

All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, FuboTV, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980.

3 THINGS TO WATCH

• Can Wanderers build on first win last time out?: It took until the tenth CPL match of the year for the Halifax Wanderers to pick up their first victory of 2024 in all competitions, but when that first win came it came in style. The Wanderers beat Vancouver FC 4-0 at Willoughby Community Park last Sunday, thanks to a first half brace from Ryan Telfer and a second half brace from Dan Nimick to pick up three points. After Valour FC beat York United on Thursday to pick up three points of their own, the Wanderers will need to match it on Monday to catch back up to the Winnipeggers, although Halifax will still have a game in hand. With three draws in a row before that win, the Wanderers are building confidence week-by-week after a shaky start, and will look to continue that upwards trajectory against Cavalry as they look for a first home victory as well.
• Both sides missing key players: Both Halifax Wanderers FC and Cavalry will be missing regular starters for this match due to a number of injuries and suspensions. Halifax will be without Zachary Fernandez for Monday’s match due to yellow card accumulation, and Andre Rampersad will be out for the first of three matches after being sent off last weekend away to Vancouver FC. Patrice Gheisar also didn’t have an update on Saturday about Julian Dunn’s availability after the Wanderers defender left that match with a knock, saying that he and the rest of the squad will be analysed closer to kickoff. On the Cavalry side of things, Ali Musse and William Akio are still out with longer-term injuries, while Diego Gutiérrez and Bradley Kamdem have also been ruled out by Tommy Wheeldon Jr. Sergio Camargo, Maël Henry, and Fraser Aird were able to train this week after minor injuries, however, and are expected to be available for selection. Charlie Trafford is also feeling better after battling an illness the past few weeks, according to the Cavs boss.
• Cavalry need to start turning draws into wins amidst unbeaten streak: Cavalry FC are currently on a ten-game unbeaten streak, but you wouldn’t guess it from the mood around the team at the moment. Since losing on the opening day of the season, Cavalry has won twice and drawn eight times, already eclipsing the number of draws they had in their entire CPL Shield-winning 2023 campaign. Of those eight draws, two were scoreless and they were leading in four of them, including a 1-1 draw at Wanderers Grounds in May. Last week’s draw at home was a perfect example of what has been troubling them. Tobias Warschewski found the back of the net in the second minute, but Cavalry couldn’t find a second goal to extend their lead and prevent Atlético Ottawa from getting back into the game. Their squad is as talented and deep as any in the league, but they need to turn draws into wins if they are to climb into a playoff spot and to the top of the table where they feel they belong.