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Wanderers welcome Toronto FC in CanChamp QF

At the hour mark of the opening round of the Canadian Championship, Halifax Wanderers midfielder Aidan Daniels was on the receiving end of a long pass from a corner kick. From the top of the box, Daniels unleashed a rocket of a shot, just under the bar and into the back of the Guelph United net.

The goal gave Halifax a 2-0 lead, setting up a quarterfinal showdown against Toronto FC, a team Daniels played with from the academy right up to the senior team.

Halifax, Nova Scotia - Apr 30, 2022: Canadian Premier League match between HFX Wanderers FC and FC Edmonton at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/HFX Wanderers FC)
Halifax, Nova Scotia – Apr 30, 2022: Canadian Premier League match between HFX Wanderers FC and FC Edmonton at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/HFX Wanderers FC)

“It’s going to be something that’s going to mean a lot to the club and to the players as well. It’s really exciting. Not many games like this come along, unless it’s playoffs or finals. So it’s an opportunity to prove ourselves and show the fans that we can ball with the big boys,” says Aidan Daniels.

Halifax hosts Toronto FC on Tuesday at 7 p.m. AT, the second straight year the Nova Scotian team has welcomed an MLS side to the Wanderers Grounds in the Canadian Championship.

The match against CF Montréal resulted in a 3-1 win for the visitors, but the Wanderers were able to hold the MLS side even until the final minutes of the match.

“Looking back at Montreal, for sure, we’re going to take that into consideration because we held them for quite a while,” says Wanderers captain Andre Rampersad. “They probably played some of the better football but we held them for like 90 minutes, so that will definitely be a factor if we go up or even if we end up in a position where we’re a goal down.”

An opportunity to turn the page

The Toronto FC match comes four nights after the Wanderers lost 0-4 to Forge FC in the CPL at home, a result that the Wanderers want to quickly move on from.

“I know the boys are eager to show up again because the last game was definitely embarrassing for us. Everyone is ready to bring it to the game on Tuesday, and show the fans that this team is something special,” Rampersad says.

7/28/2018 : HFX Wanderers Atlantic Selects vs Fortuna Dusseldorf U21 at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia. TrevorMacMillanPhotography
7/28/2018 : HFX Wanderers Atlantic Selects vs Fortuna Dusseldorf U21 at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia. TrevorMacMillanPhotography

Toronto FC played to a 2-2 draw against D.C. United in Washington on Saturday, putting an end to a five-game losing streak. The MLS side now travels to Halifax to start its quest for an eighth Canadian Championship.

“They’re a young team, they certainly have their moments and they have some attacking players that can cause a lot of problems,” says Wanderers head coach and technical director Stephen Hart. “They have a number of weapons. And we have to be much, much better on the ball, possession-wise. And I don’t mean, just possession-wise, I mean, the speed of our possession in order to cause any sort of problems.”

One of those young players is Jacob Shaffelburg from Port Williams, Nova Scotia. The 22-year-old winger is hoping to be healthy enough to play in front of friends and family at the Wanderers Grounds. Shaffelburg hasn’t played since April 24 after suffering a lower-body injury in training.

Motivation to win

There’s a multitude of reasons the Wanderers will be motivated on Tuesday. Both players and coaches were apologetic to Wanderers fans for the result on Friday night but eager to do something positive. Additionally, five current Wanderers played for the Toronto FC Academy including Mateo Restrepo, Aidan Daniels, Mohamed Omar, Colin Gander, and Ryan Robinson. The Canadian Championship is also a chance for players from all the top teams in Canada, including semi-professional teams, to measure up against each other with lots to prove.

Halifax, Nova Scotia - Apr 30, 2022: Canadian Premier League match between HFX Wanderers FC and FC Edmonton at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/HFX Wanderers FC)
Halifax, Nova Scotia – Apr 30, 2022: Canadian Premier League match between HFX Wanderers FC and FC Edmonton at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/HFX Wanderers FC)

“It’s the magic of the cup. It’s no different than when we played a League1 (Ontario) team the other day in Guelph and now we’re in that position, we’re playing Toronto FC, a team with pedigree” says Hart. “We look forward to these sorts of games. Any player that doesn’t look forward to a game like this is lacking some sort of true emotion, true passion, to be tested for his ability.”

Third-year player Mateo Restrepo is looking forward to the chance to play his boyhood club in his first CanChamp matchup. The defender was unavailable for the CF Montréal match last year after injuries limited him to just 13 appearances for the Wanderers.

“It was pretty frustrating not to be able to be part of the Montreal game. I was at the stadium and I was obviously very happy for the boys because I thought they did a great job,” says Restrepo. “But not being able to be there and be on the pitch and to compete, it’s hard. It’s just one of the realities of injuries. Sometimes it takes moments like that away from you. I’m just super grateful that I’m healthy this time around and I’m available for selection. It’s even better that it’s against TFC, my boyhood club.”

Hottest ticket in Halifax

Clearly, Wanderers players aren’t the only ones excited for the match. It’s the hottest ticket in town, selling out on the day tickets went on sale. Hart joked around saying he thinks there will be people climbing trees to see the game. It’s a big moment for the sport in the city, something a player like Restrepo is excited for.

“I think it’s massive, I think that an explosion of football is bound to happen in this city. There’s so many people behind it, you can see that if you come to any Wanderers game,” says Restrepo.

“So being able to bring a team that’s won the MLS Cup and then has gone to play so well in the CONCACAF Champions League, and a club with such rich history to the Grounds is a really neat kind of gift we can bring to this city, to continue in its expansion for football.”