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PREVIEW: Valour FC vs. Halifax Wanderers FC — 2024 Match #94
2024-09-20
by
Benedict Rhodes, CanPL.ca Contributor (@BTFR17)

2024 CPL Regular Season — Match #94
Valour FC vs. Halifax Wanderers FC
September 21, 2024 at 2 p.m. CT/4 p.m. AT
Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

The first half of a Canadian Premier League doubleheader takes place in Winnipeg on Saturday, as Valour host Halifax Wanderers FC in a match that could have huge playoff implications.

It will be the fourth and final regular season game between the two clubs. Valour have won two of the previous three, including the most recent one on August 17 in Winnipeg. Massimo Ferrin opened the scoring in that game, before a Dan Nimick own goal tied things up. Jordan Swibel gave the hosts the lead just after the hour mark, and celebrated Harry Potter Night at Princess Auto Stadium in style.

Both sides coming off draws last time out, and Valour will be the fresher of the two sides after the Wanderers played on Wednesday before making the trip to Winnipeg. Halifax beat Forge 3-0 at home in a dominant performance last weekend, before the aforementioned midweek game — conceding a late stoppage time goal to Pacific FC’s Thomas Meilleur-Giguère to finish 2-2 at Wanderers Grounds.

Valour most recently played last Friday at York Lions Stadium, drawing 1-1 with York United — Valour’s third tie in a row.

Three points are the target in this one, though, as the race for the final playoff spot heats up with five matches left in the regular season. Valour sit eighth in the table with 23 points, while the Wanderers sit seventh on 24. Both are within striking distance of fifth-place Pacific FC, who occupy the final playoff spot with 27 points and visit second-place Atlético Ottawa on Sunday — before heading to Winnipeg next weekend.

The Wanderers will be without a couple of key players through suspension again, as leading scorer Dan Nimick picked up a red card for the second consecutive match midweek and picked up a one-game ban. Starting goalkeeper Yann Fillion will also miss out, serving a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.

Valour, meanwhile, are expected to have everyone available for selection this weekend, with both Zachary Sukunda and Noah Verhoeven returning to training this week.

All CPL and Canadian Championship matches will be broadcast live on OneSoccer, available as a linear channel on Telus’ Optik TV (Channel 980) as well as online at OneSoccer.ca, through the OneSoccer app and on the fuboTV Canada platform.

3 THINGS TO WATCH

  • Can Valour control their own fate at home?: After starting their season with a lengthy road trip while the field was being replaced at Princess Auto Stadium, Valour FC knew that they would have a chance at the end of campaign to play a lot of meaningful games at home as long as they kept themselves in the hunt. That is exactly what has played out, with the Winnipeggers still firmly in the race for the final playoff spot. They will play four of their final five regular season matches at home, starting with this one on Saturday. If they can pick up maximum points, or somewhere close, they might just be the favourites to take that fifth playoff position and take some great form into what would be their first appearance in the postseason.
  • Big game opportunities present themselves for young Wanderers players: With key defensive absences again limiting the Wanderers for this match, an opportunity is there for multiple players to step into the starting lineup and play some big minutes in this crucial part of the season. Dan Nimick is out again, picking up a red card midweek in his first match back from another red card two matches prior, while Yann Fillion is also suspended because of yellow card accumulation. Aiden Rushenas will be between the sticks for the Wanderers, set for his third appearance of the season, while Jefferson Alphonse seems like a candidate to replace Nimick at centre-back. Both Rushenas and Alphonse would also help the Wanderers get closer to the 2,000 minute requirement for the league’s U21 player rule. Twenty-year-old Tiago Coimbra could also step into the front line if Gheisar opts to rotate a side that played an intense game midweek and then travelled. Whether by necessity or choice, there will be opportunities for the young Wanderers players in this match — and they and the team will be hoping that they take full advantage.
  • Playoff fates hang in the balance as tight race continues: At this stage of the season, and with such a tight race between four clubs for one playoff spot, every match is now must-win, especially against the teams who are your direct rivals. Halifax were unable to do that midweek, conceding late into stoppage time to only pick up one point instead of three at home to Pacific FC, and will need to bounce back and keep some momentum going in Saturday’s match in Winnipeg. Valour, meanwhile, play the Wanderers on Saturday and host Pacific next week, so this is realistically the do-or-die part of their schedule. They come into this game in decent form, and are playing some of the best football they have all season, and will be hoping to continue that against a Wanderers side who played just a few days ago. “Treating every game like a final” is a popular cliche, but at this point it is absolutely the mindset every team must have.

PROJECTED STARTING XIs

Valour FC: Viscosi; Alarcón, Mourdoukoutas, Facchineri, Antonoglou; Faria, Campbell, Ohin, Ressurreição; Hundal, Swibel

Halifax Wanderers FC: Rushenas; Bayiha, Alphonse, Mekideche, Fernandez; Callegari, Rampersad; Rea, Gagnon-Laparé, Ferrin; Coimbra

ALL-TIME SERIES

Valour FC wins: 7 || Halifax Wanderers FC wins: 10 || Draws: 3

Last meeting:

August 17, 2024 — Valour FC 2-1 Halifax Wanderers FC

KEY QUOTES

“I think it’s great for everyone. I think it brings value to every game, every game becomes important. We know how close it is, how
any given weekend, every team could beat anyone home or away, so I just think it adds to the excitement. That’s the beauty of this league. I think that these next few weeks are going to be extremely exciting.” — Valour FC head coach Phillip Dos Santos

“At this point in the season, anyone that you play is a huge game. Everyone’s trying to pull every point you can get, and everyone’s trying to move forward and climb up the table. There’s games that are moving fast, then they’re gonna start disappearing, so you need to take advantage of every moment, let alone every game.” — Halifax Wanderers FC head coach Patrice Gheisar

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