Despite playing with ten men for most of the match following a 38th-minute sending-off for Austin Ricci, York United defeated Pacific FC 2-0 at home on Wednesday.

Brian Wright opened the scoring with his seventh of the season, before playing provider as Mo Babouli added a second in the second half. It was the Nine Stripes’ fourth home victory of the season through six home matches, equalling their total from all of last season at York Lions Stadium already.

Neither side were able to establish much momentum during the opening half hour of the game, with a pair of long-range efforts from Ricci the only shot attempts from either side.

Pacific FC had the first real chance of the match as a lovely ball from Sean Young into Steffen Yeates at the top of the box was laid off to Josh Heard in the 36th minute. The Pacific captain, however, shaped his shot wrong and sent it well wide of the right post.

Two minutes later, however, it was York who found the opener. Kadin Martin-Pereux played Josué Martínez into the box, who spun brilliantly before sliding the ball into the path of Wright. The York United #9 continued his fantastic season as he smashed the ball past Daniel Zadravec for his league-leading seventh of the season.

Just when it looked like the hosts had the match under control, however, came another twist in the tale. York’s Ricci was shown a red card after getting tangled up with Sean Young in the 37th minute quickly removing any momentum from the goal.

The Tridents largely controlled proceedings for the rest of the half, and came incredibly close to equalizing in first-half stoppage time as Heard found Pierre Lamothe right in front of the net but he redirected the ball wide of the target. The hosts would escape with a 1-0 lead heading into half-time.

Both teams made changes at the half, with York bringing on captain Babouli, and Pacific making a double substitution as Dario Zanatta and Adonijah Reid were introduced as they looked for more in attack. The visitors switched to a 4-4-2 as a result, with Zanatta joining Moore up top.

The Pacific strike pair almost instantly combined for a goal, as Zanatta played a ball into the box to a wide-open Moore, but his stretched effort sent the ball wide of target with teammate Reid just behind him in an arguably better position.

It was the York United substitute, however, that first made his presence felt. Wright knocked down a long ball and played it to Babouli in the box, who held off Kunle Dada-Luke brilliantly before turning and firing a shot under Zadravec. Babouli’s second goal of the season made it 2-0 for the Nine Stripes.

Despite the man disadvantage, York continued to press forward and create chances. In the 68th minute, Babouli nearly had another as his volley off a clearance from Dada-Luke that forced an excellent diving stop from Zadravec.

Pacific tried to build chances from the wide areas, firing cross after cross into the York box, but the Nine Stripes’ backline were outstanding in dealing with anything Pacific attempted. Reid forced a good save from Thomas Vincensini in the 89th minute, and Zakaria Bahous had a shot blocked in stoppage time, but that was the closest they came on the night.

Wednesday was York United’s first win of the season against Pacific at York Lions Stadium since the league’s inaugural season back in 2019. They are now undefeated in three straight under new head coach Benjamín Mora — and five straight at home.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

York United: Vincensini; Sturing, Adekubge, León; Ferrari, Martínez (Salanović 79′), Soumaoro, Martin-Pereux (Babouli 46′), Botello (Higgins 90+3′); Ricci, Wright (Voytsekhovskyy 86′) 

Pacific FC: Zadravec; Dada-Luke (Mukumbilwa 75′), Meilleur-Giguère, Quintana, Lajeunesse; Young (Amedume 83′), Yeates, Lamothe (Reid 46′); Tîrcoveanu (Zanatta 46′), Heard (Bahous 76′), Moore 

Goals

37′ — Brian Wright (York United)
53′ — Mo Babouli (York United)

Discipline

38′ — Yellow: Sean Young (Pacific FC)
38′ — Red: Austin Ricci (York United)
43′ — Yellow: Brem Soumaoro (York United)
73′ — Yellow: Thomas Vincensini (York United)
90+1′ — Yellow: Orlando Botello (York United)