Welcome to As It Stands. At the start of each week through the end of the season, we’ll bring you this easy-to-digest wrap-up of everything you need to know from the weekend that was in the Canadian Premier League, and keep tabs on how each team is progressing in its hunt for silverware.

The playoff and title races continue to heat up in the Canadian Premier League, with all of the current playoff teams dropping points this past weekend, and two teams on the outside looking in earning huge statement victories.

The action kicked off on Friday night at York Lions Stadium, where York United hosted Valour FC and split the points with a 1-1 draw. Sixteen-year-old Shola Jimoh opened the scoring for the Nine Stripes in the 19th minute, but his side couldn’t hold that lead, conceding to Shaan Hundal just before halftime. Nobody was able to break the deadlock after the break.

Saturday was a day of demolitions. Up first, eighth-place Halifax Wanderers FC beat league-leaders Forge FC 3-0 at Wanderers Grounds, with the winning goal coming from Giorgio Probo in the first half. Andre Rampersad and Sean Rea added goals within eight minutes of each other after the break as the Wanderers got back on track and look to sneak into the playoffs, while Forge’s poor form away from home continued.

In the second game of the Saturday doubleheader, Pacific FC snapped a five-game losing streak against Salish Sea Derby rivals Vancouver FC, and did so in convincing fashion. Dario Zanatta scored a brace and Moses Dyer added another as the Tridents won 3-0 for the second week in a row, with both of those players getting onto the scoresheet in each of the past two matches.

The weekend ended in Calgary, where Cavalry FC and Atlético Ottawa both netted in either half to share the points in a 2-2 draw. Manny Aparicio opened the scoring with a header from a corner kick in the fifth minute, before Ali Musse tied things up with a long range rocket that soared into the top left corner and almost certainly onto the list of Goal of the Year nominees. Ottawa struck early in the second half as well as Rubén del Campo extended his lead in the Golden Boot race, before Daan Klomp headed home the second equalizer on a free kick from Musse.

With all of that in mind, here’s how the CPL table looks after matchweek 23.

 Monday Reading

If the playoffs started today…

There was no movement in the table with this weekend’s results, so the playoff picture looks the same as it did last week. With five matches coming this week, though, the playoff positions could be set for a shakeup.

That fifth and final position currently occupied by the Eagles looks especially vulnerable, with both Pacific FC and Halifax Wanderers FC — two of the teams chasing them — playing twice this week, including a game against each other. Vancouver host league-leaders Forge as well, while Cavalry visit York United on Friday, looking to leapfrog the Torontonians.

The playoff race will go down to the wire again this season, and every match the rest of the way will be must-watch.

Awards Watch

Rubén del Campo’s push for the Golden Boot continued on Sunday, as the Atlético Ottawa striker opened up a two-goal lead over York United’s Brian Wright with a goal against Cavalry.

Emil Gazdov is strengthening his bid for the Best U-21 Canadian Player award after picking up a second-consecutive clean sheet on Saturday. He now leads the league in that department, with seven now on the season — one ahead of fellow Golden Glove contender Marco Carducci.

There are many contenders this season for Player of the Year and Defender of the Year, although Daan Klomp — who won both last year — continues to position himself to challenge for both titles after providing a goal and an assist again on Sunday amidst another standout defensive performance. One of his challengers for the defensive award, Pacific’s Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, has led his side to back-to-back clean sheets and the Tridents will need more of the same if they are going to climb into the playoffs.

Breaking down the run-in

Six of the eight Canadian Premier League clubs have just five matches remaining, while Halifax and Pacific currently have a game in hand over the rest of the league. That will no longer be the case after Wednesday night when the Wanderers will host the Tridents just over a week after being thrashed 3-0 at Starlight Stadium. Both of those teams won 3-0 last weekend as well, setting up what promises to be a great midweek game on the east coast.

Valour have perhaps the best opportunity to control their fate, playing four of their five remaining matches at home, including against Halifax on short rest on Saturday, followed by Pacific FC the week after — a team they are currently chasing.

Here’s how the last few weeks shape up for all eight clubs.

Home matches are listed in bold, and away matches are listed in italics.

Pacific FC	York United	Vancouver FC	Pacific FC
Halifax Wanderers	Vancouver FC	York United	Valour FC
York United	Pacific FC	Valour FC	Atlético Ottawa
Forge FC	Halifax Wanderers	Atlético Ottawa	Vancouver FC
Vancouver FC	Valour FC	Pacific FC	Cavalry FC
			York United

Halifax Wanderers	Halifax Wanderers	Forge FC	Cavalry FC
Atlético Ottawa	Pacific FC	Cavalry FC	Forge FC
Valour FC	Forge FC	Halifax Wanderers	Atlético Ottawa
Cavalry FC	Vancouver FC	Valour FC	Pacific FC
York United	Cavalry FC	Atlético Ottawa	Halifax Wanderers
Forge FC

U-21 Minutes Update

Three teams have passed the required 2,000-minute mark this season, while the other five still have five more weeks to get above the threshold. Forge FC are the closest, needing just 239 minutes, while Halifax Wanderers FC have the most work to do, needing 592.

The only movement in the leaderboard this week saw Atlético Ottawa overtake the Cavs when they played each other — with young centre-back Tyr Walker going the full 90 minutes in a big draw on the road.

Here’s the Jones Deslauriers | Navacord U-21 Minute Leaderboard, with how all eight teams are progressing:

Coming up next…

Wednesday, Sept. 18

Halifax Wanderers FC vs. Pacific FC (7 p.m. AT/3 p.m. PT)

Friday, Sept. 20

York United FC vs. Cavalry FC (8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT)

Saturday, Sept. 21

Valour FC vs. Halifax Wanderers FC (2 p.m. CT/4 p.m. AT)
Vancouver FC vs. Forge FC (3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET)

Sunday, Sept. 22

Atlético Ottawa vs. Pacific FC (2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT)

(Watch all games live on OneSoccer)

Photo of the Week

Moses Dyer and Pacific FC were jumping for joy on Saturday, as they beat his former club Vancouver FC in a pivotal Salish Sea Derby. Dyer scored the second goal in a 3-0 blowout for the Tridents at Starlight Stadium — snapping a five-game losing streak against their British Columbian rivals.