CALGARY — It’s been over three weeks since Cavalry FC embraced the cozy confines of Spruce Meadows, and on Sunday, the squad proved home is where the heart is with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Pacific FC.
“I’m a happy man, and it’s nice to be back,” head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said post-match with a beaming smile. “We talked about September being the month where we worked on something things. We got to get bodies healthy. Today, I think you saw a performance that was deserving of how we’ve trained.”
Jose Escalante, who netted a brace, scored his first of the afternoon by taking advantage of a fortuitous bounce that landed at his feet after a broken play deep in Pacific’s third to give Cavalry an early 1-0 lead. Terran Campbell levelled the score for the visitors in the second half on a penalty kick, but Oliver Minatel reclaimed the lead for Cavalry on a nifty finish in the 66th minute, and the Cavs didn’t look back.
“I’ve been working hard, and it feels of a bit of injustice to not be scoring,” Escalate said of his two-goal performance through a translator. “Now it seems like everything is falling into place the way it should.”
“I’m a Jose Escalante fan,” Wheeldon Jr. said. “I push him, and I think there’s more to come from him. I think our fans and our players haven’t seen the best of him, but they’re starting to see why we wanted to bring him to Calgary, why we wanted to bring him to the Cavalry. He’s an exciting player. He changes games.”
A glance at the scoring sheet shows Cavalry led not only on the scoreboard but in every category: shots, shots on target, possession, pass and pass accuracy. The Cavs also swept the 2019 series with the win, outscoring their Western Canadian opponents 11-5 over the course of four regular season meetings (3W-1D).
“I thought that some of the passages in the first half were some of the most exciting football we’ve played at home,” the coach offered.
Snagging three points was crucial for the home team, putting Cavalry in a tie with Forge FC for top spot in the Canadian Premier League Fall Season standings with the Calgary side leading the way when it comes to goal differential — the tie breaker.
This also marked the opener of a hectic stretch for the Cavs. Over the next 20 days, the squad will play five games, including back-to-back dates versus Forge that seemingly could decide the Fall Season victor.
“Everything is in our hands,” Wheeldon Jr. stated. “Everybody seemed to write us off, that we had nothing to play for. We don’t see it that way. We know there’s going to be tough games.”