Pacific FC rode a three-goal first half to dispatch fellow top-four side Valour FC 3-2 at Starlight Stadium in regular-season Canadian Premier League play.

The Tridents took goals from Alejandro Diaz, Terran Campbell, and Matteo Polisi to remain top of the CanPL standings in what was their second empathic win in a row following their 2021 Canadian Championship triumph vs. MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps at midweek.

Valour enjoyed stretches of possession early in the match, which looked promising until the 11th minute when midfielder Moses Dyer coughed up the ball at the top of the 18-yard box. Matteo Polisi easily stripped his opponent and slotted the ball to Diaz who made no mistake on a straight-forward finish.

RELATED READING: Sights & Sounds: Pacific FC 3-2 Valour FC || Match Analysis: Pacific FC 3-2 Valour FC

The early goal quickly turned the match into a track meet as teams traded exciting transitional moments – none quite like Austin Ricci’s one-one-one in the 17th minute where the striker slotted a left-footed effort past Callum Irving and celebrated by standing on the ad boards.

Polisi grabbed an answer back soon after when Terran Campbell out-muscled a defender and clipped a nice cross to the midfielder at the back post… And Campbell grabbed his goal after 34 minutes when Diaz threaded a lovely cross through the six-yard box.

The four-goal first half marked a blistering start and one that Valour ultimately never recovered from. Rocco Romeo came close to converting off a corner after the break and Keven Aleman missed an open net in the 55th minute, undoing two lovely passes from Galhardo and Ricci. The Tridents enjoyed a couple of chances themselves in the second half and nearly added a fourth through Alessandro Hojabrpour.

Coach Rob Gale made a handful of changes to his Valour side in the second half in search of a goal. Chances were sparse until a penalty call in the 86th minute when Jordan Haynes flew through a Valour player on a header. Aleman converted from the spot but it was too little, too late as Winnipeg failed to find an equalizer.

With the win, Pa-Modou Kah’s side goes top of the CanPL standings on 28 points through 14 matches. Valour, meanwhile, remains in the fourth and final playoff position with 22 points.

BOX SCORE

Goals

11′ — Alejandro Diaz (Pacific FC)

37′ — Austin Ricci (Valour FC)

22′ — Matteo Polisi (Pacific FC)

35′ — Terran Campbell (Pacific FC)

86′ — Keven Aleman (Valour FC)

Discipline

43′ — Yellow: Lukas MacNaughton (Pacific FC)

60′ — Yellow: Manny Aparicio (Pacific FC)

61′ — Yellow: Raphael Ohin (Valour FC)

66′ — Yellow: Rocco Romeo (Valour FC)

72′ — Yellow: Tony Mikhael (Valour FC)

86′ — Yellow: Alessandro Hojabrpour (Pacific FC)