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.

Victoria Day weekend was a blast in the Canadian Premier League, as four different cities hosted fascinating clashes that shook up the landscape of the 2024 season, six weeks in.

Pacific FC’s clean sheet streak ended at five games, while Atlético Ottawa are now the sole unbeaten team left standing, having beaten the Tridents 1-0 at Starlight Stadium. Rubén del Campo is chasing some history at the moment, as he’s scored in four straight league matches now — Aribim Pepple’s run of five in a row from 2022 being the record.

The other B.C. team had a more enjoyable weekend, as Vancouver FC took on Forge FC in Hamilton, and emerged with their first ever goal and win at Tim Hortons Field to leapfrog the defending champions in the standings. Later on Saturday evening, a second-half attacking explosion led Cavalry FC and York United to a 2-2 draw at ATCO Field.

Finally, the holiday Monday in Halifax meant a jam-packed Wanderers Grounds, but the 6,400 in attendance were left disappointed as the Wanderers lost 2-1 to Valour FC, as the Winnipeg club picked up their first points of 2024 while Halifax remain winless through five games.

After six matchweeks, we’re more than 20 per cent into the season. Things do remain close, but there’s a little more separation now; at least, if Halifax are to make the playoffs they’ll probably need to get some points on the board very soon.

Patrice Gheisar said on Monday that his group needed to do some ‘soul-searching’ after that loss to Valour. Meanwhile out at Pacific, James Merriman said his team needs to look at itself in the final third — they’ve scored five goals in six games and sit near the top of the table thanks much more to their defensive work than anything.

Finally, at Tim Hortons Field we saw another Olimpico goal, this time courtesy of Vasco Fry. We’d already seen Kyle Bekker and Tristan Borges (twice) do it there; is there some kind of magic in the corner flags in Hamilton? Should everybody start aiming directly for the back post?

Fry himself had a grin on his face postmatch, claiming Phil Dos Santos told him to try and attack the keeper with his deliveries… but the jury’s still out on whether that was precisely what he had in mind.

If you’re reading this on Tuesday, don’t forget to tune in tonight as Cavalry FC look to reverse their deficit at BC Place and knock the Vancouver Whitecaps out of the Canadian Championship! Wednesday night will see Forge FC likewise try to beat an MLS side, as they head to Stade Saputo tied 1-1 on aggregate with CF Montréal. Can either CPL team get past their fearsome foe, and book a place in the semifinal? Don’t miss those games, live on OneSoccer.

Monday Tuesday Reading

If the playoffs started today…

Vancouver FC jumped ahead of Forge thanks to the CPL’s new head-to-head tiebreaker. The sides are level on 10 points, although Forge do have a game in hand.

Still, a 905 Derby in a one-off play-in game would be quite fun, and it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen that in the CPL playoffs.

Pacific sitting just ahead of Vancouver does float the incredible possibility of seeing a B.C. Derby in the postseason too, which would be wonderful fun.

U-21 minutes watch

Pacific remain well out in front, having already hit the halfway mark on their U-21 minutes requirement. Emil Gazdov and Eric Lajeunesse are leading the way for the Tridents, but Christian Greco-Taylor deserves credit for going 84 minutes on Friday in his club debut, coming off the bench just six minutes into a chaotic first half.

Meanwhile, Forge jumped way up the table and more than doubled their total, in large part thanks to Amadou Koné getting the start up front with a couple of other injuries at the striker position.

For the full player-by-player breakdown on the Jones Deslauriers | Navacord U-21 Minute Leaderboard, click here.

Here’s how all eight teams are progressing toward the 2,000-minute threshold:

Coming up next…

Friday, May 24

York United vs. Halifax Wanderers (7 p.m. ET/8 p.m. AT)

Saturday, May 25

Atlético Ottawa vs. Forge FC (3 p.m. ET)
Vancouver FC vs. Pacific FC (3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET)

Sunday, May 26

Cavalry FC vs. Valour FC (3 p.m. MT/4 p.m. CT)

(Watch all four games live on OneSoccer)

Photo of the Week

Congratulations to Valour on getting into the win column!