Welcome to CPL5x5. In preparation for the 2023 Canadian Premier League season — the fifth since the league’s inception in 2019 — CanPL.ca will provide full, in-depth preview coverage for each of the eight clubs.
In this series, we’ll break down all you need to know about each team within five sections: Five stats, five key players, five fixtures to circle, five storylines to watch, and five quotes.
To check out the rest of CanPL.ca’s 2023 season preview coverage, click here. To see the other seven clubs’ CPL5x5 breakdowns, click here.
Pacific FC entered the 2022 season buzzing with expectation after winning the 2021 CPL championship, but things didn’t quite pan out for them to repeat the title in James Merriman’s first year as head coach. The Tridents finished fourth in the league table, and they bowed out in the playoffs to Atlético Ottawa by a 3-1 scoreline on aggregate.
The highlight of last year, however, was Pacific’s appearance in the Concacaf League, which saw them rout Jamaican side Waterhouse before an admirable loss on penalties to Costa Rican giants Herediano.
This year, the Vancouver Island club have made a number of additions to try and boost their goalscoring ability, with a strong cast of newcomers arriving to complement a core that was already in place.
5 Stats
9 goals:
After leading the league in goals the year before, Pacific scored just 36 goals in 2022 — tied with two other teams for third in the league. Only nine of those, however, came in the last 12 games after Golden Boot winner Alejandro Díaz transferred to Norwegian club Sogndal.
11-3-3:
During the 2022 season, Pacific went 11-3-3 when Manny Aparicio was in the lineup. He missed 11 games last year, though, with an injury and multiple suspensions. The Tridents posted just a 2-4-5 record in those matches without their midfield engine.
25 goals:
This off-season, the Tridents replaced Díaz’s 25 career CPL goals with a player who also has 25 career CPL goals: Easton Ongaro. Entering 2023, the two are tied for second on the league’s all-time scoring leaderboard.
122 clearances:
Defender of the Year nominee Amer Didić led the league in a number of defensive categories last year, including clearances (122) and aerial duels won (65), as he dealt with all sorts of threats very capably in his first year at Pacific.
171 games:
Newest signing Kekuta Manneh arrives at Pacific with a résumé that includes 171 games of experience in Major League Soccer — more than any other CPL player. Across stints with Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, New England Revolution, and Austin FC, Manneh scored 31 goals. He’ll be expected to provide the same attacking instinct at Pacific.
5 Key Players
Manny Aparicio
As explained above, Aparicio is the engine of Pacific’s attacking play. The creative midfielder can win balls, split lines with passes, develop dangerous attacks. If he’s in the lineup, Pacific are a very dangerous opponent; a focus for Aparicio this year is avoiding suspension, having missed six games for that reason in 2022.
Josh Heard
Recently named captain after the retirement of Jamar Dixon, Heard will lead this club on and off the pitch in 2023. The high-energy winger will probably line up on the right side of attack, where he’ll drive at fullbacks and push the ball forward with his dribbling. Heard had eight goals and six assists in all competitions last year.
Easton Ongaro
One of the CPL’s all-time leading scorers, Ongaro has arrived to be the focal point of Pacific’s attack. The 6-6 striker is familiar to CPL fans as a top-quality goalscorer over three years with FC Edmonton, but he spent parts of last season in both Romania and the Vancouver Whitecaps 2 squad. He’s returned to the CPL to resume his scoring dominance.
Amer Didić
Didić is expected to be the anchor of Pacific’s defence again, as he was in 2022. He was a nominee for Defender of the Year last season after joining Pacific from Edmonton, and the towering centre-back will likely contend for that again as one of the league’s best aerial defenders and commanding presences in the box.
Kekuta Manneh
The 28-year-old Manneh comes to the CPL with 170 games of MLS experience, making him one of the most exciting signings in the league to date. He’ll likely patrol the left wing next to Ongaro, and will be expected to provide service and chip in with plenty of goals of his own.
5 Fixtures to Circle
April 15: Pacific FC vs. Vancouver FC
The first-ever B.C. Derby in the CPL will be an afternoon to remember on Vancouver Island. The Tridents will hope to show the new kids on the block what’s what with a season-opening win — much like they beat Forge FC at home in their opener last year.
June 2: Vancouver FC vs. Pacific FC
The Tridents’ first trip to the Lower Mainland should also be an exuberant affair, particularly if a healthy contingent of Pacific fans make the trip across the Georgia Strait for an away day.
June 18: Pacific FC vs. York United
Pacific’s second meeting in just over a month with the Nine Stripes will kick off a vital four-game summer homestand before their travel schedule gets rough again. These two sides had some heated encounters in 2022, stemming from a fiery preseason meeting that set the table for some prickly regular season affairs.
Sept. 13: Atlético Ottawa vs. Pacific FC
With Pacific playing so many games at home in the early stages of the year, they’ll be on the road a lot in the final few weeks. This weeknight match in Ottawa — at the place where their season ended in 2022 — will be a significant one for Pacific, as the beginning of a three-game swing through Ontario. It’s also the beginning of Pacific’s final run-in for 2023, where they’ll play four of their last five games away from home.
Oct. 7: Cavalry FC vs. Pacific FC
With Cavalry and Pacific separated by just one point last year, these two foes are likely to be quite close again come the end of 2023. This final matchday of the regular season could have tremendous implications for playoff seeding — and it’s always a fierce showdown when these sides play each other anyway.
5 Storylines to Watch
Can Aparicio be a superstar?
It’s been mentioned plenty of times already, here and elsewhere, but it’s a major story for Pacific this year. The stark contrast between the club’s results with and without Aparicio in 2022 paints a picture of just how important the Toronto native was to the Tridents. They outscored opponents 19-9 with him on the pitch, and were outscored 24-17 without him. This year, Aparicio has made it clear he intends to play with that same edge that’s made him so effective, but he’s conscious about ensuring he remains on the field without picking up suspensions.
With Marco Bustos departing Pacific in the off-season, Aparicio is arguably the face of this team on the pitch now. The onus will be on him to take his game up another level; he played at an MVP-calibre click in early 2022, so it’s certainly possible Aparicio emerges as a candidate for Player of the Year yet again.
Easton Ongaro expected to bring the goals
After the Tridents’ attack suffered heavily in the wake of Alejandro Díaz’s departure last summer, one of the club’s priorities this off-season was acquired a proven goalscorer to fill that void. They landed on Easton Ongaro, who remains one of the CPL’s all-time leading scorers despite spending last year outside of the league — in Romania with UTA Arad and then later in MLS NEXT Pro with Whitecaps FC 2. Ongaro scored 25 CPL goals in 55 games for FC Edmonton across three years, and now he’ll be expected to continue that clip in 2023.
The 6-6 Ongaro can be a formidable weapon for the Tridents both with his feet in the box, and in the air on crosses and set-pieces. He’ll be reunited at Pacific with another former Edmonton standout in defender Amer Didić.
Gazdov ready to step into number one role
With previous starting goalkeeper Callum Irving moving across the Georgia Strait to play for Vancouver FC, 19-year-old Emil Gazdov looks set to be handed the keys as the Tridents’ number one between the sticks. He made his first two appearances for Pacific last year, both of them away from home, so he’ll be looking forward to a first opportunity at Starlight Stadium.
The Tridents have been preparing Gazdov for this opportunity for several years now; he first signed with the club as a 17-year-old in 2020, and spent some time on loan in Germany with FC Nürnberg before returning to Van Isle. Now, it seems he’s ready to take over the top job. Gazdov will be backed up this year by former Halifax keeper Kieran Baskett, and the pair will be guided by new goalkeeper coach Daniel Ortiz.
Ortiz, a former FC Barcelona youth coach, has earned rave reviews from Gazdov and Baskett for his detailed training methods and experience, so look for the young goalkeeping tandem on the Island to make strides this year.
New-look midfield to face major tests
Captain Jamar Dixon retired after last season, which left the Tridents with a significant gap in the middle of the park to fill. One name to look out for is Vancouver Island native Sean Young, who may now be ready at 21 years old to step into a larger role as an everyday ball distributor. Alongside Young, Pacific have brought in former Halifax standout Pierre Lamothe to help anchor the middle in what might be a double pivot behind Aparicio.
For Pacific to get the ball out wide to wingers Manneh and Heard, they’ll need to have a strong central foundation to win the ball and progress it forward. How this duo of Young and Lamothe works together is yet to be seen, but it has the potential to work very well for James Merriman’s side. Also among the midfield candidates are Cédric Toussaint and Steffen Yeates, another pair of young players who could fit in here.
The Dutch connection?
The international contingent at Pacific has taken on a bit of a theme this off-season, with the squad now boasting three Dutch players who could all be key to the lineup. Fullback Bradley Vliet has come over from Cavalry FC to replace Nathan Mavila, while both Ayman Sellouf and the returning Djenairo Daniels have been impressing in training as understudies to the likely starting attackers. Sellouf, in particular, has been singled out by Merriman as a possible difference-maker in attack, with his significant experience in the Dutch second division.
Generally, Pacific’s depth has improved this year, particularly up front where the Tridents have brought in a new cast of characters, particularly with their international signings.
5 Quotes
“Our consistency, regardless of who’s on the field, that’s a big thing. Having that collective mentality and winning mindset — throughout the entire group, not just our core group, but all 23 players.”
— Head coach James Merriman on how his team can be better in 2023
“One of the most important things for the next time period for me, my next contract, is being in a team where we’re expected to win every game, and we’re going in to fight for that. So far in my career, I haven’t really had that. I’ve been on a lot of, it’s unfortunate to say, losing teams. It’s not easy as a professional to go home, week in and week out, after losses and that’s why I feel like I need to be winning matches, and Pacific is that place.”
— Striker Easton Ongaro on choosing to sign for Pacific
“It’s a huge honour. This is my home, this is my club, and every time I’m out there I wear the badge with serious pride so the fact that I’m now going to be captain and lead this team from the front is something I’m very proud of.”
— Winger Josh Heard on being named captain
“That’s the fine line; I always play with an edge, I try to give everything, but I can see the ref’s point of view as well … It’s finding that margin, that’s something I definitely need to work on. I was improving up until last season, but it’s a me thing; it doesn’t have anything to do with refs or my team or the other team, I take that on myself … I’m still going to be out there and give a hundred per cent, play my game, but maybe be more cautious at times.”
— Midfielder Manny Aparicio on balancing discipline with energy
“I’ve played with a lot of people who have played for this club. I’ve been in touch with them and watching their games over the years. The excitement of the fans and the direction [Pacific] is going is something I wanted to be a part of. It all was really, really exciting to me so that all factored into the decision to come here.”
— Winger Kekuta Manneh on coming to Pacific