Final Score: Cavalry FC 3-0 Pacific FC
Goalscorers: Klomp 22′, Bevan 74′, Henry 90+4′
Game of the 2023 season: 112
CPL match: 479

Match in a minute or less

Cavalry FC won a fifth straight match on Saturday at ATCO Field, defeating Pacific FC 3-0 in the final game of the 2023 regular season. Daan Klomp, Myer Bevan and Maël Henry all scored on a celebratory day in Calgary, as the Cavs went on to celebrate their regular season title by lifting the CPL Shield after the match.

Pacific, who failed to score and now enter the playoffs on a three-game losing streak, finished fourth place in the standings, which means they’ll have to return home for a midweek date against fifth-place York United FC on Wednesday, hoping to advance and take on Halifax Wanderers the following weekend.

Three Observations

Cavalry lift CPL Shield on festive afternoon in front of Foot Soldiers

One of the main overarching stories of this game was one that was completely unaffected by the match itself. Cavalry FC, having clinched the regular season title two weeks ago, were officially crowned champions on Saturday afternoon when they lifted the Canadian Premier League Shield in front of their fans at ATCO Field.

This moment had been five years in the making, being the first time Cavalry have lifted silverware in the club’s history. They won the regular season back in 2019, the league’s inaugural campaign, but the honour wasn’t officially recognized at the time; now, Cavalry are the first team to lift the brand-new Shield, which was unveiled several weeks ago.

With it comes a litany of spoils. The Cavs get the top seed in the playoffs, which means they’ll host Forge next weekend for the right to go directly to the CPL Final and host it, in an effort to be the first side to win the double. They get a spot in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, where they’ll take on some of the best sides in North and Central America.

First, though, they’re enjoying this moment for what it is. Cavalry’s players and staff knew they would be celebrating with a trophy after the match, regardless of the result, although they certainly knew the moment would be sweeter if it came after another win.

That knowledge may well have prompted the vigour with which they began the match, as the Cavs looked very much like the champions they’ve been this year, with their overwhelming possession play exemplary of the performances they’ve put in all year.

Cavalry were, therefore, in very high spirits when they lifted the Shield after a 3-0 win, as were the Foot Soldiers and other fans who joined them on the pitch postgame to celebrate the moment.

Now, Cavalry will go into the playoffs as favourites to win another trophy, not just because they finished first but because they enter the postseason in the best form. They’ve won five in a row, they’re unbeaten in their last nine, and the last time they lost at ATCO Field was July 12.

And if they play their cards right in the playoffs, they won’t have to leave Calgary again this year.

Pacific finish fourth as disappointing run of form continues

The path to the North Star Cup will be quite difficult for Pacific FC, whose only home match in the playoffs will be just a few days after this one when they take on the fifth seed, York United, on Wednesday night at Starlight Stadium.

After this, Pacific’s third loss in a row, the mood will be fairly grim in the Tridents’ camp. They were second place just two weeks ago, and for much of the season they were in first place.

Now, they find themselves heading home to play a Wednesday game they’ll feel they shouldn’t be playing in, had they been better the last few weeks. What stings most, perhaps, is that if Pacific had won they would’ve finished second, because of Forge’s loss to Atlético Ottawa.

Instead, Pacific are unable to host the CPL Final, and after Wednesday — if they advance — the entire road to the North Star Cup will be away from home.

Second-half improvement from Pacific but Cavs’ defence (and goalkeeper) hold firm

Pacific coach James Merriman will certainly not be happy with his team’s performance in the first half of this match, where they had just 31.2 per cent possession, got out-shot seven to four, and managed just one touch in the Cavalry penalty area.

After the previous week’s loss to Vancouver, Merriman called out his team’s first-half performance calling it an unacceptable effort from his side; this week’s first half might have been even more frustrating.

Coming out of halftime, though, Pacific knew they had nothing to lose — they were already trailing, and they needed to score twice in order to jump up the second or third, so they played more aggressively and were not afraid to take risks.

To their credit, the Tridents had 10 shots in the second half, and won the expected goals battle 1.39 to 1.26 — the only problem being that Cavalry scored twice from those chances, and Pacific scored none.

Even though Pacific spent much more time in the Cavs’ half and won the ball more frequently in the latter 45 minutes, they repeatedly found themselves running into the wall that is Cavalry’s backline.

The back three of Eryk Kobza, Daan Klomp and Bradley Kamdem — plus Callum Montgomery once he came on in the second half — were immense, but credit is also due to goalkeeper Marco Carducci, who made five excellent saves including one stunning point-blank effort against Adonijah Reid.

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Daan Klomp, Cavalry FC

Klomp scored the first goal with a thundering set-piece header, and went on to play a vital role in Cavalry holding onto the clean sheet, with three clearances and an interception. He was also near-perfect with his distribution, hitting a team-high 83 of his 86 attempted passes accurately (for a success rate of 96.5 per cent).

What’s next?

Cavalry will take on second-place Forge FC next Saturday, Oct. 14 at ATCO Field (3 p.m. MT/5 p.m. ET). First, though, Pacific will be at home to play York United on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at Starlight Stadium (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET).

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