Final Score: Pacific FC 2-2 FC Edmonton
Goalscorers: 42′ Matteo Polisi (Pacific FC), 54′ Terran Campbell (Pacific FC), 58′ Easton Ongaro (FC Edmonton), 76′ Tobias Warschewski (FC Edmonton)
Game of the 2021 season: 41
CPL match: 176
Match in a minute or less
FC Edmonton looked well out of Saturday’s tilt against Pacific FC, set to be the third dispatched side to visit Starlight Stadium in a little over a week. Goals from Matteo Polisi and Terran Campbell put a stamp on PFC’s dominance… Only for the handful striker combo of Easton Ongaro Tobias Warschewski to score back-to-back, giving the Eddies an unlikely point on a windy day on Vancouver Island.
Three Observations
‘It’s not easy to come back in that environment’
For the third match in a row, CanPL clubs have come and gone from Pacific’s home ground reeling. Both Cavalry FC coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. and Valour FC gaffer Rob Gale noted the difficulty at playing away at Starlight after losing matches to a positive, go-lucky PFC side.
Alan Koch agrees with that sentiment, adding an east-to-west wind on the pitch made the match even more difficult.
“This is not an easy place to play because this team is playing this well,” Koch said. “It’s not easy to come back in that environment, with the wind dictating so much.”
Indeed, all four goals were scored on Starlight’s west side, something that left Koch and Eddies captain Shamit Shome calling the tilt a tale of two halves once they swapped ends at the interval.
“It was very difficult and you saw that in this tale of two halves,” Shome added about the wind. “You saw how it affected the ball moving up – goal kicks, passing through lines, the whole thing. But what we showed is we can communicate through [playing Pacific at home]. We showed the grit needed and that’s all that matters.”
Eddies take their chances, Kah left disappointed
Truth be told, the Eddies didn’t generate many chances at Starlight Stadium Saturday – just three shots on target, in fact. A big defensive lapse from Mele Temguia, who was blindsided by a rushing Terran Campbell, marked the other major issue. But, as it stands, the Eddies grabbed an away point.
“The biggest takeaway was we didn’t collapse,” Koch said after going down two goals. “It’s been an incredibly draining week – dating back to Al Classico at midweek. We defended low [in the first half], the guys put in a lot of work, and we were rewarded by getting that result.”
Coach Pa-Modou Kah, however, saw the game a bit differently: “They had no business being in the game. It’s not like they played us off of the park – this result is on us. We gave up two soft goals.”
Defender Abou Samake added to that sentiment after the match, saying: “Both of their goals could have been avoided – it’s hard to swallow considering how we could have done.”
Terran Campbell on vintage form in rotated PFC squad
Pacific fielded a rotated roster with coach Pa-Modou Kah making eight changes from their midfield tilt against Valour – one forced, as Callum Irving was suspended due to a red card in the previous match.
Young fullbacks Kunle Dada-Luke and Chris Lee lined up in the backline while Ollie Bassett returned to the midfield holding role.
“To fight for a championship as we want, you need a deep squad,” Kah said “And I think everybody that played stepped up.”
Still, some misplays at the back could easily be chalked up to unfamiliarity, something Kah embraced: “These are the games that you can take lessons from. You need players to self-reflect and that’s what will happen this week.”
Finally, Terran Campbell proved the greatest fresh face, providing a goal and assist back at Starlight Stadium where he shined in 2019 as the club’s goalscoring leader.
“Terran was amazing,” Kah said. “That’s what get for working hard day in and day out and, for me, that’s how he got his goal today.”
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Terran Campbell, Pacific FC
Things you love to see: 2019 PFC leading scorer Campbell excelling in a purple shirt. The strong winger/attacker was incredible in his flick-and-pass assist to Polisi only to go on to show some impressive pressing on his own goal, stripping the defender and slotting home an insurance marker. The 22-year-old was unlucky not to have at least one more goal, maybe two, on some cheeky headed efforts.
What’s next?
Pacific is set to hit the road for the first time post-Winnipeg bubble next with a date against Cavalry FC at ATCO Field slated for Wednesday (7:00pm MT/9:00pm ET). Edmonton, meanwhile, is set to return home as they host Valour FC a day later on Thursday (7:00pm MT/9:00pm ET). Watch all matches live on OneSoccer.