Final Score: Pacific FC 2-0 York United
Goalscorers: Moore 15′, Ferrari (own goal.) 76′
Game of the 2024 season: 14
CPL match: 498

Match in a minute or less

Pacific remain the only club in the CPL that has yet to concede a goal this season, as they defeated York United 2-0 on Saturday at Starlight Stadium.

It is a record fourth straight CPL clean sheet for the Tridents, who go top of table with the result. Pacific had a goal in each half, with Reon Moore opening the scoring in the 15th minute before a 76th-minute Max Ferrari own goal all but secured three points.

The Nine Stripes are now winless in their last six matches against Pacific FC and have lost three of their first four matches of the CPL season. Pacific, meanwhile, are undefeated with three wins and a draw to start the 2024 campaign and sit top of the table for the moment.

Three Observations

Pacific FC return to their identity during solid first half, keep fourth straight clean sheet

While there can be no doubt that defensive football has been the foundation of Pacific FC’s success thus far in 2024, James Merriman and his group are still intent on playing the sort of attacking style that has been the club’s intended identity since its inception.

On Saturday, their dominant first half was a taste of that identity, and a sign of progress from the Tridents. With 60.4 per cent possession, 10 shot attempts and 34 final third entries they were the most direct and dynamic in attack they have been so far this season.

“I think it was very, very good in the first half,” said Merriman. “It’s more just the decision-making and final pass. That comes with games and that comes with time and that’s part of our process right now. But we were playing the way we want to play in the first half, with the ball, without the ball. I thought it was a very, very strong showing for us.”

The chart below shows just how much of the first half was played in the York third of the pitch, and how little ended up in Pacific’s third.

Merriman said there could be improvement in the way the team handled the pushback from York in the second half. But even as the Nine Stripes fought to get back into the game, Pacific demonstrated their defensive solidity once again.

Pacific assistant Armando Sá has been given a lot of credit for the work that he has done with the backline this season, making sure that the group is organized and committed to their defensive duties. His work was on display again on Saturday as Pacific limited York to just a single shot on target.

“I’m very happy, it’s the fourth time we don’t concede a goal,” said Pacific defender Aly Ndom. “We train a lot at the training with Armando who cares about this so after with the whole team we practice, and after when we come at the game we have a lot of confidence because they trust us. Everybody trusts everybody.”

Ndom says there’s a little bit of a French connection along the backline with Eric Lajeunesse and Thomas Meilleur-Giguère being able to speak the language, which has been very helpful. But whatever the secret ingredient, defence has been the catalyst to an incredible start to the campaign for the Tridents.

Lajeunesse, for his part, was fantastic on Saturday on both sides of the ball. The 21-year-old defender has been outstanding at left fullback this season, and against York had a match-high 89 touches, while winning six of his ten duels contested.

“He helps the team a lot because he covers a lot of space, he’s always in a good position, and he wants to learn,” said Ndom. “I speak a lot with him, for me also, so it’s like that, we build something. I think we are in good shape. Eric is really good, I tell him every day.”

Pacific FC’s Reon Moore making the most of opportunities 

Early in his career with Pacific FC, Reon Moore hasn’t seen much of the ball — often cutting a somewhat isolated figure up top for the Tridents.

When he has, however, the Trinidad and Tobago international has quietly made the most of his opportunities. In the opening match of the season, Moore won the decisive penalty in a 1-0 victory over Halifax. In their second match against Valour, he set up Josh Heard’s winner. Against Cavalry, he nearly scored the winner in stoppage time only to be denied by Marco Carducci.

Finally, this week, the goals started flowing. First, it was an equalizer in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time on Wednesday in the Canadian Championship to send Pacific to a shootout against TSS Rovers, which they ultimately won. On Saturday, Moore finally opened his CPL account with a volleyed effort from close range on the second phase of a 15th-minute corner kick.

Reon Moore gives @Pacificfccpl the lead with his first CPL goal! 🔱#CanPL I 📺@onesoccer pic.twitter.com/lHaxDdJ8nx

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) May 4, 2024

“I don’t know what his total touches are but he’s always a threat,” said Merriman. “You can’t switch off against him, he’s created goals, he’s scored goals. I think that goal against TSS was really important to get him started. To score again today he’s going to continue to work and find his rhythm, that’s what we expected from him…he’s only just getting started.”

He ultimately went just 64 minutes on Saturday, before being replaced by Andrei Tîrcoveanu. But as Pacific look to find their rhythm offensively early in this Canadian Premier League season, having a player like Moore who doesn’t need a lot of opportunities to impact matches is proving essential.

York United’s slow start costs them again during tough week

Through their first five matches in all competitions, York United still have not scored a goal in the opening half of a match. It has been an ongoing issue for the Nine Stripes, who dating back to the end of 2023 have scored a first-half goal in just two of their past 17 matches in all competitions.

“I don’t know if I need to throw things around the room and try to get guys going to start the game,” said York United head coach Martin Nash, “but we’ve got to figure it out because there’s a few games now that we’ve not started with the intensity that we need to play at.”

Once again starting in a 4-4-2 system, with five changes from the side that lost at Forge midweek, the Nine Stripes are still struggling to get the best out of captain Mo Babouli. The 31-year-old has been the key to the club’s attacking success over the past few years.

Babouli actually leads the league in expected assists with 1.58 and has created eight chances so far this season, but still does not have a goal or an assist in 2024.

“I think we’ve got to get Mo the ball in better areas instead of him dropping deeper to get it,” said Nash.

It was a tough week overall for the Nine Stripes, who were comprehensively eliminated from the Canadian Championship on Wednesday in Hamilton by rivals Forge FC with a 3-1 loss. They will desperately be looking to get their season back on track at home on Friday when they host Valour FC.

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Cédric Toussaint, Pacific FC 

It was another quietly excellent effort from the Pacific FC defensive midfielder. He won nine of his ten duels contested, and won five tackles while being fouled four times.

What’s next?

Pacific FC are off to Ottawa on Wednesday, May 8 (4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET), where they will take on Atlético Ottawa in the first leg of their quarter-final Canadian Championship matchup. Their next league fixture is on Saturday, May 11 when Forge FC pay a visit to Starlight Stadium (2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET). York United, meanwhile, are back home on Friday, May 10, where they host Valour FC (7:00 p.m. ET).

Watch all CPL and Canadian Championship matches live on OneSoccer. In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.