Cavalry FC opened their 2021 campaign with a bang on Sunday, seeing off York United FC 2-1 at IG Field in Winnipeg and claiming victory in the CPL’s first ComeOn! Match of the Week, thanks to goals from Sergio Camargo and José Escalante and a commendable defensive effort. York got on the board late with a stunning Diyaeddine Abzi free kick, but they couldn’t quite erase the deficit completely.

Cavs gaffer Tommy Wheeldon Jr. fielded an 11 with plenty of familiar faces, but he also handed starts to former U SPORTS standouts Victor Loturi and Daniel Kaiser. José Escalante also made his much-anticipated return to the Cavs lineup after missing out on 2020 due to travel restrictions. Meanwhile, Jimmy Brennan’s York United side — playing for the first time under its new name — had plenty of youth, with the likes of Max Ferrari and Lowell Wright playing key roles in the attack, plus a smattering of club newcomers like former Cavalry defender Dominick Zator, Chrisnovic N’sa, and Noah Verhoeven filling out the new-look matchday squad.

The early stages of the match were relatively cagey; both sides, playing their first matches since the Island Games last summer, took the first half hour to feel each other out. Though Cavalry had the lion’s share of possession, both sides had a handful of opportunities in the attacking third, but neither managed to truly threaten the other much — save for one Cavs chance around the 20-minute mark that saw York keeper Nathan Ingham caught up with his own defender to cause some confusion.

Cavalry managed to open their account first; an inch-perfect Escalante cross, fired in from well out on the right flank, found the diving head of Sergio Camargo, who fought off York’s Michael Petrasso to nod it home and put the Cavs up 1-0.

Camargo would exit the game at halftime, with Wheeldon opting to add pacey wingback Mo Farsi into the mix for a slightly more direct attacking option.

Not long after the interval, Cavalry added another — York defender Roger Thompson, a little careless in moving the ball out from the back, was caught unaware by Escalante bearing down on him. Cavalry’s Honduran winger picked the ball away from Thompson and quickly fired goalward, finding the net with a deflection off Ingham.

York did manage to put Cavalry on their heels for the final half hour, earning some dangerous set-piece opportunities, but they weren’t quite able to solve the well-organized Cavalry backline until the 79th minute. With free kick 10 yards outside the box, Diyaeddine Abzi stepped up to curl the dead ball around the wall and into the net by the left post. Injected with new life after the goal, York continued to press for an equalizer, but they weren’t able to break through again.

The Cavs had a few dangerous chances of their own toward the end of the game, with former York stalwart Joe Di Chiara causing serious trouble in midfield, but the contest ended with a 2-1 scoreline.

BOX SCORE

Goals

32′ — Sergio Camargo (Cavalry FC)
51′ — José Escalante (Cavalry FC)
79′ — Diyaeddine Abzi (York United)

Discipline

50′ — Yellow: Michael Petrasso (York United)
86′ — Yellow: Joe Di Chiara (York United)
90+1′ — Yellow: David Norman Jr. (Cavalry FC)