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VW Premier Performer Analysis: HFX stars score big in Fall opener

Each week of the Fall season, CanPL.ca will highlight the top five Volkswagen Premier Performers of the Week, while updating the overall standings as players from across the league compete to top the table and win a new Volkswagen Jetta GLI.

Here are the 5 VW Premier Performers of the Week:

1) Nico Pasquotti (Cavalry FC) – 90.67 pts

Cavalry's Nico Pasquotti in action vs. York9 FC. (Photo: Nora Stankovic).
Cavalry FC winger Nico Pasquotti. (Photo: Nora Stankovic).

Cavalry’s skillful winger had an impressive outing at Westhills Stadium, highlighted by a wicked, powerful header that found the back of the net in the first half. Pasquotti followed that up with a tricky cross-box assist to find Camargo on the goalline. This combo was enough to give Pasquotti top honours this week, just edging out a pair of HFX Wanderers…

2) Jan-Michael Williams (HFX Wanderers) – 89.53 pts

HFX Wanderers goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams. (Trevor MacMillan/CPL).
HFX Wanderers goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams. (Photo: Trevor MacMillan/CPL).

HFX’s goalkeeper was good value for his clean sheet against York9, making six stops at Wanderers Grounds on Saturday. The 34-year-old Trinidadian certainly got a Premier Performer boost in the second half, catching two difficult shots from Y9 to hold them goalless.

3) Akeem Garci­a (HFX Wanderers) – 88.32 pts

HFX Wanderers FC attacker Akeem Garcia (11) gets a shot towards the goal. (Trevor MacMillan/CPL)
HFX Wanderers FC winger Akeem Garcia. (Photo: Trevor MacMillan/CPL)

The lone goalscorer from the aforementioned HFX-Y9 tilt, coming just behind a fellow Trinidadian, Akeem Garcia was the Man of the Match at Wanderers Grounds for good reason; three shots on target, three key passes and an usually high 86% passing accuracy for an out-and-out, advanced poacher.

4) Nathan Ingham (York9 FC) – 87.56 pts

York9 goalkeeper Nathan Ingham blocks a shot against FC Edmonton in a Canadian Championship match at York University Field. (Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports for CPL).
York9 goalkeeper Nathan Ingham. (Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports for CPL).

A second-shot stopper on this week’s top five, Ingham added to his league-leading 43 saves with four at Wanderers Grounds – including a couple against Garcia. Ingham could have easily accrued a clean sheet as his HFX counterpart did, save for an “individual mistake” that led to Garcia’s goal.

5) Peter Schaale (HFX Wanderers) – 82.57 pts

HFX defender Peter Schaale battles for possession. (Trevor MacMillan/CPL).
HFX defender Peter Schaale battles for possession. (Trevor MacMillan/CPL).

Centreback Peter Schaale comes in as the fifth-best performer, and the third Wanderer, from this matchweek. The 23-year-old followed up from his impressive Spring as a key part in a clean sheet-earning defensive performance, recording a match-leading seven clearances in the process.


Top 5 Overall

RANK PLAYER CLUB POINTS (Avg./match)
1 Nathan Ingham York9 FC 81.80
2 Marco Carducci Cavalry FC 80.25
3 Connor James FC Edmonton 79.02
4 Dominique Malonga Cavalry FC 77.27
5 Rodrigo Gattas York9 FC 76.24

ANALYSIS: Goalkeepers occupy the top three spots on the Premier Performer’s first Fall edition with Nathan Ingham, Marco Carducci and Connor James emerging as the CPL’s best through the Spring session. Ingham’s aforementioned showing in Halifax handing him a slim lead at the top.

Download the Centre Circle app and submit you prediction for each week’s VW Premier Performer, and check out the full, position-by-position Volkswagen Premier Performer tables here.