Marco Bustos wasted little time finding his first goal in front of the home supporters at Starlight Stadium as his third minute strike gave Pacific an early lead before Gianni Dos Santos would seal it in the 86th minute in a 2-0 victory over Cavalry FC on Saturday evening in Langford.

The Tridents made three changes to the team that beat Atlético Ottawa 4-2 in their last game back on July 21 as first choice keeper Callum Irving replaced Nolan Wirth, Manuel Aparicio slotted in for Matteo Polisi in midfield and Victor Blasco made his first start of the season for Pacific. Visiting side Cavalry retained nine starters from the lineup that topped Forge 2-1 last Thursday night with Elliot Simmons and Victor Loturi coming in for Mason Trafford and Ali Musse.

Pacific fans had very little waiting to do to see the first tally in the newly rebranded stadium as the hosts struck on the counter attack just over two minutes into the action. After an Alejandro Diaz attempted pass into the Cavalry area pinballed off a couple of defenders, Bustos collected the loose ball and dribbled beyond a trio of Cavs before toe poking home in cool fashion to open the scoring.

Some 20 minutes later the visitors looked to have their equalizer as Anthony Novak volleyed home to beat Callum Irving, only for the referee’s assistant to rule it out through offside. Moments later, Marco Carducci was called into action at the other end to ensure Pacific’s advantage stayed at just one as Blasco found himself in all alone in the 25th minute but he couldn’t beat the Cavalry keeper.

Just before the interval, it was Carducci playing his part again as he parried a powerful volley from Jamar Dixon over the crossbar in the 44th minute to help give Cavalry some hope going into the halftime break.

The Cavs shot stopper would continue to be tested in the second 45′ and despite his bets efforts, substitute Dos Santos would make a near immediate impact after relieving Diaz in the Pacific attack, smashing home at the near post after a great through ball from Bustos.

Thanks in large part to the high press and sustained pressure up the pitch from the home team, Cavalry struggled to threaten in the final third with any regularity after the break — their only shot on target in the second half a 79th minute strike from distance courtesy of David Norman Jr.

Pacific showed a sustained energy throughout their first game back in front of their own crowd and were full value for all three points on Saturday.

BOX SCORE

Goals

3′ — Marco Bustos (Pacific FC)

86′ — Gianni Dos Santos (Pacific FC)

Discipline

14′ — Yellow: Victor Blasco (Pacific FC)

19′ — Yellow: Victor Loturi (Cavalry FC)

24′ — Yellow: Nik Ledgerwood (Cavalry FC)

45′ — Yellow: Lukas MacNaughton (Pacific FC)

66′ — Yellow: Anthony Novak (Cavalry FC)

79′ — Yellow: Matthew Baldisimo (Pacific FC)

90+4′ — Yellow: Josh Heard (Pacific FC)