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PREVIEW: Cavalry FC vs. HFX Wanderers – Match #16

Canadian Premier League — Match #16
Cavalry FC vs. HFX Wanderers
May 25, 2019 — Spruce Meadows (6:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. MT)
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca

HFX Wanderers will take their crack at the league leaders on Saturday when they travel to face the unbeaten Cavalry FC in Canadian Premier League Spring season action.

The Cavs are 6-0-0 in all competitions this season, sitting atop the CPL standings with 12 points. Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s side’s most recent triumph came on Wednesday in a 2-1 second leg victory over Pacific FC in the Canadian Championship’s first round. The Cavs won 4-1 on aggregate.

HFX Wanderers are also coming off a Voyageurs Cup first-round win, albeit in a less assertive fashion. Stephen Hart’s side moved past League1 Ontario side Vaughan Azzurri with an aggregate scoreline of 3-3, with an away goal advantage of 3-1. Hart wasn’t exactly pleased with his team following the 1-0 defeat in the second leg, believing his side didn’t manage the game properly. In terms of league play, the Wanderers sit in sixth heading into Saturday with a 1-2-0 record.

The Wanderers will head home following Saturday’s tilt, as Stephen Hart’s side are set to face York9 FC on Wednesday (6:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. AT/OneSoccer). Cavalry will have over a week off before taking on Forge FC in Canadian Championship play on June 4 (7:30 p.m. ET/OneSoccer).

KEYS TO THE MATCH

  • Counter attack: Direct. Route one. If the Wanderers want to get a result on Cavalry’s home patch, they will need to play conservatively, taking chances only when they’re worth the risk. Akeem Garcia’s speed as a centre forward and Juan Diego Gutierrez’s footwork on the wing will be crucial attacking crutches for Hart to fall on if they are pinned back.
  • Keep the momentum: How long can the Cavs keep it going? Wheeldon Jr. has already mentioned keeping the momentum on his side, especially as they finish a stretch of six matches in three weeks. Will the tiredness and constant squad rotation catch up to them?
  • Jordan Brown: Cavalry’s West Ham-developed striker has become quite teh dangerman over six matches. Explosive, good off the ball with a knack for taking players on, Brown’s play stretches well past the two goals he’s scored in 2019. The 22-year-old us reliable, too, playing in every match for the Cavs so far.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

Cavalry FC: Marco Carducci; Joel Waterman, Dominick Zator, Jonathan Wheeldon; Nico Pasquotti, Elijah Adekugbe, Nikolas Ledgerwood, Sergio Camargo, Nathan Mavila; Dominique Malonga, Jordan Brown

HFX Wanderers: Jan-Michael Williams; Zachary Sukunda, Peter Schaale, Chakib Hocine, Ndzemdzela Langwa; Mohamed Kourouma, Elton John, Matthew Arnone, Kodai Iida, Juan Guitierrez; Akeem Garcia


HEAD-TO-HEAD

First meeting between these clubs

STATS LEADERS 

Jordan Brown – 2 goals (Cavalry FC)
Luis Alberto Perea & Akeem Garcia – 1 goal (HFX Wanderers)

INJURIES

Chris Serban (Cavalry FC) – Knee
Jose Escalante (Cavalry FC) – Questionable
Luis Alberto Perea (HFX Wanderers) – Doubtful

INTERNATIONAL DUTY

None

SUSPENSIONS

None

ACCUMULATION

None

REFEREES

Referee: David Barrie
ARs: Graham Forsyth & Stefan Tanaka-Freundt
4th Official: Michael Mund