For the first time this season, the Halifax Wanderers have defeated Vancouver FC, as they picked up a crucial 3-0 win at Wanderers Grounds on Saturday.

With that, the Wanderers also provisionally climbed up to fourth place in the CPL table, and should finish the weekend in a playoff spot, as they did well to bounce back with a strong performance following a frustrating defeat to Pacific FC earlier in the week.

As for Vancouver, it was more frustration, as they’re now winless in five games, continuing a tough midsummer swoon from them.

Halifax got off to a perfect start to this game, as they found an opening goal inside just five minutes. After a nice sequence of possession, Andre Rampersad decided to whip in a dangerous ball, one that found a wide-open João Morelli in the box, who would make no mistake with the finish to make it 1-0.

Then, eager to quickly double their lead, Halifax then nearly found another one less than two minutes later. After a nice run forward from Wesley Timoteo, he found new Halifax signing, Toronto FC loanee Jordan Perruzza, with a perfect cross, but Perruzza dragged his first-time shot just over the net.

Finally showing signs of life, Vancouver did nearly find an equalizer in the 17th minute. After a nice counter-attack, the ball fell to Gabriel Bitar in a dangerous area, before he’d send a dangerous shot just over the goal from a tight angle.

After that, things slowed down for a bit, as both sides settled into a rhythm. Because of that, the next best chance didn’t come until the 39th minute, as Lorenzo Callegari found Perruzza with a great through ball, but he’d be denied by a strong stop from Vancouver’s Callum Irving on the breakaway.

Right before half, however, Vancouver had their best look of the game up until that point. There, it came off a bit of individual magic from Shaan Hundal, who drifted through Halifax’s defence with a nice run into the box, but his shot would be denied by a nice leg save from Halifax’s Yann Fillion.

Then, continuing that strong run, they had another good look right on the other side of half time, as Renan Garcia fired a shot from distance, flashing his attempt just wide of the mark.

Minutes later, they came close once again, as Hundal did well to drift wide and deliver a dangerous low cross, one that just bounced over the outstretched legs of a wide-open Alejandro Díaz, much to the relief of Halifax.

Yet, they’d come to rue those missed opportunities in the 57th minute, as Halifax would push back the other way. There, João Morelli would carve into the box, where he’d get taken down by Rocco Romeo, winning a penalty for his team.

From there, he’d step up to take it, slotting it into the bottom left corner for his brace, doubling the score in the process.

Despite that, Vancouver would continue to push, which to their credit, nearly paid off in the 62nd minute. There, Garcia unleashed a ferocious strike on a free kick, forcing a strong save out of Fillion, who did well to react to the effort.

Yet, that’d then lead to a third from Halifax not long later. There, Timoteo did well to find Massimo Ferrin with a great ball over the top, and from there, Ferrin made no mistake with the breakaway to make it 3-0.

Eager just to get on the scoreboard, Vancouver kept at it, and nearly found their opener in the 78th minute. There, Díaz managed to unleash a left-footed shot from distance, making great contact with a strike, narrowly sending it wide of the mark.

Maintaining that push, TJ Tahid also had a good look in the 89th minute, firing a dangerous strike from outside of the box, but Fillion would do well to meet that one.

From there, however, that push would come up empty, leaving Halifax to emerge with the victory and a clean sheet, much to the joy of the Wanderers faithful.

BOX SCORE

Goals

5′ — João Morelli (Halifax Wanderers)
58′ — João Morelli (Halifax Wanderers) (Penalty)
66′ — Massimo Ferrin (Halifax Wanderers)

Discipline

57′ — Gabriel Bitar (Vancouver FC)
61′ — Andre Rampersad (Halifax Wanderers)
67′ — Riley Ferrazzo (Halifax Wanderers)