This season, the Wanderers and PFC are CPL bookends in more than just geographic terms
To understand the length and breadth of Canada, consider that the HFX Wanderers of Nova Scotia are located closer to English clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester United, West Ham and Arsenal than they are to fellow Canadian Premier League-team Pacific FC.
The Wanderers make the 5,803-kilometre trek from Halifax to Victoria — the third longest distance in the world between teams in a pro soccer domestic Premiership league — to take on PFC Saturday at 5 p.m. at Starlight Stadium. By comparison, HFX would only have to travel 4,602 kilometres to play Crystal Palace or 4,750 kilometres to meet Middlesbrough.
This season, however, the Wanderers and PFC are CPL bookends in more than just geographic terms. Not precisely, but pretty close, with HFX surging from their usual spot near the lower side of the table to third place this season at 7-3-3. The Tridents, meanwhile, are 2-8-3 with their streak of five consecutive playoff appearances in jeopardy.
“We know this trip is not easy when we go to the East Coast, so we have to start on the front foot here at home and put pressure on them,” said PFC head coach James Merriman.
“We have been up front about it — we are not happy with the first half of the season — and we’ve put the first half of the season behind us. Each match now is a playoff game for us.”
PFC goalkeeper Max Anchor, on loan this season from the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer, concurred: “For the goals and aspirations we have as a club, it’s been a really disappointing first half, but it’s not a testament to the quality and ability we have. The focus is now on the second half. We have 15 games left to put us in a playoff position, and from there we can go on a run.”
The game marks the return of former PFC defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, who was a standout for five seasons on the Island before going to the other coast with HFX this season. The former Canada under-20 international, who was also selected to the Canada U-23 team for the CONCACAF regional qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, makes his first return to Starlight Stadium.
“To see TMG come back in a different colour jersey is bittersweet,” said Merriman.
CORNER KICKS:Hamilton’s Forge FC of the CPL have, for the second consecutive year, knocked CF Montreal of MLS out of the Canadian Championship tournament for the Voyageurs Cup.
“Not only that but Valour FC [the Winnipeg CPL team] took the Whitecaps right to the end in their quarter-final,” noted Merriman. “It shows the growth of the CPL. Teams are becoming more ambitious.”
The Voyageurs Cup competition is the Canadian equivalent of the FA Cup in England.
Three CPL teams – Forge FC, Vancouver FC and Atlético Ottawa — are in the semfinals for the first time with the three-time defending champion Whitecaps the only remaining MLS side.
“There is guaranteed to be a CPL team in the final and that’s great for our league,” said Merriman.
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