AGR's High Press: Can Sellouf spark late-season Vancouver FC surge? | How can Forge replace Poku?
It was a good weekend for those who like to wait late for their drama.
Of the six goals scored across four CPL games this past weekend, five were scored after the 87th minute, and four of them in stoppage time. That ended up making up for an otherwise quiet weekend in terms of goals and back-and-forth action, as teams played out some cagey matches, before breaking things open late in the chase of victory.
Perhaps, that’s a sign of the time of the year - as Halifax Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar explained after his team scored a late equalizer against Atlético Ottawa, for most teams, these are essentially like playoff games, as teams battle for a regular season title or to just be in the postseason altogether.
No matter which of the two camps a team may find itself in, they’ll be hungry and eager to pick up wins as they chase their respective short-term goals, but as was seen this weekend, that doesn’t mean sides will just be going all-out in chase of those objectives, either.
Instead, much like in a boxing match, they’ll bide their time, and then wait for the knockout blow when the time is right.
Now, the big thing to see is whether this weekend was an anomaly or if we’ll see more matches like this in the coming weeks. Just because teams were waiting late to find that big punch doesn’t mean others won’t try to get the job done earlier in games, which would have a different effect.
On that note, here’s a look back at what stood out from this latest week of CPL action.
Could Sellouf re-ignite Vancouver’s season?
At his best, Ayman Sellouf knows how to produce moments of magic for a team.
Pacific learned that last year, as Sellouf scored seven goals and added eight assists in his debut campaign for the club, which included several highlight reel actions in key moments.
This year, however, those moments have been harder to come by in CPL play, as he scored just three goals (all penalties) and produced zero assists by the time he was traded to Vancouver FC last week. Certainly, injuries played a big role in that, as Sellouf has missed plenty of time this season, which coupled with Pacific’s offensive issues made it tough for him to find his feet again.
Yet, by acquiring him, Vancouver made the bet that he could recapture that form in a new setting, one that better suited him. With Alejandro Díaz leading the way with a quietly effective eight-goal season, surrounded by supporting pieces like Gabriel Bitar and Mikaël Cantave, there isn’t pressure on Sellouf to step up and lead Vancouver’s attack the way he was asked to lead Pacific, who are looking for anyone to produce some goals right now.
That’s been shown in how he’s been integrated into this Vancouver side, as instead of being dropped into the team right away, he’s been afforded the time to start as a sub as he works up to his top form and back to full fitness.
He rewarded that patience this past weekend, as he marked the most dramatic moment in style. Having come off the bench at half time, he slowly grew into the game, but then had a signature moment in the 97th minute.
With his team down a player, and up against it as Valour pushed for a winner after tying the game in the 87th minute, Sellouf provided the spark his team was looking for.
Despite receiving the ball in a tight space surrounded by Valour defenders, Sellouf was able to quickly sort out his feet, dribble out of trouble and fire a powerful shot on his left foot, catching Valour’s goalkeeper, Jonathan Viscosi, by surprise with his attempt.
GOAL🦅🦅
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) August 25, 2024
Have yourself a day Ayman Sellouf!@vanfootballclub's newest arrival looks to have secured his team a dramatic road win over Valour, scoring in the 97th minute to put his team up 2-1, on his birthday, no less
🔴Watch the @TonyBet_Canada #CanPL MOTW LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/eHqEjTSEDH
With that, Sellouf scored his first open-play goal in almost a year, which had come for Pacific against Valour early last September, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for Vancouver.
On his birthday, no less, Sellouf was able to help Vancouver pick up just their third win in their last 13 games, helping them extend their lead over the fifth and final playoff spot to six points.
Having entered the game knowing that a loss could’ve pushed them below the playoff line for the first time all season, it was a huge victory, one that could be crucial for their playoff hopes long-term.
Now, a tough stretch of their schedule awaits them, as four of their next games are against the teams above them in the standings, and they’ll play five of their last eight games on the road, but they’ll at least enter this portion well above the playoff line.
Plus, they’ll be able to hope that this is just the start of what Sellouf can bring, especially as he reaches full fitness, allowing them to rely on his impact from the start of games. Vancouver’s offence has been strange this season, providing boom-or-bust production, but it’ll be hoped that now having Sellouf, Bitar and Cantave as dual-threat offensive creators underneath Díaz can help fix that, as they’ve now got a front four who can all score and set up teammates.
GOAL🦅
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) August 25, 2024
Gabriel Bitar opens the scoring for @vanfootballclub vs. Valour, as he and Mikaël Cantave link up on a textbook counter-attack to make it 1-0
🔴Watch the @TonyBet_Canada #CanPL MOTW LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/kcspuB7dOr
They showed how dangerous that can be against Valour, as Cantave and Bitar linked up for their first goal before Sellouf stole the show, and Díaz’s credentials don’t need explaining.
From there, it’ll be hoped that attack can help stabilize the team, as Vancouver’s also got to continue to find some consistency defensively, but it’ll help them to be able to do that if they’re able to score goals and play on the front foot, as they’ll hope Sellouf will be able to do once he becomes a starter. 
What will Forge do up front after Poku sale?
There’s no doubt that Forge can replace Kwasi Poku, whose transfer to RWD Molenbeek was officially finalized last week.
With strikers such as Jordan Hamilton and Terran Campbell, that shouldn’t be an issue, as Hamilton brings over 50 pro goals to the table, while Campbell remains the CPL’s all-time leading scorer.
Despite that, however, the bigger worry isn’t that Hamilton and Campbell can score in the right system, but instead that Forge’s system might not be the right one for them. In principle, they should fit in nicely, as this system was originally constructed for them before Poku stepped up with both out injured, so they’ll hope they can pick up where they left off before their injuries.
GOAL 🔨#CANPL. BANGERS. ONLY. (IN #CONCACHAMPIONS 🏆)
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) February 8, 2024
Terran Campbell smashes home a PERFECT shot off an equally perfect cross by Tristan Borges and @ForgeFCHamilton are now 1-1 vs. Chivas Guadalajara 😎
🔴 Watch @TheChampions on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/P8s2lIY9mi
So far, however, the returns are mixed. Forge have proven they can score goals without Poku - they had four goals in the first two games when Poku was held out for “transfer-related reasons - but they were then shut out this past weekend by York United, and uncharacteristically generated just 0.47 xG on 12 shots in that game.
There, something to watch emerged - they appeared to miss Poku’s speed, which has arguably been the largest reason why he’s succeeded as a forward. Able to get in behind defensive lines, he forced opponents to stay honest, which opened up space for Forge’s other creative players to thrive, and that in turn allowed Poku to get some pretty good service.
Combined with his ability to hold-up the ball and to finish, he ended up being a perfect mix of skills to thrive at striker, and that showed with his performances.
Without the threat of Poku being able to go in behind against York, however, the nine-stripes were able to defend a little more aggressively, allowing them to keep a clean sheet despite missing two of their first-choice centre-backs and having to change their formation from a back three to a back four.
On paper, Forge was expected to feast offensively, having scored nine goals in their previous three meetings with their 905 Derby rivals this season, but instead, they struggled to open up the game.
And that’ll be something to watch going forward. No doubt, they’ll be able to score goals, but they were pouring them in with Poku leading the line, scoring 27 times in the 14 games he started as a striker.
In particular, the biggest thing will be to see if they adjust their system to compensate for the speed they lost with Poku. No doubt, Hamilton and Campbell can both be dangerous strikers, especially on crosses and when the ball gets to their feet, but they won’t be able to consistently be able to get in behind and stretch the defences the way Poku did.
Perhaps, Forge can compensate for that by moving someone like David Choiniére or Nana Ampomah more centrally to provide more speed, or they can try and keep defences honest by having both Hamilton and Campbell start together - and, if not, they’ll feel confident they can find a solution even if they keep the status quo.
GOAL 🔨🔨
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) August 15, 2024
Jordan Hamilton makes it 2-0 for @ForgeFCHamilton vs. @HFXWanderersFC with effort that just got over the line 👀
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/HpDI7L4h9Q
No doubt, however, that they’ll be hoping that one or both of Hamilton can get going as they find full health after their injuries. With Hamilton sitting on three goals in all competitions (including just one in CPL play), and with Campbell sitting with just one goal (coming back in the Concacaf Champions Cup in February), they haven’t been at their best yet in 2024 but there is plenty of time for that to change after Poku’s departure.
Forge will be banking on it, as having one or two of them firing could be a huge difference-maker in the title race, which they currently lead in large part thanks to Poku’s hot summer, and they’ll hope Hamilton and Campbell can fill that gap.
For what it’s worth, however, this isn’t Forge’s first rodeo in this department. It was tough for them to lose Woobens Pacius last offseason after he poured in the goals for them for three seasons, but they did well to stomach that departure, and will now look to do the same in Poku’s absence. 
Will a game in hand be enough for Pacific, Wanderers?
Once again, Pacific FC and the Halifax Wanderers remain stuck at the bottom of the CPL table after the latest CPL matchday, as both teams failed to pick up maximum points in their matches this weekend despite solid performances.
For Pacific, they were outdone by late heartbreak, as Cavalry defeated them 1-0 with a 91st-minute winner from Daan Klomp, erasing 90 minutes of hard defensive work from the Tridents.
GOAL 🐴
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) August 24, 2024
DAAN KLOMP SCORES IN ADDED TIME! ⚽️ @CPLCavalryFC break the deadlock at the 91st minute after a mess inside the box. Incredible!
🔴 Watch #CanPL LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/cKbmlQAOas
Meanwhile, the Wanderers were unable to turn a strong defensive home performance into all three points as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw against the Halifax Wanderers, only earning that point thanks to a late 96th-minute penalty from Dan Nimick, which cancelled out a 92nd minute Sam Salter marker.
GOAL ⚓️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) August 24, 2024
IT’S 1-1! Dan Nimick scores the penalty at the death to salvage a point for the @HFXWanderersFC. What. an. ending.
🔴 Watch #CanPL LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/kHp97dyCre
Now, Pacific sits in seventh with 20 points, six behind Vancouver in fifth place, while the Wanderers are eight with 17 points, nine points behind Vancouver.
Not all is bad for them, however, as they both have a game-in-hand, which they’ll make up on September 18th when they meet in Halifax.
There, that could very well decide both teams' respective seasons, especially given that they’re both set to play each other on September 7th on Vancouver Island, making for two crucial matches.
If either can emerge from those two matches with six points, it could very well give them a shot at playoff contention, especially if they can make some noise over the rest of their final-round games.
Because of that, keep an eye out for that September 7th matchup. First, however, two tough tests await them this weekend - Pacific’s away to league-leaders Forge, while the Wanderers will host fourth-place York United - but if they can get anything out of those respective games, it’ll give them a big boost ahead of the clash on Vancouver Island next week.
No doubt, however, is that this is now crunch time for the pair of 2023 playoff teams, who will want to avoid missing out on the action this year, but will need wins sooner rather than later, or else their games in hand won’t even be enough in that regard. 
Who caught my eye? Matteo Campagna
While Sellouf stole the show for Vancouver in their win over Valour, Matteo Campagna played a key role in the winning goal, playing the assist on the marker.
With that, the 19-year-old defender was able to continue what has been a quietly solid first campaign with Vancouver FC, having found his form as of late.
Having now appeared in five of their last six CPL games after a return from injury, he’s become a trusted option of Afshin Ghotbi’s and will look to add to the just one start he’s made this season, which could change given his recent performances. 
What I’m watching: Cavalry vs Valour
With five wins in a row, it’s hard not to keep an eye on Cavalry right now, who have caught fire as the end of summer nears.
Thanks to that, they’ve emerged as a strong contender to repeat as CPL Shield winners, and for good reason, seeing how they’ve gone about picking up their results.
Meanwhile, Valour will be licking their wounds after their heartbreaking loss to Vancouver and will be happy to hit the reset button in this game.
Can Cavalry stay red-hot and potentially even jump into first place? Or will Valour get back on track after picking up some key results lately? It should be a fascinating game to follow.
