The Halifax Wanderers nabbed their second straight victory in CPL play, as they defeated Cavalry 3-1 at Wanderers Grounds on Saturday afternoon.
Just a week removed from their first win of the 2023 campaign against Valour last week, the Wanderers did well to build off that against Cavalry in this one, thanks to two late goals from Aidan Daniels and Théo Collomb.
After an early goal from Tiago Coimbra was cancelled out by an equalizer from the penalty spot by Cavalry’s Myer Bevan, it was a great response from the Wanderers, who climbed into a tie for fourth in the CPL with the win.
Right from minute one, however, this was a tightly-contested contest, one that could’ve easily gone either way in the end.
To start the match, Roberto Alarcón nearly opened the scoring for Cavalry in the fifth minute, as he tried a shot from a tight angle, but his attempt would be just narrowly saved by Halifax’s Yann Fillion.
Nearly immediately, however, he’d come to rue that missed chance. Doing well to force a corner on the ensuing counter-attack, Halifax played it short, where Lorenzo Callegari did well to find Tiago Coimbra at the near post for the youngster’s first goal in the CPL.
Yet, despite their frustration of having allowed that goal, that didn’t slow Cavalry down. Instead, they immediately went back up the field after kick-off, and won a penalty via Sergio Camargo in the seventh minute. There, up stepped the league’s co-leading goal scorer, Myer Bevan, who coolly converted the spot kick for his CPL-leading sixth goal of the season.
From there, the game would slow down a bit, as both teams settled into a rhythm.
As a result, the next chance didn’t come until the 22nd minute, as Camargo slashed at a great cutback from Alarcón, but sent it well over. Then, a minute later, Ali Musse had a look from distance, but his shot would also sail well over the mark.
At the other end, Halifax nearly regained their lead in the 28th minute. There, the ball fell to Callum Watson after the Wanderers won the ball high up the field, but after dancing into the box with a nice dribble, he sent a shot just wide of the mark with the outside of his right boot.
Looking to end the half on a bright note, both teams traded chances right before half time. First, Cavalry’s Musse attempted a shot with his right foot from the edge of the box that was saved by Fillion, before Aidan Daniels flashed one wide from distance for Halifax.
From there, however, they’d reach half time without generating much else in terms of chances, as they’d reach the break still deadlocked at 1-1.
On the other side of that break, Halifax would get the first good look of the second stanza, as Lorenzo Callegari attempted a shot from distance, but he’d scuff at his curled attempt to make it an easy save for Carducci.
Soon after, Cavalry would nearly grab their first lead of the game, as Bevan did well to find Musse in the 51st minute, and Musse would unleash a rocket with his left foot, one that’d be just saved by Fillion. Then, on the ensuing corner, the ball bounced all the way to Charlie Trafford at the back post, but his headed attempt would hit Halifax’s Mo Omar and bounce off the post to stay out.
Continuing a strong start to the half, Musse had another great look in the 55th minute, as Ben Fisk found him with a great ball into the box from out wide, but Musse’s shot would somehow head straight into Fillion from close range. Right after, Cavalry’s Goteh Ntignee did well to cut inside, and unleashed a strong shot towards the low corner, one that was only kept out by a strong save from Fillion.
Having done well to survive that onslaught of Cavalry attacks, Halifax would find a way to make their guests pay for that lack of finishing in the 62nd minute. There, the ball fell to a wide-open Aidan Daniels in the box after a mix-up between a pair of Cavalry defenders on a clearance, and Daniels would make no mistake with a thundering finish into the bottom left corner.
Then, having weathered further Cavalry pressure, Halifax then extended their lead in the 84th minute. After a nice ball into the box from Lifumpe Mwandwe, the ball fell to Théo Collomb, who wrapped his foot masterfully around the ball, putting it into the bottom right corner to make it 3-1.
Cavalry did try to claw things back late, and had a good look at goal through Trafford in the 86th minute, but his header would be easily saved by Fillion. Then, Ethan Beckford would have a good look from a free kick in the 94th minute, but he’d curl his shot over the goal.
From there, Halifax did well to take the sting out of the game, allowing them to pick up all three points for a second straight game.
BOX SCORE
Goals
6′ — Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers)
8′ — Myer Bevan (Cavalry FC)
62′ — Aidan Daniels (Halifax Wanderers)
84′ — Théo Collomb (Halifax Wanderers)
Discipline
12′ — Yellow: Lorenzo Callegari (Halifax Wanderers)
36′ — Red: Cavalry bench
38′ — Yellow: Goteh Ntignee (Cavalry FC)
41′ — Yellow: Charlie Trafford (Cavalry FC)
54′ — Yellow: Patrice Gheisar (Halifax Wanderers)
55′ — Yellow: Cristian Campagna (Halifax Wanderers)
59′ — Yellow: Callum Watson (Halifax Wanderers)
74′ — Yellow: Roberto Alarcón (Cavalry FC)
