HIGHLIGHTS: Pacific FC vs. York United (May 14, 2023)

For a second straight week, Pacific FC picked up a commanding 4-1 win in Canadian Premier League play, as they defeated York United in convincing fashion at Starlight Stadium.

After scoring just two goals in three home CPL games this season, Pacific gave their fans plenty to cheer about in this one, as they scored early and often, becoming the league’s highest-scoring team with their performance.

As a result, they finish this weekend in second place, just one point behind Forge. Meanwhile, it’s more woes for York, who sit at the bottom of the table, as they’ll now look to sit back down at the drawing board after five games.

To begin the match, Pacific came flying out of the gates, fuelled by their crowd. As a result, it’d be no surprise to see them open the scoring inside 10 minutes, as Adonijah Reid found an unmarked Amer Đidić on a corner, where the Pacific centre back would do well to head the ball off the crossbar and in for his second of the season.

Then, minutes later, Pacific nearly doubled their lead off another corner, as the ball fell to Kekuta Manneh in a dangerous area, but he’d scuff at his attempt. Not long after, the ball would fall to Sean Young in a good area, but his powerful strike would sail over the bar.

Eager to get back into the game, York started to push the other way, and they nearly found a goal for their efforts in the 28th minute. There, Kévin dos Santos did well to pick out Brian Wright with a dangerous cross, but his strike would sail just wide.

As a result, that’d open the door for Pacific to double the score in the 43rd minute. There, they put together a fantastic team move, working the ball from back-to-front, before Young found Manny Aparicio for the goal.

Thanks to that, Pacific were quite comfortable as half time came around, having done well to give themselves a bit of breathing room heading into the second stanza.

Despite that, however, York did their best to try and change that as the second half began.

As a result, they’d send their first warning shot in the 51st minute, as Austin Ricci nearly fooled Emil Gazdov with a powerful low strike, but the young goalkeeper made a nice stop.

Through that, they’d manage to find a goal in the 55th minute. Off of a corner, dos Santos managed to whip a dangerous cross directly on goal, one that’d elude the hands of Gazdov and straight in, giving his team new life.

That would get to Gazdov, as he then nearly gifted York a second less than two minutes later. There, he just gave the ball away on a routine pass out of the back, leading to a breakaway for Austin Ricci, where Gazdov would amend for his error with a big stop, before Elijah Adekugbe headed the rebound just over the goal.

Yet, after that stretch, Gazdov would really redeem himself in the 61st minute. There, Brian Wright got an unmarked header at the back post, where he delivered what seemed a sure goal off a header, but Gazdov did well to throw his body in front of the attempt to keep it 2-1.

Eager to grab back control of the game, Pacific nearly found a third in the 69th minute, however.

There, second half substitutes Steffen Yeates and Easton Ongaro, linked up, with Yeates finding Ongaro for an attempt that he’d send just over the bar. Then, not long after, Kunle Dada-Luke found Ongaro with a dangerous cross, but he’d send his header just wide of the mark.

Continuing a frenetic half, Osaze De Rosario came close to tying the game for York in the 73rd minute, as he did well to open up space for himself after a nice move, but his shot would be nicely saved by Gazdov.

Despite York’s push for an equalizer, however, Pacific would halt those efforts when they added a third in the 82nd minute. There, they crafted together another great attacking move, before Djenairo Daniels found David Brazão with a ball, where Brazão then did well to cut inside and calmly slot home on his left foot.

Eager to end off on a strong note, Pacific nearly made it four in the 91st minute, as Djenairo Daniels was played in by Ongaro, but hit the wrong side of the post with a powerful strike.

They’d get that fourth seconds later, however, as Young managed to tee up Ongaro with a great ball, allowing the usually prolific striker to get off the mark with his first CPL goal with Pacific after scoring 26 of them with FC Edmonton.

From there, Pacific would cruise to the finish line, finishing off a strong performance by grabbing all three points.

BOX SCORE

Goals

7′ — Amer Đidić (Pacific FC)

42′ — Manny Aparicio (Pacific FC)

55′ — Kévin dos Santos (York United)

82′ — David Brazão (Pacific FC)

90+2′ — Easton Ongaro (Pacific FC)

Discipline

59′ — Yellow: Lassana Faye (York United)

60′ — Yellow: Georges Mukumbilwa (Pacific FC)