HIGHLIGHTS: York United FC vs. Cavalry FC (August 16, 2024) | Presented by tonybet

Cavalry FC became just the second away team to win at York Lions Stadium this year on Friday night, as they defeated York United FC 2-1 in the rain to climb up to third place, putting them just one point back of the league lead.

With both clubs entering the game in good form, neither manager wanted to deviate much from what had been working. That’s why York boss Benjamín Mora named an unchanged starting XI to the side that beat Valour last weekend — although Santiago Márquez did make the bench after signing this week. Cavalry’s Tommy Wheeldon Jr., meanwhile, only made one change after last weekend’s victory over Halifax, as Eryk Kobza returned to the defence in place of the injured Tom Field.

It was a fast-paced game to begin, if a little disjointed on account of the rainy conditions making it difficult to control the ball. York had the better of the early opportunities on the slick pitch, with Brian Wright trying to find space away from Cavalry defender Daan Klomp, although the Cavs had a couple opportunities as well via Ali Musse’s efforts on the right wing.

After half an hour of probing, Cavalry were the first side to break through, as Shamit Shome carried the ball forward quickly on the counter. He switched it across to Bradley Kamdem, who spotted a lane opening up between York’s centre-backs where he found Maël Henry. The young attacker cut toward goal and flicked a well-placed shot into the top right corner, giving his side a first-half lead.

That lead wouldn’t last long, however. A few minutes before halftime, York worked their way back into the attacking third as Juan Cordóva brought down a ball in the far corner. As multiple defenders closed in on him, he played a ball through them to Elijah Adekugbe in a huge amount of space. Adekugbe curled a cross toward goal, just over the fingertips of Marco Carducci to find Josué Martínez, who headed home the equalizer.

Coming out of halftime, York nearly got on the board quickly as Brian Wright picked off a ball in midfield and bore down on goal alone, although Cavalry’s Kobza closed him down quickly enough to prevent the Golden Boot leader from finding the net again.

Shortly after, the Cavs went down the other end on the counter-attack as Ali Musse played through Lowell Wright — who had come on as a substitute for Tobias Warschewski just before halftime. Wright tried to beat Thomas Vincensini but the York keeper was able to save it with his leg, but only as far as Fraser Aird, who finished from a tight angle to put Cavalry back in front.

York made their first substitutions with 20 minutes to go, as Mora handed a club debut to Márquez, simultaneously bringing on Orlando Botello and Austin Ricci in an effort to get back in the game.

In the final 15 minutes, York buzzed around the Cavalry box with a handful of corners and free kicks, showing plenty of desperation in hopes of finding another goal to salvage a point.

Despite a spirited push to the end though, York were unable to score the equalizer they needed as they fell for just the second time under Mora’s tenure. With the win, Cavalry moved up to third, but find themselves just one point behind both York and Forge FC.

BOX SCORE

Lineups 

York United FC: Vincensini; León, Sturing, Abatneh (Botello 74′); Ferrari, Adekugbe (Márquez 74′), Martínez (Ricci 74′), Cordóva (Giraldo 90’), Guzmán; Babouli, B. Wright

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird (Montgomery 89’), Klomp, Kobza, Kamdem; Shome, Gutiérrez; Wähling (Shaw 79′), Henry (Daley 79′), Musse (Camargo 89’); Warschewski (L. Wright 45′)

Goals

35′ — Maël Henry (Cavalry FC)
43′ — Josué Martínez (York United)
53′ — Fraser Aird (Cavalry FC)

Discipline

4′ — Yellow: Mo Babouli (York United)
27′ — Yellow: Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC)
51′ — Yellow: Oswaldo León (York United)
65′ — Yellow: Juan Cordóva (York United)
67′ — Yellow: Maël Henry (Cavalry FC)
76′ — Yellow: Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC)
90+2’ — 2nd Yellow: Oswaldo León (York United)
90+6’ — Yellow: Jesse Daley (Cavalry FC)