RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Cavalry FC vs. Valour FC | Sept. 20, 2025

The defending CPL champions will be back in the playoffs in 2025 following a 3-0 victory over Valour FC at ATCO Field on Saturday.

It is a seventh straight playoff appearance for Cavalry FC, while Valour could be eliminated from contention on Sunday should York United defeat Vancouver FC in Langley.

The match got off to an electrifying start when, 45 seconds in, Kianz Froese found himself in behind the Cavalry backline. Drifting into the box, he looked to chip Marco Carducci who stood tall to make a big early save against the red-hot Valour attacker -- who had scored a brace against Forge last Thursday.

Then, in the third minute, Cavalry won a corner. Ali Musse swung in a beautiful lofted ball that dropped down onto the head of Eryk Kobza, who opened the scoring for a second consecutive match. It was the fifth time that Valour had conceded inside the opening 15 minutes of the match, the most in the league this season.

On another corner kick in the eighth minute, Cavalry again put a dangerous header on target through Levi Laing, but this time Emil Gazdov was able to make a strong save to deny the chance.

Cavalry's fluid and lethal attack continued to cause issues throughout the early stages in the match. In the 21st minute, a clever set-piece routine fell to the foot of Musse, but he sent his shot from just inside the box wide of target.

The match remained wide open, with opportunities for both sides throughout the opening half. In the 34th minute, an outstanding ball from Roberto Alarcón down the right wing found the head of Froese in close, but he sent his header just wide in what was another excellent chance.

The hosts then came close on a couple of good chances late in the half as their attack, which had scored 12 times in three home matches coming into Saturday's contest, remained dangerous. In the 43rd minute, Tobias Warschewski had a great look in the six-yard box, but Valour central defender Diego Konincks got across him cleverly to deny the opportunity.

Cavalry had one final corner kick deep in first-half stoppage time, but Valour cleared Fraser Aird's delivery and both sides returned to the rooms with the score still 1-0 for the hosts.

The Calgary club were on the front foot again to start the second half. In the 48th minute, Sergio Camargo took a ball down brilliantly down the left flank, before sitting down Gazdov with a clever fake, but shaped his chipped finish wrong and put it wide of target.

In the 55th minute, the Cavs added a second. After a Valour throw-in was intercepted, Sergio Camargo picked out Goteh Ntignee in the middle. The right winger wasn't closed down nearly quickly enough by the Valour backline, before firing a lovely low strike into the bottom corner.

Shortly after the goal, Dos Santos shifted his squad, bringing in Kris Twardek and Bruno Figueiredo off the bench.

Valour kept fighting, and in the 69th minute, Jordan Faria won a corner kick after some good work down the left flank, which forced a stop at the near post from Marco Carducci.

Then in the 77th minute, Themi Antonoglou was all alone at the back post, but sent his volley wide of target, another missed opportunity for the Winnipeg side.

Three minutes later, they had an even better opportunity, as Faria beat Aird down the wing and sent in a cross to Twardek. The substitute winger, however, sent his strike directly at Carducci.

Cavalry put the match to bed in the 89th minute, as Caniggia Elva took down a long ball from Carducci brilliantly, and played a classy outside-of-the-boot strike into the bottom corner.

It was the first time that Cavalry FC had won back-to-back games since May 25, which coincidentally was the last time that Valour visited Calgary.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird (Gherasimencov 83'), Klomp, Laing, Kamdem; Kobza, Baldisimo (Myroniuk 82'); Musse, Camargo (Shome 75'), Ntignee (Sellouf 82'); Warschewski (Elva 67')

Valour FC: Gazdov; Alarcón, Konincks, Facchineri, Egwu (Twardek 59'); Ohin; Faria (Pop 81'), Froese (Venâncio 81'), Ressureiçao (Figueiredo 59'), Antonoglou; Morgan (Voytsekhovskyy 86')

Goals

*3' -- Eryk Kobza (Cavalry FC)
55' -- Goteh Ntignee (Cavalry FC)
89' -- Caniggia Elva (Cavalry FC)

Discipline

*74' — Yellow: Kianz Froese (Valour FC)
75' -- Yellow: Michael Baldisimo (Cavalry FC)
77' -- Yellow: Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC)
84' -- Yellow: Shamit Shome (Cavalry FC)