RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Cavalry FC vs. Vancouver FC | August 17, 2025

Cavalry FC and Vancouver FC traded goals in a chaotic match at ATCO Field on Sunday evening, but in the end a late winner from returnee Daan Klomp saw the Cavs end an uncharacteristic winless streak with a victory in a 5-4 thriller.

Having scored just once in their previous four matches, Tommy Wheeldon Jr's side really needed to break out of their scoring slump, and did so in a huge way, finding the back of the net twice in the first five minutes. Goteh Ntignee opened the scoring, calmly putting the ball into the back of the net from a couple of yards out after a dangerous corner delivery from Ali Musse created chaos in the penalty area.

A minute and eleven seconds later, and just ten seconds after the game kicked off again, Tobias Warshewski broke a scoring drought of his own. Sergio Camargo took advantage of a mistake from the Vancouver defenders, picking off the ball and playing it to the German striker, who rifled a shot into the bottom left corner for his first goal since May 25.

Warschewski's goal made CPL history, as Cavalry set a new record for the quickest two goals to start a match -- at just three minutes and 36 seconds.

Nicolas Mezquida cut Vancouver's deficit in half in the 18th minute, beating Marco Carducci to the goalkeeper's left from the penalty spot. Thierno Bah was tripped in the box by Musse, and Mezquida stepped up and buried his fourth goal of the season.

A lively first half continued in the 26th minute, with Michael Baldisimo scoring his first Canadian Premier League goal. Musse played a lateral pass along the ground from a free kick, which Diego Gutiérrez stepped over to let it pass by him to Baldisimo, who curled a shot with his first touch off the right post and in, restoring a two-goal advantage for the hosts.

After having his all-time CPL goals record surpassed by former teammate Alejandro Diaz last weekend, Terran Campbell moved into a tie for the all-time lead with his 41st career goal in the 33rd minute, picking out the same corner Mezquida did from outside the penalty area with a driven, low strike.

The remaining 15 minutes of the half weren't as insane as the first 30, but Camargo and Bah traded shots as both sides looked to continue the barrage of goals as the first half ended 3-2.

The Cavs had the first scoring opportunity of the second half, with Callum Montgomery heading a cross from Musse on target five minutes after play resumed in the second phase after a free kick.

Just before the hour-mark, though, it was Hugo Mbongue finding the back of the net for the visitors. He received a pass near the halfway line and charged forward, dancing around a defender before slotting the ball under Carducci to tie the game at three goals apiece.

Moments later at the other end of the pitch, Ntignee was brought down in the box by Aidan O'Connor and Cavalry was awarded a penalty and an immediate opportunity to respond. Tobias Warschewski stepped up looking for his second goal of the match, but Callum Irving dived to his left and got a paw to the ball to keep the match tied.

Ntignee tested Irving again a few minutes later, but the Eagles captain made another important stop, his fifth of the match.

Musse thought he gave Cavalry the lead with 15 minutes to go when he curled a brilliant free kick off the post and in, but the goal was called back after Montgomery ran into an offside position and seemed to block Irving's view of the play. Cavalry kept the pressure on Vancouver, and Daan Klomp bounced a low shot at the Eagles' net from the edge of the penalty area that was blocked by a defender -- moments after Pathé Ndiaye tested Marco Carducci at the other end of the pitch.

Mezquida forced a stop from Carducci in the 87th minute as Vancouver quickly counter-attacked, but the Cavalry captain was able to make a comfortable stop.

Substitute Mihail Gherasimencov connected perfectly on a shot in the 88th minute, celebrating in front of the home fans as he thought he won the game for Cavalry, but Emrick Fotsing had other ideas, heading home from a corner kick deep into stoppage time to make it 4-4.

Klomp did win the game for Cavalry, however, heading the ball inside the post from close range as the hosts threw everything at Vancouver. Klomp's goal, in his first game back with the club after rejoining the side midweek, was nearly saved by Irving, but he couldn't get a strong enough hand to it.

The dramatic 5-4 victory for the Cavs ends a four-game winless run, and moves them within ten points of Atletico Ottawa for second place in the standings with nine games left in the regular season.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird, Kobza, Montgomery, Kamdem-Fewo (Gherasimencov 71'); Gutiérrez (Klomp 65'), Baldisimo (Piepgrass 64'); Musse, Camargo (Sellouf 72'), Ntignee; Warschewski (Elva 82')

Vancouver FC: Irving; Dada-Luke, Campagna (Fotsing 73'), O'Connor, Gee; Fry (Da Silva 63'), Norman; Campbell (Batista 85'), Mezquida, Bah (Powell 85'); Mbongue (Ndiaye 73')

Goals

3' — Goteh Ntignee (Cavalry FC)
4' -- Tobias Warschewski (Cavalry FC)
18' -- Nicolás Mezquida (Vancouver FC) -- penalty
26' -- Michael Baldisimo (Cavalry FC)
33' -- Terran Campbell (Vancouver FC)
58' -- Hugo Mbongue (Vancouver FC)
88' -- Mihail Gherasimencov (Cavalry FC)
90+5' -- Emrick Fotsing (Vancouver FC)
90+7' -- Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC)

Discipline

38' — Yellow: Hugo Mbongue (Vancouver FC)
48' -- Yellow: Kunle Dada-Luke (Vancouver FC)
59' -- Yellow: Michael Baldisimo (Cavalry FC)
62' -- Yellow: Aidan O'Connor (Vancouver FC)
90+4' -- Yellow: Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC)