RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Cavalry FC vs. York United | July 26, 2025

York United weathered a storm in Calgary on Saturday to secure a huge 1-0 victory over Cavalry FC at ATCO Field.

Julian Altobelli's ninth of the season was the difference on the scoreboard, but the difference on the day was a resolute defensive effort from the Nine Stripes as they earned their second consecutive clean sheet, denying wave after wave of Cavalry attack.

With the victory, York United climb past Halifax into fourth place in the table. They are now just one point behind Cavalry FC, with a game in hand.

Cavalry's Goteh Ntignee marked his return to Spruce Meadows as he started the match up top in place of Tobias Warschewski. Ntignee had left Cavalry in 2023 to join FC Annecy in France for the then-highest transfer fee in CPL history.

The 23-year-old looked dangerous in the early moments of the match, dribbling through midfield in the 12th minute before laying off for Mihail Gherasimencov down the left, who sliced his strike over the net.

Cavalry had an excellent chance in transition in the 21st minute, with Gherasimencov and Field combining well down the left flank. The latter's ball was dangerously whipped across the box right in front of York goalkeeper Diego Urtiaga, but no Cavalry player could get a foot to it.

The warning shot seemed to wake up York for a moment, however, and they created some solid chances, including a dangerous header from Oswaldo León that was narrowly over the top of the net in the 23rd minute.

Camargo really should have opened the scoring in the 30th minute, as Ntignee sent another dangerous low ball into the six-yard box. Camargo, however, somehow lifted it over the net from all of two yards.

Just a minute later, Camargo found Ntignee streaking down the right , who curled a shot just wide of the right post.

The offensive onslaught continued, as in the 33rd minute, it was Max Piepgrass who sent a vicious strike from outside the box just over the net.

In the 36th minute, however, completely against the run of play, a costly error from Cavalry allowed York to open the scoring. A poor pass out of the back from Callum Montgomery was picked off through good work from both Massimo Ferrin and Kembo Kibato, the latter of whom picked out Altobelli in the centre of the box.

The CPL's second leading goalscorer wasn't going to miss from there, and added his ninth of the season to put York up 1-0.

Cavalry kept pressing for an elusive goal of their own up until the half-time whistle, but York held on to maintain that one-goal lead heading into the half.

The hosts were again on the front foot to begin the second half, but in the 52nd minute, it was York who had an excellent chance to extend their lead. A lovely counterattack ignited by Ferrin was eventually laid off to Altobelli by Adonijah Reid, but the York striker scuffed his shot.

Cavalry had a strong penalty shout in the 63rd minute, with Ntignee's elusiveness again causing significant issues down the right flank, as he beat León before being brought down by Botello.

Both sides made changes after that moment, with York bringing in Max Ferrari and Shola Jimoh, while Cavalry brought in Warschewski and gave a debut to Ayman Sellouf.

Ntignee nearly found Sellouf just three minutes after he came onto the pitch, but he couldn't find the target after Ntignee had played yet another brilliant ball across the box.

Sellouf again came close in the 75th minute, when the ball dropped to him at the back post, but he got his finish wrong and put it back across goal. Moments later, Ntignee was brought down with a vicious tackle in the corner, which León was lucky to only receive a yellow card for.

Three minutes later, Warschewski weaved his way through the box -- but his low shot was denied by Urtiaga.

Urtiaga was again called into action in the 85th minute. Off of a corner kick, he made a stunning denial on a header on Montgomery, before denying Eryk Kobza's acrobatic second effort with an outstanding double save.

Seven minutes of stoppage time were shown, giving Cavalry a lifeline as they desperately searched for an equalizer. But despite 26 shot attempts, 9 of which were on target, they could not find an equalizer.

Cavalry still have not won a match this season in which they did not score first, with a 0-3-4 record under those circumstances.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird, Kobza, Montgomery, Field (Sellouf 65'); Gutiérrez, Piepgrass (Warschewski 65'); Musse, Camargo, Gherasimencov; Ntignee (Henry 90+5')

York United: Urtiaga; Singh, Sturing, León; Ferrazzo (Ferrari 64'), Kibato, Adekugbe, Botello (Higgins 81'); Reid (Jimoh 64'), Ferrin (Bitar 81'), Altobelli (Hundal 73')

Goals

36' -- Julian Altobelli (York United)

Discipline

45' — Yellow: Gabriel Bitar (York United)
57' -- Yellow: Max Piepgrass (Cavalry FC)
58' -- Yellow: Frank Sturing (York United)
75' -- Yellow: Oswaldo León (York United)
80' -- Yellow: Shola Jimoh (York United)
89' -- Yellow: Sergio Camargo (Cavalry FC)
90+2' -- Yellow: Diego Urtiaga (York United)
90+7' -- Yellow: Diego Gutiérrez (Cavalry FC)