RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Halifax Wanderers vs. Valour FC | August 22, 2025

The Halifax Wanderers snapped a six-match winless streak with a dominant 4-1 victory over Valour FC at home.

The first hat-trick in Halifax Wanderers' history, courtesy of Tiago Coimbra, came after a Gianfranco Facchineri own-goal had opened the scoring. A late goal from Diogo Ressurreiçao was the lone bright spot on the night for Valour.

With the victory, Halifax move up into fourth place for the moment, tied on points with third-place Cavalry FC.

With captain Raphael Ohin unavailable through suspension, Valour elected to play Roberto Alarcón in midfield -- while giving 19-year-old striker Erik Pop his first CPL start. Patrice Gheisar, meanwhile, named an unchanged eleven.

The windy conditions at the Wanderers Grounds looked like they were at the back of the hosts, who instantly put Valour under pressure. They thought they'd opened the scoring in the fifth minute through Jefferson Alphonse. But his effort was judged to have hit the hand of Adam Pearlman, and the goal was disallowed.

Halifax had several great chances in the minutes thereafter, but Emil Gazdov was on hand to make several big early stops. The best of the bunch was a stop on a curling effort from Tiago Coimbra in the 11th minute.

After surviving that initial storm, Valour began to create a few chances with quick moments of transition, with Myles Morgan having a good chance in the box in the 12th minute, which was well cut out by the Halifax backline.

In the 38th minute, Halifax finally took a deserved lead. A shot from distance by Sean Rea was spilled by Gazdov, which Gianfranco Facchineri inadvertently headed into his own net under pressure from Vitor Dias.

The Wanderers held that 1-0 lead into the half. It was only the fourth time this season they have had the lead at half-time.

Bruno Figueiredo had an early chance to cut that lead after a giveaway at the back from Rayane Yesli, but sent his shot from distance wide of the net. Moments later, Myles Morgan had a great chance from close range, but put his header right into the hands of the Halifax goalkeeper.

The Wanderers were handed a moment of fortune again in the 57th minute, as some good play down the right flank resulted in Lorenzo Callegari delivering a ball to Coimbra in the box. The Halifax striker was judged to have been pulled down by Facchineri, and a penalty was awarded. Coimbra stepped up and calmly slotted the spotkick home to extend Halifax's lead to 2-0.

Knowing that a loss would be a huge blow to their playoff chances, Valour quickly made a change, bringing on Diogo Ressurreição in midfield. Rocco Romeo forced a good save from Yesli in the 69th minute, as the Winnipeg club desperately looked to claw their way back into the game.

In the 73rd minute, Coimbra all but put the match to bed. Off of a throw-in deep in Valour territory, a quick one-two played with Sean Rea was returned to him in the box, and he slotted the ball through the legs of Gazdov.

Four minutes later, he completed the first hat-trick in the club's history. More great play down the right flank saw Isaiah Johnston play a cut back that Coimbra tapped home for his 11th of the season and third of the match to give Halifax a 4-0 lead.

Valour ruined Halifax's clean sheet in the 83rd minute, when Diogo Ressurreição smashed a shot from distance that beat Yesli.

The loss landed another big blow to Valour's slim playoff hopes, as by the end of the weekend, they could be 14 points below the playoff line if York United defeat Pacific on Sunday.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Halifax Wanderers: Yesli; Alphonse (Timoteo 77'), Meilleur-Giguère, Sow; Pearlman (Dunn 85'), Callegari, Johnston (Biello 79'), Telfer; Dias (Rampersad 76'), Rea, Coimbra (Bahamboula 85')

Valour FC: Gazdov; Facchineri, Romeo (Konincks 74'), Egwu (Faria 74'); Antonoglou, Mlah (Ressurreição 61'), Alarcón, Twardek; Figueiredo; Pop (Venâncio 74'), Morgan

Goals

38' -- Gianfranco Facchineri (Valour FC) (Own goal)
57' -- Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers) (Penalty)
73' -- Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers)
77' -- Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers)
83' -- Diogo Ressurreição (Valour FC)

Discipline

40' -- Yellow: Jefferson Alphonse (Halifax Wanderers)
74' -- Yellow: Xavier Venãncio (Valour FC)
78' -- Yellow: Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers)