RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Pacific FC vs. York United FC (May 10, 2025)

Pacific have snapped a four-game winless run in CPL play, as they defeated York United 2-1 at Starlight Stadium on Saturday thanks to a late goal from Emanuel Montejano.

After having gone down early in the game, it was an impressive response from Pacific, who had lost three and drawn one of their last four games after an opening day win vs. Valour FC.

Speaking of York's early goal, they opened the scoring in the 25th minute, and it came from a moment of individual brilliance from Gabriel Bitar. Having picked up a loose ball in Pacific's box, Bitar did well to spin and fire a shot while falling, finding the bottom corner with his shot to put his team up 1-0.

At the other end, Pacific nearly responded immediately in the 27th minute. Following a dangerous ball into the box from Marco Bustos on a free kick, Dario Zanatta managed to fire a powerful shot, stinging the hands of Diego Urtiaga in the York goal.

Then, Bustos had a fantastic chance of his own in the 43rd minute, as he cut inside on his favoured left foot from the right and slammed a strike into the crossbar, narrowly missing out on a wonderful goal.

Yet, despite that close call, Bustos didn't stew on that miss too much. As a result, he immediatley decided to get back on the ball and make something happen, as he won a penalty in the 44th minute, one that Zanatta coolly dispatched to make it 1-1 right before the break.

Just because the break was close, however, didn't mean that Pacific were done there, as they nearly took the lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time. After a great header from Aly Ndom on a corner, the ball fell to a wide-open Eric Lajeunesse, but he would be flagged down for offside, a decision he won't mind as he sent his header wide anyway.

From there, though, nothing else would happen before the break, one that York was happy to reach with the game still tied at 1-1.

To their credit, they made the most of those 15 minutes of rest, too - they almost scored immediately after half time, as Max Ferrari found space inside the box to fire a shot in the 47th minute, firing a dangerous shot that sailed just over the crossbar with his right foot.

Not long after that, they had another good chance in the 60th minute, too, as Bitar had an attempt from distance, but the York goalscorer sent his shot just wide of the mark.

From there, however, the game found a bit of a lull, setting up a dramatic ending to the match.

That started in the 88th minute, as Pacific started to push, with Kadin Chung finding Montejano in the box, but his header would be easily saved by Urtiaga.

Then, right after that, Pacific had an even better chance, as Montejano found Christian Greco-Taylor with a fantastic cross into the box, but an unmarked Greco-Taylor would be denied by a fantastic flying save from Urtiaga.

Pacific's late pressure would pay off, however, as they found a goal in the 92nd minute. After a scramble in the box, which saw a flying Montejano header saved by Urtiaga, Pacific's Pedro Machado headed the rebound back across goal, and it hit a downed Montejano and trickled in to put Pacific ahead.

York nearly scored late, as they hit the post on a Shola Jimoh free kick, and then nearly jammed in the subsequent rebound, but Pacific survived that scare to pick up the victory and all three points.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Pacific FC: Melvin; Chung, Machado, Ndom, Lajeunesse; Keshavarz, Browning Lagerfeldt, Daniels (Toualy 74'); Bustos, Heard (Greco-Taylor 86'), Zanatta (Montejano 67')

York United FC: Urtiaga; Singh, Sturing (Higgins 69'), León; Ferrari, Yeates, Kibato, Ferrazzo (Botello 46'); Reid (Ferrin 59'), Bitar (Jimoh 69'); Altobelli (Rosa 59')

Goals

25' -- Gabriel Bitar (York United FC)
44' -- Dario Zanatta (Pacific FC) (Penalty)
90+2' -- Emanuel Montejano (Pacific FC)

Discipline

10' -- Yellow: Riley Ferrazzo (York United FC)
27' -- Yellow: Frank Sturing (York United FC)
55' -- Yellow: Aidan Daniels (Pacific FC)
57' -- Yellow: Josh Heard (Pacific FC)
68' -- Yellow: Emanuel Montejano (Pacific FC)
90+1' -- Yellow: Steffen Yeates (York United FC)
90+3' -- Yellow: Max Anchor (Pacific FC)
90+4' -- Yellow: Bryan Rosa (York United FC)