'We’re focused on the present': Cavalry not thinking about past playoff heartbreak ahead of 3rd CPL Final

There’s no doubt that Cavalry carries deep scars when it comes to the CPL playoffs. 

From their heartbreaking final loss in 2019, to disappointing semi-final losses in 2021 and 2022, to late drama in their 2023 finals loss, they’re no stranger to the pain of falling short before the finish line. 

Despite that, Cavalry aren’t dwelling on past pain. Even as they get set to face a Forge side that’s been responsible for a lot of that heartbreak, they see this game as a new frontier instead of unfinished business. 

Ultimately, Forge has been the team to beat in the playoffs through the first five years of the CPL, so Cavalry is looking at this game as a chance to prove their stripes instead of one where revenge is top of mind. 

Having already beat Forge once in these playoffs, earning a bye straight to this final with their 1-0 win over the Hammers in the qualifying semi-final, they’ve proven they have what it takes to topple this team, but just need to find a way to replicate that formula and get it done in the biggest game of the season. 

“If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best, and they're the best,” Cavalry’s head coach, Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said on Friday. “So that's what I said (to the guys), we’ll go into this with a challenger mindset, it's an opportunity for us to be the best, to win the last game of the season, and I think that's a great opportunity for these lads.”

“It’s like a hydra, you cut one head off, and another one appears,” he then joked when asked about facing Forge again. “But they’re a bloody good team, we’ll talk about this team for years to come, but it’s up to us now, if we want to change their dynasty, someone has to stand in the way.”

Plus, it’s worth noting that Cavalry does hold some key advantages heading into this final. 

Naturally, home advantage is a big one - Cavalry lost just once at home in CPL action this year (although they did draw eight times), while the other is the extra week of rest they were able to get after getting a bye to the final. 

In particular, that last point is key, as it allowed them to rest some key players while also giving them the chance to do some extra tactical work to prepare for Forge, ensuring they’re entering this final as ready as can be. 

Often, the lead-up to a final can be a blur of noise, but not for Cavalry, who have been tackling this task with a strong sense of serenity and peace. 

“I wouldn't say that we're focused on the past, we're more focused on the present,” Cavalry midfielder, Shamit Shome, said. “The details are important, and details are what makes the playoffs special, there will be set plays, just knowing little tactical nuances and how that can affect the game, and the extra week of preparation was about that, we made sure we focused on those things so we’re as prepared as possible going into the match.”

A tight-knit group, they’re using that to their advantage, and they’re hoping that pays off when the match begins. 

“I think one of the superpowers of this team has been the belief in each other,” Cavalry’s captain and goalkeeper, Marco Carducci, added. “There’s enjoyment, it’s light around our group, we know we're competing for a trophy that we haven't won yet, so obviously at the moment there will be pressure, but at the end of the day, we believe in each other.”

“We enjoy these moments, and I think that's what's gotten us to where we are because we’ve faced a lot of adversity early in the year. After 15 weeks we weren’t even in the playoff picture, so people were asking a lot of questions about us, and here we are now. We've embraced that mentality, and tomorrow is just another opportunity to play a game, and we'll be prepared for that.”

Because of that, look for them to come out strongly to start this one. 

Sometimes, past heartbreak can be useful when it comes to finding future success, as long as you channel it in the right way. 

Cavalry proved they can do that with their qualifying semi-final win, their first-ever win over Forge in a playoff game, and will now look to build off that in this final. 

Their past shortcomings may have stung and left a mark, but they also gave them a glimpse of what’s required to win, which isn’t always as straightforward to do in a final. 

You can play well in a final, and you can also play poorly, but ultimately, what’s most important is finding a way to win - and Cavalry is ready to do what they can to prove they can do that in a game of this magnitude. 

“You don't have to be the best team in a final - you just need to win,” Wheeldon Jr offered. “I think we're prepared for anything, they’ve dominated the ball more against us, but then they sat a little deeper on the field, and I think they can be prepared to do both, so we've got to be adaptable. If they want to sit back, absorb pressure and hit on the counter, they're very good at that, and if they want to have the ball and get their cycles and rotations, they're very good at that, too.”

“What you'll always see in games between Calvary and Forge is that it’s a chess match that will go back and forth, you'll see a change of formations, you’ll see different subs coming in, and I think it's certainly been an enjoyable journey, we've played each other 30-odd times, so I love these games because they stretch you, they test you and they make you suffer, but you can also enjoy it, as well.”