HIGHLIGHTS: Cavalry FC vs. York United (July 19, 2022)

York United are back in the win column at last, as they produced a gutsy 1-0 victory at ATCO Field on Tuesday night to defeat league-leading Cavalry FC, halting the Cavs’ unbeaten streak at 11 and simultaneously snapping their own 10-match winless skid thanks to a well-taken first-half goal.

With both teams playing this match on a fairly short turnaround, the two managers each made three changes to their starting XI. York boss Martin Nash brought Jordan Wilson and Mateo Hernández back into the lineup after both missed the previous game with suspension, and he handed a first CPL start to Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio on the wing. Cavalry gaffer Tommy Wheeldon Jr., meanwhile, saw David Norman Jr. return to his backline, as Elijah Adekugbe slotted into midfield and Ben Fisk started in attack.

Cavalry opened the match with a heavy advantage in possession, looking to break down a stingy York defence, but the visitors managed to pick off several errant passes to create transitional opportunities for themselves. After almost half an hour of back-and-forth play, in which both sides troubled the opposing goal on several occasions, it would eventually be York who broke through.

The Nine Stripes’ Australian debutant Lawrie-Lattanzio, playing a left wingback role, came onto the ball at the edge of the box. He ran toward the end line and took a touch backwards to open up some space in the penalty area, and he fed a quick pass through to Osaze De Rosario, who finished smartly with the outside of his right foot to make it 1-0 for York United after 29 minutes at Spruce Meadows.

Though Cavalry threw what they could at York’s end for the remainder of the first half — they produced 10 shots before the break, four of them on target — they couldn’t find their way through and ultimately the sides headed into halftime with York leading by a goal.

Coming out of the interval, Cavalry once again took the initiative, seeking an equalizer as they attacked toward the Foot Soldiers in the stadium’s south end. After the hosts spent some time with the ball in York’s half, they ultimately found some good fortune: As José Escalante came down the left touchline battling with York midfielder Wilson, the latter ultimately shoved Escalante off the ball — too enthusiastically, in the eyes of referee Scott Bowman, who showed Wilson a second yellow card and dismissed him for the rest of the match.

Nash turned to his bench immediately, adding midfielder Cédric Toussaint to the mix along with striker Lisandro Cabrera, hoping his side could find another goal and hold on for a much-needed win. Not long after, Wheeldon countered with a triple change of his own, as he injected Charlie Trafford, Jean-Aniel Assi, and Joe Mason in hopes of leveling the score in the final half-hour.

With the extra energy now on the pitch plus a man advantage, Cavalry continued to press. Assi had an excellent chance to level the score around the 75-minute mark, but a burst of energy from Dominick Zator powered the York centre-back to an excellent game-saving tackle, and his side capably handled the ensuing corner as well.

Although the Cavs threw all they had at York in the dying minutes — including once chance in the 86th minute that trickled across the goal line twice without being finished — the Nine Stripes somehow held firm, breaking their 10-game winless streak in gutsy fashion to procure their first victory away from home of the 2022 season.

BOX SCORE

Goals

29′ — Osaze De Rosario (York United)

Discipline

30′ — Yellow: Jordan Wilson (York United)
49′ — Yellow: Joseph Di Chiara (Cavalry FC)
51′ — Second Yellow: Jordan Wilson (York United)
75′ — Yellow: Niko Giantsopoulos (York United)
90+5′ — Yellow: Isaiah Johnston (York United)