HIGHLIGHTS: HFX Wanderers FC vs. Cavalry FC (May 11, 2024) | Presented by tonybet

Halifax Wanderers FC are on the board with a point in 2024, as they played to a 1-1 draw with Cavalry FC at the Wanderers Grounds on Saturday in a hard-fought contest in Nova Scotia.

Cavalry FC started this match with a significantly rotated lineup, as goalkeeper Jack Barrett and U SPORTS player Niko Myroniuk made their first starts for the club, among seven changes from the XI that started against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Tuesday. Halifax, having not played since May 2, went with a strong lineup featuring Tiago Coimbra up top for the first time this year, as Massimo Ferrin also returned to the lineup. With Lorenzo Callegari out with a suspension, Patrice Gheisar slotted club captain Andre Rampersad into central midfield.

In the opening stages of the match, Cavalry were the more aggressive side, outshooting Halifax eight to five in the first half hour as both teams had a few chances. Charlie Trafford came close to opening the scoring just 16 minutes in with a shot from inside the box, but Yann Fillion made an outstanding diving save to push it away from the top corner.

The intensity picked up in the opening half with a few forceful tackles on either side, prompting referee Carly Shaw-Maclaren to dish out six yellow cards in the first 45 minutes alone, but neither side was able to capitalize on the scoresheet.

Cavalry boss Tommy Wheeldon Jr. chose to shake things up at halftime, bringing in some experienced hands in Sergio Camargo and Fraser Aird, who replaced Myroniuk and Trafford respectively. Aird’s return to the pitch came as a surprise, after he dislocated his shoulder on Tuesday against the Whitecaps, but suffered no cartilage damage and thus was able to play again.

Shortly before the hour mark, Cavalry found a way through; Lucas Dias picked up the ball in space on the right and whipped it toward the box, where William Akio jumped to get his left foot on it at the back post and scored with a shot that Fillion palmed, but couldn’t keep out.

The Wanderers found their best chance of the afternoon a few minutes after conceding, as Cale Loughrey had an attempt that was kept away by the crossbar. At the 75-minute mark, they actually put the ball in the net via the head of Massimo Ferrin, but the goal was disallowed after a foul was spotted in the box as the ball came in.

At last, Halifax’s fortunes changed. Moments after the goal that wasn’t given, Dan Nimick picked up the ball near the right touchline and curled it into the box, as Giorgio Probo leapt above his man and flicked a gorgeous backward header into the corner of the net to equalize with 10 minutes to play.

Ferrin nearly put the hosts in front with five minutes to play as he took a well-driven shot from outside the box, but Barrett managed to parry it to the side, then rushed to leap on the loose ball before Ferrin could. Both sides continued to probe for a winner as the game ticked over into stoppage time, with chances at both ends, but ultimately neither could solve the other again and the match ended 1-1.

So, the Wanderers recorded their first point of the 2024 season, avoiding a fourth straight CPL defeat and relieving some pressure with the result.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Halifax Wanderers: Fillion; Nimick, Dunn, Loughrey; Fernandez (Ferrazzo 72′), Gagnon-Laparé (Volesky 79′), Rampersad, Telfer; Daniels, Coimbra (Probo 72′), Ferrin

Cavalry FC: J. Barrett; Shome, Kobza, Klomp, Kamdem; Trafford (Aird 46′), Daley (Gutiérrez 76′), Dias (Montgomery (76′); Akio (Brooks 63′), Shaw, Myroniuk (Camargo 46′)

Goals

58′ — William Akio (Cavalry FC)
78′ — Giorgio Probo (Halifax Wanderers)

Discipline

29′ — Yellow: Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers)
33′ — Yellow: Charlie Trafford (Cavalry FC)
33′ — Yellow: Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé (Halifax Wanderers)
33′ — Yellow: Dan Nimick (Halifax Wanderers)
42′ — Yellow: Zachary Fernandez (Halifax Wanderers)
45′ — Yellow: Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers)
69′ — Yellow: Jesse Daley (Cavalry FC)
89′ — Yellow: Bradley Kamdem (Cavalry FC)