HIGHLIGHTS: Pacific FC vs. Cavalry FC (July 22, 2022)

Pacific FC has taken the top spot in the Canadian Premier League table from Cavalry after a dominant 3-0 victory over the Alberta side at Starlight Stadium.

Marco Bustos opened the scoring, while a José Escalante own goal and Alejandro Diaz’s penalty completed the scoring. Callum Irving held a clean sheet in the Pacific net, with a brilliant performance that saw him make five saves.

Tensions quickly boiled over to start the match, as David Norman Jr. did nothing further to endear himself to the Pacific FC supporters early in the first half. Norman Jr. put in a tough challenge on Bustos that earned him the yellow card, and the ire of several Pacific players. Norman Jr. and Manny Aparicio were both sent off after a similar incident in the last meeting between the two sides but tempers were better controlled this time around.

Bustos again caused issues just a few minutes later, beating Norman Jr. and forcing a foul from Charlie Trafford just outside of the box. Before the free-kick could be taken, the sides came after a scuffle broke out after contact in the box between Joe Di Chiara and Djenairo Daniels.  The free kick was ultimately inconsequential after the play was blown dead for an offensive foul in the box.

Bustos, however, finally found his moment a few moments later. Cavalry keeper Julian Roloff slipped on a clearing attempt and Bustos send a clever first-time strike from well out into the back of the net. It was the Pacific attacker’s first goal of the season.

Pacific nearly had another goal moments later, as Josh Heard broke down the left wing and played a cross that narrowly eluded Gianni Dos Santos at the back post.

Tempers flared again in the 32nd minute as Aparicio and Trafford were both shown yellow cards after a foul and subsequent relation. Daniels then almost added to the Pacific lead after getting on the end of a brilliant ball from Sean Young but this time Roloff was well off his line and the Pacific attacker fired wide.

In total, there were six cautions and 14 fouls between the two sides during a heated opening half. There was only one goal, however, as Pacific went into the half up 1-0.

Pacific was dealt a stroke of good fortune in the 49th minute. Bustos’ curling free kick to the back post was cut out by Escalante. But the Cavalry winger’s header, intended to be a clearance, would find its way into the back of his own net.

Escalante came close from a free kick at the other end later in the half, but his curling effort was caught well by Callum Irving in the Pacific net.

Pacific nearly made it three for the second straight match against Cavalry, as Daniels found Golden Boot leader Diaz along at the top of the six-yard box. His shot, however, was brilliantly saved by Roloff.

But that save would only delay the inevitable, as another foray forward from the Tridents moments later saw Josh Heard get on the wrong side of substitute Roberto Alarcón. Diaz stepped up to the spot, and increased his tally on the season to 11, and Pacific’s lead to 3-0.

It is the fourth straight match that Pacific FC has scored three or more goals. For Cavalry, this is the first time they have lost, and gone scoreless, in back-t0-back matches since July of 2021 when they lost to Forge FC and Atlético Ottawa in the Winnipeg bubble. This was the Cavs worst loss of the 2022 season to date.

BOX SCORE

Goals

23′– Marco Bustos (Pacific FC)

50′ — José Escalante – own goal (Pacific FC)

68′ — Alejandro Diaz – Pen. (Pacific FC)

Discipline

15′ — David Norman Jr. (Cavalry FC) 

25′ — Marco Bustos (Pacific FC) 

26′ — Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC) 

32′ — Manny Aparicio (Pacific FC) 

32′ — Charlie Trafford (Cavalry FC)

43′ — José Escalante (Cavalry FC)