You can't write a script like this one.

FC Supra got off to a winning start in the Canadian Premier League after a last-minute victory over Pacific, marking their debut as a club with an unforgettable win.

Counter-attacking football: a good formula for FC Supra on their CPL Debut

It was a solid performance for the league's newest side in their inaugural match. They defeated Pacific 3–2 on a wet and rainy day away from home at Starlight Stadium.

Nick Razzaghi and his staff will be delighted with the execution of their tactical structure, despite conceding a couple of goals and potentially more if it wasn't for the heroics of Joakim Milli.

Supra did not enjoy large portions of possession, holding just 42% compared to Pacific FC’s 58%, but they still managed the same number of total shots (15) while registering more on target (10 to Pacific’s 7), resulting in an impressive victory for a group playing their first professional match together.

The tactics from Nick Razzaghi’s side centred around counter-attacking football, where the Quebecois side waited for the hosts to make mistakes and quickly pounced to exploit open spaces.

Supra consistently caught the Pacific defenders off guard and converted three of their ten shots on target. It will be interesting to see if they can continue with this approach, as it is a common strategy for newly formed teams trying to find their footing in the professional game. While this tactic clearly frustrated and exploited the Tridents, the question remains: can it work against more established sides such as Forge, Cavalry, and Atlético Ottawa? We’ll find out soon enough.

FC Supra’s number nines show their quality

It was an impressive performance from Loïc Kwemi and Alexandre Marcoux on the day. Both players consistently found themselves in dangerous positions, giving Sean Melvin and the Pacific backline plenty to deal with. The result was a pair of clinical goals that helped FC Supra become the first expansion team in CPL history to win their debut match.

Kwemi, in particular, looked lively on the ball, using the technical ability he developed in leagues such as Futsal Canada to dribble into the box and generate multiple chances for himself, with one of those efforts finding the net via a deflection off Trident defender Joshua Belluz. After a tight-angle goal from the ever-influential Sean Rea, followed by a tidy finish from Josh Heard for Pacific FC to make the game 2-2, it was Marcoux who delivered the winner deep into stoppage time. Positioned well inside the box, he reacted quickest after a Sean Melvin save, finishing from close range to halt the Pacific comeback.

Marcoux was TrueNorthFoot’s U21 player to watch for the 2026 CPL season, and scoring in his first professional match only strengthens that dark-horse claim.

Bustos and Heard don’t waste time getting on the scoresheet in 2026

To say Pacific’s attacking duo of Marco Bustos and Josh Heard struggled in front of goal last season would be an understatement. Bustos took 27 matches to find the net in 2025, while Heard had not scored since the 3-2 win over Vancouver FC in August.

However, 2026 marks a fresh start, and both players wasted no time getting on the scoresheet, thanks in part to composed assists with excellent weight from Aidan Daniels and Christian Greco-Taylor. Unfortunately for Pacific, their goals were not enough to secure points for James Merriman’s side. Still, getting Bustos and Heard firing early will be crucial if the Tridents hope to mount a playoff push. Time will tell if this is the year Pacific turns heads and proves their doubters wrong.

Both goalkeepers sharp in today’s effort

Despite conceding three and two goals respectively, both keepers delivered strong performances on a slick surface at Starlight Stadium. Joakim Milli, the 25-year-old from Montreal, stood out in particular with a fantastic diving save to his bottom right to deny a Wero Díaz header—one that could easily be in contention for Save of the Month. Late in the match, Milli was called into action again, reacting quickly to stop a Ronan Kratt header and give his defence a chance to clear. 

Sean Melvin also deserves credit of his own, as the 31-year-old, Victoria, BC native reacted quickly and made several key saves on quality chances from Loïc Kwemi, Diya Abzi, and Riad Bey.

Ronan Kratt showing his quality for the Tridents

Ronan Kratt’s recovery from a knee injury does not appear to be slowing him down. The 22-year-old from Ottawa made an immediate impact after coming on in the 65th minute. He registered three shots, with two requiring strong saves from Joakim Milli and another striking the inside of the left goal post.

Kratt also completed all of his passes and looked dangerous carrying the ball forward, as well as off the ball, making several impactful runs into the final third. One such run nearly resulted in a goal after an intelligent pass from Sami Keshavarz, but the ball was just out of his reach and collected by Milli.

This performance will give James Merriman something to think about ahead of next week’s clash with the Halifax Wanderers at the Wanderers Grounds. It may be difficult to keep a player of Kratt’s quality on his bench. After dropping their opening home matches, the Tridents may need a tactical adjustment, with Kratt serving as the potential X-factor to spark the turnaround.

Football Video Support still showing its controversy in the young CPL season

While it was a win for FC Supra, it will feel like a missed opportunity for Pacific, who could argue they deserved at least a point from today's fixture.

The main talking point remains the use of Football Video Support (FVS), particularly the sending off of Pacific FC center-back Joshua Belluz, which played a major role in the final outcome of the match. A notable loophole in the system appeared to be exploited by FC Supra head coach Nick Razzaghi, who challenged for a direct red card following Belluz’s tackle on Omar Elkalkouli, knowing it would at least lead to a second yellow. While the challenge itself did not result in a straight red, the second yellow was given, and ultimately, a dismissal for the 25-year-old Toronto native.

The pace and efficiency of FVS reviews showed improvement compared to the opening matchweek, but this incident highlights an area the league may need to revisit once again.