Welcome to this week's installment of the Canadian Premier League in review, where we evaluate the standings and performances of each team. Get your coffee, tea, or other drink of choice ready and let's tuck in.
The games
Friday's clash between Supra and Toronto was a gruelling affair, played in the middle of a rainstorm. Competing in difficult weather is practically part of Canadian football heritage at this point, but the players' resilience was remarkable. Supra emerged with a 3-1 victory, knocking Toronto from their unbeaten perch.
On Saturday, it looked as though Pacific might finally secure their first win, but Ottawa found an equalizer from the penalty spot in the dying minutes to earn a 2-2 draw.
Meanwhile, at the Wanderers Grounds, Halifax and Vancouver, two teams that have struggled to see out matches this season, battled to the end before the Wanderers claimed a 1-0 victory in stoppage time.
Sunday’s match was a scrappy and occasionally tense affair, but Forge ultimately came away with a 1-0 win over Cavalry.
Standings
Pacific (8th — 2 points). It looked like this weekend would finally bring Pacific its first win, right up until it didn't. The frustrating part is that this was the third match in which the club scored twice, and none of those performances resulted in a victory.
The club has now been held scoreless in three matches this season.
Vancouver FC (7th — 5 points). It almost feels unfair. While not every opportunity was a clear-cut chance, the Eagles generated 15 shots in their weekend match and still came away empty-handed, making it their fifth scoreless game of the season.
Halifax Wanderers (6th — 9 points). The goal came at a crucial moment from a limited number of chances, but three points puts Halifax right back into the conversation near the top of the table.
Supra du Québec (5th — 10 points). With the teams around them picking up wins, it was an important result for Supra as well, allowing them to keep pace and remain within one matchday of the top four.
It's easy to fall back on clichés about a team needing to prove itself in its first season, but this weekend's win felt exactly like that kind of statement.
Atlético Ottawa (4th — 11 points). The gap from sixth to third is only three points right now, so every point matters, and Ottawa managed to claw one back at the very end to remain in the playoff places. The question is whether you view that last-minute rescue as a sign of resilience, or whether needing a stoppage-time penalty against the team in eighth place is cause for concern.
Inter Toronto (3rd — 12 points). No longer unbeaten, but still sitting third, although the competition feels much tighter this week. To get a clearer picture of this team and its playoff potential, I think we still need to see them face Forge and at least one more time against Cavalry.
Notably, Toronto has yet to be held scoreless in the league this season.
Cavalry (2nd — 17 points). A tense and tightly contested match this weekend did not produce a result for Cavalry, dropping the club to second place. Even so, they still hold a comfortable five-point cushion over Toronto in third. Despite failing to score on Sunday, Cavalry continues to lead the league in both goals scored and goal difference.
Forge (1st — 19 points). The Hammers are back on top. Just three goals conceded all season, and even the league's highest-scoring side could not add to that total. It is going to take a lot to knock Bobby's boys off the summit.
What comes next?
Friday sees Ottawa travel to Langley to take on Vancouver FC. Will the Eagles make life as difficult as Pacific did, or is Ottawa beginning to hit its stride?
Saturday features a doubleheader. First up, Cavalry hosts the Wanderers in their first meeting of the season. Can Vanni's side bring Cavalry down a notch, or is this another step toward the Shield for the hosts?
If you prefer heading east, Supra and Pacific will square off. Stubbornness versus desperation?
Then on Sunday, why not settle in for Inter Toronto versus Forge. It's one of the matchups I've been looking forward to most this season. Who am I kidding? It's likely to be another nail-biter. Toronto has the chance to show they're firmly among the league's contenders this year, and they get the opportunity to do so on home turf.
See you soon!
