No, this isn’t a repeat. Yes, Cavalry will, once again, travel to Hamilton to play a winner-take-all match in the Canadian Premier League play-offs.
Cavalry secured their spot in the Contenders’ Semi-final, Sunday night, after putting York to the sword in a 4-1 finish. The Calgary side earned the right to host the match after finishing third during the 2025 regular season, with York punching their tickets after defeating Halifax in a play-in match on Wednesday.
Ali Musse and Tobias Warschewski contributed goals early on, and though Shaan Hundal pulled one back before the end of the first half, a Luke Singh own goal and Warschewski’s second of the night consigned the Nine Stripes to another elimination at the semi-final qualifier stage.
That came to roost far earlier than expected on Sunday, as Musse kicked off the four-goal performance just eight minutes in.
Shaking off a pack of York defenders, the Cavalry winger prodded the ball past the edge of the box before unleashing a curler that York goalkeeper Diego Urtiaga had no chance of reaching — not least after it clipped York skipper Elijah Adekugbe on the way in.
GOAL 🐴
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) October 26, 2025
Ali Musse's curler hits the back of the net and @CPLCavalryFC take the lead vs. @yorkutdfc ⚽️
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer, TSN & FuboTV pic.twitter.com/q1AGncB43g
Warschewski made it two inside 17 minutes, as Cavalry turned on the teamwork. Michael Baldisimo’s quick win-back found its way to Musse, who slipped in the galloping German with a pass between York midfielders Adekugbe and Steffen Yeates.
GOAL 🐴🐴
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) October 26, 2025
HE’S BACK 👀 Tobias Warschewski doubles @CPLCavalryFC's lead to make it 2-0 against @yorkutdfc 🤩
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer, TSN & FuboTV pic.twitter.com/J49Hy8Frre
Hundal countered to wrap up a three-goal first-half, sparking thoughts of a comeback for York in first-half stoppage time. Paired with Julian Altobelli up top for the second match in a row, Hundal delicately dinked a Riley Ferrazzo cross past Marco Carducci from close range.
GOAL 👑
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) October 26, 2025
Shaan Hundal chips it over @CPLCavalryFC goalkeeper Marco Carducci and @yorkutdfc have a lifeline 🔥
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer, TSN & FuboTV pic.twitter.com/MFf2dXlyUh
The hope for a comeback by the Nine Stripes, however, did not last long past half-time.
Within two minutes of the restart, centre-back Luke Singh had accidentally nicked a Cavalry cross past his own goalkeeper whilst attempting to trap and clear the ball.
GOAL 🐴🐴🐴
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) October 26, 2025
Luke Singh taps it in into his own net and @CPLCavalryFC have a 3-1 lead over @yorkutdfc 😲
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer, TSN & FuboTV pic.twitter.com/yn5LdfcSHF
The hosts put the tie to bed in the 58th minute as Warschewski claimed his brace from the Spruce Meadows coat check. His twenty-plus-yard long-ranger from the edge of the semi-circle marking ten goals on the league campaign — though the last of those came at the end of August, if one could believe.
GOAL 🐴🐴🐴🐴
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) October 26, 2025
Tobias Warschewski gets his brace and @CPLCavalryFC lead @yorkutdfc 4-1 🔥
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer, TSN & FuboTV pic.twitter.com/hq54gVTng1
The visitors, historically, have not fared particularly well in this match-up, even when advancing, as was seen in 2023 when Pacific moved on, only to be beaten by Cavalry in the subsequent contenders’ semi-final.
As much was clear for York on Sunday, after suffering through an extended rain delay and extra time against Halifax. They rolled into Foothills County on short rest. All, while the home side, Cavalry, had a full week off and time to prepare on their own pitch.
Despite hoping for a change in fortunes after falling in a heartbreaking loss on penalties against Ottawa in last year’s semi-final qualifier, it was much the same for the Nine Stripes in 2025, falling short of their semi-final promised land.
Still, head coach Mauro Eustáquio was upbeat on their progress over the course of the season.
“We did a lot of good things,” said Eustáquio, pointing to having instilled an identity both on and off the pitch, something that “[York hasn’t] had over the first seven years.”
That identity included having rebuilt the roster last winter to allow for a ‘super aggressive, high intensity, high pressing’ 3-4-3 as his first-choice XI, and focusing on local players to build a core based on the community. All of which, Eustáquio saw as trending in the “right direction.”
On the other side, the road is not easier for Cavalry, either, to be clear.
Neither Pacific in 2023, nor Ottawa in 2024, managed to progress to the Final as the winners of the semi-final qualifier. With Sergio Camargo not involved Sunday night, the road also remains complicated there, despite the four-goal outpouring without their key #10.
If they can force errors out of Forge as Ottawa did on Sunday night, however, it’s all to play for, as Ottleti showed, handing Forge their first loss at home all season. With their 17 total shots and three big chances generated, there’s every chance that Cavalry can hit a Forge side facing the most pressure they have all season.
“They were organized, and it’s tough to go to Hamilton Stadium,” commented Cavalry gaffer Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “They’re a wounded animal, [but also they’ll] be pissed off after losing [two] straight play-off games,” Wheeldon Jr. referring back to last year’s defeat in the Final to Cavalry at ATCO Field.
The contenders’ semi-final takes place on November 2nd in Hamilton at Hamilton Stadium. The winner of the winner-take-all match earns a spot in the Finals on November 9th at 5 p.m. ET in Ottawa.
