Cavalry’s 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign ended on Thursday as they were defeated by Pumas 2-0 in Mexico.

One of the main talking points from the match originated right at the end of the first half, when referee Juan Gabriel Calderon showed Jay Herdman a red card after a VAR review.

Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. wasn’t having it, criticizing the official and saying the game would’ve gone a different way had it not been for the sending-off.

“Listen, that’s not me making excuses, [but] on the live footage, [Herdman] played the ball first. [...] I think the [the referee] was desperate to give a red card, he had one overturned prior," said Tommy Wheeldon Jr. in the post-game press conference. "It was always going to be tough against that official.”

“We knew we had to be better than we were last week. This is a historic club [...] We knew it would be tough, we knew that we’d face the best players Pumas has, and we did. We didn’t realize we would do it with 10 men for as long as we did,” Wheeldon said. “, we gave it our very best and I can’t be more proud of the way our guys did, we’re only 5 weeks into pre-season.”



Cavalry’s head coach was also asked about the altitude of Mexico City, and if it had any effect on the players.

His response? “No.”

“I think the players ran their socks off, and to do it with one man less showed the altitude wasn’t a factor. The one man less was the factor. Like I said, it took that sending-off to maybe change the game.”

What about Cavalry’s defending and limiting Pumas to little to no chances until the red, Tommy?

“We knew we would have to defend. Like I said, the players that Pumas put out, I think we’ve earned their respect. We knew we had to change our shape to defend, we were getting close to halftime when the penalty was given, and then the sending-off.”

“I think it’s been a tie of VAR, because I know there was [Tobias Warchewski’s] goal in the first leg, Charlie [Trafford]’s sending-off, to the penalty, to the second red card… But I think what I have to reflect on is over 180 minutes – 1 goal difference, and we played with one man less. I mean, come on! We’re seven-years-old – almost – and we’ve played a historic club, so, I’m very proud of the performance and the attitude of my players against what I would call a giant of Mexican football. I’m thankful to be able to learn this lesson, because, with it, we can only get better.”

“Last year when we played Orlando, we got blown out. This year, we gambled and we’ve played it within one goal. We’ll be stronger next year.”

To end the press conference, Tommy was asked about the yellow cards.

“The yellows? Ha, probably more comments about the red cards! I don’t think I want to get myself or my team into any more trouble, so what I will say is ‘Muchas gracias y mucha suerte!’ (“Thank you and good luck!” in Spanish)”

Cavalry returns to action on April 5, as they visit Forge FC in their opening match of the 2025 Canadian Premier League season.