Valour FC eager to play past its struggles

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This article was published 15/07/2019 (2588 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been said, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Valour FC is hoping that’s the case. After a rocky spring season put Winnipeg’s newest pro sports team at dead last in Canadian Premier League standings, Valour is looking forward to a fresh start.

The fall season begins this Wednesday. Valour finished the spring season with a disappointing 3-7-0 record, but midfielder Dylan Sacramento says that’s no reason for fans to count the team out.

“I think what we’re trying to build here in the culture and everything, it’s a long process. We brought together a new team with all new players, new faces and it’s going to take some time to come together. We haven’t completely figured out everything, but I know the game-day experiences are fun.”

“We definitely have to score more goals. Without fans, the games wouldn’t be what they are, so I hope that they keep coming out and enjoying themselves and hang on with some patience for us, hoping that we can do better.”

Sacramento is one of the multiple Winnipeg-born players on the team. Despite Valour’s weak spring-season record, he said friends and family haven’t been too hard on him about it.

“A few random Instagram jabs. But nothing too bad. It’s been people seeing what we see, that there’s a lot of good players on this team and it just hasn’t fully come together yet.”

While Valour is a young team in general, one interesting thing to watch shake out in the fall season will be how, if in any way, the fulfilment of the ‘under-21’ rule will affect the team.

Because it’s a developmental league, rules state every team must play athletes under the age of 21 at least 1,000 minutes over the spring and fall seasons combined.

Since Valour fulfilled those minutes during the last games of the spring season, there will be no need to play athletes under 21 if they aren’t performing. Head coach Rob Gale said he’s told his players from the get-go soccer is a performance- and production-based industry.

“Now, we can just concentrate on readiness, sharpness and who’s there. We’ve shown with Tyler (Attardo), if he steps up and performs, it doesn’t matter which age you are, right? It’s just a number. But at least that’s at the back of our minds now and we don’t have to worry going forward,” Gale said.

Attardo is another Winnipeg-born player. He’s only 17, but leads the team with two goals scored in the spring season. Gale says that heading into the fall season, he’s looking to bring in more veteran players who can help mentor those just starting their pro careers.

Valour FC starts the fall season on the road, playing its first game this Wednesday against FC Edmonton.

Edmonton placed third in the league’s spring standings, going 4-4-2 over the 10-game season.

Valour will have to play without help from top performers Michael Petrasso and Ali Musse. Both are still recovering from spring-season injuries and are a little ways away from full health.

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Midfielder Louis Béland-Goyette will also be out on Wednesday, as he’s serving a suspension for yellow-card accumulation from the spring season.

Edmonton is a team that defends well and plays a simple but well-planned game. Sacramento says it’s up to Valour to capitalize on chances and nab Wednesday’s win.

“We got to play a full 90 minutes, stick to our game plan, defend well and then capitalize on our chances. That’s what we’re looking for Wednesday.”

devon.shewchuk@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @devonshewchuk