Late goal sends Valour home with losing record

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This article was published 09/05/2019 (2660 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

José Escalante’s superb left-footed goal on a direct free kick in the 86th minute lifted Cavalry FC to a 1-0 triumph over visiting Valour FC in a bruising Canadian Premier League match at ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows in Calgary Wednesday night.

Prior to the 23-year-old Honduran’s heroics, the teams very nearly combined for the first goal-less game in the league’s short history.

“He’s dangerous, isn’t he?” Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. told the league broadcaster onesoccer.com. “We deployed him as a bit of an inside forward and he just got on their centre backs and caused them problems… He created a great set play for our second goal Saturday and he scored one today.”

Winnipeg-based Valour, playing its third game in eight days, remained at three points in the standings after posting a 2-1 road win over Pacific FC and falling 2-1 to visiting Edmonton FC in their opening two games.

Cavalry, meanwhile, improved to six points on two home victories.

Ali Musse, making his first start of the season, was Valour’s most dangerous offensive threat.

In the opening half, Musse was sent in on a pass from Michael Petrasso and denied by Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci in the 17th minute.

In the 50th minute, another Musse shot was deflected wide of the cage by Carducci. Valour substitute Calum Ferguson had a chance to tie the game moments after Escalante’s goal but his header from close range was blocked.

“Yeah, it was a close game,” Valour head coach Rob Gale told reporters. “Set piece decided it… Should have equalized about a minute later. I love that we responded to the goal. Probably one of the best chances of the game. And Marco robbed his old mate Ali a couple of times today as well with some good saves.

“That’s what’s going to decide it. It’s going to be close, there’s parity across the league and you need that moment of magic, someone that can pick that lock or be clinical when they get those chances.”

Valour’s Glenn Muenkat and Adam Mitter also made their first starts of 2019. 

Yellow cards were issued to Valour’s Skylar Thomas, Jordan Murrell and Louis Béland-Goyette and Cavalry’s Julian Buschler, Elijah Adekugbe and Dean Northover.

Goalkeeper Tyson Farago got his third consecutive start for Valour, stopping three of four shots. Carducci made four saves.

Gale was asked to assess his team’s performance.

“Both teams going at it hammer and tongs and leaving it all out there,” he said. “You can’t be disappointed with the performance and effort. We played three games in (eight) days. We’ve had a very short turnaround… I thought the boys battled well.

Wheeldon was thrilled with the result.

“I think good teams find a way to win,” he told onesoccer.com. “I’ve gotta give Valour credit, I knew it was a chess match with Rob. He coaches and organizes his team and they did a good job to keep us quiet, right? But you know what, you find a way to win and we did that.”

NOTEWORTHY: Newly signed forward Marco Bustos did not suit up for Valour Wednesday. The 23-year-old Winnipeg native was signed to a multi-year contract Tuesday and could be activated for Valour’s next game against the visiting HFX Wanderers Saturday afternoon. Bustos join the club from Oklahoma City Energy of the United Soccer League… Valour’s Michael Petrasso, who appeared to injure his left hamstring in the first half, left the game at the intermission. Dylan Sacramento replaced him for the second half… Cavalry won the possession battle, 59 to 41 per cent. 

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14