HFX Wanderers keep rolling with second win, beat Cavalry FC 3-1

Midfielder Aidan Daniels continues run of good play, scores game winner

The 2023 Halifax Wanderers are here to make you believe and these days, they are rewarding that belief with goals.

After a slow start to the season, the Wanderers have put together a second complete performance in a row, this time toppling Cavalry FC 3-1 at a frenzied Wanderers Grounds on Saturday.

Previous to their two game run, Patrice Gheisar's squad had played well for starts and stops, for moments or even halves but never seemed to tie everything together.

Well, it's safe to say the Wanderers have learned their lessons as they handedly put down a tough Cavalry squad and earned an important three points at home.

“There are going to be times where we need to let the opponent have the ball, but still stay in control of the game,” said Gheisar. “We knew as the game went on, we were going to get stronger and that they were going to drop off, even with their subs coming in, so I felt we did a really good job managing the moments today.”

Some of the brightest moments again came from 19-year old striker Tiago Coimbra, who was a whirlwind of energy in the Valour tilt.

Gheisar elected to start him for a second consecutive match and was rewarded almost instantly as the young forward converted off a Lorenzo Callegari cross in the sixth minute.

But the Wanderers lead wouldn't last long as defender Cale Loughrey was called for hauling down a Cavalry player in his own box, resulting in a penalty opportunity for Myer Bevan.

Bevan converted on the penalty, his league leading sixth goal of the season.

Coming out of the half, Cavalry pressed hard and came close to a goal in both the 50th and 55th minute but Wanderers keeper Yann Fillion stood tall to keep things tied.

The Wanderers weathered the storm to convert on a low Aidan Daniels shot which beat Cavalry goaltender Marco Carducci and set the score at 2-1.

Needing fresh legs, Gheisar made several changes, including putting on striker Théo Collomb, midfielder Tomas Giraldo and Lifumpa Mwandwe, who slotted in at right-back. All three proved pivotal in the dying minutes as the Wanderers counterattacked near the 90th minute and Mwandwe drove down the right side.

He crossed the ball into the box and found Collomb, who had a clinical finish for his third goal of the campaign.

Overall, this match again showcased the Wanderers resolve and saw them score three goals, their most of any match so far.

“When you build this kind of philosophy, you start with working on goal kicks, to your build-up, to your midfield play, and then lastly is the attack,” Gheisar explained of his squad's offence. “And I know it’s been frustrating for everyone that hasn’t seen our attack yet, but when you built it like that, your system has more sustainability.”

Halifax's next match is away against York FC on Wednesday, June 21.

From the Notebook:

1. If you had never heard of the Canadian Premier League and Saturday happened to be your first look at the Wanderers, I think you'd be walking away gobsmacked by the quality of football. In a nutshell, it was sensational. Both clubs came out with something to prove and with Valour beating Forge on Friday, in desperate need of three points to keep pace. The result was phenomenal back and forth football from the opening minute and an impressive performance from Patrice Gheisar's squad. But this was a very different win from their triumph against Valour last week; this was by no means a sure thing but the Wanderers willed it their way with savvy subs and an attacking mindset. I give credit to Gheisar in so much as instead of sitting on his haunches, he put in attacking players like Giraldo, Fumpa and Collomb. It was suggested by some fans that his strategy turned a possible tie into a win and I tend to agree. This quote from Gheisar post-match sums up his mentality perfectly: "We don't want our fans paying money to come in here for 1-0 wins."
2. What's impressive about this Wanderers win is the calmness, the exactitude of their performance. Gheisar and Daniels both made it clear they knew Cavalry were going to crank up the temperature at some point and only needed to survive it so they could play their game. "We knew that if we weathered the storm for 20-30 minutes, eventually the storm was going to go away. So for us, it was about staying patient, resilient and to keep working," said Daniels. Now, it's one thing to say that but another to deliver. This is a win made possible by the trials of tribulations earlier in the season.
3. Some quick statistical notes. For once, the script was flipped and it was the Wanderers who had less possession and passing than their opponent. The thing is, aside from a 15 minute stretch, they mostly kept Cavalry at arm's length. Of Cavalry's 462 passes, 84 were in the final third. They had shots, 14 to be precise, but many were taken from far out so that Fillion had time to react. The fact that Halifax won a match where they were, on paper, outplayed speaks volumes about their progress.
4. Aidan Daniels stepped up at precisely the right moment. Now, I had a Q&A with the midfielder published this week, and I think a lot of what we discussed foreshadowed his performance this match. We talked about how this year, he's working hard as a veteran on the squad to stay patient and stay engaged and good things will come. Well, he was impressive yet again and characterized the Wanderers' dedication to their game plan. He was rewarded with a goal which came off a late run, him being the umpteenth wave into the Cavalry box but the one that mattered most. And like a true leader, he was all about the team post-match. "Left wing or right wing, our number 9s, elsewhere. That we had three different goal scorers today, it only attests to what Patrice has instilled in us — it doesn’t matter who scores, as long we win the game," he said.
5. Let's talk about Wanderers keeper extraordinaire, Yann Fillion. I've written about his leadership previously but just wanted to note that without his calmness, the Wanderers don't win this match. He made a few crucial saves during the second half but made it look leisurely, like a stroll in the Halifax Public Gardens, and that's what you want from your keeper. And he's always talking, be it to give a tip or to yell at a defender to get into the right position. In short, his six saves and constant pep talk kept the squad composed.
6. With Zachary Fernandez out due to suspension, Gheisar opted to slot defender Riley Ferrazzo back into the starting XI. On Saturday, Ferrazzo did his best Fernandez impression and was bombing down the flank, dishing balls and generally playing Gheisar football. However, he took several hard tumbles and was subbed before the end of the first half for injury. I know Jake Ruby, although not completely ruled out, is also battling injury and Ryan James is only recently returned. The Wanderers have been lucky so far on the injury front but it looks like the bug is starting to go around.
7. Which brings us to Fumpa. He hasn't featured much this year and from the training sessions I've attended, is chomping at the bit to get minutes on the pitch. Having said that, he looked great in his limited time yesterday and although is a natural forward, slotted in seamlessly at right-back. "We say to every player, be patient, you're going to get in," said Gheisar when asked about slotting in players from the bench. "I thought Fumpa did great. He got up and down, won his tackles, set up that cross for the goal. Théo didn't play the past few games, scores the goal. I thought Mass (Ferrin) was unlucky not to get a goal. There was a lot of good performances to back a good team performance as well." Fumpa was unlucky not to get credited with the assist on the scoresheet but definitely made his case for more time.
8. I feel like I mention them every week but I continue to be smitten by the play of Daniel Nimick and Callegari. They are a joy to watch in the Wanderers uniform and for my money, are the two most vital players on the squad. Nimick was quietly brilliant against Cavalry, leading Gheisar to say that he is the most underrated centreback in the CPL. Callegari has been given an even greater artistic license as an 8 and painted the pitch with beautiful line breakers and through balls, getting an assist on Coimbra's tally. A fun Lorenzo stat line: he is tied for the league lead in assists and leads the league in passes and yellow cards. Wicked stuff.

Cheers,

-WN

Cover Photo Credit: Trevor MacMillan / Halifax Wanderers FC