HFX Wanderers lose lead off penalty, draw with Cavalry FC

Club earns fifth draw of the season at ATCO Field in Calgary

Patrice Gheisar's squad is leaving Alberta with a point in the bag but a sour taste in their mouths following a controversial penalty in the 78th minute.

Having stormed back to score two goals before half-time, the Halifax Wanderers looked poised to earn their first victory of the campaign.

However, referee Fabrizio Stasolla determined that a ball struck the arm of Wanderers defender Cale Loughrey in the box. Attacker Myer Bevan, Cavalry's leading scorer, ultimately slammed home a shot on the resulting penalty. Tempers flared and a scrum ensued around the Halifax goalmouth after keeper Yann Fillion tried to stop Bevan from collecting the ball for his celebration.

The draw is the Wanderers fifth of the season but one that leaves the club wondering what could have been.

"I just have to see the replay (to see it) but he did have a decision that had an outcome on the game," said Gheisar post-match when asked about Stasolla's ruling. He added he thought the reffing was great for most of the game but lamented that his squad allowed themselves to be put in the position for the penalty call.

On the whole, Gheisar said he was happy with how his club responded to adversity.

Cavalry was the better team for most of the first half with attacker Ali Musse putting on a clinic. In the 19th minute, he collected the ball just outside the box, cut inside and scored off a hard shot which struck the bottom left corner.

But Cavalry wasn't done and continued to press, forcing Halifax's Fillion to make stellar stops against both Musse and Miki Cantave.

Looking out of sorts, the Wanderers rallied as the half went into injury time and culminated with a Lorenzo Callegari shot just outside the box being headed in by striker Théo Collomb at 45+1' to equalize.

Collomb was again integral as he corralled a diagonal in the final third and sent a pass back to midfielder Aiden Daniels. Daniels layed it off for Zachary Fernandez who lasered a beautiful shot top corner to take the lead heading into half-time.

“One of the things we addressed in the first three games was giving up the goals in those key moments like the 46th, and now we turned it and we’re the one that scored two goals in that span of minutes,” Gheisar said. “I’m really proud of the guys, and any time you always have the same scenario and you always score first, when the opponent scores first it kind of gives you a shock."

Mo Omar, who played as a defensive midfielder after spending most of this season as a centreback, also said he was proud of his teammates for how they performed and that they wouldn't worry about what they can't control.

"Once we get that first win, we're really going to get the ball rolling," said Omar. "At the end of the day, that's all you can ask for — control what you can control and let the rest take care of itself."

From the Notebook:

1. Let's address the elephant in the room: referee Fabrizio Stasolla made a terrible call that potentially cost the Wanderers their first win of the season. Now, I've got a lot of respect for referees. They've got a hard gig and, by the very nature of their role in a match, are always going to be unpopular. If both squads leave unhappy and feeling like they didn't get enough calls, that's usually a sign that a ref has done a fair job. But Patrice Gheisar and his squad have every right to be furious with this call. Cale Loughrey was fuming on the pitch when Stasolla immediately called a penalty and for good reason. What's most frustrating for the Wanderers is that Stasolla made the call so quickly and without consulting his assistant referee who, in my opinion, had a much better view of the play. No one is going to be upset if the refs take a minute to talk over a decision but a lot of people will be if an incorrect call determines the outcome of a match like it did last night.
2. Now let's talk about the Wanderers reaction following the penalty goal. I can't stand scrums post-whistle, whatever the sport and felt like the squad did themselves a disservice by losing their cool. Fillion knows exactly what he's doing when he tries to keep the ball from Bevan. I like Fillion and know he's a leader on this squad but I would have liked for him to set an example. By jawing with Bevan, he is focusing energy on something they can't control and earns himself a yellow card for simulation (both Bevan and Musse would also get carded). Somehow, Loughrey avoids a card despite putting Bevan properly on his arse. Football isn't fair and they deserved a better fate but put that passion into your game and go get one back.
3. I give kudos to both Gheisar and Omar for being so well spoken in their pressers. For my part, I was impressed by Omar's thoughtfulness and leadership as I haven't had a chance to chat or interview him yet but it's clear why he's part of the squad's nucleus. I thought Omar looked good playing in midfield, particularly so when he fell back to play more of a 6 role. Gheisar also liked Omar's game and was asked about the opportunity available with Callegari having to sit out a match. "I felt Mo was very good today at centre-mid," he said. "When your best player goes out, it's a chance to have a new best player."
4. Let's have a cuffer* about the midfield conundrum, shall we? Well, Gheisar's got his work cut out for him as Rampersad, Omar and Callegari all seem to look best playing in the 6 spot. Rampersad has been decent so far this season but is still clearly figuring out his role on the pitch given the Wanderers have effectively recruited a player to fill his old role. And this isn't to take away from Rampy, who is the team's captain and a real professional. Simply put, Callegari is a better distributer and creates more space when he has the ball. It's not a sin to say it out loud; it's a statement of fact. Omar has been in and out of the starting XI and I thought he struggled a bit at centreback but looked good at midfield. So what does Gheisar do? Two of the squad's more established players and leaders in Rampersad and Omar want to play and look best as defensive midfielders. Do you play one with Callegari in a double pivot and rotate the other and have a bombing fullback like James go forward? Daniels certainly is doing his bit. I'm not sure what the best play is here but the Wanderers have a game to fiddle around with Callegari suspended.
5. I had a chance interview Callegari and Wes Timoteo after training on Wednesday (stay tuned for a piece about them mid-week). Callegari mentioned that he has historically played both as a 6 and 8 but felt very comfortable playing just in front of Halifax's defensive line. This was the first match where he played further up the field and I thought he was good but missed his distribution. He has been dominant as a 6 and I think it's not a coincidence Halifax had less than 50 per cent possession for only the second time in all competitions with him no longer pegged as the deep midfielder. Don't get me wrong, he contributed by finding Collomb on the first goal but I wonder what's best for the club. He also got several warnings from the referee and a yellow, which automatically suspends him for a match. He'll need to be more precise with his challenges to avoid more cards in the future. There's a bit of PSG midfielder Marco Verratti in Callegari so I don't expect him to simmer completely (being feisty is good for his game) but there's a time and a place.
6. Jake Ruby had a fine first appearance for the club, flying about as an aggressive fullback all over the pitch. Gheisar noted that he liked Ruby's pace in his presser and I tend to agree. However, as was the case last season, a nagging injury to his leg acted up and forced him off. I'd love to get another look at him and hope he's available for selection next match.
7. The Wanderers have found their striker in Collomb. He was instrumental in Halifax's late first-half surge and barely a hair looked out of place after his header goal. This was his third consecutive start in the starting XI and I think it's safe to say Gheisar has settled on his first choice. "Théo serves a greater purpose of really being able to always get behind the back four and getting them turned," said Gheisar when I asked how he liked Collomb's match. He added that he's earned the club's confidence. Collomb is now tied with Massimo Ferrin and Fernandez for the club lead with two goals in all competitions.
8. It was a tough break for Loughrey but the back line played well and mitigated Cavalry's chances, especially in the first half. Christian Campagna also had a good match and looked solid on the right side. The penalty fiasco aside, I like the calmness of the Nimick - Loughrey centreback pairing and feel like the two towering defenders complement each other well. With Ryan James sidelined due to injury, it was nice to have Ruby slotted in for a different look on the back line. It's anyone's guess as to who will draw in for the club's home match against York United on May 20 but one thing's for sure: Gheisar has a lot of decisions on his plate and that's a good problem to have.

*Cuffer is Newfoundland slang for having a conversation. Often, it can be used to describe people (over many cups of tea) waxing poetic over the world's problems. In this case, it seemed appropriate when discussing the Wanderers plethora of options at midfield.

Cheers,

-WN

Cover Photo Credit: Canadian Premier League