Familiar foe brings a fresh challenge to the team
Nemesis Forge FC next up for Calgary side as teams meet in The Kickoff in Winnipeg
The early returns have been favourable in the Winnipeg bubble. Three games ...
No losses ...
That's seven points from two wins and a draw for Cavalry FC.
“We've seen some good things, and we've seen some things we can be better on — that's just the nature of the course here,” said Cavalry general manager/head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “We said after the Ottawa game (an easy 4-1 victory), we're not going to get too high on it. And after the Halifax game (a 0-0 draw), we didn't score but we didn't concede, so we're not going to get too low on it.”
Managing the highs and lows is key, for sure, especially when playing eight games jammed in four weeks in The Kickoff of the 2021 Canadian Premier League campaign.
But now, here comes a fire-starter.
On tap Thursday (6 p.m., Onesoccer.ca) for Calgary's professional soccer side is its nemesis, Forge FC.
And the history of fireworks between the two squads can't be ignored ...
No matter how hard they try. “Listen ... they're great competitors,” said Wheeldon Jr. of the only team that's won the CPL. “They're the champions right now, and they've got on their sleeve what we'd like to have on ours. So it's a great test for our guys to see where we're at.
“We feel we've built a really good side,” continued Wheeldon Jr. “But same thing — we've played them time and again and we weren't too high when we beat them early on in the 2019 season.
“But all that people remember is they beat us in the final. And that's all that matters. So it's not necessarily how we start the season, but it is good to get a test like this for our guys — see if we're ahead or see if we're behind.”
Through three games itself, Forge (1-2) is behind the expectations of most in the know.
To start the season, the Hamilton team failed to score in surprising shutout losses to Winnipeg's Valour FC and FC Edmonton.
Then the CPL kings went 70 minutes against Ontario's York United FC before finally finding the back of the net in what eventually amounted to relief and a 3-0 triumph.
“You've seen them back to their ruthless best,” said Wheeldon Jr. “Pacific had a lot of the ball, and then Forge went and did what they do best — when they get an opportunity, they seize upon it. And that's why they've been back-to-back champions. So we don't underestimate them by any means.
“They're pretty much the same side — they haven't had a ton of changes, which is strong for them. But we've got some tactical nuances — we've got different types of players now that we want to perhaps just give them something a little different that they haven't seen from us before.”
One Cavs newcomer Forge has seen before is one of its former stars, Anthony Novak.
He was an integral part of the Hamilton club's championship wins but moved west to Calgary during a crafty off-season move made by Wheeldon Jr.
“He's a valuable addition and a terrific human being — we think the world of him,” said Wheeldon Jr. “Mostly, he's an absolute warrior — you can see him with his tattoos and this funky hair. You'd go to war with Anthony Novak, because he likes the big games.
“The great thing about him is he knows what it's like to be a team player. He can lead the line or he can come up and impact it. He led the line very well in the first game. He also came off the bench (in the second game) and probably was the big game-changer in terms of being a creator and assist-maker (with two). He's got this kind of Harry Kane ability, where he can drop between the lines and thread through balls or bring it up into play as well as being a goal-scorer.”
Plus, Novak knows what it's like to be a winner, which fits the culture built in Calgary by Wheeldon Jr.
And helping Cavalry to become one Thursday would add to the strong early returns of the bubble.
“Anthony will play something,” added Wheeldon Jr. “He will play a part in Thursday's game. And it'll be up to him what part that is and what headline is written.”
FREE KICKS
Cavs midfielder Sergio Camargo had a scan Tuesday to determine the seriousness of his injury (ankle) suffered early in Saturday's draw. He's deemed probable for Thursday's match . ... Cavs newcomer Ali Musse hopes to join the squad against Forge FC if his international transfer certificate is passed ahead of game time . ... Fellow attackers Joe Mason (quarantine) and Oliver Minatel (thigh strain) are on schedule to give the team upfront reinforcements next week in the bubble.