Oxner waiting for bubble to burst
HFX keeper can’t wait to return home
Christian Oxner didn't mince words when describing the Canadian Premier League's biosecure bubble in Winnipeg.
“The bubble sucks,” the HFX Wanderers keeper said matter-of-factly during a phone interview Sunday from the Manitoba capital.
It's been a bumpy three-week ride in the bubble for the Wanderers.
They have only managed one victory in six matches at IG Field, have scored a league-low three goals during that span and lost their head coach Stephen Hart, who returned home to Halifax to have what the club deemed a minor medical procedure.
It's a sharp contrast to the 2020 season bubble played in Charlottetown last summer when the Wanderers reached the championship final.
“I think last year was a bit more fun because it was more of a tournament format,” Oxner said. “Overall, the bubble format in Charlottetown was better.”
Brighter days could be on the horizon. The Wanderers have two matches remaining this week in the Winnipeg bubble — Wednesday versus FC Edmonton and Saturday against Valour FC — before they return home to Halifax for a full slate of 20 regular-season matches, 10 at home, 10 on the road.
Their first home match at the Wanderers Grounds is Aug. 2 when they host Atletico Ottawa.
“Thankfully we only play eight games here,” said Oxner, who turns 25 on July 29. “Once we leave here, we have 20 more games plus the Canadian championship.
“Credit to the guys, we have handled it properly. Having coach leaving really sucked too. We just want to get these two games over with, get the most points we can from them and head back to Halifax where we belong. It will be amazing to be back.”
The Wanderers, who are already without Jems Geffrard, who's on international duty with Haiti at the Gold Cup, have been fighting through the injury bug. Peter Schaale, Cory Bent, Marcello Polisi and Jeremy Gagnon-lapare were sidelined for Saturday's match.
While the team has coped with the injuries, the lack of offence has exasperated the Wanderers. Last year, through their first six games in the P.E.I. bubble, they had already scored 10 goals.
They have had their chances lately. On Saturday, the Wanderers managed 14 shots on goal, including 11 in the second half. In their previous match — a 0-0 draw with Pacific FC — the Wanderers fired 10 shots on goal.
“It definitely has been frustrating and I think the group as a whole is pretty frustrated with it now, too,” Oxner said of the offensive woes.
“We have guys who have picked up injuries and that hasn't helped things. But I've said it before: with the quality that we have, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Once the guys get off the mark, we will be able to roll from there.
“We just have to continue on the path. We had been steadily improving each game before the last one, we can call that one an anomaly,” added Oxner, citing that some of his teammates were feeling lethar
“We just want to get these two games over with, get the most points we can from them and head back to Halifax where we belong. It will be amazing to be back.” Christian Oxner
gic on Saturday after recently receiving a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I think we're headed in the right direction.”
The Wanderers' lone win this season came at the hands of FC Edmonton. Joao Morelli netted a pair of goals — the first one snapping the Wanderers' goalless draught of 277 minutes to start the 2021 CPL season — in a 2-1 decision on July 10.
“We feel like we have a bit of an edge on them,” Oxner said. “They're the only team we have been able to beat so far. Hopefully, we can carry some swagger with us and some confidence into that one and do the same thing again. But not by any means do we think we're going to roll over them.”
Before the Wanderers bid adieu to Winnipeg, they will face league-leading Valour, who sit atop the CPL table with a 6-1-0 record, in a Saturday matinee. Valour striker Austin Ricci tops all scorers with four goals.
Note — Canada Soccer announced the return of the Canadian Championship – the annual domestic soccer tournament for professional teams based in Canada — for 2021. The preliminary round will kick off in three weeks featuring the seven CPL teams. The Wanderers will face AS Blainville of PLSQ, a third-tier league based in Quebec, on Aug. 17 in Halifax. The winner will play Major League Soccer's CF Montreal, the reigning Canadian champion, in the quarter-finals in September.