The crowd trickled in, and drums started beating as Pacific FC Tridents (PFC) clashed with the Halifax Wanderers at Starlight Stadium on April 13.
History repeated itself Saturday – following Halifax’s defeat in the 2023 Canadian Premier League quarterfinals – as PFC once again came out victorious, defeating Halifax with a penalty goal by Ayman Sellouf late in the first half.
There were disciplinary issues on both sides, but PFC was handed three yellow cards, with Reon Moore, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère and Aly Ndom booked. Dan Nimick was the sole yellow card on the Halifax squad.
PFC looked to be the better squad at the end of the first half, with solid counterattacks and excellent passing, which kept Halifax off balance. However, in the second half, the team went away from the game plan and was able to hold off the Wanderers.
“We know we can improve with the ball in the second half, but overall, we took three points in the first game,” Pacific FC head coach James Merriman said.
There were plenty of positives to take from the game, according to Merriman, and the new additions to the team did a good job despite some first-game rust.
“It takes games like these to find that chemistry, and it will come. It’s a matter of time.”
The victory at Starlight Stadium marks the third consecutive year that the Tridents have won their season opener. It is also the second consecutive year that the team has prevented the opposition from scoring and kept a clean sheet.
PFC had three shots on goal, two of which were on target, and Halifax’s sole shot on goal was on target. The Wanderers were able to retain possession 58.9 per cent of the time, with the Tridents keeping the ball 41.1 percent of the time.
Halifax Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar said his team was a little unlucky and the better on the field.
“I would play the game for passion and sometimes come up on the losing end, but hopefully, I would come up mostly on the winning end,” said Gheisar.
PFC will now move on to face Valour at Starlight Stadium, and Halifax Wanderers will play Vancouver FC at Willoughby Community Park in Langley.
READ MORE: Pacific FC kicks off 2024 season against Halifax at Langford’s Starlight Stadium
