Valour kept their mid-summer surge going on Sunday, as they downed York United 2-0 at IG Field.

As a result, they now sit just five points out of a playoff spot, keeping their unlikely push towards a top four spot, a race that has gotten all the more interesting with their latest run of form.

Yet, right from the start of the game, you could see that Valour understood the importance that winning this game could potentially have for them.

Because of that, to begin the game, Valour came out brightly, as they looked to nab a goal in front of their home fans. As a result, they’d find the first good chance of the game in the fifth minute, when Kévin Rendón found a pocket of space at the edge of the box, but his attempt would be easily saved by York’s Niko Giantsopoulos.

Then, continuing his bright start, Rendón came close again just minutes later, as he unleashed a dangerous half-volley from the edge of the box, sending his powerful attempt just over the goal.

Still hunting for that first goal, Valour then continued to knock on the door, doing well to find openings in the York defence. First, Valour’s leading scorer, Moses Dyer, unleashed a dangerous half-volley on his left foot, forcing a fantastic save out of Giantsopoulos, before he then got a dangerous attempt on his right foot on the ensuing corner, which would also be saved by Giantsopoulos.

At the other end, York finally got their first look at goal in the 26th minute, as Noah Verhoeven had a pop from distance, sending a hard strike goalbound, although his attempt would lack the conviction to beat Valour’s Rayane Yesli.

Back in York’s end, however, Valour continued to knock on the door, coming close in the 37th minute, as Diego Gutiérrez just forced a save out of York’s Eleias Himaras, who had come on for an injured Giantsopoulos.

Right after, they then had the best chance of the half right in the 40th minute, as Andrew Jean-Baptiste did well to find space in the box on a deep free-kick, winning his header nicely, but his attempt would somehow drive into the ground and sail just over the goal from in-close.

Meanwhile, York tried to get one on the board just before half, this time through Kevin dos Santos, whose shot made Yesli move, but he’d still be able to make the save despite that, not looking bothered by the attempt.

On the other side of half time, however, the deadlock would finally be broken, as Valour’s relentless pressure would finally pay off. Just one minute inside the half, Billy Forbes did well to find Sean Rea all alone inside the box, where he’d make no mistake in his 1v1 with Himaras, slotting home for the game’s opening goal.

Valour wouldn’t be done there, either, as they nearly doubled their lead just a minute later, with Forbes this time nearly adding a goal of his own. Unfortunately for him, however, his low shot would be saved nicely by Himaras, who’d push his attempt onto the post and out to keep his team from going down by two.

Eager to get back into the game after that early let-off, York started to ramp up the pressure just a notch, as they tried to tie the game. Which, to give them credit, nearly worked out for them in the 57th minute, when Chrisnovic N’Sa attempted a dangerous shot, one that forced a decent save out of Yesli.

Yet, that push would go out the window right in the 71st minute. After a great ball from Rea, he managed to unlock Forbes in behind, and from there, the Valour winger would make no mistake with his attempt, slamming the ball home for his first goal in the CPL.

Despite that, however, York did remain on the hunt for a goal afterwards, and nearly got it less than a minute after Valour’s second, but Osaze De Rosario’s thunderous strike would be saved nicely by Yesli, who continued his strong performance in goal for Valour.

That push would be short-lived, though, as Valour continued to hunt for a third, one they came very close to finding in the 75th minute, when Federico Peña found the net, but was just ruled to have been offside in the build-up.

From there, however, that’d be all that this game had to offer, leaving Valour to pick up another crucial win in their push to the playoffs.

Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic, CanPL.ca

Valour FC: Yesli, Cebara, Jean-Baptiste, Mekideche, Levis, Rendon (Fordyce, 66'), Gutierrez, Forbes (Pena, 73'), Dyer (Ponce, 85'), Rea (Romeo, 73'), De Brienne (Riggi, 66').

York United FC: Giantsopoulos (Himaras, 21'), Zator, Thompson (c) (Toussaint, 77'), Mourdoukoutas, C. N'sa, Lawrie-Lattanzio (Gee, 59'), Wilson, Verhoeven, Hernandez (Johnston, 59'), Dos Santos (Cabrera, 77'), De Rosario.

BOX SCORE

Goals

46′ — Sean Rea (Valour FC)

71′ — Billy Forbes (Valour FC)

Discipline

52′ — Yellow: Brett Levis (Valour FC)

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