Cavalry FC drew even closer to winning the 2023 regular season title on Saturday, beating York United 1-0 at York Lions Stadium to widen their lead at the top of the table.

Looking for a response from his side after last week’s heavy defeat against Pacific, York gaffer Martin Nash made six changes to his lineup, including handing a first start to 20-year-old Kadin Martin-Pereux at left-back, with Eleias Himaras making a return in goal after an extended injury absence. Cavalry, meanwhile, largely stuck with what’s been working for them recently in their 3-4-3 attacking shape, leading with a front line of Ali Musse, Myer Bevan and Sergio Camargo.

Both sides spent the first 20 minutes or so feeling each other out before the game started to open up. Cavalry had a string of set-pieces around the York penalty area that came quite close, and Ali Musse in particular was a major handful on the right side, beating defenders and at one point getting in free on goal — only for Brem Soumaoro to arrive at the last second with a perfect sliding challenge.

York soon had a dangerous chance of their own, as they broke upfield in transition and Osaze De Rosario fired a well-hit shot from the top of the box that drew a good low save from Marco Carducci, who parried it to his right.

Not long before halftime, though, the Cavs were the first side to break through. After a disjointed few minutes where both sides won the ball off each other, Cavalry managed to play it out of the back toward Musse on the right flank. He slipped the ball through to Shamit Shome, who played a well-weighted through ball to Myer Bevan, keeping himself just onside. Bevan found himself behind the backline with Sergio Camargo free on the other side of goal, so he unselfishly played it across smoothly for Camargo to finish at the back post.

Protecting a lead, Cavalry were the first side to make changes, as Tommy Wheeldon Jr. opted to insert Fraser Aird on the right and bring Callum Montgomery into his defence, switching to a slightly more defensive setup and pushing Bradley Kamdem further out to the left of defence.

The game continued to move at a quick pace, with York having some excellent chances in the second half — Austin Ricci had a great look from about 10 yards out but put it too far across goal.

Although York continued to throw all they had at the Cavalry goal, the league leaders held firm, keeping the ball out of the most dangerous spots in their own box and surviving a couple set-piece threats. The Cavs thus saw out yet another win to stretch their unbeaten streak to seven, and will return to Calgary on Saturday night knowing they’ll officially be regular season champions if Pacific fail to defeat Forge.

Charlie O'Connor-Clarke, CanPL.ca

BOX SCORE

Goals

39′ — Sergio Camargo (Cavalry FC)

Discipline

11′ — Yellow: Austin Ricci (York United)

26′ — Yellow: Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé (York United)

48′ — Yellow: Maël Henry (Cavalry FC)

84′ — Yellow: Gareth Smith-Doyle (Cavalry FC)

90’ — Yellow: Jesse Daley (Cavalry FC)

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