PACIFIC FC 1 ATLETICO OTTAWA 0
The Pacific FC stylized lighthouse logo could have been replaced Wednesday by the famous yellow happy face. The PFC players indeed had a nice day in a 1-0 Canadian Premier League pro soccer victory over Atletico Ottawa.
“The guys were very unhappy after the last two games [tie and loss],” said PFC head coach Pa-Modou Kah. “I challenged the boys and they challenged themselves. It was our best performance so far.”
Frowns were suddenly turned to smiles as the Island club moved to 2-1-1 at the halfway point of the bubble portion of the season being played in Winnipeg.
Josh Heard scored the goal at 63 minutes as the former Pac-12 University of Washington Huskies striker, and Vancouver Whitecaps MLS draft pick, took an uncanny assist between a defender’s wickets from Marco Bustos.
“They only way to get it to Josh was between the defender’s legs and I tried it and it worked out,” said Bustos.
The burgeoning connection between defender Kadin Chung and forward Bustos was again effective in the top two-thirds of the field.
“These are two young Canadian players with great potential,” said Kah. “I believe it is the best [defender-to-forward] combination in the league and there is still more to unlock.”
Bustos, who has six caps for Canada, said Chung is the best right back in the league.
“[Chung] has a good football brain and is growing into it,” said Bustos. “We have a good understanding.”
The Ottawa team is owned by big-time La Liga Spanish club Atletico Madrid and held its training camp with the parent club. “Despite having two months together in Spain, it’s still a work in progress,” said Ottawa defender Drew Beckie, a former Canada U-20 and U-23 team player. “This was a frustrating one tonight.”
The Ottawa club (1-3) is coached by Mista, a former La Liga veteran player with Valencia, who was twice capped for Spain. “Pacific did a good job,” said Mista. “We suffered in contact. Tonight, PFC was a better team than us.”
Atletico Ottawa was without Ryan Telfer, who is with the Trinidad and Tobago national team this month for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. “He is an important winger for us,” Mista said of the missing Telfer.
Fans were allowed into the game to a limit of 2,000, or six perc ent of capacity at IG Stadium in Winnipeg. It was the first live crowd since the 2019 inaugural CPL season. Last season was played without fans in the Charlottetown, P.E.I., bubble.
Pacific FC plays York United on Saturday at 2 p.m. PT.
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
