Pacifc FC’s dreams of the Voyageurs Cup, Canada’s version of the FA Cup in England, will have to wait another year following a Canadian Championship tournament quarter-final loss on penalty kicks Tuesday night to York United at Starlight Stadium. York United won the round of penalties 4-3 after regulation time ended 2-2 in the lacerating fixture.
It denied PFC another potential cross-strait game against the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer after shocking the ‘Caps in the Canadian Championship opening round last year.
Instead, York United advanced to a semifinal date next month against the winner of a quarter-final tonight between-fellow Canadian Premier League-club Cavalry FC of Calgary and the Whitecaps.
A header by PFC defender Amer Didic off a corner by Luca Ricci opened scoring at 11 minutes. York United responded with first-half goals by captain Roger Thompson and Osaze De Rosario, son of 81-time capped Canada career second-leading scorer Dwayne De Rosario. Didic scored again in injury time to send the game to penalties.
York United goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos, just returned from an emergency weekend MLS call-up with the Whitecaps in North Carolina, stopped star Marco Bustos from the spot on PFC’s final shot for the win and then was jubilant in celebration.
“To put in an effort like that and to fight back, you just don’t know how the game is going to go in penalties,” said Didic.
York United is coached by Victoria-raised Martin Nash. The brother of two-time NBA MVP Steven Nash is a former Vancouver Whitecaps player capped 38 times for Canada, including with the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup-champion side. “That was a wild one and great for the spectators,” said Nash. “We were under pressure for a large part of the second half. They really came at us. It’s good for our kids to learn fast. [PFC is a very good team.”
What made the result sting even more for PFC, which leads the CPL, is that it was the Trident’s first loss (a Canadian Championship game cannot end in a draw) at home in seven games this season after five wins and a draw. The latter was Friday night at Starlight Stadium in a scoreless and bruising CPL league game.
Pacific FC received a first-round bye in the Canadian Championship while York United, from the Greater Toronto Area, defeated Atletico Ottawa 2-1 on penalty kicks.
Pacific FC is 5-1-2 in wins-losses-draws atop the CPL table and 5-2-2 overall. York United is 2-2-3 in league and 4-2-3 overall.
Meanwhile, Toronto FC of MLS defeated the HFX Wanderers of Halifax 2-1 in another Canadian Championship quarter-final played Wednesday. TFC beat PFC in the semifinals last year at BMO Field before losing to CF Montreal in the all-MLS Voyageurs Cup final.
The Tridents return to action in CPL league play Saturday at 4 p.m. at Starlight Stadium against Valour FC of Winnipeg.
