The Wanderers showed maturity, composure and efficiency to get past the Supra and claim three valuable points in the race for a playoff spot.

With the win, Halifax moved above the Supra in the standings and into fifth place. The Wanderers remain seven points behind Vancouver FC, who are set to face Inter Toronto in 24 hours, but can now see a glimmer of hope after a disappointing run of results.

“We got this win through intensity and maturity,” said Vanni Sartini. “It gives us confidence going forward. We played well in the last few games, but in the end we dropped points. In decisive moments, we lack maturity, and this win is very important in that regard.”

For the Supra, however, the defeat — coming after their loss away to Vancouver FC — confirmed the Québec side’s difficult stretch, as they have now lost ground against two direct playoff competitors.

“We were missing a little bit of everything today,” said David Choinière. “Mathematically, it’s still possible to make the playoffs, but it’s no longer in our hands. We know what we can do, we know our strengths, but if we want to make the playoffs and reach the Canadian Championship final, we have to fix the details defensively, offensively and collectively. At the end of the day, it’s the details that are hurting us.”

Despite the urgency for both teams to collect points and keep their playoff hopes alive, the opening minutes unfolded at a slow pace. Neither side wanted to commit too many players forward before FC Supra gradually began to take control of the match.

The Québec side established themselves in the Wanderers’ half but lacked the final touch — or the pass before it — needed to take the lead.

Unable to put their attempts on target, the Supra missed several opportunities during the opening 40 minutes.

Both Sean Rea and Zachary Brault-Guillard, making his first start while deployed on the right wing, failed to test Carducci with the first Québec chances.

As the minutes went by, the pressure on Halifax increased and the Supra began creating clearer opportunities.

Thomas Lebeuf, lively on the left flank, hit the outside of the side netting from a tight angle, while Noah Dos Santos, making his first start as a striker, saw his effort narrowly miss Carducci’s goal.

But after failing to capitalize on their chances, the Supra were eventually punished on a rare Wanderers attack.

Arilla showcased his long-range passing ability by finding Isaiah Johnston on the edge of the penalty area. The captain then played the ball to young Ilan Ahmed, making his first career start. The 17-year-old left-back delivered a perfect cross for Bahamboula, who headed home to give Halifax a 1-0 lead against the run of play in the 40th minute.

The Supra were stunned and unable to recover, and the Wanderers took full advantage by doubling their lead just five minutes later.

After a good combination with Bahamboula, Callegari sent Isaiah Johnston in behind. The Wanderers’ leading scorer outran Charles Auguste before calmly slotting the ball past Milli with a composed finish to make it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time (45+1).

The Wanderers manage the game

Trailing by two at halftime, the Supra made an immediate change after the break, with young Eliakim Owonongbadje replacing Charles Auguste. Kwemi and Condé were introduced around the hour mark.

The Wanderers, however, handled the changes perfectly and showed a composed and mature performance to keep the Supra at bay.

Loïc Kwemi, still chasing the Golden Boot, brought some energy to the Supra attack, but like his teammates in the first half, he was unable to put his chances on target.

Well organized, Halifax remained calm throughout the second half and showed maturity to protect their advantage.

Keesan Ferdinand’s late header off the crossbar ultimately summed up the Supra’s night: it simply was not their day.

The Wanderers “were more efficient in both boxes,” Jason Bahamboula said after the match.

He was right — and that efficiency proved decisive for Halifax.

For the Supra, attention now turns to the Canadian Championship, which captain David Choinière described as “the most important game of the season.”

“There’s no point telling the players what they already know after this game. We have a game to play on Tuesday, so we have to turn our attention to that objective,” said Nick Razzaghi.

The date is set.

Halifax back in playoff race as Supra stumble | Match Highlights

The Halifax Wanderers picked up a crucial 2-0 victory over FC Supra du Québec, beating a direct playoff rival and reigniting their hopes of reaching the postseason.