Cavalry FC closed out the opening weekend of the 2026 CPL season with a 2-1 victory over Pacific FC at Starlight Stadium on Sunday.
Harry Paton's early second-half goal was the difference in a game of set pieces, with a Tobias Warschewski's penalty, and a goal from Diego Konincks on a free kick rounding up the scoring on the day.
The hosts had had three club debuts, all along the backline as a new central defensive partnership of Diego Konincks and Joshua Belluz, with Tristan Marshall lining up at left-back.
For Cavalry, Nate Ingham made his debut with the club in goal, with former Atlético Ottawa teammate Amer Didić in front of him and Harry Paton in midfield.
The Cavs quickly went on the front foot, putting Pacific under siege in the early stages. They looked to move the ball quickly to the wings, where Goteh Ntignee and Jay Herdman looked to create opportunities.
It was Herdman who came within inches of opening the scoring in the 26th minute, as his stinging strike from distance hit the post to the right of Melvin.
Moments later, however, as he continued his run into the box, Herdman was cleaned out by Pacific's Tristan Marshall in the box. The foul was originally given against Herdman, but Cavalry FC coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. challenged it for a penalty.
The match referee went over to the screen, and overturned his call, handing Marshall a yellow card, and Cavalry a penalty. Tobias Warschewski stepped up and opened the scoring for the visitors.
"I think it puts more emphasis on the coaches working with the officials, versus the officials making the judgment on what they see," said Wheeldon Jr post-match. "So we challenged a couple of plays. We felt that on Herdman, it was a clumsy tackle and a knee to the face, and he hasn't been able to adjust to the ball. So if that's anywhere else on the pitch, it's a foul. So we're going to contest it. We got it right, got the card back."
The moment seemed to shake the hosts awake, and they started to press deeper into the Cavalry territory and create some opportunities of their own. That included a stoppage time free kick that found the head of Marshall, but he put it over the net. At halftime, Cavalry led 1-0.
Just over two minutes into the second half, Cavalry FC doubled their lead. A clever corner kick routine saw Herdman play the ball to Paton at the top of the box. On his Cavalry debut, the midfielder ran into the area and struck the ball into the bottom corner.
In the 62nd minute, Cavalry nearly had a third and Warschewski his second, when he was picked out by Pearlman alone in the box, but he skied his shot over the net.
Not long thereafter, it was Daan Klomp's turn to put the ball over the net from incredibly close range.
Cavalry were made to pay for that lack of clinical finishing, as on a free kick of their own, Pacific FC initially struck the bar on a Belluz header, before Konincks headed home the rebound to give Pacific FC some life.
Ignited by the moment, Pacific continued to press forward. In the 83rd minute, a lovely ball from Ronan Kratt, on his return, found Alejandro Díaz in the middle. Moments later, Kratt nearly chipped Ingham with an audacious effort from well out.
Paton then nearly added his second of the match, forcing a good save from Sean Melvin in the Pacific net. He then found Nathaniel Edwards in stoppage time, but he too was denied by Melvin.
Despite seven minutes of stoppage time, Pacific FC ran out of time, and Cavalry FC earned a big three road points to open the season.
It was the first time in club history that Cavalry FC had won a match in the month of April, ending an obscure streak.
NEWS & NOTES:
- The match saw the first successful Football Video Support (FVS) challenge in CPL history. Click here more information on the new video review technology being used this year in the league.
- Cavalry handed Pacific FC their first-ever home opener loss, as they previously had a 6-1-0 record.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Pacific FC: Melvin; Chung (Lajeunesse 65'), Konincks, Belluz, Marshall; Juhmi (Greco-Taylor 66'), Baldisimo; Bustos (Kratt 75'), Daniels (Gomulka 66'), Keshavarz; Díaz (Juach 87')
Cavalry FC: Ingham; Pearlman (Edwards 71'), Klomp, Didić, Kamdem (Piepgrass 79'); Paton, Kobza; Ntignee (Ofori 75'), Camargo, Herdman (Musse 71') ; Warschewski (Elva 79')
Goals
31' -- Tobias Warschewski (Cavalry FC) (Penalty)
48' -- Harry Paton (Cavalry FC)
73' -- Diego Konincks (Pacific FC)
Discipline
19' — Yellow: Matthew Baldisimo (Pacific FC)
31' -- Yellow: Tristan Marshall (Pacific FC)
43' -- Yellow: Adam Pearlman (Cavalry FC)
45+3' -- Yellow: Roshawn Juhmi (Pacific FC)
45+5' -- Yellow: Sergio Camargo (Cavalry FC)
65' -- Yellow: Goteh Ntignee (Cavalry FC)
90+7' -- Yellow: Christian Greco-Taylor (Pacific FC)
CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match
Harry Paton, Cavalry FC
The winning goal highlighted a brilliant midfield performance in his Cavalry debut for Paton. He had two shots on target, two chances created, and completed 35 of 40 passes, while winning nine of 17 duels and possession nine times.
What’s next?
Pacific FC remain at home, where they play a part in a bit of history, hosting FC Supra du Québec in their inaugural match on Saturday, April 11 (6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT)
Cavalry FC, meanwhile, host Atlético Ottawa in a CPL Final rematch on Sunday, April 12 (4 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. MT)
For broadcast details of the 2026 CPL season, go to cplsoccer.com/watch.
