Pacific FC have their first point of the season, and they gained it in dramatic fashion on Saturday as they scored in the very last minute of the game to claim a 2-2 draw in Halifax.
The Wanderers' undefeated start to the season did continue, but Vanni Sartini and co. would be disappointed not to win after leading so late in the match
This match, like the one at Inter Toronto last week, started badly for Halifax, but they found a way back in.
Pacific jumped out to an early lead, capitalizing on their first real opportunity in the 20th minute. Marco Bustos curled a corner kick toward the box that Halifax keeper Marco Carducci punched away, but the second phase led to Matthew Baldisimo flicking a shot on goal.
Carducci got down to parry that shot as well, but he couldn't stop Alejandro Díaz from burying the rebound to make it 1-0 for Pacific. The Wanderers argued for an offside call with Eric Lajeunesse standing in the path of the ball, but thanks to the CPL's new 'daylight' offside rule trial, the goal stood.
Halifax therefore began searching for an equalizer to give their home fans something to cheer about.
They couldn't find much in the way of grade-A chances through the rest of the first half, and went into the locker rooms trailing by a goal.
The Wanderers came out of the break firing, though, and they found the net just over 10 minutes into the second half.
Isaiah Johnston, pausing on the ball on the right flank next to the penalty area, picked out an exceptional cross straight to the head of Cyprian Kachwele, who flicked a difficult header into the top right corner to make it 1-1.
The hosts completed their comeback about 20 minutes later, when Finn Linder found himself pulled down in the box by Pacific captain Josh Heard. The referee awarded a penalty, and shortly confirmed it despite an FVS challenge from Pacific.
It was Johnston, the central midfielder, who stepped up and he buried the spot kick low and to his left.
Pacific's day continued to get worse, because just a few minutes after they conceded the penalty, Heard was sent off for a reckless tackle down at the other end of the pitch. So, the Tridents had to play the final 10 minutes without their captain, and down a man.
Pacific attempted to get themselves back into the game, but found it difficult with 10 men, sending a few speculative long balls into the box that Halifax ably turned away.
The Wanderers had been remarkably better in the second half than the first; after taking just one shot in the first 45 minutes, they sent 12 at the Pacific goal in the second, controlling 65.7 per cent of possession after the first half was roughly 50-50.
However, there would be one final magic moment to come for the visitors, who silenced the crowd with the very last moment of the game.
Bul Juach, one of Pacific's major off-season additions, had checked into the game in the 78th minute, and his energy proved useful to the Tridents. He picked up the ball himself just outside the box and dribbled between a pair of Halifax defenders, setting himself up before finished with a well-placed shot.
The match therefore ended with a strange feeling; Pacific had been on the verge of an 0-0-3 start to the season and a frustrating loss with a red card to their captain, but instead saved a point in a tricky away venue. Halifax, of course, were disappointed to give away the win so late, but may nonetheless take solace in their second-half improvement.
Their coach Vanni Sartini noted that the first half was arguably the worst his side has played so far this year, but that they improved significantly in the second — only to give away their advantage.
"We're all pissed off because we conceded the goal in the last second, but if we had played better in the first half, it would have been maybe 3-1 or 4-1," he said.
Sartini went on to add that his team had been "very naïve" at the end, and squandered a chance to go top of the league.
Pacific coach James Merriman, meanwhile, was complimentary of his side post-match, noting that his side started the game well but perhaps played its best football in the 15 minutes after Heard's sending off.
"We're creating chances more than we did last season, which was something we spoke about a lot last match," Merriman told reporters. I thought we got stretched at times, we were very good defensively in the first half, so it's still in pieces. We're still building toward a 90-minute performance. It's still early."
Merriman also gave a lot of credit to defender Eric Lajeunesse, who didn't train with the club all week due to university commitments but nonetheless played all 90 minutes, doing an excellent job in place of the suspended Josh Belluz.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Halifax Wanderers FC: Carducci; Linder, Meilleur-Giguère, Sow; Godinho, Johnston (Troisi 90'), Callegari, Zitman (Olguin 63'), Telfer; Bahamboula (Ciccarelli 69'), Kachwele (Rampersad 90')
Pacific FC: Melvin; Marshall, Lajeunesse, Konincks, Greco-Taylor; Gomulka (Keshavarz 87'), Baldisimo (Juhmi 77'); Heard, Bustos (Daniels 77'), Toualy (Kratt 87'); Díaz (Juach 77')
Goals
20' — Alejandro Díaz (Pacific FC)
56' — Cyprian Kachwele (Halifax Wanderers FC)
76' — Isaiah Johnston (Halifax Wanderers FC)
90+7' — Bul Juach (Pacific FC)
Discipline
35' — Yellow: Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers FC)
73' — Yellow: Christian Greco-Taylor (Pacific FC)
78' — Yellow: Tavio Ciccarelli (Halifax Wanderers FC)
79' — Red: Josh Heard (Pacific FC)
CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match
Isaiah Johnston, Halifax Wanderers FC
The midfielder was the architect of Halifax's initial comeback, providing a superb assist on the first goal and scoring the second from the penalty spot. He created four chances, took three shots and made three interceptions as well.
What’s next?
The Wanderers are back on the road next weekend, heading to Montreal to play FC Supra du Québec on Friday, April 24. Pacific head back to Vancouver Island, where they'll host Forge FC on Sunday, April 26.
For broadcast details of the 2026 CPL season, go to cplsoccer.com/watch.