| 2026 CPL Playoffs — Semifinal Leg 2 Cavalry FC vs. Supra du Québec Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PCT ATCO Field in Calgary, Alta. Watch Live: OneSoccer, CBC, TVA Sports 2 Tickets available here |
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In their CPL playoff debut, FC Supra du Québec made a statement.
A 2-1 Leg 1 win over Cavalry FC at Stade Boréale this past Sunday gave them a one-goal lead in their CPL Playoff semifinal.
On Saturday in Calgary comes an even bigger challenge: backing it up on more treacherous terrain in Leg 2.
ATCO Field has been a house of horrors for visiting clubs all season, with Cavalry going over a year without a home loss and setting a CPL record for most home points in a season, with 36.
The task, in a sense, is straightforward. If FC Supra win or draw, they will reach the CPL Final in their inaugural season.
But Cavalry are confident that they can use their home turf to turn the tide of this semifinal series. They watched as Supra celebrated their historic leg one win with their supporters, and made it clear they cannot wait to exact revenge.
With no away goals rule, any Cavalry win by a single goal would force two 15-minute extra time periods, and if those solve nothing, it's off to the penalty spot. In their inaugural season, Supra have never had a match decided by penalties, while Cavalry are 0-3 all-time.
A win by two or more goals, and Cavalry FC will host the final at ATCO Field for the second time in three seasons.
To make that happen, a Cavalry club that set a single-season record for goals will need to be a lot sharper in attack. Cavalry managed 2.09 expected goals in the first leg, but 1.59 of that number came from Tobias Warschewski's saved penalty and the rebound he subsequently scored. They did not have a shot on target in the second half,
Still, they have been nearly unstoppable at home all season. Cavalry have won eight of their past nine matches at home, the lone blemish being a 1-1 draw with CPL Shield rivals Forge that felt more like a win anyway. Seven of their 11 home victories this season have been by multiple goals.
The last time Supra came to town, Cavalry annihilated them 6-0 in a match that cost former Supra coach Nick Razzaghi his job and began the Kyt Selaidopoulos era. Things have been quite different for Supra since, as they have gone unbeaten under their new coach and scored 18 goals in his six matches in charge.
Supra's one-goal lead isn't the only thing that will carry over from leg one. It was made quickly apparent that these clubs do not care for each other. With 23 fouls each, they tied for the most fouls committed by a CPL team in a match this year and were just one shy of the CPL record for most combined fouls in a match (which is 47).
That intensity will surely continue, even if both sides want to remain more disciplined. After all, Supra in particular aren't naïve about how good Cavalry are from set-pieces, and know they need to limit the number of fouls they commit in their own third.
Most pressing, of course, is their own box. Warschewski's penalty in leg one was the third Cavalry have won in five matches against the Québec club this season.
Can FC Supra continue their incredible late-season run and complete the biggest upset in CPL playoff history? Or will the CPL Final be headed back to Calgary as Cavalry reach a fourth straight final?
Ninety minutes at ATCO Field, and maybe a little more, will determine which of these teams reach the season's biggest game.
NEWS & NOTES
- FC Supra du Québec midfielder Safwane Mlah remains suspended for the rest of the playoffs.
- Supra defender Keesean Ferdinand is the club's most significant injury concern; he is considered questionable.
- Cavalry's Adam Pearlman and Sergio Camargo both remain day-to-day with injuries after missing the first leg.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Cavalry FC: Ingham; Pearlman, Klomp, Didić, Kamdem; Paton, Kobza; Musse, Warschewski, Edwards; Elva
FC Supra du Québec: Milli; Auguste, Chrétien, Brault-Guillard, Abzi; Biello, Sissoko; Choinière, Rea, Kwemi; Condé
