| Halifax Wanderers vs. Vancouver FC May 30 at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, N.S. Watch Live: OneSoccer, TSN Tickets available here |
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The Eagles make the cross-Canada flight to Halifax on Saturday to take on the Halifax Wanderers for the first time since opening weekend.
The Wanderers were victorious on that occasion, a 1-0 win courtesy of a stunning Lorenzo Callegari free kick and some incredible goalkeeping heroics from Marco Carducci.
To date, it is their lone win of the season, however, as they are now winless in their past seven coming off a 1-1 draw against Inter Toronto at the Grounds this past weekend.
Halifax coach Vanni Sartini is still searching for his first home win for the club, who are in the midst of a rare winless streak at the Wanderers Grounds. They have no wins in their past six in all competitions at home.
Vancouver suffered an even more frustrating draw at home to FC Supra du Québec, last weekend. A fairly dominant performance that had them up 1-0 late, before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer. Like Halifax, they have won just once this season.
Their coach, Martin Nash, does have a pretty tremendous personal record at the Wanderers Grounds, with his club winning on his past four visits to the stadium between his time with Inter Toronto, and Vancouver FC. He has lost at the stadium just once as a head coach, back in June 2022.
In fact, his first win as head coach of Vancouver FC came on August 4 of last year at the Wanderers Grounds, a 2-1 victory. For the Eagles, that was their first-ever win in Halifax, as they are otherwise winless in Nova Scotia in their history.
Despite being among the league leaders in all attacking benchmarks, Vancouver have scored a league-low five goals this season. One issue? A lack of scoring depth, as just two players, Mohamed Amissi (three) and Terran Campbell (two), have found the back of the net this season. Every other club in the CPL has had at least four different scorers in 2026.
Vancouver will be without Amissi for this match as he is away with Burundi on international duty, so it is even more vital that others tep up in his place.
Halifax believe they have unlocked something with a shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation, which has Golden Boot co-leader Isaiah Johnston playing as a number ten. It has led to some strong performances over the past two matches.
But for both clubs, it's the result that matters above all on Saturday as they search for three crucial points to put them back in the race.
NEWS & NOTES
- International duty means a pair of significant absences for the visitors, as Mohamed Amissi is with the Burundi national team, playing against Morocco in a friendly on Tuesday. Midfielder Emrick Fotsing, meanwhile, is with the Canadian U-20 national team for the Maurice Revello tournament.
- For Halifax, central defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère remains out longer term with a meniscus injury.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Halifax Wanderers: Carducci; Alphonse, Linder, Sow, Godinho; Zitman, Callegari; Bahamboula, Johnston, Telfer; Akinwale
Vancouver FC: Irving; Doner, Campagna, Field, Proctor; Polisi, Ssewankambo, Pecile; Toomey, Campbell, Bah
KEY QUOTES
"In the last two games, I think we turned the corner and finally understood the best way to play our best players together, in my opinion." - Halifax Wanderers head coach Vanni Sartini
"I think we've improved. I think they've improved. It'll be a good match between two games that need three points." - Vancouver FC head coach Martin Nash
"I don't think it's hidden that in most games we've dominated, and most games we've been the better team. It's just getting over that line to score that next goal, or just closing out games, hasn't been the best for us. But, honestly, every one of us believes in this group, and believes that we can take that next step." - Vancouver FC attacker Thierno Bah