| Pacific FC vs. Inter Toronto Football Club May 17 at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C. Watch Live: TSN & OneSoccer Tickets available here |
|---|
Two sides seeking redemption after Canadian Championship exits converge on Vancouver Island this Sunday, as the CPL's triple-header continues with Pacific FC vs. Inter Toronto.
The Tridents, back at Starlight Stadium for a fourth straight home match (including the CanChamp loss to Cavalry FC last Saturday), continue searching for their first win of the year. In Canadian Premier League action so far, they've lost all four home games they've played, but managed a 2-2 draw in their only away match.
Pacific find themselves at the bottom of the table with just one point, so James Merriman and co. are eager to begin climbing as soon as possible. They need to take advantage of this home match before the schedule becomes tougher; just two of their next eight games are at home.
A return to the win column for Pacific is easier said than done against Inter Toronto, who sit third in the table with an unbeaten 2-2-0 record.
They're licking their wounds after losing to semi-pro side CS Saint-Laurent in the Canadian Championship, but last time we saw Inter Toronto in the CPL, they were routing Atlético Ottawa 4-1.
Toronto haven't been on the road much yet this year, their only trip so far being to Calgary — where they took a 1-1 draw off Cavalry FC. This visit to the west coast begins a three-game road swing for Mauro Eustáquio's team.
Eustáquio will be hoping to see his attack pick up where it left off in the last few CPL matches. Tomasz Skublak has scored three in the last two games, while strike partner Julian Altobelli has also found the net three times.
Inter Toronto's squad seems to be coming together nicely as new players become more comfortable with the team; now, with club captain Oswaldo León back from suspension, Eustáquio has some considerable depth to play with.
Last year, Toronto beat Pacific twice, and Pacific one once, but their final meeting of 2025 was a 2-2 draw where the Tridents led 2-0 at halftime.
NEWS & NOTES
- Pacific and Inter Toronto have met 28 times in total, including two CPL Playoff meetings. The historical series is even at 10 wins apiece, plus eight draws.
- Toronto's Tomasz Skublak and Julian Altobelli enter Matchweek 6 tied for the CPL's Golden Boot lead, along with Halifax's Isaiah Johnston and Forge's Brian Wright.
- Pacific FC defender Juan Quintana could be in line for a season debut this week, though he remains questionable as he continues to build fitness.
- Inter Toronto have a mostly clean bill of health, although Frank Sturing and Beni Badibanga are expected to miss out with injury, although they have returned to training,
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Pacific FC: Melvin; Chung, Belluz, Konincks, Greco-Taylor; Gomulka, Baldisimo; Kratt, Bustos, Toualy; Díaz
Inter Toronto: Urtiaga; López, Guzmán, Singh; Ferrari, Córdova, Yeates, Jimoh; Altobelli, Skublak, Bassett
KEY QUOTES
"" -- Atlético Ottawa head coach Diego Mejía
"." -- Halifax Wanderers head coach Vanni Sartini
