Pacific FC surged to the top of the Canadian Premier League standings with a 3-2 victory over Valour FC at Starlight Stadium on Sunday in Victoria, B.C.
Matteo Polisi broke a 1-1 draw in the 22nd minute and Terran Campbell gave Pacific (8-3-4) the 3-1 lead by the 35th.
That scoreline held until substitute Keven Aleman got one back for fourth-place Valour (7-7-1) from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after he was fouled in the box.
But the Victoria-based club held on to defeat Valour for a third time this season to jump into first place in the CPL table with 28 points.
35’ <a href=”https://twitter.com/Pacificfccpl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Pacificfccpl</a> 3-1 <a href=”https://twitter.com/ValourFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ValourFootball</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/terrancampbell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@terrancampbell</a> wins the header and moves into a tie for the CPL all time goal scoring lead <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CanPL</a> l 📺: <a href=”https://twitter.com/onesoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@onesoccer</a> <br> <a href=”https://t.co/otBDKRmbTs”>pic.twitter.com/otBDKRmbTs</a>
—@CPLsoccer
Alejandro Diaz scored in the 11th minute for the home side. Austin Ricci replied for Valour in the 17th.
It was a battle between two of the league’s top goalkeepers, with Callum Irving’s five saves besting Jonathan Sirois’ four.
Joe Mason scores late goal to tie ‘Al Classico’
Earlier, an 89th-minute goal from Joe Mason salvaged a 2-2 draw for Cavalry FC (7-3-4) against FC Edmonton (3-6-5).
89’ <a href=”https://twitter.com/CPLCavalryFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@CPLCavalryFC</a> 2-2 <a href=”https://twitter.com/FCEdmontonNow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@FCEdmontonNow</a> <br><br>Joe Mason finds the breakthrough for Cavalry and we are tied in the Al Classico 🐎 <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CanPL</a> l 📺: <a href=”https://twitter.com/onesoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@onesoccer</a> <br> <a href=”https://t.co/33nATQJCF6″>pic.twitter.com/33nATQJCF6</a>
—@CPLsoccer
Azriel Gonzalez opened the scoring for Edmonton just seven minutes in before Joseph Di Chiara put away the equalizer for Cavalry in the 30th minute.
A penalty kick from Fraser Aird gave Edmonton the lead once again in the 65th before Mason’s late-game heroics.
10-man Atletico Ottawa gets draw
In Ottawa, Joao Morelli scored twice for HFX Wanderers FC (3-6-5), but an undermanned Atletico Ottawa (3-8-3) side battled back for the 2-2 draw.
Ottawa was left with 10 men heading into the half after Ryan Telfer was sent off on a red card.
75’ <a href=”https://twitter.com/atletiOttawa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@atletiOttawa</a> 2-2 <a href=”https://twitter.com/HFXWanderersFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@HFXWanderersFC</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/zaiahshaw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@zaiahshaw</a> converts from the spot and we are level in Ottawa <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CanPL</a> l 📺: <a href=”https://twitter.com/onesoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@onesoccer</a> <br> <a href=”https://t.co/4EqOSYAtfy”>pic.twitter.com/4EqOSYAtfy</a>
—@CPLsoccer
Halifax spent much of the second half up 2-1 until Malcolm Shaw scored the equalizer from the penalty spot in the 75th minute.
Brian Wright found the back of the net for Halifax in the 39th.
