Year to remember for Cavalry FC

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Going into the inaugural campaign of the Canadian Premier League, there were questions about how Cavalry FC would fare. Was the team deep enough? How would the club adapt to playing at Spruce Meadows, a venue known for world-class showing jumping?

Those questions were quickly answered when the club hosted a successful opening match on Saturday, May 4, versus visiting York9 FC. In front of a near-capacity crowd that braved the elements of snow, sleet and wind, Cavalry defeated York 2-1 with a late game-winner coming off the head of defender and Calgary product, Dominick Zator.

The victory set a year in motion that saw the Calgary-based CPL club capture the Spring season, make it to the semi-final of the Canadian Championship — a first for a non-Major League Soccer team, and win the Fall season.

FLASHBACK: Cavalry FC bounce withering Whitecaps from Canadian Championship

Tommy Wheeldon Jr. deserves much of the credit for Cavalry’s success. The team’s head coach and general manager was already a fixture on the local sports scene, providing leadership as technical director and leading bench boss at Calgary Foothills SC years prior.

The 2019 Cavalry squad was a mixture of international talent, like CPL player of the year nominee Dominique Malonga, to locals Marco Carducci, Dean Northover and Elijah Adekugbe.

READ MORE: Carducci, Wheeldon Jr. capture year-end Canadian Premier League honours

As a venue, Spruce Meadows prevailed with flying colours. The opening match had its share of logistical issues, namely parking, but those in charge made sure to fix those troubles as quickly as possible.

As the season rolled on, word of mouth and success on the pitch saw more and more supporters flocking to ATCO Field. Some were soccer fans, and others were not. However, the common denominator was that Calgarians were enjoying the quality of play and the in-person experience.

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For a soccer-starved city like Calgary, Cavalry gave fans everything and more, whetting everyone’s appetite for what’s to come in 2020.