‘They like defying the odds’: Cavalry in must-win mode at Island Games
Posted Sep 15, 2020 4:25 am.
Last Updated Sep 15, 2020 7:55 am.
CHARLOTTETOWN (660 NEWS) — Win and you’re in for Cavalry FC at The Island Games.
But snagging those three points en route to a spot in the championship match won’t be easy, as the Cavs face their most heated rival in the Canadian Premier League — Forge FC.
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“They’re defending champions, so at some stage, we have to play them in the final, or we play them in the semi-final, which is how we see it,” Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. offered ahead of Tuesday’s big match. “If we want our names engraved on the trophy this year, we’ve got to beat them.
“The boys like these situations because they like defying the odds.”
In the fall of last year, Forge beat Cavalry at Spruce Meadows to claim the inaugural CPL title, and in 10 all-time meetings, the squad from Hamilton has defeated the Calgary side five times.
“These are games I love being involved in as a coach, and I know our players like to perform in them too,” Wheeldon Jr. said of the high stakes match where a Cavalry loss or draw would see them eliminated.
“If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best, and now, that’s them [Forge]. It’s up to us to remove the crown from them.”
READ MORE: Cavalry take top seed as Island Games first round comes to an end
Injuries have hit Cavalry hard at The Island Games, with the team playing so many matches in such a short period of time.
But, as the bench boss says, that’s no excuse.
“Five moments out of the eight games so far, we’ve had a goal scored from the bench,” he explained. “It shows the strength and depth of the team.”
The action begins at 11 a.m. from UPEI Artificial Turf Field in Charlottetown, PEI.
