Canadian Premier League On Tour: Vancouver FC vs. Cavalry FC in Kelowna
2024 CPL Regular Season — Match #39
Vancouver FC vs. Cavalry FC
June 16, 2024 at 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT
Apple Bowl in Kelowna, British Columbia
Watch Live: OneSoccer // Tickets available here
The Canadian Premier League is hitting the road this weekend, as the first ever CPL On Tour match touches down in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Vancouver FC, sitting happily in second place in the CPL after posting a 4-2-3 record in their first nine matches, will look to return to the win column in what’s technically a home game for them, although not quite in their typical home of Langley. Instead, they’re hoping to find some home comforts in a different part of B.C. as they host Cavalry FC in the Okanagan.
Cavalry, currently fifth in the league with a 2-6-1 record, are in good spirits after winning at home last weekend, beating Forge FC 1-0 thanks to a stellar all-around team performance.
The Calgary-based club relieved some frustration with that win last Saturday, and now find themselves on an eight-game unbeaten streak, their only CPL loss of 2024 coming in the first game of the season.
It’ll be a celebration of Canadian soccer in Kelowna on Sunday, and the many in attendance at the Apple Bowl experiencing their first CPL match should be treated to quite the spectacle on the pitch.
“It’s really cool,” Cavalry captain Marco Carducci said about the buzz in Kelowna this weekend. “The preparation for us stays the same, but it almost feels like a special game. At the end of the day it’s three points on the line for both of us and we’ll approach it that same way, but I’ve heard even as we’ve got here, in the last couple days, people know about the game, they’re very excited about it. I’m sure there are some soccer fans that don’t really know what the CPL is all about yet, and this is just a super exciting opportunity to show them.
“I think we have a responsibility as players to engage with the fans and ultimately put on a good show on the weekend.”
Vancouver and Cavalry have met twice already this year — once in the league and once in the Canadian Championship, both at ATCO Field — and the Cavs have won both times, most recently a 3-1 triumph where Tobias Warschewski scored twice and earned himself a Player of the Week nod.
Matches between these sides have gotten a little feisty in the past, and Vancouver would love nothing more than to finally beat Cavalry for the first time in club history, in a match where there may be a few more eyeballs on them.
Both sides will have plenty of weapons to deploy on Sunday; Vancouver boss Afshin Ghotbi said he’s selecting from an almost full-strength squad as Rocco Romeo and Kadin Chung are back to fitness after some injury concerns and Vasco Fry is eligible after serving a suspension last week, while Mikaël Cantave has returned from his spell with the Haitian national team. James Cameron, however, is away from the group with the Canadian U-20 team.
Cavalry, meanwhile, are likewise in good shape, especially with striker Malcolm Shaw returning from international duty with Trinidad and Tobago.
The same three points as usual will be on the line in Kelowna, but this is sure to feel a little more special than any other regular season match.
