Valour FC’s chances of advancing past the first stage of the Canadian Premier League’s Island Games took a serious hit on Wednesday.
Valour FC suffered a 2-nil loss to the HFX Wanderers in their second last game of the tournament’s initial stage.
The defeat leaves Valour in sixth place, two points out of the final four teams who will advance with just one match remaining.
“We’ll welcome all prayers because the football gods were not on our side today,” Valour FC general manager and head coach Rob Gale said.
Valour controlled the possession for much of the first half but surrendered the only two goals.
READ MORE: Valour FC earns most lopsided win in team history
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Alex De Carolis scored off a free kick in the 36th minute after Jose Galan was handed a yellow card. Then just four minutes later, the Wanderers took advantage of a defensive miscue as Cory Bent scored his first professional goal.
“I thought we didn’t miss a beat,” Gale said. “We moved the ball, and stuck to the game plan. We overloaded them in areas. We got behind the midfield line again, and again, and again. But congratulations to them. They bent, and bent, and bent, and hung on for dear life with their legs, but they didn’t break.”
Valour FC had 15 shots to the Wanderers’ 10, and the Winnipeg side had 64 per cent possession.
One of Valour FC’s top defenders, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, had to leave the match with an injury in just the 13th minute. Attacker Stefan Cebara was also forced to leave the game at the half.
Valour finished the game down to 10 men after Winnipegger Federico Peña was sent off with a red card for a hard tackle.
They have failed to score a goal in four of their six matches this season.
To have any hope of advancing Valour FC will have to win their final match and then get some help. They could be eliminated from contention as early as Wednesday night if Pacific FC defeats the expansion Atlético Ottawa.
READ MORE: Valour FC loses CPL season opener to Cavalry FC
Valour FC closes out the first stage on Saturday against first place Forge FC.
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