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Pacific FC closes CPL season with 5-0 win over HFX Wanderers FC

Learn about Pacific FC, who closed off their 2020 CPL season with the second-biggest win in CPL history against the HFX Wanderers FC.
CPL

Pacific FC may not be heading to the Canadian Premier League Final on Saturday, but they made a statement in their last CPL  game this year in “The Island Games.” After losing the first two games in the group stage against Hamilton Forge FC and Cavalry FC, they got the job done against the HFX Wanderers FC.

A key part of their win was their percentage of possession, clinical near the net, and their strong start to the first half.

Three Keys to the Game

Terrific First Half by Pacific FC

Pacific FC scored five goals, including four in the first half. It was one of the best performances in their short history. Marco Bustos of Pacific FC was the player of the game with two goals and two assists. He ended up second in goals scored in the 2020 CPL season.

This is obviously pending the result of the CPL Final between Forge FC-HFX Wanderers FC game. However, Bustos was the clear player of the game against the Wanderers.

One of his assists was to Terran Campbell, who scored his first goal in the CPL tournament.

Josh Heard also played a big role in assisting Bustos’s first goal. Their offence was clicking on all cylinders. Furthermore, Pacific FC dominated the possession of the ball. They were 57.7 percent in the first 20-21 minute mark in the game. They then had 60 percent of the ball in the first 33-34 minute mark of the game. This possession would go down to 55 percent as the Wanderers played better in the second half.

Pacific FC Clinical at Offense

Pacific had 10 shots with seven on target. Five of them ended up in the back of the net. This included two goals that came at the end of the first half and another goal that came at the end of the second half. A big part of this was their passing ability. Pacific FC was able to find the open man, who was able to get a good shot on goal.

Saying that the Wanderers’ defense was not up to par. An example would be the last goal given up. Campbell received the cross pass and was wide open. He ended up passing it to Victor Blasco for Pacific’s lone second-half goal. However, full credit should be given to the Pacific. They were the ones who put the shots in the back of the net and were ruthless at the offensive end.

As a result, Pacific FC came up with a victory.

HFX Wanderers didn’t Capitalize on their Opportunities

The HFX Wanderers had 11 shots, which was one more than Pacific FC. However, they only had two shots on goal. This was five less than Pacific FC, who had seven. This showed that the Wanderers were not efficient at the front of the net.

For example, Kareem Garcia got the turnover for the Wanderers early in the second half at the offensive end. This led to Louis Béland-Goyette almost scoring in the 55-minute. However, they were not able to capitalize on their chance to score. When the Wanderers made turnovers, Pacific FC made them pay. As a result, it played a big part in the Pacific winning by a large score and getting a clean sheet.

https://twitter.com/onesoccer/status/1306050194266632193

Overview of Pacific FC vs. HFX Wanderers FC

The Wanderers were fortunate that the other game went their way. They did not need to worry about today’s game as Forge FC won over Cavalry FC resulting in the HFX Wanderers FC making their first-ever CPL Final. They will face Forge FC on Saturday. The Wanderers and Forge have met each other twice in the 2020 CPL season with both games ended in draws.

In regard to Pacific FC, they ended the season on a high note. After losing their first two games, they were able to win big against the Wanderers. It was the second-largest margin in CPL history. However, they will feel hard done by not getting a result in any of the other two group stage games.

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