World Cup qualifying call-ups alter lineups for PFC, HFX
GAME DAY: PACIFIC FC AT HFX WANDERERS, 11 A.M.
The Canadian Premier League games between Pacific FC and HFX Wanderers are all about distance, the 5,832 kilometres from Victoria to Halifax, which represents the third-longest trek in the world between soccer teams for a domestic Premiership fixture.
But a new distance has been added this week to the storyline. While their club teams battle today in Halifax, Reon Moore and Steffen Yeates of PFC and Ryan Telfer and Andre Rampersad of HFX are 3,059 kilometres away in Saint Kitts and Nevis for Trinidad and Tobago’s 2026 World Cup qualifying game against The Bahamas. Moore and Telfer scored the Soca Warriors’ goals in the 2-2 draw Wednesday against Grenada to open CONCACAF World Cup qualifying for 2026.
“Reon [Moore] was creating and finding his rhythm for us and adapting to our game [before a recent three-game red-card suspension from CPL play], so this was important for his confidence,” said PFC head coach James Merriman, of Moore’s ninth goal in his 27 th appearance for Trinidad and Tobago.
“We want to see more players on international call-ups. It’s a really important part of the league to give players opportunities. We want our players to be ambitious and to push themselves.”
Missing a combined four leading lights has changed the form chart of today’s PFC-HFX game in Nova Scotia at 11 a.m. PT but it balances out as the national-team call-ups are an equal two each for the Tridents and Wanderers.
The last two meetings between the clubs have come on notable occasions, the 1-0 PFC victory in the season opener April 13 on a Ayman Sellouf penalty kick at Starlight Stadium. That was a reprise of last year’s CPL playoff quarter-final match, won 1-0 by the Tridents before a capacity crowd in Halifax, off short rest and long travel for PFC following a play-in playoff win just days before over York United at Starlight. It was one of the most gutsy performances in PFC history, against an HFX team that appeared on the verge of a breakthrough.
The promise of last season, however, has not been realized by the Wanderers who are off to a slow start at 0-5-2 in winslosses-draws in league play and sit last in the table. Fourth-place PFC is 3-2-3 in league but needs to be wary as the Wanderers are desperate for a first win.
“We know they are hungry,” said Merriman.
“But so are we because we feel we have dropped a few points in recent league games.”
PFC leads the all-time series against HFX 9-5-6 in wins-lossesdraws.
CORNER KICKS: Chris Greco-Taylor of Pacific FC and Tavio Ciccarelli of HFX are among the four CPL players called up for Canada’s U-20 friendlies this month against Chile, Ecuador and Paraguay in La Calera, Chile, ahead of the 2024 CONCACAF U-20 championship next month in Mexico.