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MATCH ANALYSIS: Bevan brace powers Cavalry past Vancouver FC
June 12, 2023
Canadian Premier League
by
MITCHELL TIERNEY, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER (@MITCHELLTIERNEY)

Final Score: Cavalry FC 3-1 Vancouver FC
Goalscorers: Bevan 10′ 21′, Camargo 28′; Hundal 4′
Game of the 2023 season: 37
CPL match: 404

Match in a minute or less

Three goals in the opening 28 minutes at ATCO Field on Sunday handed Cavalry their second win of the 2023 season, 3-1 over Vancouver FC.

After the visitors stunned the crowd with a goal from Shaan Hundal just four minutes into the match, a Myer Bevan brace in the 10th and 21st minutes gave the hosts a lead they would not relinquish. Bevan came incredibly close to completing a hat-trick in the 28th minute as he redirected a cross off the woodwork, but Sergio Camargo was on hand to add a third for Cavalry.

With the loss, Vancouver FC are now winless in seven matches, and drop to the bottom of the Canadian Premier League table. Cavalry remains undefeated at ATCO Field, with the most home points and goals (nine of each) in the league.

Three Observations

Dynamic and fluid Cavalry front four overwhelms Vancouver during a dominant first half

For the first time this season, Cavalry FC scored more than a single goal in the opening half — in fact a stunning three in the first 28 minutes of Sunday’s match.

It came from a front four which put in their most complete half of the season to date. The dynamic and fluid group saw Sergio Camargo and Myer Bevan shift from side to side, looking to find pockets of space or areas to overload, while at times Musse would shift centrally to make sure that space was always filled when Camargo drifted wide to the right. These shifts allowed Cavalry to create overloads, gaps and quick ball movement patterns across the attacking third. Below is a look at the passing work of front four of Bevan (#9), Musse (7), Camargo (10) and Goteh Ntignee (30) in the first 45 minutes alone.

Courtesy: Opta

“We probed, we pushed, we switched the ball, and what we were trying to do was patient, to then attack with the pace that we had, and when we did have it, it was excellent to see,” said Cavalry manager Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “He added that with the number of different attacking options they have, the team truly does have a Cavalry of attackers. “And that’s how we want to attack when we do get space. We want to overload them with dynamism.”

The one player who remained reasonably static within his role was Ntignee, who mostly hugged the left side touchline and provided Cavalry width that was matched on the opposite side by fullback Roberto Alarcón. Ntignee was exceptional at both ends of the pitch, with an assist and two chances created while winning seven of his thirteen duels.

“I think you saw today Goteh getting his first start out on the left, you know, young boy, he’s brilliant, fast, good in tight situations,” said Bevan. “Musse like I said I think he’s the best player in the league, you’ve got Sergio fully fit, you’ve got Ethan [Beckford] coming on, Miki [Cantave] coming on. I think once everyone is fully fit, I think going forward there are no worries.”

There was no better example of Cavalry’s dynamic attacking play than their second goal of the afternoon, when Ntignee combined brilliantly with Camargo down the left flank, before showing exceptional composure to shift the ball to Bevan who finished the chance decisively.

Cavalry were slightly less dangerous in the second half when both sides made tactical shifts, with Camargo coming off the field for precautionary reasons. But by then, their attacking unit had already done the necessary damage.

Bevan becoming the reliable goalscorer that Cavalry FC has long lacked

Not since the Canadian Premier League’s inaugural season, and Dominique Malonga, has Cavalry had a player score double-digit goals in a season. The past two seasons, scoring has been mostly done by committee as Joe Mason has led the team in scoring with seven goals in 2021 (in just 15 matches it should be noted), before scoring eight in 2022.

Through nine matches in 2023, New Zealand international Myer Bevan already has five to his name (six in all competitions) — tied with Vancouver FC striker Shaan Hundal (who opened the scoring on Sunday), for the league lead. His brace on Sunday further solidified his status as Cavalry’s go-to goalscorer.

“I think it is just the confidence that the gaffer has given me, he said come and be the number nine, and I think now it is showing,” said Bevan. “I just hope the ball continues to drop.”

Bevan is a defender’s worst nightmare. Not only lethal in front of the goal when presented with opportunities but constantly working to rush, pester and otherwise occupy opposing backlines all over the pitch. On top of his two goals, he created two chances and contested 12 duels, committing three fouls while winning two.

“As the season was going on, end of last season, his goals per minute were up there with the best in the league, we just needed to have a really good offseason with him, we needed to trust in him,” said Wheeldon Jr. “Because he is not only a great finisher, he is an incredible worker, he’s relentless with his pressing.”

With Cavalry’s wealth of different attacking talents, they are always going to create decent chances. Having a player who can finish them like Bevan, however, is essential and as long as he can stay healthy, he could be on pace for a historic season for Cavalry.

Defensive organization for Vancouver FC once again an issue

In their first season as the club, the most obvious attribute of Vancouver FC’s identity in their young history has been defensive organization. Willing to concede possession and territory at times, they have largely proven to be incredibly difficult to break down, especially on the road.

Having now allowed nine goals through their last two games, and multiple goals on the road for the first time in club history on Sunday at ATCO Field, however, cracks are starting to show in that defensive identity.

After scoring just four minutes into Sunday’s match, Vancouver consistently became disorganized at the back, losing their shape — and in the process Cavalry attackers — all over the attacking third. For Vancouver manager Afshin Ghotbi, this wasn’t only an issue for his back line, but the way his entire team defended.

“We are not good enough to defend with seven players or six players, we only have a chance when all eleven players are committed and are doing their role within a defensive structure,” he told media after the match.

Part of this issue, perhaps, was centre-back Rocco Romeo’s deployment as a number six, a position that the team is continuously looking to fill. Pushed a little bit further up the field, Ghotbi admitted that Romeo looked a little bit uncomfortable at times, and wasn’t able to get as involved defensively.

The team did find some relief in the second half when they switched to more of a back three with Romeo spending more time between centrebacks Ibrahim Bakare and Pele Martinez, but by then the young team had already dug themselves a hole that proved too deep.

“I think when you have so many inexperienced players that are first-year professionals and some of them are still teenagers it is difficult to bring the consistency you need as a professional day in and day out,” said Ghotbi. “I also think that you almost cannot cheat time and cheat experience, you need to have these experiences and you need time to digest all these events that are going on around you.”

“I’m hoping that we keep learning and these lessons will help us become the team that we need to be to get into the playoffs,” he added.

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Myer Bevan, Cavalry FC 

Denied a hat-trick only by the woodwork, Bevan has proven to be one of the league’s most dangerous attackers. He created chances for himself and his teammates throughout the ninety minutes on Sunday.

What’s next?

Cavalry are off to the Wanderers Grounds for a match against Halifax on Saturday, June 17 (12:00 p.m. MT / 2:00 p.m. ET). Vancouver, meanwhile, heads to Ontario where they look to avenge a lopsided loss they suffered at the hands of Atlético Ottawa also on Saturday, June 17 (11:00 a.m. PT /2:00 p.m. ET).

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