PREVIEW: HFX Wanderers FC vs. Valour FC – Match #77

The two CPL clubs that know each other perhaps better than any will meet again this weekend, as HFX Wanderers FC host Valour FC for the sides' seventh meeting of the year. It's been a strange week for HFX, who took on league leaders Forge FC in back-to-back games last Sunday and Wednesday. Both times, they scored first to take the lead, but they also conceded late as the two matches ended in draws. While splitting points with the club in first place is nothing to sniff at (especially with the Wanderers themselves mired in last place), coach Stephen Hart was disappointed with squandering a lead on both occasions. RELATED READING: Valour teenager Attardo turning heads in debut season || 3 big questions ahead of CPL’s summer closer
Valour, meanwhile, have seen something of a reverse in fortunes lately, as they bounced back from consecutive losses to beat York9 4-2 last weekend, as their attack found its footing and shredded the Nine Stripes at York Lions Stadium. Valour currently sits in a tie for third in the league, their 15 points putting them level with Pacific FC and 10 back of Forge at the top.

HFX has had the upper hand in the long season series between these clubs, including a 4-1 aggregate win in the Canadian Championship, but it was Valour who claimed the spoils a few weeks ago as Marco Bustos provided a couple moments of magic to score a brace and seal a 2-0 win.

After this match, Valour will have a little time off before their next match, as they visit Spruce Meadows to take on Cavalry FC on Wednesday, October 2 (9:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. MT, on OneSoccer). The Wanderers are in action a little sooner, with another home date next Saturday, September 28 against FC Edmonton (1:00 p.m. ET, 2:00 p.m. AT, on OneSoccer).

• Stay out of trouble: Both these clubs seem to have a penchant for landing themselves in hot water. HFX has six players who are just one yellow card away from suspension, while Valour will lose centre-back Adam Mitter to card accumulation for this match (with Jose Galan set to serve a suspension in their next match). The two teams will want to stay as close to full strength as possible at this late hour of the season, so players on both sides may take a cautious approach to matches down the stretch.​
• Undroppable attackers: Rob Gale's lineup selection became much more difficult last weekend, as a trio of Winnipeggers (Tyler Attardo, Dylan Sacramento, and Ali Musse) all scored to stake a claim to a regular lineup spot. Attardo, especially, has impressed this year with six goals, despite not being a full-time starter since Michele Paolucci's arrival at Valour. So, Gale may have a challenge trying to find space in his squad for all the attackers that have earned starting minutes. He'll have to find a way to balance the front of his lineup this weekend.​
• Keep energy high: HFX had the luxury the past two games of running Forge ragged by being the more well-rested side, with a light fixture list in early September. With two games in the past week, though, the Wanderers should be re-acquainted with that familiar fatigue. They'll need to keep the pace up, though, because HFX as a team does best when they play with a lot of energy and make their opponent run. Like all CPL teams, the Wanderers have battled through exhausting stretches of matches this year, it's just not something they've had to do recently.​

HFX Wanderers FC: Christian Oxner; Ndzemdzela Langwa, Duran Lee, Matthew Arnone, Andre Bona; Mohamed Kourouma, Juan Diego Gutierrez, Elton John, Andre Rampersad; Akeem Garcia Thomasz Skublak Valour FC: Tyson Farago; Raphael Garcia, Skylar Thomas, Jordan Murrell, Raphael Ohin; Jose Galan, Louis Béland-Goyette, Dylan Sacramento; Tyler Attardo, Michele Paolucci, Marco Bustos

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