Sometimes all that is needed is a new voice in the room.
Martin Nash of Victoria, the 38-time ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½-capped CONCACAF Gold Cup champion and former Whitecaps pro, did a good job of coaching York United to the brink of respectability in the Canadian Premier League since 2021. But he couldn’t push that final button.
Benjamin Mora, who replaced Nash on the York United bench in May, has done just that in elevating the Nine Stripes to a rare playoff berth. Mora, who has coached Atlas of Liga MX, has a championship pedigree in having taken Johor Darul Ta’zim to the 2021 Malaysian Super League title and now hopes to do the same in the CPL with the Nine Stripes.
That has turned the usual storyline in the York United versus Pacific FC match-ups on its head. It is normally PFC that has had a playoff berth sewn up this time of year while York has been in desperation mode.
The Tridents and Nine Stripes meet tonight in Toronto in the penultimate regular-season game for both clubs. York United, currently in fourth place, has a playoff berth clinched and can still finish as high as second place. PFC is in more dire straits and tied for the fifth and final playoff berth with Vancouver FC with VFC holding the tiebreaker.
“Everyone is well aware of what our situation is and that we need to win to give ourselves a chance,” said PFC head coach James Merriman.
“It’s no longer completely in our control. We allowed Vancouver FC to take that advantage on us. We will continue to control what we can control. That’s the only thing we can focus on. We know we need to fight and give everything in this match [against York FC].”
PFC starting goalkeeper Emil Gazdov was red-carded early in the last match, which entails a one-game suspension, meaning Sean Melvin will get the start between the woodwork tonight. The six-foot-four Gordon Head Soccer Association and Victoria United Metro graduate came out of NCAA Div. 1 University of North Carolina-Wilmington to sign a Major League Soccer contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps and played with the ‘Caps main farm team, Fresno FC. Melvin has also played pro previously in the CPL with Atlético Ottawa and in the USL with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. The well-travelled 30-year-old Islander has national team experience and was called up to the ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ pre-camp ahead of a friendly set against Iceland in 2016 and earned his first cap in a 2017 victory against Bermuda.
“Sean [Melvin] is a great pro with good experience. The team has big confidence in him. We know his mentality,” said Merriman.
CORNER KICKS: CBC announced Wednesday it will broadcast the CPL championship game nationally on Nov. 9 at noon PT. “It’s the exposure the league needs,” said Merriman. “We need that type of platform to showcase the quality and talent of the league. We have big goals as a league and this is a massive step and opportunity.”
