September 7, 2023...Preview: York United FC vs. Valour FC - 2023 Match #90 (from canpl.ca)
PREVIEW: York United FC vs. Valour FC – 2023 Match #90
2023-09-07
by MITCHELL TIERNEY, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER (@MITCHELLTIERNEY)
2023 CPL Regular Season — Match #90
York United vs. Valour FC
September 8, 2023 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT
York Lions Stadium in Toronto, ON
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Valour FC return to the ground where they kicked off the 2023 season as they visit York United on Friday night
at York Lions Stadium.
That day, back in April, was one of the high points of their season, a dominant 2-0 road victory that looked like it could
be the harbinger of a better year for the Winnipeg club. Instead, it represents the last time the club won away from home.
Collecting just seven points in 11 matches away from IG Field this year has been a big reason why Valour currently find
themselves 12 points out of the playoffs. Should they lose, and Forge and Atlético Ottawa win this weekend, that would mean
elimination from playoff contention.
“Right now it is going to be a testament to the guys’ character, and see their ability to in a moment of adversity be able
to respond,” said Valour FC manager Phil dos Santos. “I think mathematically it is not done, but we need a miracle right now
to be in that playoff spot. We need to accept it and understand that we all have a job to do.”
York, meanwhile, are looking to win three straight matches for just the second time in club history, a feat they first
accomplished in May of this season. Valour ended that winning streak with a 1-1 draw at IG Field in Winnipeg back on June 4.
The Nine Stripes are flying high after back-to-back 2-1 comeback victories, most recently stunning the Halifax Wanderers
on the road to leap the East Coast side in the table, and up into the fifth and final playoff position.
This match kicks off a stretch of four straight at home for York United, a run that will largely determine the fate of their
2023 season. The Nine Stripes, however, have collected the fewest home points of any team in the league this season,
something they will have to turn around in a hurry if they want to make their second club postseason appearance.
Valour, meanwhile, are coming off of a 2-1 loss to Pacific FC at Starlight Stadium which saw them equalize the match
in the 77th minute through Matteo de Brienne, only for Ayman Sellouf to win the match for the Tridents in the 85th minute.
Rayane Yesli is expected to be the starting goalkeeper again for Valour on Friday after Darlington Murasiranwa played
in that aforementioned Pacific clash this past weekend. Pacifique Niyongabire, meanwhile, has been called up by the Burundi
national team for a crucial AFCON qualifier against Cameroon.
The Nine Stripes will be without key midfielder Brem Soumaoro who will miss this match due to yellow card accumulation.
York will, however, have Paris Gee back fully available this week as he was on the bench but not fully fit against Halifax.
They have also signed 20-year-old wing-back Kadin Martin-Pereux who will be available for this match.
3 THINGS TO WATCH
York looking for a complete 90-minute performance: Despite coming into this match with back-t0-back victories, York haven’t
really made it easy on themselves in recent weeks, allowing the opening goal in both of those matches and being forced
to fight back to earn three points. ‘Throwing the first punch’, as he called it, is a big goal for Nash’s side in this
match, particularly since they have scored first in just two of 10 home matches this season. The last time the two sides
played, at IG Field, York got off to a near-perfect start, scoring twice within the opening eight minutes. Despite
conceding in the 10th minute in what was a wild start to that match, they would hold on for three points. Nash says
starting matches on the front foot will be a big key to this homestand in general. “It will make me feel a lot better
on the sidelines,” said Nash.”But that’s how we want to play, we want to get on top of teams.”
Valour know they need to consider York’s wide threats, but won’t change defensive principles: Despite the threats that
players like Kévin Santos and Clément Bayiha have posed in recent weeks, don’t expect Valour to change much in the way
they defend as a unit. Dos Santos said that his side’s identity has always been to defend from the middle outward,
making sure teams don’t get into those key areas where they can hurt his team. With that being said, this match will
serve as a big test for whoever is playing at fullback for Valour on Friday, both with and without the ball. “I don’t
think it changes [our plan], we are going to still protect the middle first, but we need to defend the wide areas better,”
said Dos Santos. He mentioned Ayman Sellouf’s winner for Pacific against his side last week as an example of a situation
in which they need to do a better job of defending against wide threats.
Matteo de Brienne’s character shining through during difficult stretch: Phil Dos Santos has made it clear that he wants
to see a response from his players the rest of the season. One player he hasn’t had to worry about, however, is young
Matteo de Brienne. Since returning from injury, de Brienne has been excellent, scoring one and adding an assist in the
past three matches. The 21-year-old, especially given Goteh Ntignee’s departure to Ligue 2, is likely a frontrunner for
the league’s U-21 Canadian Player of the Year award and will be one to watch for the rest of the season. “He has grown
every game, he has grown since last year a lot,” said Dos Santos. “You see a young player that what you get in the games
is what you get in training, it is the way that he is, it is his state of mind and he never cheats. When you are like
that, even though you have deficiencies in your game, and you are not perfect, you will grow, you will progress and
I think that’s what he does.”
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
York United (4-2-3-1): A. De Rosario; Abatneh, Mourdoukoutas, Thompson, Gee; Adekugbe, Gagnon-Laparé;
Bayiha, Santos, Babouli; Ricci
Valour FC (4-3-3): Yesli; Baquero, Cela, Pianelli, de Brienne; Gutiérrez, Campbell, Polisi; Williams, Selemani, Siaj
ALL-TIME SERIES
York United wins: 6 || Valour FC wins: 7 || Draws: 2
Last meeting:
July 23, 2023 — Valour FC 1-2 York United
KEY QUOTES
“I expect them to come out fighting. Phil will have them wound up, I thought their last performance wasn’t their best but they
came out second half with a fighting attitude and got back in the game. Ended up letting it slip but I think typically teams
will battle and fight and I expect them to come here and battle and fight like their life depends on it.” — York United
head coach Martin Nash
“We need to play to the end, like if we were 100 per cent in. For me, that’s going to be the most important. The outcome will
be what it will be, but I want to see the guys compete. I want to see the guys play as if they were playing for a title.
That is going to tell me a lot about the character of the guys right now.” — Valour FC head coach Phil Dos Santos
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