Have Pacific FC found their end-of-game composure?
On three points against Atlético Ottawa, Marco Bustos' brilliance, and the solid play of Matteo Polisi
Everything has a weak spot.
Goliath, the story goes, was brought to his knees by a slingshot. A bit of tree bark and the colour yellow were enough to rattle the Green Lantern. Even the Death Star, obliterator of planets, crown jewel of the Galactic Empire, was no match for two proton torpedoes fired into its thermal exhaust port.
If there was an Achilles heel for Pacific FC at the 2020 Island Games,1 it was the propensity to concede goals—and not meaningless goals, but game-deciding ones—within the final five minutes of regulation. It happened in the tournament opener against HFX Wanderers FC.2 Then a week later against Forge FC.3 And yet again, on September 2nd, against league newcomers Atlético Ottawa.4
“It has nothing to do with technical [ability]; those were just concentration lapses,” PFC head coach Pa-Modou Kah vowed at the beginning of 2021. “For us, there will be a different version going into this year.”
“I think it was just jitters,” said captain Jamar Dixon. “We didn’t really get that many games—we didn’t get any preseason games. For all the seasons I’ve gone through, I’ve at least had five, six games prior to playing that first [regular season] game. So I think maybe that might’ve been a bit of nerves for the guys … and that just comes with time and games.”
If Pacific said the right things in the offseason, there remained a spectre of doubt. It resurfaced again on Canada Day, as Pacific watched a 2-1 lead vanish against York United in the 82nd minute.
Three days later, when the Langford-based side conceded three second-half goals to Forge FC in a ten-minute span, it seemed like the same demons might still dog the club. But as Pacific celebrated a 1-0 victory over Atlético on Wednesday night, it felt—if just a little—as though perhaps a page had turned.
Maybe it was vindication in the air—an evening of the ledger, after last season’s heartbreaking loss to the Ottawa side. Maybe it was the collective exhalation of witnessing the West Coast club hold firm through the final minutes of the match.
Or maybe it was the feeling that, for once, the match’s outcome never felt all that uncertain. Pacific led the way through 90 minutes, outshooting and out-possessing Ottawa5 en route to the club’s second clean sheet in four matches.
“At the end of the day, it’s resilience from the guys,” Pacific winger Marco Bustos said after the match. “Balls coming in, getting crosses, clearing them; Callum [Irving] coming out for crosses, getting [the ball], bringing it down, letting us get into shape.”
For his part, Bustos looked liberated on the pitch—relishing the space Ottawa’s defenders afforded him, after being frustrated by the physicality of York United and Forge. Against Atlético, the Winnipeg-raised Bustos regained his powerful one-two punch with fullback Kadin Chung, combining for six chances created on 90.4% passing accuracy—including the game-winner, in which Bustos found Josh Heard (who else?) by threading the ball through defender Miguel Acosta’s legs.
“[They’re] two players with great potential,” Kah told reporters after the match. “Two young Canadian players who I’ve had the pleasure to work with when they were younger. But to see them blossom … from a fullback to a winger, I think they have the best combination and the best understanding [of each other in the league].”
Time, of course, will tell if Pacific’s late-game bonafides continue. They’ll have another chance at redemption on Saturday in their rematch with York United—and Diyaeddine Abzi poses more problems that Ottawa’s attackers.
But for one night, at least, they looked the part of contenders.
“Out of the four games we’ve played, this is the first where we’ve played good [football] for the longest period of time,” said Bustos. “It’s about finding our groove, our rhythm. You see guys get their chance [to] play, and that’s what’s important right now.”
Game notes
Polished Polisi: Making his first professional start for Pacific, Matteo Polisi looked picture-perfect in the midfield,6 leading PFC in both shots and tackles won (three apiece). Kadin Chung found the Simon Fraser University alum in the 18-yard box with a beauty of a cross in the 62nd minute, only for Polisi’s shot to soar juust high of the crossbar. “He was ready to play,” Bustos told me after the match. “That’s the life of a young player. You don’t get your chance maybe when you think you deserve it, but you keep working hard, and he comes to training and works his socks off every day.”
Quiet night for Campbell: Twenty-two-year-old Terran Campbell made his second start of 2021—albeit a shorter performance, coming off at halftime for Alejandro Díaz. In 45 minutes, Campbell provided two shots and a few good runs, but still looked like a player in search of his form. His best chance came in the fifth minute, getting in good position for a header off a cross from Kadin Chung, only for Ottawa’s defenders to narrowly intercept the attempt.
Sturdy Hojabrpour: Making his second straight start for Pacific, Alessandro Hojabrpour played well in his 74 minutes—completing 89.7% of his passes and leading Pacific in tackles and interceptions (three apiece). In the 28th minute, the Burnaby native took a decent strike of his own from twenty-six yards, only to watch his attempt corralled by goalkeeper Dylon Powley.
And not the Achilles tendons of Marcel de Jong (2019) or Duran Lee (2021).
Ibrahim Sanoh, 86th minute.
Kyle Bekker, 97th minute.
Viti Martínez, 90th minute.
Total Shots: Pacific 11, Ottawa 7; Shots on Target: Pacific 5, Ottawa 1; Shots Inside the Box: Pacific 7, Ottawa 2; Duels Won: Pacific 55.2%, Ottawa 43.8%; Total Passes: Pacific 528, Ottawa 369; Possession: Pacific 59.1%, Ottawa 40.9%.
The game sheet shows Polisi started at left wing, but Ollie Bassett seemed to take more of that role, as the 23-year-old Polisi shifted inward.
Great read Martin! Loving the post match read! Supporting both Spurs and Pacific, feel like I have come to loathe the last 10 minutes of a match. Glad that Pacific was able to close this match out.
That run by Bustos, and nutmeg of Acosta was an incredible display of skill. What a pleasure Bustos is to watch.