CALGARY — Valour FC’s post-season drought reached four long years Sunday afternoon.
Winnipeg’s Canadian Premier League side was beaten 2-1 by Cavalry FC at ATCO Field and thereby eliminated from contention for a playoff berth.
Fifth-place Valour is now winless in its last four games and has 37 points on a 10-7-10 mark.
Valour FC players (black kit) do battle with Calvalry FC players Sunday at ATCO Field in Calgary. Valour is now winless in its last five games. (Tony Lewis / CFC Media)
Former Valour striker Ali Musse’s hard blast found its way behind goalkeeper Rayane Yesli in the 91st minute to seal the Winnipeggers’ fate.
Joe Mason had given the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 39th minute before Billy Forbes tied the game 1-1, heading Sean Rea’s pass behind Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci in the 48th minute.
Rea’s assist was his league-leading ninth of the season, adding to his league record total.
Valour’s elimination also clinched a playoff spot for Calvary, currently tied for second with Forge FC with a 13-5-9 record for 44 points and one game remaining.
Forge, meanwhile, has two games left on its slate.
Fourth-place Pacific FC, which is 12-7-7 for 43 points, has two games remaining.
Valour’s regular-season finale on the road against eighth-place FC Edmonton on Oct. 8 has no significance to the post-season race.
The Winnipeggers have finished sixth, sixth and fifth, respectively, since their debut season in 2019.
Valour is just 1-0-5 in six visits to Calgary dating back to its inaugural season.
Defender Stefan Cebara was hit with his fourth yellow card and will be suspended for Saturday’s game in Edmonton.
— staff
