Calgary welcomes Hamilton to 'lion's den' for match to decide Canadian soccer supremacy - Action News
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Calgary

Calgary welcomes Hamilton to 'lion's den' for match to decide Canadian soccer supremacy

The Cavalry FC kicks off against the Forge FC on home turf on Saturday, and with a stellar home record and a team hungry to make history.

'Not going to give them time to breathe,' says head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.

Cavalry FC forward Jordan Brown, right, controls the ball in front of Forge FC defender Dominic Samuel during their Oct. 16 match in Hamilton. The two teams will square off for the second leg of the Canadian Premier League Finals on Saturday in Calgary. (Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports for CPL)

Calgary's Cavalry FC takes aim at Canadian soccer supremacy on home turf Saturday, and with a stellar home record and a team hungry to make history, head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. is brimming with confidence.

Spruce Meadows hosts the championship match of the first Canadian Premier League (CPL) season on Saturday afternoon, featuring Hamilton's Forge FC versus Calgary's Cavalry FC.

The Cavs have been the best team in the CPL, winning the spring and fall seasons, and even knocking the Vancouver Whitecaps out of the Voyageur's Cup.

Calgary FC hoist the trophy after clinching the CPL Fall title with a 3-1 win over FC Edmonton on Oct. 19. (Tony Lewis/CPL)

They enterthefinal match of the best of two championship series havinglost1-0 to Hamilton on Oct. 26.

But with a home record of 7-2-0 this fall season at ATCO Field, the Cavalry will be ready to welcome the Forge to the"lion's den" this time around,said Wheeldon.

"Will it be easy? Absolutely not.But I think we've got nothing to lose and everything to gain, and that's how we're preparing," he saidin an interview with theCalgary Eyeopener.

Home field advantage

The roaring crowd, the elevated physicality demanded by Calgary's high altitude and the cool weather forecast all play to Calgary's advantage, said Wheeldon.

"There's something about Calgarians, we seem to be a tougher breed. It's almost T-shirt weather when it's about 10 degrees out here," said Wheeldon.

"We wear teams down anyway with our type of high energy, high attack, high pressure football. And when it gets to the last 15 minutes, I think the other team can only take so much."

Wheeldon, who in the lead up to this match has found himself ruminating on lineups, formations, and plan As, Bs and Cs from the very moment he opens his eyes in the morning, says there's no secret sauce to winning. The path to victory is simple.

"Goals. We've got to score goals, and we've got to score them in bunches. We're prepared to do that," he said.

"We've got to play our best football, and our best football is on the front foot. We're going to get into the spaces, we're going to create chances, and we're also not going to give them time to breathe."

Cavalry FC won the spring season to secure a ticket to the final, while Forge FC guaranteed a first- or second-place finish in the fall season (alongside Cavalry) this weekend. (CPL Cavalry FC/Facebook)

'Ahell of a story, regardless'

This is the most momentous match of Wheeldon'scareer, by his own admission. As it's the ninth meeting this year between the Forge and the Cavs,he expects it to be a heated one.

"What you're getting is two teams that don't want to give each other an inch," Wheeldon said.

So with all the excitement and work yet to do, he hasn't had much time to reflect on the breakthrough season that his team, and the league as a whole, have had this year.

"But my, it's been a hell of a story, regardless of the outcome on Saturday," he said.

Wheeldon mentioned he'sfound himself overcome with emotion, just previewing video montages that the Spruce Meadows media department has compiled from past matches.

"I tell you, watching it, I'm getting a lump in my throat," he said.

"That's the way you launch a league."


With files from theCalgary Eyeopener.