Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. has long preached that the season is a marathon, not a sprint. But after an unbeaten start that has lifted his team to the top of the Canadian Premier League table, even he admits the early results are encouraging.
Unbeaten Run Continues
The Cavs extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches across all competitions with a dominant 3-0 victory over Pacific FC on Sunday at ATCO Field. The win improved their league record to 5 wins, 0 losses, and 2 draws, giving them 17 points and sole possession of first place.
"Yeah, I won't be popping any champagne just yet," Wheeldon said with a smile. "It's going to be a long whole season. We can't get too high right now. We've just got to make sure we keep working, stay humble, stay hungry and keep improving."
Best Start Since 2019
Cavalry's start is their best since the club's inaugural season in 2019, when they began with a remarkable 10-0-1 record before eventually falling to Forge FC. That year, they won both the spring and fall seasons and finished atop the regular-season standings.
"We had a terrific team in 2019," Wheeldon recalled. "This one's far more easy, but we've started really well. Winning games is what's important. Unbeaten runs are great—they give you an opportunity to climb the table."
Next Up: Forge FC
The Cavs will face a stiff test next Sunday when they travel to Hamilton to take on Forge FC, the team that held the top spot until this weekend. Forge suffered its first loss of the season, 2-1 to Atlético Ottawa, allowing Cavalry to leapfrog them into first place.
"The league table never lies," Wheeldon said. "The best team over 28 games is the best team. We'll try to keep preparing ourselves to be the best team in the league. We have an opportunity to go to Forge next week and take points there."
The match is set for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on OneSoccer and CBC Gem. With both teams vying for supremacy, it promises to be a pivotal early-season clash.
