2022 CPL Regular Season — Match #45 York United vs. Valour FC June 26, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET York Lions Stadium Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

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The Canadian Premier League table looked about as balanced as possible just a month ago. Following then-league leaders Pacific, five of the CPL’s eight teams were tied with eight points a piece.

In recent weeks, however, gaps have started forming as the sample size grows bigger and teams begin to build true identities.

Valour and York were two of those sides in the CPL’s murky middle back in late May, but since the table has become clearer, both have sunk toward the bottom. They sit in seventh and sixth place respectively right now, both averaging just a point per game and quickly falling out of the playoff picture if they don’t start increasing that rate of return soon.

“Both teams want to get up the table,” said York coach Martin Nash pre-match. “So it is a massive match for both of us. It is not an easy task for either team, we have two teams who work hard and give everything.”

The two sides met back on May 15 in Winnipeg, where a late worldie from Sean Rea, and a penalty save from Jonathan Sirois, would prove to be the difference in a 1-0 result. Since then, neither team has won a match in CPL action, while Nine stripes haven’t even managed to score a goal.

There has been very little to separate these two sides historically. Through nine all-time meetings, they have each won four times, and drawn once. Goalscoring has been even as well, with 13 total each.

The issues for the two clubs of late have mostly been of the opposite nature. York, as aforementioned, while holding their opponents to just three goals in their last six league matches have been unable to score themselves.

The loss of Diyaeddine Abzi will not help in this regard, as their star fullback has officially left the club for Ligue 2 side Pau FC. York did, however, announce the signing of 18-year-old Canadian youth international striker Ronan Kratt who will provide Nash with yet another option as his side looks to get back in the goals.

They were able to do that midweek in the Canadian Championship, as Isaiah Johnston scored late in a 2-1 semi-final loss in the competition’s semi-final against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Valour, on the contrary, has struggled defensively this season, especially late in matches. That match against York in mid-May was the last time they were able to keep a clean sheet and only FC Edmonton have conceded more so far this season. They allowed a season-high four last time out against Cavalry in a 4-2 loss on June 15.

The underlying numbers continue to paint a bleak picture as well. Again, only Edmonton has allowed more big chances than Valour’s 21 through 10 matches this season.

This York match signals the start of a particularly treacherous stretch of the schedule for Valour, who have five trips to Ontario in their next four matches. That includes two trips to Hamilton to play a Forge FC side who have been scoring goals and rising up the league table for fun. So the road back to contention does not get much easier for the Winnipeg outfit.

Make your match picks prior to kickoff at canpl.ca/predictor for a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize of a trip to the 2022 CPL Final! To learn more about ComeOn!, click here.

All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980. 

Another for @CPLCavalryFC ✌️@sergio10camargo picks out the bottom corner to double his side’s lead#CanPL l 📺: @onesoccer pic.twitter.com/9S4JhApwNw

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) June 16, 2022

York United wins: 4 || Valour FC wins: 4 || Draws: 1

May 15, 2022 — Valour FC 1-0 York United 

“It is going to be a battle, we know that. It is going to be a fight to the end, I can’t see it being any other way I just hope our mentality, and strength, and will of character will win out in the end.” — York United head coach Martin Nash

“It is obviously a moment where we can’t let the teams who are at the top gain a gap that is too big to recover. I know it is early, we are a little bit over one-third of the season but we understand the urgency and it is a direct rival, so we need to go and play a solid game on the road.” — Valour FC head coach Phil Dos Santos