PREVIEW: York9 FC vs. Pacific FC – Match #21

After a two-week break from league action, a pair of sides in need of a win will meet on Saturday as York9 FC and Pacific FC kick off the day's CPL triple-header at York Lions Stadium.

York9 FC are fresh off completing their greatest triumph of the season so far, dispatching FC Edmonton on Wednesday in the Canadian Championship. They still haven't won a league game yet this season, with three draws and two losses, so they remain at the bottom of the standings, but the Nine Stripes gave fans a taste of what they can do in their 3-1 home leg win over the Eddies.

Pacific, on the other hand, travel across the country to finally return to the pitch after two weeks off. With Pacific out of the Canadian Championship and the CPL on a break last weekend, it's been a while since Michael Silberbauer's team was in action. They're not far ahead of York9 in the standings, with just one win and two draws from six games. They've had a lot of time to reflect on their 2-1 loss last time out against HFX Wanderers FC.

After this one, neither side has much time to think before they're right back at it. York9 will remain at home to play FC Edmonton for a third consecutive Wednesday, June 19 (7:00 p.m. ET, on OneSoccer), and Pacific will jet off to Winnipeg for a date with Valour FC on Thursday, June 20 (8:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. CT, on OneSoccer).

• Establish home field: York9 FC haven't had much of a chance to turn York Lions Stadium into the fortress they'd like it to become. Poor weather has put a damper on all three home dates. Unfortunately, the forecast for Saturday is a light rain again, beginning mid-afternoon. York9 has done well at home, though, with two CanChamp wins (including their best performance yet against FC Edmonton) and a game against Forge FC where they looked good before a rain delay. Saturday is a chance for York9 to establish themselves before a run-in that's heavy with home matches.​
• Protect the lead: Pacific have scored first in each of their last two games, but they won neither. They blew a 2-0 lead at home against York9 to draw 2-2, and then they allowed HFX Wanderers to erase an early goal in a 2-1 loss for Pacific. Being able to score first is great, but it means nothing if Pacific can't hold onto a lead. If they go up on York9, it's imperative that they lock things down.​
• Momentum swing: The mood surrounding York9 seems to be shifting, despite their winless CPL start. Their attack finally broke out in a three-goal game against FC Edmonton, and they showed grit in defending that lead in Wednesday's second leg. The Nine Stripes have been steadily improving every game, and it certainly feels like the time is ripe for them to finally notch one in league play.​

York9 FC: Nathan Ingham; Diyaedinne Abzi, Daniel Gogarty, Luca Gasparotto, Morey Doner; Joe Di Chiara, Manny Aparicio, Ryan Telfer, Kyle Porter, Rodrigo Gattas; Simon Adjei Karlsson

Pacific FC: Mark Village; Blake Smith, Ryan McCurdy, Lukas MacNaughton, Kadin Chung; Matthew Baldisimo, Alexander Gonzalez; Terran Campbell, Noah Verhoeven, Benjamin Fisk; Marcus Haber



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