It was an eventful night of soccer on the opposite coast of Canada. Pressing defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère gave Pacific FC a 2-2 Canadian Premier League draw at the death in injury time at 96 minutes in Halifax.
It was a magnificent move by Meilleur-Giguère as the PFC captain looped the ball over the head of a defender in the box, and connected with it on the other side to sneak it into the short side of the net, to silence the otherwise raucous crowd at the Wanderers Ground.
“Captains show up in these moments,” said PFC assistant coach Armando Sa.
“He’s a leader. He’s been doing it all year.”
Having Meilleur-Giguère move up from defence into the opposition box at strategic moments has been a signature PFC move over the years as the former Canada Under-20 and U-23 player nicknamed TMG has five goals in his five seasons with the Tridents.
“He is definitely a leader for us with both his defending and attacking abilities,” said Pacific FC midfielder Steffen Yeates.
The scoreline, however, was tempered by the fact PFC could only squeeze out a draw despite playing with a man advantage for two-thirds of the game after Daniel Nimick of HFX was sent off at 31 minutes for his second yellow card which equalled a red.
Both Wanderers goals came with 10 players on the pitch while the Tridents could only match with two goals of their own with the man advantage.
Yet, the point has a massive impact in the table as PFC moved into undisputed possession of the fifth and final playoff position, one point ahead of Vancouver FC. The Wanderers, with a win, could have tied for the fifth position with PFC and VFC but saw that possibility slip away in agonizing fashion late Wednesday and are now two points adrift of the final playoff slot. Valour FC of Winnipeg is three points behind. The teams each have five games remaining.
“It’s too bad, we wanted the three points … [but] I thought our guys were magnificent and I felt inspired watching and am really proud of them,” HFX head coach Patrice Gheisar said of being down a man for much of the match.
“For entertainment value, what more could you ask for? This league keeps providing that.”
Massimo Ferrin put HFX ahead at 60 minutes before 11-time New Zealand-capped Moses Dyer equalized for PFC at 67 minutes with his third goal in four games since being acquired on loan from Vancouver FC. Nassim Mekidèche, on a set piece, put the Wanderers ahead again at 79 minutes before Meilleur-Giguère’s equalizer in the fixture which represents the third longest distance in the world to travel between teams in a pro soccer domestic Premiership league.
The game featured four players who went from common cause internationally to opposite sides of the ball in club play. Striker Reon Moore and midfielder Yeates of PFC and striker Ryan Telfer and midfielder Andre Rampersad of HFX all played for Trinidad and Tobago last week in the CONCACAF Nations League.
“National team is a different environment,” said Yeates.
“But it’s always good battling international teammates [in club play.”
The Tridents now head to Ottawa to play league-leading Atletico on Sunday.
