The latest chapter of the B.C. soccer derby in the Canadian Premier League will be a key one for Pacific FC and Vancouver FC. The cross-strait rivals meet today at 2 p.m. at Willoughby Stadium in Langley tied for the fifth and final playoff position.
PFC (5-6-5 in wins-losses-draws), however, has a game in hand on the Eagles (5-7-5). The Tridents have 12 league games remaining so there is still a lot of play remaining, although teams will need to start making their moves soon. PFC has only missed the playoffs once in the first five seasons of league history.
It is the seventh all-time meeting between the provincial rivals after VFC joined the national pro league last season. PFC won the first two derbies but the Eagles have won the last four.
“We need to attack the game,” Tridents head coach James Merriman told CPL.com,
“We need to change that storyline [of derby losses]. When you look back at each game, we were up in a lot of them. We were in control, especially in the first half of those matches, and then we let Vancouver come back into the match. That’s four games without a result now, and each one has its own story.”
It’s a storyline the Island-based Tridents will be looking to change today.
PFC will host league-leading Atletico Ottawa next Sunday at Starlight Stadium.
— Times Colonist
