Reinforcements arrive when Pacific FC visits Valor FC

From club to country it must ultimately go back to country back to club. Reon Moore and Steffen Yeates return to Pacific FC’s lineup for today’s Canadian Premier League match in Winnipeg against Valor FC.

Moore scored in both Trinidad and Tobago’s CONCACAF 2026 World Cup qualifiers last week, a 2-2 draw against Grenada and a 7-1 win over the Bahamas. Explosive striker Moore has 10 goals in 28 appearances for Trinidad and Tobago. PFC teammate and fellow Soca Warriors’ World Cup qualifying call-up Yeates was a starter in the match against the Bahamas.

“We have had some setbacks with injuries and missing players, but we are excited to get healthy again and welcome players from international duty,” said PFC head coach James Merriman.

Cedric Toussaint and Adonijah Reid return from defeat but French import Aly Ndom, who has been excellent, is out for the season. Goalkeeper Sean Melvin will be out today after twisting an ankle in last weekend’s scoreless draw in Halifax against the Wanderers, ensuring Emil Gazdov’s start today, while Daniel Zadravec has been called up as reserve goalkeeper.

“(PFC) is a stable team,” Valor FC head coach Phil Dos Santos said in a statement.

“It’s interesting, and it’s a credit to them on every occasion where they lose a player, or another player and it seems like everything could fall apart, but they’ve always found a way to be defensively cohesive and solid . I think they have embraced that identity.”

Cards haven’t helped PFC this season either, with Moore recently serving a three-match ban after being shown a straight red card. PFC’s 20-year-old Colombian defender Juan Quintana will miss today’s match with a one-match suspension after being shown a red card following two yellow cards in the last match in Halifax, the first for throwing the ball after a whistle .

Merriman said there have been some “cheap yellows” handed out this season, “some of which I agree with, and some of which I don’t.”

The Tridents coach added: “The referees have taken a strong stance on certain issues, such as touching the ball after the whistle. It was a learning experience for (Quintana). I didn’t say anything to him after the (HFX) match. He knows.”

Merriman, meanwhile, is wary of today’s match, noting: “Valour FC have made progress.”

Not that it was easy for Valour, having to play the first seven games on the road while new turf was being installed at Princess Auto Stadium, which is also home to the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

That almost certainly has something to do with Valour’s record of seventh in the league, with two wins, six losses and a draw. But now with 14 of the last 21 games at home, Valor will look to make a push.

“We know they are now at home and on a new field that we still have to play on,” said Merriman, whose PFC club comes into the match with three wins, two losses and four draws in the league.

Not that the Tridents haven’t historically done well against the Manitoba club, whether at Princess Auto Stadium or Starlight Stadium, with PFC leading the all-time series against Valor FC 15-2-3 in wins- lose-draw. It is PFC’s best overall record against any team in the CPL.