With Stewie the Starfish and over 5,000 fans cheering them on, the brand new Pacific FC brought home a historic win Sunday afternoon in Langford, beating the HFX Wanderers 1-0 to become the first ever winning team of the Canadian Premier League (CPL).
The one and only goal was scored by defender Hendrick Starostzik of Marburg, Germany about 30 minutes into the first half of the game against the Halifax-based team.
B次元官网网址淔or me itB次元官网网址檚 not the biggest thing,B次元官网网址� Starostzik said, when asked how he felt about the goal. B次元官网网址淔or me the biggest thing is to win the game.
Because I am a defender I want to have a clean sheet. It was a great feeling for me, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter if the striker makes the goal, I am still happy.B次元官网网址�
The sold out stands watched as the Vancouver Island team pushed for a second goal in the second half but held out for the 1-0 win.
B次元官网网址淚 think the level is good here,B次元官网网址� Starostzik said. B次元官网网址淚n Germany the intensity is much higher. But we can work on it. ItB次元官网网址檚 for all the teams the first match, so I think step by step the teams will be better.B次元官网网址�
Pacific FC's Hendrick Starostzik scored the single winning goal of the game. But the defender wants to amp up the intensity at the next game.
B次元官网网址� Nina Grossman (@NinaGrossman)
Congrats to who have the first EVER win in Canadian Premier League history!!!
B次元官网网址� Victoria B次元官网网址 (@VictoriaB次元官网网址)
Still, the newly-formed Pacific FC is feeling pretty good leaving the field today.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 good to get that first win out of the way,B次元官网网址� said head coach Michael Silberbauer. ThatB次元官网网址檚 how it is every season and itB次元官网网址檚 good to have that put under the belt already, itB次元官网网址檚 good to have that out of the way and then we can move forward from here.
The boys have trained really well. This is not the finished product yet, but from where we started to where we are now, I think weB次元官网网址檝e come a long way.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t was nice to see all that purple out there on the stand,B次元官网网址� Silberbauer added. B次元官网网址淚 think the boys put on a good show. [They played] good football and at the end when they had to fight it over the line, they did that as well.B次元官网网址�
"It's good to get that first win out of the way," said head coach Michael Silberbauer after the team won its inaugural Canadian Premier League game 1-0 against the HFX Wanderers.
B次元官网网址� Nina Grossman (@NinaGrossman)
If the 5,000-person sold out crowd isnB次元官网网址檛 any indication, the fansB次元官网网址� excitement and non-stop chanting sure shows how excited Vancouver Island is to have the
B次元官网网址� Victoria B次元官网网址 (@VictoriaB次元官网网址)
Held at the Westhills Stadium in Langford, the game was only the second match of the Canadian Premier League, which saw a tie game between the Hamilton Forge FC and TorontoB次元官网网址檚 York 9 FC during its game Saturday in Hamilton.
That makes the newly-formed Pacific FC the first team to earn a win in the league B次元官网网址� and puts them in the lead with three points towards the CPL Championships.
The stadiumB次元官网网址檚 sold out seats held fervent fans of all ages from across B.C. with no shortage of enthusiasm.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been waiting a long time to see pro soccer in Canada, period.B次元官网网址� said Adam Kostanuick of Victoria. B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址淸The game] so far is amazing. They did a great job with the stadium and logistics are pretty solid, it will all be ironed out within a few weeks I think. Everybody is pretty into it. ItB次元官网网址檚 awesome, love it.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e had to go to Whitecaps games to see anything close to pro soccer here,B次元官网网址� added Peter Vitchev. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a long time coming.B次元官网网址�
Nanaimo-based Lower Island Soccer Association player Hayley Weeks watched from the sidelines with her teammates, excited to see the Island team win the second CPL game in history.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely an opportunity for these guys to get recognized and maybe play in a higher league one day, said Hayley Weeks. B次元官网网址淚t would be cool if there was a womens league one day, that would be something to look forward to.B次元官网网址�
Pacific FC was founded in 2018 and is the first professional level soccer team on Vancouver Island, making SundayB次元官网网址檚 game one for the books. But putting two coastal teams head to head was also a historic match up for Canadian sports in general.
The CPL was founded in 2017 to capitalize on the growing call for soccer in North America coming on the heels of growing viewership in professional soccer over recent years. This April marks the new national professional menB次元官网网址檚 soccer leagueB次元官网网址檚 official opening. Seven clubs from five provinces will play for the CPL championship as well as against premier Canadian clubs from other leagues in the Canadian Championship.
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