Cavalry FC was looking to escape winter by coming to the Island, only to find winter. But bring it on because it all plays to the defending Canadian Premier League champion club’s advantage against renowned Liga MX side Pumas on Thursday night at Starlight Stadium in the opening game of their two-legged CONCACAF Champions Cup set.
“Iceteca II,” said Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
He was referring to the 2022 World Cup qualifying game Nov. 16, 2021, known as Iceteca — in a play on Mexico’s famed Azteca Stadium — and won 2-1 by Canada over Mexico. The game was purposely scheduled by Canada Soccer for snowy and frigid (-9 C) Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
“We want to take advantage of our country and we want it cold, damp and frosty as we can here in Victoria on Thursday because we know the environment we will be facing in the second leg down there next week [at 69,000-seat Olympic Stadium in Mexico City],” said Wheeldon Jr.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup is this region’s equivalent of the UEFA Champions League.
The CPL-champion Cavalry club plays on natural grass at ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, where the field is frozen and unplayable with the temperature -23 C on Tuesday. Turf fields are playable even in sub-freezing temperatures, so the game against Pumas was shifted to the Island, where the usual grey and rainy conditions were expected, as Pacific FC fans get a rare chance to cheer for CPL arch-rival Calvary. Instead, it’s a surprise Island snow and cold snap the Pumas — seven-time Liga MX and three-time CONCACAF champions — will have to deal with as they face the Alberta side.
“The conditions are certainly in our favour and will help us as we look to punch above our weight against one of the most storied teams in Mexico,” said Wheeldon Jr.
More than 3,000 tickets have already been sold for Thursday night’s game, which begins at 7 p.m. at Starlight Stadium, with many Pumas fans expected to come up for the match.
Last year, fans of Liga MX side Tigres UANL were a big part of the capacity crowd of 5,753 that filled Starlight Stadium as the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS tied Tigres 1-1 in their opening-leg game in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. The game was shifted to Langford because B.C. Place was unavailable that day due to a flower show.
Cavalry FC also played their 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup opening-round home game last year at Starlight Stadium, because of Calgary winter weather, and drew about 2,500 fans in their 3-0 loss to Orlando City of MLS. With the passionate Pumas supporters, as frigid as they might be, it promises to be a lot more raucous on Thursday.
