RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Pacific FC vs. Halifax Wanderers FC | July 12, 2025

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Pacific returned to winning ways in Canadian Premier League action on Saturday, as they defeated the Halifax Wanderers 3-2 at Starlight Stadium off the back of a hat trick from forward Yann Toualy.

After trading goals in a thrilling first half, one that saw both teams take the lead, Pacific managed to carve out a decisive advantage early in the second half, one they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way.

With that, Pacific provisionally climbed to within three points of the fifth and final playoff spot, while denying the Wanderers a chance to get within two points of first-place Atlético Ottawa.

The Wanderers nearly scored the game's opening goal in the 6th minute, as Wesley Timóteo found Tiago Coimbra with a probing ball over the top, but Coimbra would find himself denied by a strong kick save from Pacific's Sean Melvin after doing well to cut inside and fire a low shot towards the bottom left corner.

At the other end, Pacific responded with a big chance of their own in the 11th minute, and they'd make the most of the opportunity. After a nice 1-2 between Yann Toualy and Marco Bustos, Toualy opened up just enough space to unleash a left-footed shot after nearly striking the ball with his right foot, and he'd find the bottom corner with his attempt to give his team an early 1-0 lead.

Once the dust settled on that opener, Halifax almost responded with an equalizer in the 28th minute, as Sean Rea found Coimbra with a perfect delivery on a corner, but Coimbra's header was blocked by a Pacific defender.

That'd prove to be a bit of foreshadowing for what was to come for the Wanderers, however. After his near-miss, Coimbra got another look off a corner in the 30th minute, as he leapt to meet a perfect delivery from Timóteo, and he found the bottom corner with his attempt to tie the game at 1-1.

Not wanting to let the Wanderers build any momentum, Pacific nearly regained their lead in the 34th minute, as Kadin Chung made a bursting run down the right flank, and his cross nearly squeezed in off Halifax's Kareem Sow, who narrowly avoided conceding an own goal by mere inches.

That near-miss proved to be crucial for the Wanderers, too, as they then took the lead on their subsequent attack. After doing well to burst off on a 3v2 following the corner, Coimbra found Yohan Baï with a nice through ball, and Baï did well to gently loft the ball over Melvin into the goal with a tidy finish to make it 2-1.

Yet, continuing a back-and-forth half, Pacific would do well to respond with another goal, as they tied things up before the half. After a dangerous set-piece delivery from Aidan Daniels, the ball pinballed around the box before falling to Toualy, and he slammed the ball into the roof of the net to knot things back up at 2-2.

Following the break, the action didn't stop there, either. Eager to regain their lead, Pacific ended up winning a penalty in the 52nd minute, as Bustos slalomed into the box on the ball, and was taken down by Sow, who couldn't settle his feet in time to stop Bustos.

There, up stepped Toualy with the chance to seal the hat trick, and he made no mistake, slamming the ball into the top corner with an emphatic effort to put his team up 3-2.

At the other end, the Wanderers nearly pulled one back in the 59th minute, as Jason Bahamboula fired in a dangerous shot from a tight angle after a nice run, one that forced a big rebound out of Melvin, but Coimbra headed that second attempt just wide of the mark from close range.

Soon after, however, the game would hit a bit of a lull, as Pacific started to protect their lead. As a result, the next chance didn't come until the 85th minute, where Timóteo found Vitor Dias on a free kick, which nearly led to a headed goal from Dias if not for a fingertip save by Melvin.

Then, not long after, Lorenzo Callegari found Bahamboula with a nice ball into the box, and Bahamboula did well to get his head on the cross, but his shot rolled right into Melvin's waiting arms.

Continuing a late push, the Wanderers had an excellent chance in the 12th minute of stoppage time, as Thomas Meilleur-Giguère had a dangerous header in the box, but the former Pacific defender's header rolled just wide of the goal, denying him of a storybook return to the stadium he called home for the last five seasons.

From there, though, despite a late header from Wanderers goalkeeper Rayane Yesli that nearly found the target, Pacific held on the rest of the way, allowing them to secure a crucial victory.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Pacific FC: Melvin; Chung, Machado, Ndom, Lajeunesse, Mukumbilwa (Young 46'); Heard (Greco-Taylor 70'), Browning Lagerfeldt, Daniels (Zanatta 82'), Toualy (Montejano 82'); Bustos (Vales 82')

Halifax Wanderers: Yesli; Pearlman, Meilleur-Giguère, Sow, Timóteo; Callegari, Johnston (Rampersad 79'); Baï (Bahamboula 46'), Biello (Telfer 67'), Rea (Probo 72'); Coimbra (Dias 72')

Goals

11' — Yann Toualy (Pacific FC)

30' — Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers)

35' — Yohan Baï (Halifax Wanderers)

43' — Yann Toualy (Pacific FC)

56' — Yann Toualy (Pacific FC) (Penalty)

Discipline

14' — Yellow: Adam Pearlman (Halifax Wanderers)

41' — Yellow: Sean Rea (Halifax Wanderers)

59' — Yellow: Josh Heard (Pacific FC)

60' — Yellow: Isaiah Johnston (Halifax Wanderers)

90+4' — Yellow: Sean Melvin (Pacific FC)