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Pacific FC vs HFX Wanderers FC Preview
HFX Wanderers start their Canadian Premier League season with a trip to Pacific FC on Saturday, April 13. Kick-off is at 7:00 PM ET, with the Starlight Stadium hosting the match. The two teams had similar campaigns last season, finishing with more victories than defeats.
The Wanderers came third in the 2023 regular season, two points above Pacific in fourth. However, the Tridents defeated Halifax in the Canadian Premier League Quarterfinals. Unfortunately, they fell short of glory after losing in the Second Semi-Final against Cavalry FC. Will HFX Wanderers get revenge on Pacific, or will the Tridents win in front of their home crowd this weekend?
Pacific FC vs HFX Wanderers FC Head-to-Head and Key Stats
Pacific FC faced HFX Wanderers five times last season, and each contest was competitive. The Tridents won twice, but the two sides drew on two occasions. Neither side had a dominant performance against each other. The widest margin between the teams was one goal, and that was the case in their latest match.
The first half of the CPL playoff quarterfinals didn’t have many highlights. Both teams had half-chances in the early stages, but neither side took control of the contest. However, in the 37th minute, Pacific FC opened the scoring. Kekuta Manneh sent a dangerous ball into the penalty area, but none of his teammates reached his cross. Instead, Zachary Fernandez didn’t deal with Manneh’s pass and scored an own goal. Tiago Coimbra had an early chance in the second half, but the Wanderers striker couldn’t get past Emil Gazdov.
Halifax was 20 minutes away from exiting the playoffs but did not go down without a fight. Wesley Timoteo whipped in an incredible cross from the flanks, and the Wanderers’ attackers got to the ball first but sent it over the bar. A minute later, Coimbra hit the crossbar with Halifax inches away from the equalizer. In the game’s last moments, the Wanderers hit the bar again. However, the Tridents held their lead and won the match 1-0 away from home.
HFX Wanderers and Pacific FC also met in the latter stages of the 2023 regular season. The two sides were level at full-time. It took 46 minutes to get the opening goal, with Armaan Wilson scoring on his first Premier League start. However, Wanderers defender Lifumpa Mwandwe gave away a penalty within 10 minutes of the second half. Ayman Sellouf took responsibility for the penalty kick and scored his seventh goal this season. Despite late chances from both sides, the game finished 1-1 after a competitive 90 minutes in British Columbia.
The matches between Pacific FC and HFX Wanderers were tight contests. The Tridents have eight league wins over the Wanderers, with Halifax getting only five. Draws are common when these two teams play, with six games ending in a tie. The teams drew twice last season, so another draw is likely this weekend.
Their last five matches had only eleven goals in total. Throughout their entire league history against each other, the Tridents have scored the most goals. Pacific has 26 goals in 19 matches, with the Wanderers posting 18. Aidan Daniels has scored twice against Pacific, while Josh Heard has scored two goals against Halifax. The Tridents kept a clean sheet in their most recent contest, but both teams have scored in eleven out of the previous 19 meetings.
Pacific FC vs HFX Wanderers FC Predictions
Correct Score Prediction: Pacific FC 2-2 HFX Wanderers
Pacific FC has won two out of the last three matches against Halifax, but we predict a draw this weekend. It’s the beginning of a new season, and neither side will want to get off to a poor start. This matchup has a history of producing draws, with six in their last 19 meetings. We also predict over 3.5 goals. The last time this contest delivered over three goals was in September 2020, but we expect a high-scoring match on Saturday.
We predict both teams will score twice this weekend, and our correct score prediction is 2-2. One match between Halifax and Pacific ended 2-2 in August 2020. Halifax scored two penalties in that game, but Zach Verhoven and Marco Bustos earned a point for the Tridents. The two sides have scored over 3.5 goals thrice when facing off in the CPL.
When betting on soccer games, Novibet lets you wager on the number of yellow cards a match will produce. The last three games between Pacific and Halifax had over 4.5 yellow cards in every contest. In August 2023, the Tridents beat the Wanderers 2-1, and the referee handed out six yellows, the most in their last three meetings.
With four goals predicted, both sides will need their offensive threats to turn up. Massimo Ferrin was HFX’s leading goalscorer last season, with eight goals and three assists in 25 matches. Ayman Sellouf led the way for Pacific, scoring seven and registering eight assists in 2023. If you’re betting on goalscorers this weekend, Daniel Nimick is an excellent pick for the Wanderers. Nimick is a center-back but was the second-highest scorer on Halifax’s roster last year. When wagering on Pacific, it’s hard to look past Sellouf, with his 15-goal contributions in the previous season making him a fantastic choice in this contest.
⚓️ @westjet Training Camp: Halifax Wanderers in Seattle 📸 #TogetherFromAways #COYW pic.twitter.com/cc6mNCiNsk
— Halifax Wanderers FC (@HFXWanderersFC) April 5, 2024
Pacific FC vs HFX Wanderers FC Betting Picks
Novibet’s sportsbook has excellent value on the moneyline for the Pacific FC vs. HFX Wanderers match. The Tridents are the favorites at -127 and the Wanderers are +275 underdogs, but we prefer a draw in this game. Betting on a tied game delivers the same odds as a Halifax win. If you’re looking for greater returns, wagering on a 2-2 correct score supplies a $71.25 profit from a $5 bet.
A safer way to wager on correct scores is by covering multiple scorelines. Our sportsbook lets you bet on various outcomes in a single wager. We predict the Tridents will draw against HFX, so betting on 0-0, 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3 is a brilliant option for us. Novibet offers +240 odds for this market, meaning a $10 wager returns $34 if one of the correct scores is accurate.
Pacific has scored the opening goal in three of their last five matches against the Wanderers. We can use Novibet’s live betting features to capitalize on this trend. Waiting until the game has started lets us analyze both teams during the contest. If Pacific looks likely to score the opener, we can place our bet at the perfect moment in the match. These wagers are available pre-game, but waiting until the action begins is best.
This fixture often produces goals late in the game. After halftime, the teams scored at least one goal in four out of their last five meetings. A high-odds wager comes via the over/under goals market this weekend. Betting on over 2.5 goals in the second half is a fantastic way to spend your welcome bonus in this match. When Pacific has faced the Wanderers, the games aren’t usually high-scoring. However, we predict both sides will want to impress in the season opener and expect plenty of goals in the final 45 minutes.
You don’t have to analyze every game to bet on the Canadian Premier League because Novibet offers outright odds for the competition winner. Instead of wagering each weekend, you can select the future champion and make one bet last an entire season. Forge FC is the favorite to win the Premier League, with odds of +165. If you’re a Tridents fan, predicting Pacific to win the CPL returns $100 from a $10 wager. HFX Wanderers is one of the biggest underdogs in the competition, sitting at +2000 on the Novibet sportsbook.
Back in purple 💜
Pacific FC announce the signing of 17 year old centre midfielder, Sami Keshavarz, to a Youth Development Contract ahead of the 2024 CPL season.#ForTheIsle l #RisingTide pic.twitter.com/voGa3zCAhv
— Pacific FC (@Pacificfccpl) April 3, 2024
Pacific FC Team News
Pacific FC has rebuilt its roster in the off-season. Most of their signings are Canadian, but they’ve also recruited three foreign players. Romanian attacking midfielder Andrei Tircoveanu joined Pacific as a free agent. Aly Ndom represents France but has Senegalese roots. The defensive midfielder left Finnish team IFK Mariehamn on a free transfer. Trinidad international Reon Moore provides depth in the center-back position.
However, the Tridents signed plenty of Canadians. Sean Melvin has mainly been a backup goalkeeper in the Canadian Premier League. But he’s joined Pacific on a free transfer, hoping for increased minutes after leaving Atletico Ottawa. 19-year-old prospect Christian Greco-Taylor has plenty of experience in the MLS Next Pro but will need to prove himself in the CPL. Sami Keshavarz is another prospect picked up by Pacific, joining the Tridents on a development contract. Dario Zanatta provides depth to their attacking options, while Toronto FC loanee Jalen Watson searches for game time at left-back.
HFX Wanderers FC Team News
HFX Wanderers have picked up two young Canadians in the off-season. Remi Agunbiade and Camilo Vasconcelos are 18 years old and have dual nationalities with Portugal. The Wanderers also drafted U21 goalkeeper Aiden Rushenas. But the Halifax-based side hasn’t only signed prospects, with Julian Dunn, Vitor Dias, Giorgio Probo, and Ryan Telfer set to make an instant impact. Telfer should provide an added threat to their offense this season, with the veteran winger scoring 13 goals for Canadian Premier League clubs.
