A four-game drought came to a crashing halt for the Cavalry at the Kickoff.
Striker Anthony Novak and winger Ali Musse notched their first goals with the club on either side of the half as Cavalry FC dispatched the HFX Wanderers 2-1 on July 17 to bust a four-game winless run at the Canadian Premier League's Kickoff at Winnipeg's IG Field.
"It was a case of just when it comes, it comes," said Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. "We were going into our seventh game, they were going into their sixth so it was important we scored first and gave ourselves a bit of insurance because you knew they would have that extra bit of energy coming into that next wave.
"Other than giving up that goal there just through our own play, we managed the game pretty well and that was what was pleasing. Because once this side gets clicking and scoring goals, we saw Novak is off his mark, Musse scoring a goal, now there will be a little bit of swagger back."
Novak tallied his first goal with the Cavalry in first-half stoppage time after a smoothly executed counter orchestrated on a through-ball from Ahinga Selemani.
Just seven minutes after the break another new addition found the back of the net for the first time with the club.
The left-footed Musse found space in the box and had his right-footed strike deflect off a HFX defender into the back of the net.
The Wanderers struck late to cut the lead in half as Samuel Salter found space down the left wing and was able to fire a shot far post past Cavs goalkeeper Tyson Farago, who stopped four of five shots on target.
"It was a good team performance," Novak told media post-game after being named man of the match. "To be honest, I don't think it's me that deserves to be here. We have a lot of legs that put in a really good effort today and a really good shift to make sure that we got those three points.
"Fortunate to get the goal and happy about it, but it's a product of the team performance."
Earlier in the week, the Cavs secured a goalless draw with York United in what was their fourth-straight match without finding the back of the net despite 11 shots and a 59 per cent edge in possession.
At 3-2-2, the Cavalry sit fourth in the CPL standings, four points off top of the table Valour FC.
"This has always been a challenge for everybody," Novak added. "We've seen some of the results that have come before, a lot of teams you would think would be in different positions are not where they thought they would be. We're one of those teams, but we're planning on coming back.
"It's all about small victories to get something big, we're going to keep working and try to compound these results."
The Cavalry close out the schedule at Winnipeg's Kickoff on July 23 against Forge FC, looking to avenge a 2-0 loss in the first clash of the season earlier this month.
The return to Spruce Meadows' ATCO Field is on Aug. 3 as the Cavs battle FC Edmonton for the first Al-Classico of the 2021 campaign.
For more information go to cavalryfc.canpl.ca.
