RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Valour FC vs. Halifax Wanderers (April 25, 2025)

The Halifax Wanderers spoiled Valour FC's 2025 home opener at the death, as Vitor Dias scored a 90th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory.

With seven points collected on the road this season, Halifax have already surpassed their total from 2024.

A cagey opening 20 minutes saw both sides trade spells of possession, but struggle to turn that into anything of substance in the final third.

Valour started to find more and more joy as the half progressed, particularly down the right side, where Twardek found space and attempted a stunning eight crosses in the opening half. The right-winger also had the match's first attempt on target in the 36th minute -- a low strike from the top of the box denied by Rayane Yesli.

The hosts mostly controlled the rest of the half, probing the Wanderers' backline with some good build-up play, but failed to find any sort of breakthrough in the final third. At the stroke of half-time, the ref blew his whistle and the two sides headed back to their respective rooms tied 0-0.

Less than a minute into the second half, Valour continued their attack. Bruno Figueiredo won a free kick at the top left corner of the box, and then curled in a brilliant strike that forced a strong hand from Yesli to tip the ball over the bar.

A familiar face to Valour fans nearly haunted them in the 51st minute, when Sean Rea brilliantly took a ball down outside the Valour box, beat a few players into the middle and then sent a curling strike that forced a good save from Jonathan Viscosi.

Twardek had another half chance a few moments later, as a cross from the left flank dropped to him in the box but he wasn't quite set and the ball bounced harmlessly off his thigh and into the hands of Yesli.

The hosts looked like they had a potential penalty shout in the 59th minute when Xavi Venâncio looked to be brought down in the box, but instead the Portuguese midfielder was given a yellow card for simulation.

On the front foot midway through the second half, Halifax flexed their depth, making a triple substitution in the 66th minute as they injected some strong attacking reinforcement-- with Tiago Coimbra, Dias and Yohan Baï all joining the fray.

The new energy injected by that group quickly created opportunities for Halifax, who won the ball back in dangerous areas on a few occasions in the final third to launch attacks. In the 77th minute, the ball fell to Baï in the box who sent a powerful strike straight at Viscosi.

Coimbra then came close a minute later after a clever slipped ball in the box from Dias, but his sliding effort was just wide of the right post.

With the match ticking into the final minutes, Valour began to fly forward down the flanks. Substitute Safwane Mlah instantly added a threat in attack and nearly found a winner on a header in the 85th minute, but couldn't keep his effort down.

But it was the visitors who always looked more likely, and in the 90th minute, they found their breakthrough. Dias picked up the ball in the middle of the park, played it to Coimbra who returned it to him with a lovely flick, and struck the ball past Viscosi to send the Wanderers bench into rapturous celebrations.

The Wanderers remain undefeated in 2025, while Valour lose their home opener for the first time since their inaugural home match back in 2019.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Valour FC: Viscosi; Fernandez, Romeo, Facchineri, Antonoglou; Figueiredo, Ohin (Mlah 81'); Twardek (Layne 82'), Venâncio (Morgan 69'), Faria; Hundal (Ressurreição 75')

Halifax Wanderers: Yesli; Pearlman, Meilleur-Giguère, Sow; Bahamboula (Baï 66'), Johnston, Callegari (Rampersad 90+2'), Timoteo; Probo (Biello 83'), Rea (Dias 66'), Telfer (Coimbra 66')

Goals

90′ — Vitor Dias (Halifax Wanderers)

Discipline

23′ — Yellow: Raphael Ohin (Valour FC)
59' -- Yellow: Xavi Venâncio (Valour FC)
71' -- Yellow: Yohan Baï (Halifax Wanderers)
87' -- Yellow: Vitor Dias (Halifax Wanderers)