Wanderers head into World Cup break on the heels of perhaps their best half of the season

No, they didn't best Forge FC. Nor did they earn an important road point. But both head coach Vanni Sartini and veteran defender Kareem Sow agreed that the Halifax Wanderers put in a worthy performance on Wednesday, delivering perhaps their best half of football in the 2026 season.

There's no question that Sartini's side has been dealt some harsh blows through the first quarter of the campaign. Their naïveté, be it in individual decisions on the pitch or in player selection, showed in a draw versus Pacific FC they should've won and a double-header against Forge they most decidedly deserved to lose. There's been growing pains given their new head coach, not to mention the addition of 12 new players, many of whom had never played a professional football match.

However, despite the loss, there were signs on Wednesday that the Wanderers are beginning to row in the same direction. On paper, it wasn't their strongest line up, with players like Marcus Godinho, Andre Rampersad, Ryan Telfer, Cyprian Kachwele and Thomas Meilleur-Giguère unavailable due to a mixture of suspension, international call-ups and injury.

But they proved more than a match for head coach Bobby Smyrniotis' Hammers, playing a second half which saw them control the ball (57 per cent possession) and threaten on net (10 shots to Forge's six). The fact that young players like Francesco Troisi, Lucas Olguin, Finn Linder and Miguel Arilla played such important roles shows that, through the slings and arrows, the Wanderers are finding their way.

You only have to go watch the tape from their Canadian Championship match — a 4-0 slaughter, also at Hamilton Stadium — to know how far they've come playing against the CPL's perennial champions.

"Man, it's hard not to compare but if we compare (Wednesday) to our last game we came here, what a massive, massive, massive improvement by the team," Sow told reporters post-match.

"Completely different line up but everybody that came in gave everything they had, followed the principles, followed the game plan.

“What a second half as well. I’ve been with the Wanderers since 2021 and I can’t remember the last time we came to Forge and had a dominant second half in the way we had. Super proud of the team in that respect but disappointed, obviously, not to have gotten a goal out of it, especially in the second half where we had a few half chances and a few real chances."

The Wanderers certainly had their opportunities. Trailing 1-0, Jason Bahamboula delivered a perfect pass to Isaiah Johnston in the 73rd minute, setting him up in the box. However, Halifax's leading scorer wasn't able to get all of the ball, shanking it into the waiting arms of Forge's 'keeper.

Later, with only a handful of minutes left, Lorenzo Callegari sent in a deceptive free kick, going for goal instead of crossing it in, and would've claimed glory if not for the crossbar, which he rattled. But as has been the case all season, the Wanderers ultimately couldn't score when it mattered.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't take courage from a strong performance, with Sow stressing the club needs to take their showing forward later in the month following their World Cup break.

"I know we lost but I call it a high because I felt like that second half performance was one of our best performances of the season," he said. "It could be a blessing that we get to go see our families, we get to relax and everything but we need to make sure to keep that same energy and determination when we come back."

Asked about the squad's strengths and weaknesses, Sow explained there's been progression, with players like Troisi and Tavio Ciccarelli performing when called upon.

"Of course, we're a very young team, we're a team with a few players that never really had any pro experience in the past so it was hard to get started and doing a couple, let's say, inexperienced mistakes, especially the last time we came (to Forge). I talk about it, I remember the two goals we had taken in the first half, one was a fantastic goal by (Tristan) Borges but the other was more of an inexperienced goal we took," he said.

"I think we've been seeing fewer and fewer of those mistakes due to our lack of experience, so that's a good thing."

And the Wanderers will need their young players to continue progressing given their ambitions to make the playoffs. It's not just about depth, either. They need Troisi, for example, to push veterans like Godinho, who hasn't had the impact many envisioned when he signed. Competition is good for all parties.

A rising tide, they say, lifts all boats.

The Wanderers, of course, will be hoping their lift from Wednesday will help carry them to their next match on June 26 versus Pacific. It's a match they need to win. Or else they threaten to be lost to the tide and swallowed into the depths of the league table.

Editor's Note: This article is part of our free coverage.

Further reading:

Wanderers 1 Vancouver FC 0: Tavio Ciccarelli’s heroics, a sputtering offence and looming tests

Vancouver FC head coach Martin Nash was furious. After a strong away match, which saw the Eagles best the Wanderers in almost every offensive category besides the one that decided the day, his squad had again conceded at the death. The disappointment was written on the faces of his players;

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Why Kareem Sow’s first career goal — and rise to prominence — is a testament to club and player

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For club and for country: Andre Rampersad on his evolving role with Trinidad and Tobago

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Cover Photo Credit: Nick Iwanyshyn / Canadian Premier League