Wanderers set for must-win match versus Vancouver FC to keep playoff hopes alive

Once more unto the breach, dear friends.

Like King Henry V's army besieging the French port town of Harfleur in 1415, the Halifax Wanderers are mustering their strength for a match on Friday that will decide the fate of their campaign.

It's not the first time the Wanderers find themselves in a must-win scenario these past few weeks, having salvaged precious points versus Forge FC and Cavalry FC to keep their playoff hopes alive.

But, as head coach Vanni Sartini told media in the hours leading up to the tilt, the club has a challenge on their hands to best a very organized and disciplined Vancouver FC side hungry to make the playoffs for the first time in club history.

With six points separating the Wanderers from the final playoff position, which Vancouver FC currently occupies, anything other than a win spells the end of their tenuous playoff dreams.

Sartini highlighted he likes how the Wanderers have performed the last quarter of the season.

“If you look at our last five games, we have two wins, two ties against the two top teams in the league, and a loss against Ottawa, where we didn’t deserve to lose, we actually we’re the best team the entire game,” he said.

“I want (to continue) this process, this trend we started, I want to say, in June, after a very hard starting two months that were really, really, hard. The quality of our game wasn’t there, we were adapting new players, new coaches and everything.”

One point to note is that the Wanderers have gotten results versus the Eagles this season despite being outplayed at times: they head into Friday's match having won all three contests in 2026.

“I think if we play like we’ve played the last few games, or we play the same way we played the last time we beat them — we won 1-0 but the result should have been even bigger — I think we have a chance to get away with three points," said Sartini.

The Italian gaffer, however, did acknowledge Vancouver FC's quality, tipping his cap to fellow head coach Martin Nash.

“When a team makes a lot of draws, it means they are a very organized team, most of the time, because maybe they don’t have the punch to win. Vancouver is a very organized team. It’s not a team that kills you with their press, kills you with a high rhythm, but it’s one of the most organized," he said.

The Wanderers will also be without any of their most important players as midfield star Lorenzo Callegari is sidelined due to yellow card accumulation. He is listed as being suspended through Canada Soccer's disciplinary matters.

It remains to be seen who will be available to make Sartini's starting XI; Isaiah Johnston, Halifax's leading scorer this year, went off early versus Cavalry with an injury.

FC Supra are also vying to topple Vancouver FC on the table and face Inter Toronto FC, with Sartini adding he'll be cheering for a Toronto team for the first time in his life.

“We know in our league, any result is possible, even if Toronto is out. We can hope for that. But the only thing we can do is just play well tonight," he said.

The Wanderers kickoff at Willoughby Stadium in Langley at 11:00 p.m. AST on Friday.

Photo Credit:  Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz / Vancouver FC