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A couple of Daan Klomp headers just missed the target, too.

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But then — finally — Musse got his head on a perfect cross in from deep on the right side by Harry Paton in the 75th minute to beat Boehmer for the game’s first goal.

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“We wanted to put on a performance for the fans,” Wheeldon said. “We had an impossible task, but if we’d have scored that chance in the first minute or maybe we score on another couple of the breakaways, we make it a bit different.

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“But the lads played to the last second, and I think our fans see that. And all we’ve ever asked for is nobody regrets it if you give everything you have.

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“And I think they do that.”

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Cavalry FC’s Tobias Warchewsi battles through the Whitecaps’ Mathias Laborda on Monday. Photo by Jim Wells /Postmedia

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Indeed, they did prove dynamic — once again — against Whitecaps, a Major League Soccer powerhouse and the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup runner-up.

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“In the last couple of years, we’ve had a couple matchups against them that have always been very tight games,” Klomp said. “We kind of gave it away last Wednesday (with the 4-1 loss in Burnaby, B.C.), and that’s what everybody’s been kind of pissed off with, to be honest. And the only thing that we had to do (Monday) was respond. A lot of people said it wasn’t possible, but I think (Cavalry goalie) Nathan (Ingham) stood on his head a couple of times, and if we scored those early chances — myself included — I think that miracle was very close to being possible.”

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The miracle was spoiled in part by another storyline on the night.

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Calgary’s Mihail Gherasimencov returned to ATCO Field a season after being on loan from Whitecaps to Cavalry, and the substitute wired a beautiful goal past Ingham to equalize in the 86th minute and ensure the advance of the visitors to the Can Champ semifinal round.

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“All my emotions were positive,” said Gherasimencov, a former star with Calgary Blizzard SC. “Because all my family, all my close friends were here. So they were all here watching me play. And when I score a goal, I’m showing like my love for them, as well.

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“Happy to score my first goal for Whitecaps FC first team against Calgary,” continued the 21-year-old. “But at the same time, not really (happy), because I have a lot of respect for Calgary.

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“That’s my like hometown. That’s like my home team.”

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It’s the hometown of fellow Whitecaps defender Sam Adekugbe, as well.

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But even though the 31-year-old veteran was seen warming up with other potential subs to enter the match in the second half, Whitecaps gaffer Jesper Sørensen went instead with Gherasimencov — in part because Adekugbe, a Canadian headliner in the 2022 World Cup, is still recovering from an Achilles injury that’s sidelined him for more than a year.

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Adekugbe’s absence from the pitch and an epic victory by Cavalry were the only superlatives missing from what was otherwise an unquestionably successful setting.

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To boot, it was a timely one, too, given the much-celebrated World Cup — co-hosted, of course, by Canada — has reached its penultimate moment.

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“Absolutely, because we talk about the ripple effect, right?” Wheeldon said. “We built this (Canadian Premier League) prior to the World Cup, knowing that the ripple effect will come on, and I just think that we’re in a really good position to keep inspiring fans.

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“So if there’s a kid there that sees big Daan Klomp and says, ‘Oh, I want to be like him,’ or sees Tomas Müller and says, ‘I gotta watch him,’ like these are the memories we’re creating. So, hopefully, we’ve inspired the next generation.

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“And … yeah … the night would be a success.”

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An exhausted Cavalry’s Ali Musse lies on the ground at the final whistle during Canadian Championship soccer action between Cavalry FC and Vancouver Whitecaps on ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alta on Monday, July 13, 2026. Jim Wells/Postmedia Photo by Jim Wells /Postmedia

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