Late winner stuns Cambridge on Canada Soccer Night
June 12, 2026
CAMBRIDGE, ON – Cambridge United (M) suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Friday night, falling 1-0 to regional rivals Waterloo United at home. A stoppage-time match-winner broke a tense, physical deadlock to deny Cambridge a share of the points.
The match served as Cambridge United's first special event of the season, fans wearing red for Canada Soccer Night to celebrate the opener of the Men’s World Cup on Canadian soil. The club offered free entry to all fans who brought food donations for the Waterloo Region Food Bank, creating an electric, community-centered atmosphere. Title sponsors Costco and Dominos were on hand to engage with the crowd alongside dedicated halftime activities and entertainment.
On the pitch, both squads engaged in an incredibly cagey defensive battle where space was heavily restricted. While Cambridge leaned on significant squad rotations and tactical shifts in the second half while they searched for the game’s opening goal, it was Waterloo who seized the first and only goal of the night to capture the three points.
TEAM
Cambridge United Starting XI: Findlay, Grant, Ferraro (Alvarado 66’), Amaral (E. Antolcic 46’), Elezi (Nibogora 66’), Kohar, Heimbecker, Medeiros (Shaikh 46’), Brousseau, Romano (Ciavarro 46’), Dell (Lesic 46’).
Unused Subs: Jovicic, Paton, D'Souza.
First Half
Both sides came out with defensive discipline, neutralizing each other's attacking threats early on the Fountain Street turf. Cambridge found early offensive pressure within the first five, but struggled to capitalize as the game shifted to a game of back-and-forth in the midfield.
Neither side managed to find a breakthrough before the halftime whistle, sending the teams into the locker rooms level at 0-0 as the community fans enjoyed the halftime entertainment.
Second Half
Looking to inject energy into the lineup, Cambridge Head Coach Jon Morgan brought in Matthew Ciavarro, Marko Lesic, Adam Shaikh, and Evan Antolcic to replace Romano, Dell, Medeiros, and Amaral.
The physical intensity of the derby quickly ramped up as the game remained deadlocked. In the 55th minute, Cambridge's Saab Kohar received the game's first yellow card from the referee.
Morgan continued to utilize his bench to push for a winner, introducing Ricardo Alvarado for Ferraro and Ank Nibogora for Elezi in the 66th minute. As the match wound down into the final fifteen minutes, tensions flared further, resulting in a yellow card for Cambridge’s Calum Heimbecker in the 75th minute.
Just when a scoreless draw seemed completely certain, Waterloo's Ali Ahmad found a pocket of space inside the area and slotted home the match-winner in the 93rd minute, sealing a difficult result for Cambridge on a night where the community turned out in full force.