The Vancouver Whitecaps are a Canadian dynasty.
The Canadian Championship winners delivered a professional performance, defeating Vancouver FC by a score of 4-2 at BC Place.
“It feels great,” Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen said after the match. “It’s a big feat for the club, and it’s going down in history now.”
The match-up was one where they were expected to dominate. And they got started early.
Ali Ahmed opened the scoring in the fourth minute. The Canadian winger latched onto Thomas Müller’s cross, receiving the ball at the edge of the 18-yard box. A quick feint around his defender and he unleashed a low, hard shot in by the far post.
Not five minutes later, Ahmed was brought down in the 18-yard box, drawing the immediate penalty. This time, Müller stepped up, giving the Whitecaps the two-goal lead in the 10th minute.
It was Müller’s 300th goal for club and country in his career.
“I saw a very aggressive, well-playing, very confident [team],” Sørensen said of the first 10 minutes. “I think it’s very important that when we play a game like this, you have to use all the minutes you have to try and be better…and I think we showed that from the start.”
Vancouver FC capitalized on a poor turnover by the home side in midfield. Former Whitecap Nicolás Mezquida played an excellent pass into the path of Thierno Bah. Bah used his strength to get in front of Belal Halbouni and powered in the first shot for VFC in the 35th minute.
But the Whitecaps were not about to let VFC into the game. Only a minute later, Ahmed got his brace as Sebastian Berhalter crossed the ball from a deep right position. VFC goalkeeper Callum Irving attempted to intercept but missed, giving Ahmed the easy tap-in.
The Whitecaps continued their dominance into the second half in terms of possession, but VFC found a shape that enabled them to withstand the enduring pressure.
A break was finally found when Ryan Gauld took to the pitch in the 78th minute. Five minutes later, he was back on the scoresheet.
The captain played a smart one-two with Jayden Nelson as he made space inside the 18-yard box. Irving was able to get a glove on the shot, but it was not enough to keep it out of the net.
It was a fitting return for a player fans have been waiting on for close to seven months.
Mezquida added a second for VFC in the 85th minute, but it was merely a consolation.
The Whitecaps, from the first whistle, were clear favourites and played to their inevitable fourth Canadian Championship and Voyageurs Cup.
“We can talk about a lot of stuff, that we should win a game like that against Vancouver FC and of course, we were huge favourites, but it’s never easy,” Sørensen said.
Whitecaps solidify position as Canadian dynasty
The fourth Canadian Championship in a row has only been achieved once before; Toronto FC won the tournament from 2009 to 2012. However, the Whitecaps are the only club to do the four-peat under the current format that includes the CPL (and clubs from the League1 Canada setup since 2023).
The win also returns the ‘Caps to next season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup. Earlier this season, the club made the final of this continental competition, losing out to Mexican club Cruz Azul.
There is still a chance that Vancouver FC can gain entry to that tournament. If the Whitecaps finish in the top four of the MLS Supporters’ Shield race, they can get entry that way. It would mean their awarded berth from the Canadian Championship win would move to VFC.
The return of the Gauld-father
Gauld returned to the lineup after close to seven months away with a knee injury, which he suffered on March 8.
He played around 15 minutes and had a goal for his efforts.
“I was really a great moment to see him score, but for me, it was great for the supporters when he came on the pitch because it’s been such a tough year for Ryan,” Sørensen said.
The injury was a difficult one for the club to manage as the timeline for recovery kept being moved.
“Ever since he came, he has lifted the level of the team and also helped the club get to where it is now. So, I’m just so happy for him and the supporters because he really deserves to be celebrated.”
Individual awards
Best Young Canadian Player: Jayden Nelson
George Gross Memorial Trophy: Ali Ahmed
Up next
The Whitecaps head right back into MLS action this weekend with a match on Sunday, October 5, against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Kickoff is at 3 p.m.
