On Wednesday night, Vancouver Whitecaps FC accomplished what they couldn’t a year ago: win in the preliminary round of the Canadian Championship over a Canadian Premier League team.
Vancouver beat CPL side Valour FC, 2-0, behind first-half goals from Russell Teibert and Ryan Raposo across a three-minute span, with goalkeeper Cody Cropper only forced into two saves at BC Place.
This CanChamp juncture is notable because, in 2021, Vancouver lost 4-3 to CPL side Pacific FC and dismissed former head coach Marc Dos Santos the next day. Current head coach Vanni Sartini was subsequently appointed on an interim basis.
Vancouver advance to the quarterfinals against Cavalry FC, with a road match set for May 25. MLS’s two other Canadian clubs, CF Montréal and Toronto FC, also enter the national cup tournament at that stage.
Aside from hoisting the Voyageurs Cup, the CanChamp’s winner gets an automatic berth in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League. Vancouver last won the competition in 2015.
Goals
- 19' - VAN - Russell Teibert
- 22' - VAN - Ryan Raposo
