Whitecaps Win Third Straight Canadian Championship

Vancouver Whitecaps 0-0 Toronto FC (Vancouver wins 4-2 on penalties)

VANCOUVER, BC–The seven-time runners up of the Canadian Championship are now three-time defending champions. Vancouver Whitecaps now their third successive Canadian Championship (fourth overall) on penalties over Toronto FC following a 0-0 draw on Wednesday night. With the trophy goes a berth in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Toronto FC, looking for a ninth title overall, were in the ascendancy early with the first few opportunities, but inaccuracy and keeper Issac Boehmer stood in the way, the latter with an early save in the first minute. Toronto were then presented a golden opportunity in the 37th minute when Richie Lareya was taken down in the box drawing a penalty. Federico Bernardeschi stepped up to take the spot kick, but Boehmer stepped up to make the save.

A couple more chances came for TFC early in the second half, Lorenzo Insigne missed just wide and then Boehmer denied Lareya. Boehmer would deny Bernardschi a second time in the 87th minute. In the end, it would go to a penalty shootout.

Both teams made their first kick. Stuart Armstrong would have his spot kick saved by Sean Johnson, but Matty Longstaff’s kick would go off the crossbar and over it. After Sebastian Berhalter scored, Kosi Thompson would be denied by Boehmer. Both teams made their fourth kick, but the Whitecaps had a chance to win the Voyageurs’ Cup with their next kick, and that’s what Bjorn Inge Utvik did.

Both teams now look to consolidate playoff spots on Saturday. Vancouver, seventh in the West with an outside shot at the top four, host Portland in a Cascadia Cup Derby (7:30pm PT, Apple TV). Toronto FC, eighth in the East, travel to Bridgeview to take on Chicago Fire (8:30pm ET, Apple TV).

For more of Gerrit te Hennepe’s photos from the night at BC Place, please click on the link to his gallery.