Whitecaps advance to Canadian final

Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0 Forge FC (Whitecaps advance 6-2 on aggregate)

VANCOUVER, BC–The quest for a fourth successive Voyageurs Cup for Vancouver Whitecaps has reached the final as they dismissed Forge FC of Hamilton 4-0 on the night and 6-2 on aggregate. The Whitecaps will await the winner of the tie between Atletico Ottawa and Vancouver FC with the latter holding a 3-1 aggregate advantage. The second leg is on Thursday (7pm ET, OneSoccer) in Ottawa.

Alex Achinioty-Johnson had the best chance for Forge in the second minute, but was denied by a reflex save from Issac Boehmer. It would be all Whitecaps going forward.

In the seventh minute, Tristan Blackmon would head in a corner from Sebastian Berhalter to give the Whitecaps the lead on the night and on aggregate. A second goal for the Whitecaps would come in the 29th minute as JC Ngando would score from just outside the area beating Jassem Koleiat far post.

Any chances of Forge FC coming back in the tie were effectively extinguished four minutes into the second half after Berhalter scored from the penalty spot after Belal Halbouni was dragged down in the area on a corner kick. Jayden Nelson would close the scoring five minutes from time off a cross from Rayan Elloumi.

The Whitecaps return to league action on Saturday when the travel to Sporting Kansas City (5:30pm PT, Apple TV). Forge, who currently lead the CPL table, are away to second-place Ottawa on Sunday (2pm ET, OneSoccer).

Photos by Gerrit te Hennepe