RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Valour FC vs. Vancouver FC (June 4, 2025)

Valour FC marked their first-ever School Day game with a decisive 3-1 victory over Vancouver FC on Wednesday afternoon in Winnipeg.

In front of a club-record crowd of 11,390 at Princess Auto Stadium, many of whom were students from local schools, Kris Twardek, Kelsey Egwu and Jordan Faria all scored for Valour after a dramatic back-and-forth match between the two sides. Emrick Fotsing initially opened the scoring for Vancouver in the 17th minute.

The students were quickly treated to a lively start, as less than a minute into the match, Alejandro Díaz stripped the ball from Raphael Ohin. The Vancouver striker got himself in behind the backline but sent his shot from a dangerous position over the net.

The hosts quickly responded, looking to test Callum Irving -- who appeared to have the sun in his eyes in the midday heat. In the eighth minute, the Vancouver keeper spilled a shot from distance from Bruno Figueiredo, and Twardek got on the rebound but couldn't get the ball on frame.

Irving was forced to make another stop in the 13th minute. On the second phase of a corner kick, the ball dropped to Diogo Ressurreição, who sent in a low volley that was denied.

Vancouver, meanwhile, thought they had opened the scoring in the 15th minute. A Terran Campbell header, however, was just cleared off the line by a great block from Gianfranco Facchineri, before Elias Himaras gathered the loose ball.

They found their goal just a minute later, however. A lovely lofted ball from Vasco Fry found Allan Enyou in the box, who chipped it into the path of the 17-year-old midfielder Fotsing, who acrobatically reached out with his leg to connect with the ball and lift it over Elias Himaras for a stunning opening goal.

It was goals in back-to-back games for Fotsing after scoring his first professional goal just this past weekend against Atlético Ottawa.

The match settled slightly after the goal, with the visitors holding onto the majority of the ball and looking to build on their lead. Valour, meanwhile, found some quality chances in transition, including in the 37th minute when Twardek broke down the right flank. He tried to cut the ball back for Kian Williams, but it was out of reach of the English attacker as a great chance for Valour went begging.

There was one more moment of attacking magic to conclude a thrilling half of football. In the 44th minute, some lovely play down the left flank for Valour saw Williams pick out Themi Antonoglou in the box. The left-back played a dangerous low ball across the box that found its way through to Twardek at the back post, who smashed the ball into the net from a few yards away to tie the game 1-1.

Just before the half-time whistle, however, there was a heated exchange between the two sides. A collision initially between Facchineri and David Norman Jr. saw a scrum of pushing as players from both sides converged. When the dust settled, Facchineri and Kunle Dada-Luke were sent off, reducing both sides to ten men.

Both sides made changes to reorganize at the half, with Valour bringing on Roberto Alarcón, and Vancouver Juan Batista.

The second half started with just as much drama, with the hosts awarded a penalty just five minutes into the half when Matteo Campagna was judged to have brought down Bruno Figueiredo in the box.

Hundal stepped up to the spot, but his low effort lacked power, and was rather comfortably stopped by Irving.

He had another excellent opportunity when Twardek found him at the back post in the 55th minute, but couldn't get a foot on the ball as Valour wasted a pair of excellent chances to take the lead.

As the match reached the hour mark, the tempo appeared to slow down slightly, as both sides took a cautious approach down a man.

Valour, however, were the side who went searching hardest for the winner. In the 73rd minute, a corner from Bruno Figueiredo dropped to Egwu at the back past, who was able to get the last touch and poke the ball into the empty net to give Valour a 2-1 lead.

The hosts all but put the match to bed in the 82nd minute. Substitute Faria outmuscled Enyou into the box and cut inside before burying a low shot from a tight angle to put Valour up 3-1.

Substitute Henri Godbout, who was lively after coming on in the 69th minute, had a great chance to get Vancouver back in the game in the 89th minute but sent his low shot just wide of the target.

With the win, Valour leapt the Eagles in the table, with the Vancouver side now at the bottom of the standings. The Winnipeg side are now undefeated in their past five matches at home in all competitions.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Valour FC: Himaras; Fernandez, Facchineri, Egwu, Antonoglou; Ohin (Mlah 90+3'), Figueiredo; Twardek (Venâncio 89'), Ressurreição (Alarcón 46'), Williams (Faria 64'); Hundal (Morgan 64')

Vancouver FC: Irving; Dada-Luke, Campagna (Powell 78'), Enyou, Gee; Fotsing, Norman Jr., Fry (Essoussi 84'); Díaz (Batista 46'), Campbell (Navaro 86'), Ndiaye (Godbout 69')

Goals

17' -- Emrick Fotsing (Vancouver FC)
44' -- Kris Twardek (Valour FC)
73' -- Kelsey Egwu (Valour FC)
82' -- Jordan Faria (Valour FC)

Discipline

37' -- Yellow: Raphael Ohin (Valour FC)
45+6' -- Red: Kunle Dada-Luke (Vancouver FC)
45+6' -- Red: Gianfranco Facchineri (Valour FC)
45+6' -- Yellow: David Norman Jr. (Vancouver FC)
63' -- Yellow: Emrick Fotsing (Vancouver FC)
70' -- Yellow: Bruno Figueiredo (Valour FC)