RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Vancouver FC soars past rivals Pacific on PKs to reach CanChamp QFs for first time

For the first time ever, Vancouver FC have advanced in the Canadian Championship, as they defeated Salish Sea Derby rivals Pacific FC 4-2 on penalties (1-1 in regular time) in a preliminary round clash at Starlight Stadium on Tuesday.

After having previously failed to score in each of their previous ventures into this competition, falling 1-0 to York United in the 2023 preliminary round and 1-0 to Cavalry FC in the 2024 preliminary round, this was a long time coming for Vancouver, who opened the scoring in the first half before Pacific responded with a second half equalizer.

Despite giving up their lead, however, they regrouped nicely for the shootout, in which goalkeeper Callum Irving emerged as the hero, making two key saves, which set up David Norman Jr. to score the winning goal for Vancouver in the fifth round.

Naturally, as expected, this was a feisty clash, much as was the case when they did battle in league play at the end of April. In particular, both teams did well to clog up central areas and to defend their respective boxes, as quality chances were hard to come by.

Because of that, it made it hard to find quality chances within the match, which is reflected in the statistics, as Pacific finished with just 0.4 xG on eight shots - Vancouver themselves had just 1.02 xG from eight shots of their own, with one of them being a penalty.

Despite that, both had several chances to win within regular time, but in the end, a penalty shootout proved to be a fitting conclusion, as it was a fair reflection of how well both teams defended during the 90 minutes of play.

Returning to the match, Lukas Browning Lagerfeldt nearly opened the scoring for Pacific in the 14th minute, as he fired a shot from long range after settling a pass from Marco Bustos, but his shot curled just past the post. Then, a few minutes later, Bustos had a great chance of his own, as he got open for a shot in the box after a nice backheel pass from Aidan Daniels, but his shot would be easily saved by Vancouver's Callum Irving.

At the other end, Vancouver had their first good opportunity of the game in the 21st minute. After a great cross from Terran Campbell, Alejandro Díaz rose highest to meet it, with his goalbound header only finding itself denied by a fantastic block from Pacific's Aly Ndom.

Soon after, Vancouver would find a breakthrough in the 34th minute.

Following a dangerous cross into the box from Vasco Fry, Eric Lajeunesse fouled Terran Campbell right as he met the ball, leading to a penalty. From there, Díaz stepped up to take, and he'd make no mistake with his finish, slotting the ball to the left of Pacific's goalkeeper, Max Anchor, who had stepped the wrong way before Díaz's shot.

On the other side of half time, Pacific would do well to respond to going down a goal, as they injected new life into the game after making a triple substitution at half time. They wouldn't have to wait long to find an equalizer, either - after Mattias Vales won a free kick at the edge of the box in the 50th minute, Aly Ndom stepped up to take it, sneaking a low shot through Vancouver's wall and into the bottom corner to make it 1-1.

Eager to regain their lead, Vancouver had another great chance in the 67th minute, and it came from Díaz yet again. Continuing a strong performance, he got on the end of a perfect ball into the box from David Norman Jr., and he caught it well in the header, only finding himself denied by a flying stop from Anchor.

Wanting to end the game before it reached penalties, Pacific almost found a 92nd-minute winner, as the ball fell to Kadin Chung in the box, but he flashed his half-volley just wide of the goal.

Other than that, however, there'd be no other late chances, leaving this game to go to penalties. Something that Vancouver had never done, and Pacific had done in each of their past three Canadian Championship campaigns, it marked a fittingly dramatic conclusion to a tightly-contested match.

There, however, Vancouver's inexperience didn't show up - they coolly converted four of their five penalties, including the winner from David Norman Jr., whereas Pacific had two of their four stopped, with Marco Bustos and Emmanuel Montejano finding themselves denied by Irving with their respective attempts, allowing the visitors to snatch a result and move onto the next round.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Pacific FC: Anchor; Chung, Quintana (Machado 7'), Ndom, Lajeunesse; Keshavarz, Browning Lagerfeldt, Schiavoni (Vales 46'); Bustos, Daniels (Kratt 46' (Montejano 66')), Zanatta (Heard 46')

Vancouver FC: Irving; Dada-Luke, O'Connor, Norman Jr., Bah; Fotsing (Powell 88'), Fry, Essoussi (Campagna 55'); Campbell (Ndiaye 55'), Díaz, Batista (Mezquida 55')

Goals

34' -- Alejandro Díaz (Vancouver FC) (Penalty)

50' -- Aly Ndom (Pacific FC)

Penalty Shootout

Round 1:

Vancouver FC: Alejandro Díaz — GOAL

Pacific FC: Marco Bustos — MISS

Round 2:

Vancouver FC: Nicolás Mezquida — GOAL

Pacific FC: Aly Ndom — GOAL

Round 3:

Vancouver FC: Vasco Fry — MISS

Pacific FC: Sami Keshavarz — GOAL

Round 4:

Vancouver FC: Aidan O'Connor — GOAL

Pacific FC: Emmanuel Montejano — MISS

Round 5:

Vancouver FC: David Norman Jr. — GOAL

Pacific FC: N/A

Discipline

33' -- Yellow: Eric Lajeunesse (Pacific FC)

53' -- Yellow: Alejandro Díaz (Vancouver FC)

62' -- Yellow: David Norman Jr. (Vancouver FC)

66' -- Yellow: Mattias Vales (Pacific FC)

74' -- Yellow: Max Anchor (Pacific FC)

84' -- Yellow: Kunle Dada-Luke (Vancouver FC)

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Callum Irving, Vancouver FC

He wasn't kept as busy as he's used to being in regular time, making just one save in 90 minutes, but Irving was quite busy in the penalty shootout, saving two of four Pacific penalties to help his team advance to the quarter-finals.

What’s next?

Vancouver have advanced to the quarter-finals of the Canadian Championship, where they'll face Cavalry FC in a two-legged aggregate series that will kick off the week of May 20th, with Vancouver hosting the first leg and Cavalry the second leg.

Meanwhile, in Canadian Premier League action, Pacific will remain at home this weekend, as they get set to host York United at Starlight Stadium on Saturday, May 10th (5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET). As for Vancouver, they'll be back in action on Saturday, May 17th, when they host the Halifax Wanderers at Willoughby Community Park (5:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. AT).

Watch all 2025 TELUS Canadian Championship and CPL matches live on OneSoccer. In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.