RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Vancouver FC vs. Pacific FC | August 10, 2025

For the first time in 2025, Pacific FC have won consecutive games, as they defeated rivals Vancouver FC 3-2 at Willoughby Community Park on Sunday.

Much like the last Salish Sea Derby, which finished as a 4-4 draw, both teams combined for another entertaining match in this game, with the only difference being that this one yielded a winner.

It's a crucial victory for Pacific, too, as it puts them within seven points of the fifth and final playoff spot - on the other side, Vancouver now sits 14 points adrift of that fifth spot down in eighth place, giving an idea of why this match was so crucial for both teams, one that neither could afford to drop any points in.

Returning to the match, the visitors had a good chance early as Christian Greco-Taylor found Josh Heard with a nice cutback, but his shot would deflect harmlessly into the waiting hands of Vancouver's goalkeeper, Callum Irving.

After that, however, the game would slow down, as both teams settled into a rhythm. As a result, the next big chance didn't come until the 33rd minute, shortly after the first water break of the match.

There, it'd come at the feet of Vancouver, and they'd make the most of the opportunity. After a hopeful cross into the box from Vasco Fry, Pacific would fail to clear it, and Hugo Mbongue did well to pick up that loose ball and cross it to a wide-open Thierno Bah, who slotted home from close range to make it 1-0.

Wanting to respond with an equalizer before the end of the first half, Pacific had a good chance in the first minute of stoppage time, as Kadin Chung fired a dangerous left-footed shot from the edge of the box, but Irving did well to anticipate the chance, catching it with ease.

That pressure would pay off for Pacific, though, as they found that equalizer right before the break. After a set-piece, Vancouver's David Norman Jr. was judged to have fouled Eric Lajeunesse, giving Pacific a penalty, one that Alejandro Díaz easily slotted home in his first game back against his old club.

Pacific would find a way to keep that momentum going after the break, too. Just moments into the second half, Dario Zanatta made a dangerous run down the left-hand side and squared the ball to Heard, who did well to adjust his feet and glance the ball into the bottom corner to put his team up 2-1.

That lead wouldn't last long, however. Immediately following that goal, Bah made a great run down the right-hand side and crossed the ball towards Pathé Ndiaye, and he slotted the ball into the goal to tie the game up at 2-2.

To Pacific's credit, they'd do well to regain their lead not long after that, though. Once again, Zanatta would play provider, too, as he'd whip in a perfect cross from the left side, finding a wide-open Díaz, who slotted home with a cool finish to make it 3-2 with his 41st ever CPL goal, which also pushed him ahead of Vancouver's Terran Campbell for first place on the league's all-time list in the process.

Continuing a back-and-forth start to the second half, Vancouver had a glorious chance in the 65th minute, as Vasco Fry managed to sneak behind Pacific's defence for a partial breakaway, but his low shot would be kicked away by Pacific's goalkeeper, Sean Melvin.

From there, the game settled down a bit, but Vancouver then had a great chance in the 87th minute, as Nicolás Mezquida snuck behind Pacific's defence and fired a low shot, one that deflected just past the near post. Then, nearly immediately after, Mezquida had another great chance, as he turned and fired a volley following a nice flick from Terran Campbell, but his shot would be nicely saved by Melvin.

Then, Vancouver had an even better chance in the sixth minute of stoppage time, as Fry fired a dangerous low shot from the edge of the box, but Melvin would just get a hand to it, securing the victory for his team one of the last kicks of the game.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Vancouver FC: Irving; Gee (Dada Luke 64'), Campagna, O'Connor, Enyou; Bah, Fry, Norman Jr. (Cavalcante 64'), Herdman (Campbell 70'); Ndiaye (Mezquida 64'), Mbongue

Pacific FC: Melvin; Tugwell, Ndom, Lajeunesse; Chung, Browning Lagerfeldt, Daniels (Young 76'), Greco-Taylor; Heard (Bustos 70'), Díaz, Zanatta (Toualy 76')

Goals

33' — Thierno Bah (Vancouver FC)

45+4' — Alejandro Díaz (Pacific FC) (Penalty)

46' — Josh Heard (Pacific FC)

49' — Pathé Ndiaye (Vancouver FC)

60' — Alejandro Díaz (Pacific FC)

Discipline

56' — Yellow: David Norman Jr. (Vancouver FC)

69' — Yellow: Lukas Browning Lagerfeldt (Pacific FC)