RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Vancouver FC vs. Valour FC | July 25, 2025

Valour have snapped a five-game losing streak in CPL play, as they defeated Vancouver FC 3-1 at Willoughby Community Park on Friday.

Despite the debut of Vancouver's new interim head coach, Martin Nash, Valour did well to grind out a victory, one that pushes them three points clear of eighth-place Vancouver, who they also carry a game-in-hand on.

It didn't take long for Valour to find the back of the net, as Kianz Froese got on the end of a probing long ball from Myles Morgan in the third minute, doing well to wiggle his way into a shooting position before slotting home from close range to put his team up 1-0.

Froese almost found his second goal of the game just minutes later, as he had a great look from inside the box after a ninth-minute cutback from Kris Tawrdek, but he sent his shot right at Vancouver goalkeeper Callum Irving.

After weathering that slew of Valour chances, however, Vancouver did well to respond and came close to an equalizer in the 13th minute. There, Kunle Dada-Luke did well to make a bursting run up the pitch, finding Thierno Bah with a great pass in the box, but Bah was unable to convert a 1v1 opportunity with Valour goalkeeper Jonathan Viscosi, who threw him off from shooting at just the right time.

Then, just moments later, Bah had another good chance on a 1v1, and he did much better with that opportunity, firing a strong left-footed shot that Viscosi did well to punch away from goal.

Continuing a strong sequence, Bah was at the middle of another dangerous opportunity in the 20th minute, as he almost slotted in from close range but had his shot blocked, before Vasco Fry slashed the rebound wide of the mark.

Eventually, Bah's persistence paid off, as he found his team's opening goal to make it 1-1 in the 29th minute. This time, it came from a header, too, as he did well to meet a perfect Kunle Dada-Luke cross with his head, guiding the ball into the back of the net with precision for the goal.

Vancouver almost found the lead in the 34th minute, as Thomas Powell managed to fashion the space for a tight-angle shot, and he nearly snuck his attempt past Viscosi, hitting the wrong side of the post on the play.

Finally able to respond with a chance of their own, Valour did well to craft a dangerous opportunity in the 36th minute, as Bruno Figueiredo just curled a shot over the goal from outside of the box after a nice counter-attack from his side.

Soon after, though, the early wave of Vancouver chances continued, as Dada-Luke found Bah with another great cross, but Bah would be unable to bundle his attempt over the line, hitting the post on the play.

Valour did respond with a big chance in the 42nd minute, as Kris Twardek found Morgan with a great cutback, but Morgan didn't sort his feet out in time for his shot, slicing the ball well wide of the mark.

Following the break, the Vancouver pressure continued early, as Powell had a great look at goal from the edge of the box after a corner, but Morgan did well to throw his body in front of the shot to deflect it out.

Morgan almost followed up his nice defensive play with a bit of offensive magic in the 54th minute, as he fired a shot from distance, just sending his attempt over the crossbar. Then, Froese had a shot from distance in the 59th minute, catching all of a curling attempt from the edge of the box, forcing a good save out of Irving.

Valour's early pressure eventually turned into a goal in the 66th minute, as Gianfranco Facchineri got on the end of a dangerous corner, bundling the ball just over the line to put his team up again.

That goal proved to be a big one for Valour, as their confidence quickly ballooned. As a result, they then made it 3-1 in the 73rd minute, as Themi Antonoglou found Twardek with a nice cross, and Twardek did the rest with an emphatic finish on a half-volley.

Vancouver almost cut the deficit to one on one of the last kicks of the game, as Aidan O'Connor rose highest to a nice cross from Michel Da Silva, but his header was nicely saved by Viscosi.

From there, Valour did well to finish the game without any other trouble, as they kept things tight at the back to secure a crucial road victory.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Vancouver FC: Irving; Dada-Luke, Campagna, O'Connor, Enyou; Powell (Godbout 72'), Essoussi (Da Silva 72'), Fry (Ouattara 87'), Gee (Campbell 68'); Mbongue, Bah

Valour FC: Viscosi; Fernandez, Facchineri, Egwu, Antonoglou; Figueiredo (Pop 88'), Mlah; Twardek (Romeo 88'), Froese (Venâncio 77'), Morgan (Voytsekhovskyy 77'); Layne (Alarcón 58')

Goals

3' -- Kianz Froese (Valour FC)

29' -- Thierno Bah (Vancouver FC)

66' -- Gianfranco Facchineri (Valour FC)

73' -- Kris Twardek (Valour FC)

Discipline

9' — Yellow: Gianfranco Facchineri (Valour FC)

22' — Yellow: Safwane Mlah (Valour FC)

43' — Yellow: Themi Antonoglou (Valour FC)

51' — Yellow: Allan Enyou (Vancouver FC)

71' — Yellow: Kris Twardek (Valour FC)

80' — Yellow: Jonathan Viscosi (Valour FC)