✍️ Baltej Bining
Greetings, fellow Vancouver soccer fans! As another week goes by, we fans were able to witness all four professional Vancouver soccer teams take to the field, a first in 2026. All 4 games were packed with drama, with plenty of goals scored.
This is Vancouver Weekly!
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
It was bumping on Saturday night as the Vancouver Whitecaps closed out their month-long homestand with a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids.
Cheikh Sabaly opened the scoring, while Brian White netted a brace, with Rafael Navarro pulling one back for the visitors.
While Andrés Cubas saw his clean sheet run end at 644 minutes, the Paraguayan picked up his first goal contribution of 2026 with a perfectly threaded pass to set up White’s first of the night.
It was also a match where the Whitecaps could have had far more, finishing with an xG of 3.79 and missing seven big chances, three of which fell to White.
Despite the win, sharpening their finishing will be key as a difficult stretch looms in May, with five straight away matches on the horizon.
Up next is a trip to California, where they will face the Los Angeles Galaxy, with kickoff set for 7:30 pm PT / 10:30 pm ET.
Vancouver FC
It has gotten a bit better for the Eagles.
Sunday afternoon saw Vancouver FC hit the road for the first time in the 2026 Canadian Premier League season, taking on reigning champions Atlético Ottawa.
Mohamed Amissi scored Vancouver’s first goal of 2026, finishing off an electric counterattack that came moments after Callum Irving denied Santiago López from the penalty spot.
It looked like Martin Nash’s side would take all three points, but Emiliano Garcia struck in the seventh minute of ten minutes of stoppage time to level the match.
The 1-1 result at TD Place gives both sides their first draws of the season, though for Vancouver, it feels more like two points dropped than one gained.
They have not been as poor as the standings suggest, but a win is needed soon if they are to push for a first-ever CPL playoff appearance.
Next up is the BC derby, as Vancouver FC travel to Vancouver Island to face Pacific FC, with both teams chasing their first win of the season. Kickoff is set for 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
It was an intriguing afternoon for the Whitecaps’ MLS NEXT Pro side on Sunday.
They faced Colorado Rapids 2 at Swangard Stadium, with a starting eleven that featured seven first-team players. Isaac Boehmer, Mihail Gherasimencov, Nikola Djordjevic, Liam Mackenzie and Rayan Elloumi all started again for Rich Fagan, while Sam Adekugbe and Ranko Veselinović were included as they continue their returns from long-term injuries, with Veselinović wearing the captain’s armband.
The high press paid off early as Carson Rassak delivered a cross that was controlled and calmly finished by Rayan Elloumi for the opener. It marked Rassak’s fourth assist of the season, all coming in his last three matches.
Colorado found their way back in the 30th minute after a costly giveaway from Boehmer allowed Mamadou Billo Diop to equalize.
Adekugbe and Veselinović were both withdrawn at halftime after sharp returns to action.
With nothing separating the sides after 90 minutes, the match went to penalties, where WFC2 secured the extra point. Boehmer made the decisive save on Colorado’s fifth attempt to seal the shootout win.
Next up is a trip to Los Angeles to face LAFC2 at Rawlinson Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:00 pm PT / 10:00 pm ET.
Vancouver Rise
After a long offseason, the Northern Super League returned with a rematch that headlined the league’s opening week.
Vancouver Rise narrowly fell short as AFC Toronto claimed three points in a thrilling 3-2 win at Swangard Stadium.
Camila Reyes and Latifah Abdu scored the first two goals for the hosts, while Zoe Burns, Sarah Stratigakis and Esther Okoronkwo found the net for the visiting Toronto side.
Despite the frustrating result, there was a positive moment for the Rise as 16-year-old Lacey Kindel made her professional debut, becoming the youngest player to appear in an NSL match.
In front of a sold-out crowd, the home side put up a strong fight but were edged by a Toronto team that showed its quality throughout.
The Rise continue their season on Saturday with a trip east to face the Montréal Roses at Stade Boréale, with kickoff set for 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET.
That’s the end of the third edition of Vancouver Weekly, and next week is shaping up to be a big one for Vancouver soccer on the pitch.
As always, thanks for taking the time to read Vancouver Weekly. See you next week, Vancouverites!
