✍️ Baltej Bining

Hello everybody! I hope you are doing well as we continue through May, with not long left until a home World Cup! Vancouver soccer did have some moments this week, ranging from a hard-fought point on the road to a cup win against a local side.

This is Vancouver Weekly!

Vancouver Whitecaps

The Vancouver Whitecaps continue to avoid defeat, playing to a 1-1 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes, with Sebastian Berhalter’s 76th-minute strike cancelling out Preston Judd’s early opener.

It was the eighth goal scored by the Whitecaps in the final 15 minutes of regulation time in 2026. In past seasons, the club earned the nickname “Cardiac ’Caps” because of its late-game heroics.

It was also a match where, despite dominating possession with an impressive 71%, the Whitecaps did not create enough clear-cut chances. That contrasts with many of their previous matches this season, where they created plenty of opportunities but struggled to finish them consistently. The lack of chances on Saturday was largely due to San Jose’s defensive approach, which became even more compact after Judd opened the scoring just four minutes in.

It was also the third straight match in which defender Ranko Veselinović was an unused substitute. Despite the central defender telling the media that he is fully fit and capable of playing 60 minutes, Jesper Sørensen has yet to hand the Serbian any minutes. Much of that comes down to game state, as Vancouver’s past two matches required them to chase an equalizer, making attacking substitutions a more logical option than introducing another defender.

That could change this upcoming week, as the Whitecaps face a Wednesday night clash with FC Dallas before taking on the Houston Dynamo on Saturday. Both opponents will provide a strong test for this Vancouver side. Kickoff for both matches is set for 5:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. CT on their respective dates.

Vancouver FC

Of Vancouver’s four professional soccer clubs, it was the Eagles who picked up a win this past week, defeating Langley United 2-0, with Tom Field and Nicolás Mezquida finding the net in the second half.

Vancouver FC now appears to have truly arrived in 2026, earning back-to-back wins after opening the season with five consecutive defeats and a draw.

Martin Nash’s side will face a difficult challenge in the Canadian Championship quarterfinals in July, where they are set to take on MLS side CF Montréal, who defeated the Calgary Blizzard 5-0 in their preliminary-round matchup.

For now, though, the focus shifts back to the CPL season, where the Eagles will look to climb the table in another tough test against Cavalry FC on Sunday at Willoughby Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. MT.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2

Before the first team took on San Jose, WFC2 faced the Earthquakes' second team at Negoesco Stadium in San Francisco, but it was a day to forget for Rich Fagan’s side.

After technical difficulties prevented the match from being viewed for nearly 10 minutes, San Jose had already raced into a 2-0 lead through goals from Zachary Bohane and Shane De Flores in the opening eight minutes. Daniel Ittycheria then won a penalty for WFC2, but Francesco Montali denied first-team player Liam Mackenzie.

Edwyn Mendoza made it 3-0 on the half-hour mark, before WFC2 midfielder Cristiano Bruletti was forced off injured five minutes later and replaced by Yeider Zuluaga. In the second half, Tomo Allen and Julian Donnery added the fourth and fifth goals for San Jose to pile on the misery.

Tyler Brown pulled one back with his first professional goal following Donnery’s strike, but San Jose restored its five-goal advantage seven minutes later through Shane De Flores.

It was a harsh 6-1 defeat for WFC2, as the club’s two-match road trip came to an end. Now, a two-match homestand begins, starting on Sunday against Tacoma Defiance at Swangard Stadium, with kickoff set for 4:00 p.m. PT.

Vancouver Rise

After a brutal 4-0 loss to the Montréal Roses, the Vancouver Rise suffered another heavy defeat, this time falling to the Ottawa Rapid on Wednesday.

Kayla Adamek opened the scoring before DB Pridham struck twice to make it 3-0 before halftime, while Sadie Waite added a fourth in the second half to deepen the misery in what was already a poor performance.

Jaylyn Wright missed the match through injury, which led to Tori Tumeth making her first start for the Vancouver Rise, while Latifah Abdu returned to the lineup after missing last week’s match. Kennedy Faulknor also made her season debut after missing several matches due to a concussion suffered last September.

Anja Heiner-Møller’s side will need to find answers quickly, as they now prepare to face a Halifax Tides team that failed to beat them last year but looks rejuvenated in 2026 compared to the Rise, setting up an intriguing matchup for both fans and neutrals.

The match will take place on Monday afternoon at Wanderers Grounds, with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ADT.

That’s it for Vancouver Weekly, as the Vancouver sides once again finished with a 1-1-2 record this week, with Vancouver FC once again being the only club to pick up a win.

Hopefully, that changes next week, with the Whitecaps set to face two different opponents in Texas.

Thanks, as always, for reading, and we’ll see you next week, Vancouverites!