B.C.’s two professional soccer clubs will face off for the first time on Thursday night in Langford, B.C., as Pacific FC takes on the Vancouver Whitecaps in what supporters promise will be a “fierce” occasion.
The ‘Caps have been the province’s biggest soccer club, in various iterations, for nearly 40 years, while Pacific FC, known to its fans as the Tridents, has only been in existence for three years as a founding member of the Canadian Premier League.
But tonight’s clash at the Starlight Stadium will see the Tridents looking to upset the major league Whitecaps in a preliminary round of the Canadian Championship.
Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Gauld, centre, celebrates scoring the game-winning goal in the 89th minute against Los Angeles FC at Vancouver’s first home game in more than a year on Aug. 21, 2021. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)
Vancouver last won the championship in 2015, while Pacific did not end up progressing beyond the preliminary round in its only previous appearance in 2019.
“Unarguably, this is the biggest game in Pacific FC history. It’s a game that everyone has been waiting for since the announcement of the club,” said Mike Geldreich, the president of the Pacific FC supporters’ group Lakeside Buoys, on CBC’s The Early Edition.
Pacific currently sits atop the Canadian Premier League at the halfway point of the season, but the Whitecaps, currently on the longest unbeaten streak in team history, go into the match with momentum.
Their first home match in 539 days on Saturday saw them beat Los Angeles FC at B.C. Place after an 89th minute winner from newly-acquired midfielder Ryan Gauld.
“We have to go for it. The Whitecaps coaching and the club wants to win this tournament and be the Canadian champion,” said Peter Czimmermann, secretary of the Vancouver Southsiders, the Whitecaps’ biggest supporters’ club.
Potential for an upset
Czimmermann says he is cautious ahead of the match, the first local soccer contest of its kind in years in the province, and the first away match ‘Caps fans can attend in a year and a half.
“We know we are a better team. We should be winning this game. But as you know, it’s soccer … [it] has its ups and downs and unexpected results,” he told Stephen Quinn, the host of CBC’s The Early Edition.
Geldreich anticipates a raucous atmosphere at the Starlight, as the Tridents host their first Canadian Championship match in nearly two years.
Pacific FC players embrace with striker Alejandro Díaz. The Tridents say they’re looking forward to their ‘biggest’ game ever against Vancouver on Thursday night, their first Canadian Championship contest in two years. (2021 CPL)
“I’ve been in contact with members of the Southsiders in order to help create this hopefully unforgettable atmosphere today,” he said.
“That’s the hope — is that anyone who isn’t in the stadium regrets not being able to come over and see it.”
Seats have been sold out at the stadium ahead of the match, with fans expected to be masked in line with provincial guidelines.
The winner of the contest will face Cavalry FC of the CPL in the following round. The Calgary-based club was responsible for eliminating both Pacific FC and the Whitecaps in the 2019 edition of the championship.
The cup competition is fought among Canadian teams from MLS, CPL, and the winners of the Ontario and Quebec soccer leagues. Winners go on to represent Canada at the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions League.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
