Vancouver FC has had one hand on the playoffs from the onset of the 2024 Canadian Premier League (CPL) season. Although briefly falling just outside the cutoff for a few weeks, the club always stayed within just a few points of striking distance for when the time was right to reclaim the fifth and final playoff spot.
The time came this past weekend when VFC secured a point against Halifax Wanderers FC in a gritty 1-1 draw where Vancouver was down a man for over 50 minutes of play. A valiant team effort to do whatever it takes to bring home a point was backstopped by two specific performances by goalkeeper Callum Irving and defender David Norman who have both earned a spot on the CPL’s Team of the Week (TOTW) for Matchweek 26.
Irving was brilliant. The veteran goalkeeper put on an absolute masterclass in grit, determination, and doing whatever he could to keep the ball out of the back of the net for the Eagles. Not only did he personally do his job while standing on his head, the captain of VFC led the team from the back to fight off Halifax’s extra man for nearly 50 minutes.
The native of Vancouver lit up the stat sheets, most notably tying a League record for the most saves in a single match with 11 which was set by former Valour FC and current CF Montréal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois in 2021. Subsequently, Irving’s 11 saves on Saturday did set the new franchise record for most saves in a single match, completely demolishing Irving’s previously held VFC record of seven which he set on Sept. 14, 2024 against Pacific FC. Irving continues to lead the CPL in saves, now racking up 91 stops this season which is 15 more than the next goalkeeper Jonathan Viscosi of Valour.
In Saturday’s match, Irving set the team high in final third entries with 15 and total passes with 35, demonstrating his leadership and guidance from between the sticks. The 31-year-old keeper earned Performance of the Match on the weekend for the third time in 2024 and now has been named to the Best XI for the fourth time – second in as many weeks – this season which is the most among VFC players so far this year.
Norman, 26, earned his second start in as many games in Saturday’s match against Halifax, working with Rocco Romeo in front of Irving to establish a solid backline. The native of Coquitlam, BC, led the squad in interceptions with three and had the best passing accuracy of anyone on VFC at 87.5%, completing 21 of his 24 passes.
Norman also registered 6 clearances, only two less than fellow centre-back Romeo, and successfully won a tackle. Today’s nomination to the CPL’s Best XI for Matchweek 26 is Norman’s first League recognition of 2024.
The Eagles are back above the playoff line and in action at home on Sunday, Oct. 13. Fans don’t want to miss the final regular season home game of 2024 at Willoughby Park for VFC’s Fan Appreciation match against Valour FC. Tickets to the 2 p.m. match are still available online here.
