The book has officially closed on Vancouver FC’s second season in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). As with any story, the Eagles’s 2024 season was filled with drama, intrigue, celebration, pivotal moments, heroes and villains (especially for VFC’s Marvel Superhero™ Night on Sept. 6), all making for a captivating eight months.
Although VFC would fall short of their goal of achieving a first playoff berth in club history, there were plenty of historic moments and exciting memories that everyone can look back and celebrate. Here are Vancouver’s top four moments in 2024 in chronological order:
April 14, 2024 vs. Valour FC – Homecoming at Vancouver’s home opener
Talk about starting your season with a bang! Vancouver’s 2024 home opener was special for countless reasons, both on a personal level for many of the players and for the team as a whole. April 14th was the homecoming for veteran B.C.-born players who had spent their entire careers playing away from their hometown including midfielder Ben Fisk, and defenders David Norman and Paris Gee.
After going down a goal in the first 25 minutes, VFC had a tenaciousness and grit to buckle down and get it back which hadn’t really been seen in the 2023 season. Well, not only did the squad get a goal back, the Eagles registered four goals in the game which set a franchise record for the most goals scored by VFC in a single match.
To make the moment even sweeter, Gee and Norman both scored their first goal for Vancouver with Gee also registering an assist in the match in front of over 100 collective friends and family of the two defenders.
May 18, 2024 @ Forge FC – Olympico for the win at Tim Hortons Field
Forge is notoriously one of the top teams in the CPL, as evident in winning the 2024 regular season title and appearing in their sixth consecutive CPL final, so games against them are always difficult ones. On this occasion, Vancouver went into Tim Hortons Field having yet to earn all three points in Hamilton and were looking to get back in the win column.
That determination was evident from kick-off with defender Rocco Romeo scoring his second goal for the Eagles just three minutes into the match, which set a new franchise record for the fastest VFC goal scored. Although Forge came back with pressure, including a sequence of three shot attempts in a 10-second span, VFC’s back line steeled down to keep them off the board.
The defining moment in the match was a goal from midfielder Vasco Fry directly off a corner, scoring an Olympico. It wasn’t the first Olympico at Tim Hortons Field but it was the first in Vancouver’s history as the ball sailed from the corner hitting the back post, knocking off the front post and finding the back of the net. That marker was pivotal because it became the eventual game-winner after Forge got one back in the second half to earn Vancouver’s first victory at Tim Hortons Field in club history.
This angle of Vasco Fry's Olimpico 😮💨
What a beauty 😍 #CanPL | 📺: @OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/xLRfLChWik
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) May 20, 2024
August 11, 2024 vs. Pacific FC – Fifth Derby win in a row
Derbies are a special type of match in the soccer world, taking the idea of rivalry to a new height. As the lone two B.C.-based teams in the CPL, the Salish Sea Derby against VFC and Pacific has blossomed into some of the most exciting matches on the calendar.
What began back in 2023 as an underdog story with Pacific taking the first two-ever victories, quickly switched in the latter half of the year with Vancouver splitting the series and earning wins in the last two matches. With a split slate coming into 2024, both rivals were looking to kick off the Derby with dominance and it was VFC who came out on top.
The first two Derbies of 2024 were claimed by the Eagles with both matches having a score of 2-1. On a roll and having already set a franchise record for the most consecutive matches won against a fellow-CPL club, Vancouver was looking to see if they can maintain their lead in the season series.
The intense match carried back and forth with tensions running high and chances aplenty. It was finally VFC’s Golden Boot winner Alejandro ‘Wero’ Díaz who broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute. It would be the only goal scored in the game and was enough for Vancouver to secure the fifth consecutive victory against Pacific to extend the franchise record.
October 5, 2024 @ Halifax Wanderers FC – Callum Irving records double digit saves
In the home stretch of 2024, Vancouver was facing must-win situations in nearly every match to maintain the possibility of heading into postseason action. It was consistent team efforts but on this particular day in Halifax, it was the Callum Irving show.
The veteran goalkeeper and captain was leading his team by example as the Eagles went down to only ten men in the first half. Díaz did score a penalty goal for VFC to take the lead but it was non-stop pressure from the Wanderers that Irving continued to face with ice in his veins. Irving ultimately faced 11 shots in the match which set a new VFC record for the most saves in a single match. It also tied a CPL record in that same category which was set back in 2021 by former-Valour FC keeper Jonathan Sirois.
One of the best @CPLsoccer Goalkeeping performances of all time from @CallumIrving 😱🧤
Watch his best saves from a record breaking performance last Saturday against HFX Wanderers that earned him CPL player of the Week! 👀
🎥: @onesoccer #VancouverFC #CanPL #WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/wnCdUEwh1y
— Vancouver FC (@vanfootballclub) October 9, 2024
The match on October 5 was a capstone to an incredible season for Irving, closing out 2024 with a total of 95 saves in CPL regular season play which set a new League record in that category. Irving’s efforts earned the keeper Vancouver FC’s Most Valuable Player Award and a nomination for the CPL’s Golden Glove award.
Honourable Mention – June 16, 2024 vs. Cavalry FC – CPL ‘On Tour’ in Kelowna
A massive project for Vancouver in the 2024 season was assisting the CPL in the inaugural ‘On Tour’ series in Kelowna, B.C. The neutral-site match itself was one to remember at Kelowna’s Apple Bowl which featured a 0-0 draw in front of a record-setting crowd of 6,281. However, the community initiatives that led up to the match were also memorable in helping to grow the game across this province and country.
