As far as inaugural years go, Vancouver FC has checked off most of the club’s historic milestones in 2023. The club played its first match on Apr. 15, 2023, scored the first franchise goal and claimed the club’s first victory on Apr. 22, 2023, hosted the first home game on May 7, 2023 and participated in plenty more matches to remember.
However, VFC hasn’t limited itself to historic moments in just the first year. Most recently and in the last match against Cavalry FC, who the Eagles will be hosting this Friday, July 26, Vancouver was part of yet another milestone moment by hosting the maiden Canadian Premier League (CPL) ‘On Tour’ Series in Kelowna, B.C.
In what is positioned to be an annual, cross-county event, Vancouver and Cavalry were the first clubs to embark on this journey of bringing professional soccer to neutral-venues. The match was still considered VFC’s home game which included raising a CPL-level venue from the ground up – a feat that those at Vancouver have recent practice of succeeding in. Through a unified effort from every reaches of the club, with the support of the League and Cavalry, Kelowna’s Apple Bowl rather quickly resembled a professional stadium fit to host fans of soccer and sports.
The match featured an intense back-and-forth battle on the pitch, but off the pitch there were multiple sights to enjoy. There were food trucks, a VIP tent, exclusive merchandise available for the historic match, and family-fun activities scattered around the stadium. The record-breaking attendance of 6,281 enthusiastic fans was the most that the Apple Bowl had ever seen at a single event in the stadium’s 40+ years.
As the game began with rain trickling down on the grass pitch, Vancouver had early chances to test Cavalry’s Marco Carducci from both Thomas Powell, Alejandro ‘Wero’ Díaz, and Mikaël Cantave who was hungry to get a goal off his former team. Just before halftime, Díaz looked like he’d break the deadlock with an open look at the net that sailed just high after Moses Dyer challenged Carducci and won the ball from the goalkeeper. However, the first half would close out all tied up at zero.
The second featured Cavalry’s first really threatening chance from a free kick just outside the box but it was sent over the net and safely out of bounds. The highlight of the match came in the 57th minute with arguably the save of the season from Callum Irving. Cavalry had quickly counter-attacked after a VFC chance which opened up the field for a CAV cross into the box.
The ball found Lleyton Brooks unchecked in Vancouver’s box and headed the ball towards the net that looked dangerous. However, Irving was tracking the attacker and clutched the ball, rolling backwards to the goal but was able to stay on the right side of the line and keep the match squared up nil-nil.
That is the way the match would ultimately come to a close with both sides stealing a point in the historic first CPL ‘On Tour’ game. Now, Vancouver has a chance to make history once again by potentially of earning the franchises’ first victory against Cavalry on Friday, July 26. The Friday night under the lights match will kick off at 7 p.m. PT at Willoughby Park and tickets can be purchased online here.
