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Back-to-back champs: Vancouver Whitecaps crowned Canadian champions again

Rob Williams
Rob Williams
|
Jun 8 2023, 6:24 am
Back-to-back champs: Vancouver Whitecaps crowned Canadian champions again
Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Vancouver Whitecaps have been crowned champions of Canada for a second straight year.

The Whitecaps lifted the Voyageurs Cup in front of a season-high crowd of 20,072 fans at BC Place, following a 2-1 win over CF Montreal on Wednesday night. The win also qualifies Vancouver for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup competition.

Whitecaps striker Brian White scored the opening goal of the match in the 57th minute, following a long ball by Julian Gressel that gave Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois trouble. Ryan Gauld scored the game-winning goal nine minutes later with a perfectly-placed penalty, after he was taken down in the box.

Sunusi Ibrahim scored Montreal’s only goal of the match in the 83rd minute.

Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka needed to make a sensational save late to preserve the victory for Vancouver.

Gressel was named most valuable player, while Ali Ahmed won the best young Canadian player award.

This is just the third time that Vancouver has won the Canadian Championship since the inaugural competition in 2008. The Whitecaps also won in 2015 and 2022.

“We’re over the moon for the happiness of winning the trophy again, it’s the first time that it’s happened [back-to-back] to this club,” said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini. “I’m very happy for everyone, for the players, for all the people that work here, all the fans. I told them before the game, I’m proud to work with them and to share this journey with them.”

Sartini kept his shirt on this year, but that didn’t mean he was any less enthusiastic about the victory. The loveable Italian manager was jumping fist pumping with Whitecaps supporters after the match.

“We love them, we love to celebrate with them, that we love when they help us and when we are in trouble,” he said about the fans.

History of Canadian Championship winners

  • 2023 : Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  • 2022 : Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  • 2021 : CF MontrĂ©al
  • 2020 (2022) : Toronto FC
  • 2019 : MontrĂ©al Impact
  • 2018 : Toronto FC
  • 2017 : Toronto FC
  • 2016 : Toronto FC
  • 2015 : Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  • 2014 : MontrĂ©al Impact
  • 2013 : MontrĂ©al Impact
  • 2012 : Toronto FC
  • 2011 : Toronto FC
  • 2010 : Toronto FC
  • 2009 : Toronto FC
  • 2008 : MontrĂ©al Impact
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