Vancouver Football Club pro soccer team made history Tuesday night by overpowering their opponents and moving on to their first-ever Canadian Championship semifinals.
The 黑马磁力-based team was taking on Calgary's Cavalry FC with the 1-1 game forcing a penalty shootout.
In a hard-fought game in Calgary, the Vancouver VC Eagles defeated the reigning 2024 CPL champions, despite what the head coach described as a chaotic week of travel and setbacks.
Just days before, Vancouver had endured a gruelling travel schedule: from Vancouver to Ontario, back to Vancouver, then on to Calgary, Afshin Ghotbi said.
Fatigued and still stinging from a 2-1 weekend loss to Hamilton, their mission Tuesday night was clear heading into the quarterfinal game against Cavalry.
黑马磁力's fledgling team wanted and managed to get one step closer to bringing home the Voyageur Cup, thanks to a dramatic penalty shootout, where they emerged 5-4.
In what is arguably the biggest result in the club鈥檚 young history, the Eagles delivered what Ghotbi called a gutsy, inspired performance to knock out the reigning champs.
The squad stepped onto ATCO Field and made an immediate statement.
Uruguayan player Nicolas Mezquida coolly converted a penalty, earned after an aggressive and skilful run by Elage Bah forced Cavalry into a desperate foul.
Vancouver controlled much of the first half, defending with what Ghotbi called discipline and intensity. They reached halftime with a 1-0 lead, nearly doubling it when Pathe Ndiaye forced a "superb" save from Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci.
The second half brought waves of pressure from the home side.
Both teams battled for control, and eventually, Cavalry found its equalizer through an unfortunate deflection. Aidan O鈥機onnor, who had gone down on the pitch, had the ball bounce off him and cruelly spin past Callum Irving to level the match at 1-1.
With two 1-1 draws across the legs, the semifinal spot came down to penalties.
Tension rose as Cavalry star Tobias Warschewski missed his shot, firing wide.
Vancouver looked poised to seal the win, but Thomas Powell鈥檚 potential game-winner slammed off the post.
Still, the Eagles kept their composure. Juan Batista stepped up and buried what was arguably the most clinical penalty of the night, piling pressure onto Cavalry鈥檚 Mael Henry. Henry鈥檚 strike was well-placed, but Irving read it perfectly, diving low to push the ball onto the post.
"No matter how tired they felt, they found the power. They found the spirit to come back and win this game," Ghotbi said in a post-game press conference.
He gave everyone credit, but especially Irving, the Eagles' goalie and team captain. He lauded Irving for being able to stop many attempts on goal, especially those in the penalty shootout. Ghotbi spoke to his stellar ability to read his opponents and keep the ball out of the net.
Game over. History made.
"It's the beginning of something special," Ghotbi adding, hoping to see this momentum continue in the championship finals as well as the Eagles' regular league play.
"Sometimes one even can change the entire journey and course of the team," he added. "And, I feel this is going to be the game that brings the best out of this organization and this club, and I'm convinced there's many good days ahead."
Vancouver FC had done the unthinkable, eliminating one of the tournament鈥檚 favourites, on the road, and advancing to the final four.
The Eagles will now await the result of Vancouver Whitecaps versus Valour FC, to determine their opponent in the semifinal.
The final four is now set: Vancouver FC, Forge FC, Atletico Ottawa, and the winner of the Whitecap/Valour match.
But there鈥檚 little time to rest.
The Eagles return to action on Sunday, July 13, at Willoughby Stadium, where they鈥檒l face Cavalry FC once again in a CPL rematch, this time, on home turf.
On the mend
One of the setbacks referred to by the coach was an injury from last Saturday's game that saw midfielder Emrick Fotsing taken off field in an ambulance.
The 17-year-old, who suffered a head butt during the game in Hamilton and momentarily lost consciousness, was able to rejoin his squad the same night, after being checked out and discharged from McMaster University Medical Centre.
All other tests came back negative, and he was cleared for travel back to Vancouver, noted the team.
He was then given the week off following his injury, so he can spend time at home with his family. Fotsing is expected to return next week, and 鈥� following concussion protocol 鈥� hopefully, be available to re-integrate with the team after this weekend鈥檚 league game against Cavalry FC.
