Vancouver FC’s playoff hopes were ended Friday night, when they fell 5-2 to Valour FC at Willoughby Community Park.
With six games remaining in the regular season, VFC now sit 21 points adrift of the final playoff spot.
Vancouver opened the scoring inside the opening minute. Hugo Mbongue worked the ball down the left and picked out Terran Campbell, who curled a tidy finish into the top corner to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Vancouver nearly doubled their advantage shortly after the equalizer, with Thierno Bah, Paris Gee, and Aidan O’Connor all coming close in quick succession. Mbongue then had a golden 2v1 opportunity with Campbell in the 33rd minute but chose to shoot, sending the ball directly at Valour’s goalkeeper Emil Gazdov. That missed chance proved costly, as Valour struck just before half-time to take the lead.
In the second half, Vancouver were forced to chase the game as Valour extended their advantage, but the home side did manage a response. Mbongue got on the end of a through ball from Jay Herdman in the 65th minute to make it 4-2. Moments later, David Norman Jr. and Bah each came close to narrowing the gap further, while Nicolás Mezquida forced Gazdov into a strong save from a free kick.
Vancouver couldn't score another, and Valour added a late fifth to seal the win.
Afterwards, interim VFC head coach Martin Nash said the team is "working hard" but making poor decisions.
"It's a concentration thing," Nash commented.
"We keep conceding in those those moments which should be the easiest moments not to concede [allowing] silly goals that are easily preventable."
"We've been creating a ton of opportunities [but] we’re making rash decisions in those moments and not reading the game."
While the defeat mathematically ended VFC’s postseason hopes, the team has several games remaining on their schedule.
Up next, VFC travel to the island to play Pacific Saturday Sept. 13, Then they return to 黑马磁力 to host York United on Sunday Sept. 21 at 3 p.m.
