Some 240 days since they last stepped onto the pitch at Princess Auto Stadium, Valour were victorious in their 2024 home opener, 2-0 over Vancouver FC.
A brace from Jordan Swibel handed Valour their second victory of the season, and third straight game without a loss.
After waiting over a month and a half into the season for their first home match, Valour were made to wait a little bit longer. The start of Sunday’s match was delayed two hours due to inclement weather in Winnipeg.
On the newly renovated pitch at Princess Auto Stadium, the Winnipeg side instantly went to work when the match did finally start, however, using their width to create a number of half chances. Just over two minutes into the game, Diogo Ressurreição picked out Abdul Binate in the box, but the Valour striker sent his header wide.
Vancouver FC weathered their second storm of the day, before creating their first significant chance in the 21st minute. Alejandro Díaz played Mikaël Cantave in behind, but his shot was well saved by Jonathan Viscosi. The Vancouver striker then nearly scored himself, hitting the woodwork on a lovely half-volley just a moment later.
The hosts, however, took advantage of a slip from David Norman on the slick surface at Princess Auto Stadium in the 38th minute. Swibel broke in behind, and after his initial shot was stopped by Callum Irving, he slammed home a second effort. It was the second time the Australian opened the scoring against Vancouver in the clubs’ two meetings in 2024.
Valour nearly doubled their lead seconds into the second half as Binate got himself behind the Vancouver backline, but Renan Garcia did just enough to prevent the striker from getting a solid touch on the ball to take it past Irving.
Just three minutes later, however, Swibel and Valour added a second. Ressurreição played a lovely ball down the channel, giving the Australian striker the chance to go one-on-one with Irving. Swibel calmly chipped the keeper for his second of the match, and fourth of the season to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
Vancouver FC looked to get themselves back into the match and came close on a free kick opportunity in the 77th minute. Gabriel Bitar’s brilliant delivery into the box found the head of Renan Garcia, but Viscosi made an excellent point-blank save to deny the Vancouver veteran.
Swibel had a look at the hat trick from a late free kick in stoppage time, but sent his free-kick wide of the right post. Viscosi then made another brilliant stop on substitute Elage Bah with a diving low save.
Despite the loss, Vancouver FC will remain in second place in the table to finish the week, with the head-to-head tiebreaker against Forge FC — who also have 13 points. It ends a run of three straight matches heading into Sunday without a loss for VFC.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Valour FC: Viscosi; Alarcón, Mourdoukoutas, Chantzopoulos (Facchineri 81′), Antonoglou; Sánchez, Campbell (Sukunda 90′); Binate, Ressurreição (Verhoeven 60′), Hundal (Ohin 81′); Swibel
Vancouver FC: Irving; Gee, Norman (Cameron 66′), Enyou, Chung; Garcia (Kibato 88′), Fry; Cantave (Bah 80′), Navarro (Fisk 66′), Bitar (McDonnell 88′); Díaz
Goals
38′ — Jordan Swibel (Valour FC)
48′ — Jordan Swibel (Valour FC)
Discipline
44′ — Yellow: Vasco Fry (Vancouver FC)
59′ — Yellow: Shaan Hundal (Valour FC)
89′ — Yellow: Abdul Binate (Valour FC)
90+2′ — Yellow: Zachary Sukunda (Valour FC)
