In a spirited contest out on the West Coast, Vancouver FC and Valour FC combined for a 1-1 draw at Willoughby Community Park, keeping both teams playoff hopes alive heading into the final week of CPL action.
Despite that, however, both teams also missed a huge chance to improve their odds of qualifying during that final week, as both teams will need help from those around them no matter if they win on the final matchday.
The hosts got off to a lively start to this game, as Vancouver’s Olivier Rommens found the run of Alejandro Díaz inside of the box in the 4th minute, but his header would be nicely saved by Valour’s Jonathan Viscosi.
After a quiet spell, Vancouver nearly finished the half on a strong note, as Renan Garcia fired a shot towards goal from distance, sending his effort just wide of the mark.
On the other side of half time, however, Valour found a bit of life, and with that came a huge goal in the 54th minute. After a Vancouver turnover, Valour broke forward, which led to a 2v1, with Shaan Hundal doing well to find Jordan Faria for the goal.
Despite going down, however, Vancouver did well to respond with a quick equalizer. After a nice ball into the box, the ball fell to Grady McDonnell, who slid the ball over to Díaz, creating a dangerous chance the striker wouldn’t miss as he slotted home his 10th of the season with his left foot.
With that goal in their back pocket, that re-ignited Vancouver, who started to press in chase of a second goal.
They came close to finding it in the 78th minute, as the ball fell to Gabriel Bitar in the box, but he sliced his shot just over. Then, right after, Vasco Fry had a great chance after a late run into the box, and he fired a dangerous shot, one that was only kept out by a big defensive block from a Valour defender after squeezing past Viscosi.
From there, however, despite a frantic push from both teams that opened the game right up, a late flurry of action yielded no further goals, leaving the game to finish as a draw.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Vancouver FC: Irving; Cameron, Romeo, Norman Jr (Chung 67′)., Enyou; Rommens (McDonnell 59′), Garcia (Tahid 86′); Gee (Sellouf 59′), Bitar (Fisk 86′), Fry; Díaz
Valour FC: Viscosi; Alárcon, Mourdoukoutas, Facchineri, Antonoglou; Sánchez (Ohin 63′), Campbell; Faria (Ressurreição 78′), Kwemi (Binate 63′); Swibel, Hundal
Goals
54′ — Jordan Faria (Valour FC)
76′ — Alejandro Díaz (Vancouver FC)
Discipline
52′ — Yellow: Vasco Fry (Vancouver FC)
56′ — Yellow: Loïc Kwemi (Valour FC)
79′ — Yellow: James Cameron (Vancouver FC)
83′ — Yellow: Allan Enyou (Vancouver FC)
85′ — Yellow: Shaan Hundal (Valour FC)
90′ — Yellow: TJ Tahid (Vancouver FC)
