FT: Vancouver Whitecaps 1-1 Toronto FC – Game thread, preview, and how to watch

Live Thread

FT: Vancouver Whitecaps win 5-3 on penalties.

END OF REGULATION TIME - Vancouver Whitecaps 1-1 Toronto FC. TO PENALTIES WE GO!

90’ - Five minutes of added time coming up before a potential penalty shootout. Remember, no extra time in the Canadian Championship.

88’ - Aaaand another two substitutions. It’s Insigne and Nelson making their way to the bench for Jordan Perruzza and Luca Petrasso.

82’ - Two more TFC changes, with Doneil Henry and Chris Mavinga coming on for goalscorer MacNaughton and Shane O’Neill.

80’ - ALEX BONO WOW! A sublime save to deny former TFC man Tosaint Ricketts from point-blank range.

76’ - GOAL TORONTO FC. LUKAS MACNAUGHTON WITH HIS FIRST FOR TFC. How about the ball for Bernardeschi?!? Beautiful cross, beautiful header.

69’ - Michael Bradley booked. First caution of the game for either side.

64’ - BIG block by Lukas MacNaughton to thwart Cavallini.

62’ - First change for the Reds as Jesús Jiménez makes way for Ayo Akinola. A frustrating night for the Spaniard to say the least.

60’ - Official attendance at BC Place is 24,307.

55’ - Thompson with another giveaway inside his own half...

49’ - Nelson, inches away! Much to Cropper’s relief as the 19-year-old’s shot from inside the box drifts narrowly wide.

46’ - MASSIVE 45 MINUTES AHEAD. COME ON YOU REDS.

HT - Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 Toronto FC.

45’ - Another massive opportunity for the hosts just moments later as Ryan Raposo comes oh so close to doubling Vancouver’s lead. The ball fell nicely to his feet, yet the Hamilton native fails to hit the target.

44’ - What an effort from Gauld, but Bono is there to parry his long-range strike away for a corner.

38’ - Cavallini being Cavallini. The Canada international barges into Bono, leaving the TFC keeper in need of a breather.

36’ - The absence of Mark-Anthony Kaye could not be more evident...

33’ - Toronto recorded 251 passes in the first half hour. Vancouver completed 92.

30’ - Insigne curls one straight at Cody Cropper. Slowly but surely.

25’ - The Vancouver bus is parked. Defenders swarming Insigne every time he’s on the ball. Let the games begin.

19’ - GOAL VANCOUVER WHITECAPS. Well well well, most of us weren’t expecting that. Ryan Gauld whips in a stunning ball and it’s headed home by Brian White. Time for the Reds to get to work.

16’ - Definitely looks as though TFC is still getting used to the turf field. Can only imagine what Insigne and Bernardeschi are thinking!

9’ - Not the best start for young Kosi Thompson, who has given the ball away four times inside the first 10 minutes.

4’ - Obviously this game is of greater magnitude, but compared to the crowd at BC Place during the MLS clash between these two clubs on May 8th, the Whitecaps faitful have indeed showed out. Kudos.

1’ - And we’re off!

10:03 pm EST - Just so everyone is aware, teams in Canadian Championship must have a minimum of THREE Canadians in their starting lineup.

9:55 pm EST - While most eyes will remain on the Italians, Nelson has himself a big night ahead in that midfield. If there’s a time for the youngster to step up to the plate, tonight’s the night.

9:35 pm EST - In a rare (and I mean rare) circumstance, Toronto FC can become the first club in history to win the Voyageurs Cup twice in the same calendar year. It’s also worth noting that this is TFC’s third Canadian Championship Final in the space of a year.

9:30 pm EST - For the first time since 2018, Toronto FC meets the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Canadian Championship Final. With bragging rights and a place in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League up for grabs, fans should be in store for an enthralling clash between two sides with a lot to prove for the rest of the season.

---

Starting XIs

Just one change from the side that beat Charlotte over the weekend, as Jayden Nelson comes in for Mark-Anthony Kaye, whose injury at the end of the game on Saturday has seemingly ruled him out today. In addition to all three Italians starting, Alex Bono is in net for the 149th time in all competitions.

The Whitecaps with arguably the strongest XI they have at their disposal. The Reds will look to keep Cavallini and White at bay, especially on the counter attack.

---

Match Preview via Aasim Hashim

Toronto will travel to Vancouver for a battle against the Whitecaps on Tuesday, in search of their ninth Canadian Championship title. Kick-off is scheduled for 10:30 PM EST, with the game available to stream on OneSoccer and fuboTV.

This year’s final may have come at the most opportune time for the Reds. Saturday’s emphatic win and debuts from the club’s newest signings have lifted the mood around the team and has provided a new outlook for fans for the remainder of the season.

Heading into Tuesday night, there will be many questions about how the Reds will line up in this one. The importance of the match aside, the Reds, similar to Vancouver, are coming off of a short rest. There is no doubt that Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi can be difference makers in this match, as they showed over the weekend.

However, Bob Bradley and his coaching staff will be wary of the minutes their star signings are playing. Both Insigne and Bernardeschi played just 45 minutes on Saturday night, so playing another match on just two days worth of rest may be a bit of a stretch.

The Reds will have to overcome their horrific road record in 2022 to walk out of BC Place with the Voyageurs Cup. The Reds are winless on the road this year in the league, but have managed to win two non-MLS away matches, both in the Canadian Championship - against Halifax Wanderers in the 2022 quarter-finals and in the 2020 Canadian Championship Final agains Forge FC that was played in June.

Standing in the way of the Reds are an extremely motivated Vancouver Whitecaps team. Vancouver is looking for their first trophy since 2015 and are expected to do so in front of quite the crowd.

Vancouver, who currently sit 10th in the Western Conference, are coming into this matchup following a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Fire. The Whitecaps have been struggling in July, securing all three points just once in the month of July in a 1-0 win against LAFC.

Goals have also been hard to come by for the ‘Caps offence this season in the league. Vancouver has scored just 24 goals this season, with only Sporting Kansas (19) and Inter Miami (22) having scored fewer goals in the MLS in 2022. Leading the way in the goal scoring department for Vancouver is Canadian International Lucas Cavallini, who has scored seven goals on 44 shots so far this season.

The Whitecaps will be hoping to rectify the 2016 Canadian Championship Final - the last the tournament’s showpiece took place at BC Place. On that night, Will Johnson and Toronto FC stunned BC Place through a last minute equalizer that would give the Reds the win on away goals and denied Vancouver a chance to win back-to-back Canadian Championships.

This is by far the biggest game for both clubs this season and is the most realistic shot for either Toronto or Vancouver to pick up silverware this season and book their spot into next season’s CONCACAF Champions League.

---

Match Details

Opponent: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Kickoff time: 10:30 pm EST

Watch: OneSoccer, fuboTV

Stadium: BC Place