CF Montreal would have liked to be rewarded for all the efforts of the last few weeks, but it may have run out of time.
The Vancouver Whitecaps withstood an intense late-game push from the Montrealers and prevailed 2-1 on Wednesday night to claim the Canadian Championship.
Dominated for most of the game, the Bleu-blanc-noir made things interesting thanks to Sunusi Ibrahim’s third goal of the tournament. In stoppage time, the Nigerian had the equalizer on the head, but goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka made a spectacular save by diving before grabbing Mason Toye’s shot to confirm the victory for his team.
It was a 10e game in 33 days for CF Montreal, which has waltzed between MLS and the Canadian Championship for a long time in recent weeks. He had also put all his eggs in one basket to bring home another Voyageurs cup.
“The players gave their all until the last second. We had heavy legs, as it’s the fifth week in a row that we’ve played on Wednesday and Saturday, but that’s no excuse, said head coach Hernan Losada. We played with great pride and dedication. It’s a great experience for the players and they have to learn from those moments. »
Takaoka can thank his vis-à-vis Jonathan Sirois for having had the opportunity to achieve his heroic save at the expense of Ibrahim.
Sirois made seven saves, including several spectacular ones in the first half. Without his brilliance, the score would have looked a lot more like the last clash between the two teams. 1er April, during an MLS game, the Whitecaps served a 5-0 lesson to the Bleu-blanc-noir.
Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini said he was very happy with his men’s first 80 minutes, but he would have liked to be a little more comfortable on the sidelines late in the game.
“I was very happy with our game for 80 minutes. Headlines today would have been about Lionel Messi coming to MLS but the Whitecaps playing even better than him, Sartini said with a smirk. Sirois was the only player keeping them in the game. Afterwards, we weren’t mature enough to handle these situations and there were 15 minutes during which we were scared. They had a really big chance, but Yohei made quite a save. »
The Whitecaps lifted the Voyageurs Cup for the third time in their history and became the first team since Toronto FC, from 2016 to 2018, to successfully defend their Canadian title. This victory also allowed the Vancouver team to secure their ticket to the next CONCACAF Champions League tournament.
“We are in seventh heaven to have been able to win a second title in a row. It’s the first time it’s happened for this team, Sartini said. I’m happy for the players, for everyone who works with the team, for the fans. I told the players before the game that I was proud to work with them and that they inspired me. »
Brian White and Ryan Gauld threaded the needle for the Whitecaps, who haven’t lost at home since the MLS season opener on February 25. Julian Gressel was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
Thanks to his goal in the 83e minute, Ibrahim grabbed the top scorers of the tournament with three wins. He also finished as the top scorer last year.
CF Montreal will return to action on Saturday evening, when Minnesota United will visit Stade Saputo.
Sirois stands out
The Whitecaps were ready for this final, but Sirois quickly proved that he was just as ready as his opponents.
From the sixth minute, Sirois dove to his right to steal a certain goal from Tristan Blackmon, who had just redirected the ball with a header. A few moments later, the Quebecer released his right leg to stop a shot from Levonte Johnston which had changed course.
CF Montreal quietly picked up their pace and managed to build some interesting attacks, but some missed crosses and overly lively passes in the final third held back threats.
Meanwhile, Sirois continued to put his stamp on the game.
At the 42e minute of play, Victor Wanyama lost the ball in the middle and the Whitecaps immediately counter-attacked. Johnston slipped the ball to White in the penalty area, but his shot was blocked by the Montreal goalkeeper’s dive. Less than two minutes later, Sirois jumped up to fend off a hard strike from Gressel.
The Bleu-blanc-noir had a great opportunity to open the scoring only a few seconds later. Mathieu Choinière passed the ball to Ariel Lassiter, who tried to surprise Takaoka with a shot between his legs, but the keeper barely closed the door.
“In every final, there are moments that can change the course of the match. One of those is our chance before half-time. It was our chance to go into the locker room with a 1-0 lead,” Losada observed.
In the end, it was the local team that registered on the scoreboard first. At the 57e minute, Gressel made a very high center just at the entrance to the penalty area. Sirois miscalculated his exit and White was able to control the ball with his body before sending it into a gaping cage.
The sky fell on the head of CF Montreal in the 64e minute, when Ahmed Hamdi fouled Gauld in the penalty area. The referee awarded the Whitecaps a penalty and Gauld himself successfully shot into the back of the net.
“The day before a game, I always decide where I’m going to shoot if there’s a penalty,” Gauld said. As soon as I have the ball, I know that’s the direction I’m going. I try to make sure that if the goalkeeper makes the save, that it’s a spectacular one. »
Sirois made a key save at the expense of White in the 71e minute and it turned out to be important, as Ibrahim cut the gap to 2-1 at the 83e minute, after accepting a cross from Choinière.
However, CF Montreal was unable to level the score.