Whitecaps beat Toronto in shootout to win Canadian Championship

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The Vancouver Whitecaps have won the Voyageurs Cup for a third consecutive season.

They were crowned Canadian champions after beating Toronto FC 4-2 on penalties, after both teams were unable to score in regulation. 

Ryan Gauld, Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, and Bjorn Utvik all converted penalties in front of 12,516 fans at BC Place as Vancouver hoisted another Canadian Championship. 

Whitecaps goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer was named MVP and Best Young Canadian Player.

Whitecaps FC head coach Vanni Sartini called this the “victory of love.”

Sometimes all you need in life is love and a fantastic goalkeeper. Vancouver had both and it helped them become the second Canadian team to win three Voyageurs Cups in a row.

“It’s a fantastic feeling,” Sartini said post-game. “I’m really proud of the guys. I told them after the game, this is the victory of love. This is the victory of love, of the guys, for each other, togetherness of this group. Everyone was really pulling for each other because in a day where TFC played better we fought, fought, and fought. I’m really happy for them.”

Sartini celebrated with a fist pump when the final penalty went in and a handshake with Toronto FC coach John Herdman. Sartini’s pants stayed on, but his shirt came off. 

The 22 year-old Boehmer carried the Whitecaps throughout the match with seven saves.

Toronto FC was awarded a penalty in the 38th minute when former Whitecaps player, Richie Laryea fell over. Boehmer dove to his right to stop Federico Bernardeschi.  

The accolades go to Boehmer, but he wasn’t alone in his preparation.

“Just trust in my goalie coach (Youssef Dahha) to guide me in the right way,” Boehmer said. “Him and I, we studied penalties so we were prepared. I can’t take all the credit for it.” 

As both the teams huddled up for a final pep talk before penalties, Boehmer had one thing on his mind with the Voyageurs Cup on the line.

“Save one and I know the guys are going to do the rest,” Boehmer said. 

The Penticton native would do just that with a huge save off of Kosi Thompson.

There was some deja vu when Utvik came up to take the fifth penalty for Vancouver.

The 2022 Voyageurs Cup was won when fellow left centre back Tristan Blackmon converted the last penalty for Vancouver when they beat Toronto FC 5-3 on penalties. 

“It’s an amazing feeling to win a trophy,” Utvik said right after Mathias Laborda sprayed him with water during his post-game scrum with reporters. “That’s why we go to work everyday as a team. This is an amazing group. Everybody supports each other. Today I’m lucky I’m playing and Tristan is on the bench, but he always supports me. We always want each other to be good. Now we just celebrate with our fans and have an amazing night.” 

Vancouver came into the Canadian Championship final with several key players nursing injuries, Gauld, White, Ali Ahmed, Andres Cubas, were all banged up. 

The Whitecaps’ MLS leading goal-scorer doesn’t take penalties during league matches, but on this occasion, White came up clutch as the fourth shooter for Vancouver.

The three-time Voyageurs Cup champion already has his sights set on another record.

“Yeah obviously there’s been a lot of talk about getting three in a row,” White said. “It’s only happened with Toronto. It’s nice to create another record and hopefully next year we can go for four.”

Long after the fans left BC Place, chants ole, ole, ole could be heard throughout the stadium as Whitecaps players, staff, family, and friends celebrated responsibly on the ground level. 

The memories will last a lifetime, but the celebrations will have to be short lived.

The Whitecaps are back on the pitch this weekend as they look to clinch an MLS playoff spot when they host Max Crepeau and the Portland Timbers Saturday at BC Place.

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