'Caps cruise to Canadian Championship Final

LANGFORD, BC – This one was for Ali Ahmed.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated Pacific FC 3-0 in the semifinals of the Canadian Championship on Wednesday. Whitecaps FC will now host the 2023 Canadian Championship Final against CF Montréal on Wednesday, June 7 at BC Place. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca/whitecaps.

• BUY TICKETS TO FINAL ON JUNE 7

However, all thoughts were with Ahmed after leaving the match with an injury in the first half.

Prior to that moment, Ahmed had helped Whitecaps FC to an early 2-0 lead. The first goal came on a rocket from Julian Gressel on a counterattack in the 14th minute.

Three minutes later, Ahmed scored on another unstoppable shot to double the lead.

Simon Becher rounded out the scoring in the second half, finishing a ball in the box from Pedro Vite to make it 3-0 in the 78th minute.

The 'Caps have a quick turnaround, as they are back in MLS action this Saturday on the road for their first ever match with expansion side St. Louis City SC. Kickoff will be at 5:30 p.m. PT, live on TSN, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, and on AM 730 Radio.

The 'Caps are then back home next Wednesday, May 31 against Houston Dynamo FC.

MATCH DETAILS

Attendance: 5,221*
Referee*: Drew Fischer

Scoring Summary
14' – VAN – Julian Gressel (Alessandro Schöpf)
17' – VAN – Ali Ahmed
78' – VAN – Simon Becher (Pedro Vite)

Statistics
Possession: PAC 35.6% – VAN 64.4%
Shots: PAC 16 – VAN 10
Shots on Goal: PAC 3 – VAN 5
Saves: PAC 2 – VAN 3
Fouls: PAC 10 – VAN 16
Offsides: PAC 1 – VAN 0
Corners: PAC 7 – VAN 5

Cautions
47' – PAC – Manny Aparicio
56' – VAN – Sergio Córdova
75' – VAN – Tristan Blackmon

Pacific FC
1.Emil Gazdov; 13.Kunle Dada-Luke, 55.Amer Didic, 26.Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, 2.Georges Mukumbilwa; 20.Sean Young (7.Steffen Yeates 78'), 28.Cédric Toussaint (31.Kekuta Manneh 55'), 34.Manny Aparicio; 11.Josh Heard (8.Pierre Lamothe 77'), 23.Djenairo Daniels (9.Easton Ongaro 62'), 21.Ayman Sellouf (10.Adonijah Reid 62')

Substitutes not used
12.Kieran Baskett, 3.Eric Lajeunesse

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18.Yohei Takaoka; 27.Ryan Raposo (14.Luís Martins 64'), 2.Mathías Laborda, 6.Tristan Blackmon, 22.Ali Ahmed (23.Javain Brown 35'); 19.Julian Gressel, 20.Andrés Cubas, 31.Russell Teibert © (7.Déiber Caicedo 76'); 9.Sergio Córdova, 8.Alessandro Schöpf (45.Pedro Vite 64'); 24.Brian White (29.Simon Becher 76')

Substitutes not used
1.Thomas Hasal, 25.Ryan Gauld