Latest news with #Whitecaps
Hamilton Spectator
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Vancouver Whitecaps look to snap two-game skid against Los Angeles FC
VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Whitecaps are in unfamiliar territory — looking to snap a losing skid. A 5-3 defeat to expansion side San Diego FC on Wednesday marked Vancouver's second loss in a row. It's the first time this season the team has dropped back-to-back games. The result saw the Whitecaps (10-3-5) slip to the No. 2 spot in Major League Soccer's Western Conference. They'll strive to reclaim first place Sunday when they visit Los Angeles FC (7-4-5). Even after a pair of losses, there's no panic among the 'Caps, said head coach Jesper Sorensen. 'It's about believing in what we should be good at and what we should be doing well,' he said. 'We're in a very good position. We've earned our position. So we earned the right to step aside a couple of times. But we, of course, have to get back into winning things as well. But it's a difficult position.' There are lessons to be taken from Wednesday's loss, he added, including that the team needs to play with courage and without hesitation. 'Of course we got punished pretty hard,' the coach said. 'That's what it is. But also that we shouldn't wait to start taking initiative — we should take it right away.' LAFC is a team Vancouver knows well — Sunday's matchup will mark the 14th time the two sides have clashed since April 2023. The last bout came May 11 at B.C. Place, where the 'Caps fell behind early before rallying to earn a 2-2 draw. The Whitecaps need to play with more intensity to collect all three points this time out, said defender Mathias Laborda. 'We have to step forward and do a good game,' he said. With elite players — including striker Denis Bouanga — on the roster, L.A. presents a number of offensive threats, Laborda added. 'They're a really good team. They have really good players with quality. So we expect a really good game,' he said. L.A. is coming off a tough run at the FIFA Club World Cup where they finished at the bottom of their group with two losses and a draw, but is unbeaten in the club's last nine MLS games (4-5-0). The club is one of the better teams Vancouver has faced this season, Sorensen said, and Sunday's contest will be a difficult one. 'We know that they have some players we have to give special attention to. We know they have some things in their play that they're very good at and we have to take care of,' the coach said. 'But we also know we're a pretty good team ourselves and we have to also believe and trust in what we are doing. And then believe that that's how we're going to win the game.' VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (10-3-5) AT LAFC (7-4-5) Sunday, BMO Stadium GOODBYE GIROUD: Olivier Giroud is set to play his final game for LAFC on Sunday. The club announced Friday that is has 'mutually parted ways' with the famed French striker. Giroud signed with L.A. in May 2024, but has struggled in MLS, putting up five goals in 37 games across all competitions. HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE?: LAFC has been solid at BMO Stadium this year, posting a 6-1-1 record in MLS play. The Whitecaps have been one of the league's best road teams, though, and are 4-1-3 away from B.C. Place. LOCKED DOWN: Despite giving up five goals on Wednesday, Vancouver has conceded the fewest goals in the Western Conference (19) and is tied with San Diego for the best goal differential (+15) in the West. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vancouver Whitecaps look to snap two-game skid against Los Angeles FC
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps are in unfamiliar territory — looking to snap a losing skid. A 5-3 defeat to expansion side San Diego FC on Wednesday marked Vancouver's second loss in a row. It's the first time this season the team has dropped back-to-back games. The result saw the Whitecaps (10-3-5) slip to the No. 2 spot in Major League Soccer's Western Conference. They'll strive to reclaim first place Sunday when they visit Los Angeles FC (7-4-5). Even after a pair of losses, there's no panic among the 'Caps, said head coach Jesper Sorensen. 'It's about believing in what we should be good at and what we should be doing well,' he said. 'We're in a very good position. We've earned our position. So we earned the right to step aside a couple of times. But we, of course, have to get back into winning things as well. But it's a difficult position.' There are lessons to be taken from Wednesday's loss, he added, including that the team needs to play with courage and without hesitation. 'Of course we got punished pretty hard,' the coach said. 'That's what it is. But also that we shouldn't wait to start taking initiative — we should take it right away.' LAFC is a team Vancouver knows well — Sunday's matchup will mark the 14th time the two sides have clashed since April 2023. The last bout came May 11 at B.C. Place, where the 'Caps fell behind early before rallying to earn a 2-2 draw. The Whitecaps need to play with more intensity to collect all three points this time out, said defender Mathias Laborda. 'We have to step forward and do a good game,' he said. With elite players — including striker Denis Bouanga — on the roster, L.A. presents a number of offensive threats, Laborda added. 'They're a really good team. They have really good players with quality. So we expect a really good game,' he said. L.A. is coming off a tough run at the FIFA Club World Cup where they finished at the bottom of their group with two losses and a draw, but is unbeaten in the club's last nine MLS games (4-5-0). The club is one of the better teams Vancouver has faced this season, Sorensen said, and Sunday's contest will be a difficult one. 'We know that they have some players we have to give special attention to. We know they have some things in their play that they're very good at and we have to take care of,' the coach said. 'But we also know we're a pretty good team ourselves and we have to also believe and trust in what we are doing. And then believe that that's how we're going to win the game.' VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (10-3-5) AT LAFC (7-4-5) Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sunday, BMO Stadium GOODBYE GIROUD: Olivier Giroud is set to play his final game for LAFC on Sunday. The club announced Friday that is has 'mutually parted ways' with the famed French striker. Giroud signed with L.A. in May 2024, but has struggled in MLS, putting up five goals in 37 games across all competitions. HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE?: LAFC has been solid at BMO Stadium this year, posting a 6-1-1 record in MLS play. The Whitecaps have been one of the league's best road teams, though, and are 4-1-3 away from B.C. Place. LOCKED DOWN: Despite giving up five goals on Wednesday, Vancouver has conceded the fewest goals in the Western Conference (19) and is tied with San Diego for the best goal differential (+15) in the West. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vancouver Whitecaps ink midfielder Pedro Vite to extension through 2029
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed midfielder Pedro Vite to a long-term extension. The club announced the deal Friday, saying the deal stretches through the 2029 campaign. Vite has 15 goals and 20 assists in 136 appearances with the 'Caps, including five goals and a team-leading six assists across all competitions this year. The 23-year-old has also made eight appearances for Ecuador's men's national team and helped the squad qualify for the 2026 World Cup earlier this month. Vite first joined the Whitecaps in October 2021 from Ecuadorian first division side Independiente Del Valle. Vancouver sporting director Axel Schuster says in a release that Vite has since shown 'exceptional dedication to his development and that hard work has transformed him into one of the best young playmakers in Major League Soccer.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'Recently, he's also emerged as a key figure for Ecuador's national team, playing an important role in their qualification for next year's World Cup,' Schuster said. 'Pedro's success is a credit to his talent and determination, and we're excited to continue supporting him as he strives to reach his full potential.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Iloski scores four, expansion side San Diego FC trounce Vancouver Whitecaps 5-3
VANCOUVER - Jesper Sorensen has given the Vancouver Whitecaps room to make mistakes. Now he needs the team to learn from them. After a stunning start to the Major League Soccer season, the 'Caps (10-3-5) are mired in their first losing skid of the campaign after dropping a 5-3 decision to expansion side San Diego FC on Wednesday. It was the squad's second loss in a row, coming after a 2-1 defeat to Columbus Crew back on June 14. 'It's normal that you meet adversity through a season,' Sorensen, who took over as head coach in January, said after Wednesday's loss. 'We have to bounce back and remind ourselves why we are in the position we are in. And then stay above. That's what it's about — it's not about falling, it's about how you get up on your feet.' With the loss, the Whitecaps slipped to the No. 2 spot in the league's Western Conference standings, one point behind San Diego. 'We are so fortunate that we have been having a very good season so far. So we have some freedom to play with,' Sorensen said. 'And that should release the energy for the players and not put upon pressure. 'We are not anywhere we have to protect anything. We have to chase everything. So that's what we will be doing.' San Diego controlled 51.3 per cent possession on Wednesday and held an 8-5 edge in on-target shots across the game. It was a rare off-night for Vancouver's usually staunch defence, which came in having conceded a league-low 152 shots across the first half of the season. The Whitecaps fell behind midway through the first half and couldn't battle back into the game. Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped a blast from San Diego's Milan Iloski's in the 35th minute, but the rebound popped back out to the American striker and he fired it in before the netminder could get back in position. Two minutes later, the visitors struck again. Alejandro Alvarado appeared to shove Vancouver defender Ranko Veselinovic to the turf, then dished off to Iloski, who sprinted into the penalty area and put another ball past Takaoka for his second goal of the night. Officials conducted a video review of the play before determining the goal would stand. The 'Caps gained some momentum late in the half off a corner from Pedro Vite. The midfielder swung a ball in and it bounced around until Edier Ocampo collected it outside the six-yard box and fired a left-footed shot in for his first MLS goal. San Diego wasted no time in retaliating. Danish midfielder Anders Dreyer crossed a ball in to Iloski in the 44th minute and Iloski sent a header screaming in to give San Diego a 3-1 lead. 'I think that we were reacting very, very poorly on goals in this game,' Sorensen said. 'They scored one, boom, they scored again. We scored, boom, they scored. It's a proactive team. They don't care, they go jump on those occasions.' Trouble continued early in the second half. Dreyer passed off to Iloski, who steamed toward the net and fired another shot in, making it 4-1 with his fourth goal of the night. The 25-year-old made his first-ever MLS start on Wednesday, and had five goals on the season heading into the game. The Whitecaps cut into the deficit in the 66th minute. After coming off the bench for Ralph Priso at halftime, Mathias Laborda collected a ball from Vite and chipped a sharp-angle shot up and over San Diego 'keeper CJ Dos Santos. The goal followed a halftime talk from Sorensen, Laborda said. 'We've been doing really good. This game, the first half wasn't the best,' said the right back. 'So he tried to push us to be more intense, more quality with the ball.' San Diego's Tomas Angel, who came on for the injured Alvarado in the 79th minute, slipped a shot past Takaoka in the 90th minute to make it 5-2. Whitecaps academy product Antoine Coupland sealed the scored at 5-3 in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The 21-year-old Canadian came on for Andres Cubas in the 87th minute, making his MLS debut. There are lessons to be learned from the loss, Laborda said. 'Just to be focused. Don't be crazy just for a bad game or two games,' he said. 'We miss a little bit some players (due to international duty and injuries), too. But it is what it is.' Earlier on Wednesday, it was announced that four Whitecaps players have been picked for the MLS all-star game. Takaoka, defender Tristan Blackmon, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and striker Brian White will all make their all-star game debuts against LIGA MX all stars in Austin, Texas, on July 23. The Whitecaps return to play Sunday when they visit Los Angeles FC. San Diego will face FC Dallas in Texas on Saturday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iloski scores four, expansion side San Diego FC trounce Vancouver Whitecaps 5-3
VANCOUVER – Milan Iloski scored four goals and San Diego FC vaulted to the top of Major League Soccer's Western Conference with a dominant 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday. Iloski, making his first MLS start, notched a hat trick in the first half, then added another tally in the 47th minute. Tomas Angel also had a goal for expansion side San Diego (11-5-3) in the 90th minute. Edier Ocampo, Mathias Laborda and Antoine Coupland — making his MLS debut — replied for the 'Caps (10-3-5). San Diego controlled 51.3 per cent possession and held a 8-5 edge in on-target shots across the game. It was a rare off-night for Vancouver's usually staunch defence, which came in having conceded a league-low 152 shots across the first half of the season. With the loss, the Whitecaps slipped to the No. 2 spot in the league's Western Conference standings, one point behind San Diego. The home side fell behind in the 35th minute on Wednesday and couldn't battle its way back into the game. Whitecaps 'keeper Yohei Takaoka stopped Iloski's blast in the 35th minute, but the rebound popped back out to the American striker and he fired it in before the netminder could get back in position. Two minutes later, the visitors struck again. Alejandro Alvarado appeared to shove Vancouver defender Ranko Veselinovic to the turf, then dished off to Iloski, who sprinted into the penalty area and put another ball past Takaoka for his second goal of the night. Officials conducted a video review of the play before determining the goal would stand. The 'Caps gained some momentum late in the half off a corner from Pedro Vite. The midfielder swung a ball in and it bounced around until Ocampo collected it outside the six-yard box and fired a left-footed shot in for his first MLS goal. San Diego wasted no time in retaliating. Danish midfielder Anders Dreyer crossed a ball in to Iloski in the 44th minute and Iloski sent a header screaming in to give San Diego a 3-1 lead. The visitors controlled 50.3 per cent possession through the first half, outshot Vancouver 9-7 and held a 6-2 edge in on-target shots. Trouble continued early in the second half. Dreyer passed off to Iloski, who steamed toward the net and fired another shot in, making it 4-1 with his fourth goal of the night. Heading into Wednesday's game, the 25-year-old had five MLS goals on the season. The Whitecaps cut into the deficit in the 66th minute. Laborda, who came off the bench for Ralph Priso at halftime, collected a ball from Vite and chipped a sharp-angle shot up and over San Diego 'keeper CJ Dos Santos. Angel, who came on for the injured Alvarado in the 79th minute, slipped a shot past Takaoka in the 90th minute to make it 5-2. Coupland's goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time sealed the score at 5-3. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The 21-year-old Canadian came on for Andres Cubas in the 87th minute, making his debut for the Whitecaps. Earlier on Wednesday, it was announced that four Whitecaps players have been picked for the MLS all-star game. Takaoka, defender Tristan Blackmon, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and striker Brian White will all make their all-star game debuts against LIGA MX all stars in Austin, Texas, on July 23. The Whitecaps return to play Sunday when they visit Los Angeles FC. San Diego will face FC Dallas in Texas on Saturday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025.
