Pacific FC will meet the big boys of sa国际传媒 pro soccer, the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer, once again in the Canadian Championship for the Voyageurs Cup.
The Tridents defeated Atlético Ottawa 2-1 in the second leg of their all-Canadian Premier League quarter-final set Wednesday night at Starlight Stadium to advance after the first game ended scoreless in the nation’s capital. Because away goals are the first tiebreaker, PFC had to win the game in order to advance in open play. A scoring draw would have been good enough to send Ottawa to the semifinals. A scoreless draw would have sent the game to penalties in Langford.
The Tridents knew they needed to attack, and that they did in the first half, resulting in a goal from the spot by Ayman Sellouf at 28 minutes followed by a Sellouf shot off the post that was banged home on the rebound by captain Josh Heard at 34 minutes. Samuel Salter pulled Ottawa to within one which resulted in some anxious moments to the end.
“This is where we want to be, fighting for trophies and we have been here a couple of times before against the Whitecaps,” said hometown Victoria product Heard.
“There is a history and this is great for sa国际传媒 soccer and we are narrowing the gap.”
Pacific FC head coach James Merriman was more than satisfied with the effort.
“It was an amazing performance and I have to give credit to the players,” said Merriman.
“We faced a lot of adversity and injuries and we showed our potential. They wanted this game. They wanted to play an MLS team and they have earned it. That is their reward.”
Ottawa was dejected.
“It was a tough game. The first half to them and second half to us. Credit to Pacific, especially in the first half,” said Ottawa head coach Carlos González.
“We were very close going to the next round. This is a very important competition for us and wanted to be in the semifinals.”
The Voyageurs Cup is sa国际传媒’s equivalent of the FA Cup in England.
The first game of the two-legged semifinal between the Tridents and Whitecaps will be played either July 9 or 10 at Starlight Stadium and the return match either Aug. 28 or 29 at sa国际传媒 Place Stadium. It will be the third cup meeting between the sa国际传媒 sides following the Tridents’ galvanizing 4-3 single-game quarter-final win in 2021 and the Whitecaps’ 3-0 semifinal victory last year, both at Starlight Stadium.
Forge FC of the CPL will play Toronto FC of MLS in the other 2024 semifinal on those dates, with the first game at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, and the second leg at BMO Field.
The winner of the Pacific FC-Whitecaps semifinal will host the final in September. This year’s Canadian Championship winner will hoist the Voyageurs Cup and advance to the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
