| Pacific FC vs. Vancouver FC Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C. Watch Live: OneSoccer Tickets available here |
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The playoff line will be front of mind as Pacific FC host Vancouver FC in the final Salish Sea Derby of 2026.
For Vancouver FC, after just a single win in their past six, they need a big three points to maintain the seven-point gap separating themselves, in the fourth and final playoff spot, from fifth place.
For Pacific, anything but a win on Saturday evening and they become the first club in the league this season to be mathematically eliminated. Seeing that happen at the hands of their rivals would only add extra salt to the wound.
The Tridents are also winless in three against Vancouver FC this season, and seven of their past eight.
But the only predictable trait of a Salish Sea Derby is that there will be goals. Through 16 all-time meetings, both sides have scored 28 times with an average of 3.5 goals per game. There has never been a scoreless Salish Sea Derby.
This year, Vancouver FC took the first two meetings 3-1 at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria and 2-1 in Langley. The most recent clash, on August 14, ended in a 1-1 draw.
That match ended a five-match winning streak for the Eagles. They have won just once since, although four of their past five matches have been on the road.
Now Vancouver FC are back in BC, where they have not lost since May 17. Even if this isn't a home game for the Eagles, they were finally able to get a good, solid week of training uninterrupted by cross-country travel.
It begins a busy week, where they host Inter Toronto on Wednesday, before welcoming Forge to Langley on Saturday, Sept. 26. They know they need a few wins to fight off the pack chasing their playoff position.
But Pacific would love to spoil those plans, and keep their season alive in the process. It makes Saturday's Salish Sea Derby a must-watch match.
NEWS & NOTES
- Pacific FC head coach Terry Dunfield has been suspended for the next two matches.
- Terran Campbell is back and available for selection for Vancouver FC.
- Vancouver FC announced that winger Mohamed Amissi has been called up by Burundi for African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Pacific FC: Melvin; Chung, Keshavarz, Konincks, Greco-Taylor; Bustos, Browning-Lagerfeldt, Piepgrass, Toualy; Kratt, Díaz
Vancouver FC: Irving; Doner, Campagna, Field, Proctor; Polisi, Pecile; Campbell, Mezquida, Bah; Mousset
KEY QUOTES
"Every single match for these last six games have a playoff feel for everybody in the table...there's always something at stake, and then you add a Derby into it, and it's just amplified.- Pacific FC assistant coach Yiannis Tsalatsidis
"It's always a great game to get up for, and it's what you want. It's what you want in football, rivalry matches like this, and the boys are really excited for it. It's always a special one." - Pacific FC attacker Josh Heard
"It's gonna be a difficult game. We know we're gonna have to be organized when we go there. We're gonna have to keep them from getting in pockets and facing forward, so we have a tough job on our hands, but we worked hard this week to prepare for this game, and we know we need a big performance." - Vancouver FC head coach Martin Nash
"The game is never easy against Pacific. A lot of times it's a battle of who wants it more and who's good on the day. But I think this one's going to be a little bit more than that. I think with looking at their squad, and how they're playing right now, they're a pretty decent side. We have to admit, in possession, they're very dangerous. But I think we have the squad to do the job on the day as well." - Vancouver FC attacker Thierno Bah