Vancouver FC have extended their unbeaten run in CPL play to six games, as they rescued a late point out of their Salish Sea Derby clash vs. Pacific on Friday.
Having entered their game at the Stadium at Langley Events Centre in scintillating form, it wasn't the sort of performance Vancouver will have wanted, but they'll at least take solace in rescuing a point, as Terran Campbell scored in the 87th minute to secure the 1-1 draw.
For Pacific, however, it's a bit of a bittersweet result - they'll be pleased with their performance, as they put in one of their best showings of the season, but at the same time, they were unable to turn that into a win, leaving them without a victory in 2026.
To begin the match, Vancouver made no changes to the team that beat Forge in their last matchup, while Pacific made two changes to the team that drew Inter Toronto, with Josh Heard and Tristan Marshall entering for Yann Toualy and Christian Greco-Taylor.
After a slower start to the game from both teams, Damiano Pecile tried to inject some energy into the match in the 11th minute, as he lined up a shot from distance that sliced not far wide of the target.
Then, in the 19th minute, Pecile made a probing run into the final third, but his left-footed shot towards the near post was nicely saved by Pacific's goalkeeper, Eleias Himaras.
Continuing Vancouver's wave of pressure, Thierno Bah picked up the ball at the edge of the box after a cleared cross, doing well to cut inside before firing a left-footed shot that sailed just over the goal.
Moments later, Bah had an even better chance, as he latched onto a nice through ball into the box from Lys Mousset, but Bah would then completely slice his tight-angle shot wide of the goal.
Having survived that onslaught of chances from Vancouver, Pacific finally had their first chance of the game, and they were clinical with it. After receiving a pass out wide from Aidan Daniels, Ronan Kratt managed to cut inside on his right foot and fire a low shot, one that curled into the bottom corner to put his team up 1-0.
Boosted by that goal, Pacific almost had another in the back of the net less than two minutes later, too. After a nice 1-2 inside the box between Josh Heard and Kratt, Heard cut inside and fired a powerful shot towards the top left corner, only to find himself denied a beautiful goal by an even better save by Vancouver's Callum Irving.
Eager to get back into the game, Vancouver responded with another great chance in the 44th minute.
It came from a sequence of good Vancouver build-up play, too, which opened up space for Morey Doner to attack down the right side, where he did well to pick out Pecile with a nice cutback. There, Pecile managed to sort out his feet to fire a dangerous left-foot shot towards goal, but he'd be unable to keep his attempt on target.
From there, though, the half-time whistle would blow, leaving both teams to head to the dressing room. Given how the half had ended for them, Pacific was probably less happy to see the break arrive, but for Vancouver, it provided them with an opportunity to hit the reset button as they put a frustrating half behind them.
Despite that, though, Pacific would manage to maintain their momentum into the second stanza, as they looked to carve out a decisive advantage.
Kratt almost found a second goal right on the other side of the break, as he managed to fashion the space for a good left-footed shot at the edge of the box, one that Irving was forced to just paw over the goal. Then, on the ensuing corner, the ball fell to Aidan Daniels at the edge of the box, but his shot sliced just wide after a deflection off a Vancouver defender.
Following a bit of a lull in the match, Pacific came alive again in the 66th minute, as they did well to fly up the field in transition. There, Kadin Chung received the ball out wide and decided to fire in a cross, one that ended up sailing towards goal and hitting the crossbar behind a surprised Irving, who was set up to catch a potential cross - luckily for him, the ball would just hit the bar and stay out, instead of rolling into the net.
Continuing that strong start to the second half, Pacific had another great chance in the 72nd minute, as Shaan Hundal, who had just come onto the pitch as a substitute, teed up Heard with a nice pass into the box, but Heard's left-footed shot sliced wide of the goal.
Pacific's attacking waves would continue into the 82nd minute, too, as Daniels managed to carve out space to fire a right-footed shot from just inside the box, but he narrowly sliced his shot wide of the goal.
Finally able to carve out a dangerous chance of their own, however, Vancouver came very close to tying the game in the 83rd minute, as Doner whipped in a cross for Bah to attack at the back post, but his wide-open header would sail just wide of the goal.
That would prove to be a warning sign for Pacific, though, as Vancouver would then find their equalizer in the 87th minute.
It'd be a former Pacific player finding the goal, too, as Campbell managed to find the net with an acrobatic finish after a perfect cross from Aboubacar Traore, finding the bottom corner of the net with his clever finish.
Despite that sucker punch, however, Pacific almost regained their lead moments later, as the ball fell to Max Piepgrass at the edge of the box, but his low shot would be nicely saved by Irving.
At the other end of the pitch, Bah did well to find Luis Toomey at the edge of the box with a nice cutback, but Toomey sliced his shot just wide of the far post.
Then, Bah tried to have an attempt of his own in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time, as he cut inside on his left foot, but his shot narrowly sliced inches past the far post.
Unfortunately for Vancouver, who had started to pick up momentum to end the game, that'd be the last chance of the game for both teams, too, as the game finished as a draw soon after.
It wouldn't be a bad result for either team, all things considered, although both will be left wanting more, as Pacific will be frustrated to have now dropped 19 points from winning positions this season, while Vancouver will rue not being able to extend their winning streak to six games, especially after a slow start.
Box Score
Starting XIs
Vancouver FC: Irving; Doner, Campagna, Field (Traore 73'), Proctor; Polisi, Pecile (Toomey 73'); Bah, Mezquida (Gee 62'), Amissi; Mousset (Campbell 73')
Pacific FC: Himaras; Chung, Quintana, Belluz, Marshall; Gomulka (Piepgrass 56'), Juhmi; Vales (Schiavoni 62'), Daniels, Heard (Edwards 76'); Kratt (Hundal 56')
Goals
*36' - Ronan Kratt (Pacific FC)
*
87' - Terran Campbell (Vancouver FC)
Discipline
*40' - Yellow: Matteo Campagna (Vancouver FC)
*
61' - Yellow: Roshawn Juhmi (Pacific FC)
84' - Yellow: Thierno Bah (Vancouver FC)
CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match
Aidan Daniels, Pacific FC
Daniels was lively in between the lines for Pacific in this game, and he was rewarded for his work with an assist on his team's opening goal. He also had three shots, generated two chances, made five passes into the final third, and completed 45 out of 50 passes (90%) in a lively offensive performance.
What's Next?
Vancouver head out on the road for their next match, as they take on Atlético Ottawa in a midweek clash at TD Place on Wednesday, August 19th (4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET). Pacific, meanwhile, will get set for a trip to Hamilton to take on Forge FC at Hamilton Stadium on Saturday, August 22nd (4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET).