VANCOUVER 鈥� After enjoying smooth sailing early in the season, the Vancouver Whitecaps are experiencing some rough seas.
The team fashioned a 10-2-8 record across all competitions through its first 20 matches 鈥� one of the best starts in franchise history. Vancouver also held the best record in Major League Soccer and advanced to the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Things turned after a 5-0 loss to Liga MX club Cruz Azul in the final. Since then, Vancouver has gone 2-3-0 in MLS play but remains second in the Western Conference at 11-4-5 and fifth overall.
Head coach Jesper Sorensen said the Champions Cup run still brought value despite the result.
鈥淚t was an amazing experience for us, gave us a lot of good moments and also developed the team a lot,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have to do everything to get into that tournament. We have high aspirations and hope we can take it to the final (again) and maybe win it.鈥�
Injuries and absences have tested Vancouver鈥檚 depth in recent weeks. Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and forward Brian White 鈥� both 2025 MLS All-Stars 鈥� have returned from international duty with the United States at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
White leads Vancouver with 15 goals across all competitions, just one shy of his total from last season, while Berhalter has recorded a career-high 10-goal contributions across all competitions.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 going to be great to have them back,鈥� said Sorensen.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 been together in more than a month."
Vancouver now faces a gruelling stretch, beginning a run of four games in 11 days. After Wednesday鈥檚 Canadian Championship quarterfinal match against Valour FC at B.C. Place Stadium, the Whitecaps hit the road to face the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, Houston on July 16 and San Diego on July 19.
Goaltender Isaac Boehmer said the team is focused on Valour.
鈥淚鈥檓 not really focused on those (MLS) games,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 focused on this one coming up. Everyone says it鈥檚 the hardest to defend the trophy. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to do and that鈥檚 the plan.鈥�
Wednesday鈥檚 match gives Vancouver a chance to regroup and continue its pursuit of a fourth straight Telus Canadian Championship.
The Whitecaps were favoured in the opening leg of the quarterfinal on May 20 but needed a goal from Ali Ahmed in the 80th minute to secure a 2-2 draw against the Canadian Premier League side from Winnipeg.
Sorensen said Valour will be motivated after that result.
"(They will) bring all the physicality they brought in the first leg. That鈥檚 what they should do. Why hold back?," he said.
Valour (2-8-2) sits seventh in the CPL standings and has lost three straight games, but midfielder Ralph Priso said the Whitecaps were reminded not to overlook anyone.
鈥淚t鈥檚 no secret we鈥檙e the favourites but we can鈥檛 go into the game overlooking them,鈥� said the Toronto native. 鈥淲e have to go in and take care of business.
鈥淎ny time you鈥檙e toward the top of the standings and the team that has won three (Canadian championships) in a row, you鈥檙e going to get everyone鈥檚 best shot. We just have to be ready for that.鈥�
The winner of the two-leg series advances to a semifinal in August.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
