Match Preview: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Toronto FC – a national dynasty?

The Whitecaps might currently be in the thick of a furious battle for playoff positioning in the final few weeks of the MLS season, but throw that out of your mind! Forget all the permutations and the potential matchups and anything that involves an American club. It’s time for the Canadian Championship Final!

That’s right, it’s time to see whether the ‘Caps can earn themselves a three-peat, which would be a pretty impressive run considering that before 2022 they’d only ever won one Voyageurs Cup. It would also be the first three-peat in the competition since Toronto FC did it from 2016-2018.

And wouldn’t you know it, but it’s John Herdman’s tricky reds who stand in the way of Vancouver glory, just as they did in 2022 when Tristan Blackmon dispatched an ice-cold penalty to win the trophy. On top of the winners being able to proclaim themselves as the best team in Canada, the spot in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup on the line only adds to the reward.

Fortunately for the ‘Caps, they have as clean of a bill of health as they’ve had at just about any point this season. Outside of a lingering injury to fourth-string keeper Max Anchor, everyone is in training and could feature on Wednesday night.

In the last couple editions of the tournament (including earlier this season) it’s felt at times like a struggle to pick out the required minimum three Canadians who must start. Now, however, that isn’t really an issue! There are half a dozen options who have all played real minutes in recent weeks, not counting Isaac Boehmer who could be an option over Yohei Takaoka (but I would be a little surprised if Vanni Sartini went with him here).

The most likely outcome would seem to be that Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe, and Ryan Raposo get the nod, with Belal Halbouni as another option if Sartini feels those first three would have too much positional overlap. Ralph Priso (who has had a couple surprisingly effective shifts recently) and Levonte Johnson are other options, but not quite as likely with the rest of the squad healthy.

Sartini must have had this final on his mind when selecting the lineup for the last match against the Galaxy, as Ryan Gauld, Fafa Picault, and Pedro Vite all only played in the second half. Andrés Cubas didn’t play at all, but should be ready to go Wednesday, while Stuart Armstrong continues to be an intriguing piece off the bench.

The attacking tandem of Gauld, Picault, and Brian White has been deadly at times, and getting them all out on the field together has to be a priority. If Cubas and Vite are also out there, along with the Canadians, then that just about sorts out the lineup right then and there.

Looking at the visitors, Toronto have had a bit of a tumultuous year. In MLS play, they went from a surprisingly decent start in the first few weeks, to a horrible slump where they won just one game in twelve, to rebounding with a series of wins that’s pushed them back into the edge of the playoff picture. These two teams played all the way back in April at BC Place, which the ‘Caps won 4-0 in a dominant affair.

Injuries have been an issue throughout the season. In recent weeks Lorenzo Insigne, Jonathan Osorio, and Kevin Long have all been battling ailments, while new signing Henry Wingo only played three times before getting hurt two weeks ago.

Federico Bernardeschi remains at the forefront of the Toronto attack, leading the team in both goals (8) and assists (8) in MLS play. After being shutout in both of their last two matches, the Reds will be looking for a rebound.

Neither of these two teams played another MLS side in their road to the final. The Whitecaps took down Cavalry FC and Pacific FC, while Toronto defeated semi-pro sides Simcoe County Rovers and CS Saint-Laurent before eliminating Forge FC. This is a step up for both of them, and it’s all on the line. Let’s go get another trophy!