Vancouver Rise Academy finish Champions Cup campaign in style with eight-goal rout of Alianza

(Photo courtesy of Vancouver Rise FC)

Vancouver Rise Academy put on a dominant attacking performance at Willoughby Stadium in Langley on Thursday night, with an eight goal performance that sunk a tame Alianza side and brought a bright end to a challenging CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup group.

With one game left in Group B, qualification from the group stage was off the cards for both sides following three defeats each. The Rise had fared slightly better than Alianza, conceding 12 goals to Alianza’s 17 and scoring a goal in the process, something the Salvadorans were yet to do.

Both teams will have wanted the quick start, but it was the Rise who struck first, Seina Kashima turning into space and firing in from 30 yards out to give the home side the lead inside five minutes. Minutes later, Alianza’s Linda Guillén brought down Bianca Patik inside the area, allowing Jenna Baxter to convert the subsequent penalty to make it 2-0 in the 12th minute.

This stadium was not the usual home for the Rise; with Swangard Stadium unavailable due to a conflict with a pumpkin carving festival, a new venue had to be secured. Luckily, the Rise had no problem adjusting to a bitter night in Langley and the goals continued to come.

Kashima added her second 23 minutes in following a fine solo move that ended with a deft finish over Samantha Valadez in the Alianza net. Myla Ewasiuk made it four with a towering header from a corner before Patik and Baxter both scored within a minute of each other to give the Rise Academy a convincing 6-0 lead at the interval.

Photo courtesy of Vancouver Rise FC

It was a slower second period for the Rise, but they were still able to increase an already impressive scoreline. Centre-back Ewasiuk nodded in from a corner kick for her second of the night before Patik got behind a tiring Alianza back line before slotting past Valadez for her second of the night.

It finished 8-0 to the Rise, the third-highest scoreline in the competition’s history.

Alianza will leave British Columbia disappointed to be defeated by such a heavy margin in a match that should have been their most competitive. For the Rise Academy, a challenging Champions Cup campaign is finished off with a memorable victory that these players will carry throughout their careers.

The very presence of an academy team in a competition featuring three NWSL teams and three Liga MX Feminil still felt novel, despite it happening for the second successive season, with what is to happen in 2026 still unconfirmed. If CONCACAF rules remain as they are, it will be Simcoe County Rovers representing Canada in next season’s edition due to the Northern Super League not yet meeting the criteria for participation. But CONCACAF being CONCACAF, anything is possible!

FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Rise Academy 8 – 0 Alianza

ATT: Not announced

VANCOUVER RISE: 1.Kirstin Tynan; 51.Kristen Sakaki, 45.Myla Ewasiuk, 35.Tristan Corneil (36.Tristan Corneil 79’); 28.Jaime Perrault, 44.Torah Betteridge, 46.Zahra Bains (48.Analisia Rafou 80’), 47.Adrianna Giese (33.Raquel Partovi 60’); 43.Seina Kashima (59.Allie Pazark 61’), 49.Jenna Baxter (37.Brooklyn Boldt 66’), 41.Bianca Patik [Substitutes not used: 42.Samantha Powell, 50.Clara Cooper, 52.Alice Bromilow, 57.Alia Rogers, 58.Isabell Benetti, 65.Mia Martin]

ALIANZA: 25.Samantha Valadez; 4.Linda Guillén (8.Joselina Rivas HT), 5.Santana Pressley, 17.Priscila Ortíz, 23.Irma Hernández; 12.Génesis Carpio, 22.Mónica Menjivar (19.Raquel Rodríguez HT); 10.Ashley Webb, 29.Neyda Martínez, 7.Tatiana Hawkins (27.Alejandra Agundez 75’); 9.Paola Calderón [Substitutes not used: 3.Marilyn Cabrera, 6.Rosmery Mendoza, 14.Paola Cerén, 24.Jessica Silva, 30.Gladis Ulloa]

SCORING SUMMARY:
3’ – VAN – Seina Kashima (Zahra Bains)
12’ – VAN – Jenna Baxter (penalty)
23’ – VAN – Seina Kashima (Tristan Corneil)
39’ – VAN – Myla Ewasiuk (Jenna Baxter)
42’ – VAN – Bianca Patik
44’ – VAN – Jenna Baxter (Adri Giese)
49’ – VAN – Myla Ewasiuk (Jenna Baxter)
62’ – VAN – Bianca Patik (Zahra Bains)

STATS:
Possession: VAN 42.4% – ALI 57.6%
Shots: VAN 18 – ALI 2
Shots on Goal: VAN 13 – ALI 2
Offsides: VAN 5 – ALI 0
Corners: VAN 10 – ALI 2
Interceptions: VAN 15 – ALI 19
Tackles: VAN 18 – ALI 21

REACTION:

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

SAM GEVAUX

On the match:

“We were pretty happy with how we analyzed. Obviously we were expecting a tight and close game from what we saw from Alianza, luckily the spaces we were looking to exploit were there.”

MYLA EWASIUK

“It was an amazing experience playing with and against amazing players. I’m just so grateful to have this experience.”