2023 Canadian Championship final
| Event | 2023 Canadian Championship | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Date | June 7, 2023 | ||||||
| Venue | BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia | ||||||
| Player of the Match | Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) | ||||||
| Referee | Filip Dujic | ||||||
| Attendance | 20,072 | ||||||
| Weather | Mostly Cloudy 26 °C (79 °F) 34% humidity[1] | ||||||
The 2023 Canadian Championship Final was the deciding match of the 2023 Canadian Championship and was played on June 7, 2023.[2] For the second year in a row, it was hosted at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia by defending champions Vancouver Whitecaps FC, who played CF Montréal.[2]
This was the third final played between Vancouver and Montreal, with the clubs having met in the 2013 and 2015 finals. This was also the first final since 2015 to not involve Toronto FC.
Vancouver Whitecaps won their third title following a 2–1 victory, qualifying them for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Teams
| Team | League | City | Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Major League Soccer (West) | Vancouver, British Columbia | 7 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022) |
| CF Montréal | Major League Soccer (East) | Montreal, Quebec | 6 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021) |
Background
This was the third time Vancouver Whitecaps FC and CF Montréal faced each other in the Canadian Championship final, with CF Montréal (then Montréal Impact) winning in 2013 and Vancouver Whitecaps FC winning in 2015.
In their most recent fixture earlier in 2023, Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated CF Montréal 5–0 in the MLS regular season.[3]
Path to the final
Each tie of the four-round tournament was played as a single-leg fixture. Vancouver Whitecaps FC received a bye in the preliminary round for being a finalist of the 2022 tournament.[4]
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Round | CF Montréal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | Opponent | Result | |
| Bye | Preliminary round | Vaughan Azzurri | 2–0 (H) | |
| York United FC | 4–1 (A) | Quarter-finals | Toronto FC | 2–1 (A) |
| Pacific FC | 3–0 (A) | Semi-finals | Forge FC | 2–0 (H) |
Match details
Vancouver
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Montreal
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Player of the Match:
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Assistant referees:
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Match rules[7]
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Post-match
Following the match, Vancouver Whitecaps FC's Ali Ahmed was presented with the Best Young Canadian Player Award and Julian Gressel with the George Gross Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player of the Canadian Championship.[8] Ahmed missed the final as he continued to recover from a concussion suffered in the tournament's semifinal.[8][9]
By scoring in the final, CF Montréal's Sunusi Ibrahim became the top goal scorer of the tournament with three goals.[10]
Notes
- ^ Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions excluding substitutions made at half-time.
References
- ^ "Weather History for CYVR". Weather Underground. The Weather Company. June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ a b "2023 Canadian Championship Final set for Wednesday 7 June in British Columbia - Canada Soccer". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ Karstens-Smith, Gemma (April 1, 2023). "Whitecaps 5, CF Montreal 0: Youngsters shine in Vancouver's drubbing of Montreal". The Province. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "Canada Soccer prepares for biggest Canadian Championship ever starting in April". Canadian Soccer Association. January 17, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ @CanadaSoccerEN (June 7, 2023). "Ryan Gauld puts in the @GatoradeCanada Performance of the Match! 🍁" (Tweet). Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ @CanadaSoccerEN (June 7, 2023). "Canada Soccer Referee appointments for today's #CanChamp Final! 🍁" (Tweet). Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "14 things to know about the 2023 Canadian Championship". Canadian Soccer Association. January 28, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Wells, Nick (June 7, 2023). "Gauld nets winner as Whitecaps beat CF Montreal to repeat as Canadian champions". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ Williams, Rob (May 25, 2023). "Whitecaps thank first responders after scary injury left player hospitalized". Daily Hive. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "Canadian Championship". Canadian Soccer Association. Section: Top Scorers. Retrieved June 8, 2023.