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Associated Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
3 Canadian national team players among the Whitecaps stricken by illness
Three Canadian national team players were among those who fell ill following the Vancouver Whitecaps' appearance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final last weekend in Mexico City. The Whitecaps said a 'significant number' of players and staff had a gastrointestinal illness. Three of them — Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe and Jayden Nelson — were ill when they arrived at Canada's training camp in Halifax ahead of Saturday's Canadian Shield match against Ukraine, coach Jesse Marsch said Friday. 'They're better now,' Marsch said. 'They're probably not ready for 90-minute performances.' The trio practiced with the national team Friday in preparation for the match at Toronto's BMO Field. Canada also plays Ivory Coast on Tuesday as it readies for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Marsch, who said it was his understanding that the players had food poisoning, questioned how it could happen two years in a row. Last year, Columbus Crew players fell ill while playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final in Mexico against Pachuca. 'If I were the Vancouver Whitecaps, if I was the Columbus Crew, if I was MLS, I would be angry. I would be absolutely angry that this had been allowed to happen,' he said. The Whitecaps were forced to cancel practice Wednesday and had a modified session for cleared players Thursday after both players and staff reported the gastrointestinal symptoms. It appeared many players had returned Friday. 'The health and well-being of our players and staff remain a top priority. Each player has been provided with an individualized program by the medical and performance staff to support their continued preparation and recovery,' the Whitecaps said in a statement. Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster told reporters that about half of the 75 people who returned to Canada via charter following the game reported symptoms. The Whitecaps lost 5-0 to Liga MX team Cruz Azul in the tournament's championship game Sunday night in Mexico City. The Whitecaps were scheduled to play the Seattle Sounders in a Cascadia Cup rivalry match at BC Place on Sunday. Nine players were already going to be missing because of national team duty, including Ahmed, Adekugbe and Nelson. Schuster said the Whitecaps have been in contact with the league about whether the team would have enough players for the game. 'If we have enough healthy and fit players available, we want to play it, of course,' Schuster said. 'No one ever wants not to play a game if he thinks he has a group together that is ready to compete in this game.' ___ AP soccer:
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Real Salt Lake vs Vancouver: Whitecaps look to regain form ahead of key MLS stretch (24 May, 2025)
Real Salt Lake vs Vancouver Whitecaps (via Getty Images) Vancouver Whitecaps need an injection of life as they travel to Real Salt Lake this weekend to contest an important Major League Soccer game. Three consecutive draws—including a nervy 1-1 with LAFC, a goalless stalemate in Austin, and an underwhelming result against Canadian Championship side Valour FC—have disrupted Vancouver Whitecaps' rhythm at an inopportune time. Vancouver Whitecaps tested by Real Salt Lake as international absences loom Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Real Salt Lake | Full Match Highlights With the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final approaching and a number of star players likely to be absent from future league matches due to international commitments, this contest against Real Salt Lake acquires added significance. The timing makes their visit to Real Salt Lake even more crucial. To their good fortune, the last time these two teams met was only three weeks ago, when Vancouver picked up a 2-1 home victory with a brilliant solo strike by Jayden Nelson and a cool finish from Tristan Blackmon. Real Salt Lake, on the other hand, is stuck in awful form with only one win from their previous seven games. America First Field has traditionally been a daunting proposition for RSL, but this season, they've taken a paltry seven points from six home matches. The 'Caps have not fared well in Utah, either, winning only two of 16 all-time trips. Their last win in Salt Lake was in 2020, with their other coming in 2015. Real Salt Lake's greatest threat is still Diego Luna , who has seven goals this season and remains one of the top players on a team that is thin up front. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The next best offensive player on the team has but a single goal, which demonstrates the goal-scoring burden Luna bears. Also read: Report: New York City FC leads MLS race to sign Luka Modric amid Dinamo Zagreb uncertainty With pressure building and make-or-break fixtures looming, both Real Salt Lake and Vancouver Whitecaps have a lot to gain. A victory for the Whitecaps would not only snap a streak of three consecutive draws but also provide some padding to counteract roster woes on the horizon. For Real Salt Lake, it's about turning around an alarming slump and holding home sweet home, where victories have not come easily in 2025. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
CTV News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Vancouver Whitecaps not discounting Valour FC heading into Canadian Championship
Vancouver Whitecaps' Jayden Nelson (7) and Real Salt Lake's Justen Glad (15) vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Saturday, May 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Toronto Star
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Vancouver Whitecaps not discounting Valour FC heading into Canadian Championship
The Vancouver Whitecaps heard analysts' predictions ahead of the Major League Soccer season. Pundits mused the club would finish 14th or 15th in the standings, that the 'Caps were a middling team that would miss the playoffs. 'We really took that and put a chip on our shoulders,' said midfielder Jayden Nelson. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Vancouver has defied expectations in dramatic fashion — the club currently sits atop the MLS Western Conference standings and has earned a spot in next month's CONCACAF Champions Cup final. Now the Whitecaps are on to their next quest, chasing a fourth consecutive Canadian Championship title. 'Now it's like, OK, this season, we really could make a name for ourselves to say we're one of the best. And why not us?' Nelson said. 'So I think to have that mentality, we need to do it again and again and again.' Vancouver's title defence begins Tuesday when the squad visits Canadian Premier League side Valour FC to kick off a two-legged aggregate quarterfinal series. The 'Caps head to Winnipeg undefeated in their last 12 games across all competitions (6-0-6) and with a 8-1-4 record in MLS play. 'Honestly, I think they are arguably the best team in CONCACAF right now,' said Valour head coach Phillip Dos Santos, a former assistant coach for the 'Caps. 'They've just maintained the level of performance very high since the beginning of the season.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW As winners of the 2024 Canadian Championship, the Whitecaps earned a bye through the preliminary round of this year's tournament. Valour advanced to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over semi-professional side TSS Rovers, but has struggled through the early days of their CPL campaign. The club got its first league win of the year Friday when it beat York United 2-1, and it now holds a 1-4-1 record on the season. 'It's kind of the monkey off the back,' said forward Kris Twardek. 'Everyone wants to get their first win as early as possible.' The victory gave the team confidence, he added, and going up against a strong opponent on Tuesday could propel the group's growth even further. Twardek compared the challenge of facing the Whitecaps to some of the fixtures he played against bigger clubs while with Bohemian FC in Ireland. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'It was always the goal to get European qualifying matches,' he said. 'It kind of galvanizes the group, builds confidence. And I was fortunate to have a couple of games there like that. And it's something that can really light an excitement in the group and be a catalyst for everyone.' Meanwhile, the Whitecaps are coming off a 0-0 draw with Austin FC that head coach Jesper Sorensen called his team's 'worst performance of the season.' 'I think we've been strong over a long period of time, and it's normal that you have games where you don't really hit the right notes and you don't really seem as connected,' he said. The disappointing result and a 2-2 draw against Los Angeles FC the week before are fuelling Vancouver going into Tuesday's matchup, Nelson said. 'I think this game is actually important for us because we're coming off a couple ties and we want to win,' he said. 'We want to definitely go into this game to get our confidence and our groove back, so it's a serious game for us.' The two clubs have not met since 2022 when Vancouver blanked Valour 2-0 in the preliminary round of the Canadian Championship. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Even though the 'Caps are rolling, players aren't discounting the challenge their CPL opponents may provide. 'I think from the first whistle, it's important to respect Valour,' Nelson said. 'I think it stems from there, (we need) to really give them their respect and try to match the intensity and move the ball fast, and be able to show why we're playing in the MLS and why we're doing well in our league.' On the other side of the pitch, Dos Santos and his team are focused on what they can control. He wants his team to know they can win, know that they can score and focus on the small details. 'It's going to be about us being ourselves (on Tuesday). Guys don't need and they can't think that the occasion is too big for them,' the coach said. 'We need to look at the fact that it's an opposition, it's 11 guys that are going to step on to that field. And we need to play. We need to enjoy the moment. We need to understand the threats that they bring, but also know that nobody's perfect.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2025.
Vancouver Sun
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Whitecaps not discounting Valour FC heading into Canadian Championship
The Vancouver Whitecaps heard analysts' predictions ahead of the Major League Soccer season. Pundits mused the club would finish 14th or 15th in the standings, that the 'Caps were a middling team that would miss the playoffs. 'We really took that and put a chip on our shoulders,' said midfielder Jayden Nelson. Vancouver has defied expectations in dramatic fashion — the club currently sits atop the MLS Western Conference standings and has earned a spot in next month's CONCACAF Champions Cup final. Now the Whitecaps are on to their next quest, chasing a fourth consecutive Canadian Championship title. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Now it's like, OK, this season, we really could make a name for ourselves to say we're one of the best. And why not us?' Nelson said. 'So I think to have that mentality, we need to do it again and again and again.' Vancouver's title defence begins Tuesday when the squad visits Canadian Premier League side Valour FC to kick off a two-legged aggregate quarterfinal series. The 'Caps head to Winnipeg undefeated in their last 12 games across all competitions (6-0-6) and with an 8-1-4 record in MLS play. 'Honestly, I think they are arguably the best team in CONCACAF right now,' said Valour head coach Phillip Dos Santos, a former assistant coach for the 'Caps. 'They've just maintained the level of performance very high since the beginning of the season.' As winners of the 2024 Canadian Championship, the Whitecaps earned a bye through the preliminary round of this year's tournament. Valour advanced to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over semi-professional side TSS Rovers, but has struggled through the early days of their CPL campaign. The club got its first league win of the year Friday when it beat York United 2-1, and it now holds a 1-4-1 record on the season. 'It's kind of the monkey off the back,' said forward Kris Twardek. 'Everyone wants to get their first win as early as possible.' The victory gave the team confidence, he added, and going up against a strong opponent on Tuesday could propel the group's growth even further. Twardek compared the challenge of facing the Whitecaps to some of the fixtures he played against bigger clubs while with Bohemian FC in Ireland. 'It was always the goal to get European qualifying matches,' he said. 'It kind of galvanizes the group, builds confidence. And I was fortunate to have a couple of games there like that. And it's something that can really light an excitement in the group and be a catalyst for everyone.' Meanwhile, the Whitecaps are coming off a 0-0 draw with Austin FC that head coach Jesper Sorensen called his team's 'worst performance of the season.' 'I think we've been strong over a long period of time, and it's normal that you have games where you don't really hit the right notes and you don't really seem as connected,' he said. The disappointing result and a 2-2 draw against Los Angeles FC the week before are fuelling Vancouver going into Tuesday's matchup, Nelson said. 'I think this game is actually important for us because we're coming off a couple ties and we want to win,' he said. 'We want to definitely go into this game to get our confidence and our groove back, so it's a serious game for us.' The two clubs have not met since 2022 when Vancouver blanked Valour 2-0 in the preliminary round of the Canadian Championship. Even though the 'Caps are rolling, players aren't discounting the challenge their CPL opponents may provide. 'I think from the first whistle, it's important to respect Valour,' Nelson said. 'I think it stems from there, (we need) to really give them their respect and try to match the intensity and move the ball fast, and be able to show why we're playing in the MLS and why we're doing well in our league.' On the other side of the pitch, Dos Santos and his team are focused on what they can control. He wants his team to know they can win, know that they can score and focus on the small details. 'It's going to be about us being ourselves (on Tuesday). Guys don't need and they can't think that the occasion is too big for them,' the coach said. 'We need to look at the fact that it's an opposition, it's 11 guys that are going to step on to that field. And we need to play. We need to enjoy the moment. We need to understand the threats that they bring, but also know that nobody's perfect.'
