Dramatic draw leaves Vancouver FC disappointed

Dramatic draw leaves Vancouver FC disappointed

Published 8:00 pm Friday, September 25, 2026

What’s described as one of the wildest matches of the Canadian Premier League’s 2026 season ended 3-3 in Langley between Inter Toronto and Vancouver FC Wednesday night.

Multiple lead changes and late drama saw twists and turns until the final whistle between two sides who were desperate for three points – but each had to settle for one.

The result doesn’t change much for either side in the table, but likely slightly favours the VFC Eagles, who maintained their eight-point lead on Inter Toronto. The two points they dropped, however, do open the door for others to make up ground this weekend.

It took the Eagles just eight minutes to go in front.

Fullback Morey Doner made a run down the line and tried to cut the ball across the box. Inter Toronto’s Max Ferrari broke it up, but in doing so put it right back into the path of Doner, who tapped home his first of the season to make it 1-0.

Knowing the importance of this match for their season, however, Toronto quickly went on the attack.

Vancouver held them to precious little in the final third.

That is, until the 24th minute, when on Inter Toronto’s first shot on target off a failed VFC clearance, Ariel Almagro hit a low strike – which beat Callum Irving to make it 1-1.

Vancouver came very close to equalizing just minutes later, as Thierno Bah played a great ball through to Lys Mousset, but he couldn’t beat Antonio Campos in the Inter Toronto net.

Those two goals were emblematic of a wide-open first 45 minutes with plenty of chances and open space for both sides, largely off of mistakes and turnovers.

Inter Toronto had a chance to take the lead in the 37th minute on a turnover by Marcello Polisi, but Tomasz Skublak’s strike from in close hit his own man in front and went wide.

Two minutes before the half, Inter Toronto took the lead. A bit of skill from Ollie Bassett at the top of the box allowed him to create space for Steffen Yeates, who curled a strike from distance into the far corner.

After the Eagles had started so strong, the goal was a huge gut punch for the hosts.

They went into the half trailing by one, with plenty of questions to ask themselves about how they had given their lead away so quickly.

Head coach Martin Nash didn’t waste any time at the half, making a pair of substitutions and bringing on Terran Campbell and Benjamin Lee.

But it was Toronto who started the brighter of the two sides, with Skublak picking out Luca Accettola in the box, who sent a chance wide of target.

Vancouver, meanwhile, continued to shuffle the deck, bringing on Luis Toomey and giving a professional debut to 17-year-old Langley player Carson Rassak in a midfield double substitution in the 55th minute.

In the 71st minute, Vancouver had its equalizer. Off a corner kick, Kian Proctor rose higher to head the ball past Campos to make the score 2-2.

But the drama was far, far from done.

In the 87th minute, Inter Toronto won a penalty as Skublak was brought down in the box by Irving after a giveaway from Tom Field. The Vancouver keeper redeemed himself, however, diving to his left to make a save to deny Ollie Bassett from the spot and keep the match level.

In stoppage time, Vancouver thought they had won it. Toomey’s footwork outside the box sent Ferrari to the floor before unleashing a strike that beat Campos.

But there was to be one final twist in the tale, as with some of the final kicks of the match, Beni Badibanga sent the ball over the top into the path of Skublak, who smashed it past Irving.

The match finished with both sides scoring three goals, but failing to collect the three points they so desperately needed.

Nash described the game as “frustrating to be honest.”

While he said the team’s performance started well, he said it turned “awful,” and prompted him to make a series of player changes.

“I was happy the guys fought back to take the lead,” but he said their performance for 35 to 40 minutes of Wednesday’s game was just not good enough, and we can’t do that.”

Vancouver FC finish up a busy week by hosting Forge FC on Saturday, Sept. 26, back at The Stadium at Langley Events Centre with a 4 p.m. start.