Thomas Müller signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps because he wanted to chase championships.
He and the ‘Caps earned another title Wednesday, downing Vancouver FC 4-2 to win the Canadian Championship for the fourth year in a row.
“It’s very good to get this winning feeling, to confirm that we are able, not to win trophies, but to sustain in tough moments,” Müller said. “I know maybe the Canadian Championship, we won it now four years in a row. And you also play against teams that are in lower leagues. But, you still have to finish the job.”
It was a historic win for the Whitecaps, who play in Major League Soccer, marking the first time in the tournament’s modern era that a team has hoisted the Voyageurs Cup four years in a row.
Founded in 2008, the Canadian Championship featured just three teams until 2011, when FC Edmonton joined. The format expanded in 2019 with the addition of six Canadian Premier League teams, and this year’s iteration includes 15 teams across six leagues.
“It feels like each year it gets better,’ said Whitecaps midfielder Ali Ahmed. “We’re stoked. We’re happy.”
Ahmed was named the tournament’s most valuable player after scoring twice in Wednesday’s final. Müller had a goal and an assist for Vancouver, and Ryan Gauld — playing his first game in nearly seven months — rounded out the scoring.
Thierno Bah and Nicolas Mezquida each had a goal and an assist for CPL side Vancouver FC.
The Whitecaps were dominant from the start and controlled 74 per cent of possession across the game. The team outshot the visiting Vancouver FC 20-4, with a 7-2 edge in on-target shots.
VFC’s interim head coach, Martin Nash, was proud of his team’s effort.
“The guys never gave up,” he said. “We pressed them in moments. We had a couple turnovers where we were close to maybe having a good counter. So there’s a lot of good moments. We can hold our heads high. We were beat by a better team on the day.”
Ahmed opened the scoring five minutes in, collecting a ball from Müller, and dribbling it in from the top of the penalty area. The Canadian midfielder then blasted a sharp-angled shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
The home side doubled its lead less than five minutes later after VFC’s Kunle Dada-Luke was called for taking Ahmed out at the top of the six-yard box.
Referee Drew Fischer was quick to point at the spot, and Müller stepped up to take the kick. The German soccer legend sent a right-footed shot in off the post to give the ‘Caps a 2-0 advantage.
The strike marked the 300th goal of Müller’s storied career. He also won the 35th trophy of his career, breaking a tie with Toni Kroos for the most decorated German player of all time.
“Today I feel more about winning the Canadian Championship and not my personal collection of trophies,” the former Bayern Munich star said of the achievement. “It’s a nice number, but in the end, it’s the feeling with the boys, with the crowds, what I’m looking for and what’s enjoyable for me.”
Vancouver FC got on the board in the 35th minute after Mezquida, a former Whitecaps midfielder, sent Bah a pass, and the defender went flying down the field on a breakaway.
Whitecaps ‘keeper Isaac Boehmer came well off his line to challenge, but Bah got a shot past him, sending the ball rolling into the wide-open net and cutting VFC’s deficit to 2-1.
The ‘Caps regained their two-goal cushion minutes later.
Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter floated a ball in toward the goal, and VFC ‘keeper Callum Irving punched the shot away. The ball popped out to the six-yard box, where Ahmed knocked it in for his second goal of the game.
“Happy to help my team in any way,” Ahmed said. “Scoring goals is fun, but winning is better. And I just try and help the team, and that’s what we did.”
Cheers rang out around B.C. Place in the 79th minute when Whitecaps captain Gauld came on for Müller.
It was the attacking midfielder’s first game action since March 8 when he suffered a knee injury in an MLS game against CF Montreal.
Four minutes later, the crowd rose yet again when Gauld, stationed at the top of the area, sent a right-footed shot bouncing into the bottom of the net.
“It was nice to hear that recognition when I came on, and then to add a goal to that was really nice as well,” Gauld said. “But more importantly, it’s the work these boys have put in the whole season. And it’s nice to have a trophy show for that. And hopefully there’s more trophies in the future.”
VFC replied in the 85th minute when Bah sent the ball to Mezquida, and he popped a shot in past Boehmer to seal the score at 4-2.
“We can talk about a lot of stuff, that we should win a game like this against Vancouver FC, and, of course, we were huge favourites,” Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen said of the win. “But it’s never easy.
“No matter how much you talk about it, you have to do it. I think it was great that the guys were able to do it.”
