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October 6th Edition
Four-Peat for the 'Caps, CanMNT return to Montréal, NSL unveil trophy & more!
A champion of Canada was crowned this past week, and for the fourth consecutive year, it was the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Now, it’s international break time as the Canadian men’s national team are back in Montréal for the first time in a decade, looking to continue their run of strong results against top global opponents.
That, plus the NSL introduce the Diana B. Matheson Cup, World Cup ticket prices are insane, and more ahead in this week’s edition of The Northern Pitch.
In this week's edition:
Canadian Championship
🏆 Four-Peat for the ‘Caps
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Four peats sake! Dad jokes are the nectar of life, so is lifting the Voyageurs Cup for the fourth year in a row. The Vancouver Whitecaps are the kings of the North and have booked their spot in next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
A six-goal thriller. This Vancouver darby cup final did not disappoint. A high-scoring affair in which VFC found the back of the net twice. Although the Caps dominated, Vancouver FC proved that the champs are not impermeable. Nonetheless, the game ended 4-2 for the Whitecaps.
Thierno Bah and Nicolás Mezquida take a bow. The pair each scored and assisted each other’s goal for VFC. Along with Hugo Mbongue, the three ballers had a standout performance for Vancouver. They deserved their flowers despite the scoreline.
This was Ali Ahmed’s night. The young CanMNT winger opened the game with the first goal and picked up a second goal in the 36th minute.
The return of Scottish Messi. Ryan Gauld returned to the pitch after a lengthy injury and found the net in the 83rd minute. The return of the Scottish maestro brought BC Place to its feet.
A winning momentum. As the Whitecaps head to the post-season, a cup under their belt will add further wind to their sails. With Gauld back in the squad, a combination of the Scotsman, Brian White, Thomas Muller and Ali Ahmed is a mouth-watering prospect.
CanMNT
🇨🇦 CanMNT make long-awaited return to MTL
Canada Soccer
This week, Les Rouges finally return to La Belle Province.
The Canadian men’s national team host Australia in an international friendly on Friday night at Stade Saputo (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on TSN & OneSoccer).
The Aussies (25th) are ranked just one spot ahead of Canada, and have called up a fairly young side for this camp, which also includes a friendly against the United States later in the window.
Australia recently qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which allowed them to be free this window to play against Canada instead of having to play matches in the AFC Qualifying fourth round.
Canada also named their squad this week, with a few players back in the side, including Jonathan Osorio, Liam Millar, and goalkeeper James Pantemis. Kamal Miller appears to be a late call-in to replace the injured Moïse Bombito.
It’s another interesting test for the Canadian team, and an important chance to build more hype at home in one of their last few games of 2025.
CanMNT
🤕 Bombito suffers a long-term injury
TSN
Friday was supposed to be a special day for Moïse Bombito.
Finally returning from injury after last playing for Canada during March’s Nations League finals, Bombito was set to play for the national team in his hometown of Montréal for the first time in his career.
Instead, he will miss this camp and several others after fracturing his tibia in a 2-2 draw for Nice against Monaco on Sunday. A lot remains up in the air in terms of the nature of the break, which will dictate the timeline of his absence. He is expected to learn today the timeline of his recovery, per TSN’s Matthew Scianitti.
Tajon Buchanan recently recovered from a Tibia fracture, but his was mildly displaced per Scianitti, which led to a shorter recovery timeline.
Until more details emerge, it is a pretty scary time for the national team program, and the availability of one of Canada’s most important players.
Wishing Moïse a speedy recovery!
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Canucks Abroad
🌍 Canucks Abroad
FC Lausanne-Sport
🇨🇭Theo Bair scores in Europe. The Bair roared to life for Lausanne-Sport against Icelandic side Breiðablik in the Conference League on Wednesday. His cheeky chip over the goalkeeper in the 11th minute was the second goal in a 3-0 win.
🇭🇷 Niko Sigur assist. Sigur didn’t get the summer move he was angling for, but he’s still producing for Hajduk. In off the bench against Vukovar, the Canadian assisted USMNT midfielder Rokas Pukstas on the lone goal in a 1-0 win.
🏴 Daniel Jebbison’s first. Jebbo’s back in business. Despite injury issues and dropping down the pecking order earlier in the season, the CanMNT striker has a big weight off his back. His first for Preston came towards the end of a 2-0 win over Charlton.
🇪🇸 Tani and Tajon vs. Real Madrid. You read that right. Two former Syracuse University forwards started alongside each other against one of the biggest clubs in the world. Their Villarreal would fall 3-1, but it wouldn’t be without a couple of looks for Tani. The dream is real.
🏴 Sabrina D’Angelo clean sheet. It was a relatively quiet morning in goal, but good to see nonetheless ahead of a busy October-November for the CanWNT. Sabs made one save, protecting the shutout in Villa’s 2-0 win over Shelina Zadorsky’s West Ham.
🇨🇭 Theo Bair with three more. Bair’s productive week continued in league action, as Lausanne-Sport trounced second-placed BSC YB, 5-0. Goals one and two went in minutes after kick-off, with Bair marking his hat-trick at the start of the second half. The second and third were stellar finishes by themselves.
🇳🇱 Cyle Larin game-winning assist. A late contribution just before CanMNT camp? That’s what CL dug out for Feyenoord on Sunday, assisting on the winner in a 3-2 result over Utrecht. It was a one-touch pass around a defender that perfectly set up Japanese international Ayase Ueda for the finish.
🏴 Derek Cornelius assist. It’s been a struggle for Rangers to start the season with just two wins in seven. That continued on on Sunday, as they drew away at Falkirk, 1-1. DC had the assist on the only Rangers goal with a whipped cross to the back post.
MLS
⚽️ MLS News & Recaps
Nashville SC
🔵 CF Montréal hosted their final home game. CFM hosted Nashville SC in an afternoon match up. Things started well for MTL as Dante Sealy scored a top bins free-kick banger in the 9th minute. Prince Owusu was denied a goal due to a passive offside action from Jalen Neal. From then on, both sides were creating chances but no finish. However, Nashville looked the more dangerous. In the 81st minute, Sam Surridge scored the equalizer. The game ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
🔴 Toronto FC held to a draw in Chicago. Joel Waterman and the Chicago Fire hosted Toronto FC at Soldier Field. This is a game where Chicago’s Jack Elliot scored an unofficial hattrick. Elliot opened the game with an own goal and then scored a brace for the Fire. At this point, it was 2-1 for Chicago with all the goals coming from Elliot. However, TFC’s Djordje Mihailovic equalized with a pen in stoppage time ending the game 2-2.
🌊 The Whitecaps are ridin a wave. With the CanChamp cup triumph, the Caps carried that momentum against the San Jose Earthquakes with a 4-1 win at BC Place. Thomas Muller scored his 5th goal of the season and Sebastian Berhalter scored a brace. Both of Berhalter’s goals being bangers from outside the box. Vancouver are feeling themselves and at the right time.
🏆 Shaff wins the US Open Cup. He had a big part in Tennessee’s first major sports trophy, as well. Shaff assisted Hany Mukhtar’s opener, and the visitors weathered a late Sam Surridge red card to defeat Austin, 2-1. The Maritime Messi became just one of three Canadians, alongside Thomas Hasal and Dwayne De Rosario, to win both the US Open Cup and Canadian Championship in their career.
This week’s MLS fixtures:
Wednesday, October 8th
Los Angeles FC vs. Toronto FC (7:30 PM PT @ BMO Stadium)
Saturday, October 11th
Orlando City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (7:30 PM ET @ Inter&Co Stadium)
Canadian Premier League
🍁 CPL News & Recaps
CPL
⚓️ Play-off qualifier rehearsal in Halifax. The Wanderers hosted York United in a likely play-off qualifier in the post-season. Halifax opened the game in the 15 minute with a goal from Nassim Makidèche. The Nine Stripes would respond with a goal from Massimo Ferrin in the 68th milk. The game ended 1-1.
🔨 Forge held to a draw to lowly VFC. A bump in the road for the league leaders. Forge were held to a 1-1 draw against to last placed Vancouver FC. Forge’s Tristan Borges opened the game with a top bins finish in the 45th minute. However, Vancouver’s Emrick Fotsing scored the equalizer, ending the game 1-1.
🌾 Six goal thriller in Winnipeg. For neutrals, this was a good game. For the supporters of each team, this was a rollercoaster of emotions. Each team went tit for tat on each goal with Valour opening the match in the 2nd minute with a goal from Kris Twardek. The game ended 3-3 with Ottawa failing to equalize on points with first placed Forge FC.
🔱 The week ends with another draw. This has been a week of draws. Pacific FC and Cavalry FC decided to stay on theme. For Pacific FC, this was a game that would bring them some confidence as all of their goals are of top quality. Despite the performance, the Cavs showed why they;re contenders as they were able to squeak out a draw despite a red card against Michael Baldisimo. The game ended 3-3.
This week’s CPL fixtures:
Thursday, October 9
York United vs. Pacific FC (7:30 PM ET @ York Lions Stadium)
Friday, October 10
Cavalry FC vs. Forge FC (7:30 PM MT @ ATCO Field)
Saturday, October 11
Valour FC vs. Halifax Wanderers (2:00 PM CT @ Princess Auto Stadium)
Saturday, October 12
Atlético Ottawa vs. Vancouver FC (3:00 PM ET @ TD Place)
Northern Super League
🌌 NSL News & Recaps
Northern Super League
🤩 Diana B. Matheson Cup revealed. The NSL have officially announced the NSL Final trophy. Named after Project8 CEO and NSL Founder and Chief Growth Officer Diana Matheson, the cup combines bronze, silver and gold elements with the league’s north star iconography featuring prominently. The trophy will be awarded to the NSL Final champions, whoever they are, on November 15th.
🌊 Halifax held MTL to a draw in Nova Scotia. The Tides opened the game with a well rehearsed set piece in the 37th minute. Roses responded in the 68th minute with a goal from Charlotte Bilbault. Halifax would responded with a top bins banger from Saorla Miller, whom registered her second goal of the game. However, MTL would end the game 2-2 with an equalizer from Kang Chae-rim in the 78th minute.
🦉 A red card in Calgary. The Wild hosted AFC Toronto in which the away team walked away with a 2-1 win despite conceding a red card. For Calgary, the silver lining in this game is that they held equal possession with Toronto and were able to register a goal before the half.
🏔️ Rise Academy fall to Monterrey. The Rise Academy travelled to Monterrey on Thursday, falling 4-0 to four first-half goals. That meant their mission for a win in the W Champions Cup will come down to their final match against El Salvador’s Alianza. Alianza have also yet to win, sitting below the Rise Academy on goal difference.
This week’s NSL fixtures:
Wednesday, October 8
Ottawa Rapid vs. Vancouver Rise (7:30 PM ET @ TD Place Stadium)
Saturday, October 11
Montréal Roses vs. Vancouver Rise (12:00 PM ET @ Stade Boréale)
Calgary Wild vs. Halifax Tides (12:00 PM MT @ McMahon Stadium)