Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeats Alianza Women in first W Champions Cup match

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador –  A new chapter of women’s club football was written as Vancouver Whitecaps FC won 1-nil over Alianza FC in the Preliminary Round of the 2024/25 Concacaf W Champions Cup on Thursday at the Estadio Cuscaltan in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Knowing the winner of the match would advance to Group B, both teams started strong and tried to impose themselves on the scoresheet.

Following the initial stretch, the Whitecaps offensive started to get closer to that historic first goal in the competition. The Canadian club received a penalty attempt in the 25’ as defender Rosemary Mendoza committed a foul in the box on midfielder Kaylee Hunter. 

History was written in the 25’, when 17-year-old Emily Wong converted from the penalty spot, shooting towards the top left corner, to score the first-ever goal of the W Champions Cup, to place Whitecaps FC in the lead. 

The Canadians nearly doubled their advantage in the 32’, when Hunter received a pass just outside the box and took a shot past Alianza FC goalkeeper Roxana Vega, but defender Andrea Recinos cleared the ball before it crossed the goal line to keep the difference within one.

Alianza FC did not stop trying to equalize, starting the second half by getting into the Vancouver Whitecaps’ area. After a foul on Alejandra Curiel in the 68’, the locals had a free kick, but Canadian goalkeeper Morgan McAslan stopped their efforts.

Another chance came up for the locals with a long shot from Paola Cerén in the 79’, but her effort went wide of the post. 

The Salvadoran side kept pushing until the last minutes of the match but was unable to find the tying goal, and Vancouver Whitecaps won their first-ever W Champions Cup.

With the victory, the Whitecaps advance to the group stage of the W Champions Cup, completing Group B. They will face Club América Femenil on Thursday, 21, in Mexico City.