In a strange spectacle, the Vancouver Whitecaps played EFL League 1 side and Hollywood darlings Wrexham at BC Place on Saturday. 

The away team in their stadium, it was hardly the sort of circumstances many are used to seeing the ‘Caps play under, however. 

First, there was the surface, grass, as Wrexham had installed before the match. Then, there was the crowd, who were mostly in support of the Welsh-based side, and understandably so given that the match was put on by them. 

Lastly, there was the match itself, which was contested between a team still in preseason and a team in midseason form, which made for a unique contrast of styles and fitness levels. 

This is something different – I’m at BC Place for today’s friendly between #VWFC and Wrexham

Pretty cool to see grass at BC Place for once – curious to see how this one plays out pic.twitter.com/APYzSGOHuT

— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) July 27, 2024

Ultimately, that made the score a bit of a footnote, although some critics of MLS might see the Whitecaps’ 4-1 loss and suggest that the league is hardly EFL League 2 quality, but that’d ignore the context of the game, as the Whitecaps were without their two most important players and used the second half to audition a bunch of players who haven’t played much or who are on their second team. 

And that was the big thing to take away from the Whitecaps perspective – this was about managing minutes and taking advantage of an opportunity to play a 90-minute exhibition, a luxury not always afforded in a busy calendar, where every game means something. That can be gruelling for those who are leaned upon heavily, and tough for those who deserve more of a shot. 

Certainly, one can wonder if the Whitecaps missed a chance to connect with a wider public who are interested in the sport, even if they were drawn in by the popularity of the “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary and the celebrity ownership of the club, as over 34 000 turned up to watch this game, allowing the Whitecaps to play in front of some new eyeballs. 

At the same time, the reward of playing a strong team and trying to put Wrexham under the sword didn’t outweigh the need to rest some key pieces, which opened the door for some new faces to step up instead. 

Now, it’s hoped that they can be the ones to end up as the real winners of this experience, aside from those who turned up to cheer on Wrexham in person, as this was a huge opportunity for those on the fringes of the Whitecaps side, especially the youngsters that were called up. 

For example, 20-year-old Finn Linder put in a big 90-minute shift at right centre back, Belal Halbouni finally made an appearance and did well in the middle of a back three, which is encouraging for a team currently dealing with an injury crisis at centre back, while Isaac Boehmer made the most of a 60-minute shift in goal. 

Along with appearances from young Canadians such as Mihail Gherasimencov, Liam McKenzie and Malcolm Simmons, who are all pushing to crack the team long-term, they’ll be encouraged by that, as all three showed well. 

Plus, it’s not as if this game ended up being all about the new faces, either, as Giuseppe Bovalina, who is slowly carving out a key role in the Whitecaps rotation, scored a beautiful goal, one that could spark more minutes for the ‘Caps new Australian signing. You add that Sam Adekugbe got a much-needed 45-minute run on a grass surface, and that Ali Ahmed did Ali Ahmed things, and those are more positives to remember. 

So while the match itself was a strange one, especially given its timing, it certainly offered plenty for Sartini to stew on, which is what you want the manager to do after these kinds of games. 

At the end of the day, friendlies are all about performances and less about results, and that’s what the Whitecaps will want to take home from this experience.

Now, the next mid-season friendly must involve spots for the Whitecaps supporters, an oversight on Wrexham’s part which added to the strange nature of the match, one that will certainly be remembered for many weird reasons.