Author: Samuel Rowan

Sam has covered the Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian Soccer since 2018. He’s a member of the North American Soccer Reporters.
Eighty Six Forever, Guess the Starting XI, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Guess the Starting XI – Match Three vs. Portland Timbers

Welcome back, everyone. The Vancouver Whitecaps have a rare early-season road game this weekend, as they will be down in Portland to face the Timbers at Providence Park. Portland has a win and a loss to start the year, characteristic of their up-and-down nature that has seen them be a play-in team the last two seasons. In terms of Vancouver’s squad, Kenji Cabrera is still … Continue reading Guess the Starting XI – Match Three vs. Portland Timbers

Samuel Rowan23 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Report Card, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Report Card: Honour Roll at BC Place

After a dominant display Saturday night at BC Place in a 3–0 win over Toronto FC, we take a look back at the individual performances in the latest Report Card. Alright, let’s dive in. Yohei Takaoka – 8.0 The Japanese keeper has been very lonely this season, without many opportunities to show off his skills. That being said, the reflex save he made in the … Continue reading Report Card: Honour Roll at BC Place

Samuel Rowan2 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Post Match, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Post Match: Three Past TFC

Saturday night at BC Place, the Vancouver Whitecaps cruised past visiting Toronto FC with a 3-0 victory, their second win to start the season in MLS play and their third straight victory in all competitions. There was very little attacking momentum for either team through the first 20 minutes, even though the home side enjoyed clear tactical superiority. That said, once Vancouver found their footing, … Continue reading Post Match: Three Past TFC

Samuel Rowan3 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Guess the Starting XI, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Guess the Starting XI – Match Two vs. Toronto FC

Welcome back, everyone. The Vancouver Whitecaps are home again this weekend, hosting Toronto FC at BC Place. With the short turnaround, keep an eye on Kenji Cabrera after his midweek knock, along with players like Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter, who have carried heavy early-season minutes. Toronto FC opened the season with a 3-2 loss to FC Dallas and are still searching for their first … Continue reading Guess the Starting XI – Match Two vs. Toronto FC

Samuel Rowan24 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Post Match, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Post Match: Finding Their Feet

Wednesday night at BC Place, the Vancouver Whitecaps secured a 2–0 result against C.S. Cartaginés to advance to the next round in CONCACAF, where they will face the Seattle Sounders. Massive credit should go to the Costa Rican side, as they battled hard over the course of two legs, making this matchup far more stressful than most would have anticipated. Their defiant defensive effort held … Continue reading Post Match: Finding Their Feet

Samuel Rowan7 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Guess the Starting XI, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Guess the Starting XI – Champions Cup vs. C.S. Cartaginés (Second Leg)

Welcome back, everyone. The Vancouver Whitecaps return to the Champions Cup on Wednesday when they host Costa Rican side C.S. Cartaginés at BC Place, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg last week. Looking at Vancouver’s squad, I’d guess that both Kenji Cabrera and Edier Ocampo will be right back in the starting XI, having been rested against RSL. Similarly, Jeevan Badwal may have … Continue reading Guess the Starting XI – Champions Cup vs. C.S. Cartaginés (Second Leg)

Samuel Rowan22 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Report Card, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Report Card: AZ Does It

Saturday night at BC Place, the Vancouver Whitecaps began their MLS season with a rather nervy 1-0 win over a depleted Real Salt Lake side. While Jesper Sørensen’s team have not come sprinting out of the blocks to start 2026, they have kept back-to-back clean sheets and were quite clearly the better side in both matches they have played. They have also done this while … Continue reading Report Card: AZ Does It

Samuel Rowan3 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

2026 Vancouver Whitecaps Season Preview

The MLS season begins Saturday for the Vancouver Whitecaps, and with that in mind (as is tradition), we rounded up our writing team to ponder some questions and make some predictions about the upcoming season. Without further ado, let’s dive right in. Where do you see the Vancouver Whitecaps finishing in the Western Conference this season, and if they reach the playoffs, how far will … Continue reading 2026 Vancouver Whitecaps Season Preview

Samuel Rowan1 Comment
Eighty Six Forever, Guess the Starting XI, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Guess the Starting XI – Match One vs. Real Salt Lake

Welcome back, everyone. The Vancouver Whitecaps return to MLS action this weekend with their home opener, as they host Real Salt Lake in a Western Conference matchup. RSL finished ninth in the West last season and were not the most impressive side. However, there has been significant roster turnover, so perhaps this new group can provide the spark that was missing for long stretches, particularly … Continue reading Guess the Starting XI – Match One vs. Real Salt Lake

Samuel Rowan25 Comments
Eighty Six Forever, Post Match, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Post Match: A Typical Night in Costa Rica

Wednesday night at Estadio Jose Rafael Meza, the Vancouver Whitecaps played out a scoreless draw against C.S. Cartaginés to open their 2026 competitive calendar with some continental action. As is typical in these early Concacaf rounds, Cartaginés came in with a clear and disciplined plan. They were prepared to sit deep, defend in numbers, and absorb waves of Vancouver pressure with a compact defensive block. … Continue reading Post Match: A Typical Night in Costa Rica

Samuel Rowan7 Comments