2018 Canadian Championship final

The 2018 Canadian Championship Final was the deciding series of the 2018 Canadian Championship. The series was contested by rivals Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer.^[1] It was the fourth final series to be played between Vancouver and Toronto, with Toronto having won all previous encounters. Toronto FC successfully defended their 2017 title with a 7–4 aggregate victory over Vancouver, obtaining their seventh national championship title and qualifying for the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League.^[2]

2018 Canadian Championship Final

Event	2018 Canadian Championship
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Toronto FC 4 7
On aggregate
First leg
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Toronto FC 2 2
Date	August 8, 2018
Venue	BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia
Attendance	16,833
Second leg
Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps FC 5 2
Date	August 15, 2018
Venue	BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario
Attendance	14,994
← 2017 2019 →

Teams

Team	League	City	Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC	MLS (West)	Vancouver, British Columbia	5 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016)
Toronto FC	MLS (East)	Toronto, Ontario	5 (2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017)

Path to the final

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Further information: 2018 Vancouver Whitecaps FC season

The Whitecaps had a bye into the semi-finals where they met fellow MLS side Montreal Impact. After losing their first match in Montreal by one goal, Vancouver would make a comeback in the second leg with an early goal from Yordy Reyna and winning penalty kick from Kei Kamara.^[3]

Toronto FC

Further information: 2018 Toronto FC season

As the defending champions, Toronto FC gained a bye to the semi-finals where they would have to play the winner of the second qualifying round. In the semi-finals, they cruised past the Ottawa Fury FC winning both legs of the series. However, Toronto FC were forced to terminate the status of their Inebriatti supporters' group for setting fire to TD Place Stadium during the away match.^[4]

Results summary

Vancouver Whitecaps FC				Round	Toronto FC
Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg		Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg
Bye				First qualifying round	Bye
Bye				Second qualifying round	Bye
Montreal Impact	2–1	0–1 (A)	2–0 (H)	Semifinals	Ottawa Fury FC	4–0	1–0 (A)	3–0 (H)

Match details

First leg

Vancouver Whitecaps FC	2–2	Toronto FC
Kamara 24' (pen.) Hurtado 84'	Report	Osorio 26' Henry 90+6' (o.g.)

August 8, 2018

19:00 (PDT)

BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Attendance: 16,833

Referee: David Gantar

Whitecaps FC

Toronto FC

Starters: GK 1 Stefan Marinovic RB 28 Jake Nerwinski CB 4 Kendall Waston (c) CB 2 Doneil Henry LB 17 Marcel de Jong RM 13 Cristian Techera  46' CM 31 Russell Teibert CM 8 Felipe Martins  45+1' LM 67 Alphonso Davies  87' FW 29 Yordy Reyna FW 23 Kei Kamara  67' Substitutes: MF 20 Brek Shea  87' MF 66 Ali Ghazal  46' FW 19 Erik Hurtado  67' FW 11 Nicolás Mezquida DF 3 Sean Franklin FW 9 Anthony Blondell GK 12 Brian Rowe Manager: Carl Robinson

Starters: GK 1 Clint Irwin RB 13 Eriq Zavaleta CB 6 Nick Hagglund LB 23 Chris Mavinga  46' RM 96 Auro Jr.  64' LCM 18 Marky Delgado CM 4 Michael Bradley (c) RCM 21 Jonathan Osorio LM 5 Ashtone Morgan  71' FW 87 Tosaint Ricketts FW 17 Jozy Altidore Substitutes: DF 2 Justin Morrow  78'  46' MF 54 Ryan Telfer  64' DF 12 Jason Hernandez  71' FW 22 Jordan Hamilton GK 25 Alex Bono MF 27 Liam Fraser FW 11 Jon Bakero Manager: Greg Vanney

Second leg

Toronto FC	5–2	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Altidore 39', 49', 53' Giovinco 44' Ricketts 80'	Report	Kamara 63' Shea 77'

August 15, 2018

BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario

Attendance: 14,994

Referee: Drew Fischer

Toronto FC

Whitecaps FC

Starters: GK 1 Clint Irwin RB 2 Justin Morrow CB 13 Eriq Zavaleta CB 23 Chris Mavinga  63' LB 5 Ashtone Morgan RM 14 Jay Chapman CM 4 Michael Bradley (c) LM 21 Jonathan Osorio  78' AM 18 Marky Delgado FW 10 Sebastian Giovinco  67' FW 17 Jozy Altidore Substitutes: DF 6 Nick Hagglund  63' MF 54 Ryan Telfer  67' FW 87 Tosaint Ricketts  78' GK 25 Alex Bono MF 46 Tsubasa Endoh DF 9 Gregory van der Wiel Manager: Greg Vanney

Starters: GK 1 Stefan Marinovic RB 28 Jake Nerwinski CB 4 Kendall Waston (c) CB 2 Doneil Henry LB 17 Marcel de Jong RM 13 Cristian Techera  51' CM 66 Ali Ghazal CM 31 Russell Teibert LM 67 Alphonso Davies  51' FW 29 Yordy Reyna FW 23 Kei Kamara  63' Substitutes: MF 20 Brek Shea  51' FW 11 Nicolás Mezquida  51' FW 19 Erik Hurtado  63' GK 12 Brian Rowe MF 6 Efrain Juarez DF 3 Sean Franklin FW 9 Anthony Blondell Manager: Carl Robinson