Vancouver Whitecaps down Toronto FC on penalties to clinch Canadian Championship

Isaac Boehmer hasn't played much for the Vancouver Whitecaps this season.

The 22-year-old Canadian goalkeeper made his latest appearance count on Wednesday, leading the 'Caps to a third straight Canadian Championship title with a 0-0 (4-2) victory over Toronto FC.

Boehmer stopped all seven on-target shots he faced in regulation -- including a penalty-kick stop on Toronto star Federico Bernardeschi in the 38th minute -- then denied two more from the spot to clinch the win.

“We know that Isaac is a leader, even if he's a young kid. He has the leadership," said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini. "So (this game) tells us that I think that he's ready to compete for the number one spot next year.”

The six-foot-two, 185-pound 'keeper has been Vancouver's starter throughout the tournament and posted a pair of clean sheets against Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC in the two-legged semifinal.

Boehmer was on the bench for the team's win last year and the third-string netminder for the 2022 win.

"That’s just being a young goalkeeper," he said of his journey. "You have to take your opportunities when you get them, and you’re not always going to be part of the squad. But you have to keep focused and keep working hard. And I think I’ve done that the past three years.”

Asked how the victory would stick with him, Boehmer appeared to grow emotional.

"For the rest of my life," he said with a grin.

Goalkeeper Sean Johnson made two stops for a Toronto team that controlled play through much of the night Wednesday.

The visitors outshot the home side 15-7, with a 7-2 edge in on-target chances, and had 66 per cent of the possession across the game.

What made the difference, Sartini said, was how the Whitecaps stuck together and played for one another.

“It's all about the togetherness, all it's about the awareness, all about ‘Let's push, let's push, let's push," he said. "I think it tells you the moral quality of this team and the belief that we have now as a team.”

Toronto FC coach John Herdman said he felt both proud of and gutted for his team.

“I thought we performed well enough to get a result in 90 minutes," he said. "And unfortunately, we just weren’t able to take the chances we had, and we put ourselves in that war, which is penalties. And that’s going to be a lottery.”

Wednesday marked the third game across all competitions where TFC hasn't scored.

The team simply isn't "clinical" right now, Herdman said.

“It's been a couple of games now where we've been right there knocking on the door, but just haven't been able to find that killer moment, or we've found a ‘keeper that's standing on his head," he said. "So that's the story of TFC at the moment.”

Toronto had chances from the opening minute.

Thirty seconds into the match, Bernardeschi launched a left-footed rocket that Boehmer tipped out of harm's way.

Vancouver settled into the game and, in the 34th minute, got a prime opportunity when Brian White and Fafa Picault broke away from the Toronto defence. The duo raced into the penalty area, where White was taken down without a call.

Minutes later, TFC was awarded a penalty kick after Whitecaps defender Mathias Laborda hauled Laryea down near the goal line.

Loud boos emanated from the announced crowd of 12,516 as Bernardeschi lined up his shot. He took a few steps, then blasted a left-footed kick on net as Boehmer dove and punched the ball away to ecstatic cheers.

The score remained level as both sides headed to their locker rooms after the first 45 minutes and Toronto came into the second half with renewed vigour.

The visiting club appeared poised to open the scoring in the 53rd minute when an unmanned Laryea collected the ball inside the penalty area. Boehmer came well off his line to challenge and when Laryea sent a rolling ball toward the net, the 'keeper got a hand in its path for another save.

With neither team able to find the back of the net, the decision went to penalties.

Vancouver's captain, Ryan Gauld, went first, blasting a shot over Johnson and into the middle of the net. Prince Owusu followed for TFC and faked out Boehmer, sending his shot in the opposite direction of the diving 'keeper.

The second round saw Johnson stop 'Caps midfielder Stuart Armstrong before Toronto's Matty Longstaff put his shot just over the crossbar.

Vancouver took the lead in the third round when Sebastian Berhalter made good on his attempt and Boehmer punched away Kosi Thompson's kick.

Both sides scored in the fourth round, with White putting a low shot into the corner of the net before Jonathan Osorio sailed his kick into the top-right corner over Boehmer's outstretched arms.

Bjorn Utvik sealed the victory -- and Vancouver's three-peat -- with a rocket just inside the post in the fifth round.

The 'Caps were confident in Boehmer's ability to clinch the game on penalties, White said.

“We all had big belief that he was going to make a save like he did," he said. "He’s so explosive off the spot, like so good. So I’m happy for him.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2024.