After taking flight across the country over the past few weeks, the eagles of Vancouver FC return home to the Lower Mainland on Sunday, May 7, ready to make history.

The expansion side take their fledgling steps onto the newly constructed pitch at Willoughby Community Park at the Langley Events Centre in the club’s first-ever home match at 4 p.m. PT. There, they will meet an incredibly difficult test, hosting the most successful regular season team in league history, Cavalry FC.

Just four matches into their history on the pitch, however, Vancouver FC has looked up for every challenge they have faced. Under the well-organized structure implemented by experienced manager Afshin Ghotbi, the expansion club has yet to allow more than a single goal in a match so far this season. After three match weeks, they sit third in the league table.

“I think it’s massive,” Ghotbi said of the club’s impressive start to the season heading into the home opener. “It’s massive because it gives the players, the fans, the organization, the staff, confidence.”

Leading the way from the back has been the club’s captain, and first-ever signing, goalkeeper Callum Irving. The 30-year-0ld Vancouver native has made a league-leading 13 saves through three matches.

Fellow B.C. boy and CPL champion Kadin Chung, meanwhile, is adapting well to a new position in midfield, where he was dominant during a 1-1 draw with the Halifax Wanderers this past weekend, earning a place in the CPL’s Gatorade Team of the Week.

Up front, Vancouver have developed a dynamic attacking trio capable of creating and finishing chances. Splashy international signing Gael Sandoval is starting to hit his stride with a match-winning goal and match-tying assist to his name in the past two matches.

On the right flank, Gabriel Bitar has been one of the league’s premier chance creators so far this season. He sits second in the league in expected assists (1.16), and won the penalty that Sandoval converted to secure the club its first-ever win on April 22.

Then there is Shaan Hundal, Vancouver FC’s first-ever goalscorer, who followed up his history-making moment by trash-talking the club’s provincial rivals, the Whitecaps. He then backed that up with another goal against Halifax this weekend, shushing the boisterous Wanderers crowd behind the net.

Reaction from head coach Afshin Ghotbi and the @vanfootballclub bench to the first goal in club history ⚽️🔥

🎥: @onesoccer pic.twitter.com/VyFKmmzBi6

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) April 22, 2023

Off the pitch, the club’s budding supporter culture is already making its presence felt. They travelled in numbers to the team’s first-ever competitive match on Vancouver Island against Pacific, creating a true derby atmosphere that is sure to only escalate in the coming years.

Those supporters will get an opportunity to witness history on Sunday while stepping through the doors of their brand-new home for the first time. It will be a special moment for the sport in the province, one that soccer fans in the Lower Mainland won’t want to miss. Don’t sleep on picking up your tickets to be part of the historic moment.