Vancouver FC have extended their win streak over Pacific FC to five straight games, as they defeated their provincial rivals 1-0 in the 7th edition of the Salish Sea Derby at Willoughby Community Park on Sunday.

With that, they picked up their 2nd win in the past 11 games, allowing them to stay in the fifth and final playoff spot in the CPL after entering this game without a win in their previous five matches.

As for Pacific, they extended their winless run to four games, putting them three points behind Vancouver in the table, as they continue to slump in CPL play.

Pacific had some good early looks to start the game, as they looked to get off to a strong start on the road. First, Josh Heard flashed a dangerous shot on his left foot that forced a save out of Vancouver’s Callum Irving in the 5th minute, before Heard had another good look in the box in the 21st minute that was blocked by a Vancouver defender.

Then, eager to get a goal before half time, Sean Young had a look from distance for Pacific, but his shot sailed just over the goal.

At the other end, Vancouver had their first good look at goal in the first half off a free kick from distance, which Renan Garcia stepped up to take, forcing a good save out of Pacific’s Emil Gazdov with his attempt.

Continuing the lively end to the frame, Pacific almost found the net right before half, as Steffen Yeates found a wide-open Young at the back post with a perfect cross, but Young flashed his shot well wide of the mark.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the break, Vancouver began to push, and nearly found a goal in the 58th minute, as Vasco Fry curled a dangerous ball towards the back post, sending it just wide of the mark.

At the other end, Yeates did well to pick out the run of Devin O’Hea on a wide free kick, but despite making good connection with his header, he’d be unable to keep his attempt below the crossbar.

Soon after, however, Vancouver would manage to open the scoring in the 63rd minute. After a perfect deep cross from Paris Gee, he found a wide-open Alejandro Díaz at the back post, and Díaz would make no mistake with a left-footed finish to make it 1-0.

They nearly added to their lead right after, too, as Olivier Rommens stepped up to take a dangerous free kick, one that he curled just past the post.

Pacific had their best chance of the game in the 74th minute, as Dario Zanatta found Andrei Tîrcoveanu with a nice cutback into the box, but Tîrcoveanu’s low attempt would be nicely saved by Irving. Then, Zanatta had another good look in the 81st minute, as he cut in at the edge of the box, and flashed a dangerous shot towards the near post, sending it just wide of the mark with power.

Then, Pacific nearly found a big equalizer in the 85th minute, as the ball fell to Zakaria Bahous in the box, and he fired a dangerous shot, only finding himself denied by a spectacular block from Vancouver’s James Cameron.

Continuing their late push, the ball fell to Tîrcoveanu at the edge of the box after a nice run and cutback from Zanatta, but despite having time to line up a dangerous shot, he curled a powerful shot just past the top corner.

From there, however, Vancouver did what they needed to in order to hang on, allowing them to grab a crucial victory in their hunt towards the playoffs.

BOX SCORE

Lineups 

Vancouver FC: Irving; Gee (Campagna 88′), Romeo, Enyou, Cameron; Rommens, Garcia, Fry (Norman Jr. 82′); Bitar (McDonnell 82′); Cantave (Tahid 82′), Díaz (Crawford 90+1′)

Pacific FC: Gazdov; Dada-Luke, Quintana, Meilleur-Giguère, Mukumbilwa (Ceceri 84′); Lamothe (Zanatta 60′), Young, Dominguez (Bahous 71′), Heard (Reid 71′) O’Hea (Tîrcoveanu 71′), Yeates

Goals

63′ — Alejandro Díaz (Vancouver FC)

Discipline

26′ — Yellow: Josh Heard (Pacific FC)

43′ — Yellow: Marco Dominguez (Pacific FC)

51′ — Yellow: Olivier Rommens (Vancouver FC)

57′ — Yellow: Juan Quintana (Pacific FC)

75′ — Yellow: Vasco Fry (Vancouver FC)

90+2′ — Yellow: James Cameron (Vancouver FC)