After losing its first three games in a row to begin the season, Montreal (1-3-0) defeated the Philadelphia Union on March 18 before entering its bye week. The Whitecaps (0-2-3) started the season with two losses, but they have achieved 1-1 draws in three of their past four league games, including an away stalemate last week against Minnesota United.

Vancouver outshot Minnesota 23-8 overall, with five of those attempts finding their targets compared to just two for the home team. But it wasn’t until the 98th minute that striker Simon Becher, who had just come off the bench, managed to score.

Meanwhile, Karifa Yao, a defender with the Whitecaps, will play with his previous group for the first time. Before being selected by Vancouver in the 2023 MLS re-entry draft, the 22-year-old center defender played four seasons with his local team after graduating from Montreal’s academy.

The winless Vancouver Whitecaps have finally gotten their first win. More wins are in the offing. Last Saturday, Brown watched his Whitecaps teammates’ games from a distance and liked what he saw.

We’re quite hungry, he declared. “We’re playing some fantastic football, but the results just aren’t coming in. Nonetheless, I believe it is now necessary for us to start our season with a victory.”