VANCOUVER, BC – After a successful first week of matches, League 1 BC returns for the second round of 12. While Varsity FC sat out on the inaugural matchday, they caught up midweek with a pair of wins against Unity FC.
Heading into the second Sunday, every club has played at least once, with Unity the only side playing twice. On Matchday 2, Unity FC and Varsity FC sit on the sidelines while other clubs play catchup.
On Sunday, Altitude FC welcomes the Vancouver Whitecaps to Kinsmen Field in North Vancouver, while the TSS Rovers travel up to Kamloops to face Rivers FC.
With already one of the strongest brands across League 1 Canada, Altitude FC gets to showcase their football and picturesque location on Sunday when they welcome the Vancouver Whitecaps U19s to Kinsmen Field.
No League 1 club has put as much into their gameday experience or social media presence as Altitude, making expectations high for fan experience at matches this season. However, while the non-footballing aspects are attractive, the leading proponent is whether either side can find their first win.
After the first round of games, here’s how the standings look. Only Varsity has taken a win in the men’s division, while the top of the women’s division sees four clubs tied at three points, only split by goal differential.
Women’s Match – 1:00pm PT
The Whitecaps are the youngest team in the league by far, but that proved no problem against the Victoria Highlanders in Week 1, as the Katie Collar managed side trampled the Victoria Highlanders 5-1 in UBC.
Meanwhile, Altitude played a tough match against Rivers FC in Kamloops, falling 2-0 despite a massive penalty stop from SFU goalkeeper Kelsey Fisher.
If Altitude is to take anything from the Whitecaps, they will have to shut down the strikeforce of Anna Hauer and Jamie Perrault, which is aided by a lot of quality in midfield. Hauer is potentially one of Canada’s brightest young stars, excelling at the Concacaf U17 tournament and scoring a brace in Vancouver’s opening League 1 BC win.
While the Whitecaps simply need to stick to their plans, Altitude will look to counter with their experience, despite likely not having the majority share of possession.
Notably, the match likely features a battle of SFU goalkeepers as Nicolle Anderson has joined the Whitecaps, and either Kelsey Fisher or Sarah Lowen is likely to lace up for Altitude.
It won’t be an easy match for Altitude, but their experience and rush of playing at home could help them to victory.
Men’s Match – 3:00pm PT
In Week 1, every men’s team tied. While Varsity FC picked up the first-ever win midweek, the Whitecaps and Altitude will be determined to get their first set of three points on Sunday.
The Whitecaps came back from 2-0 down to tie Victoria 2-2 last week, storming back in the second half. They will look to continue their second-half strengths from kickoff in North Vancouver. Meanwhile, Altitude looks to their promising performance against Rivers as a reason to push them to three points.
Tomas Peña and Josh Tome were critical to Vancouver’s comeback last Sunday, and are likely to contribute once again, but will be up against a tough defensive midfield, including 30-year-old Mladen Ljumovic, and other players playing at the collegiate and university level.
Brandon Bangambee, Tigean Kyle and Sairoob Sairoob will be important for Altitude after solid performances in Week 1. Overall, the North Vancouver side will be driven for three points after conceding in second-half stoppage time to miss out on the win last week.
Expect this match to be a tight affair between two sides still figuring out each other tendencies in League 1. However, playing on a pristine surface in North Vancouver, I give the advantage to Altitude.