Vancouver Whitecaps fire head coach Vanni Sartini after three-plus seasons in charge

By The Canadian Press on November 25, 2024.

Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini walks on the sideline during the second half of a first-round MLS Cup playoffs soccer match against Los Angeles FC, in Vancouver on November 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have fired head coach Vanni Sartini.

Vancouver finished eighth in the Western Conference this season after posting a 13-13-8 record in MLS play.

The Whitecaps then won a play-in playoff game at Portland before taking conference winners Los Angeles FC to the limit in a best-of-three first-round series.

The team also picked up its third straight Canadian championship, beating Toronto FC 4-2 on penalties after the final ended in a 0-0 tie.

Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster will hold a news conference later today in Vancouver.

Sartini took over coaching duties on an interim basis August 2021 after the Whitecaps dismissed Marc Dos Santos and was officially named head coach that November. He posted a record of 57-51-39 across all competitions.

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