The roster is still in flux, but Vancouver Victory FC is ready to play in front of home fans for the first time on Sunday.
The Evergreen Premier League men’s soccer team will play West Sound FC of Silverdale at 2 p.m. at McKenzie Stadium, the first of nine home games for the first-year team.
Tickets cost $7, $5 for military personnel, children and seniors.
The Evergreen Premier League is a first-year semi-professional soccer league with eight teams from around Washington. The Vancouver Victory this season plans to field an all-amateur team, featuring current college players.
For that reason, many of the players who will play for Vancouver this summer have not yet arrived, according to head coach Biniam Afenegus.
The team is also awaiting the arrival of at least three international players, Afenegus said. Afenegus is also the Clark College men’s soccer head coach.
The Victory opened league play last Sunday with a 2-0 loss at Bellingham. Former Clark College standout Borce Atanasov and former Penguin and Hockinson High standout Landon Roscoe are among the area players on the Victory roster to open the season.
“The level of play was good,” Afenegus said. He said Bellingham’s roster featured players in their mid-20s while Vancouver players are mostly in their early 20s.
Victory FC owner Barrett Goddard said the team has sold about 120 season tickets. He said the goal for Sunday is to have the largest crowd so far to watch an Evergreen Premier League match. On opening weekend, attendance ranged from 200 to 500, according to Goddard.
On the web: http://vancouvervictoryFC.com.
