Ali Ahmed always finds an extra gear in these kind of games.

Not only is the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder preparing for the Canadian Championship final, but Wednesdaysa国际传媒檚 match will also pit him against his hometown team, Toronto FC.

sa国际传媒淭here is a little bit extra, for sure,sa国际传媒� said the 23-year-old, who grew up in Toronto and once trialled with the TFC academy.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 the club that I grew up a huge, huge fan of. Now, itsa国际传媒檚 crazy to say that theysa国际传媒檙e my rivals. At the end of the day, itsa国际传媒檚 another game. But playing against your boyhood club is extra special, for sure.sa国际传媒�

The sa国际传媒楥aps are looking to hoist the Voyagers Cup for the third year in a row, a feat that only one other team has accomplished.

TFC won four times from 2009 through 2012, and three times between 2016 and 2018.

Toronto isnsa国际传媒檛 focused on spoiling Vancouversa国际传媒檚 three-peat, though.

The team would be equally enthusiastic against any opponent as long as theresa国际传媒檚 a trophy on the line, said head coach John Herdman.

sa国际传媒淚 think the rivalry piece, it doesnsa国际传媒檛 matter whosa国际传媒檚 in front of us. Itsa国际传媒檚 just a cup final,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淔or us, itsa国际传媒檚 just eyes on lifting some silverware for this club.sa国际传媒�

For Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini, the hate that breeds between clubs is part of what makes soccer special, particularly in Canada.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 beautiful to have a rivalry. Itsa国际传媒檚 beautiful to have someone that on the sports side you donsa国际传媒檛 like,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 think thatsa国际传媒檚 the beauty of soccer, this kind of rivalry. And I think the Canadian Championship is kind of an expression of that.sa国际传媒�

Vancouver earned its way into the final with a 2-0 aggregate win over Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC in a two-legged semifinal. Toronto edged Forge FC, also of the CPL, 2-2 on away goals.

TFC comes into the final in a similar place the sa国际传媒楥aps were in back in the 2022 tournament, Sartini said. Both had new coaches and were pushing for playoff spots in Major League Soccer.

The mind frame could make Toronto more dangerous than ever, the coach said.

sa国际传媒淚 think that tomorrow they will come, I would say, even giving 120 per cent, not 100 per cent,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淪o thatsa国际传媒檚 the reason why I think itsa国际传媒檚 going to be a very open game and I think we need to be on top of our behaviour, on top of our level if we want to win.sa国际传媒�

Both sides are coming off league losses, with Toronto dropping a 2-0 decision to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. The L.A. Galaxy doubled up the Whitecaps 4-2 in a result that snapped Vancouversa国际传媒檚 five-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.

The sa国际传媒楥aps are 13-9-7 in Major League Soccer play and currently sit seventh in the Western Conference, while TFC occupies eighth in the East with an 11-17-3 record.

One of Torontosa国际传媒檚 losses was a 4-0 drubbing by the Whitecaps in April.

sa国际传媒淚 think coming into Vancouver last time, it was pretty humbling,sa国际传媒� Herdman said. sa国际传媒淪o I think first things first, coming into a final, those little details need to be right. Wesa国际传媒檝e been together for a long period of time, I think the team know each other better now and theysa国际传媒檝e developed a hunger because theysa国际传媒檝e put themselves in this moment.sa国际传媒�

TFC was a group that was still trying to find its identity as a team in that April matchup, said captain Jonathan Osorio.

sa国际传媒淎 lot of time has passed, a lot of games have been played,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淎nd both teams, I think are at different points now, as far as it comes to rhythm and their form and what theysa国际传媒檙e fighting for in the league and things like that. Itsa国际传媒檚 going to be a different game.sa国际传媒�