First the mainland, then the province, next the nation: West Van FC is the first club to qualify for the 2009 BMO National Championships senior men’s competition. The West Vancouver, BC club won its provincial championship after an exciting 1:0 victory over defending champion Gorge FC from Victoria, BC.

West Van FC’s Robbie Giezen scored the lone goal in the 80th minute, completing a give-and-go series with teammate Milad Rahmati. Goalkeeper Marco Durante posted the clean sheet in the win.

Durante also got lucky, drawing just a yellow card for a hit in the box and then not having to save the kick from the penalty spot. Gorge FC’s Patrick Gawrys walked to the spot, but kicked the ball wide of the net.

West Van FC won the 2008-09 Vancouver Metro Soccer League title before advancing to the Provincial Cup weekend. West Van FC then won all four games in the provincial competition without conceding a goal.

Just last year, both Giezen and Rahmati - the artists of the winning goal - won a Canadian college championship with Capilano University. Giezen is a former member of Canada’s National Training Centres program. Rahmati, meanwhile, was a national U-17 player at the 2001 CONCACAF Under-17 Qualification Tournament. Giezen played for Canada’s U-18 development team.

West Van FC will be making its first trip to the BMO National Championships. The Challenge Trophy competition runs 7-12 October in Saskatoon, SK.