Kamloops United FC traveled to Vancouver Island this weekend to take on Nanaimo United FC in the first leg of the Reid Davidson Charity Shield, a two-leg fixture honouring the life and legacy of Reid Davidson — a beloved figure in both clubs' histories. With emotion in the air and a deeper meaning behind the matchup, both KUFC squads came ready to compete.
In the women’s match, Kamloops came out strong and took a 2-0 lead behind goals from Cara Freeman and Norah Bell. The team was in control early, but momentum shifted after a red card to Raiya Rumo, forcing KUFC to play the remainder of the match down a player. Nanaimo capitalized on the advantage, scoring three unanswered goals to complete the comeback and take a narrow 3-2 victory. Despite the result, it once again showed our women's side has good potential as they look to round out more positive second half performances.
The men’s match was a statement performance. After a goalless first half, KUFC exploded in the second with four unanswered goals in a dominant display. Ben Finley led the way with a clinical brace and earned Man of the Match honours for his performance. Riad Jaha added a well-timed finish, and Lucas Kirnon sealed the night with a thunderous long-range strike that left the Nanaimo keeper with no chance. The 4-0 victory keeps the KUFC men unbeaten and firmly at the top of the League1 BC table with a 3-0-1 record after 4 matches.
With Leg 1 in the books, the Reid Davidson Charity Shield will be decided when Nanaimo visits Kamloops for the return leg on June 22 at Hillside Stadium. Until then, KUFC shifts focus to another big weekend ahead as they take on new women's side Vancouver Rise FC and the men take on the Vancouver Whitecaps at Thunderbird Stadium.