KANSAS CITY, KC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC (8W-12L-6D) suffered a 2-0 defeat to Sporting Kansas City (11W-11L-5D) on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park in the first of back-to-back matches between the two teams.
Jacob Peterson opened the scoring in the 39th minute, before Benny Feilhaber sealed the deal with a 64th-minute penalty. Feilhaber’s PK was initially denied by David Ousted, but he was awarded a second attempt after the ‘Caps goalkeeper was called for encroachment.
Just when it looked like Whitecaps FC may have gotten a lift.
Instead, Sporting Kansas City extended their home win streak to six matches. The two teams will now shift their focus to CONCACAF Champions League play ahead of Tuesday’s rematch at BC Place (7 p.m. PT - tickets still available).
As is so often the case, Sporting KC got off to strong start in front of their raucous supporters.
The ‘Caps, whose back line featured three Canadian internationals, kept them at bay in the early going – thanks to some timely tackles and clearances and a couple near-misses.
Brad Davis hit the crossbar with a left-footed curler in the 19th minute, and Graham Zusi hit the side-netting with a half-volley a few minutes later. But Sporting KC eventually broke through on a 39th-minute corner.
Feilhaber provided the service and Nuno Coelho got on the end of it at the back post, before Peterson re-directed it in from point-blank range.
After plenty of end-to-end action, @SportingKC get their goal. #SKCvVANhttps://t.co/VOMYpkJU4d
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 21, 2016
The ‘Caps had their chances to equalize – particularly from wide areas.
In the 50th minute, Giles Barnes got on the end of a deflected Marcel de Jong cross but couldn’t beat Alec Kann, who did well to tip the header over goal. Kann was called upon again five minutes later, this time denying a Kendall Waston header.
It was a positive start to the second half for Vancouver, but it was undone just after the hour-mark when Fraser Aird was whistled for a foul in the box on Peterson. Ousted denied Feilhaber’s ensuing penalty, but was deemed to have left his line too early.
So Feilhaber was given a second attempt, and this time he beat Ousted – just barely – with a heavy strike into the bottom left corner.
Second time's the charm for @b_feilhaber22. #SKCvVANhttps://t.co/cXfIOqJ4UJ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 21, 2016
And that was all she wrote.
Vancouver and Sporting KC meet again in three days beyond the confines of league play, as the two teams go head-to-head in CONCACAF Champions League play Tuesday night at BC Place (7 p.m. PT – tickets still available). The ‘Caps currently sit atop Group C after defeating Central FC 1-0 in their tournament opener earlier this month.
MATCH DETAILS
Budweiser Man of the Match: Giles Barnes
Referee: Kevin Stott
Attendance: 20,159
Scoring Summary
39’ – SKC – Jacob Peterson (Nuno Coelho, Benny Feilhaber)
64’ – SKC – Benny Feilhaber (penalty kick)
Stats
Possession: Sporting KC 60.8 % – Vancouver 39.2 %
Shots: Sporting KC 21 – Vancouver 11
Shots on Goal: Sporting KC 5 – Vancouver 3
Saves: Sporting KC 2 – Vancouver 3
Fouls: Sporting KC 10 – Vancouver 17
Offsides: Sporting KC 1 – Vancouver 0
Corners: Sporting KC 8 – Vancouver 5
Cautions
10’ – SKC – Kevin Ellis
16’ – SKC – Matt Besler
77’ – SKC – Dom Dwyer
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.David Ousted; 8.Fraser Aird, 18.David Edgar, 4.Kendall Waston, 33.Marcel de Jong; 17.Andrew Jacobson (31.Russell Teibert 77’), 77.Pedro Morales; 7.Christian Bolaños, 11.Nicolás Mezquida (67.Alphonso Davies 68’), 28.Giles Barnes; 27.Blas Pérez (13.Cristian Techera 68’)
Substitutes not used
70.Paolo Tornaghi, 6.Jordan Smith, 9.Masato Kudo, 26.Tim Parker
Sporting Kansas City
25.Alec Kann; 8.Graham Zusi, 4.Kevin Ellis, 5.Matt Besler, 94.Jimmy Medranda (17.Saad Abdul-Salaam 70’); 10.Benny Feilhaber, 12.Nuno Coelho (93.Soni Mustivar HT), 27.Roger Espinoza (6.Paulo Nagamura 80’); 37.Jacob Peterson, 12.Dom Dwyer, 11.Brad Davis
Substitutes not used
1.Jon Kempin, 9.Diego Rubio, 22.Connor Hallisey, 23.Emmanuel Appiah
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