HOUSTON, TX – Vancouver Whitecaps FC staged a late comeback effort behind a Déiber Caicedo goal on Saturday evening but Houston Dynamo FC held on for a 2-1 victory at BBVA Stadium.
Caicedo’s 80th-minute goal, his first in MLS, cut the deficit in half after the home side put a pair into the ‘Caps net in the opening frame.
The ‘Caps would start the game dominating possession but in the eighth minute, Dynamo midfielder Memo Rodriguez pounced on a loose ball in the area to give Houston the early advantage.
After the opener, the ‘Caps would continue winning the possession battle, crafting some decent looks at goal through Caio Alexandre, Lucas Cavallini and rookie Javain Brown, who was making his first MLS start.
However, the Dynamo doubled their lead in the 42nd minute through striker Maximiliano Urruti, who volleyed home his team-leading third goal of the season.
The Blue and White would go into the break down by two.
The second half wouldn’t see too many chances fall for either side, but in the 80th minute, the ‘Caps found some life thanks to a giveaway at the back from the Dynamo.
Cavallini picked up the ball and found Caicedo wide open inside the box, who calmly dribbled past Dynamo goalkeeper Marko Maric and smashed the ball into the back of the net.
With time running out, the ‘Caps continued to push for the equalizer as second-half substitutes Theo Bair, Michael Baldisimo, and Ryan Raposo were heavily involved in the latter stages trying to find the tying goal.
The ‘Caps pushed until the final moments but were unable to find the equalizer.
Following the FIFA international break from May 31 to June 14, Whitecaps FC play as the road side against Real Salt Lake on Friday, June 18. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT at Rio Tinto Stadium - TV: TSN, RADIO: AM730, ONLINE: TSN GO.
MATCH DETAILS
GE Appliances VWFC Player of Quality: Déiber Caicedo
Referee: David Gantar
Scoring Summary
8‘ – HOU – Memo Rodríguez
42‘ – HOU – Maximiliano Urruti (Memo Rodríguez)
80‘ – VAN – Déiber Caicedo (Lucas Cavallini, Ryan Raposo)
Statistics
Possession: HOU 39.1% – VAN 60.9%
Shots: HOU 14 – VAN 11
Shots on Goal: HOU 3 – VAN 2
Saves: HOU 1 – VAN 1
Fouls: HOU 15 – VAN 10
Offsides: HOU 1 – VAN 1
Corners: HOU 6 – VAN 6
Cautions
21‘ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini
22‘ – HOU – Derrick Jones
32‘ – HOU – Joe Corona
52‘ – VAN – Janio Bikel
81‘ – VAN – Michael Baldisimo
82‘ – HOU – Boniek García
88‘ – HOU – Fafa Picault
Houston Dynamo FC
1.Marko Maric; 4.Zarek Valentin, 5.Tim Parker, 27.Boniek García ©, 3.Adam Lundkvist; 11.Ariel Lassiter (19.Tyler Pasher 73’), 21.Derrick Jones, 14.Joe Corona; 8.Memo Rodríguez (22.Matías Vera 73’), 37.Maximiliano Urruti (9.Christian Ramirez 90’+3’), 10.Fafa Picault
Substitutes not used
26.Michael Nelson, 7.Mateo Bajamich, 15.Maynor Figueroa, 16.José Bizama, 23.Darwin Quintero, 24.Darwin Cerén
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
16.Maxime Crépeau; 6.Bruno Gaspar (14.Theo Bair 85‘), 22.Érik Godoy, 15.Andy Rose, 23.Javain Brown; 11.Cristian Dájome (27.Ryan Raposo 64‘), 19.Janio Bikel (87.Tosaint Ricketts 64‘), 8.Caio Alexandre (17.Leonard Owusu 77‘), 31.Russell Teibert © (55.Michael Baldisimo HT); 7.Déiber Caicedo, 9.Lucas Cavallini
Substitutes not used
1.Thomas Hasal, 12.Evan Newton, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 13.Derek Cornelius
