'Caps push in second half comes up short

VANCOUVER, BC – It was an electric atmosphere at BC Place, as over 51,000 fans cheered on Vancouver Whitecaps FC, who pushed and pushed in the second half but came up just short against Inter Miami CF.

The match began with a roar from BC Place, setting the tone of the game. Ali Ahmed had an early chance with a header looping just over the crossbar, before Leonardo Campana tested Yohei Takaoka’s reflexes with a headed effort from close range. Brian White and Fafà Picault also had some good chances inside 10 minutes, just missing a good connection off crosses to trouble Drake Callender.

Later in the half, Jordi Alba almost squeezed a shot in from a narrow angle, but was denied by Takaoka’s planted knee at the near post. Ahmed, Picault and Ryan Gauld littered Miami’s box with crosses in the next 30 minutes, but were rebuffed by a stubborn Miami backline.

Miami would break the deadlock in the 38th minute, through Robert Taylor. A pass in behind by Alba allowed Taylor to cut inside the box and curl one inside of the far post.

The 'Caps would push for a leveller up until the referee blew his whistle for halftime.

The second half began with Whitecaps FC chasing an equalizing goal. Picault was inches away from getting that goal in the opening five minutes. Ahmed found himself with ample space on the right, driving down and whipping in a low cross into the box. Picault dove for the header and got a good connection, but his effort went just wide.

Miami, however, would double their lead in the 54th minute. Taylor, at the heart of it again, drove a ball across goal for Campana to tuck away for 2-0.

White nearly had an instant response, after Picault burst down the left and threaded a ball across the box, but his deft flick went the wrong side of the near post.

Whitecaps FC got one back in the 70th minute, after video review adjudged Picault to be fouled in the box. Gauld stepped up and dispatched his penalty to the joy of the 50,000+ fans. Ryan Raposo nearly got the equalizer with less than 10 minutes to go. His whipped cross went all the way towards the back post, fooling everyone before smacking against the post and going out.

Whitecaps FC would throw everything forward for the last 20 minutes of play, with Giuseppe Bovalina having a shot blocked right in front of goal, while Luís Martins tried his luck from distance. But no matter how hard they pushed forward, the ‘Caps were unable to get their second goal before time expired.

The 'Caps are right back in action this coming Wednesday, May 29 as they travel on the road to face Sporting Kansas City at 5:30 p.m. PT. The match is available live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and on AM730 radio. Whitecaps FC are then back home next Saturday, June 1 for '70s night as they host Colorado Rapids at BC Place. For ticket information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.

MATCH DETAILS

VWFC GE Appliances Player of Quality: Fafà Picault
Attendance: 51,035
Referee: Joe Dickerson

Scoring Summary
38’ – MIA – Robert Taylor (Jordi Alba)
54’ – MIA – Leonardo Campana (Robert Taylor)
72’ – VAN – Ryan Gauld (penalty kick)

Statistics
Possession: VAN 50.2% - MIA 49.8%
Shots: VAN 17 - MIA 10
Shots on Goal: VAN 2 - MIA 6
Saves: VAN 4 - MIA 1
Fouls: VAN 8 - MIA 14
Offsides: VAN 2 - MIA 1
Corners: VAN 9 - MIA 5

Cautions
20’ – MIA – Jordi Alba
34’ – VAN – Ali Ahmed
48’ – MIA – Yannick Bright
51’ – MIA – Tata Martino (head coach)
60’ – MIA – Marcelo Weigandt
63’ – MIA – Tomás Avilés
73’ – VAN – Alessandro Schöpf
90’ – VAN – Fafà Picault
90’ – MIA – Federico Redondo

Ejection
90'+8 – MIA – Gerardo Andres Martino (assistant coach)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 2.Mathías Laborda (14.Luís Martins 58’), 4.Ranko Veselinović (7.Ryan Raposo 74’), 6.Tristan Blackmon; 22.Ali Ahmed, 45.Pedro Vite (27.Giuseppe Bovalina 58’), 20.Andrés Cubas (28.Levonte Johnson 88’), 8.Alessandro Schöpf (16.Sebastian Berhalter 73’); 25.Ryan Gauld ©, 24.Brian White, 11.Fafà Picault

Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 12.Belal Halbouni, 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik, 23.Javain Brown

Inter Miami CF
1.Drake Callender; 57.Marcelo Weigandt, 6.Tomás Avilés, 27.Sergii Kryvstov, 18.Jordi Alba; 24.Julian Gressel (32.Noah Allen 87’), 42.Yannick Bright, 30.Benjamin Cremaschi (55.Federico Redondo 65’); 7.Matías Rojas (41.David Ruiz 82’), 8.Leonardo Campana, 16.Robert Taylor (73.Leonardo Frugis Afonso 87’)

Substitutes not used
13.C.J. dos Santos, 15.Ryan Sailor, 33.Franco Negri, 43.Lawson Sunderland, 91.Ryan Carmicheal