VANCOUVER, BC – A late Victor Blasco brace propelled Whitecaps FC 2 (5W-8L-4D) to a thrilling 3-1 win over Sounders FC 2 (9W-6L-2D) on a sunny Saturday afternoon at UBC Thunderbird Stadium.
With the score 1-1, Blasco scored in the 89th and 90th minutes to help WFC2 claim their first win over S2 in three attempts this season.
Not a bad birthday present for the Spaniard, who turned 21 earlier this week.
First-team defender Christian Dean scores his first pro goal
It was also a momentous game for first-team defender Christian Dean, who scored his first professional goal in the 41st minute.
The young ‘Caps are now 4W-1L-3D at home this season.
There was plenty of action in this one – at both ends of the pitch.
S2 looked dangerous early and forced Marco Carducci into four first-half saves. Their best chance came in the seventh minute, when Oalex Anderson got behind on the counter before a sprawling Carducci turned him away with a fingertip save.
WFC2 had a few opportunities on the counter, too. The likes of Marco Bustos, Andre Lewis, and Caleb Clarke had two separate breaks, including a three-on-one in the 18th minute, but simply couldn’t find the back of the net.
After a few more chances from both sides, WFC2 finally opened the scoring in the 41st minute through Dean’s first goal of the season. The 6-foot-3 defender, who was playing left back on the night, played a nice one-two with Brett Levis before finishing first time from inside the box to put WFC2 ahead and end S2’s two-match shutout streak.
Levis was awarded the lone assist on the goal – his second in as many games.
WFC2 nearly doubled their lead early in the 49th minute, when Lewis found Clarke in the box with a low cross from the right. But S2 keeper Charlie Lyon just managed to keep it out, with the help of a defender, before gobbling up the Lewis rebound.
The visitors started to come on after conceding the early chance. And in the 67th minute, S2 brought the game level through a bending Sergio Mota strike from 20 yards.
Victor Blasco scores twice in just over a minute to secure a late win
Then, it was time for the Blasco show.
Shortly after entering the match, the Spaniard scored two beauties in the span of a minute late to lead WFC2 to victory in front of 1,409 boisterous fans at Thunderbird Stadium. Both goals were assisted by Billy Schuler, who was also a second-half substitute.
Saturday’s match was the first of three straight matches at home for WFC2. Next up is another Cascadia derby, this time with Timbers 2 on Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m. PT.
Tickets to all WFC2 home matches are available at whitecapsfc.com/wfc2/wfc2tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 1,409
Scoring Summary
41’ – WFC2 – Christian Dean (Brett Levis)
67’ – S2 – Sergio Mota (Oniel Fisher)
89’ – WFC2 – Victor Blasco (Billy Schuler)
90’ – WFC2 – Victor Blasco (Billy Schuler)
Stats
Shots: WFC2 (19) – S2 (10)
Saves: WFC2 (4) – S2 (4)
Corners: WFC2 (2) – S2 (6)
Cautions
32’ – S2 – Sam Garza
63’ – S2 – Damion Lowe
Whitecaps FC 2
24.Marco Carducci; 27.Ethen Sampson, 41.Jackson Farmer, 54.Craig Nitti, 22.Christian Dean; 45.Tyler Rosenlund ©, 30.Ben McKendry; 25.Andre Lewis (48.Victor Blasco 77’), 32.Marco Bustos (51.Billy Schuler 73’), 46.Brett Levis (47.Jovan Blagojevic 85’); 34.Caleb Clarke (88.Robert Earnshaw 64’)
Substitutes not used
53.Mark Village; 49.Mackenzie Pridham, 50.Sahil Sandhu
Sounders FC 2
22.Charlie Lyon; 45.Giuliano Frano, 44.Nick Miele, 31.Damion Lowe ©, 91.Oniel Fisher; 88.Sam Garza (13.Andres Correa 62’), 25.Aaron Long, 89.Sergio Mata (77.Ashani Fairclough 88’), 11.Aaron Kovar (32.Duncan McCormick 78’); 80.Victor Mansaray (55.Pablo Rossi 62’), 39.Oalex Anderson
Substitutes not used
47.R.J. Noll, 53.Tosh Samkange, 54.Diego Silvas
