CALGARY, AB – It was a crisp and windy night in Calgary, Alberta, but that did not preclude Vancouver Whitecaps FC from getting an important 2-1 victory over Cavalry FC in the first leg of their TELUS Canadian Championship quarter-final.
Five Canadians started for the 'Caps, including goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer, midfielder Ralph Priso, wingbacks Ali Ahmed and Ryan Raposo, and forward Levonte Johnson.
It was an intense, physical start to the match as both sides made their presences known on the pitch early on.
It appeared as if the match would go into halftime scoreless, but Johnson would break the deadlock just before the break. The Brampton native pounced on a loose ball just outside the box, and unleashed a thunderous volley that clipped in off the far post to put the ‘Caps ahead going into the break.
The second half began with Whitecaps FC in control.
Ali Ahmed struck the crossbar in the 54th minute, after driving down the left side and opening his body up to curl one towards the far corner.
Lleyton Brooks had an opportunity for Cavalry FC in the 60th, getting his effort on target only to be denied by a diving Boehmer.
That proved a key moment, as the 'Caps would go on to double the lead. Johnson got his second in the 78th minute, getting on the end of a long ball from Bjørn Inge Utvik. The former MLS SuperDraft pick drove down the middle, flicked it past his marker and cooly slotted it past Carducci for his brace, and Whitecaps FC’s second on the night.
Cyprian Kachwele, on his first team debut from Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2), nearly put it on a plate for Gauld in added time, but the Scot was just a whisker behind.
The home side would make things intersting at the death, as Cavalry managed to pull one back after Malcom Shaw was able to redirect a through-ball past Boehmer to make it 2-1.
The 'Caps held on for the win to lead the tie going into Leg 2 on Tuesday, May 21 at BC Place. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. PT, and tickets are included for season ticket members. For more information on tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
Whitecaps FC are back in MLS action this coming Saturday, May 11 as they face Los Angeles FC in California at 7:30 p.m. PT. They will host their next MLS home match in a highly-anticipated fixture against Inter Miami CF on Saturday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 4,084
Referee: Ben Hoskins
Scoring Summary
45’+2 – VAN – Levonte Johnson
79’ – VAN – Levonte Johnson (Bjørn Inge Utvik)
90’+3 – CAV – Malcom Shaw (Lucas Dias)
Statistics
Possession: CAV 49% - VAN 51%
Shots: CAV 6 - VAN 12
Shots on Goal: CAV 3 - VAN 3
Saves: CAV 1 - VAN 2
Fouls: CAV 11 - VAN 12
Offsides: CAV 0 - VAN 1
Corners: CAV 3 - VAN 5
Cautions
27’ – VAN – Sebastian Berhalter
52’ – CAV – Callum Montgomery
62’ – CAV – Daan Klomp
71’ – VAN – Luis Martins
75’ – VAN – Levonte Johnson
90’+5 – VAN – Mathías Laborda
Cavalry FC
1.Marco Carducci; 33.Fraser Aird (24.Eryk Kobza 74’), 4.Daan Klomp, 3.Callum Montgomery, 5.Bradley Kamdem; 8.Jesse Daley (14.Malcom Shaw 66’), 6.Charlie Trafford; 11.Lleyton Brooks (20.Lucas Dias 90’), 27.Diego Gutiérrez, 10.Sergio Camargo; 9.Tobias Warschewski (19.William Akio 82’)
Substitutes not used
21.Jack Barrett, 22.Max Piepgrass, 28.Niko Myroniuk
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
32.Isaac Boehmer; 23.Javain Brown (27.Giuseppe Bovalina 88’), 2.Mathías Laborda, 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik; 7.Ryan Raposo (4.Ranko Veselinović 76’), 13.Ralph Priso (14.Luís Martins 45’), 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 22.Ali Ahmed (20.Andrés Cubas 62’); 45.Pedro Vite, 24.Brian White © (25.Ryan Gauld 45’), 28.Levonte Johnson (55.Cyprian Kachwele 85’)
Substitutes not used
1.Yohei Takaoka
