HOUSTON, TX – Vancouver Whitecaps FC fell 3-2 against Houston Dynamo in a wild match at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday.
The ‘Caps started in a 3-4-3 formation for the first time under Marc Dos Santos. Two personnel changes were made to the starting lineup as Jake Nerwinski and Lucas Venuto were replaced by Derek Cornelius and Scott Sutter.
The Dynamo opened the scoring on 15 minutes. After a turnover on the end line, Alberth Elis centred to Memo Rodríguez for a tap in.
Vancouver leveled the match on 35 minutes. After Montero was taken down in the box, he calmly converted the ensuing penalty kick for his first goal of the season.
Houston then received a penalty kick call of their own as Elis was judged to have been taken down by Derek Cornelius. The play was called in for review by the VAR for a clear and obvious error, but referee Nima Saghafi stuck with his call on the field. Elis converted the penalty kick to restore a 2-1 lead for the home side.
At halftime Dos Santos made a tactical change, bringing on winger Lass Bangoura for Cornelius and switching to a 4-3-3 formation. Bangoura made a quick impact, getting the ball on a long run forward on 54 minutes and finishing into the far corner to make it 2-2.
Houston retook the lead on 73 minutes as it was once again Elis finding Rodríguez from close range to make it 3-2. The Blue and White were dealt a further blow minutes later as Andy Rose was forced to leave the match with a head injury, moments after the 'Caps third and final substitution had been made.
Despite being down a man, the 'Caps pushed for the equalizer, however no more goals would come as the final whistle blew.
Whitecaps FC will now have one week off for the international break before returning to action at home against rivals Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday, March 30 at BC Place. The March 30 match is expected to mark the arrival of new Iraqi international signing Ali Adnan. For ticket information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
WFC Man of the Match: Lass Bangoura
Referee: Nima Saghafi
Attendance: 13,549
Scoring Summary
15’ – HOU – Memo Rodríguez (Alberth Elis)
35’ – VAN – Fredy Montero (penalty kick)
42’ – HOU – Alberth Elis (penalty kick)
54’ – VAN – Lass Bangoura
73’ – HOU – Memo Rodríguez (Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas)
Statistics
Possession: Houston 54.9% – Vancouver 45.1%
Shots: Houston 20 – Vancouver 8
Shots on Goal: Houston 5 – Vancouver 3
Saves: Houston 1 – Vancouver 2
Fouls: Houston 18 – Vancouver 14
Offsides: Houston 2 – Vancouver 2
Corners: Houston 7 – Vancouver 8
Duels won: Houston 43 – Vancouver 49
Tackles won: Houston 8 – Vancouver 7
Cautions
49’ – HOU – Memo Rodríguez
82' – VAN – Victor Giro
83' – HOU – Romell Quioto
90' – HOU – Mauro Manotas
Houston Dynamo
23.Joe Willis; 20.A.J. DeLaGarza, 6.Aljaz Struna, 16.Kevin Garcia,, 3.Adam Lundkvist; 22.Matías Vera, 27.Boniek Garcia ©; 17.Alberth Elis, 10.Tomás Martínez (11.Tommy McNamara 71’), 8.Memo Rodríguez (31.Romell Quioto 74’); 9.Mauro Manotas (14.Marlon Hairston 90’)
Substitutes not used
1.Tyler Deric, 2.Alejandro Fuenmayor, 21. Ronaldo Peña, 24.Darwin Cerén
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
16.Maxime Crépeau; 22.Érik Godoy, 2.Doneil Henry, 13.Derek Cornelius (19.Lass Bangoura HT); 23.Scott Sutter, 15.Andy Rose, 6.Jon Erice © (9.Joaquín Ardaiz 74’), 94.Victor “PC” Giro; 29.Yordy Reyna (7.Lucas Venuto 67’), 12.Fredy Montero, 4.Inbeom Hwang
Substitutes not used
18.Zac MacMath, 8.Felipe Martins, 24.David Norman, 28.Jake Nerwinski
