BURNABY, BC β Whitecaps FC 2 claimed a 5-4 shootout win after drawing 1-1 with Sporting Kansas City II on Friday night at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC.
In just the second minute of play, WFC2 came close to opening the scoring. After receiving the ball from Kamron Habibullah inside the box, Gloire Amanda was able to hold off a couple SKC II defenders and laid a pass off to a wide open Levonte Johnson. The Canadian chipped his effort just wide of the goal, with Habibullah also missing the ball for a tap-in at the back post.
Kansas City had the next big chance of the game, as defender Nassim Mekideche put his first-time attempt just wide of the far post off a corner kick.
Despite the early chances, both teams would go into the halftime interval scoreless.
After the break, WFC2 substitute J.C. Ngando picked up the ball on the right side of the box. The first team midfielder dribbled towards the endline and saw his low cross deflect to Johnson at the back post, who tucked the ball into the net to score his team-leading fifth goal of the season and to give the young 'Caps the 1-0 lead.
WFC2 would continue testing Sporting's backline, as Giovanni Aguilar directed a cross from Antoine Coupland towards goal but SKC II goalkeeper Ethan Bandre parried the ball away at the near post to his side in the match.
In the 71st minute, SKC II were awarded a penalty. WFC2 goalkeeper Thomas Hasal narrowly denied Ethan Bryant from the spot, but the Sporting midfielder was able to nestle his effort into the bottom right corner.
With regulation time dwindling down, the young 'Caps came close to grabbing a winner in the 90th minute. Johnson chipped a cross into the middle for substitute Joe Hanson, who's headed attempted rolled just wide of the goal.
Neither side found a winner, meaning the match would be decided via a shootout.
In the fifth and final round of the shootout, Ozzie Cisneros had a chance to win it for the away side, but Hasal dove to his right and parried the shot away to send the shootout to sudden death.
The next round saw Vasco Fry put his left-footed effort away, giving the young 'Caps the advantage.
Alenis Vargas stepped up next, but Hasal once again dove to his right to give WFC2 the shootout win.
Next up, WFC2 hit the road for a clash with Austin FC II on Friday, June 9, with kickoff from Parmer Field in Austin, Texas set for 6 p.m. PT. You can catch the match live on mlsnextpro.com.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Amer Ramic
Scoring Summary
58β β VAN β Levonte Johnson
72β β SKC β Ethan Bryant
ShootoutVAN β Scored β Giovani Aguilar
SKC β Scored β Lucas Rosa
VAN β Scored β J.C. Ngando
SKC β Scored β Andrew Draper
VAN β Missed β Gloire Amanda
SKC β Scored β Vitor Dias
VAN β Scored β Joe Hanson
SKC β Scored β Danny Flores
VAN β Scored β Levonte Johnson
SKC β Missed β Ozzie Cisneros
VAN β Scored β Vasco Fry
SKC β Missed β Alenis Vargas
Statistics
Possession: VAN 47.9% β SKC 52.1%
Shots: VAN 11 β SKC 12
Shots on Goal: VAN 5 β SKC 1
Saves: VAN 0 β SKC 4
Fouls: VAN 13 β SKC 11
Offsides: VAN 4 β SKC 1
Corners: VAN 4 β SKC 7
Cautions
51β β SKC β Nassim Mekideche
62β β SKC β Benny Feilhaber
Whitecaps FC 21.Thomas Hasal; 57.Elage Bah, 12.Karifa Yao, 95.JoshuΓ© Ndakala, 54.Mihail Gherasimencov; 30.Kamron Habibullah (26.J.C. Ngando HT), 52.Vasco Fry, 66.Giovanni Aguilar Β©; 43.Antoine Coupland (76.Joe Hanson 84'), 44.Gloire Amanda, 28.Levonte Johnson
Substitutes not used
90.Cohen Park, 41.Malcolm Johnston, 46.Darko IliΔ, 53.Simone Masi, 56.Lucas Dasovic, 84.Christian Greco-Taylor
Sporting Kansas City II
99.Ethan Bandre; 44.Lucas Rosa, 82.Chris Rindov, 45.Nassim Mekideche, 33.Nati Clarke; 98.Sebastian Cruz (88.Andrew Draper 69'), 40.Enzo Mauriz (57.Vitor Dias 69'), 39.Ethan Bryant (31.Danny Flores 89'); 70.Alenis Vargas, 67.Pau Vidal (36.Keny MartΓnez 13'), 61.Josh Coan (25.Ozzie Cisneros 69')
Substitutes not used
41.Carlito Saylon, 60.Mo Abualnadi, 71.Michael Lenis, 84.Jahon Rad
