BURNABY, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 claimed a shootout win over LAFC2 on Sunday night after playing to a thrilling 2-2 regulation draw at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC.
The match began with Whitecaps FC 2 taking early control of the match. Malek Mehri got the first look on goal inside 10 minutes, cutting inside off the left and fizzing post the far post. Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau saw a similar chance result in the same way just before the 20th minute mark.
Decarlo Guerra sent a vicious volley sailing over the crossbar not much later for LAFC2’s first chance of the night.
Luca Bombino came closest to opening the scoring for the visitors in the 34th minute, being found in space on the left-hand side and side-footing a curled effort that just glanced off the outside of the far post.
Shortly after, Nicklaus Sullivan forced a great save out of WFC2 debutant Alexander Milošević, executing a scissor kick volley to make Milošević parry it wide at full stretch.
Both sides continued to battle it out for the lead until the referee blew for halftime shortly after 45 minutes had been played.
The second half began with a bang for Whitecaps FC 2, as Mehri latched onto a loose clearance at the edge of the LAFC 2 box and curled a stunning shot into the top corner for the lead.
Milošević kept that lead in the 56th minute, making a near-post reflex save to deny Adrian Wibowo an equalizing goal.
Milošević made another spectacular save minutes later, rushing Wibowo in the box and tipping a goal-bound shot wide of the mark to keep his team’s lead intact.
Fleuriau Chateau came close to doubling his side’s lead in the 66th minute, breaking through the LAFC 2 defensive line and thundering a shot towards the roof of the net from a close angle, grazing the crossbar as it sailed by.
Luis Müller then tried to catch Milošević off-guard with a quick, upper 90 shot but it glanced off the upright and sailed harmlessly wide.
Mihail Gherasimencov tried seal the win with a quarter left in the match, making a marauding run inside from the left and lasering a right-footed shot over the net.
LAFC2 finally got their equalizer with six minutes to go, after Christopher Jaime arrowed a shot past Milošević from just outside the box to level the affair.
The end-to-end action would continue at Swangard, as the young 'Caps were able to grab the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute. Mehri got on the end of the loose ball in the box and was able to lay it off to Jay Herdman, who rifled home his sixth goal of the season to give WFC2 what looked to be the match winner.
The drama continued as Matthew Evans directed a low shot into the bottom corner in stoppage time to take the match to a shootout, with Milošević narrowly stopping his effort.
The youngster, who was making his professional debut, was the star of the shootout as he denied LAFC2 twice from the spot to give the home side the extra point.
WFC2 continues their homestand next Saturday, August 31 with a clash against Sporting Kansas City II at Swangard Stadium, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: David Schmidt-Schweda
Scoring Summary
46’ – VAN – Malek Mehri
84’ – LAFC – Christopher Jaime
90' – VAN – Jay Herdman (Malek Mehri)
90+5' – LAFC – Matthew Evans (Edward Berumen)
Shootout
VAN - Scored - Mihail Gherasimencov
LAFC - Scored - Luis Müller
VAN - Scored - Jay Herdman
LAFC - Scored - Edward Berumen
VAN - Scored - Myles Morgan
LAFC - Scored - Javier Hernandez
VAN - Scored - Finn Linder
LAFC - Scored - Luca Bombino
VAN - Missed - Malcolm Simmons
LAFC - Missed - Jude Terry
VAN - Scored - Liam Mackenzie
LAFC - Scored - Matthew Evans
VAN - Scored - Cyprian Kachwele
LAFC - Scored - Diego Rosales
VAN - Scored - Joshué Ndakala
LAFC - Missed - Matías Wanchope
Statistics
Possession: VAN 44% - LAFC 56%
Shots: VAN 14 - LAFC 23
Shots on Goal: VAN 5 - LAFC 10
Saves: VAN 8 - LAFC 3
Fouls: VAN 16 - LAFC 14
Offsides: VAN 0 - LAFC 3
Corners: VAN 2 - LAFC 8
Cautions
21’ – VAN – Jeevan Badwal
58’ – LAFC – Brayan Moyado
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
90.Alexander Milošević; 83.Finn Linder, 95.Joshué Ndakala, 51.Dembo Saidykhan (56.Immanuel Mathe 64’); 46.Darko Ilić (55.Cyprian Kachwele 70’), 59.Jeevan Badwal, 48.Malcolm Simmons, 49.Malek Mehri (44.Myles Morgan 90+3'), 54.Mihail Gherasimencov; 92.Jay Herdman (captain), 52.Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau (97.Liam Mackenzie 79’)
Substitutes not used
80.Trystan Read, 43.Antoine Coupland
Los Angeles FC 2
51.Dylan Auffret; 65.Adrian Sanders (70.Matthew Evans), 43.Diego Rosales, 44.Cristian Díaz, 42.Luca Bombino; 40.Christopher Jaime 981.Charles Rosenthal 89’), 66.Bryan Moyado (56.Jude Terry 65’), 46.Decarlo Guerra (73.Edward Berumen 65’); 77.Adrian Wibowo (60.Matías Wanchope 89’), 39.Nicklaus Sullivan (49.Javier Hernandez 88’), 91.Luis Müller
Substitutes not used
41.Ethan Scally
