FULLERTON, CA – It was a cracking start to the MLS NEXT Pro season for Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, as the team came back from a 3-0 deficit to draw 3-3 against LAFC2 at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, California before winning the ensuing penalty shootout.
The match began with LAFC striking first blood. Matthew Evans found some space on the edge of the box and whipped a curling shot past outstretched WFC2 goalkeeper Max Anchor to give the home side the lead. LAFC doubled that lead just minutes later, this time with Adrian Wibowo firing from close range for 2-0.
'Caps defender Mark O’Neill denied LAFC the chance to triple it a little while later, making a massive diving block on LAFC’s Alec Hughes.
After that early wobble, Whitecaps FC 2 began to grow back into the game. Jeevan Badwal got the young ‘Caps’ first shot on target, shooting from distance to test LAFC 2 goalkeeper Cabral Carter after a flurry of blocked shots in the box.
LAFC did end up getting that third goal just shy of the half-hour mark, after Sebastian Nava squared it to Jude Terry and swept it into the net off a deflection from Alec Hughes.
Anchor kept Whitecaps FC 2 in the game right before half-time, making a massive save to deny LAFC a fourth goal.
The second half saw the young ‘Caps battle with some renewed energy. Johnny Selemani got Vancouver back into the match with his first professional goal in the 54th minute. A great over-the-top ball from Liam Mackenzie released Selemani to go one-on-one with Carter, and the forward did well to beat the on-rushing goalkeeper to tuck it into the open net.
Nelson Pierre brought the deficit to just one three minutes later, after Mackenzie cushioned a cross down for Pierre to flick home inside the six-yard box, scoring his first goal for WFC2.
The young 'Caps kept fighting to get that equalizing goal over the next 15 minutes and got rewarded through Mackenzie. The Comox, BC native was found in the box by BMO Academy product Francesco Troisi before thrashing home a volleyed effort to bring this game level.
WFC2 nearly got a fourth goal with less than five minutes to go, after Dembo Saidykhan rose the highest to meet a corner and head towards goal, but his shot was cleared off the line before it could trickle in. Johnny Selemani almost won it for the ‘Caps right at the death, after he cut inside the box, beating his marker and firing a shot just wide of the mark.
With both sides unable to find the difference, the game would fall to penalties, where Anchor became the hero, saving a penalty to give the young ‘Caps a 4-2 victory in the shootout.
Whitecaps FC 2 are back in action on Friday, March 14th as they visit North Texas SC at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas at 5:30 p.m. PT, before they host their home-opener at Swangard Stadium on Saturday March 29th against Cascadian rivals Portland Timbers 2 at 4 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Jamie Padilla
Scoring Summary
7’ – LAFC – Matthew Evans (Jude Terry)
9’ – LAFC – Adrian Wibowo (Jude Terry)
27’ – LAFC – Alec Hughes (Jude Terry)
53’ – VAN – Johnny Selemani (Liam Mackenzie)
57’ – VAN – Nelson Pierre (Liam Mackenzie)
73’ – VAN – Liam Mackenzie (Francesco Troisi)
Shootout
VAN – Scored – Jackson Castro
LAFC – Scored – DeCarlo Guerra
VAN – Scored – Liam Mackenzie
LAFC – Missed – Sebastian Nava
VAN – Scored – Mark O’Neill
LAFC – Scored – Matias Wanchope
VAN – Scored – Sahil Deo
LAFC – Missed – Deryck Jones Jr.
Statistics
Possession: LAFC 52% - VAN 48%
Shots: LAFC 25 - VAN 16
Shots on Goal: LAFC 7 - VAN 6
Saves: LAFC 3 - VAN 4
Fouls: LAFC 15 - VAN 4
Offsides: LAFC 1 - VAN 1
Corners: LAFC 12 - VAN 4
Cautions
76’ – LAFC – Charlie Rosenthal
81’ – LAFC – Bryan Moyado
90’+4 – VAN – Kyler Vojvodic
Los Angeles Football Club 2
31.Cabral Carter; 62.Joshua Santiago, 55.Érick González (65.Adrian Sanders 90’), 44.Christian Diaz, 32.Deryck Jones Jr.; 70.Matthew Evans (60.Matias Wanchope 65’), 56.Jude Terry (66.Bryan Moyado HT), 46.DeCarlo Guerra; 40.Sebastian Nava, 39.Alec Hughes (47.Marius Aiyenero 65’), 77.Adrian Wibowo (81.Charlie Rosenthal 75’)
Substitutes not used
34.Tyson Epsy, 41. Ethan Scally, 63.Dempsey Resich, 88.Adrián Martínez
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
50.Max Anchor ©; 65.Francesco Troisi, 53.Mark O’Neill, 51.Dembo Saidykhan, 46.Deylen Vellios; 44.Jackson Castro, 59.Jeevan Badwal, 97.Liam Mackenzie; 63.Johnny Selemani, 64.Mateo Clark (61.Kyler Vojvodic 90’), 42.Nelson Pierre (66.Sahil Deo 80’)
Substitutes not used
60.Alexander Milošević, 56.Maksim Kalina, 62.Luca Chen, 68.Yuma Tsuji, 72.Ben Nash
