VANCOUVER, BC – It was a hard-fought Cascadia match between Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and Portland Timbers 2, with the Timbers edging out a 1-0 victory in the heat at BC Place on Saturday.
Chances came at a premium throughout the first half. The opening stages were cagey, as both teams were testing each-other out and settling into the game. Portland were resolute in their back line, with Kamron Habibullah and Lowell Wright only able to get a few glimpses at goal before being blocked.
Thomas Hasal was relatively quiet in the first half, only called into action in the 41st minute as Flórian Monzón regained possession up high and forced Hasal into a save with a low, hard shot to the 'keeper’s right. That would be the only shot on target in the first half.
As much as both teams would try to break each other down, neither would budge before referee David Schmidt-Schweda called for half-time.
The deadlock would finally be broken in the 53rd minute through an own goal by Karifa Yao. A looping header towards goal by Monzón could only be deflected in by Yao.
The Blue and White would try to get it back quickly, with Yao sending a headed effort from a corner in the 60th minute that just glanced wide of the post. He would come even closer in the 66th minute, once again meeting a cross from a corner and heading it down towards goal. Timbers2 goalkeeper Ryan Bilichuk was level to it though, and made a key save to deny Yao the equalizing goal.
Whitecaps FC 2 continued to fight hard and force Portland back. Antoine Coupland had a great chance to equalize after deflecting a clearance towards freshly-substituted in Gloire Amanda. Amanda would lay it back off for Coupland, whose resulting shot would be saved once again by Bilichuck.
Although the young ‘Caps would throw everything forward to try to equalize, Portland stood strong and saw out the victory at full-time.
Whitecaps FC 2 are back in action against Tacoma Defiance at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington on Sunday, July 30th at 12 p.m. PT, available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The next and final home game at BC Place for Whitecaps FC 2 is on August 20th against Austin FC II at 2:00pm. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: David Schmidt-Schweda
Scoring Summary
53’ – POR – Karifa Yao (OG)
Statistics
Possession: VAN 54.8% - POR 45.2%
Shots: VAN 10 - POR 6
Shots on Goal: VAN 2 - POR 2
Saves: VAN 2 - POR 2
Fouls: VAN 8 - POR 9
Offsides: VAN 1 - POR 1
Corners: VAN 10 - POR 4
Cautions
10’ – VAN – Elage Bah
34’ – POR – Victor Enriquez
90’+4 – POR – Victor Griffith
90’+5 – POR – Alex Moreno
90’+5 – VAN – Karifa Yao
Whitecaps FC 2
1.Thomas Hasal; 57.Elage Bah, 12.Karifa Yao, 83.Finn Linder, 84.Christian Greco-Taylor (54.Mihail Gherasimencov 75’); 66.Giovanni Aguilar ©️, 52.Vasco Fry, 26.J.C. Ngando; 43.Antoine Coupland, 42.Lowell Wright (44.Gloire Amanda 70’), 30.Kamron Habibullah
Substitutes not used
50.Max Anchor, 46.Darko Ilić, 47.Amir Ghasemi, 53.Simone Masi, 56.Lucas Dasovic, 76.Joe Hanson, 95.Joshué Ndakala
Portland Timbers2
36.Ryan Bilichuk; 80.Jaden Jones-Riley, 40.Keesean Ferdinand, 39.Tyler Clegg, 56.Adrian Ortellao, 45.Blake Pope; 43.Ian Shaul (42.Alex Moreno 65’), 57.Victor Griffith, 60.Victor Enriquez (17.Tega Ikoba 46’); 90.Flórian Monzón (51.Sawyer Jura 78’), 70.Josh Penn (55.Dawson McCartney 65’)
Substitutes not used
35.Tristan Weber, 47.Michael Dunne, 84.Noah Santos, 85.Alexis Manzo, 96.Carver Miller
