- Whitecaps FC remain in first place in the MLS Western Conference with three matches remaining in the regular season
COMMERCE CITY, CO – It was a closely contested match on Saturday evening, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC fell to a narrow 1-0 road loss to Colorado Rapids.
It was a stop-start opening half-hour in Colorado, with both sides trying to find a handle on the match.
The Rapids had the clearest chance of the first half, as Noah Cobb headed a corner kick on target, but Ralph Priso blocked it out before the ball could cross the goal line.
Édier Ocampo and Bruno Caicedo - on as a substitute after Emmanuel Sabbi came off injured - began finding some joy down the right side as the half wore on, with the pair whipping several dangerous crosses in, but just unable to find a target,
Caicedo almost snuck in a goal in added time at the end of the first half, after a corner kick was headed back towards the Ecuadorian at the back post, but his driven volleyed effort went to Rapids ‘keeper Nico Hansen.
In the second half, Yohei Takaoka had to be quick in his reactions, as the Japanese ‘keeper made a full-stretch save to deny Morgan Whittaker from scoring a header in the 57th minute.
At the other end, Oliver Larraz came ever so close to putting the ‘Caps ahead a few minutes later, after making a clever turn in the box and bending a shot towards the far post, missing by mere inches.
Takaoka was at it again in the 63rd, halting a thunderous shot from Whittaker as the attacker bore down on goal.
Ryan Gauld almost found a gap to score from in the 79th minute, after taking down the ball inside the Colorado box, but his shot was blocked before it could test Hansen.
In the end, it was Whittaker who did end up drawing first blood in the 81st minute, with the forward tapping in a header after the ball crashed off the crossbar following a great stop from Takaoka on Donavan Phillip.
Mathías Laborda and Rayan Elloumi, both fresh off the bench, nearly combined for a wonderful goal in the 88th minute, after the striker headed into the path of Laborda, who chested it up and fired a powerful volley that went over the crossbar.
As the match ticked over into added time, Whitecaps FC threw everything forward, with crosses and passes flying into the Colorado box, but the Rapids were just able to hold on for all three points.
The ’Caps now finally return home on Wednesday, October 28 to take on San Diego FC at 7:30 p.m. PCT. Then on Sunday, November 1, Whitecaps FC host Seattle Sounders FC in their final regular season home match at 1:30 p.m. PCT. The upper bowl is open, with tickets to both matches available at whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 15,605
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Scoring Summary
81’ – COL – Morgan Whittaker
Statistics
Possession: COL 51% - VAN 49%
Shots: COL 18 - VAN 8
Shots on Goal: COL 8 - VAN 2
Saves: COL 2 - VAN 7
Fouls: COL 10 - VAN 12
Offsides: COL 1 - VAN 2
Corners: COL 6 - VAN 3
Cautions
21’ – COL – Wayne Frederick
90’+4 – COL – Jackson Travis
Colorado Rapids
41.Nico Hansen; 33.Kosi Thompson, 6.Rob Holding, 24.Noah Cobb (5.Loïc Williams 87’), 29.Miguel Navarro (32.Donavan Phillip 62’); 8.Hamzat Ojediran (99.Jackson Travis 87’), 13.Wayne Frederick, 12.Josh Atencio; 7.Morgan Whittaker, 93.Georgi Minoungou (9.Sayed Abu Farki 68’), 10.Paxton Aaronson
Substitutes not used
31.Adam Beaudry, 2.Keegan Rosenberry, 16.Alex Harris, 21.Ted Ku-Dipietro, 77.Darren Yapi
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Edier Ocampo, 33.Tristan Blackmon, 6.Ralph Priso (2.Mathías Laborda 87’), 28.Tate Johnson; 8.Oliver Larraz (23.Aleksa Cvetković 74’), 20.Andrés Cubas (19.Rayan Elloumi 87’); 11.Emmanuel Sabbi (14.Bruno Caicedo 27’), 25.Ryan Gauld ©, 77.Yadaly Diaby (59.Jeevan Badwal HT); 24.Brian White
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 29.Mihail Gherasimencov, 63.Johnny Selemani