Whitecaps complete ten-day stretch with win over RSL

Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 Real Salt Lake

VANCOUVER, BC–Vancouver Whitecaps went four-for-four in their four matches in ten-day span with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at BC Place. The win propels the Concacaf Champions Cup finalists seven points clear of second place Minnesota in the Western Conference as the best start to the Whitecaps’ MLS era continues to get better.

Jesper Sorenson made six changes to the lineup from Wednesday’s win against Inter Miami. Yet, the performance would be similar. Vancouver got on the board in the 20th minute after Jayden Nelson with a solo effort taking on a defender before beating Rafael Cabral far post. RSL’s best chance of the first half came at the head of Alexandros Katranis, but his header with a gaping net in front of him went wide far post.

Zavier Gozo thought he had drawn a penalty three minutes into the second half, but VAR determined that he slipped on the turf instead of being fouled. The Whitecaps were awarded a penalty after Edier Ocampo was tripped in the box by Cabral. However, Daniel Rios’s spot kick was saved by Cabral.

Sebastian Berhalter entered the match as a sub and he he would send a low cross into the area to Tristan Blackmon who put it in the upper 90 in the 70th minute to double Vancouver’s advantage.

The outcome would be threatened in stoppage time as VAR would award a penalty to RSL after Berhalter was adjudged to clip the heel of Justen Glad in the area. Diego Luna would convert the spot kick. RSL would get no closer and the Whitecaps held on for the win to go to 7-1-2 in league play.

The Whitecaps get a deserved week off before hosting LAFC next Sunday (4pm PT, Apple TV). Real Salt Lake will travel to FC Dallas on Saturday (6:30pm MT, Apple TV).

Photos from the evening by Gerrit te Hennepe. Please click on the link to his gallery for more photos.

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