Whitecaps breeze past Sporting KC

Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 Sporting Kansas City

VANCOUVER, BC–Top played bottom in the Western Conference and top was best on Friday night at BC Place as the Whitecaps bettered Sporting Kansas City, 3-0. The Whitecaps are now 7-1-0 on the season while Sporting has endured a rough week after crashing out of the US Open Cup to Colorado Springs and lost their fifth straight in all competitions.

All the damage was done in a 15-minute span. A takeaway in midfield in the 13th minute led to all sorts of chaos in the Sporting defensive third as it was all finished off by Emmanuel Sabbi to put the Whitecaps ahead. Ten minutes later, another Sporting turnover in their own half led to another Whitecaps goal. This time, Bruno Camacho intercepted a cross and then finished from twelve yards out past John Pulsekamp for his first for Vancouver.

Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe

It got worse five minutes later for the visitors. Tristan Blackmon intercepted a distribution from Pulsekamp, passed to Sabbi who kept the ball in play along the sideline, Sabbi then sent a cross into the box that was headed in by Thomas Müller to make it 3-0. It is Müller’s fourth goal of the season.

It was virtualy one-way traffic towards Pulsekamp’s goal and it could arguably have been a more lopsided contest with the hots twice hitting the woodwork before halftime. Shots were 25-3 in favor of the Whitecaps and Sporting’s only shot on target came in the 65th minute which was swept away by Blackmon.

It was top versus bottom in the West and both teams showed why they were where they are in the table.

The Whitecaps will next play next Saturday for their eighth home game in nine league matches when they host Colorado. Kickoff is at 7:30pm PT on Apple TV. Sporting will travel to Chicago next Saturday at 7:30pm CT (Apple TV).

Photos by Gerrit te Hennepe