- With the result, Whitecaps FC maintain their lead in the MLS Supporters' Shield standings with 20 points
- Whitecaps FC remain unbeaten on the road in MLS play this season (2W-0L-2D)
- Yohei Takaoka kept his fifth clean sheet of the season, tied for the league lead. It is the team's sixth clean sheet across all competitions this season
ST. LOUIS, MO – Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6W-1L-2D) maintained their lead at the top of the MLS Supporters' Shield standings on Saturday night as they earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against St. Louis CITY SC (2W-4L-3D) at Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri.
The 'Caps got off to a strong start, winning an early corner after some neat inter-play between Ali Ahmed and Tate Johnson on the left wing. Pedro Vite whipped in the ensuing set piece to Emmanuel Sabbi, who saw his volleyed effort deflect just wide of the St. Louis goal.
Sabbi was at it again in the 16th minute, as he picked up a loose ball at the top of the box and unleashed a stinging left-footed shot narrowly wide of the top left corner.
St. Louis thought that they took the lead in the 25th minute after Conrad Wallem crossed it to Marcel Hartel at the back post, but Wallem was offside in the build-up.
Ahmed came close to getting the first goal of the night just past the half-hour mark, after dancing his way through the box, but his shot was blocked behind for a corner.
João Klauss nearly got the go-ahead goal right before halftime, flicking on a free-kick delivery towards goal but Yohei Takaoka came up big with a massive stop from point-blank range.
Whitecaps FC kept fighting hard at the end of the half, going into the break with the momentum.
The second half began with both teams searching for the difference. Édier Ocampo had an effort in the 55th minute, firing a low shot from the edge of the box after the ball bounced out of the box towards him, but it was deflected behind for a corner-kick.
Substitute Daniel Ríos came close to getting that long-awaited first goal, after Ahmed used the outside of his boot to curl a cross towards the onrushing striker at the near post, but his first-time effort was just wide.
Ríos once again had a great chance to score after White was found in behind and cut it back for his strike partner, but Ríos’ attempt was blocked yet again.
The 'Caps kept pounding at the door in the latter stages of the match, throwing numbers forward in search of a winner. Yet, St. Louis held firm and both teams had to settle with the honours split between them.
Whitecaps FC are back in action this Thursday, April 24 for the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against Inter Miami CF at BC Place. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT. The team will then head to the mid-west to take on Minnesota United FC on Sunday, April 27 at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. PT.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 17,097
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
Statistics
Possession: STL 50.2% - VAN 49.8%
Shots: STL 9 - VAN 16
Shots on Goal: STL 3 - VAN 2
Saves: STL 2 - VAN 2
Fouls: STL 9 - VAN 18
Offsides: STL 2 - VAN 0
Corners: STL 5 - VAN 6
Cautions
36’ – STL – João Klauss
42’ – VAN – Emmanuel Sabbi
56’ – VAN – Andrés Cubas
62’ – STL – Conrad Wallem
66’ – VAN – Pedro Vite
90’+2 – VAN – Ali Ahmed
St. Louis CITY SC
39.Ben Lundt; 15.Joshua Yaro, 32.Timo Baumgartl, 22.Kyle Hiebert; 20.Akil Watts, 27.Alfredo Morales, 17.Marcel Hartel, 6.Conrad Wallem; 12.Célio Pompeu (59.Mykhi Joyner 73’), 9.João Klauss, 36.Cedric Teuchert (11.Simon Becher 72’)
Substitutes not used
31.Christian Olivares, 3.Jake Girdwood-Reich, 7.Tomas Ostrak, 13.Michael Wentzel, 14.Tomas Totland, 38.Jannes Horn, 71.Joseph Zalinsky
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo, 33.Tristan Blackmon, 4.Ranko Veselinović ©, 28.Tate Johnson; 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 20.Andrés Cubas (13.Ralph Priso 74’), 45.Pedro Vite (26.J.C. Ngando 74’); 11.Emmanuel Sabbi (14.Daniel Ríos 63’), 24.Brian White, 22.Ali Ahmed
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 12.Belal Halbouni, 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik, 19.Damir Kreilach, 27.Giuseppe Bovalina, 59.Jeevan Badwal
