BURNABY, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC rekindled the magic at Swangard Stadium on Wednesday night with a dramatic late 1-1 draw against TSS Rovers.
The 'Caps nearly struck first in the 17th minute when Deylen Vellios sent a cross in to Michael Hennessey, but Whitecaps FC BMO Academy graduate Justyn Sandhu did well in net for TSS to make the save.
The home side finally opened the scoring in the 66th minute, and it was again a pair of Whitecaps FC BMO Academy graduates who combined to make it happen against their former club. Ivan Mejia dribbled at the top of the box before passing to Nikolas Papakyriakopoulos who hit a wicked strike off the crossbar and in.
But the 'Caps would not give up. Finally, in added time, substitute Patrick Izett caught everyone off guard when he uncorked a quick shot from the midfield line that just got over the head of Sandhu to earn the 'Caps the point in a 1-1 draw.
The result keeps the 'Caps in the fourth and final playoff spot, while TSS moved into a tie for first place.
Next up for the 'Caps is another road match this coming Sunday, June 25 at Altitude FC. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. PT.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Joshua Heuving
Scoring summary
66' – TSS – Nikolas Papakyriakopoulos (Ivan Mejia)
90'+2 – VAN – Patrick Izett
Cautions
32' – VAN – Joven Mann
33' – TSS – Fugo Segawa
48' – VAN – Nikolas White
49' – TSS – Danylo Smychenko
90'+3 – TSS – Gabriel Escobar
90'+3 – TSS – Kyle Jones
TSS Rovers
1.Justyn Sandhu; 14.Tyler Dhillon, 17.Danylo Smychenko, 25.Fugo Segawa (10.Matteo Polisi 57'); 13.Kyle Jones, 8.Ivan Mejia, 6.Ali Zohar (5.Nicholas Burret 75'), 24.Nikolas Papakyriakopoulos (88.John Joseph 88'); 7.Connor Macmillan (12.Grant Verhoeven 81') ©, 9.Massud Habibullah (22.Kian Proctor 81'), 11.Erik Edwardson (3.Gabriel Escobar 41')
Substitutes not used
30.Ahmed Hassona
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Boys MLS Academy
80.Ben Alexander; 87.Rohin Kapila (85.Sydney Wathuta 57'), 68.Nikolas White ©, 73.Jaden Manetta; 93.Deylen Vellios, 79.Benedict Florent (69.Koji Poon 90'+1), 77.Joven Mann (94.Yayo Mutombo 73'), 88.Joel Demian (81.Nikos Clarke-Tosczak 73'); 96.Luke Norman, 89.Michael Hennessy (98.David Ajagbe 81'); 72.Max Comsia (55.Patrick Izett 59')
Substitutes
99.Matheus De Souza
