MLS NEXT Pro

WFC2 fight until the end, fall in home finale

Final vs. Tacoma

BURNABY, BC – Whitecaps FC 2 fell to a tight 1-0 loss against Western Conference rivals Tacoma Defiance in their final home game of the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season at Swangard Stadium this Friday evening.

The strongest opportunity from the ‘Caps in the first half came in the 43rd minute. Cristián Gutiérrez organized a counter attack, feeding Joe Hanson who crossed from the left side of the field and found Théo Collomb, but the SuperDraft selection saw his shot held by goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley.

With the second half starting, midfielder Vasco Fry placed a ball in for Collomb in the final third, but his deflection struck the left post in the 50th minute.

Tacoma Defiance would find the breakthrough in the 81st minute of the match. Adolfo Ovalle’s long distanced strike would hit a defender and rip into the back netting, giving his squad a 1-0 lead.

As the home side hunted for a late equalizer, Emiliano Brienza’s header inside the box would connect to forward Easton Ongaro, who’s header was parried away in stoppage time.

The young ‘Caps conclude their MLS NEXT Pro campaign next week, as they face Cascadia rivals Timbers2 at Providence Park this coming Wednesday, September 14 with kickoff set to be at 5 p.m. PT. You can catch all the action live on mlsnextpro.com.

MATCH DETAILS

Referee: Aubrey Kotelko

Scoring Summary
81’ – TAC – Adolfo Ovalle

Statistics
Possession:
VAN 50.3% – TAC 49.7%
Shots: VAN 10 – TAC 11
Shots on Goal: VAN 6 – TAC 3
Saves: VAN 2 – TAC 6
Fouls: VAN 11 – TAC 18
Offsides: VAN 4 – TAC 4
Corners: VAN 3 – TAC 6

Cautions
27’ – VAN – Cristián Gutiérrez
55’ – TAC – Georgi Minoungou
56’ – TAC – Adolfo Ovalle
67’ – VAN – Giovanni Aguilar
70’ – VAN – Matteo Campagna
76’ – TAC – Travian Sousa
77’ – VAN – Joshué Ndakala
87’ – VAN – Vasco Fry
90’+4’ – VAN – Emiliano Brienza

Whitecaps FC 2
60.Isaac Boehmer ©; 83.Finn Linder (61.Matteo Campagna HT), 95.Joshué Ndakala, 56.Lucas Dasovic; 51.Ali Ahmed, 52.Vasco Fry, 66.Giovanni Aguilar, 3.Cristián Gutiérrez (57.Elage Bah HT); 47.Pipé Fernandez-Salvador, 76.Joe Hanson (43.Easton Ongaro 65’); 48.Théo Collomb (49.Emiliano Brienza 75’)

Substitutes not used
50.Max Anchor, 46.Filip Rakic, 53.Simone Masi, 58.Eric White

Tacoma Defiance
36.Wallis Lapsley; 33.Cody Baker, 32.Hal Uderitz, 92.Abdoulaye Cissoko, 82.Joe Hafferty (34.Randy Mendoza 85’); 88.Adolfo Ovalle ©, 77.Sota Kitahara; 21.Reed Baker-Whiting (31.Travian Sousa 63’), 97.Juan Alvarez (99.Dylan Teves 63’), 45.Ethan Dobbelaere (87.Alfonso Ocampo-Chávez HT); 93.Georgi Minoungou (90.Achille Robin 90’+3’)

Substitutes not used
67.Wyatt Nelson, 80.Valentín Sabella, 91.Alfred Gombe-Fei