Whitecaps 3, Timbers 2: A vital win for Vancouver's MLS playoff push

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Lower than every week in the past, Vancouver Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini mentioned the duty in entrance of his staff because it confronted three away video games in 10 days was easy.

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“We’ve these three away video games and we have to make factors,” he mentioned.

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His staff heeded that recommendation and took factors Saturday within the first of these highway video games, an at-times furry 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers at Windfall Park.

Vancouver surged to a deserved 2-0 win on the half, however a livid Portland combat had the Caps hanging on for pricey life within the recreation’s closing phases.

Vancouver bought first-half objectives from Ryan Gauld and Bryan White, with Gauld additionally scoring on a PK within the second half to seal the win, towards second-half objectives for Portland by Felipe Mora and Evander.

With the win, the Whitecaps have 34 factors and sit seventh within the Western Convention.

They’ve a recreation in hand on all of the groups in entrance of them and in the event that they win that recreation, they’ll discover themselves pushing for the highest three within the convention.

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Unimaginable angles

Whitecaps followers have grown accustomed to Gauld doing outstanding issues.

His cross to Bryan White on the Whitecaps’ second aim didn’t appear doable, however a participant who performs his type of precision can do practically not possible issues.

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Laryea’s persistence

Richie Laryea’s high quality has been apparent since his first contact as a Whitecap final week. He’s sensible, he’s affected person, and he’s fast.

He drew the penalty within the second half that Gauld transformed. He was tearing down the fitting aspect of the Portland field, however the ball didn’t fairly sit for him to get a shot off.

As an alternative of panicking, he turned shortly and compelled a Portland defender to foul him, handing the referee a simple name.

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Good groups make their very own luck

Play quick. Get to the opposite staff’s aim with the fewest touches.

That’s the philosophy the Whitecaps attempt to play with, Ryan Raposo mentioned final week after the San Jose Earthquakes stymied them at B.C. Place. The Quakes managed to maintain the Caps from doing this.

Vancouver’s first aim in Portland on Saturday was that philosophy outlined. Ali Ahmed had an inch of area in entrance of him to assault, which he shortly became a mile.

Sam Adekugbe made an ideal overlapping run, and Ahmed deftly laid the ball off to him.

Adekugbe made a beautiful cutback move to the highest of the field above the Portland defence, which was scrambling again to cowl off a cross nearer to their internet. Alessandro Schopf bought a great hit — and you realize what they are saying about good groups making their very own luck? That’s what occurred when Schopf’s shot hit White and caromed to Gauld on the again publish.

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Ahmed’s contact

Ahmed’s ball expertise have been excellent on the primary aim, they usually have been in nice impact on the second aim too.

He sprang Gauld down the left, earlier than the playmaker darted in after which broad earlier than lofting a shocking cross over the Portland defence for White to rise and meet along with his head.

Saviour

Yohei Takaoka has been price each cent this season and the saves he made Saturday, particularly late within the second half, have been the explanation why.

With the Timbers pouring on the stress, he made a variety of huge saves, none larger than the one he made within the 87th minute as he parried away a header by Portland Zac McGraw that appeared in any other case destined for the underside left nook of the online.

He made an analogous huge save within the 69th minute, once more diving to his left to knock a tough shot from exterior the penalty space by Juan Mosquera.

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Crew turmoil

Giovanni Savarese was a legend in Portland. However the Timbers are a multitude and he was dismissed earlier this week in a case of: What have you ever carried out for me currently?

At occasions the Timbers seemed a ship misplaced at sea, particularly within the first half, the gamers extra fascinated by arguing with the referee than discovering a solution to create scoring probabilities, or defend for that matter.

Within the second half their expertise and satisfaction appeared to take over, even when they couldn’t fairly haul the Caps again.

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Go determine

1-5-3 highway file

7 Saturday’s match was the primary of seven in a row on the highway for Vancouver.

300 By subbing on within the 89th minute, Russell Teibert made his three hundredth profession look for the Whitecaps, probably the most in membership historical past.

6 This was the second win for the Caps towards Cascadian opposition, conserving them within the combine to win the Cascadia Cup for the primary time since 2016. Portland has seven factors, Vancouver six and Seattle simply 4.

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NEXT GAME

Wednesday

Chicago Hearth FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

5:30 p.m., Soldier Area, TV: TSN, Radio: AM730

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