Whitecaps 1, Sporting KC 1: Refereeing as soon as once more dominates the dialogue

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They had been speaking about all of it night time on social media. They had been speaking about it on the sector. The 13,739 had been speaking about it within the stands at B.C. Place, and so they had been speaking about it on the sidelines.

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And solely an 86th minute penalty kick transformed by Ryan Gauld — one referred to as for by VAR after it wasn’t referred to as on the sector — saved it from being all of the discuss after the sport as properly, because the Vancouver Whitecaps tied Sporting Kansas Metropolis 1-1 at B.C. Place on Saturday night time.

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Within the twenty fourth minute, a waved-off aim that rejected observers and anybody and not using a third-season Ted Lasso-level understanding of the offside rule dominated Saturday night time’s dialogue.

The decision in query: a Whitecaps nook doesn’t get cleared, the ball bounces to Gauld, who hits a shot off an SKC participant and into the again of the web. Centreback Tristan Blackmon hadn’t cleared the world, and was behind the goalkeeper however forward of — and adjudged to have interfered with — Sporting defender Robert Castellanos. 

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Even the Apple TV broadcast crew of Blake Worth and Paul Dolan had been confounded by the decision. Clarification got here formally after the sport, with referee Lukasz Szpala releasing a press release after a query from the pool reporter.

When Sporting’s Robert Voloder took down Deiber Caicedo within the field, and no name was made, Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini couldn’t include himself on the sidelines, going berserk and incomes himself a yellow card after the fourth official knowledgeable Szpala of his antics.

However he had good motive to be irate, having an ideal view of Caicedo getting chopped down with no contact on the ball, however seeing Szpala point out a nook kick. It got here moments after Mattias Laborda — fined midweek for embellishment in his final sport — was taken down with no name made.

No different MLS group has had extra wins than Vancouver at residence for the reason that Whitecaps (5-5-6, sixth West) returned to B.C. Place in 2021, however an early aim from Alan Pulido off a nook kick 20 minutes in put them forward.

It was one other robust efficiency from SKC, who had the second most factors (13) and objectives (12) within the month of Could. Sporting (4-8-5, twelfth West) began the season with a 10-game winless streak, however rebounded to go 4-1-1 of their final six video games coming into Saturday, together with an away win in Seattle and a draw at LAFC.

Vancouver will now shift gears, specializing in their second straight Canadian Championship ultimate on the Dome, taking up CF Montreal on Wednesday.

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BIG GUNS, NO HITS

The Whitecaps got here out with what’s near their most offensive lineup, with Sergio Cordova beginning up high, forward of Brian White and Gauld, with Pedro Vite and Julian Gressel because the No. 8s.

It was a large probability for Cordova to flex his muscle mass and present his value as a Designated Participant signing, however it was one other irritating night time for the Venezuelan. He has only one shot on course this season — approaching March 11 — and solely mustered a single shot, which was blocked.

However he wasn’t alone. The Whitecaps had been outshot 12-11, however had three on aim to KC’s 2, and had been buzzing across the internet all night time however hardly ever discovered room to tug the set off.

Vancouver got here into the night time tied for many massive possibilities created in MLS (30), second in xG (1.65) and third in pictures per 90 (14.9) and pictures on course/90 (5.00), however had been denied by a mix of unhealthy luck, unhealthy decisions, and powerful positioning by Kendall McIntosh within the SKC aim.

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White continued his run of almost-goals, banging one off the close to put up within the second half, as he leads the league in xG with 7.9. He has six objectives this season.

NEXT GAME

Wednesday

Canadian Championship Remaining

CF Montreal vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

7 p.m., B.C. Place, TV: TSN, Radio: AM730

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