Vancouver Whitecaps put a lot of pressure on Steve Cherundolo’s mixed team, who couldn’t create chances to break through the opposing defense

In goalkeeper Máxime Crepeau’s first match against his former club and stadium, and with the illustrious Canadian goalkeeper wearing the team captain’s scarf, it was the Vancouver Whitecaps who emerged victorious 1-0, in a a Major League Soccer Week 18 game this Saturday (2).

With the victory, the Caps climbed to 24 points, eighth place and closest to the Western Conference playoff line. Even with the loss, Los Angeles FC remain top of the same Conference, with 36 points.

Although they had more possession and control in the first half, the visitors didn’t manage a single shot on goal during the game. And it was Vancouver who prevailed in the second half and defined the result. An 89th-minute second-half goal from debutant Andrés Cubas gave the home side the crucial victory.

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THE GOAL

Cubas – the Paraguayan who signed for the Whitecaps in late April – scored the winning goal in the 89th minute, taking the ball from his chest high in the box and sending a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.

ANDRES CUBAS puts one aside LATE to give #VWFC the lead!💥 pic.twitter.com/lhDEERljlq

– Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 3, 2022

“It was great to be in this position at the top of the pack,” Cubas said through a translator. “I thought the player was going to deflect a pass to my right. So I made the gesture of intercepting the pass. And as soon as I got the ball, I knew I had to do something with it. I saw the opening in the corner of the goal and luckily everything went well in the end.

For the visitors, Crepeau, the former Whitecaps keeper, made just one save on his return to BC Place. Crepeau was even booed by the local crowd.

The 28-year-old Canadian started 32 games for Vancouver between 2019 and 2021 but requested a trade ahead of the 2022 campaign due to what Caps sporting director Axel Schuster described as a “very personal situation”.

Reception didn’t bother Crepeau.

“Some fans accept that I’ve changed and some don’t,” he said. “They love the club so I completely understand.”

BEST MOMENTS

DATA SHEET

Vancouver Whitecaps – 1
bodily; Brown, Vaselinovic, Blackmon; Godinho (Martins), Teibert, Cubas, Raposo (Quick); Gauld (Jangwirth), White (Ricketts); Cavallini (Dajome);
Technology: Sardini valve

LAFC – 0
crepe; Escobar, Murillo (Segura), Ibeagha (Jennings), Fall, Hollingshead, Ginella, Acosta (Sanchez), Blessing; Arango (Trejo), Musovski (Opoku).
Technology: Steve Cherundolo

Objective: Tanks (VAN)
Yellow cards: Autumn, Murillo (LAFC), Gaul (VAN)

(Cover: Playback/Twitter/Vancouver Whitecaps)