Field Level Media
19 Apr 2021, 10:10 GMT+10
Lucas Cavallini's goal early in the second half was the only one of the night in the season opener between two rivals, and it was enough to give the host Vancouver Whitecaps a 1-0 win Sunday night over the Portland Timbers in Sandy, Utah.
After a first half in which his team didn't generate much in the way of an attack, the Whitecaps barely missed the game's opening goal when Andy Rose slid a slow, rolling tap that hit a post and was cleared out.
The corner kick that followed led to the game's lone goal, in the 49th minute. Cristian Gutierrez provided the corner, the ball finding an open Cavallini at the back post for a header into the top left corner of the net.
The Whitecaps thought they had taken a 2-0 lead when Cristian Dajome kicked in a loose ball off a set piece in the 82nd minute. But upon video review, the goal was overturned for offsides.
The Timbers got new life and a chance for a draw, but could not put in a goal despite five minutes of added time.
Portland's three-game winning streak against Vancouver came to an end, and the Whitecaps won just their second season opener since 2015, shutting out the Timbers for the third time since the two teams joined Major League Soccer together in 2011.
The Timbers had the highest quality chances to score in the first half. In the 39th minute, Diego Valeri grazed the crossbar on a cross, with Dairon Asprilla there to nearly put in the ball.
Asprilla was the most dangerous player on the pitch late in the half. A free kick into the box in the final minute was knocked around, and Asprilla tried a bicycle kick from in front of the net but the shot went high over the goal.
The Whitecaps are sharing the home of MLS rival Real Salt Lake to start this season, with COVID still restricting travel between Canada and the United States.
The Timbers might have had some fatigue, having already played two meaningful matches in the CONCACAF Champions League this month and a second leg match just five days prior to their opener. They also had to change goalkeepers in the 78th minute, with Steve Clark hobbled after a previous collision.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Illinois Intelligencer news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Illinois Intelligencer.
More Information(Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) Edson Alvarez scored the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute as Mexico overcame an early deficit...
Rio de Janeiro [Brazil], July 7 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with his counterparts from Iran and Mexico...
The billionaire says his America Party will focus on Congress ahead of 2026, but may back a presidential candidate Elon Musk has...
The US president accused the billionaire of sowing chaos with his new third-party initiative US President Donald Trump has lashed...
The US president accused the billionaire of sowing chaos with his new third-party initiative US President Donald Trump has lashed...
(Photo credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images) Brian Campbell's par on the first playoff hole gave him his second career victory on the...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump is drawing praise from his core supporters after halting key arms shipments to Ukraine, a...
MOSCOW, Russia: This week, Russia became the first country to officially recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan since...
CAIRO, Egypt: This week, both Hamas and Israel shared their views ahead of expected peace talks about a new U.S.-backed ceasefire plan....
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has made public a visa decision that would usually be kept private. It did this to send...
MADRID, Spain: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in Spain. Spanish...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...