Whitecaps blank St. Louis, get help to clinch playoff spot
VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps scored three second-half targets to defeat St. Louis City 3-0 and bought some assistance on the out-of-town scoreboard to clinch a Major League Soccer playoff berth Wednesday night time.
Striker Brian White and midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Richie Laryea scored for Vancouver, which made the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
Vancouver (12-10-10) got here into the match needing a win over St. Louis City and for both Minnesota United F.C. or F.C. Dallas to lose or draw of their video games. The Whitecaps bought a optimistic outcome when Minnesota misplaced to LAFC. The Dallas-Colorado sport was postponed on account of climate circumstances.
White’s purpose got here within the 59th minute and began with defender Ranko Veselinoivc sending a protracted cross up the sector. White headed the ball between two St. Louis defenders, chased it down, then chipped a shot over goalkeeper Ben Lundt.
It was White’s fifteenth purpose in MLS play and nineteenth throughout all competitions.
Berhalter scored within the 87th minute when he took a cross from Ryan Gauld and hammered a left-footed shot into the nook of the web. It was Gauld’s twelfth help in MLS play this season.
Laryea scored in added time with a left-footed shot from the centre of the field.
St. Louis (17-11-5) misplaced for the primary time in six video games (2-1-3) however nonetheless leads the MLS Western Conference.
Vancouver managed a lot of the primary 45 minutes, however the sport was 0-0 at half time.
The 13,776 Whitecaps followers at BC Place Stadium had been annoyed by two video evaluate calls throughout the opening half.
Gauld appeared to have scored within the thirty ninth minute with a tumbling, right-footed shot that beat Lunt. The purpose was disallowed after a video evaluate dominated Gauld was offside on the play.
In the twenty third minute the gang was offended when sliding St. Louis defender Josh Yaro took the legs out from beneath White. The referee reviewed the play, however no penalty was known as.
White got here near opening the scoring within the ninth minute, sending a shot simply previous the far publish.
In the 18th minute defender Javain Brown took a fairly crossing cross from midfielder Ali Ahmed and despatched a header vast.
White and Gauld nearly linked within the dying minutes of damage time within the first half. Midfielder Ryan Raposo despatched a fairly cross into Gauld. He raced down the sector then fed a ball in entrance of the web {that a} sliding White simply missed connecting with.
The second half was just some minutes outdated when St. Louis’s Anthony Markanich slid a ball to midfielder Aziel Jackson who blasted a right-footed shot from the centre of the field that Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Whitecaps play Seattle at dwelling Saturday night time then finish their common season on the highway Oct. 21 in opposition to LAFC. St. Louis ends its common season Oct. 21 at dwelling in opposition to Seattle.
NOTES: White has targets in 4 consecutive video games. He additionally has seven targets and two assists in his final 9 appearances. … Whitecaps defender Andres Cubas left the sport within the 51st minute with a proper shoulder damage. … The high seven groups in MLS’s two conferences clinch playoff spots. The eighth and ninth groups earn wild-card spots and play in a one-game playoff. … The Whitecaps had been coming off a 2-2 draw with DC United Saturday night time.
