VANCOUVER — A highlight-reel goal and disastrous defensive play proved to be the difference for the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday night.
Coach Vanni Sartini liked the way his 'Caps were playing in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals matchup against fellow Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC. Then came a 10-minute stretch in the second half where his side faltered, giving up three unanswered goals en route to a 3-0 loss.
“We were playing well, we were doing well. If we think that we are here and LAFC doesn't touch the ball, we are like living in a fairy tale," Sartini said. "So we are doing, I would say, our game. Unfortunately, they had a world class goal and a world class gift.”
Vancouver managed to smother L.A.'s dynamic offence for much of the first half Wednesday, but saw the visitors take over midway through the second.
LAFC striker Denis Bouanga broke the scoreless deadlock in the 55th minute when, stationed well above the penalty area, he collected a pass from Carlos Vela and fired off a right-footed shot that soared over 'Caps 'keeper Yohei Takaoka as he leapt up from his goal line.
Six minutes later, Bouanga capitalized on Vancouver's defensive breakdown. Falling to the turf, he stripped 'Caps midfielder Andres Cubas of the ball at the top of the penalty area and got it to teammate Kwadwo Opoku.
Takaoka came well off his line to challenge the Ghanaian forward and Opoku waltzed around the 'keeper before slicing a left-footed shot between Whitecaps defenders Tristan Blackmon and Ranko Veselinovic as they scrambled to protect their net.
“Mistakes happen," Sartini said of the play. "If we want the team that is playing well like we are playing offensively, we need to have the character in order to build up from the back. And unfortunately today, this big mistake brought a very important goal for them. That's OK.”
Bouanga put away his second goal of the night in the 65th minute to seal the score at 3-0.
Timothy Tillman sent the Frenchman a pass in the penalty area and Bouanga dribbled around a trio of Whitecaps defenders before firing a left-footed shot in from the top of the six-yard box.
Despite scoring twice and notching an assist, LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo thought Bouanga's play was "quite poor" until he put away his first goal.
“Things get a little too individual or complicated," Cherundolo said. "And we are at our best when we are connecting more passes and finding Denis in better position to run at players in the box and not in midfield. And sometimes that gets a little mixed up.
"But he is smart enough and intelligent enough to figure it out. And he did once again so we're happy with how he finished the game. But certainly we’ll talk about the start.”
Goalkeeper John McCarthy stopped two on-target shots to collect the clean sheet for L.A. and Takaoka made three saves for Vancouver.
Wednesday's first half proved to be a defensive battle, with L.A. controlling 65.1 per cent of possession but Vancouver outshooting the visitors 4-2, including the lone on-target attempt.
“I think for the most part, we did a good job defensively of keeping them away from goal," said Whitecaps striker Brian White.
"I think we lost concentration for a couple of seconds and they pushed us. And that's what good players do, what good teams do. So we just have to do a little bit better in both final thirds and hopefully we can pull something off.”
L.A. nearly opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Bouanga snuck through the 'Caps back line and collected a through ball from Vela. Alone in the box, the striker launched a shot, only to see it roll wide of the far post.
Vancouver's best chance came in the 13th minute when Blackmon sent a right-footed blast sailing from inside the penalty area. McCarthy stretched out and got his fingertips on the shot, sending the ball sailing just wide of the woodwork.
The 'Caps advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-3 aggregate win over Honduran side Real CD Espana in round-of-16 action last month. LAFC advanced by topping Costa Rica's LD Alajuelense by an aggregate score of 4-2.
After L.A. took a 3-0 victory in the first leg, Alajuelense made things interesting with a 2-1 win in the second game.
It's a lesson reigning MLS Cup champions LAFC won't soon forget, Cherundolo said.
“We still haven't advanced (to semifinals)," he said after Wednesday's win. "This is a two leg matchup and we need to finish the job in L.A.
"I believe if we can perform in a similar manner that we did tonight, then I think we will advance. But we had the same result against our opponent in the last round. … And it got a little shaky at home so we are warned and we'll be ready for (the second leg).”
The second leg of the two-game aggregate series is set to go Tuesday at BMO Stadium in California.
NOTES: Both sides will return to MLS action Saturday with the 'Caps hosting their Pacific Northwest rivals, the Portland Timbers, and Austin FC visiting L.A. … LAFC (3-0-2) is one of three teams that remain undefeated in MLS play this season. The Whitecaps are 1-2-3 in league action. …An announced crowd of 11,652 took in the game at B.C. Place.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
