ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yohei Takaoka made two saves for Vancouver on Saturday night to help the Whitecaps play St. Louis City to a 0-0 tie at Energizer Park.
Vancouver (6-1-2) has allowed just one goal during its current four-game unbeaten streak dating to a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Fire on March 22.
St. Louis (2-4-3), which is winless in five straight, snapped a four-game losing streak. Goalkeeper Ben Lundt made his sixth consecutive start in place of the injured Roman Bürki and finished with a save. Lundt has two shutouts this season.
The 'Caps got off to a strong start, winning an early corner after some neat interplay between Ali Ahmed and Tate Johnson on the left wing. Pedro Vite whipped in the ensuing set piece to Emmanuel Sabbi, who saw his volleyed effort deflect just wide of the St. Louis goal. Sabbi was at it again in the 16th minute, as he picked up a loose ball at the top of the box and unleashed a stinging left-footed shot narrowly wide of the top left corner.
St. Louis thought that they took the lead in the 25th minute after Conrad Wallem crossed it to Marcel Hartel at the back post, but Wallem was offside in the buildup. Ahmed came close to getting the first goal of the night just past the half-hour mark, after dancing his way through the box, but his shot was blocked behind for a corner.
Joao Klauss nearly got the go-ahead goal right before halftime, flicking on a free-kick delivery toward goal but Takaoka came up big with a massive stop from point-blank range. Whitecaps FC kept fighting hard at the end of the half, going into the break with the momentum. The second half began with both teams searching for the difference. Édier Ocampo had an effort in the 55th minute, firing a low shot from the edge of the box after the ball bounced out of the box toward him, but it was deflected behind for a corner-kick. Substitute Daniel Ríos came close to getting that long-awaited first goal, after Ahmed used the outside of his boot to curl a cross toward the onrushing striker at the near post, but his first-time effort was just wide.
The 'Caps kept pounding at the door in the latter stages of the match, throwing numbers forward in search of a winner.
The Whitecaps are back in action on Thursday for the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal against Inter Miami CF at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.
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The Associated Press
