FC Dallas' Asier Illarramendi, front, falls on Vancouver Whitecaps' Alessandro Schopf after missing a tackle during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps couldn’t take advantage of some early chances then failed to score during a late frenzy and were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against FC Dallas in a Major League Soccer match Saturday night.
Midfielders Mathias Laborda and Sebastian Berhalter both had great opportunities in the opening half but were stopped by Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer, frustrating the crowd of 23,188 at BC Place Stadium.
Late in the match midfielder Deiber Caicedo looked to have a clear path to the net but a diving Maurer swept the ball off his feet. In added time Caicedo had a shot blocked and Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau sent a ball wide.
The draw leaves the Whitecaps (12-8-6) sixth in the Western Conference with 42 points. Vancouver is 5-1-2 in the last eight games.
The point left Dallas (9-12-7) 10th in the West and two points out of the ninth and final playoff spot in the conference. Dallas is 1-8-5 on the road.
Dallas has won just three times in 16 games at BC Place.
The Whitecaps played the game with a deleted roster. Five starters, including midfielder Ryan Gauld – the club’s second leading goal scorer with nine – have been called up for international duty. Vancouver was also playing without forward Brian White, who leads the team with 12 goals and 51 assists, due to MLS concussion protocol.
FC Dallas looked to have a good scoring chance early in the second half. Attacker Jesus Ferreira sent a pass to Petar Musa behind the Vancouver defence. Musa had lots of space but sent a harmless shot wide of the net.
After a slow start in the opening half the Whitecaps found their legs and put Dallas under pressure.
Vancouver had back-to-back scoring chances in the 24th minute. First midfielder Alessandro Schopf found an open lane and fired a shot from the left side of the box that bounced off the far post. Laborda corralled the rebound and took a shot from the right side that went wide. In the 33rd minute Laborda directed a header that Mauer stopped.
A few minutes later Berhalter arched a free kick toward the corner of the net that was stopped by a diving Mauer.
Berhalter also had a bending shot from distance that forced Maurer to make a leaping, one-handed stop.
Dallas had a great scoring chance in the final seconds of the first half. Midfielder Paul Arriola headed a ball that went over the outstretched hand of Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka and toward the open net. Attacker Katlego Ntsabeleng desperately tried to reach the ball but it bounced past his left foot and wide of the net.
NOTES
Stuart Armstrong, a Scottish international the Whitecaps signed earlier in the week, made his Vancouver debut in the 84th minute. “¦ The Whitecaps play five of their remaining eight games at BC Place. “¦ Vancouver is 7-4-3 on the road, tying team records for wins and points with 24. “¦ Dallas plays three of its final six games on the road. “¦ Besides Gauld playing for Scotland, the other Whitecaps called up for international duty were midfielders Ali Ahmed (Canada), Andres Cubas (Paraguay), Pedro Vite (Ecuador) and forward Fafa Picault (Haiti). “¦ Dallas had a record of 3-2-0 when playing games not held on a Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps host the San Jose Earthquakes next Saturday at BC Place Stadium. Dallas’s next MLS game is on the road against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 18.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 7, 2024.
