Damir Kreilach scores late winner as ‘Caps win second straight

• Ryan Gauld’s two assists now bring him to 11 goal contributions in his past 13 MLS appearances
• Damir Kreilach scored his second goal of the 2024 MLS season, and third goal in all competitions
• Sebastian Berhalter scored his first goal of the 2024 season
• Ali Ahmed recorded his second assist of the 2024 MLS season

VANCOUVER, BC – It was an exhilarating night at BC Place, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC grabbed a late victory over Colorado Rapids, winning it 2-1 on a stoppage time goal from Damir Kreilach.

It was a high-octane start to this match, with both sides threatening in transition inside the opening stages. Djordje Mihailovic was a whisker away from opening the scoreline in the eighth minute. After winning the ball, Colorado attacked with Kévin Cabral on the right. Cabral slipped in Mihailovic for a tap-in, but the American’s audacious back-heel flick went the wrong side of the post.

Brian White almost squeezed in a goal inside 20 minutes, trying to poke a long overtop ball past Zack Steffen, but it rolled a yard wide of the net. Sebastian Berhalter nearly forced an own goal in the 24th minute, whipping a free-kick in from a tight angle, right into the six-yard box and almost bouncing off a Rapids player and in.

White had another good opportunity to score just before the 40th minute, after good play from Ryan Gauld. The captain laid it off for an onrushing Luís Martins down the left, and Martins chipped a cross in for White to head towards goal. Unfortunately for White, his headed effort went right between the hands of Steffen. Pedro Vite tested his luck a few minutes before the break, taking a touch and curling a shot that looked destined for the top corner, but instead glanced off the crossbar and out.

Right at the end of the first half, Yohei Takaoka denied what looked to be a certain goal, throwing out a leg to deflect a clear scoring opportunity for Cabral. That would be the last action of the half as the referee blew his whistle.

The second half began in perfect fashion for Whitecaps FC, as they opened the scoring inside 60 seconds of the second half. Gauld chipped a ball from the right to the back post, where an awaiting Berhalter side-footed it home for the lead.

Colorado responded in quick fashion, levelling the match in the 50th minute. Omir Fernández was found in space out wide, and rolled a good pass into the box for Mihailovic to finish for the equalizer.

Fafà Picault almost restored the ‘Caps’ lead, drilling a shot across goal but dragging it just wide of the far post. After a long-sustained period of Whitecaps FC pressure, White almost broke the deadlock with half an hour to go. Another chipped cross from the left found White in the box, but his left-footed flick looped over the crossbar and out.

A key moment of the match would come in the 85th minute. Giuseppe Bovalina, hot off the bench, made a goal-line clearance to keep the ‘Caps in it. Fernández found space just outside the box and did his best to curl one into the top corner, but it rebounded off the post, off the back of Takaoka’s head, and looked to be rolling into the net had it not been for a last-ditch clearance from the Australian.

Whitecaps FC would have the last word in this match, however, as they snatched a goal right at the death. Gauld took a shot from outside the box and drilled it right to the feet of Kreilach. The Croatian, making his first appearance since April 27, took a touch and just squeezed a shot under Steffen to roll into the back of the net.

The Rapids had one last opportunity to level it up deep into stoppage time, with a dangerous free kick just outside the box. Mihailovic tried to chip it over the wall but it was deflected up and out for a corner.

That would be all she wrote as the ‘Caps earned their second straight win as they head into the international break.

Whitecaps FC are back in action on the road in two weeks time, traveling to face New England Revolution on Saturday, June 15 at 4:30 p.m. PT. The ‘Caps return home on Saturday, June 29 to face St. Louis CITY SC at 7:30 p.m. PT. For ticket information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.

MATCH DETAILS

VWFC GE Appliances Player of Quality: Sebastian Berhalter
Attendance: 22,979
Referee: Michael Venne

Scoring Summary
46’ – VAN – Sebastian Berhalter (Ryan Gauld, Ali Ahmed)
50’ – COL – Djordje Mihailovic (Omir Fernández)
90’+1 – VAN – Damir Kreilach (Ryan Gauld)

Statistics
Possession: VAN 55.2% – COL 44.8%
Shots: VAN 14 – COL 11
Shots on Goal: VAN 3 – COL 3
Saves: VAN 2 – COL 1
Fouls: VAN 6 – COL 9
Offsides: VAN 1 – COL 1
Corners: VAN 3 – COL 8

Cautions
9’ – VAN – Tristan Blackmon
20’ – COL – Darren Yapi
45’ – COL – Andreas Maxsø
69’ – VAN – Ryan Gauld

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 23.Javain Brown, 2.Mathías Laborda, 6.Tristan Blackmon (11.Fafà Picault HT); 22.Ali Ahmed (27.Giuseppe Bovalina 83’), 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 20.Andrés Cubas, 45.Pedro Vite (8.Alessandro Schöpf 73’), 14.Luís Martins (15.Bjørn Inge Utvik 65’); 24.Brian White (19.Damir Kreilach 83’), 25.Ryan Gauld

Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 7.Ryan Raposo, 13.Ralph Priso

Colorado Rapids
95.Zack Steffen; 2.Keegan Rosenberg, 6.Lalas Abubakar (64.Moïse Bombito 72’), 5.Andreas Maxsø, 99.Jackson Travis (3.Sam Vines 60’); 20.Connor Ronan (18.Oliver Larraz 69’), 23.Cole Bassett; 91.Kévin Cabral (14.Calvin Harris 60’), 10.Djordje Mihailovic, 11.Omir Fernández; 77.Darren Yapi (9.Rafael Navarro 69’)

Substitutes not used
31.Adam Beaudry, 7.Jonathan Lewis, 21.Jasper Löffelsend, 22.Sebastian Anderson