Coming off a 5-0 win against Montreal last weekend, the Vancouver Whitecaps face their fellow western conference club LAFC, who before this game haven’t won at BC Place since 2018, in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Championship League.
The Whitecaps managed to contain LAFC in the opening stages. With LAFC just managing 3 shot attempts, 2 of them were caught offside and the right footed shot by Dénis Bouanga just missing to the right.
LAFC too did a good job of making sure the Whitecaps had a hard time scoring in the first half. Though having several good looks, the 2022 Canadian Champions had 4 attempts, only to miss 3 times and the other attempt blocked. Andrea Cubas’s shot from the outside of the box in the 41st minute mark came close but missed to the left, as both teams failed to score a goal in the first half.
The game went in favor for the LAFC with an explosion courtesy of Bouanga. In the 55th minute mark of the second half Carlos Vela sent the ball to Bouanga whose right-footed shot from outside of the box went through the top center of the goal.
After just 6 minutes, Bouanga sent the ball to Kwadwo Opoku who scored LAFC’s second goal, this time with a left-footed shot from the center of the of the box that went to through the bottom left.
Nothing seemed to be going in the Whitecaps’ favor when Bouanga scored another goal in the 65th minute mark, just 3 minutes after Opoku’s last goal, with a left footed shot that went straight to the top left corner, this time with the assist from Timothy Tillman.
All 3 LAFC goals came in the span of 10 minutes with the home team unable to provide an answer. Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini brought Pedro Vite and Luis Martins in hope of making a comeback. Simon Becher attempted twice, in the 72nd and 75th minute mark, missing both attempts.
Sebastian Berhalter had a look in the 84th minute mark but missed, and another attempt from Brian White in the 89th minute mark was saved.
LAFC now has now one foot in the Concacaf Championship League semifinals.
Shotbug Press Staff Writer
Ryan Espinosa
Wesley Shaw Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 20230405 -2772Los Angeles FC midfielder Kellyn Acosta (23) and VancouverVancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Gauld (25) voe for the ball during the Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC, April 5, 2023
Photo Credits: Wesley Shaw/ ShotBug Press
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Wesley Shaw Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 20230405 -2773Los Angeles FC midfielder Kellyn Acosta (23) and VancouverVancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Gauld (25) voe for the ball during the Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC, April 5, 2023
Photo Credits: Wesley Shaw/ ShotBug Press
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Wesley Shaw Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 20230405 -2826Vancouver Whitecaps defender Javain Brown (23) jumps for a header during the Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC, April 5, 2023
Photo Credits: Wesley Shaw/ ShotBug Press
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Wesley Shaw Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 20230405 -2781Los Angeles FC forward Denis Bouanga celebrates after scoring the game's first goal during the Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC, April 5, 2023
Photo Credits: Wesley Shaw/ ShotBug Press
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Wesley Shaw Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 20230405 -2778Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Raposo maneuvers the ball during the Quarter Final Concacaf Championship game between LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC, April 5, 2023
Photo Credits: Wesley Shaw/ ShotBug Press
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