Dynamo find a way to overshadow Whitecaps' comeback with late goals

Vancouver Whitecaps' Fafa Picault, front centre, slides into the net in front of Houston Dynamo's Franco Escobar, back centre, after scoring his second goal against goalkeeper Steve Clark, right, during the second half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Vancouver Whitecaps demonstrated how good they can be, but also showed they still need to be better in a 4-3 loss to the Houston Dynamo in a Major League Soccer match Saturday night that snapped their six-game unbeaten streak.

Striker Fafa Picault scored twice and assisted on a goal by defender Ranko Veselinovic as the Whitecaps battled back from a 2-0, first-half deficit to take a 3-2 lead. The Dynamo then stunned the crowd of 24,114 at BC Place Stadium by scoring twice in nine minutes for the road win.

“It’s tough when you concede two goals like that,” said Veselinovic. “They were all good goals, but we need to do better as a team not to allow them to arrive at those spots so easy.”

Houston’s Griffin Dorsey scored his second goal of the night with a shot through traffic in the 87th minute. The Dynamo’s Brad Smith tied the match 3-3 with a blast that went past Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka’s hand in the 78th minute.

“We couldn’t finish,” said Veselinovic. “I’m happy how we responded in the second half. It’s just we lack in some games this season the maturity to close out games.”

Adding to the loss, Vancouver all-star striker Ryan Gauld left the game in the 24th minute with a right knee injury.

Head coach Vanni Sartini said he didn’t know if the injury will prevent Gauld from playing in Wednesday’s MLS all-star game.

Picault’s first goal came on a header in the 48th minute. He gave Vancouver a 3-2 lead in the 66th minute when he directed in a pass from defender Sam Adekugbe. Picault has scored eight times across all competitions, and it was his third consecutive game with a goal.

Veselinovic tied the match in the 54th minute, heading in a ball sent into the box by Picault.

The Whitecaps (11-8-5) lost for the first time in six MLS games (4-1-1) and seven (5-1-1) across all competitions.

Midfielder Coco Carrasquilla also scored for the Dynamo (10-7-7) who have just one loss in their last 10 matches (5-1-4).

The loss drops Vancouver into fifth place in the MLS Western Conference with 38 points while Houston climbed into sixth with 37.

Carrasquilla put Houston ahead in the 29th minute. Ibrahim Aliyu made a couple nice moves around the Whitecap defenders then fed the ball to Carrasquilla in front of the net. His shot went off Veselinovic and past goalkeeper Takaoka.

Dorsey took advantage of a broken play to put Houston up 2-0 in the 36th minute. A shot deflected off Vancouver defender Bjorn Utvik and rolled to Dorsey, who scored on a long shot that curved inside the right post.

Sartini liked the fight his team showed to get back into the game but wasn’t happy with the finish.

“It’s been an unfortunate night,” he said. “I think this game will bring us even closer (together) as a team.

“There’s a lot of positives that we can take from tonight.”

Before the game the Whitecaps announced Quinn Thompson had been named the team’s technical director. Reporting to sporting director Axel Schuster, Thompson will oversee roster construction and salary budget, player relations, plus player recruitment strategy along with senior director of analytics, insights, and research Dr. Johann Windt.

Thompson, a 28-year-old native of Vancouver, is the youngest technical director in the league.

Gauld injured himself battling for the ball in the 24th minute. He was sprawled on the field for several minutes then left the pitch under his own steam, returned to play briefly but was replaced a few minutes later by Brian Raposo.

NOTES

Vancouver had a shot on goal four minutes into the game. The Dynamo didn’t allow a shot in goal in a 1-0 win over San Jose on Wednesday. … The Whitecaps and Dynamo play again Sept. 18 in Houston. … Vancouver’s last loss was 2-0 in Portland on June 22. … The Whitecaps play seven of their final 11 league games at home. … Not dressed for the Whitecaps were defenders Tristan Blackmon (groin) and Mathias Laborda (ankle) plus goalkeeper Joe Bendik (back). … The Whitecaps celebrated their 11th anniversary Pride Match with a ’Caps & Queens Drag Happy Hour outside of BC Place before the game.

UP NEXT

The Whitecaps next MLS game is at home against LAFC on Aug. 24. They play Wrexham, the Welsh football club jointly owned by Vancouver native Ryan Reynolds, in a friendly at BC Place Stadium on July 27, then face LAFC in a Leagues Cup match July 30 on the road. The Whitecaps host Tijuana in another Leagues Cup match Aug. 3. Houston hosts the Mexican side Atlas FC July 27, then Real Salt Lake Aug. 5 in Leagues Cup matches before playing Toronto FC Aug. 24 at home.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2024.