Whitecaps battle to 0-0 MLS draw with New England
A win would have been better but for goalkeeper Cody Cropper helping the Vancouver Whitecaps battle to a 0-0 Major League Soccer draw with the New England Revolution Sunday afternoon was a personal victory.
Cropper spent four seasons with New England before leaving the team in 2019.
“Going into this week was emotionally a very big one,” said Cropper, who has a 7-1-2 record in all competitions this year for Vancouver. “I had some tough times with the Revs for various reasons.
“I went into this week with my head locked in. I wanted a clean sheet. I wanted three points, but I'll take a clean sheet. They are one of the best offences in the league. They create a lot of opportunities. I think together as a team we did very well in shutting them down.”
The Whitecaps had their chances to score but couldn't beat New England goaltender Djordje Petrovic in the game, played before 15,084 fans at BC Place Stadium.
In the game's dying minutes the Whitecaps buzzed like angry bees around the Revolution net. Striker Lucas Cavallini slammed his hand into the net after missing on a chance from the side of the goal.
Early in the second half midfielder Leonard Owusu tested Petrovic with a right-footed shot from the top of the box. Later both striker Cristian Dajome and midfielder Marcus Godinho forced Petrovic to make saves.
Vancouver coach Vanni Sartini was pleased with the pressure his team put on the Revolution.
“I think we were the best team on the field,” he said. “We created chances. We were in control. Unfortunately, we didn't score and if you don't score you don't win.”
The game also showed his club's growth. It was the kind of match the Whitecaps might have lost earlier in the year on a late goal.
“I'm proud and I'm happy how the team performed,” Sartini said. “A game like this, when you don't score it's easy to lose.”
A win would have moved the Whitecaps (6-8-3) into a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Instead Vancouver and Houston are tied with 21 points, two points back of Seattle for the final playoff berth.
It sets up a big match on July 2 when Vancouver hosts Los Angeles FC, the team with the best record in MLS.
The Whitecaps are 5-2-2 in their last eight MLS games and 4-1-3 at BC Place Stadium.
The draw extended New England's MLS unbeaten streak to nine games (4-0-5). The Revolution (6-5-6) are sixth in the Eastern Conference with 24 points.
New England head coach Bruce Arena said his team missed some chances.
“We had some decent opportunities where we just didn't hit the target,” he said. “You're not going to score goals if you don't hit the target. It's a point on the road. It's not the worst.”
Vancouver signed Cropper as a backup but he took over the starting role when Thomas Hasal suffered a fractured finger.
“I'm controlling what I can control,” Cropper said about his play. “I can only do what I can do. I don't try and be anything that I'm not. I think collectively right now we're all on the same page. We're very connected right now. We're executing on all fronts.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2022
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. schools turn to artificial intelligence to spot guns as companies press lawmakers for state funds
Kansas could soon offer up to US$5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet some very specific criteria.
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
'It happened so fast': Evacuees describe fleeing Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire
Thousands have been forced to flee a wildfire burning near Fort Nelson. Meanwhile, some experienced volunteers are staying behind to fight the fire.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.