BURNABY - Luca Bellisomo and Marlon James scored and the Vancouver Whitecaps started their USSF Second Division season with a 2-0 win over the NSC Minnesota Stars on Sunday.
The Whitecaps opened the scoring in the 62nd minute. Captain Martin Nash, making his club-record 250th appearance, found Bellisomo in the box with a free kick. Bellisomo headed the ball past Minnesota goalkeeper Joe Warren to give the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead.
James made it 2-0 in the 76th minute, redirecting Nizar Khalfan's pass past Warren.
Whitecaps goaltender Jay Nolly earned the clean sheet, looking particularly sharp on a reaction save in the 34th minute when Andrei Gotsmanov's corner was deflected sharply towards goal.
Whitecaps coach Teitur Thordarson felt his team came alive after an indifferent first half.
"I didn't feel we played well in the first half," he said. "We spoke about that at halftime, and managed to change that. I told the players that when you throw away the fear of losing and start thinking about winning, you will then start to play. After talking with them, we had a decent second half."
