Whitecaps play to scoreless draw in 50th anniversary match
On a night of celebration, the Vancouver Whitecaps endured their fair share of challenges as they played to a 0-0 draw against Austin FC on Saturday at BC Place.
With 32,465 fans on hand for the Whitecaps' 50th anniversary match - a team record for the Whitecaps' MLS era - the club settled for a second straight draw to bring their record to 5-2-3 for the year, while snapping a two-game winning streak for Austin (4-3-4).
The Whitecaps entered Saturday's game holding a 4-1-1 edge in six meetings against Austin since the visitors joined MLS in 2021, and were 3-0-0 at BC Place.
The two Western Conference sides will square off again at Q2 stadium on Aug. 31.
Whitecaps striker Brian White's goal-scoring streak was snapped at four games.
In the first half, Vancouver was forced to deal with an injury and a couple of video replays that didn't go their way.
The tone was set in the 19th minute, when an apparent goal by captain Ryan Gauld was called back after a hand ball was identified before the shot.
In the 38th minute, Whitecaps midfielder Sam Adekugbe left the game with a left calf injury. The team played down a man for five minutes before Ryan Raposo subbed in.
With the Whitecaps pressing just before halftime, the officials went back to the replay to check a possible penalty by Alex Ring on Fafa Picault inside the box. Ultimately, it was determined that no penalty kick would be awarded.
Instead, Picault and Austin defender Guilherme Biro were both shown yellow cards for poor sportsmanship, and a skirmish ensued between the two sides as they headed to their locker rooms, leading to a yellow card for Austin captain Sebastian Driussi.
By halftime, the home side had controlled the run of the play, with a 3-1 edge in shots on goal, but had nothing to show for its efforts against an Austin side that had posted clean sheets in its last two outings.
The yellow cards kept coming in the second half, as White was cautioned in the 46th minute after a foul on Jhojan Valencia.
The Whitecaps continued to dominate possession and get chances in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver dove to get a hand on a point-blank shot by Raposo, then Alessandro Schopf fired the rebound just wide.
In the 77th minute, Gauld danced to the top of the box, but fired just over the net. Then in stoppage time, Stuver pulled down a loose ball from a crowd just in front of the goal line.
NOTES: Earlier this week, Vancouver mayor Ken Sim officially proclaimed May 4 as Whitecaps FC 50th Anniversary Day. The club was also recognized at the Legislature by the Province of British Columbia. More than 100 alumni from across the Whitecaps' five-decade history were welcomed to the pitch ahead of the opening kickoff.
UP NEXT: As part of an eight-game schedule in May, the Whitecaps will hit the road next week. They'll begin their defence of the Canadian Championship against Cavalry FC on Tuesday, then return to MLS action next Saturday against LAFC.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.