Vancouver extend unbeaten run to five against Colorado

Vancouver Whitecaps extended their unbeaten run in the Major League Soccer as they were held to a 2-2 draw against Colorado Rapids at BC Place Stadium on Saturday.

The Canadian outfit last lost a game on the 16th of May against Atlanta United in what was a 1-0 loss against a tough opposition. Since then, they have managed to win one game and draw four games in the league.

As far as Colorado are concerned, this draw saw them take their unbeaten run to as many as six games in the league. The last time they lost a game in the league was back on the 12th of May, when they lost 3-2 to Real Salt Lake. Since then, they have won four games and have drawn one.

In what was an entertaining game, it was Colorado who took a lead in the eighth minute. Nicolas Mezquida’s corner was sent into the box and after bobbling around in the box, it was Diego Rubio who was closest to it. The Chilean tapped it home for a Colorado opener by heading it into the net.

Mezquida had a role to play in the second goal as well that saw Colorado make it 2-0 in the 20th minute. His cross into the box met forward Kei Kamara at the front post, who played it for Andre Shinyashiki. The Brazilian doubled the lead for Colorado as he tapped the ball into the back of the net with his knee.

Kamara nearly tripled the lead and all but sealed the deal, but his shot went above the goal in the 30th minute.

But the Whitecaps came very much alive towards the end of the first half. Rubio was at fault as he hacked down defender Ali Adnan in the box only for the referee to blow his whistle for a penalty in the first minute of stoppage time.

It was Fredy Montero who stepped upto take the spot-kick and buried it to pull one back for Vancouver. He sent Tim Howard the other way to score.

Just when Colorado thought they had won the game the game and had taken all three points, Yordy Reyna fired a free-kick in at the 80th minute. He had some good fortune to thank for the goal, as it sailed over the wall and almost stroked the head of defender Lalas Abubakar on its way into the left hand post of Howard’s goal.

The result left both sides unbeaten but hardly did any good to them in the table of the western conference.

Colorado remained second bottom in the table with 16 points in 17 games, ahead of Sporting Kansas on goal difference only.

Vancouver remained ninth in the table and missed out on the chance to move into the play-off spots. They are currently with 19 points in 17 games, only a point behind seventh-placed Real Salt Lake.

Marc Dos Santos’ men will hope to keep their unbeaten run going when they take on Dallas away from home followed by a trip to fellow Canadian side Seattle.