Whitecaps edge Minnesota United, move closer to playoff spot

[October 28, 2021] Brian White scored his team-leading 12th goal and created another with his pressure, and the Vancouver Whitecaps moved a step closer toward securing a playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over visiting Minnesota United on Wednesday night.

White has 11 goals in his past 15 games as Vancouver (12-9-11, 47 points) has found a second life under interim coach Vanni Sartini.

The Whitecaps are 7-3-2 since the Italian took over for Marc Dos Santos in late August. After Wednesday's victory, they moved up to fifth in the race for seven Western Conference playoff places, with two games remaining.

Fanendo Adi pulled a goal back in second-half stoppage time for Minnesota (12-11-9, 45 points), which fell beneath the West playoff line after the loss and other results on Wednesday.

United is tied in points with seventh-place Real Salt Lake, but Salt Lake holds the first tiebreaker of total wins and also has an extra match remaining.

The visiting Loons were arguably the more aggressive team during the first half but fell behind moments before halftime on an own-goal charged to Michael Boxall.

The attack began when Russell Teibert found White with a long ball over the top of Minnesota's defense.

White chested down the ball in stride and forced charging goalkeeper Tyler Miller into a save from close range. As Boxall was recovering behind the play, the ball caromed off Miller and then Boxall and rolled along the BC Place artificial turf across the goal line.

Minnesota thought it had leveled 17 minutes after the break when Adrien Hunou timed his run to reach Emanuel Reynoso's throughball behind the Vancouver backline.
 

Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau charged and Hunou drove a low finish through his legs, only to strike just enough of the near post to keep it out.

White then doubled the lead a minute later on an excellent, first-time finish of a cross from Ryan Gauld, after Gauld and Cristian Dajome played a slick give-and-go down the left to create the chance.

--Field Level Media

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