Sounders rally, edge rival Whitecaps in stoppage time

Updated: Jul 9, 2023, 07:59 am

Yeimar Gomez Andrade scored in second-half stoppage time as the Seattle Sounders rallied for a 3-2 victory against the host Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night in the 150th all-time meeting between the teams.

Leo Chu scored two second-half goals and backup goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland made three saves for the Sounders (10-7-5, 35 points). Starter Stefan Frei, who leads MLS with 11 shutouts, was sidelined after suffering a concussion in training earlier in the week.

Ryan Gauld had a goal and an assist for the Whitecaps (6-7-7, 25 points). Goalie Yohei Takaoka made three saves and assisted on Vancouver's second goal.

The winning goal came just after Vancouver's Mathias Laborda received his second yellow card and was sent off, leaving the Whitecaps with 10 men.

The Sounders worked the ensuing free kick into the penalty area, with Chu's shot from the left side deflected by Takaoka. The rebound rolled straight to Gomez Andrade near the penalty spot and he blasted a shot into the back of the net.

Both of Chu's tallies erased one-goal deficits and were assisted by Nicolas Lodeiro and Jackson Ragen on set plays.

After trailing 1-0 at the half, Chu tied it in the 60th minute. Lodeiro's corner kick toward the near post was headed on by Ragen to a wide-open Chu, whose volley glanced off the left post on its way into the net.

The Whitecaps regained the lead in the 72nd minute as Takaoka's long goal kick down the middle of the field was headed on by Brian White, sending Gauld on a breakaway. He put a left-footed shot from 15 yards into the lower right corner of the net.

The Sounders tied it in the 76th minute as Lodeiro's free kick from the left wing found Ragen at the top right of the 6-yard box and his header back across the goalmouth was tapped in by a sliding Chu.

The Whitecaps opened the scoring in the 24th minute, after Levonte Johnson, making his first MLS start, was fouled by Lodeiro just outside the top left corner of the penalty area. Gauld's free kick found Ranko Veselinovic just outside the top of the 6-yard box and he flicked a header into the far side netting.

Cleveland made a pair of sterling saves, leaping to knock a 25-yard shot by Sebastian Berhalter over the crossbar in the 18th minute and a diving stop on a White shot in the 82nd.

--Field Level Media