VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Whitecaps scored early and late Saturday to earn their first MLS victory over the Seattle Sounders, 2-0, at B.C. Place.
Kenny Miller opened the scoring in the fourth minute, and Darren Mattocks closed it in the 79th. The Sounders had by far the better chances in between, but they couldn’t coax anything past Vancouver goalkeeper Brad Knighton.
It was the Whitecaps first MLS win in a Cascadia Cup match after seven losses and five draws. And that instantly moved the Whitecaps into the 2013 Cascadia Cup lead with Seattle, both at 1-1-1, with the Portland Timbers behind at 0-1-1.
The result also extended Vancouver’s unbeaten streak at home to 6-0-3.
It all started with a long lofted pass from Corey Hertzog to Miller, who took one touch in the box, then used a second touch to cut right past Sounders defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado before knocking the ball in off the far post.
Seattle (7-6-3) responded by attacking the Whitecaps (8-5-5) aggressively. However for all their domination, nothing got past Knighton.
Over a three-minute stretch starting in the 22nd minute, he went to the turf for saves against Eddie Johnson, Zach Scott, Johnson again, and then Martins. By halftime he had matched his season high with five saves.
However, it was Vancouver that finally broke through again, this time with Mattocks chipping a shot around Djimi Traore and past goalkeeper Michael Gspurning.
The game was the league-record 400th game coached by Seattle’s Sigi Schmid (179-124-97).
The Sounders return to action Saturday at San Jose.
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