The Vancouver Whitecaps FC faced Houston in a tightly contested encounter that concluded with a 1-1 draw at BC Place Stadium during Week 24 of the MLS.
The match started with an early setback for Houston, as Brian White converted a penalty in the 5th minute of the first half. However, the game took a dramatic turn late in the second half when Artur de Lima netted a stunning equalizer at the 90th minute, showcasing his talent with a phenomenal long-range shot that found the back of the net after an assist from Amine Bassi.
Artur de Lima’s exceptional goal earned him the praise of fans, as he struck the ball perfectly into the right corner past the opposing goalkeeper. Vancouver’s Jayden Nelson also came close to scoring, hitting the post twice during the match, leaving him frustrated.
De Lima was undeniably the standout player of the match, adding one goal to his name. Brian White, from Vancouver, also made a significant impact by scoring and attempting two shots on goal.
Vancouver’s head coach Jesper Sorensen set up his team in a 4-3-3 formation, featuring Yohei Takaoka in goal, with Édier Ocampo, Belal Halbouni, Tristan Blackmon, and Mathías Laborda in defense. The midfield was composed of Jeevan Badwal, Sebastian Berhalter, and Andrés Cubas, while the attacking trio included Emmanuel Sabbi, Brian White, and Jayden Nelson.
On the other side, Houston’s manager Benjamin Olsen opted for a 4-5-1 formation, with Jonathan Bond guarding the net. The defense was made up of Griffin Dorsey, Antônio Carlos, Pablo Ortiz, and Felipe Andrade, while the midfield featured Brooklyn Raines, Artur de Lima, Jack McGlynn, Sebastian Kowalczyk, and Ondrej Lingr, with Ezequiel Ponce as the lone striker.
The referee for this match was Jon Freemon.
Next, Vancouver will host the Portland Timbers, while Houston will play at home against LA Galaxy.
Substitutions for Vancouver Whitecaps FC
45’ 2T – Tristan Blackmon off for Bjorn Utvik
60’ 2T – Jeevan Badwal off for Thomas Müller and Emmanuel Sabbi off for Ali Ahmed
75’ 2T – Brian White off for Daniel Rios
91’ 2T – Jayden Nelson off for Kenji Cabrera
Yellow Cards for Vancouver Whitecaps FC:
25’ 1T – Andrés Cubas (Unsporting behavior) and 35’ 1T – Belal Halbouni (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Houston
63’ 2T – Antônio Carlos off for Ethan Bartlow
64’ 2T – Sebastian Kowalczyk off for Amine Bassi
71’ 2T – Ezequiel Ponce off for Lawrence Ennali
81’ 2T – Felipe Andrade off for Júnior Urso and Ondrej Lingr off for Toyosi Olusanya
Yellow Cards for Houston:
38’ 1T – Sebastian Kowalczyk (Unsporting behavior), 42’ 1T – Pablo Ortiz (Unsporting behavior), 45’ 1T – Brooklyn Raines (Unsporting behavior) and 19’ 2T – Amine Bassi (Unsporting behavior)
Red Card for Houston:
51’ 2T – Brooklyn Raines (Second yellow card)