Vancouver Whitecaps wrapped up their regular season with a 2-0 road win over CF Montreal on Saturday night, completing the job with second-half goals from Sabaly and Gherasimencov. The result sent the Whitecaps into the playoffs on a high note while confirming what had been a difficult campaign for a Montreal side that, according to thestar.com, finished in what may rank as the club’s worst-ever season. Takaoka was barely tested but made three saves behind a defense that rarely looked troubled.
Key Moments
- 25′, Gherasimencov picked up an early yellow card for a foul, one of two Vancouver bookings in the first half.
- 42′, Édier Ocampo was booked for a foul and withdrawn at halftime, with Vancouver making two substitutions before the break to freshen up the side.
- 50′, Sabaly opened the scoring five minutes into the second half, converting to give Vancouver the lead they had threatened to take all evening.
- 63′, Ryan Gauld came off for Thomas Müller as Vancouver managed their resources with a one-goal cushion on the road.
- 83′, Gherasimencov doubled the lead, finishing after a assist from Bruno Steven Caicedo Quiñonez, who had entered as a second-half substitute.
Tactical Breakdown
Vancouver dominated possession from the first whistle, finishing with 64 percent of the ball and completing 526 of 593 passes. Their 17 shots, including 13 from inside the box, told the story of a side comfortable playing through a team ranked 15th in the Eastern Conference. With an xG of 1.86 against Montreal’s 0.96, the Whitecaps deserved more than a one-goal lead at any point in the second half.
Vancouver’s decision to make both substitutions at halftime proved smart. Bruno Steven Caicedo Quiñonez came on for Yadaly Diaby and Rui Modesto replaced Édier Ocampo, who had been cautioned in the 42nd minute. Caicedo Quiñonez justified his inclusion by setting up the second goal in the 83rd minute, adding an assist in just 45 minutes of work. The switch gave Vancouver fresh legs on the flanks and helped them see out the game without real alarm.
Montreal’s 4-2-3-1 never found a foothold in midfield, where Longstaff and Loturi were outnumbered for long stretches. With only 36 percent possession and three shots on target all game, interim manager Philippe Eullaffroy’s side lacked the quality to threaten a Vancouver defense that conceded just 34 goals all season. A run of four losses in the last five matches captured a team that ran out of ideas long before this final weekend.
Player Ratings
Match Context
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Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
Vancouver head into the MLS playoffs sitting first in the Western Conference with 64 points, a comfortable margin above the chasing pack. For Montreal, the 2-0 defeat closed out a season that thestar.com described as the worst in the club’s history, with just 26 points from 34 matches and six wins all year. The gap between the two sides on the night was a fair reflection of where both clubs stand heading into the postseason and the offseason respectively.
CF Montreal
Vancouver Whitecaps
C. Sabaly
M. Gherasimencov