Toronto FC 1, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 | 2018 MLS Match Recap

Dylan Butler

Vancouver Whitecaps FC kept their Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoff hopes alive, while officially eliminating 10-man Toronto FC with a 2-1 win Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.

Russell Teibert broke the stalemate early, with the former Toronto FC Academy product scoring his first goal since 2013 to give the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead on four minutes.

Teibert started the sequence by playing to Alphonso Davies, who laid off to Yordy Reyna, who located Teibert in space with a no-look pass. Teibert did the rest with a left-footed shot inside the far post for his third all-time MLS goal.

Seven minutes after Gregory van der Wiel was sent off for his second bookable offense, Jozy Altidore gave last year's MLS Cup champions a late lifeline from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after a sliding Doneil Henry handled a Jay Chapman cross.

But an unmarked Kei Kamara silenced the BMO Field crowd, latching onto a cross from Jordon Mutch and tapping in his 14th goal of the season to seal TFC’s fate.

Goals

4’ — VAN — Russell Teibert | WATCH
73’ — TOR — Jozy Altidore (PK) | WATCH
78’ — VAN — Kei Kamara | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: From won to done, Toronto FC (9-16-6) completed a dramatic fall from grace by being eliminated from playoff contention with their loss, combined with the Montreal Impact’s 3-0 win over Columbus Crew SC. The Whitecaps (12-12-7) are still on the outside looking in, but pulled to within three points of the playoff line in the West ahead of Real Salt Lake’s match against Portland later Saturday night.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH
: After Jozy Altidore gave TFC a ray of light, Kei Kamara snuffed it out with his 14th goal of the season five minutes later.

HUGE GOAL.

Kei Kamara puts the 'Caps back in front. #TORvVAN https://t.co/TgIaYQa971
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 6, 2018

MAN OF THE MATCH: Russell Teibert doesn’t score often, but when he does the Whitecaps win. From nearby Niagara Falls, Ontario, Teibert scored his first two MLS goals in a 3-1 win over the LA Galaxy on May 11, 2013. Some 190 games later, he netted his third in another big ‘Caps victory.