The Vancouver Whitecaps conceded a penalty kick with three minutes remaining to drop a 1-0 result to Iwaki FC in the 3rd-place match of the Pacific Rim Cup at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Whitecaps academy player Gabriel Escobar committed the foul in the penalty area, with a high boot that made contact with an Iwaki attacker. Byron Vasquez converted the penalty for Iwaki FC, a club that competes in the sixth tier of Japanese soccer.
Similar to the first match played in this tournament, a 3-1 loss to V-Varen Nagasaki, Vancouver head coach Marc Dos Santos changed over his lineup during the second half with six current academy players coming into the game.
The Whitecaps, who are still waiting for their five high-profile international signings to join camp, return home for a week before traveling to Los Angeles for the second leg of preseason with matches against the LA Galaxy (Feb. 16), Club Tijuana (Feb. 20) and LAFC (Feb. 23) ahead of their MLS season-opening match against Minnesota United FC on March 2.
Michael Baldisimo (left ankle contusion) and Russell Teibert (left ankle strain) sat out both matches in Hawaii. Right back Jake Nerwinski, who served as captain in the first match, did not dress for consolation game due to illness. Felipe Martins wore the captain's armband to start the match against Iwaki FC.
Goals
- IWA - Byron Vasquez (PK) 87'
Vancouver Whitecaps lineup (4-3-3): #16 Maxime Crépeau (#18 Zac MacMath 46') -- #94 Victor "PC" Giro (#58 Brandon Cambridge* 85'), #13 Derek Cornelius (#24 David Normal Jr. 65'), #2 Doneil Henry (#26 Brendan McDonough* 60'), #23 Scott Sutter (#66 Georges Mukumbilwa* 55') -- #8 Felipe Martins (#54 Simon Colyn 60'), #6 Jon Erice (#53 Patrick Metcalfe* 65'), #15 Andy Rose (#59 Kamron Habibullah* 81') -- #46 Brett Levis (#52 Gabriel Escobar* 60'), #29 Yordy Reyna (#50 Theo Bair 46'), #19 Lass Bangoura (#57 Matheus Queiroz 65')
* = Whitecaps academy player
* = Trialist
** = Unsigned draft pick
