A late Maxime Crepeau save preserved a 0-0 draw for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of their Canadian Championship third round match at Canadian Premier League club Cavalry FC.
Jose Escalante cooked up a left-footed shot from 25 yards out, but Crepeau was equal to the task in sprawling to the top corner to deny a late go-ahead goal. Vancouver also had solid chances through headers from Andy Rose and Doneil Henry, but they couldn’t find the target.
Refereeing decisions provided some of the biggest talking points, as Cavalry looked to have a clear-cut penalty shout in the 69th minute, but referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere did not point to the spot after consulting his near-side assistant. The controversy arose after Vancouver wingback Scott Sutter came through Nico Pasquotti on an attempted clearance.
But the Whitecaps also had a shout in the 48th minute, as recent Designated Player signing Ali Adnan was ruled offside before he squared for Fredy Montero to chest into an open net. With no Video Review in the competition, Vancouver missed out on a potential opening goal.
Otherwise, half-chances dominated the evening for both Cavalry and Vancouver. Whitecaps forward Yordy Reyna attempted a game-high three shots on target, but couldn’t get the best of former Vancouver goalkeeper Marco Carducci from range.
The match, played at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, lacked much continuity with a bumpy pitch that impacted the players’ first touch. Recently, the field was used for equestrian events.
Goals
- None
Three Things
MOMENT OF THE MATCH:
The late Maxime Crepeau save provided an exclamation mark on a game that otherwise was cobbled together in midfield. Crepeau showed exactly why he’s in the Canadian national team picture, preserving a vital draw on the road.
Next Up
- CAV: Saturday, July 13 vs. HFX Wanderers FC (3:30 pm ET | onesoccer.ca in Canada) | Canadian Premier League
- VAN: Saturday, July 13 vs. Sporting Kansas City (7:30 pm ET | TSN 1/4, MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US)
