PORTLAND, Ore. – Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 recorded its second win at Providence Park this season as Marco Bustos’ penalty kick proved the difference in a 1-0 win against the Portland Timbers 2 on Sunday afternoon. The game opened brightly, and both teams had chances in the opening 15 minutes. WFC2’s Sem de Wit had the best of them heading wide from a corner kick, and Vancouver came close again in the 26th minute as T2 goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh denied a big chance for Thomas Sanner from 10 yards. T2’s first good chance came in the 34th minute as a cutback cross from the left by Villyan Bijev found Victor Arboleda, and his shot was well turned away by WFC2 goalkeeper Spencer Richey. Vancouver (4-5-2, 14pts) opened the second half on the front foot, and was rewarded what a shot by Ben McKendry struck an arm, earning the side a penalty kick. Marco Bustos stepped up and fired low into the right corner of the net for the lead. T2’s Augustine Williams almost answered five minutes later with a good header from eight yards that was saved by Richey, while Bustos had a free kick turned wide by McIntosh for WFC2. Portland (1-10-1, 4pts) pushed mightily for an equalizer in the final 10 minutes, and Harold Hanson almost provided it in stoppage time as he burst through two defenders on the right side of the penalty area, but Richey swatted his shot aside to keep WFC2’s lead intact, and seal all three points for the visitors.

Scoring: 
56’ – VAN – Marco Bustos (penalty)

• #PORvVAN: Full Match and Opta Box Score

Three Things That Matter:

• 1. Vancouver’s second win this season at Providence Park was very different to its first, with WFC2 putting in an excellent road performance that was capped by a 15-minute spell to start to start the second half that produced the only goal of the game. After being dominated by T2 in the first meeting of the season, Vancouver was much better value for its victory, with the side’s attack down the left side led by Marco Bustos and Terran Campbell producing good chances on a regular basis. More performances like this over the next few weeks will only add to that.

• 2. At this point of the season, the Timbers 2 have to be wondering how many ladders they walked under, or how many black cats have crossed their paths, to see such misfortune befall them in front of goal this season. As they have for much of the year, T2 was very much in Sunday’s games, and created a number of good opportunities. Thanks to some fine goalkeeping from WFC2’s Spencer Richey and some narrow misses that on another day might have gone in, the side fell to its 10th defeat in 12 games this season. Portland has a much better side than its record shows, but just can’t quite find the goals that would otherwise have it in playoff contention.

• 3. To some extent, Vancouver managed to spin the direction of its season forward with Sunday’s win. Now instead of having three losses in its last four outings, it has two wins in its last three, and outside of a terrible first 45 minutes against Real Monarchs SLC last weekend is now looking much more like the side that reached the Western Conference Final of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs. Another big road test against Phoenix Rising FC in the anticipated debut for Didier Drogba awaits next Saturday, but another positive result there would set up the side very well for the remainder of the month.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match

Spencer Richey, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 – Richey’s four-save shutout preserved the victory for WFC2, including a standout save in stoppage time to deny Harold Hanson.

Upcoming Games:
Portland Timbers 2 at Real Monarchs SLC – June 10, 9 p.m. ET, Rio Tinto Stadium
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at Phoenix Rising FC – June 10, 10:30 p.m. ET, Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex