BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Tacoma Defiance (14-5-4, 49 points) defeated Whitecaps FC 2 (7-9-7, 31 points) by a score of 1-0 on Friday night on the road. Fito Ovalle was the difference-maker for Tacoma, scoring in the 81st minute to secure all three points for Defiance.
After a deflected shot from Dylan Teves fell to the feet of Ovalle, the midfielder ripped a shot from outside the area that took a couple of deflections before finding the back of the net for his first goal of the season.
Goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley recorded the clean sheet in goal for Defiance, amassing six saves, including a point-blank stop in the 92nd minute to help Tacoma hold onto the lead until the final whistle.
With the result, Tacoma moves up into first place in the Western Conference with 49 points, currently one point above St. Louis City SC 2, with one match left to play (St. Louis has two games remaining).
Following tonight’s fixture, Wade Webber’s side returns home for its final match of the regular season against Timbers2 on Sunday, September 18 at Starfire Stadium (7:00 p.m. PT / mlsnextpro.com).
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance 1 – Whitecaps FC 2 0
Friday, September 9, 2022
Venue: Swangard Stadium
Referee: Aubrey Kotelko
Weather: 73 degree and partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
TAC – Fito Ovalle 81’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
VAN – Cristian Gutiérrez (caution) 27’
TAC – Georgi Minoungou (caution) 55’
TAC – Fito Ovalle (caution) 56’
VAN – Matteo Campagna (caution) 70’
TAC – Travian Sousa (caution) 76’
VAN – Emiliano Brienza (caution) 90+4’
LINEUPS & STATS
Tacoma Defiance – Wallis Lapsley; Cody Baker, Hal Uderitz, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Joe Hafferty (Randy Mendoza, 85’); Fito Ovalle – captain, Sota Kitahara, Reed Baker-Whiting (Travian Sousa, 63’), Juan Alvarez (Dylan Teves, 63’), Ethan Dobbelaere (Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez, HT); Georgi Minoungou (Achille Robin, 90+3’)
Substitutes not used: Wyatt Nelson, Valentin Sabella, Alfred Gombe-Fei
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 18
Offside: 4
Corner-kicks: 6
Saves: 6
Whitecaps FC 2 – Isaac Boehmer; Lucas Dasovic, Finn Linder (Matteo Campagna, HT), Joshue Ndakala; Cristian Gutiérrez (Elage, HT), Gio, Vasco Fry, Ali Ahmed; Janson Joe (Easton Ongaro, 65’), Theo Collomb (Emiliano Brienza, 75’), Pipe
Substitutes not used: Max Anchor, Michael Morales, Eric White, Simone Masi, Filip Rakic
Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 11
Offside: 4
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 2
