Morgan Whittaker scored late in the second half to lift the Colorado Rapids to a 1-0 win against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday in Commerce City, Colo.
The victory snapped a five-game winless stretch (0-1-4) for the Rapids (12-13-6, 42 points), who moved into a tie for seventh place in the Western Conference.
With the loss, the Whitecaps (16-8-7, 55 points) remained one point ahead of Dallas FC for top spot in the West with three games remaining in the regular season.
Whittaker made it 1-0 Colorado in the 81st minute. Kosi Thompson’s shot from the right side of the box deflected up and off the crossbar and, with Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka drawn to Thompson, Whittaker headed the ball into the open net from the goal line.
The Rapids finished with more shots (18-8) and more on target (8-2) but saw four shots blocked and Takaoka finish with seven saves.
Goalie Nico Hansen made two saves in recording his eighth clean sheet.
Colorado controlled the play in the first half in dominant fashion but couldn’t find the back of the net. The hosts enjoyed just over 62% of the touches and attempted 11 shots, including three on target, while earning four corners.
Vancouver managed just three shot attempts, with two reaching the target.
In the 11th minute, Takaoka got in front of Noah Cobb’s header at the far post off a corner. Miguel Navarro intercepted a Vancouver clearing pass outside the box and fired a shot that went over the net.
Thompson’s attempt in the 43rd minute was deflected over the net by former Rapids defender Ralph Priso. Two minutes later, Whittaker came close to capitalizing from the goal area off a free kick.
Colorado continued to press in the second half. Georgi Minoungou collected a pass on the edge of the final third and broke in, but Priso stayed on him to deflect the opportunity away in the 57th minute.
Former Rapids midfielder Oliver Larraz had a pair of chances to get the visitors on the board but couldn’t convert. In the 52nd minute, Rapids goalkeeper Hansen snared Larraz’s attempt from the far right side, and in the 59th minute, Larraz directed one toward the far post from the top of the box that just missed.
–Field Level Media
