‘caps Advance To Canadian Championship Semi-Finals

May 22, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release

VANCOUVER, BC – It was a tightly-contested match at BC Place as Vancouver Whitecaps FC progressed to the semi-finals of the Canadian Championship, despite a 1-0 loss on the night to Cavalry FC.

Cyprian Kachwele, making his first start for the club, had a fantastic opportunity to open the scoring in the 12th minute. Levonte Johnson slipped Kachwele into the box from the left and the Tanzanian tried to score from a narrow angle, thwarted only by the diving hand of Marco Carducci for a corner.

Boehmer was called into action in the 30th minute, stopping a dangerous shot from William Akio. A long cross to the back post found Akio alone, but Boehmer made himself big to close him down.

Cavalry then opened the scoring though an own goal. Akio drove a dangerous cross into the box and, in trying to clear the ball before it reached a Cavalry player, Veselinović poked the ball past Boehmer and into the net.

The second half then began with the ‘Caps hungry for a goal. Both Guiseppe Bovalina and Ryan Gauld put dangerous crosses into the box in the opening minute, only for Cavalry to make a last-ditch clearance to deny a tap-in goal. Johnson then threatened Carducci’s goal with a curled effort from just outside the box, getting deflected on the way for a corner.

Ali Ahmed nearly levelled the affair with just over 30 minutes left, after beautiful play in the build-up. Gauld flicked on a header for Brian White to settle it, laying it off in the process for Ahmed to thump a shot towards goal. The shot was goal-bound had it not been for a late block from a Cavalry defender. Another block denied Bovalina from a debut goal just minutes later, after the Aussie was found in the box by Ahmed.

Minutes later, Alessandro Schöpf forced Carducci to go full-stretch off a very well placed driven shot, piling the pressure on Cavalry. Pedro Vite then sent Ryan Raposo in behind with a beautiful pass with 15 minutes to go. Raposo got the ball under control in stride but was closed down quickly by an onrushing Carducci.

Jesse Daley had a chance to get his side in front on aggregate minutes later, after being found in the box. Daley managed to turn and get a shot on target, but was denied by a superb Boehmer save.

Luís Martins almost got Whitecaps FC back on level terms right at the end, with a header off a corner kick. A short corner routine saw Gauld find Martins at the back post, but his effort on goal…