Vancouver Whitecaps down Chicago Fire to reach knockout rounds in MLS

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:15 am

Yordy Reyna scored and had an assist as the Vancouver Whitecaps qualified for the round of 16 in the MLS is Back Tournament with a 2-0 victory over Chicago Fire FC on Thursday near Orlando, in a game that shifted dramatically following a 93-minute weather delay.

Cristian Dajome also scored for the Whitecaps (1-2-0, 3 points in tournament, 2-3-0, 6 points in regular season), who sealed one of the top four third-place group finishes with the result, beating out the Fire (1-2-0, 3 points in tournament, 1-3-1, 4 points in regular season) on goal difference for the third spot in Group B. Vancouver then beat out Group A third-place finisher New York City FC on goals scored.

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With starting goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau out with a broken thumb, 21-year-old Thomas Hasal made four saves to preserve a win and clean sheet in his first career MLS start.

Vancouver, which had an MLS-high five players opt out of the tournament due to health concerns, will play either Toronto or Sporting Kansas City on Sunday in a single-elimination match.

The Fire led the Whitecaps 25-4 in shots and 5-2 in on-target attempts. Before play halted in the 63rd minute, Chicago led 16-2 and 5-0 in those categories.

The Vancouver Whitecaps took the lead just two minutes after the restart. Left back Ali Adnan got forward and spotted Reyna, who held his run to stay onside, rounded Fire goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm and finished into an open net.

Reyna was involved again when the Whitecaps doubled their lead six minutes later on the goal that took their goal difference ahead of Chicago's.

After Hasal's goal kick, Reyna chested down a flick-on header, turned and played a ball in front of Dajome running through the center of Chicago's back four. Dajome drove a low finish past Kronholm and inside the right post.

Eight minutes from full time, the Fire looked like they had scored a crucial goal to take their goal difference back above Vancouver's when C.J. Sapong appeared to bundle the rebound of Gaston Gimenez's shot over the line.

Following a video review, referee Armando Villarreal disallowed the goal, ruling Sapong had used his arm on the play.