Toronto beats Vancouver, stretches streak to 17

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:14 am

Defender Richie Laryea scored the lone goal as Toronto FC recorded a 1-0 victory over the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on Friday night to remain unbeaten in regular-season play this season.

Toronto stretched its franchise-record unbeaten streak in regular-season matches to 17 (8-0-9).

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It was the second straight game in which Toronto FC blanked the Whitecaps. Toronto won 3-0 on Tuesday.

Forward Alejandro Pozuelo recorded the assist to raise his league-leading count in that category to seven.

Quentin Westberg made one save for his second straight shutout and third of the season. Toronto FC held a 14-6 edge in shots.

Toronto (4-0-3, 15 points) is one point behind the first-place Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference.

Vancouver (2-5-0, six points) placed just two shots on target -- one in each game -- in the back-to-back losses to Toronto.

The Whitecaps had possession for just 32.8 percent of Friday's match. That represented an improvement from Tuesday's defeat when they had the ball for just 24.8 percent of the time while being out-shot 24-4.

Laryea's goal was his third of the season and it came in the 15th minute. A pass by Pozuelo caromed off the leg of a Vancouver player and over to Laryea and his right-footed shot sailed past Whitecaps goalkeeper Thomas Hasal.

The Whitecaps' only shot on goal came in the 39th minute when Westberg made a close-range save on defender Jake Nerwinski's right-footed shot.

Vancouver received a free kick when Pozuelo was called for a late yellow card. Whitecaps defender Ali Adnan took the kick in the 87th minute but his boot crashed into midfielder Michael Bradley as part of the Toronto wall to negate the opportunity.

Pozeulo had a chance to make it 2-0 with two minutes left when he broke in alone on goal. As he approached Hasal, he tried to lift the shot up high but the goalie leaped up and swatted it away with his right hand.

Hasal made seven saves for Vancouver.