The Swope Park Rangers suffered a 3-2 defeat against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday afternoon at UBC Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia. Two goals from Marco Bustos gave Whitecaps FC 2 a comfortable lead at the break, before Alphonso Davies added a third in the 80th minute. The Rangers almost mounted a comeback with goals from Mark Anthony Gonzalez and Kris Tyrpak in the final five minutes, but the side’s effort came up just short.
After a quiet opening to the game, Vancouver (7-2-4, 25 pts.) took the lead with the first real chance of the contest. Brett Levis raced down the left wing and fed Bustos in the area, and the Whitecaps loanee turned and fired high beyond Zac Lubin to make the score 1-0.
Bustos notched his second of the game in the 23rd minute, tucking the ball into an empty net after Lubin had saved his initial close-range effort. The two sides traded half-chances for the remainder of the first half as Whitecaps FC 2 took a 2-0 lead into the break.
The Rangers (4-6-2, 14 pts.) made four changes at halftime, with Jimmy Mulligan, Kevin Oliveira, Kris Tyrpak and Dane Kelly – who was making his return to the side after nine games out with a hamstring injury – all entering the play. SPR threatened from the first kick of the second half, with Nansel Selbol, Kelly and Gonzalez all going close.
In the 63rd minute, Tommy Meyer directed a header on goal from Oliveira’s corner that Marco Carducci was able to claim while dangerously close to his own goal line. Five minutes later, the Rangers threatened again when Selbol floated in a cross for Gonzalez whose header crashed off the inside of the post and out.
Vancouver added their third goal in the 80th minute when Alphonso Davies, who had only just entered the game as a substitute, was fed the ball by Daniel Haber in the area, and the 15-year-old smashed his finish into the top corner to make the score 3-0.
That goal sparked the Rangers into life and Gonzalez pulled a goal back in the 85th minute. After being found by Ualefi, the 21-year-old turned and fired a powerful drive into the top corner to cut Vancouver’s lead to 3-1.
Three minutes later, Tyrpak received a pass from Meyer on his chest, held off his defender and finished calmly past Carducci to make the score 3-2 heading into the closing stages.
Vancouver was able to kill much of the clock by holding the ball in the corners, but the Rangers were presented with one final opportunity when Kelly was fouled just outside the area deep into stoppage time. Oliveira stepped up and saw his goalbound attempt clawed onto the inside of the post by Carducci as the SPR comeback fell just short.
Next Match
- The Swope Park Rangers will head home next weekend to host OKC Energy FC at Swope Soccer Village on Saturday, June 18. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT and will be available via live stream on SportingKC.com.
Swope Park Rangers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
June 12, 2016 – UBC Thunderbird Stadium (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Swope Park Rangers 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 3
Scoring Summary:
VAN – Marco Bustos 1 (Brett Levis 2) 5’
VAN – Marco Bustos 2 (Unassisted) 23’
VAN – Alphonso Davies 2 (Daniel Haber 2) 80’
SPR – Mark Anthony Gonzalez 4 (Ualefi 2) 86’
SPR – Kris Tyrpak 2 (Tommy Meyer 1) 88’
Misconduct Summary:
SPR – Ayrton (Yellow Card) 15’
SPR – Ualefi (Yellow Card) 26’
VAN – Kyle Greig (Yellow Card) 38’
VAN – Ben McKendry (Yellow Card) 57’
SPR – Jimmy Mulligan (Yellow Card) 77’
VAN – Sam Adekugbe (Yellow Card) 77’
Swope Park Rangers: Zac Lubin; Johnny Grant (Jimmy Mulligan 46’), Tommy Meyer, Amer Didic, Jacob VanCompernolle (Kris Tyrpak 46’); Ualefi, Tomas Granitto (Dane Kelly 46’), Ayrton (Kevin Oliveira 46’); Nansel Selbol, Mark Anthony Gonzalez, Christian Duke ©.
Substitutes Not Used: Jon Kempin, Ezra Armstrong, Jaylin Lindsey.
STATS: Shots 15, Shots on Goal 4, Corners 3, Fouls 19
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2: Marco Carducci; Kadin Chung, Sem de Wit, Cole Seiler, Sam Adekugbe; Deybi Flores (Giuliano Frano 60’), Ben McKendry (Matthew Baldisimo 82’), Marco Bustos (Thomas Garnder 87’), Brett Levis (Alphonso Davies 72’); Kianz Froese (Daniel Haber 66’), Kyle Greig ©.
Substitutes Not Used: Sean Melvin, Jackson Farmer.
STATS: Shots 10, Shots on Goal 7, Corners 3, Fouls 17
Referee: Alain Ruch
Assistant Referees: Josh Miller and Erina Cho
Fourth Official: Scott Milliquet
Attendance: 1,494
Weather: Partly cloudy and 61 degrees
