Sergio Cordova’s first goal of the season gave the Vancouver Whitecaps a 2-1 win over visiting Austin FC on Wednesday.
The victory ended a two-game skid for the Whitecaps (7-7-7, 28 points) and put them back into a playoff position in the Western Conference.
Pedro Vite scored just 29 seconds into the game to give the Whitecaps a very early lead. Halftime substitute Rodney Redes also made a quick impact for Austin (8-9-5, 29 points), scoring the equalizer in the 47th minute.
Cordova also scored two minutes after his entrance as a 70th-minute substitute. Ryan Gauld sent a great pass up the middle that found a streaking Cordova, who showed tremendous patience in outmaneuvering two defenders to find space. Once Cordova had his preferred spot in the middle of the box, he fired home the shot to restore Vancouver’s lead.
It was Cordova’s first goal since signing a Designated Player contract with the Whitecaps in the offseason. After tallying nine goals with Real Salt Lake during the 2022 season, Cordova went scoreless in his first 14 regular-season matches with Vancouver.
Late drama emerged nine minutes into extra time, when Vancouver’s Tristan Blackmon received a yellow card for pulling down Will Bruin on the very edge of the box. A video review confirmed the play as not worthy of a penalty kick, and Austin FC’s free kick attempt resulted in a Jon Gallagher shot that sailed far over the net.
Austin FC saw its four-game (3-0-1) unbeaten streak come to an end.
Between Wednesday’s goal and his early tally on May 31 against the Houston Dynamo, Vite made some MLS history. He is the second player in league history to score goals within the opening 30 seconds of two matches in the same season.
Redes’ goal was his first in MLS, coming in his 46th regular-season match over parts of three seasons with Austin FC.
Austin FC’s Emiliano Rigoni entered the game at halftime, but had to be substituted off in the 74th minute due to an apparent injury.
–Field Level Media