By Canadian Press

Late goals from Godoy, Caicedo give Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 win over Austin FC

Sep 4, 2021 | 6:31 PM

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps scored goals 13 minutes apart in the second half to come from one down to defeat Austin FC 2-1 in Major League Soccer Saturday.

Midfielder Deiber Caicedo gave Vancouver the lead in the 83rd minute after defender Erik Godoy tied the game in the 70th.

Midfielder Sebastian Driussi scored in the 45th minute for Austin FC.

Caicedo, a second-half substitute, put Vancouver ahead after Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver stopped a long shot from Ryan Gauld. Caicedo fired the rebound into the net, bringing the crowd of 9,223 to their feet at BC Place Stadium.

The win was history repeating itself. On Aug. 18, the Whitecaps scored twice in the second half to defeat Austin 2-1 at Q2 Stadium.

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The Whitecaps (7-7-8) are unbeaten in a franchise record 10 MLS games. It was also Vancouver’s fourth consecutive win, tying a franchise record. The win improved interim coach Vanni Sartini’s record to 2-0 since Marc Dos Santos was fired last week.

 Austin FC (5-13-4) have lost five of their last six games.

Godoy, who had missed four MLS games with a foot injury, made it 1-1 with 20 minutes left in the second half. Midfielder Cristian Dajome put a ball into the box that Godoy headed into the net for his first goal of the season.

Driussi gave Austin a 1-0 lead late in the opening half.

Forward Cecilio Dominguez controlled the ball in the box before sending a pass to Driussi who scored on a header that beat Vancouver goalkeeper Thomas Hasal to the bottom right corner of the net. The goal was the second in the six games Driussi has played for Austin while Dominguez earned his team-leading fourth assist.

Gauld had a great scoring chance in the 59th minute. He beat an Austin defender to the ball then fired a rising shot that Stuver got a hand on before the ball bounced off the crossbar. Just a minute later Florian Jungwirth missed on a header.

Vancouver had two top chances in the 64th minute. Forward Brian White got behind the Austin defence and took a shot that Stuver stopped. Gauld got the rebound, but Stuver made another diving save.

Austin defender Julio Cascante saved a goal late in the half. Dajome had chipped a shot over Stuver that was headed for the open net, but Cascante managed to get his foot on the ball before it crossed the line.

Driussi had another good scoring chance for Austin FC in the 25th minute when his hard shot from a sharp angle dribbled by the open corner of the Vancouver net.

NOTES:  Whitecaps’ goaltender Thomas Hasal’s family was unable to attend the game because his mother, a pediatric neurologist in Saskatoon, was on call. … Godoy made his 50th MLS start. … The Whitecaps last won four consecutive MLS games between March 14 and April 4, 2015. … Vancouver played without goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau and defender Javain Brown who were away on international duty for Canada and Jamaica.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 4, 2021.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press