Vancouver Whitecaps' Jordan Harvey, left, and Chicago Fire's Patrick Nyarko jump for the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday July 14, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
July 14, 2013 - 6:10 PM
VANCOUVER - Camilo scored two goals six minutes apart to lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Fire in MLS action Sunday.
With the goals, his 11th and 12th of the season, Camilo moved into the MLS scoring lead. Second-half substitute Kekuta Manneh also scored for the Whitecaps (8-7-6) as they extended their unbeaten streak to a club record six games.
Vancouver overtook the idle Los Angeles Galaxy for fourth place in the Western Conference. Chicago (6-9-3) suffered its second consecutive loss.
Camilo scored in the 66th and 72nd minutes and Manneh tallied in the 84th. Vancouver goalkeeper Brad Knighton was denied a second consecutive shutout as Patrick Nyarko scored a few seconds before the game ended.
Vancouver's offence erupted early in the second half after struggling to get going in the first 45 minutes.
Knighton foiled Chris Rolfe from in close in the second minute, getting his arm on the shot.
Three minutes later, Vancouver defender Young-Pyo Lee almost snuck a shot from long range under the crossbar, but the ball rested on top of the net instead as Chicago goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi watched helplessly.
In the 10th minute, Knighton dove to stop Jeff Larentowicz's header off a corner-kick. A Vancouver defender got in the way of a Chicao shot in the 25th minute, denying a dangerous scoring chance. Otherwise, Knighton and Tornaghi were rarely tested.
Chicago was credited with six shots on target in the first half, while the Whitecaps recorded just two.
Vancouver's offence picked up early in the second half as Kenny Miller put a Gershon Koffie setup off the post from the top of the Chicago box. Miller had another excellent chance in the 53rd minute, but he could not get a shot away after taking a Camilo pass from right flank.
Miller was open and the crowd roared in anticipation of a goal, but he mis-hit the ball and it went sideways.
Chicago's Rolfe came close to scoring again in the 56th minute, but he put a header over the net. Just a minute later, Miller had yet another chance, from the top of the Chicago box, but he fired the ball way wide.
In the 60th minute, Chicago's Mike Magee, who entered the game tied for the league scoring lead, thought he had scored and started to put his arms up in celebration, but the ball curled wide of the net.
Six minutes later, Camilo fielded a long punt from Knighton between Rolfe and Fire teammate Shaun Francis. Then the Brazilian deked Francis, twisting him inside-out, and put in a low shot.
Knighton earned an assist for the second straight game.
After the goal, Vancouver's Kekuta Manneh knelt down and using his knee as a stool, polished Camilo's boot with his jersey. Camilo responded by kissing him on the head.
In the 72nd minute, Camilo got a breakaway only to see Chicago 'keeper Tornaghi dive and poke the ball away from him. But Camilo quickly retrieved the ball and, with Chicago players standing around and watching, rolled a shot past Tornaghi, who evidently was screened.
In the 75th minute, Vancouver defender Brad Rusin blocked a Magee shot within the Vancouver box. Magee and other Fire players pleaded for a hand-ball call and penalty-kick, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Camilo had a chance for a hat-trick in the 81st minute, but Tornaghi caught his shot off a Miller pass.
Manneh showed some physicality and artistry of his own as he fought off Chicago midfielder Nyarko for the ball in the box. With Chicago's Janil Anibaba then poised to guard against a deke, Manneh fired the ball through the defender's legs and just inside the post beyond a diving Tornaghi.
But Nyarko spoiled Knighton's shutout as he put in a header just before three minutes of added time concluded.
Notes: Newly-signed Danish goalkeeper David Ousted served as Knighton's backup. It was the first game for which Ousted was eligible to suit up after the opening of an international transfer window. Joe Cannon, 38, who started the season as Vancouver's No. 1 'keeper, was a healthy scratch. ... Chicago's Daniel Paladin and Gonzalo Segares were absent due to suspensions. Paladini served the first of a two-game suspension for a reckless challenge against a Kansas City player July 7, and Segares was suspended for yellow-card accumulation. ... Whitecaps midfielder Russell Teibert is back in Vancouver after contracting an illness in Seattle while he was with Canada's Gold Cup team. But he remained sidelined. The illness forced Teibert to miss Canada's final two round-robin games. Had the 20-year-old Niagara Falls, Ont., native been healthy, he would have missed the Vancouver-Chicago game anyway. ... Chicago No. 1 goalkeeper Sean Johnson was away with the U.S. team at the Gold Cup. ... Vancouver central defender Andy O'Brien, considered close to returning, sat out again with a hamstring injury.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013