Raposo's Late Goal Gives Whitecaps 3-2 Win Over Timbers

Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, front right, and Portland Timbers' Diego Chara vie for the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, front right, and Portland Timbers' Diego Chara vie for the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Ryan Raposo scored the winning goal in the 87th minute and the Vancouver Whitecaps nearly squandered an early lead but prevailed 3-2 over the rival Portland Timbers on Saturday night.

Ryan Gauld and Fafa Picault scored first-half goals in Vancouver's first win at home this season.

Brazilian Evander and Felipe Mora scored for the Timbers (2-3-1), who have lost three straight.

Gauld scored on a rebound off a Portland defender that got by goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau to give the Whitecaps (3-1-1) the lead in just the second minute. Picault added another goal, his second of the season, for Vancouver in the 29th.

After Evander's goal in the 52nd, Mora scored on a header in the 77th to pull the Timbers into a 2-2 draw.

Raposo came into the game as a substitute in the 81st minute.

The game counted toward the Cascadia Cup, a trophy created by supporters for the winner of the three-way competition between the Timbers, the Whitecaps and the Seattle Sounders.

The Timbers and the Whitecaps have met 35 times since they joined Major League Soccer in 2011. Portland leads the series 16-12-7.

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