Whitecaps, NYCFC play to scoreless tie

The Vancouver Whitecaps and the visiting New York City FC each earned their first point of the season in a 0-0 draw on Saturday.

NYCFC (0-1-1, 1 point) and the Whitecaps (0-1-1, 1 point) have been shut out in each of their first two games to start the season. The draw dropped Vancouver to 1-4-2 in its past seven home openers at BC Place, with the lone win coming in 2018.

NYCFC dominated possession in the first half, with nearly 69 percent of the touches and 12 shot attempts, three of which reached the target. But Vancouver goalkeeper Thomas Hasal came up with key saves, including getting his body on a shot through traffic by Thiago Andrade from the top of the box in the eighth minute.

New York defender Alexander Callen came within inches of the first goal with a header from the doorstep that hit the crossbar in the 15th minute.

Defender Cristian Gutierrez came close to breaking the ice for the home side in the 27th minute, but his shot from the top of the box went just over the crossbar and landed on top of the net.

Malte Amundsen had another opportunity for NYCFC in the 31st minute from the left of the goal area, but Hasal got a piece of the ball with his hand to deflect it away.

The Whitecaps came out in the second half with more attack to their game, generating four shots through 20 minutes after managing just five in the entire first half, but none was on target.

Hasal saved the point for Vancouver in the 89th minute when he got jumped and got his hand on a Thiago attempt off a cross and deflected the ball over the net.

--Field Level Media