Raposo, Vancouver earn 1-1 draw with Charlotte in season opener

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This article was published 02/03/2024 (949 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER, B.C. (AP) — Ryan Raposo scored five minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half to pull Vancouver even and the Whitecaps earned a 1-1 draw with Charlotte on Saturday night at BC Place in front of 29,624 — the biggest crowd to watch a season opener in franchise history.

Charlotte, playing in Vancouver for the first time, took a 1-0 lead at the half-hour mark of the first half. Brecht Dejaegere sent a cross through the middle of the penalty area toward Enzo Copetti, who intentionally allowed the ball to bounce between his legs and onto the right foot of an open Iuri Tavares, who fired a shot into the top right corner.

The Whitecaps earned a corner kick in stoppage time and Pedro Vite chipped a high cross that found Raposo just outside the six-yard box behind Charlotte keeper Kristijan Kahlina and he chipped the shot home.

Vancouver finished with 11 shot attempts, six of them on goal. Charlotte attempted seven shots, five of them on goal.

Vancouver keeper Yohei Takaoka made a one-on-one save on Copetti in the first half, kicking away a low shot from the top of the penalty area, and Kahlina made a diving save to steer a Vancouver shot past the far post on a first-half try.

Vancouver has not won its season opener since beating the Portland Timbers 1-0 to kick-off the 2021 season. In 2023 the Whitecaps were 8-3 at BC Place.

Charlotte won its season opener, 1-0 over New York City FC.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer