Whitecaps squander lead as Minnesota United earns victory behind 2nd-half surge
Lucas Cavallini scores lone goal for Vancouver in loss
The Vancouver Whitecaps gave up three second-half goals to visiting Minnesota United, who battled back from a 1-0 deficit for a 3-1 win in Major League Soccer on Friday in Vancouver.
Striker Luis Amarilla gave Minnesota the lead in the 84th minute with a hard shot from outside the top of the box at B.C. Place Stadium.
Defender Kemar Lawrence tied the match 1-1 in the 71st minute when he took a looping pass from midfielder D. J. Taylor and drilled a shot past Whitecaps goalkeeper Cody Cropper.
Midfielder Franco Fragapane made it 3-1 in the 88th minute when he chipped a shot over Cropper after two Whitecaps had collided in front of the net.
Second half substitute Lucas Cavallini scored in the 63rd minute to give Vancouver a 1-0 lead.
WATCH | Amarilla seals Minnesota win over Whitecaps:
The Whitecaps (7-9-3) saw their three-game unbeaten string (2-0-1) snapped. Minnesota United (8-8-3) won a third straight game.
The win moved Minnesota into fifth in the Western Conference with 27 points.
Vancouver remained ninth in the West with 24 points, three points out of the seventh and final playoff spot.
Cavallini had the crowd of 14,201 on their feet when he headed a pass from Pedro Vite past outstretched Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
The goal came just a few minutes after midfielder Ryan Gauld had blasted a shot that went off St. Clair's fingers and the post.
The Whitecaps challenged in the 14th when Vite lobed a ball into the box. Diving striker Cristian Dajome chipped a shot toward the net, but St. Clair was able to scoop up the ball.
Minnesota's best first-half chance came in the 45th minute when midfielder Wil Trapp launched a right-footed shot from distance that Cropper stopped.
Early in the second half, Gauld blasted a shot just wide of the Minnesota net.
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