SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Simon Becher scored unassisted in his first match of the season and it came in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time, rallying the Vancouver Whitecaps to a dramatic 1-1 draw with Minnesota United on Saturday night.
Becher subbed in and played 20 minutes before delivering the equalizer. His only other goal came last season when he subbed in for an eight-minute stint and scored in the Whitecaps’ 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo.
Minnesota United (2-0-2) was the only team to beat Vancouver (0-2-3) twice last season. Minnesota United, off to the best start in club history, and St. Louis City entered the day as the only two Major League Soccer teams with a pair of road wins.
Yohei Takaoka finished with two saves for Vancouver. Clint Irwin stopped four shots for Minnesota United.
The Whitecaps had a 23-8 advantage in shots and a 5-2 edge in shots on goal.
The Whitecaps now tilt their heads toward a three-match homestand at BC Place starting next weekend. First up is an all-Canadian clash against CF Montréal on April 1, followed by CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal action against LAFC on April 5.
The stretch concludes with a Cascadia matchup against Portland Timbers on April 8 in the club’s annual Vaisakhi Night.
Minnesota United travels to play St. Louis City on Saturday.
