Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped a penalty kick in extending his scoreless streak to 410 minutes, the longest in MLS this season, as the Whitecaps played to a 0-0 draw with the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
Takaoka made two saves, including on Diego Rubio’s penalty in the 80th minute, as Vancouver (2-2-5, 11 points) extended its unbeaten streak to seven matches (2-0-5).
The Rapids’ William Yarbrough made five saves, four of those in the second half, as Colorado (1-3-6, 9 points), remained undefeated in its past six games (1-0-5).
Rubio was awarded the PK after Vancouver defender Javain Brown brought down the Rapids’ Jonathan Lewis along the end line on the left side of the 18-yard box. Rubio tried to put his kick into the lower right corner of the net, but Takaoka guessed correctly and dove to smother the shot.
Colorado put the ball in the net off a free kick in the 57th minute, but it was ruled the Rapids’ Lalas Abubakar interfered with Takaoka as he tried to catch the cross.
Brown had two quality chances in the opening minutes of the second half. In the 48th minute, Yarbrough made a diving save on Brown’s left-footed shot from 12 yards out. And in the 51st, Brown’s header off a corner kick from Julian Gressel went just wide of the right post.
Yarbrough also stopped Ali Ahmed’s close-range shot in the 65th minute, tipped Luis Martins’ 25-yard attempt over the crossbar in the 67th, and smothered Brian White’s attempt from the top left of the 6-yard box in the 71st.
Colorado nearly got on the board in the 17th minute. Takaoka made a diving save on a shot by Keegan Rosenberry from the right side of the penalty area. Rapids midfielder Max appeared ready to knock the rebound into the net from the top of the 6-yard box, but Vancouver defender Tristan Blackmon made a sliding stop to knock the ball away.
Vancouver nearly broke through in the 18th minute as Gressel sent a through pass to White at the top of the 18-yard box. Yarbrough was just able to get his fingertips on White’s blistering shot, enough that the ball ricocheted off the top of the crossbar and went out of play.
–Field Level Media
