Vancouver snaps Revolution’s 17-game home unbeaten string with a 2-1 victory

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Getting in front of opponents has been a struggle for the Vancouver Whitecaps this season. Just not on Saturday night.

Octavio Rivero scored on a penalty kick in the 31st minute as Vancouver snapped the New England Revolution’s 17-game home unbeaten streak with a 2-1 victory.

“Something we’ve lacked this year is being able to get our noses in front,” Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson said. “We’ve played very well without scoring and then we’ve given up goals. We know that if we score the first goal we’re a different team because we’ve got very quick attacking transition players so it was nice to get the first goal, it was a good move.”

Vancouver grabbed the lead in the 18th minute when Cristian Techera’s left-footed shot caromed off Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth’s gloves and trickled into the lower left corner.

New England’s Andrew Farrell committed a hard foul in the penalty area in the 31st minute, earning a red card and giving Vancouver a spot kick that Rivero converted to make it 2-0.

The West-leading Whitecaps have won an MLS-best six road games through the first half of the season. The win was also their third straight as visitors — the first time they’ve done so while in MLS.

“It’s always nice to get three points in any game, especially away from home in a very difficult place as we know New England was going to be,” Robinson said. “I’m proud of the guys in there today because we had a couple of key players missing but other guys stepped into the lineup. Battled, strong, disciplined performance which helped us get over the line.”

Teal Bunbury halved the Vancouver lead in the 84th minute, finding a loose ball off a New England set piece and driving it into the middle of the goal.

Whitecaps ‘keeper David Ousted had a season-high eight saves.

New England has lost three straight. It was coming off back-to-back 2-1 losses at Washington and Columbus.

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With files from The Canadian Press