Davies' first MLS goal leads Vancouver past Montreal
Alphonso Davies' first career Major League Soccer goal gave the Vancouver Whitecaps a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Impact in the 2018 season opener for both teams Sunday at BC Place in Vancouver.
Davies also assisted on Kei Kamara's tally for the Whitecaps.
Matteo Mancosu replied for Montreal, as new Impact coach Remi Garde suffered a loss in his debut.
Davies gave Vancouver an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the 70th minute as he put a hard shot right at Evan Bush. The Montreal goalkeeper blocked the ball, but it then skittered off the left post and slightly over the goal line.
Davies, a 17-year-old Canadian who is considered a ray of hope for a men's national team that has not qualified for the World Cup since 1986, notched his first MLS goal after going scoreless while playing a full 2017 season and part of the 2016 campaign with the Caps.
Kamara, a 33-year-old Sierra Leone native who ranks 10th all time in MLS scoring, stood out in his first game as a Whitecap after being acquired in an offseason trade from the New England Revolution. He was among several players brought in to help the Whitecaps improve after being eliminated by Seattle in the 2017 Western Conference semifinals.
Kamara gave the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead as he ran onto Davies' cross from the left flank and headed it past Impact goalkeeper Bush.
Mancosu closed the gap in the 81st minute as, standing by the far post, he headed in a Daniel Lovitz cross from the left flank.
The Whitecaps controlled play in the first half, but only put one modest shot on target. Vancouver had a dangerous chance in the 26th minute, but Yordy Reyna sent Davies' rolling pass from the left flank wide of the net.
Vancouver midfielder Efrain Juarez got into trouble early in his debut with the Caps as he was cautioned for unsporting behavior in the 11th minute
Montreal defender Victor Cabrera and Vancouver captain Kendall Waston also took yellow cards during the first half, in the 32nd and 37th minutes, respectively.
Vancouver's Russell Teibert fell to the turf in the 23rd minute and had to be tended by trainers, but he stayed in the game.
--Field Level Media
