Gauld scores in each half to lead Whitecaps to 2-1 victory over Sporting KC

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Ryan Gauld scored a goal in each half to lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night.

Gauld staked Vancouver (6-5-4) to a 1-0 lead at halftime when he scored unassisted from in close with a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner of the net in the 39th minute.

Gauld added an insurance goal in the 82nd minute on a breakaway, also unassisted. It was his seventh netter of the season.

Gauld’s second goal became necessary in picking up the three points after Marinos Tzionis scored in the second minute of stoppage time for Sporting KC (2-8-5). It was Tzionis’ first goal this season and the second of his three-year career. Khiry Shelton notched his first assist of the campaign on the score.

Yohei Takaoka totaled four saves in goal for the Whitecaps.

John Pulskamp made his second start of the season for Sporting KC and did not have a save.

Vancouver snapped a six-match unbeaten run in which the Whitecaps went 0-3-3 after getting off to a 5-2-1 start.

Sporting KC has lost six in a row and its winless streak has reached nine straight.

The Whitecaps are 4-1-1 in the last six matchups to improve to 7-12-5 in the all-time series and 3-7-2 on the road.

Dániel Sallói will have to wait at least one more match to become the fourth Sporting KC player with 100 career goal contributions. He has 59 goals and 40 assists.

Sporting KC travels to play Minnesota United on Saturday. The Whitecaps head home to host the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.