Trio leads Whitecaps to 2-0 victory over Sporting KC

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Edier Ocampo scored two minutes into the match, Kenji Cabrera scored his first goal in his third appearance and Yohei Takaoka needed just one save for his league-leading 13th clean sheet of the season in the Vancouver Whitecaps' 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.

Vancouver (16-6-7) pulled within two points of first-place San Diego FC in the Western Conference with two matches in hand.

The Whitecaps jumped in front when rookie defender Ocampo scored his second goal. Rookie forward Emmanuel Sabbi notched his third assist on the netter.

Cabrera — a 22-year-old midfielder — took a pass from Ali Ahmed in the 43rd minute of his first start and scored for a 2-0 lead at the half. Ahmed's assist was his career-high seventh of the season. He had one assist in his first 46 appearances.

John Pulskamp stopped two shots in goal for Sporting KC (7-18-6).

Sporting KC travels to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Whitecaps travel to play the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer