VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Darren Mattocks scored for the fourth time in the last five games to help the Vancouver Whitecaps beat Sporting Kansas City, 2-0, on Sunday night.
Vancouver (7-4-11) also took advantage of an own goal by Sporting defender Igor Juliao to hand Kansas City (11-6-6) its first loss in Major League Soccer play since May 31.
The Whitecaps took the lead in the 17th minute when Juliao and Kansas City goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum got their signals crossed after Vancouver's Pedro Morales lofted a long ball toward goal. Juliao tried to head a pass back toward Gruenebaum, but it dribbled over the line.
Vancouver doubled the advantage in the 30th minute when Morales and Mattocks pounced on a Kansas City turnover in midfield and broke back the other way. Morales drew a defender toward him before squaring the ball to Mattocks, who made no mistake in slotting a low shot past a helpless Gruenebaum for his sixth of the season.
