VANCOUVER — Alphonso Davies put on one last show for Whitecaps fans, scoring twice in his final Major League Soccer game to lead Vancouver past the Portland Timbers 2-1 on Sunday.
The ‘Caps (13-13-8) are out of the playoffs, so the victory marked the team’s final game of the season.
It was also Davies’ final match with the club after the Whitecaps reached a record-breaking US$22 million transfer deal with soccer giant Bayern Munich in July that will see him play for the German team through 2023.
Andres Flores scored for the Timbers (15-10-9).
The teen showed why European clubs were so interested in him on Sunday.
Davies opened the scoring in the 28th minute, streaking down the field and getting a beautiful left-footed shot off from the top of the box. The ball sailed past the diving Portland ‘keeper Jeff Attinella and into the back of the net.
Whitecaps fullback Jake Nerwinski was credited with the assist.
Three minutes later, Davies stole the ball off the feet of a Timbers player right outside the Portland net, then popped it into the back left corner for his second goal of the game.
The teen celebrated with a choreographed dance with Vancouver striker Kei Kamara along the goal line, a wide smile covering his face.
The goals were Davies’ seventh and eight of the year. He also has 11 assists.
Davies was also shown the yellow card in the 81st minute for unsporting behaviour. It was the second caution of the game, after Portland’s Lucas Melano was warned in the 27th minute.
Vancouver maintained control for much of the match, holding on to possession for nearly 59 per cent of the game.
The young soccer star and his teammates had a flurry of other chances, including a shot from striker Yordy Reyna in the 68th minute that appeared to skim over the crossbar of the Timbers net.
But Portland got on the board on the 90th minute, when Flores tapped the ball in past ‘Caps ‘keeper Stefan Marinovic.
An apparent passing of the torch took place in the game’s 86th minute, when Davies was subbed out for 16-year-old Simon Colyn, who was making his first-ever MLS appearance.
Colyn immediately showed he belonged, getting the ball alone deep in Portland territory. His shot went just wide of the net.
Davies’ parents and siblings were on hand to watch his final ‘Caps match, travelling from Edmonton for the occasion.
Messages of thanks and encouragement for Davies were broadcast across the big screen throughout the game. They came from his teammates on the Whitecaps and the Canadian men’s soccer teams, and from other athletes, including Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid.
The crowd of 25,348 also rose and gave Davies a standing ovation in the 67th minute, a nod to his jersey number, 67.
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