VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Canadian 19-year-old Kianz Froese chipped a ball over Noel Valladares in the 42nd minute for the only goal of the game as the Vancouver Whitecaps beat Honduran side CD Olimpia 1-0 in CONCACAF Champions League action.
Paolo Tornaghi made the start in goal for Vancouver and made three saves to record the clean sheet. His biggest stop of the match came off Michaell Chirinos in the 80th minute as he unleashed a heavy shot from the right side of the box.
Froese opened the scoring in the 42nd minute as he was able to get a foot on a loose ball in the box. Froese has scored just one MLS goal through nine career appearances with the Whitecaps. Vancouver head coach Carl Robinson is happy to see the progress the 19-year-old has made.
“I did challenge him to be more proactive, rather than reactive and I think he took that on board. It was a good shift for him today, and he was one of a number of young players that got valuable minutes.”
The win gives the Whitecaps (1W-0L-1D) four points through two matches of the group stage, as they played to a 1-1 draw at home to the Seattle Sounders in their opening game. Vancouver will visit Seattle in its next Champions League match on Sep. 23, and then will wrap up the group stage in Honduras on Oct. 22.