The Vancouver Whitecaps will continue their battle for a playoff spot after earning a crucial 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Sunday.

B次元官网网址淚t means that weB次元官网网址檙e still in the fight and weB次元官网网址檙e going to fight until the end,B次元官网网址� interim coach Vanni Sartini said of the result.

Heading into the matchup, the B次元官网网址楥aps (10-9-10) knew the stakes B次元官网网址� the three teams the club is chasing for a playoff spot (Minnesota United, the L.A. Galaxy and Real Salt Lake) all won on Saturday, so a loss to SKC would make VancouverB次元官网网址檚 dream of a post-season berth unlikely at best.

B次元官网网址淵esterday everyone won but itB次元官网网址檚 not going to happen every time that everyoneB次元官网网址檚 going to win, our competitors, so we need to win and make more points to be at peace on (the last day of the regular season),B次元官网网址� Sartini said.

B次元官网网址淚f we play like this and we keep working like this, the chance to celebrate on (the last day of the regular season) are higher than the chance that weB次元官网网址檙e pissed.B次元官网网址�

Taking down Sporting (15-7-7), though, was no small task. The visitors sit second in Major League SoccerB次元官网网址檚 Western Conference and were hungry to clinch their own playoff spot with a win or a tie on Sunday.

While SKC dominated 64 per cent of the possession across the game, shots were even at 9-9, with each side registering three on target.

The Whitecaps took a 2-1 lead into halftime, thanks to goals from Ryan Gauld and Russell Teibert, and a pair of assists from Brian White.

Johnny Russell scored the lone tally for Kansas City.

Sporting pushed for an equalizer late and the clubB次元官网网址檚 best second-half chance came in the 85th minute after Whitecaps defender Jake Nerwinski was booked for a hard tackle on Graham Zusi.

Kansas City was awarded a dangerous free kick, but Whitecaps B次元官网网址榢eeper Maxime Crepeau snatched the ball from mid air before SKC could do any damage in the penalty area.

Crepeau had two saves Sunday and Tim Melia stopped one on-target shot for Kansas City.

Russell cut into the WhitecapsB次元官网网址� lead in the 43rd minute. The Scottish wingerB次元官网网址檚 shot from the top of the box beat Crepeau to the bottom left corner of the net to make it 2-1.

Daniel Salloi registered an assist on the goal, which snapped CrepeauB次元官网网址檚 personal MLS shutout streak at 375 minutes.

Russell has now scored in six straight games for SKC.

Teibert put Vancouver ahead 2-0 in the 37th, taking a nice pass from White at the top of the box and blasting a long left-footed shot under the arm of the diving Melia.

B次元官网网址淚 think we have unselfish players all around the team,B次元官网网址� Teibert said. B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檝e shown throughout the entire season that goals will come from anywhere. It was just my night tonight.B次元官网网址�

The goal was a long time coming for the Whitecaps captain B次元官网网址� the last time he scored was in VancouverB次元官网网址檚 2-1 victory over Toronto FC on Oct. 6, 2018.

The B次元官网网址楥aps first goal of the night followed a beautiful play by midfielder Leonard Owusu, who performed some fancy footwork to hold on to the ball in heavy midfield traffic.

Javain Brown then sent a cross in to White at the back post and the American striker headed it into GauldB次元官网网址檚 path. The Scottish attacking midfielder rocketed a left-footed shot past Melia to open the scoring 23 minutes in.

B次元官网网址淚t was a good cross from Javain, his left foot. ItB次元官网网址檚 actually a bit surprising,B次元官网网址� Gauld said of the play. B次元官网网址淎nd then Brian just showed his intelligence. I think it would have been a little bit difficult to score a header from there. Thankfully he knocked it down for me and left me with an easy enough finish.B次元官网网址�

The goal was GauldB次元官网网址檚 third of the season and he nearly added to his tally moments later, sending a shot just wide of the right post.

Despite the victory, Vancouver remains a single point outside of a playoff spot with five games to go in the regular season. Their next chance to climb the table comes Wednesday when they battle the Timbers in Portland.

The Whitecaps have missed the post-season three years in a row, but the entire club believes a run is possible this season, Teibert said.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a ton of belief in this building,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 belief from the fans, thereB次元官网网址檚 belief from the staff, the organization, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a real strong belief in our player group that we can be a playoff team.B次元官网网址�

NOTES: Whitecaps defenders Erik Godoy (foot) and Ranko Veselinovic (groin) both returned from injury. B次元官网网址� A crowd of 10,990 took in the B次元官网网址楥aps eighth annual Pride match. B次元官网网址� White has had a hand in VancouverB次元官网网址檚 last eight goals, scoring six and assisting on two. B次元官网网址� The Whitecaps are now 6-0-1 at B.C. Place this season.

B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press