Puerto Rico Islanders’ Sandy Gbandi, right, seen in 2009, posted an assist on former Vancouver Whitecap Nicholas Addlery’s second goal on Sunday. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)
Nick Addlery scored two goals in extra time and the Puerto Rico Islanders defeated Vancouver 2-0 Sunday, eliminating the Whitecaps from the USSF Division-2 playoffs.
The Islanders won the two-leg aggregate-goal semifinal series 2-0 after the teams drew 0-0 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on Thursday.
The Islanders will play the Carolina RailHawks in the final. The RailHawks beat the Montreal Impact 2-1 in the other semifinal series.
The loss was Vancouver’s final game in USSF D-2, and possibly the last game at Swangard Stadium. The Whitecaps will join top-tier Major League Soccer next season and play at the larger Empire Stadium.
Addlery, a former Whitecap, scored the first goal of the semifinal in the 113th minute. Chris Nurse’s initial shot was stopped by Ethan Gage but the defender’s clearing attempt went right to Addlery who volleyed it over Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly.
Addlery, who came on in the 84th minute, added another goal in the 120th minute after avoiding Nolly’s desperate charge and scoring into an open net.
Bill Gaudette stopped seven shots for the Islanders.
Nolly made two saves for the Whitecaps.
Nolly was forced to make a big stop off the foot of David Foley on a rebound in the 11th minute. The play could have been called offside but a great save prevented any controversy.
Vancouver came close to opening the scoring in the 24th minute. Receiving a good cross from Gershon Koffie, Ridge Mobulu took a shot from the top of the box that grazed off the top of the crossbar.
The last good scoring opportunity of the first half came in the 39th minute when a Mobulu cross ricocheted to the top of the box where Terry Dunfield won a race to the ball and shot it, just missing the goal and causing Gaudette to raise his hands to his defenders in disgust.
The Whitecaps opened the second half with a good chance but Willis Forke’s cross to Whitecaps captain Martin Nash was a bit too high.
Dunfield had a glorious scoring chance in the 58th minute when a failed clearing attempt went right to him and he shot from about 12 yards out, but Gaudette made a big save.
Dunfield had a free kick in the 63rd minute that led to another good Nash scoring chance but David Horst cleared the ball before the Whitecaps could muster another shot.
Vancouver’s best chance in overtime came with about 10 minutes to go when substitute Philippe Davies knocked a ball over to Dunfield, but the ball was stopped by a diving Gaudette and it ricocheted out of bounds.
Vancouver entered the game with a 7-2-7 against the Islanders, including an unbeaten 5-0-3 record at home.
Puerto Rico finished the USSF D-2 regular season in the eighth and final playoff spot, eight points behind fifth-place Vancouver.
