Kelvin Leerdam scored in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time as the Seattle Sounders defeated the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 Saturday night.
It was the fifth goal of the season for Leerdam, the Sounders’ right back.
Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei made five saves to post his sixth shutout of the season and put an end to Seattle’s three-match losing streak.
The Sounders (8-4-5, 29 points) were still without eight players due to international play, but got some strong performances from youngsters and recent signees.
And the goal came down to a pair of defenders, as Brad Smith worked the ball to the top of the 18-yard box in the middle of the field and fed Leerdam on the wing, whose right-footed strike from about 12 yards out found the lower left corner of the net.
Vancouver goalkeeper Zac MacMath made seven saves to keep his team in the game until stoppage time.
The Whitecaps (4-7-8, 20 points) had their unbeaten streak snapped at six consecutive matches, although they’ve won just once in that span.
Sounders midfielder Danny Leyva, a 16-year-old making his second MLS appearance and first start, put the ball in the net from 30 yards out in the 60th minute, chipping the ball into the upper right corner over three Whitecaps defenders with MacMath on the ground near the top of the 18-yard box following a collision with Seattle forward Justin Dhillon.
It was originally ruled a goal, but video review showed Dhillion, who was making his Sounders debut after signing earlier in the week following an injury to Will Bruin, stepped on MacMath’s foot after the goalie had thwarted a one-on-one break. The goal was waved off.
Vancouver forward Fredy Montero, the Sounders’ all-time scoring leader, nearly put the Whitecaps up in the 74th minute, but his shot from 5 yards out sailed just over the crossbar.