REFUSING TO CAPSIZE

Trailing 2-1 at the half, and lacking team discipline, Vancouver regrouped in the final 45 minutes to take a big bite out of their Big Apple visitors

Say hello to Yordy Reyna. In scoring his first Major League Soccer goal of the season Wednesday night, and his first for Vancouver, the 23-year-old Peruvian striker managed to do what the Whitecaps have struggled to accomplish of late: find the back of the net.

Reyna scored in the 88th minute and did so without a scripted pass coming his way off a set piece.

The Whitecaps defeated New York City FC 3-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 22,120. And they were thrilled to meet the player that coach Carl Robinson has been excited to introduce since Reyna was signed to little fanfare in the off-season.

Subbed into the game partway through the second half, the fivefoot-seven attacker immediately sparked his side, which had held its own to maintain a 2-2 draw against the deep centre field talents of David Villa and Andrea Pirlo, two star internationals now playing their final professional years in the Big Apple.

Before he scored the winner in the 88th minute, Reyna showed skill to control and distribute the ball, switching it at one point down the left flank and later cracking a hard left-foot shot that called on keeper Eirik Johansen to make a big save.

His goal came off a low cross from Jake Nerwinski, who sent the pass into the box where Reyna finished it off.

Robinson said he has high expectations for the young international once he learns to make his moves in the right third of the field.

“He wants to get on the ball,” the coach said. “You see his tricks and flicks. I want him to do that in the right areas.”

Fredy Montero scored the first goal of the game at 2:13, leaving a New York City defender on the pitch with his head in his hands, having beat Alexander Ring to a smart pass from Brek Shea and curling the shot across the crease to the far post.

Until Montero opening with the go-ahead goal, the Caps hadn’t found the net except off set pieces. Since June 3, they’ve scored five goals in four games, but all off penalty shots, free kicks and corners.

Jordan Harvey, with a goal in the 54th minute that tied the game 2-2, also scored for the Caps.

GERRY KAHRMANN/PNG Fredy Montero of the Vancouver Whitecaps celebrates his early goal against New York City FC on Wednesday at B.C. Place Stadium.

— THE CANADIAN PRESS Vancouver Whitecaps striker Yordy Reyna, left, tries to move the ball past New York City FC’s Alexander Callens during the second half on Wednesday.