The Vancouver Whitecaps advanced to the semifinals of the Canadian Championship, beating Cavalry FC on penalties after a closely contested match at ATCO Field on Wednesday night.

Vancouver had the first shot on goal of the match, in the 11th minute. Getting his head on the end of a cross into the box from the left flank, Canadian national team star Lucas Cavallini redirected the ball toward the Cavalry net. In the right place to make a big stop was former Whitecaps goalkeeper Marco Carducci, who caught the ball to keep the game scoreless.

Carducci came up big again a few minutes later, catching and managing to hold onto a hard shot from Ryan Raposo in a crowded penalty area.

Cavallini, one of the busiest players in the first half, was denied again in the 34th minute. He opened up a space for himself to shoot in the penalty area, but had his shot blocked by a lunging Mason Trafford, redirecting the ball out for a corner that also failed to provide the game’s opening goal. Not done there, Carducci turned away a chance that Ryan Gauld had from close range in the 39th minute.

The Whitecaps were on the front foot for most of the half, leading the shot count 9-3, but Cavalry were holding down the fort and put in an impressive defensive display in the first 45. Myer Bevan, another former Whitecap, had all three of Cavalry’s shots before the break — a pair of shots that were blocked, and an effort from long range that didn’t trouble Cody Cropper in the Vancouver goal.

Despite the best efforts of the two sides, they entered the break scoreless.

Cavalry’s first shot on target came a few minutes after play resumed, following a corner kick. The ball fell to Daan Klomp in the penalty area, before the Dutch defender kicked it toward the net. He didn’t hit the ball as cleanly as he would’ve liked, and it trickled through a couple of defenders into the hands of Cropper.

With 20 minutes left in the half, and the two sides locked in a stalemate, Cavalry’s hero from the preliminary round — Myer Bevan — stepped up again. Far away from the goal with no real opportunity in sight, Bevan fired a rocket into the top right corner of the goal, giving his side the 1-0 advantage. ATCO Field erupted when the ball flew into the back of the net, as the ball was now in the CPL team’s court.

Karifa Yao came up big for his team in the 84th minute, clearing the ball off the line. Tosaint Ricketts redirected the ball toward the goal but Yao was able to plant his feet and clear it away from danger, before Carducci was able to stop a follow up effort.

The Whitecaps continued to up the pressure in the next few minutes, and were rewarded from a set piece. Déiber Caicedo curled a corner into the box, which was met in the air by defender Érik Godoy. It seemed to take a slight deflection on the way through, and the ball ended up in the back of the Cavalry goal.

Cavalry were in survival mode from that point forward, doing anything they could to stop wave after wave of attacks from the visitors. Klomp and Yao in particular, exhausted from the constant pressure they’d faced already in this match, continued to make big tackles and blocks as Vancouver targeted their side of the pitch.

A second goal wouldn’t come for either team, and a penalty shootout was needed to decide the winner.

After Cavallini stepped up and calmly chipped his penalty down the middle of the goal with Vancouver’s first shot, Bevan responded for Cavalry with hard shot into the bottom right corner. Caicedo and Jose Escalante both scored in the second round as well, before Cristian Dájome and Elliot Simmons made it three for three. Round four was when the Whitecaps took the lead, with Leonard Owusu scoring his effort, before Ali Musse’s effort was stopped by Cropper. Cristián Gutiérrez stepped up and buried his penalty in the fifth round, winning the game for Vancouver.

With the win, the Whitecaps move on to host York United in the semifinals.

BOX SCORE

Goals

72′ — Myer Bevan (Cavalry FC)

85′ — Érik Godoy (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Vancouver Whitecaps win 5-3 on penalties

Discipline

40′ — Yellow: Michael Baldisimo (Vancouver Whitecaps)

47′ — Yellow: Charlie Trafford (Cavalry FC)

63′ — Yellow: Javain Brown (Vancouver Whitecaps)

71′ — Yellow: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps)

90+7′ — Yellow: Ranko Veselinovic (Vancouver Whitecaps)