Hoppenot, Union top Vancouver

Antoine Hoppenot scored the game-winner in the 85th minute for the Union.

Antoine Hoppenot provided the spark.

Hoppenot, a second-half sub for the Union, scored in the 85th minute Saturday night to provide the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Vancouver. The win marked the first time the Whitecaps lost at home in MLS play.

“That was a really, really big win for us against a very good team,” Union manager John Hackworth said. “They were really good even when they went down a man. For us to hang in there for a little while and pull one out is great.”

The match was a contentious one from the outset after Vancouver’s Jun Marques Davidson was called for a head butt. The midfielder slammed his head into the back of Keon Daniel, which immediately drew a red card. Despite the penalty, the two clubs went into the halftime break scoreless.

“I was impressed with Vancouver; they didn’t change their formation, they kept attacking and they put a lot of energy in that,” Hackworth said. “So we knew that if we were patient and possessed the ball and created some opportunities, we were hoping one would eventually come and it did.”