Photo by Anne-Marie Sorvin/USA Today Sports

By RYAN TOLMICH

Up a man at a hostile BC Place, D.C. United forward Chris Rolfe took full advantage of his team’s edge en route to earning his side all three points.

Rolfe provided the game-winner in the 64th minute, earning D.C. United a 2-1 victory over the 10-man Vancouver Whitecaps Sunday at BC Place.

Taking the upper hand following the dismissal of Whitecaps midfielder Matias Laba, Rolfe looked to play in the returning Fabian Espindola, only to see his pass cleared away. The clearance only went as far as Rolfe, who struck the shot first-time from the top of the box to earn his side all three points despite conceding the early lead.

Despite the result, the Whitecaps found themselves on the scoresheet in just the second minute via a finish from Pedro Morales.

The Whitecaps midfielder’s goal came off an assist from forward Octavio Rivero, whose pass found Morales on the left side of the box. Morales proceeded to loft a curling shot up and over goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra to grab the early lead.

The lead evaporated just eight minutes later on a finish from Boswell, as the D.C. United captain smashed home a header off of a pass from midfielder Michael Farfan.

Following Boswell’s goal, the scoreline remained throughout the rest of the first half, although the Whitecaps suffered a significant loss in the dismissal of Matias Laba.

The Argentine saw himself sent off in the 43rd minute for a foul on Espindola, earning Laba his second yellow and an early trip to the locker room.

Laba’s dismissal proved to be fruitful for the visitors, who banked a victory on the heels of Rolfe’s second-half finish.

With the victory, D.C. United continues the team’s five-game unbeaten run that stretches back to March 22.

D.C. will be back in action May 2 for a home matchup with the Columbus Crew, while the Whitecaps return that same day in Portland against the Timbers.