Camilo scored a goal and added an assist to help the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.
The Whitecaps improved to 10-7-7, while avenging a loss to Real Salt Lake in Utah two weeks ago. Salt Lake (13-9-3) lost its second straight game and fourth straight on the road.
Vancouver trails second-place Salt Lake by five points in the Western Conference.
Camilo scored Vancouver’s first goal in the 58th minute to end a 12-game scoring drought. It was his fourth goal overall and first since May 19 against Seattle.
“It’s hard, because I lost my confidence,” Camilo said. “But now I’m back, and I hope there’ll be a lot more (goals).”
The Brazilian winger led Vancouver with 12 goals in 2011, but has struggled this season while battling a thigh injury.
Dane Richards scored Vancouver’s other goal, which proved to be the winner, as he fired in Camilo’s one-touch pass in the 64th minute. Nat Borchers scored for Salt Lake in stoppage time.
Camilo had played well in recent games, but struggled to score. Vancouver coach Martin Rennie knew it was just a matter of time before he finally put the ball in the back of the net.
“It’s just been coming in the last few games,” Rennie said. “You could see it. His confidence is coming back.”
While Camilo and Richards provided the offense, goalkeeper Brad Knighton and newly acquired central defender Andy O’Brien furnished strong defense for the victors.
Knighton was credited with five saves as he picked up the win in his first start as a Whitecap.
O’Brien, a 33-year-old former Leeds United star who signed as a free agent last month, was pressed into duty earlier than expected after Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit left the game in the first half with a head injury.
At Sporting Kansas City 2, D.C. United 1: Graham Zusi notched the winning goal and his 10th assist to lift Sporting Kansas City over D.C. United, and into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.
Teal Bunbury also scored for Kansas City (13-7-4), which broke a four-match league winless streak at Livestrong Sporting Park. Kansas City had gone 0-2-2 at home since beating Toronto FC 2-0 on June 16.
United (11-8-3) appeared in position to pick up a road point until Zusi collected Kei Kamara’s long cross in the 63rd minute and shot past goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
Bunbury headed in Zusi’s corner kick in the 13th minute, but Nick DeLeon equalized in the 23rd minute for D.C.
At FC Dallas 3, Rapids 2: Fabian Castillo, Jair Benitez and David Ferreira scored to keep Dallas’ faint playoff hopes alive.
Dallas (6-11-8) is 3-2-1 in its past six, including two wins over Colorado (8-15-1), following a franchise-record 13-game winless streak. The victory allows it to leapfrog the Rapids and tie Chivas USA for sixth in the Western Conference standings., seven points behind Los Angeles for the last postseason slot.
Jaime Castrillon and Jeff Larentowicz scored for the Rapids (8-15-1), who are 1-7-0 in their last eight games and 2-10-0 on the road this season.
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