In the first meeting between both clubs this season, there was nothing to separate the league's top two clubs at Swangard Stadium, despite the home side creating a number of good chances in the contest.

However, resolute Islanders defending and fine goalkeeping from Puerto Rico goalkeeper Bill Gaudette earned the Caribbean club a valuable point, with Vancouver fans far from happy with referee Geoff Gamble after Eduardo Sebrango was sent off late in the match for arguing the official's decision not to allow an Omar Jarun goal.

Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made three changes to the side that started last Sunday afternoon's 3-2 win over Atlanta Silverbacks. After coming on for his first appearance of the season as a substitute last weekend, Geordie Lyall made his first start for the club in place of Mason Trafford, while Lyle Martin started on the right side of midfield for youngster Admir Salihovic. Charles Gbeke, meanwhile, replaced Jason Jordan to partner Eduardo Sebrango in attack. Backing up starting goalkeeper Jay Nolly was Whitecaps Residency youngster Simon Thomas, who was promoted to the first team this past week after a productive first season in the USL Premier Development League.

Islanders head coach Colin Clarke, meanwhile, made no less than nine changes to the side that claimed an impressive 3-0 victory over the Sounders in Seattle on Friday night. Only defender Nigel Henry and midfielder Noah Delgado were retained from the starting XI two nights before. Included in the visitors' starting line-up was USL-1 assist leader Jonny Steele and former Whitecaps striker Josh Hansen, who started up front with Englishman Taiwo Atieno.

A cloudy and humid August evening saw the floodlights come on before kick-off, with a Swangard crowd of 4,563 seeing the Whitecaps start the game brightly before Puerto Rico slowly worked their way into the contest.

Vancouver created their first chance inside the first 30 seconds, with Alfredo Valente making the most of a Delgado giveaway on the left-hand side before playing in a fine cross to Sebrango. The forward's goal-bound header brought an equally fine save from Gaudette.

Puerto Rico then threatened the Whitecaps goal on eight minutes, but Petter Villegas' side-foot shot flew wide of the near post after the midfielder took a pass from Delgado. A minute later at the other end, Gaudette timed his run out to the top corner of his box well to retrieve Sebrango's forward ball that was intended for the speedy Martin.

The Islanders then started to show some of the qualities that has seen them move to the top of the USL-1 standings, with Villegas side-stepping Jarun in the Whitecaps box before curling a shot that Nolly did well to block away for a corner on 16 minutes. A minute later, the Whitecaps number one did well to catch an inswinging corner from Steele on the goal line.

Hansen was making his first appearance in Vancouver since being a Whitecaps player last season, but he quickly fell out of favour with the home fans on 21 minutes when his dangerous sliding challenge on Nolly earned him a yellow card.

The half-hour mark then brought an unexpected substitution for the home side, as captain Jeff Clarke was unable to continue after picking up a hamstring problem, with Trafford replacing him in the centre of midfield.

The remaining stages of the first half were cagey and even, with the visitors being the closest to threatening the goal on 37 minutes, but Steele struck a shot high and wide of Nolly's goal after a good Puerto Rico passing sequence.

Both clubs would eventually head to their respective dressing rooms deadlocked at 0-0.

The start of the second half saw Thordarson adjust the right-hand side of his formation, with Vicente Arze replacing Geordie Lyall and moving into midfield, while Martin dropped into the right fullback position.

Puerto Rico had the first chance after the restart, with Nolly making a good save with his foot to deny Hansen's tight-angled strike at goal after the former California Victory striker eluded the challenge of Jarun in the Vancouver box on 51 minutes. Five minutes later, Atieno was unable to direct Delgado's far-post cross on target for the Islanders.

Another early second half substitution saw Whitecaps striker Nicholas Addlery replace the hard-working Gbeke in attack, and the Jamaican was unfortunate not to redirect Valente's low cross from the left on target on 59 minutes. Three minutes later, Sebrango forced Gaudette into a save with his low drive after the Cuban got on the end of Valente's free kick from the right.

At the other end, Steele fired a shot from the edge of the area on 66 minutes, but the ex-Northern Ireland youth international saw his effort fly over the crossbar. Two minutes later, Addlery was booked after making a dangerous two-footed challenge on Steele in the centre circle.

One minute after that, Addlery nearly made amends when he struck Puerto Rico's crossbar with a powerful shot that Gaudette got a piece of with his hand after taking a forward ball from Sebrango on the break.

The home side continued to mount the pressure on Puerto Rico, with Trafford forcing a fine goal-line save from Gaudette with his header from Valente's corner on 75 minutes.

Four minutes later, a major moment in the match occurred, as referee Gamble blew down Jarun's goal after adjudging that Gaudette had controlled substitute Luca Bellisomo's header on the goal line with his hand. While the Islanders number one tried to shake off a hand injury, Sebrango seemingly talked himself into two yellow cards and a sending off on 80 minutes - much to the displeasure of the Whitecaps bench and the Swangard crowd.

The red card livened the final stages of the game, with Arze forcing a save from Gaudette with a low drive, while in the five minutes of stoppage time, Islanders substitute Osei Telesford struck a shot over the crossbar before Gamble blew the final whistle to conclude the goalless stalemate.

The Whitecaps have little time to think about Sunday's result, as they make their first league visit to Tukwila, Washington, on Wednesday night when they take on their Interstate 5 rivals in the Sounders. The Whitecaps will then head home to host another Pacific Northwest rival in Portland Timbers on Friday evening. Puerto Rico, meanwhile, face another top-of-the-league match-up at home when Charleston Battery visit the Caribbean island on Friday.