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Camilo leads Caps over Real Salt Lake

Camilo ended his 12-game scoring drought with a flourish Saturday. The 24-year-old Brazilian winger scored a goal and added an assist as the Vancouver Whitecaps beat Real Salt Lake 2-1 in MLS action before a crowd of 20,083 at B.C. Place.

Camilo ended his 12-game scoring drought with a flourish Saturday.

The 24-year-old Brazilian winger scored a goal and added an assist as the Vancouver Whitecaps beat Real Salt Lake 2-1 in MLS action before a crowd of 20,083 at B.C. Place.

Camilo led Vancouver with 12 goals in 2011 but has struggled this season while battling a thigh injury. The goal was his first goal since May 19 against Seattle and just his fourth of the season.

"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 Whitecaps improved to 10-7-7 while avenging a loss to Real Salt Lake in Utah two weeks ago. Salt Lake (13-9-3) suffered its second consecutive loss and fourth straight on the road.

Vancouver, which entered the game in fourth place in the Western Conference, moved within five points of second-place Salt Lake.

Camilo opened scoring in the 58th minute following a Real Salt Lake turnover in its 18-yard box. Dane Richards scored Vancouver's other goal, which proved to be the winner, as he fired in Camilo's onetouch pass in the 64th minute.

Nat Borchers scored for Salt Lake in stoppage time to add a touch of late drama.

Camilo had played well in recent games but struggled to score. Vancouver coach Martin Rennie indicated 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 offence, goalkeeper Brad Knighton and newly acquired central defender Andy O'Brien furnished strong defence for the victors.

Knighton was credited with five saves as he picked up the win in his first start as a Whitecap. The 27-year-old North Carolina native, spent all of last season with the secondtier Carolina RailHawks and had not started an MLS game since October 2010.