VANCOUVER — Sebastian Fernandez’s early-season flops and his embarrassing simulation in Portland in June have earned the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Uruguayan forward a reputation he just can’t shake.

He knows it, too.

That admitted “fake dive” at Providence Park, where Fernandez staggered around with hands to his face and then fell to the ground after getting tangled up with Portland defender Pa Modou Kah — but not hit in the face — has coloured the way officials view the diminutive South American.

Never mind that he paid his fine and apologized for his actions. He can’t buy a call now, as evidenced by the fact referee Allen Chapman looked the other way the two times Fernandez went down in the box Saturday at BC Place Stadium against Real Salt Lake.

Replays showed that the 5-7, 165-pounder was probably clipped in the foot on the first.

On the second, a defender did put both hands on Fernandez’s back, although he appeared to go down rather easily. A week earlier in Portland, he also failed to get a call in the second half when he was clearly chopped down in the box near the end line.

“From that time (in Portland in June) everyone thinks that I’m like a diver,” Fernandez said Tuesday through translator Paolo Tornaghi, the Caps’ backup goalkeeper. “The referee think always now it’s not like a real fall.

“The last two (against RSL) were penalties. Now even if they shoot me, the referee is not going to call a foul. It’s hard for me.”

It’s also difficult for the Caps to complain. They’ve earned a league-high 12 penalties already this season, double that of 10 other clubs, including top teams like Seattle, D.C. United and Sporting Kansas City.

Fernandez, though, isn’t just having trouble getting the referees to see his tumbles as the result of real fouls. After three goals, all on long-range strikes from outside the box, in his first 15 games, he hasn’t scored in 14 and has failed to record an assist all season.

That’s despite getting the second most starts (22) and the second most minutes (1,769) of any of the Caps’ attacking players besides captain Pedro Morales.

The 24-year-old Fernandez arrived in Vancouver this season on loan from Uruguayan side Boston River after spending 2013 with Peruvian side Universitrio de Deportes. He’s making $143,000 with the Caps.

He started the campaign in terrific fashion, scoring what would eventually be the winning goal in a 4-1 season-opening win over New York. In April, his audacious stoppage-time strike from nearly 40 yards out earned the Caps a 2-2 tie in Salt Lake, then he scored the lone goal in the Caps’ 1-0 win over Seattle on July 5.

But he’s gone pointless since then, despite 24 shots and some wonderful set-ups inside the box.

“He’s continuing to work hard as a teammate,” says head coach Carl Robinson in explaining why Fernandez has started 11 of the last 12 games. “His movement and his understanding of the game are fantastic.

“He hasn’t scored, as my other strikers haven’t scored, but it is what is with that. I can’t do anything about that, except work with him. He’s a fantastic teammate to have on the pitch because he works his socks off and gets into positions to have other teammates get on the ball.”

On Saturday, the sneaky quick Fernandez faked Kyle Beckerman, the RSL holding midfielder and U.S. international, out of his jockstrap just outside the box on the left to set up Morales at the top of the six-yard box. But the Chilean somehow skied his shot over the bar.

“Him not getting an assist all season has been difficult for him,” says Robinson. “Pedro misses from four or five yards. That’s not Seba’s fault, that’s Pedro’s fault. Sometimes stats can be a little bit misleading. What he brings to the table, what he brings to the team has been vital over the past few games.”

Fernandez admits it’s tough when so many of his teammates are struggling with their finish. The Caps had been shut out in six of nine games before the 2-1 win over RSL on Saturday.

“I have to just keep doing the passes to teammates. After a while, (the goals) will come. Just keep believing in the team.

“The last win got confidence in everyone. We are ready to play against everyone now.”

Vancouver, with a precarious one-point lead on Portland for the fifth and final playoff spot in the West, faces fourth-place FC Dallas at BC Place on Saturday, then travel to West-leading Seattle on Oct. 10.

gkingston@vancouversun.com

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