Defence key as Whitecaps visit Timber
Having just desperately cleared the ball off his goal line to help preserve the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders last week, Kendall Waston was pumped.
So much so that the bruising defender and teammate Tim Parker, anchors at the back key in withstanding the late push, got physical at the final whistle. One friendly slap led to another and then another, each more forceful than the previous one.
“It was kind of like a college roommate, happy celebration thing,” said a smiling Parker. “One little smack happened and it turned into a harder smack and a harder smack. “It was kind of funny, but it did hurt.” Coming off a lost campaign where they leaked goals at an alarming rate, defending has been one area that hasn’t hurt the Whitecaps so far in 2017.
After conceding 52 times in 2016, up from a stingy 36 the previous year, Vancouver has allowed 11 goals through six Major League Soccer games this season. That number might not seem impressive, but digging a little deeper shows that five of those goals were scored after the Whitecaps had a player sent off, while three more came during a defeat to Real Salt Lake in a blizzard.
And while teams defend as a unit, Waston and Parker have been key to the revival at the back for Vancouver (2-3-1), which visits the high-flying Portland Timbers (4-2-1) today.
Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson gave both of his first-choice central defenders increased responsibility this season. Waston, 29, was named captain in place of the departed Pedro Morales, while Parker, 24, got a turn leading the squad during the exhibition schedule.
“It’s an honour to wear the arm band,” said Waston. “Being the captain of this team is very important. I don’t want to disappoint.”
That’s exactly what happened too often last season. After finishing second in voting for defender of the year during his first full MLS campaign in 2015, the six-footfive Costa Rican international led the Whitecaps with a league-high three red cards to go along with eight yellows.
Waston, Parker and the Whitecaps face a tough test this weekend against Portland, which is tops in the overall standings with an MLS-leading 16 goals.
“They have quality,” said Parker. “They’re one of the best teams on paper in the league, and I think on the field as well.”
Howard blasts MLS, Rapids
DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard blasted his team and Major League Soccer on Friday, asking for heightened security in light of his verbal altercation with a fan that resulted in his three-game suspension.
Howard was suspended and fined an undisclosed amount last week for profane language toward a fan during a game against Sporting Kansas City and an altercation with a fan following the match, which Colorado lost 3-1.
The longtime U.S. national team star tweeted a link to a Facebook post on Friday that began: “I want to begin by saying I am genuinely sorry for my behaviour in Kansas City and I want to apologize to my fans. I let myself get too worked up after being provoked and said some things I shouldn’t have. I am at fault and certainly not a victim in this incident.”
However, Howard continued, “after reviewing the incident in Kansas City, my league and my team chose to admonish me and suspend me for almost 10 per cent of the season, but they did not say a word about the fan’s antagonistic behaviour or the negligent security.”
Champions League semis set
NYON, Switzerland — Defending champion Real Madrid will meet city rival Atletico Madrid in the semifinals of the Champions League in a rematch of last season’s final.
The Spanish teams also met in the 2014 final, with Madrid winning both times.
The draw on Friday pitted Juventus and Monaco in the other semifinal.
Madrid plays the first game at home on May 2; Monaco hosts Juventus on May 3. The return legs will be the following week.
“The goal is to reach the final, and to do that you have to beat whichever opponent you get,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “The goal and the motivation would be the same with any other opponent.”
In its seventh straight semifinal, Madrid is trying to become the first team to repeat as champion since the competition’s new format was created in 1992. It won a record-extending 11th title last season.
The final is in Cardiff on June 3.