Bolanos driving the Whitecaps offence
Vancouver set to host D.C. United today
VANCOUVER (CP) — The raking cross dipped in and out of the tricky late-afternoon shadows at B.C. Place Stadium as it steamed towards Christian Bolanos.
Instead of trying to control the ball for himself when it arrived, the veteran Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder gently chested a one-touch pass to Cristian Techera, who in turn got all of his volley for last weekend’s highlight-reel opener.
Bolanos then stepped up to take a free kick later in the match against Sporting Kansas City, dropping a perfect set piece onto the head of Tim Parker to assist the defender’s first-ever Major League Soccer goal in what would turn into a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Western Conference leaders.
“Right now I’m in good shape,” said Bolanos, who turned 33 last week. “I feel very comfortable, very close to my peak.”
And that’s been great news for both Bolanos and the Whitecaps following an uneasy start to the 2017 campaign.
The Costa Rican international showed up in January with tendinitis in his right knee and missed all of the pre-season after what head coach Carl Robinson described as Bolanos taking too much time off over the winter.
But he worked his way back into form by the middle of March, initially patrolling the centre of the pitch as an attacking No. 10 before a formation change pushed him out wide with a licence to roam inside when needed.
“I like to play free, to move free,” said Bolanos.
No matter where he’s been positioned, the crafty player has been an offensive catalyst and workhorse at both ends of the field for the Whitecaps (5-5-1), who continue their homestand today against D.C. United (3-6-2).
“I’d been chasing him for two years,” said Robinson, who signed Bolanos in January 2016. “When he’s on, he’s as good as anyone in the league to watch. He has a massive impact on the game. He sets the standard that we want to try and do in attacking areas. He’s been refreshing.”
Bolanos had five goals and set up eight others in 27 games with Vancouver last season. He has yet to find the back of the net in 2017, but has four assists, including three in the last two games.
D.C. United sits last in the Eastern Conference and has been outscored 6-0 during its current three-game losing streak, but the Whitecaps are wary of what should be a desperate United squad.
“These kinds of games are the most difficult,” said Bolanos. “Everybody can see they’re in the last position, but in football what’s on paper is different when you go play.
“You have to fight for the points. We have to respect every team.”