Whitecaps hope Yordy Reyna can spark offence

VANCOUVER (CP) — It’s not hard to spot Yordy Reyna on the training pitch.

The Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder darts about, the ball sometimes appearing glued to his feet as he glides among teammates.

Then there’s the wild hairstyle resembling an erupting volcano that bounces back and forth while the 23-year-old Peruvian moves one way and then another.

Among the club’s biggest off-season additions, Reyna is feeling like himself again after a broken foot in training camp put his debut on hold for more than four months.

“It was very frustrating,” Reyna said through a Spanish translator earlier this week. “It was definitely a difficult time watching from the stands ... all you can do is sit. “That’s over with now. We turn the page.” Reyna — whose first name is pronounced Jordy — joined the Whitecaps from Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg in January, signing a contract with Vancouver that could stretch all the way to 2020.

He knew little of Major League Soccer and nothing about Vancouver, which made his time spent recovering in a strange environment a challenge before getting connected with people in the city’s Peruvian community.

“It’s really helped me adapt,” said Reyna. “There are also a lot of Spanish-speaking teammates here, so that’s helped me a lot as well.”

The dynamic offensive threat looks primed to make his first start after coming on as a substitute the last four games, possibly as early as Saturday when the Whitecaps visit FC Dallas.

“If I get a chance to score a goal, I’m going to do it,” said Reyna. “If I can pass to a teammate, I’m going to do it, but the important thing is that the team gets wins.”

That confidence was missing last weekend in a deflating 2-1 home loss to the Portland Timbers, a side with just 14 available outfield players because of injuries, suspensions and international duty.

While the Whitecaps scored on a corner kick — 11 of the club’s 26 goals have come from dead-ball situations — too many passes in the attacking third were off, with Vancouver seemingly out of ideas by the time the referee blew the final whistle.

It’s hoped that Reyna, who scored a dramatic winner against New York City FC in his second appearance, can drive Vancouver’s play going forward.