Whitecaps now unbeaten in six games after tie with Crew
Players who swapped sides take on former teammates, with Whitecaps midfielder notching late goal in tie
The coaches on either side framed the trade as a move that benefited both teams. It looks as if they were right. The two players who were traded for each other in March — Kekuta Manneh heading East to the Columbus Crew, and Tony Tchani coming West to the Vancouver Whitecaps — got the chance to rub it in their former team’s faces on Saturday. But neither took it. Manneh had put the visitors ahead with a brilliant goal on his good friend David Ousted in the 64th minute, but the storybook end was rewritten by Tchani, who scored in the fourth minute of injury time to salvage a 2-2 tie for the Caps.
Both players had reason to be forgiven for any over-the-top celebration, but both were subdued and poised.
“When I scored, I didn’t realize I was playing against my former team,” said Tchani, who scored his fourth of the season.
“I took a few steps and just stopped, because … you know, respect. I was there for six years. I felt like I owed them a lot of respect.”
“It felt good to score that goal. I ran … and then I realized we were playing Vancouver (so I stopped),” echoed Manneh, who also had his fourth of the year.
“I would never celebrate in Vancouver. I was really excited to come back. This city gave me everything I had, and who I am today. Basically grew up here. I consider this home for me. I have so much respect for the city, and the fans.”
The trade sending Manneh to Columbus loosened up a logjam on the wing and brought in a defensive stud to the Caps the midfield. For Columbus, they got one of the fastest and most dangerous attacking players in the MLS.
Manneh’s talents, so often on dis play in Vancouver, were out in full force on Saturday, as he put pressure on Vancouver’s back line all night with his ranging runs down the wing and middle of field.
The kid nicknamed Scooter forced Ousted into a tough save six minutes in, then assisted on the Crew’s opening goal 10 minutes later when he got a step on defender Jake Nerwinski and put a cross right onto Ola Kamara’s foot in the 19th minute.
It continued a resurgence in form for Manneh, who struggled to see the field with his new team early on, a situation he wasn’t used to — or happy with, as evidenced by a now-deleted “#rockbottom” tweet.
“As soon as I came to Columbus, coach (Gregg Berhalter) told me, ‘I think they gave up on you too early. They don’t even know what you can do,” said Manneh. “It’s been tough. Different city, different country, the (team) system is different. It took me a while to get adjusted to the system.”
But he has, and the Crew (13-125) are now unbeaten in six games as they battle for playoff position.
The Whitecaps (13-9-6), who began the day in first place in the Western Conference, stretched their unbeaten streak to six games. They’re now 7-2-3 in their last 12 games.
Fredy Montero and Yordy Reyna continued their electric partnership on Saturday night, combining on a passing play with Cristian Techera to put the home side up 1-0 in the 16th minute.
Reyna turned two Crew defenders inside-out just after the half, but couldn’t beat the far post from inside the area. With nine minutes left and Vancouver trailing, his header off a lofted cross from Montero hit the left upright.
Manneh’s goal came from 25 yards out after he stormed upfield from half, unleashing a rocket just inside the left post past a diving Ousted.
It took the Caps until the final minute of injury time for Tchani to knot the score, when he took a cross from Montero and poked it home.
“It shows great character that this group has got; that never-say-die attitude,” said Caps coach Carl Robinson, pointing at the three games his team had played in a week.
“When you’re not sharp, your mind is tired, you emotions are tired, it’s important you grind. Fight, scrap, do all the fundamentals off the ball.”
Tchani missed a chance in the final seconds of injury time, his shot from 20 yards out floating a yard too high, and the Whitecaps settled for the single point.
“I know what Kekuta can do,” said Robinson. “I’ve seen it time and time again in training, and I didn’t want to see it again today. But I did. Credit to the boy.
“Tony has come up big for us a number of times this year. He may not get the plaudits that Kekuta does, but he deserves it today.
The Whitecaps, now solely in first place, have a week to recuperate after their busy stretch before returning to B.C. Place to host the Colorado Rapids. Game time is 7 p.m.