Caps dominate, but leave Salt Lake without a point
Call it the ol’ road-a-dope.
That bend-but-don’t-breakaway style that has been the Vancouver Whitecaps’ bread and butter and made them the leader in MLS road wins since 2014, turned out to be the perfect strategy for Saturday night’s home team.
Real Salt Lake took a page from the Caps’ playbook — maybe even the whole thing — ceding the edge in possession, shots and chances, only to punch back on the counterattack in limited chances to snag a 2-1 victory at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Four minutes into first-half injury time, Luis Silva gave Real Salt Lake the lead after finding space between Efrain Juarez and Jake Nerwinski, collecting a cross and spinning to fire a shot off Nerwinski’s heel past Stefan Marinovic. They added a second in the 88th minute from Jefferson Savarino.
Both goals came after extended periods of Whitecaps pressure, something the visitors did consistently throughout the game. Despite the Caps’ advantage in the stats column, they couldn’t find pay dirt until it was too late.
“It’s disappointing, you know? I thought we played really good,” said Juarez, who started Saturday night’s game after sitting last week in Columbus.
“In the final third we had a lot of chances, a lot of crosses to make the difference in the first half — in the second half as well. At the end, the quality wasn’t so good in the last third of the pitch. We had the ball, we tried to score the whole game. They just wanted to defend and counter-attack it, maybe shoot two or three times, and two was what they scored.
“Normally those kinds of games, we need to win at the end. We can
make to get the three points. So I’m really disappointed because we worked so hard and we go home with empty hands.”
The Caps, who had won only once in nine previous visits to RioT, held the advantage in corners (6-1), duels won (65-53), out-shot the home side 11-9 (4-3 on target) and forced Real into 31 clearances to Vancouver’s 11.
The Whitecaps held 66 per cent of the ball in the game’s final 35 minutes, but were stymied until the third minute of injury time. Alphonso Davies, who had made the move to left back after Brek Shea subbed on for Marcel de Jong in the 74th minute, played the ball 40 yards upfield to Kei Kamara. A quick flick-on sprung Shea for his third goal of the year. It was exactly the type of play RSL had been preparing for.
“How many times did they punt the ball 60 yards in the first half alone to Kamara to play off of him? We worked on it all week — having good shape, reacting to the pressure on the ball, knowing they’re sending it long. … They’re a very dangerous team like that,” said Real coach Mike Petke, whose team has won six of its last seven at home.
“Plus a couple in the back, especially in the second half, got the ball wide a number of times and whipped them across to some pretty good boys. They’re effective in what they do.”
The Caps came in with their own game plan, uncharacteristically pressuring the RSL back line and defensive midfielders with a harassing, swarming defence. Already missing several midfielders to injury, and leading scorer Joao Plata being anchored to the bench and being replaced by Corey Baird in the starting lineup, Salt Lake couldn’t form a cohesive attack.
The dreadlocks-less former U.S. international Kyle Beckerman and running mate Damir Kreilach looked pedestrian in front of the defensive line, as Kamara and Nicolas Mezquida buzzed them like hornets. That part of the game plan went according to plan, said Juarez.
It was the other part that was the problem; that whole scoring thing.
“We really played like we planned it during the week,” he said. “We really worked hard. Now in the locker-room, we’re without answers. When you play we try to score all 90 minutes and in two plays, they scored two goals.”
Petke was also critical of his team’s play.
“If I’m being very honest in assessing the team five games in, I don’t like the way we’re playing with the ball. I don’t think a lot of the players do,” said Petke. “From last year and from pre-season this year, it seems to be a little bit of a confidence thing. When we’re clicking, our front four especially, we’re a pretty damn fun team to watch. But it’s been few and far between this year.”
The Caps (3W-2L-1D) now return to B.C. Place for the next leg of their yo-yo home/away schedule to host L.A. FC on Friday. And then it’s away the following Friday to Sporting Kansas City, before returning home on April 27 to host Real.