2-0 victory over Salt Lake snaps losing streak
WHITECAPS 2, REAL SALT LAKE 0
The Southsiders made a statement before the game. The Vancouver Whitecaps made theirs during it.
After a week of social media evisceration, including the team’s supporter’s group putting out a statement on Twitter condemning the team’s coaching and management, the Whitecaps went out and snapped a three-game losing streak — and goal drought — beating Real Salt Lake 2-0 at B.C. Place Stadium on Friday night.
After two straight home shutouts, a stretch of 275 scoreless minutes, the Whitecaps put two in the back of the net to send the crowd of 19,283 home happy.
Cristian Techera scored a 75thminute penalty kick, and four minutes later Anthony Blondell converted a perfect feed from Alphonso Davies for Vancouver, who suffered some nervy moments late in the game thanks to the dumbest red card in years.
Techera ripped off his shirt after scoring the penalty kick, an automatic yellow card, obviously forgetting that he’d got cautioned just three minutes before for a challenge on RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
Eric Hassli did the same in 2011, three games into Vancouver’s inaugural season, when he tore his jersey off after scoring a penalty.
Down to 10 men, Davies gave the home side some relief after storming through the Real defence to set up Blondell for his first.
With the win, the Whitecaps (44-1) jumped over Salt Lake (3-4-1) in the Western Conference standings, and gained a measure of revenge for a 2-1 away loss on April 7.
Here’s what we learned:
THE NUMBERS GAME
It was the typical Whitecaps’ victory; they had just 31 per cent of the ball, were outshot 18-13 overall — 4-3 on target — but it didn’t matter. Most of Real’s chances were from distance, and either the post or goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic took care of the chances that weren’t.
It’s been said this style of play isn’t sustainable, but they’ve still managed to keep winning with it, especially away from B.C. Place.
THE STATEMENT
The Southsiders put out a statement on Twitter before the game, demanding accountability from a team that hadn’t performed well, and were blasted 6-0 in their worst loss in club history the week previous against Sporting Kansas City.
It reflected a growing trend
of criticism directed toward the Caps’ front office and manager Carl Robinson, whose tactics were called into question every week.
The mockery continued with a “Fine Lines” banner being hung in front of the Southsiders’ section, a direct shot at one of Robinson’s favourite platitudes, and one he used after the loss to K.C.
BACK(LINE) IT UP
Just when it looked like coach Robinson had settled on a back four, he changed it up once again, giving the first starts of the season to Brett Levis and Sean Franklin.
Levis, a University of Saskatchewan product and former Caps USL player, missed all of 2017 recovering from a blown ACL, and had seen just six minutes of action with the first team the previous season. In the 25-year-old’s first extended minutes, the 5-8, 155-pound Saskatooner played solid in place of Marcel De Jong at left back, keeping his shape and didn’t give up anything to any players he faced.
Franklin was just as competent at right back in place for Jake Nerwinski. The 33-year-old MLS vet, who joined the team as a free agent from D.C. United, didn’t surrender much on the flank, and created the second-best chance of the first half.
Alphonso Davies, who’d started the game on the bench after battling food poisoning earlier in the week, subbed Levis off in the 61st minute.
NOT MUTCH LUCK
Jordon Mutch saw his first action after missing three games with a hamstring injury, and the presence he brought as an attacking midfielder was apparent, as he created several scoring chances, including a one-touch flick to Blondell that sprung the Venezuelan on a breakaway.
Ten minutes into the second half, he again played a perfect ball through to Brek Shea on a counterattack, but immediately pulled up and signalled to the bench for a substitution.
Nicholas Mezquida came on for the former Premier Leaguer and had a quality chance in the 68th minute after a brilliant run.
NOT MUCH LUCK
In the first half, after being sprung by Mutch on a breakaway, Blondell sidestepped keeper Rimando only to have centreback Justen Glad knock the ball away for a corner.
Blondell also had a near-perfect cross to Shea in the 60th minute, and the lanky American banged his volley off the post and across the goal-line and out.