Whitecaps might have shown grit, but wins are all that matter now
Vancouver Whitecaps fans everywhere wrung their hands in angst when they saw the referee assigned to Saturday’s game against the L.A. Galaxy: the infamous Baldomero Toledo.
The American official has been the brunt of jokes from exasperated MLS fans stretching back to the Caps’ first year in the league, and has been the source of several calls that have gone against the team in crucial games.
In Saturday ’s 3-0 loss to the Galaxy, two of L.A.’s goals came from the penalty spot, including one just three minutes into the game.
The partisan observer may read the box score and discern some obvious prejudice, but Toledo got it right — twice.
That didn’t stop a frustrated Kei Kamara from sounding off on the officiating after the game.
“We battled. I wish it was an even playing field. I’ve got to be honest … I feel like I wanted to put on a white jersey, not to disrespect my team, but just so the referees can give us a little bit of something,” said Kamara, who was whistled for four fouls, but didn’t have a single call made in his favour.
“It’s tough when you play against all that. We’re all working to get better, the league’s getting better … but (the officials) have to get better, too. I don’t feel it was fairly officiated tonight. (The penalties were) soft, man. Soft. Everything that went (L.A.’s) way tonight, they called it. I don’t remember much that they called our way.
“But it is what it is. They’re always going to put you in the back … we’re not the Galaxy. We’re the Whitecaps.
“We just have to keep battling, keep fighting, because we’re not out yet, like I said, until all the games are done, before we can rule ourselves out.”
QUICKMATH
No, the Whitecaps aren’t out of it. But figuring the math to make the playoffs is now straying into quantum mechanics territory, trying to calculate win probabilities and percentages to add up to a sixth-place finish.
The Galaxy (12-11-8, 44 points) are four points in front of the Whitecaps (11-12-7), but, with just three games left, L.A is still below the playoff line. The team they’re both chasing, Real Salt Lake,
(13-11-7), gained an invaluable point Sept. 30 with a 1-1 tie with Sporting K.C. (15-8-7) and now sits on 46 points.
The Whitecaps, now losers of three straight, are away to Toronto next week, home to Sporting Kansas City and away to LAFC before hosting Portland to round out the season.
The first three teams have all beaten the Caps in their meetings this season; Sporting and FC won 6-0 and 2-0 in back-to-back games, while Toronto outscored them 7-4 in a tie and win over the two-leg Canadian Championship final series.
“It is a tough road, but we’ll put four strong performances in, and I can guarantee that,” said interim coach Craig Dalrymple. “They’re committed to that. We’ll count the points at the end of the season, and we’ll see where we’re at.
“The end of every season is always about the character of the group. The work is done early in the season. But they ’re still leading the charge.
“There’s still fight in the lockerroom, and you’ll see that next week against TFC.”
FIGHT CLUB
Give this to the Whitecaps; they did show some spark in playing to the end of the game. Over the final 35 minutes, they held 78-per-cent possession of the ball.
They outshot and out-chanced L.A. down the stretch.
“To be honest, they had every reason to lie down tonight, to lie down and give in, especially after conceding two minutes in,” Dalrymple said. “They fought. (I’m) really, really happy with the response.
“Obviously Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) scores a Zlatan goal, and then a (second) penalty — again, another reason to lay down — but they didn’t. They got stronger. So really proud of the effort.”
The dynamic Alphonso Davies again out-shined just about every other player on the pitch, setting up Kamara and Russell Teibert with prime scoring chances in the second half after blazing through double-teams on the wing. He only had two dribbles on the night, but had a game-high three key passes.
“He was by far the most electric player on the field at the end of the game,” said Dalrymple.
“The final 20 minutes, he still had energy to burn, and he’s causing fits for the fullback. He created four or five really good chances at the end, when everyone’s tired, when everyone’s checked out of the game, he’s still playing.”