Vancouver’s game plan works to frustrate offense
It’s not going to be so easy for the Dynamo after all.
One week after they breezed to a dominant victory over a soft-up-the-gut team in their Major League Soccer season opener, the Dynamo fell victim to the strong and organized Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Vancouver scored once in each half Saturday night on its way to a 2-1 victory in front of 16,082 fans at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The Dynamo (1-1-0) have lost one of two home matches this season. Last year they lost only once in 17 regular-season home games.
“We worked hard, and we brought everything in the field,” said midfielder Darwin Ceren, who started his first game. “We’re really mad because it’s our home and we don’t want to lose in our home.”
The Dynamo made their success last year with a powerful and oftentimes surprising counterattacking approach.
But unlike this year’s opening-day opponent Atlanta United FC, Vancouver (2-0-0) used the tactics Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera has been preparing his team to play against.
Shots don’t go in
The Whitecaps mostly sat back and waited for counterattacking opportunities of their own, which forced the Dynamo to build their attacks with more possession.
Though the Dynamo looked better in the early going than they did all of last season, they lacked the finishing touch.
“The game plan was very good,” Cabrera said. “We created very good chances early in the game, but we didn’t put the ball in the net.
“When you don’t punish your opponent, then you give them a chance to do what they did.”
The Dynamo outshot Vancouver 21-7 and had better than 67 percent possession for the match.
The game was tied 1-1 at halftime, but the deadlock didn’t last for long. Vancouver’s winning goal came through Bryan native Brek Shea in the 49th minute.
Shea easily outran Dynamo right back Kevin Garcia to a one-touch pass from the halfway line into the attacking third. Dynamo goalkeeper Chris Seitz ran far off his line to narrow Shea’s target, but Shea found room for a low shot that eluded Seitz.
Garcia had entered the game at halftime after starting center back Philippe Senderos left the game with a right hamstring injury. The substitution moved starting right back Adolfo Machado back to his regular spot at center back.
It also left the Dynamo with a lack of speed on the right side.
Vancouver opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Kei Kamara converted a penalty kick. Kamara also drew the penalty when Senderos ran into him just before a crossing pass could be served to him in the heart of the penalty area.
Though the Dynamo know they have far to go in terms of scoring when counterattacking opportunities are minimal, they did show promise in the first half when they pulled level on Alberth Elis’ goal in the 39th minute.
Anatomy of a goal
The Dynamo carried possession into the attacking third, and though they lost possession twice, they retrieved the ball both times and eventually built a five-pass sequence that led to the goal.
Eric Alexander hit a penetrating pass to Tomas Martinez at the top of the penalty area, and then Martinez fed Elis outside the left edge of the 6-yard box.
A dummy run by DaMarcus Beasley occupied the attention of the nearest Whitecaps defender long enough to give Elis time to think about what he wanted to do. He touched it twice toward the top corner of the 6-yard box and then from 10 yards away shot to the center of the net.
The Dynamo hit the road for the first time this season when they travel this week to face D.C. United on Saturday at Maryland SoccerPlex.