GAME ESSENTIALS
THE SKINNY
The Whitecaps had three gilt- edged chances to score in the first nine minutes, two of them sent just wide by Sebastian Fernandez. In the ninth minute Erik Hurtado, set up nicely by Kekuta Manneh ( pictured), drilled a shot from close range, forcing Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark to react quickly. Hurtado got his first MLS goal on a terrific 22- yard strike in the 37th minute, but missed on a breakaway early in the second half with a chance to put the Caps ahead 2- 0. Vancouver was solid defensively, allowing just two shots on goal and getting a brilliant game from holding midfielder Matias Laba. “I thought he was absolutely awesome,” said Caps coach Carl Robinson.
BY THE NUMBERS
The win was the first on the road this season for the Caps, who improved to 4- 2- 4 and now are undefeated in their last four in MLS action ... Columbus, 3- 4- 3, is winless in seven and was shut out for the third consecutive game ... Caps goalkeeper David Ousted ( right) recorded his second clean sheet of the season, both of them coming on the road against Eastern Conference opponents ... Vancouver is 3- 0- 1 against Eastern teams ... Eight different Caps have scored goals this season, tied with Chicago for most in MLS.
RESTED WARRIORS
It was a well- rested and time zone- adjusted group of Caps veterans who took the field in Columbus. Most of them didn’t play Wednesday in Toronto when Robinson went with a young lineup in the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal, but they had flown east last Monday. “I do think that helped,” said Jay DeMerit, the 34- year- old centre back and captain ( pictured). “Until you lift that cloud and there is a little bit of a cloud because you’re waking up at 5 a. m. the first couple of mornings. ... It was definitely an advantage to be in that time zone for a few days and have a chance to settle in.”
QUOTABLE
“It was a thoroughly good performance for 90 minutes and that’s the tone we have to set,” said coach Carl Robinson ( below). “It seemed like a home performance, only on the road, and that will be my biggest challenge, continuing that process with these guys.”