Welcome to the TTP community

Be apart of something great, join today!

Report and Reaction: Vancouver Whitecaps can’t build on rapid start in share of spoils in...

AFTN

New Member
May 25, 2015
1,851
408
Tokens
4,570
Dirty Money
5
Report and Reaction: Vancouver Whitecaps can’t build on rapid start in share of spoils in Colorado

Having seen off one of the best teams in some style last weekend, heading to face the worst in the West was always one of those games that had you worried based on Vancouver Whitecaps propensity to struggle against the lower teams.

As things played out, the ‘Caps came away from Commerce City with a 2-2 draw with Colorado Rapids in a match that swung back and forth. When you’re forced to come from behind, a point on the road is always a fairly satisfactorily result, but the ‘Caps will feel they should have come away with all three.

They certainly had the chances to do so and when Tony Tchani fired them ahead just five minutes in, the Whitecaps should have gone on and built on last week’s success. But a first half equaliser from Axel Sjöberg and a go ahead goal from Kevin Doyle put the Rapids in the driving seat. A late push from the ‘Caps saw Fredy Montero level, but that was to be it and both sides had to settle for a point.

The rain was coming down in the early stages, but that didn’t stop both sides getting off to a fast start.

The home side threatened first and Marlon Hairston came within a hair of giving them the lead four minutes in, but his shot to the back post went just the wrong side.

It was a let off, but one which Vancouver quickly capitalised upon as they went straight up the other end of the pitch and scored on a low long range strike from Tchani, that hit off the right post and in.



Tchani strikes early to make it 1-0! #VWFC https://t.co/7OfbXWHYST

— Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC) August 6, 2017


The perfect start for the Whitecaps, building on last week’s emphatic win in Dallas in the best possible way.

The Rapids nearly hit back right away, but Dominique Badji’s effort went past the same post as Hairston’s.

Colorado did tie things up though in the 15th minute. Vancouver likely felt that they’d cleared the danger from a free kick, but Sheanon Williams clearance was poor and the ball came quickly back into the box and Sjöberg lost his marker, to drill the ball past David Ousted from close range.

The action dipped after a hectic start and Bernie Ibini put himself in a good position to restore the ‘Caps lead on the half hour mark, but Mike da Fonte did fantastic to get a block in as the Aussie chested the ball down and was set to pull the trigger six yards out.

Doyle brought a save out of Ousted with a shot from outside the box with five minutes remaining, before Yordy Reyna fired one over for the ‘Caps as the minutes ticked down. Vancouver squandered a great four on three break when Fredy Montero decided to shoot and slice his effort, with men in the middle.

That was it for the first half action, but the second half started at an equally brisk pace and Ousted again denied Doyle, this time with a goalline save off a header.

Doyle finally got the better of the Dane in the 55th minute after a quick Rapids break from a Whitecaps free kick, and the Irishman buried a Hairston backheel to give Colorado their first lead of the night.

We got the first use of VAR in a ‘Caps game in the 66th minute when the officials reviewed a possible handball on Andrew Jacobson. No penalty was given and the ‘Caps stormed up the pitch from the resultant corner and thought they’d tied things up but substitute Brek Shea’s effort was ruled out for a clear offside.

Vancouver came within inches of getting that equaliser in the 73rd minute when Cristian Techera, who had been extremely effective since coming on, sent a cross in to Montero, whose effort crashed off the right post.

Montero wasn’t to be denied though and got his goal three minutes later, heading home another fantastic deliver from Techera, this time from a free kick.



Another look at Montero's equalizer#VWFC #COLvVAN https://t.co/fSSGajS2IA

— Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC) August 6, 2017


Techera nearly grabbed a goal for himself with five minutes remaining but da Fonte deflected his shot away for a corner.

You felt the ‘Caps had what it took to go on and get the win, but it wasn’t to be. They had the last chance of the match in the closing seconds when Jared Watts headed a Tchani header across goal away from danger, but that was to be it.

Four points from two away games is a pretty good return considering where the ‘Caps were playing and recent summer struggles. It’s really hard to grumble about that, but last week’s win in Dallas raised expectations and with the Western Conference as tight as it is, you really need to be taking maximum points from the weaker teams.

The point sees the Whitecaps hanging on to the sixth and final playoff space ahead of Sunday’s Portland-LA match by the skin of their teeth. There’s still the games in hand, but points on the board are much more important. It’s starting to look like a perm six from seven scenario, but we’ve all seen how a run of wins or losses can drastically change the standings.

Next week sees Vancouver heading to another struggling team in New England. The Revolution sit second bottom of the east. It’s a game that’s there for the taking, and a return from this three game road stretch with five or seven points would be fantastic. And the way the West is going, it needs to be. The room for error is getting close to nil.

FINAL SCORE: Colorado Rapids 2 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps

ATT: 15,625

COLORADO: Tim Howard; Eric Miller (Alan Gordon 78), Jared Watts, Axel Sjöberg, Mike da Fonte; Micheal Azira (Bismark Boateng 86), Mohammed Saeid, Marlon Hairston, Shkëlzen Gashi (Joshua Gatt 71); Dominique Badji, Kevin Doyle [Subs Not Used: John Berner, Kortne Ford, Dillon Serna, Caleb Calvert]
VANCOUVER: David Ousted; Sheanon Williams, Andrew Jacobson, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey; Christian Bolanos (Cristian Techera 64), Matias Laba, Tony Tchani, Bernie Ibini (Brek Shea 64); Yordy Reyna; Fredy Montero (Erik Hurtado 84) [Subs Not Used: Stefan Marinovic, Jake Nerwinksi, Russell Teibert, Nicolas Mezquida]
REACTION:

To follow…


Read Further on AFTN.ca
 

Members online

No members online now.

Your TTP Wallet

Tokens
0
Dirty Money
0
TTP Dollars
$0

Latest posts

Top