VANCOUVER, B.C. - Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Minnesota Untied FC tangled in the midwest as each side looked to record back to back wins. The Loons overcame a second half red card, and scored the lone goal in a one-nil smash and grab win.
In front 19,642 fans at TCF Bank Stadium, Miguel Ibarra scored his first goal of the season. Bobby Shuttleworth was brilliant making seven saves, and several of the top class variety. The 30 year-old keeper earned his first clean sheet of the season.
"I thought it was a monumental effort considering how long we played with a man down." Coach Adrian Heath said, post-match. "The team that we played, they’re probably the biggest team in the league. I thought the players, every single one of them, put themselves on the line so many times. We went through it ourselves against Atlanta here. It’s difficult when everybody packs it in. I was really pleased with some of our first half play. I thought some of our attacking play and combination play was excellent. Bobby (Shuttleworth) came up with an incredible save. It was two or three feet outside the post, so it is going in the top corner. For him to get his hand on it was incredible save. He has done that the last couple weeks when we needed him. Overall, I am incredibly proud of the players. It was a really big result for us and hopefully we keep this momentum going."
Minnesota improves to 4-5-0 and Vancouver drops to 4-5-1 on the campaign.
"I’m super disappointed, because I don’t think we got what we deserve." Coach Carl Robinson spoke post-match. "I thought we kept them at bay for 90 minutes really and limited them to a number of shots. We missed a number of chances. A lapse of concentration cost us at the end with the back post, with the young boy. Sometimes in football, that happens. When you give a team something to hold on to, it gets difficult. We kept knocking on the door, unfortunately we missed a couple of chances. We have to take the defeat on the chin."
Moments of the Match
Whitecaps FC had a pair of terrific chances as they looked to jump in front of the Loons early. Anthony Blondell forced Bobby Shuttleworth into a fantastic finger-tip diving save in the 8' minute. On the ensuing corner, Kendall Waston had his header cleared off the line from an unsuspecting Shuttleworth who had no idea where the ball was.
In his second career MLS start, Brett Levis nearly scored his first goal. The left-back sent in a curling attempt that struck the outside of the near post. Whether it was a shot or a cross, Levis effort from the flank caught Shuttleworth by surprise in the 27' minute.
Minnesota striker Mason Toye was promptly shown a straight red card by referee Nima Saghafi in the 50' minute. The 19 year-old rookie delivered a direct elbow to the stomach of Kendall Waston. Toye's first career MLS start won't be one he looks back on fondly.
"I was getting held and grabbed a little bit, but that’s just a part of the game. I made a bad decision, I threw an elbow and I got a red card for it. It’s just a learning experience now for me and I just have to say a big thank you to the whole team. I put them in a really tough spot and they were able to pull a win out. That’s what we should be talking about today. I made a silly decision and we had to pay for it."
Despite being down 10 men, Minnesota opened the scoring as they caught Vancouver on the counter at the hour mark. Alexi Gomez played a ball through the Caps box that found a streaking Miguel Ibarra at the far post. The 28 year-old midfielder had his first shot saved by Marinovic before pouncing on the rebound uncontested.
"I think it started from our half." Ibarra said. "We were able to get it out from there. We switched the field and I see Alexi (Gómez) go one-on-one. (The coaches) have been telling me since the season started, make sure you get to the back post. I had already done that against Portland Timbers, which was called back. My instinct was don’t be offside on this one. The goalkeeper made a great save on the first one, but I just needed to bottle it up."
Whitecaps FC looked to find an equalizer in the 70' minute and they nearly did. Second half substitute Yordy Reyna, fired from outside the box and struck the bar. Moments later, Kei Kamara got under a ball in front of net only to see his shot fly sky-high.
Bobby Shuttleworth was on top of his game in a match Minnesota was outplayed and had no business winning. The former New England shot-stopper had an outstanding leaping, diving save to deny Brek Shea's curling shot that was headed for the net.
Vancouver certainly created enough chances, but finishing in the final third was a challenge they could not conquer. A depleted Minnesota squad bent, but they did not break. Whitecaps FC will have to head back to the tactical board going forward.
"It’s obviously a disappointing result," Vancouver winger Bernie Ibini, said "Especially with them going down to 10 men. I think we created enough chances to definitely win the game. We’ll have to go back to the training pitch and work on that."
Man of the Match
Bobby Shuttleworth was a force in net for Minnesota United FC. He made several vital saves in each half to prevent Vancouver from finding the net. The Loons played the final forty-minutes down to 10 men, but that didn't bother Shuttleworth. He made sure his side picked up all three points when they could have easily folded up shop.
"He has come up massive with two big saves the last two weeks." Coach Adrian Heath said, of his keeper. "That is the sign of a goalkeeper that you need, when he saves you a couple of points or he wins you a game. He saved us two points today."
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Starting XI: Stefan Marinovic; Sean Franklin, Kendall Waston(C), José Aja, Brett Levis; Bernie Ibini, 69 (Brek Shea) Felipe, Aly Ghazal, Alphonso Davies; Nicolás Mezquida, 63 (Yordy Reyna), Anthony Blondell, 63 (Kei Kamara). 4-4-2
Minnesota United FC Starting XI: Bobby Shuttleworth; Eric Miller, 82 (Carter Manley) Michael Boxall, Francisco Calvo(C), Jerome Thiesson; Rasmus Schuller, Ibson; Miguel Ibarra, 77 (Wyatt Omsberg), Darwin Quintero, Alexi Gomez, 77 (Collin Martin); Mason Toye. 4-2-3-1
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