VANCOUVER, B.C. - Vancouver were back on the road as they tangled with Sporting Kansas City at Children's Mercy Park. The road warrior Whitecaps were no match for the MLS western conference leaders as Sporting Kansas City trounced Whitecaps FC from start to finish in a bulldozing 6-0 thrashing in front of 19,690 joyous spectators.
Scottish international Johnny Russell scored his first career MLS hat-trick. Jimmy Medranda, Cristian Lobato and Yohan Croizet also scored. Roger Espinoza picked up a pair of assists. Tim Melia made one save to earn his third clean sheet of the season.
"These are a big three points." Peter Vermes said, of his teams win. "This is our eighth game today. We knew that they were right close to us. We wanted to spread it out a little bit. Getting these points at home were really important."
There was quite a controversy in the first half as Yordy Reyna, and Efrain Juarez were both given straight red cards following a 40' minute altercation, and VAR decision.
Peter Vermes and Sporting Kansas City improve to 5-1-2 on the season while Vancouver Whitecaps FC suffer a third consecutive loss dropping them to 3-4-1 on the campaign.
"This was a very hard game." Coach Carl Robinson said, post-match. "It’s fine moments in games. We started off very well, fairly even in the first 15 minutes. Then we concede and then we’re 3-0 down in 40 minutes. An incident then changes the game. We lose emotional control. We have two players sent off and then they score three goals in the second half. Not good enough. Not acceptable. Embarrassing. I let the players know. But we’ve got to brush ourselves down quickly because we’ve got a game on Friday."
Whitecaps FC will host Real Salt Lake on Friday night at B.C. Place. Vancouver is 1-1-1 at home this season, and have not scored a home goal in 200 minutes of play.
"You’ve got to stick together in times like this." Robinson admitted. "It’s easy when you’re doing well. I certainly think that everything went against us today, from the early miss to some of the refereeing decisions. But we didn’t help ourselves. We lose two men in an incident which they started. We’ve got to be better than that. In the second half, we talked about trying to stay in the game and then catch them on the counter. We set up that way by playing a 4-3-1 with our nine men we had. Within two minutes, we’re lazy with our decision-making and our detail and we’re 5-0 down before you know it. Then it becomes a game of will, mind and concentration. The guys who were on the field at the end worked as hard as they could."
Moments of the Match
Vancouver looked like they were going to open the scoring with an early goal from Reyna. Anthony Blondell sent the Peruvian midfielder in one on one with Melia. The Sporting Kansas City keeper was rounded by Reyna before stretching out to deny him in the 6' minute.
While Whitecaps FC did not capitalize on their early opportunity, Sporting Kansas City did. Roger Espinoza found Johnny Russell inside the Vancouver box. He let go a booming shot that went through Kendall Waston's legs before striking the far post, and finding the net in the 10' minute.
The 28 year-old Russell was not done as he quickly added his second tally in the 16' minute. The Scotsman danced around Efrain Juarez and fired from distance. The ball glanced off the Vancouver captain before beating Stefan Marinovic to make it 2-0.
It was a first half to forget for Vancouver as Sporting Kansas City was in peak form. Full-back Jimmy Medranda added a brilliant goal in the 30' minute. The 24 year-old was given all sorts of time, and space. He let loose a brilliant, top corner screamer from outside the box that Marinovic could do nothing, but watch.
Things only got worse for Whitecaps FC. A skirmish following a challenge from Kendall Waston kicked off an altercation of handbags between both teams. Referee Kevin Stott, consulted VAR and subsequently issued red cards to Yordy Reyna, and Efrain Juarez.
Waston, and Russell were given yellow cards. Whitecaps FC Goalkeeper Coach Stewart Kerr was also tossed from the match.
Vancouver were down to nine men for the next fifty minutes. Carl Robinson made a switch in by bringing in right-back Sean Franklin for striker Anthony Blondell. Eight minutes of first half stoppage time was added.
There was a bright spot for Vancouver. A penalty was awarded as Russell was tripped up in the box by Marcel de Jong. Marinovic denied Ilie Sanchez by making a terrific diving save.
"Like a lot of games we’ve played so far, we actually started off well." Marinovic told the media post-match. "We had a prime opportunity in the first five minutes. Through a bit of, I guess in some cases, lackluster defending from the team as a whole, we conceded three soft goals."
Johnny Russell got his hat-trick in the 48' minute as he maneuvered into the Whitecaps FC box and sent a lovely chip over Stefan Marinovic to make it 4-0 Sporting Kansas City.
With only nine players on the pitch, Vancouver struggled to hold possession, and make any advancement forward. Sporting Kansas City was in prime position to pile on the goals, and that's exactly what they did. Soon after coming on for Johnny Russell, Cristian Lobato was at the far back post to chest home the ball to make it 5-0 in the 54' minute.
The battering continued as French international Yohan Croizet, got in on the scoring with his first MLS goal in the 77' minute. Croizet has been a pleasant addition to the Sporting Kansas City squad and he was another instrumental figure in Sporting's massive victory.
Sporting Kansas City was on another level, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC were second best. While the VAR sending off of two Caps players drastically changed the match. The home side was already home and cool and well positioned to take all three points.
Man of the Match
Johnny Russell has had a brilliant start to his MLS career. The former Dundee United striker set the tone with his first half brace, but he also played a pivotal part in the sending off of a pair of Whitecaps. Russell was able to get under the skin, and irritate Yordy Reyna and Efrain Juarez. His goals will be a welcome addition to Sporting Kansas City, but he could also be just as valuable as a super pest throughout the season.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Starting XI: Stefan Marinovic; Marcel De Jong, Kendall Waston(C), Jose Aja; Alphonso Davies, 55 (Russell Teibert), Aly Ghazal, Felipe, Efrain Juarez; Yordy Reyna; Brek Shea, 72 (Bernie Ibini), Anthony Blondell, 44 (Sean Franklin). 3-4-1-2
Sporting Kansas City Starting XI: Tim Melia; Jimmy Medranda, Matt Besler, Emiliano Amor, Graham Zusi(C); Yohan Croizet, Illie Sanchez, Roger Espinoza, 76 (Felipe Gutierrez); Daniel Salloi, Khiry Shelton, 71 (Diego Rubio), Johnny Russell, 52 (Christian Lobato). 4-3-3
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