VANCOUVER, B.C - It was billed as the Vancouver International Soccer Challenge and the main course delivered English Premier League side Crystal Palace FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The South London club was on the back-end of a North American pre-season tour that visited Philadelphia and Cincinnati last week. Vancouver used the match to rotate several young players against top-level competition. A back and forth second half showcased plenty of outstanding goals in an exciting 2-2 draw.
The BC Place crowd of 14,788 saw a second half brace from Crystal Palace's Fraizer Campbell, and a pair of assists from Andros Townsend. Vancouver's goals came from first-team centre-backs David Edgar (On his debut) and towering Tico, Kendall Waston. Carl Robinson shared his thoughts on the friendly.
"I enjoyed watching the game. I said to the guys, go and smile and go and work as hard as you can, go and do the correct things that you need to do, the fundamentals in football against a top team. Obviously against top, top players, we know that, and they get the opportunity to play against them today. I think everyone from the starters to the substitutions enjoyed it. Good football match."
David Edgar played 61' minutes in his first appearance for Vancouver and he opened the scoring with a terrific header on 50' minutes. Getting a goal was an extra bonus as Edgar was happy just to play.
"It was enjoyable. Obviously as a defender you want to keep the ball out of your own net. It felt good to be out there and get a bit of match sharpness. I actually felt quite up to pace, and obviously getting a goal in my debut in front of the home fans is a very good feeling."
Crystal Palace Assistant Coach Keith Millen spoke about the work his team needs to do going forward.
"We’ve really enjoyed the game," said Millen. "Some of the goals weren't great from our point of view, but for the fans I'm pleased there are some goals in the game. It’d become end-to-end, very spread, but that happens when you make a lot of changes, a lot of substitutions. We were trying a different shape tonight just to experiment. We only had two days really to work on that shape. So we knew we wouldn't be perfect, but there were some pleasing aspects from our point of view. And stuff that we know we have to work on and get better at."
The Opening 45
It was a quiet first half with not much going in terms of offensive creativity. In fact, both teams looked to be in pre-season mode. Andros Townsend setup Damien Delaney, and Fraser Aird setup Whitecaps striker Erik Hurtado in front of goal. The Irishman and Hurtado both missed absolute sitters. It was a chess match with not much in the way of outstanding football. Neither side had much going in terms of a strong and cohesive offensive display.
A defensive stalemate occurred as neither side converted a goal. Paolo Tornaghi and Julian Speroni were not tasted enough and had a relatively quiet start. Each keeper made 3 saves in the first half.
The Second Half
This match desperately needed a goal and David Edgar opened the scoring in the 50' minute. The in form Cristian Techera sent in a cross from the left flank and Edgar leaped up to head home the ball. The ball took a slight deflection off Damien Delaney and beat keeper Julian Speroni.
Each team made a handful of substitutions in the 61' minute. Connor Wickham and Fraizer Campbell entered the match for Palace and the Whitecaps made a complete lineup overhaul. Tim Parker, Kendall Waston, Sam de Wit, Brett Levis, Matias Laba, Christian Bolanos, Alphonso Davies, and Mastao Kudo all came on for the final 29 minutes of action.
The adjustment in lineups sparked Crystal Palace and they eventually scored a pair of goals in quick succession. Fraizer Campbell converted in the 62' minute off a lovely cross from Andros Townsend. Campbell added another tally in the 65' minute after he converted a flick pass Marco Carducci. This time it was Connor Wickham with the cross from the opposite wing after a long ball from Townsend.
Vancouver had a fantastic opportunity to find an equalizer in the 71' minute as Marco Bustos sent in a ball to the far back post. Masato Kudo was in front of goal facing an open net, but out of nowhere, Crystal Palace keeper Julian Speroni dove across net for a goal-line clearance, and he describe his massive save.
"Well in those situations you don’t think, you just react to it. The cross came from the left and the ball went over everybody, and so the player’s just there on his own, and I just reacted to it."
The Whitecaps found the tying goal in the 78' minute off the head of Kendall Waston. The big Costa Rican centre-back was able to convert an open header off a brilliant cross into the box from Brett Levis. Vancouver had been pressing for another goal and you could sense that it was coming and Waston connected.
All in all both teams trotted out several key players and had a good luck at what they have going forward. Neither side dominated, but it wasn't about that. This match was billed as a Vancouver International Soccer Challenge and it was just that, a challenge for the young lads of each team to showcase talent.
Man of the Match
Andros Townsend
Townsend was by far the most prominent and expensive Crystal Palace player to take to the pitch vs Vancouver tonight. The $13 Million pound winger is on his third club in the last calendar year and hoping to find a home at Selhurst Park. Townsend was instrumental in setting the tone for Palace and created several chances in the first half. His hard work paid off in the second half when he sent a cross into that was converted by Fraizer Campbell. Townsend will be looking to do exactly that and more this season as Palace look to be a sleeping giant in the English Premier League.
Vancouver Whitecaps Starting XI: Paolo Tornaghi, 46 (Marco Carducci); Cole Seiler, 61 (Tim Parker) David Edgar, 61 (Kendall Waston), Pa-Modou Kah(C), 61 (Sam de Wit) Marcel De Jong, 61 (Brett Levis); Andrew Jacobson 32 (Kianz Froese), Kyle (Greig), Ben McKendry, 61 (Matias Laba); Fraser Aird, 61 (Christian Bolanos), Nicolas Mezquida 32 (Marco Bustos), Cristian Techera, 61 (Alphonso Davies); Erik Hurtado, 61 (Masato Kud0). 4-2-3-1.
Crystal Palace Starting XI: Julian Speroni, Martin Kelly, Damien Delaney, (Luke Croll), Scott Dann(C), Jordan Mutch, Mile Jedinak 46 (Hiram Boateng) , Jason Puncheon, 83 (Jacob Berkley), Chung-Yong Lee, 60 (Yannick Boalsie) Zeki Fryers, Andros Townsend, 83 (Sully Kaikai), Freddie Ladapo, 46 (Fraizer Campbell).
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