VANCOUVER, B.C - The Vancouver Whitecaps picked up another road victory for the second time in as many weeks. Second half substitute, Brek Shea scored on an 84' minute breakaway to help Vancouver earn a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids. David Ousted earned his second clean-sheet of the season making one save. The 13,745 fans at Dick's Sporting Goods Park were left disappointed as the home-side faltered again.
The Whitecaps improve to 4-4-1 on the season, and lowly Colorado drop to 1-6-1, with a spot at the bottom of the MLS table.
The Opening 45
For the third match in a row, Carl Robinson elected to stick with a 4-1-4-1 formation that featured three holding midfielders, Matias Laba, Tony Tchani, and Andrew Jacobson. Christian Bolaños and Cristian Techera played on the wings, while Fredy Montero was the lone forward. Colorado countered with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Rapids goalkeeper, Tim Howard made his return to the pitch following a three-match ban. Howard wasn't kept busy, and managed to finish with a one save.
After a dire opening forty-five with neither side coming marginally close to opening the scoring. The urgency, pace, and tempo all picked up in the second half.
The Second Half
In his 250th MLS match, Jordan Harvey narrowly escaped wearing the goat horns for Vancouver. In the 55' minute, the Caps durable left-back was attempting to flick away a ball sent into the box by full-back, Mekeil Williams. Harvey's attempt hit his own post before David Ousted scrambled to keep the ball from crossing the line. Kendall Waston then kicked the ball out of play before any Rapids player could convert.
Sensing that the Whitecaps had caught a lucky break. Carl Robinson wasn't going to wait around for the Rapids luck to change. The Caps gaffer brought on rookie, Alphonso Davies in the 65' minute, and Brek Shea in the 69' minute. For Shea, this was his first action on the pitch since suffering a knee sprain on April 5 vs Tigres UANL.
The match seem destined for a scoreless draw as both teams sent wild attempts nowhere near the target. Colorado with 15 attempts, and Vancouver with 9. It wasn't until the 84' minute that one team finally capitalized on an error, connected, and finished in the final third.
Nicolás Mezquida found a streaking Brek Shea trying to cut in on goal, while also looking to shake off trailing Rapids centre-back, Bobby Burling. Shea buried his shot through the legs of his former U.S. Soccer teammate Tim Howard, and into the goal. He promptly celebrated with his teammates by putting the ball under his shirt.
Coach Pablo Mastroeni didn't see much push-back from the Rapids in the final six minutes, and three minutes of added time. In fact it was the opposite. Mekeil Williams lashed out with a two-footed tackle on Mezquida. It was a ball he was never going to win. Referee Jorge Gonzalez issued Williams his second yellow of the match and dismissed him in the 88' minute.
Vancouver never really looked in danger of losing the match, but they didn't look like match winners either, until Shea scored. The momentum of back to back road victories will do wonders for confidence as the Caps close out a gruelling four-match road trip on Friday, May 12 against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Man of the Match
Brek Shea
The Whitecaps needed someone to step up on the road and Brek Shea answered the call. Listed as questionable on the injury report, Shea took his chance and slotted home his first MLS goal with Vancouver. If Shea can continue to progress now, he will do wonders once he regains his full fitness. Shea could potentially link up with Fredy Montero in a partnership to help carry the offence for the Caps. A healthy Brek Shea only adds another weapon to the Whitecaps attack.
Vancouver Whitecaps Starting XI: David Ousted; Sheanon Williams, Kendall Waston (C), Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey; Matías Laba; Cristian Techera, 69' (Brek Shea), Andrew Jacobson, Tony Tchani, 65' (Alphonso Davies), Christian Bolaños, 80' (Nicolás Mezquida); Fredy Montero. 4-1-4-1.
Colorado Rapids Starting XI: Tim Howard; Eric Miller, Bobby Burling, Jared Watts, Mekeil Williams; Michael Azira, Dillon Powers; Mohammed Saied, 77 (Dillon Serna), Kevin Doyle, 67' (Dominique Badji), 11.Shkelzen Gashi; Alan Gordon, 73' (Marlon Hairston). 4-2-3-1.
|