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Posted by
Harjeet Johal,
September 28, 2017 |
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@HarJournalist
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SEATTLE - Whitecaps FC traveled down interstate-five to meet Cascadia rival, Seattle Sounders FC. A Vancouver win would have locked up a MLS playoff spot for the Caps, but it wasn't to be. Seattle was hungry and in complete control from the opening whistle, Sounders FC prevailed with a dominating 3-0 win over Vancouver in front of 41,868 fans at XBOX Pitch at CenturyLink Field.
Uruguayan maestro, Nicolas Loderio had a goal, and a pair of assists, while Victor Rodriguez contributed his first career MLS goal, and assist. Clint Dempsey finished the scoring for Seattle. Stefan Frei made 1 save for his 11th clean-sheet of the season.
Seattle improves to 12-8-11, while Vancouver slips to 14-10-6. Vancouver maintains a small grip on first place in the MLS western conference with 48 points. Portland, Sporting Kansas City, and Seattle are all trailing Vancouver by a lone single point.
"Whenever you play a good team, and Seattle is a good team, it comes down to fine lines," said Robinson. "Giving up the first goal was not a good idea, but from that moment to maybe just before they scored their second goal, we had some good periods of play. We weren’t able to take advantage of any chances, which were very few. Then we got caught in the counterattack and then got caught on the goal. The guys knew it was coming."
"Disappointing, I think," said Whitecaps FC centre-back, Tim Parker. "No one wants to lose a game like that, obviously. I think we were in a little bit of a good run of form and a good streak so I think it is disappointing, but we have to put that behind us and look forward."
The Opening 45
Sounders FC fed off the roar of the crowd and hemmed Whitecaps FC in their own half during the early stages of the match. Cristian Roldan fired a laser off the far post, before Jordan Harvey slid to block an attempt at Vancouver's open net.
The quick pace of Seattle was prevalent as they kept pressure on Vancouver and the back-four of Jordan Harvey, Tim Parker, Kendall Waston, and Sheanon Williams. Seattle broke through with the first goal of the match in the 17' minute. Victor Rodriguez scored a cracker from 20 yards out. The ball was just out of the reach of a diving David Ousted.
Seattle bossed the opening forty-five and played like a team desperate for points, and fighting just to make the playoffs. They were first to every ball, and quick in transition to keep Vancouver on the defensive.
Whitecaps FC's best opportunity to answer back came in the 37' minute off a free kick from a former Sounder. Fredy Montero struck the crossbar from well beyond distance. Stefan Frei got a hand to the ball to keep Seattle in the lead, and Montero in check.
Seattle skipper, Osvaldo Alonso exited the match in the 44' minute with what was later confirmed as a right quad strain. Roman Torres was given the captains armband.
Sounders FC held a massive 60% - 40% possession margin, and a 1-0 lead at the interval.
The Second Half
Seattle kept up the pace as play resumed for the second half. Vancouver was second best. Seattle dictated play and gave up nothing in their own half.
Clint Dempsey was looking to double the Seattle lead in the 60' minute. The U.S. international waltzed into the Vancouver half and fired a shot off the crossbar. Undeterred, Seattle was back looking for goals, and they scored in the 61' minute.
Victor Rodriguez nicked the ball off of Tony Tchani in the midfield, and dribbled up the pitch without a Vancouver player coming anywhere near him. Rodriguez found Jovein Jones on the flank, and he centered for a wide open, Nicolas Loderio to make it 2-0.
It only went from bad to worse for the visiting Whitecaps. Seattle was out to prove a point, and Vancouver was getting run off the pitch. Clint Dempsey, and Nicolas Lodeiro played a beautiful give-and-go up the pitch, and Dempsey slotted the ball past a helpless David Ousted, for his 12th goal of the season.
One team came to play, and that they did. Seattle Sounders FC had a goal in mind, and they proved that, and more, from the very start. Vancouver's inability to maintain possession came back to bite them. Seattle was just too clinical in front of goal.
Whitecaps FC are going to be in a battle to secure a playoff position, and they can't afford to mess about, and not deliver. The reigning MLS Cup Champions showed that they have a lot of fight left in them, and they won't be counted out as the playoffs near.
Man of the Match
Big money players have the ability to get the job done when it matters the most. Nicolas Lodeiro showed just how valuable he is to Seattle Sounders FC. He was the Starbucks stir stick in the Seattle offence. Vancouver wasn't able to keep him in check, and he ran his show for a full ninety. Loderio got his teammates involved, and he scored for himself. Seattle's top player came to play, and he was superior class.
"We played 90 minutes with concentration," said Lodeiro. "It was the tipping point for us. Because the last game we had mistakes and we lost. Today we played 90 minutes with concentration."
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Starting XI: David Ousted; Jordan Harvey, Tim Parker, Kendall Waston(C), Sheanon Williams; Russell Teibert, Tony Tchani; Christian Bolanos, 75 (Mauro Rosales) Yordy Reyna, 67 (Cristian Techera), Bernie Ibini, 67 (Alphonso Davies); Fredy Montero. 4-2-3-1
Seattle Sounders FC Starting XI: Stefan Frei; Joevin Jones, 76 (Will Bruin), Chad Marshall, Roman Torres, 79 (Tony Alfaro), Kelvin Leerdam; Gustav Svensson, Osvaldo Alonso(C), 44 (Nouhou); Victor Rodriguez, Cristian Roldan, Nicolas Lodeiro; Clint Dempsey. 4-2-3-1
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