Scoreless Draw Against Whitecaps Gives Palace First Point of Season, First Clean Sheet

May 9, 2010 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Crystal Palace Baltimore News Release


Baltimore, MD - Crystal Palace Baltimore held the conference-leading Whitecaps to a goalless draw in Vancouver Saturday evening, earning their first point of the USSF Div-2 Pro League season. Evan Bush claimed the clean sheet, the team's first in four contests thus far.

The first decent chance of the night fell after five minutes to Vancouver forward Marcus Haber, on loan from English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion. But Baltimore 'keeper Evan Bush was alert to the danger and he sprinted off his line to snatch the ball off the Canadian striker's toes. Two minutes later it was Palace winger Tsuyoshi Yoshitake who was causing problems at the other end of the field, sending a tricky cross into the area which Whitecaps netminder Jay Nolly could only punch clear. The loose ball fell to Mathew Mbuta but his effort missed the target. On 16 minutes, Mbuta was involved again as he floated the ball into the box for Yaikel Perez ten yards from goal. With his back to goal, and despite close marking from a Vancouver defender, the Cuban striker brought the ball down, swiveled and shot all in one motion, but the ball sailed just beyond Nolly's right post.

There was concern for both clubs after 25 minutes when former Whitecap Shaun Pejic clashed heads with current Whitecap Greg Janicki. Both players eventually left the field bloodied but able to walk under their own power, with Pejic replaced immediately by Andrew Marshall. Janicki would return ten minutes later, sporting heavy white bandaging covering several stitches.

The contest remained even through the remainder of the first half, with Randy Edwini-Bonsu looking the biggest threat up front for the home side, while Randi Patterson narrowly failed to beat the offside trap on a good through ball from Val Teixeira. As the half came to a close, the Whitecaps created a pair of chances to take the advantage. On 45 minutes, Haber shot tamely at Bush from 18 yards, and in the final seconds, defender Wes Knight worked hard to reach a ball at the touchline, fizzing in a cross which Teixeira headed behind for a corner.

The second half saw Vancouver come out with more urgency. In the 60th minute, they nearly took the lead when defender Luca Bellisomo's header struck the post, bouncing back into play, but Palace were able to clear their lines. Five minutes later, the home side earned a free kick just outside the penalty box. Mexican midfielder Ricardo Sanchez curled one over the wall, sending the ball just wide of Bush's left post, but the Palace 'keeper appeared to have it covered.

Vancouver kept applying pressure and on 68 minutes, the tricky Edwini-Bonsu broke into the box again and chipped the ball over Bush, but the shot rolled well wide of the far post. A minute later Andrew Marshall had to be alert to Edwini-Bonsu's low cross, making a great saving clearance at the near post and from the resulting corner, a Vancouver header was scrambled clear. The following minute, another Vancouver corner found Janicki at the back post but his header could only ruffle the side netting.

With quarter of an hour to go, Patterson's weak effort was cleared but the loose ball ended up with substitute Pat Healey who made more of his opportunity, forcing Nolly into a decent save. On 81 minutes, Whitecap defender Nelson Akwari headed over from six yards, then Sanchez fired in a dipping shot from distance that wasn't too far off the mark.

In the final minute of regulation time, there was a big shout for a Palace penalty as Randi Patterson went down in the box, but the referee wasn't interested. Just as four minutes of added time was announced, Lucio whipped in a corner that found Andrew Marshall at the near post, but he couldn't put it on goal. A last second Palace free kick caused a scare in the Whitecaps area but the final whistle blew with neither side able to break through.

Palace continue their West coast road swing, heading down the coast to Portland for Thursday night's clash with the Timbers. That game kicks off at 7:00pm PST (10:00pm EST).



North American Soccer League Stories from May 9, 2010


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