St. Louis And Whitecaps Earn 1-1 Draw

July 9, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
AC St. Louis News Release


In a battle of two NASL Conference rivals, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6W-2L-8D) came from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Athletic Club of St. Louis (2W-8L-3D) in the USSF D-2 Pro League on Thursday evening.

A late goal by Whitecaps FC substitute Randy Edwini-Bonsu cancelled out Mark Bloom's opening strike for St. Louis, as the Blue and White maintained their undefeated record at Swangard Stadium this season and took their unbeaten streak in the league to eight matches. Yet, the NASL Conference leaders will be disappointed not to have taken all three points from the first of four straight home matches after dominating much of the midweek contest, as the Whitecaps out-shot their Missouri opponents by a margin of 13 to four.

Vancouver made changes down the left-hand side for Thursday's match. After earning his first Whitecaps start in midfield, Blake Wagner replaced the injured Zurab Tsiskaridze at left fullback, while Ansu Toure played in front of the former FC Dallas man on the left-hand side of midfield. Jonny Steele and Nizar Khalfan were partnered together in the Whitecaps attack.

Though a Swangard crowd of 5,185 were treated to hot and sunny summer's evening in Burnaby, BC, the first-half action struggled to match the fine weather on Canada's west coast.

Looking to build on a productive recent road spell, the Whitecaps looked the more frustrated side during the opening 45 minutes, as the 'Caps created the better opportunities. On 17 minutes, Wagner made a mazy run past three St. Louis players from his left fullback position before playing a fine cross over to Philippe Davies at the far post. The right-side midfielder, however, was unable to get his strike on target. Ten minutes later, Janicki had the chance to score his third goal of the season from captain Martin Nash's corner, but the centre back's header struck the ground before bouncing over the St. Louis crossbar and out for a goal kick.

Having struggled to score goals in the league all season, St. Louis offered little in terms of sustained pressure before the break. Their main threat came from left-sided attacker Luke Kreamalmeyer, who had two opportunities in the early stages of the half.

The best chance of the half fell to an unmarked Khalfan in the St. Louis box on 32 minutes. Yet, after taking control of Toure's fine cross from the left, the Tanzanian international could only power his strike high and wide of the target. Eight minutes later, the impressive Wagner forced St. Louis goalkeeper Alec Dufty into a fine save after cutting inside from the left flank and striking a fierce right-footed shot on goal.

As a result, both sides went to their respective dressing rooms for halftime tied at 0-0.

While the first half was a relatively subdued affair, Whitecaps fans were treated to a more entertaining second 45 minutes of action, with the home side establishing their attacking intent soon after the restart.

On 48 minutes, the lively Davies just missed the St. Louis goal with a fine left-footed drive. Ten minutes later, Steele saw a dangerous-looking shot from the edge of the box deflect away for a Vancouver corner after good work by Toure set up the former Northern Ireland youth international.

With the match still deadlocked, Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made changes in a bid to freshen up his side in the summer heat. Khalfan and Steele moved back into midfield, as Edwini-Bonsu and Cornelius Stewart took over the Whitecaps attack after the hour mark. The best opportunity after those changes came from Stewart on 64 minutes, but he could not keep his strike from the edge of the St. Louis box on target.

It seemed only a matter of time that a Whitecaps goal would eventually arrive. Yet, it was from St. Louis' best attacking spell that they stunned the Swangard crowd by taking the lead against the run of play on 72 minutes. After St. Louis midfielder Jeff Cosgriff forced Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly into a fine save with a first-time shot from Gauchinho's byline cutback, Kreamalmeyer's ensuing corner found its way to Bloom in front of the Vancouver goal. With time to pick his spot, the St. Louis defender roofed the ball into the net for an unlikely 1-0 lead.

It was a surprising set of events for Whitecaps fans, but Vancouver's response was immediate, as they created several chances at the other end. Substitute Justin Moose nearly set up Nash with a header across the face of goal on 76 minutes, while Moose himself nearly got on the end of a Wes Knight cross four minutes later. On 85 minutes, an unmarked Janicki had a glorious chance to head home in the six-yard box, but the defender ended up directing substitute Ricardo Sanchez's corner wide of the far post.

Vancouver's pressure finally paid off on 87 minutes, as Edwini-Bonsu scored his first goal of the season - and second of his Whitecaps career - when he neatly took Wagner's forward ball off his chest in the St. Louis box before eluding the attentions of their captain Jack Traynor and slipping a fine finish past Dufty to level matters at 1-1.

The equalizer livened proceedings and made the final stages intriguing for the home fans. On 89 minutes, Stewart nearly got on the end of teammate Nelson Akwari's flick at the far post, while in the two minutes of time added on, Edwini-Bonsu and a Sanchez free kick both missed the target.



U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from July 9, 2010


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