MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Whitecaps and Islanders Draw 1-1

Published on June 16, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release


BAYAMON, PUERTO RICO - In the second match of five consecutive games on the road, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (5W-2L-5D) were held to a 1-1 draw by USL Conference club Puerto Rico Islanders (3W-5L-1D) on Wednesday evening.

Ansu Toure gave the Whitecaps an early lead at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium. However, the Islanders made sure the midweek clash ended in stalemate after David Foley equalized late in the first half. Despite creating some good chances in the second half, the Blue and White had to settle for a share of the spoils from this last-ever regular season trip to the Caribbean.

Wednesday's result extended Vancouver's unbeaten streak in the league to four matches, with Teitur Thordarson's side making a bright start to this extended spell away from home. The draw extends the Whitecaps lead at the top of the NASL Conference standings to five points from Canadian arch-rivals Montreal Impact. Caribbean club champions Puerto Rico, meanwhile, have now gone three league games without a win and sit bottom of the USL Conference standings after nine matches played.

Coming four days after their impressive win over the Aztex in Austin, Texas, Thordarson changed the starting personnel in his midfield for their match-up with Colin Clarke's Islanders. Jonny Steele earned a start against his former club, with captain Martin Nash playing alongside the ex-Northern Ireland youth international in central midfield. Ansu Toure started on the left-hand side of midfield. Puerto Rico, meanwhile, included former Whitecaps strikers Nicholas Addlery and Josh Hansen in their attack.

On a typically hot and muggy evening in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, both sides struggled through the poor pitch conditions in the first half, with both sets of players finding the natural turf surface wet and slippery under their feet. Unsurprisingly, the pitch conditions contributed to an untidy first half of action.

The game's first chance fell to the home side on five minutes. Former Toronto FC defender and current Islanders captain Marco Velez launched a long throw into the Vancouver box that was flicked on to Osei Telesford at the far post. Though he had time and space to pick his spot, Telesford's header went wide of Jay Nolly's goal.

Looking to carry the momentum of the Austin win into this midweek contest, the Whitecaps took the lead on ten minutes. Cornelius Stewart claimed the ball on the left flank before swinging in a fine cross to Ansu Toure in the Puerto Rico box. The winger's close-range header beat Islanders goalkeeper Bill Gaudette to give the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead. It was the Liberian midfielder's third goal of the year.

The early goal was just what the Whitecaps wanted in what is considered one of the more difficult places to play in USSF D-2. Yet, Ansu Toure's strike did spark the Islanders into pressing forward. Sandy Gbandi curled a free kick wide of the target on 19 minutes before Addlery forced Nolly into a fine save from his free-kick strike on 29 minutes.

Puerto Rico would not be denied, however, as they drew level three minutes later through a neat passage of play. Hansen slipped a fine through ball into the path of Foley on the right flank. The striker, who played for English League One club Hartlepool United before moving to the Islanders, eluded the attentions of Whitecaps left fullback Zurab Tsiskaridze before taking Hansen's pass and striking a low finish past Nolly to make it 1-1.

Vancouver would have been disappointed by the manner of Puerto Rico's equalizer, but they pushed forward before the break in a bid to try and restore their lead. The 'Caps best opportunity came from Stewart, who drilled a shot just wide of Gaudette's goal.

As result, both clubs went to the halftime break level at 1-1.

Much like Saturday's game in Austin, it was the visiting Whitecaps that looked the more dangerous side after the restart. However, in this case, the decisive goal would prove elusive for Vancouver.

On 53 minutes, Marcus Haber was unable to cap his final appearance for the 'Caps with a goal after striking high and wide of the target in the Islanders box. Four minutes later, Steele nearly haunted his former club with an unmarked header that struck the inside of the near post following a well-played free kick by Nash.

Undeterred, Thordarson aimed to try and earn Vancouver's first win in Puerto Rico since the 2006 United Soccer Leagues First Division season by making several substitutions. One of those changes came on the hour mark, as Takashi Hirano replaced Tsiskaridze at left fullback after the Georgian defender picked up his fifth yellow card of the season. Wednesday's booking means Tsiskaridze will now miss the away match versus Athletic Club of St. Louis later this month.

The Whitecaps kept pushing forward, with goalscorer Ansu Toure looking particularly sharp in the second half. On 73 minutes, the winger's run and shot saw the West African strike his effort over the Puerto Rico crossbar from the edge of the Islanders box. Five minutes later, Haber's two-month loan with Vancouver came to an end when he was substituted by young striker Doudou Toure. Haber will now return to parent club West Bromwich Albion FC for preseason training ahead of the 2010-11 English Premier League season.

Though both sides had the endeavour to find a winning goal, a draw always seemed the likely result in the end. After four minutes of time added on were played, the final whistle confirmed a well-earned point for the Whitecaps in the Caribbean.

After a long and busy stretch of games, the Whitecaps will now take a well-deserved break of 10 days before returning to action. Next stop for Thordarson's side is Fenton, Missouri, and a first-ever away meeting with NASL Conference strugglers AC St. Louis on Saturday, June 26. Puerto Rico, meanwhile, wrap up a three-match home stand this Saturday night, as they host USL Conference rivals FC Tampa Bay Rowdies at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium.

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