Whitecaps Double up Islanders
July 26, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
Vancouver Whitecaps FC overcame an extended weather delay to defeat Puerto Rico Islanders 4-2 in USL First Division action at Swangard Stadium on Saturday evening.
In a match that took over four hours to complete, an early first-half strike by Marcus Haber helped the Whitecaps end a two-match losing streak and secure the regular season series of results versus the Islanders. Though severe thunderstorms in the area delayed the match by over two hours, the Blue and White secured the win with three second-half goals - two of which were struck with quality by substitute Marlon James. A Kyle Veris own-goal completed the scoring for the 'Caps. The result keeps Vancouver's unbeaten home run versus the Islanders intact.
Despite former Whitecaps striker Josh Hansen scoring two late goals for the Islanders, Puerto Rico saw their unbeaten league run end at six games, with Saturday's match likely to be remembered for the spectacular stormy weather and some fine goals after the delay.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made three changes to the side that started the 3-0 away defeat to Carolina RailHawks on July 17. Geordie Lyall earned his first start of the season, as he slotted in at right fullback, with the injured Lyle Martin making way for the experienced Vancouver defender. Jeff Parke also came into the 'Caps backline, as he replaced the departed Wesley Charles at centre back. Thordarson's other change came in the attack, as Charles Gbeke partnered youngster Marcus Haber after the Canadian international replaced Dever Orgill in the starting XI.
With an important CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round, first leg clash at Major League Soccer club Toronto FC to come on Wednesday, Islanders head coach Colin Clarke made eight changes to the side that drew 0-0 at fellow USL-1 high-flyers Portland Timbers on Thursday night. Most notable of Puerto Rico's changes was in goal, as Michael Behonick replaced Islanders number one Bill Gaudette. This despite Gaudette recording five straight shutouts in the league for the Caribbean outfit. Included in Clarke's starting XI was former Whitecaps striker Nicholas Addlery, while on the substitutes' bench was ex-Vancouver forward Hansen.
Before Saturday's kick off, former Whitecaps player Neil Ellett, former FIFA referee Bob Sawtell, and members of the Canadian men's national team that qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup were honoured by fans at Swangard following their recent induction into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum.
In front of a sold-out Swangard crowd of 5,725, the first half was as much eventful for what occurred in the skies around the stadium, as for what occurred on the pitch.
In fact, as the game kicked off, the fans were subjected to a heavy thundershower and some exciting early action between both clubs in the first three minutes of play.
Addlery tested the arms of Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly with the first chance of the match for the visitors before Haber forced Behonick into his first save of the night on two minutes with a turn and shot in the Islanders box. A minute later, a trademark forward ball from Whitecaps captain Martin Nash allowed Gbeke to beat Puerto Rico's offside trap and make a free run on the Islanders goal. With only Behonick to beat, Gbeke was unable to round the former Charleston Battery keeper, as the Islanders shot-stopper did extremely well to dispossess Gbeke at his feet on the edge of the Islanders box.
As the rain got heavier, Whitecaps fans were given something to celebrate on four minutes, as Haber scored his sixth goal of the season in very fortunate circumstances. The Vancouver striker got on the end of John Krause's poor back header to Behonick, as he knocked it past the keeper and into the empty net for 1-0.
The Islanders looked to reply in the slippery conditions, but Lyall did well to block away Sean Fraser's goal-bound shot for a corner on 12 minutes. Seven minutes later, 'Caps centre back Marco Reda's fine sliding challenge stopped the streaking Addlery from striking a shot in the Vancouver box after the Islanders made a fine break out of their own half on the counter-attack.
Addlery looked like he had something to prove following the number of committed challenges he made in the opening half, but match referee John Oliva saw one intervention too many from the Jamaican international, as he was booked on 27 minutes for a foul on Lyall. Two minutes later, Gbeke also received a yellow card after Oliva adjudged the striker to have used his elbow in an aerial challenge for the ball with Krause.
In what proved to be an even and competitive contest, the events on the pitch were not drawing the attention of the fans as it normally would. Some menacing thunder and lightning could be seen from Swangard's main grandstand, with the storm system rapidly approaching the stadium.
After Tyrell Burgess struck a shot high and wide for the Whitecaps on 40 minutes, referee Oliva called both team captains together to discuss a halt to the action, as the storm clouds moved quickly in.
It was decided two minutes before halftime that both teams would leave the pitch for the safety of their respective dressing rooms, with a weather delay of over two hours having to be endured by supporters - many of whom were instructed to move over to the shelter of the main grandstand from the east, north, and south sides of the stadium to wait out the storm.
Then a few minutes after 10:00 p.m. PDT, play resumed with James replacing Gbeke in the Whitecaps attack. The final two minutes plus one minute of time added saw Vancouver taking a one-goal lead into the start of the second half, as both teams quickly changed ends for the restart.
Though many fans had headed home after the extended weather delay, there were a hearty number of dedicated supporters that stayed on to see the Whitecaps extend their lead on 51 minutes from another Islanders defensive mistake. Burgess' corner from the left was inadvertently headed into his own goal by Puerto Rico defender Veris for a 2-0 Vancouver lead.
The second goal seemed to settle the 'Caps into the contest, with Burgess earning another corner with a shot that deflected just wide of the target on 58 minutes before Addlery nearly had the embarrassment of putting the ball into his own goal after Haber's byline cross struck him in the leg and rolled just wide of the target on the hour mark.
Showing great desire to secure the three much-needed points, the Whitecaps kept pressing and were rewarded with a spectacular finish from James on 64 minutes. Gordon Chin played a forward ball into the feet of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international on the left-hand side. The substitute then turned Krause before heading inwards towards the edge of the box and unleashing an unstoppable right-foot shot past a diving Behonick for 3-0. It was James' fifth goal of the season.
The Whitecaps were full of confidence at this stage, and Chin forced a good save from Behonick with a long-range strike on 68 minutes. Two minutes later, James took Burgess' first-time strike into the box before turning Veris and striking a shot just wide of the far post.
It was a disappointing night for what was a makeshift Islanders line-up, but there was the consolation of a goal from the penalty spot after substitute Hansen was fouled in the Whitecaps box by Reda with a quarter of an hour remaining. Hansen himself stepped up to beat Nolly with his spot kick and make it 3-1 a minute later.
Undeterred, the Whitecaps restored their three-goal lead on 82 minutes from a fine break out of their own half. Takashi Hirano's forward ball found Burgess down the right-hand side before the Bermuda international played a fine cross into the Islanders box for an unmarked James. His downward header flew past Behonick for his sixth goal of the campaign and a 4-1 Whitecaps lead.
With time winding down on a very long evening at Swangard, Puerto Rico concluded the scoring in the 90th minute, as Hansen slotted the ball home after substitute Fabrice Noel took advantage of Reda's missed clearing attempt. He claimed possession of the ball and made a dangerous run into the Whitecaps box before eluding the attentions of a diving Nolly and setting up his fellow striker for 4-2.
The five second-half goals almost seemed like a reward to those fans that opted to see out Saturday's contest, as they all went home in joyous mood and with many stories to tell from an eventful evening in Burnaby, BC.
The Whitecaps will look to build on Saturday's win, as they embark on a three-match road trip by first visiting Rochester Rhinos in Upstate New York next Friday evening. The game can be seen on Fox Sports World Canada and Fox Soccer Channel in the United States. Puerto Rico, meanwhile, head for Southern Ontario and their CONCACAF Champions League clash with Toronto FC at BMO Field on Wednesday evening.
USL First Division Stories from July 26, 2009
- Miami Drops Second Game of Road Trip - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Richardson hat trick propels RailHawks to 4-0 win - North Carolina FC
- Whitecaps Double up Islanders - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Burnley Captures Shootout-Win In Thriller With Timbers - Portland Timbers
- Impact Ties Aztex - Montreal Impact
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