Whitecaps FC settle for draw
May 9, 2010 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
VANCOUVER, BC - Playing the first of three home matches in the USSF D-2 Pro League, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2W-1L-2D) had to settle for a disappointing goalless draw with NASL Conference rivals Crystal Palace Baltimore (0W-3L-1D) on Saturday evening.
In what was the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, the 'Caps struggled to find a way past Palace goalkeeper Evan Bush in what proved to be a less than inspiring contest at Swangard Stadium. For Baltimore, Saturday's result was the Maryland club's first league point since making the jump to the North American second division level this season.
Though winless in their last two league matches, the weekend draw keeps the Blue and White at the top of the NASL Conference standings with eight points from five matches played. Palace, meanwhile, remain bottom of the conference standings with just a single point earned from four league matches.
The result also saw Whitecaps number one Jay Nolly move ahead of the legendary Phil Parkes and into second place in the club's career shutout list after claiming his 27th clean sheet on Saturday. Former 'Caps keeper Paul Dolan currently leads the club's all-time list of career shutouts with 51.
A gorgeous spring evening greeted Teitur Thordarson's side for their latest league encounter, with the Whitecaps head coach reverting back to his traditional 4-4-2 formation after playing 4-4-1-1 against Montreal Impact in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship on Wednesday. There were also two changes made in his starting line-up, as youngster Randy Edwini-Bonsu and winger Justin Moose came in for captain Martin Nash and midfielder Ansu Toure. The changes saw Jonny Steele partner Luca Bellisomo in Vancouver's central midfield.
As pleasant a night it was to watch a game of soccer in Burnaby, BC, a Swangard crowd of 4,903 saw a nervy first-half performance from the 'Caps, with Baltimore showing more confidence in their play than what their early-season record would suggest.
The first set of chances fell to the home side, with Zurab Tsiskaridze heading Steele's free kick wide of goal after just two minutes, while striker Marcus Haber nearly got on the end of Edwini-Bonsu's incisive through ball into the Palace box three minutes later. On the quarter-hour mark, Edwini-Bonsu struck a shot wide of the near post after doing well to control a ball played forward.
Having had a full week to prepare for their maiden visit to Vancouver, Palace caused the Whitecaps some problems with their skill and pace up front. Their best effort of the half came on 16 minutes when Cuban striker Yaikel Perez put a close-range turn and shot over Nolly's crossbar.
The Swangard clash also saw the appearance of former 'Caps centre back Shaun Pejic, who started in the Palace backline versus his old club. Unfortunately, the defender's return was cut short when a clash of heads with Whitecaps defender Greg Janicki on 22 minutes left the former Wales U-21 international with a bad head wound, with the visitors forced to bring on Andrew Marshall in his place four minutes later.
Janicki also needed treatment for a head wound from the collision with Pejic in the Palace box. The former D.C. United defender went off and received treatment in the Whitecaps dressing room, as the home side played with ten men for nearly a quarter of an hour.
The final chances of what was a subdued opening half fell to the 'Caps, with Edwini-Bonsu slicing a shot from the edge of the Baltimore box wide of goal on 38 minutes, while in the two minutes of time added on, Haber rolled a tame shot into the arms of Bush before Palace captain Val Teixeira did well to clear Wes Knight's dangerous byline cross at the near post.
It was goalless at the halftime break.
Not wanting to drop valuable home points at this early stage in the league campaign, the Whitecaps pressed their opponents soon after the restart. However, their struggles in front of goal continued, as Tsiskaridze sliced a free-kick effort well wide of the target on 51 minutes.
As the match neared the hour mark, Thordarson looked for a spark from his side when he introduced Toure and Ricardo Sanchez to proceedings. On 60 minutes, Bellisomo had Vancouver's best chance of the match when he headed Tsiskaridze's well-placed cross from the left off Palace's near post.
Sanchez's contribution off the substitutes' bench was influential, as the Mexican oversaw all of the Whitecaps set-pieces, with centre backs Janicki and Nelson Akwari heading two of the midfielder's corner kicks wide of the target at close range. Sanchez himself had opportunities to break the deadlock with a misplaced free kick on 66 minutes and a driven strike over Bush's crossbar on 84 minutes.
Though young substitutes Philippe Davies and Dever Orgill added some much-needed energy to the home side, a goal never seemed like coming from either club. Palace's efforts to find a match winner were equally as disappointing, as Nolly made routine saves from Brazilian midfielder Lucio and substitute Pat Healey after the break.
North American Soccer League Stories from May 9, 2010
- Whitecaps FC settle for draw - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Scoreless Draw Against Whitecaps Gives Palace First Point of Season, First Clean Sheet - Crystal Palace Baltimore
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