Whitecaps Lose Second Straight
July 17, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
CARY, NC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC men suffered a second straight defeat on the road after a 2-1 loss versus Carolina RailHawks in USL First Division action on Friday evening.
A Marco Reda own-goal, official credited to Gregory Richardson, gave the home side a halftime lead before Sallieu Bundu scored Carolina's winner midway through the second half, as the RailHawks registered their first home win over Vancouver at WakeMed Soccer Park in club history. Though substitute Charles Gbeke pulled a goal back for the visitors in the dying stages, it was not enough to turn the Whitecaps fortunes around in Cary, North Carolina.
Whitecaps head Teitur Thordarson made two changes to the side that started last Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Miami FC Blues. After scoring Vancouver's consolation goal in last weekend's loss in South Florida, youngster Dever Orgill replaced Gbeke to partner Marcus Haber in the visitors' attack. It was the Jamaican youth international's first-ever start for the men's team. In defence, Reda replaced Jeff Parke to partner Wesley Charles in the centre of the Whitecaps backline.
RailHawks head coach Martin Rennie, meanwhile, made two changes to the line-up that started last Saturday's 1-0 win at Southern Derby Cup rivals Charleston Battery. Caleb Patterson-Sewell replaced Eric Reed in the Carolina goal, while striker Gregory Richardson replaced the suspended Josh Gardner to play on the left-hand side of midfield.
Playing in their away strip of all blue, it was the Whitecaps that made the early running on the vast WakeMed Soccer Park pitch, with Vancouver enjoying plenty of possession during the opening stages of the contest.
On three minutes, Tyrell Burgess drilled a right-footed shot just wide of the target from the left-hand side before Reda headed captain Martin Nash's corner from the right at Patterson-Sewell nine minutes later.
Though they showed good endeavour to get forward, Carolina slowly worked their way back into the match. On 20 minutes, Bundu just missed making contact with Kupono Low's dangerous cross at the near post before Reda caused a bit of scare in the Whitecaps defence when he cleared another Low cross just wide of his own goal two minutes later.
Despite making his first start for Vancouver, Orgill struggled to have much impact in the first half, though he was able to test the arms of Patterson-Sewell with a decent run and shot on 27 minutes before Lyle Martin forced some fine defending by the RailHawks, as the right-sided winger was dispossessed of the ball after making an incisive run into the Carolina box eight minutes later.
There was plenty of space for both clubs to exploit during the opening 45 minutes, and it was the RailHawks that came very close to taking the lead when Daniel Paladini hit the post with a low drive on 37 minutes after he made a forward run down the left-hand side before cutting into the 'Caps box to tee up his shot. Two minutes later at the other end, Haber rolled a shot wide of goal after Reda did well to win possession of the ball with a sliding tackle in the Carolina half.
It was an open affair in the dying stages, and the RailHawks were first to make the breakthrough on 44 minutes. John Cunliffe played a pass out left to the skillful Richardson on the edge of the Vancouver box. The winger then side-stepped Whitecaps defender Wes Knight with ease before heading to the byline and hitting a low shot that struck the sliding legs of Reda and deflected through the legs of Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly for a 1-0 Carolina lead at halftime.
USL First Division Stories from July 17, 2009
- Whitecaps Lose Second Straight - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Richardson, Bundu Goals Life RailHawks over Vancouver - North Carolina FC
- Miami FC Ties Front End of Weekend Double Header - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Hayes Leads Timbers to Draw - Portland Timbers
- Defender Kevin Sakuda And Forward Pa Amadou Gai Released - Montreal Impact
- RailHawks Down Whitecaps - North Carolina FC
- Battery Ties City Stars - Charleston Battery
- Defense Leads City Stars In 0-0 Draw With Charleston - Cleveland City Stars
- Tecos Training for Friday night is postponed to Saturday at 10 a.m. - North Carolina FC
- Timbers Visit Miami FC for Two-Game Series - Portland Timbers
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