Whitecaps Storm Back for 2-1 Win
Published on September 13, 2009 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
Vancouver Whitecaps FC came from a goal down to defeat Austin Aztex 2-1 in USL First Division action on Sunday afternoon.
Despite falling behind to a second-half strike by Aztex substitute Jarius Holmes, Whitecaps substitute Marcus Haber levelled matters before Gordon Chin scored the winner with a fiercely-struck shot in the dying stages at Swangard Stadium. It was Chin's first-ever goal for his hometown club. Austin also finished the match with ten men after captain Gifton Noel-Williams was sent off in the second half.
The win kept the Whitecaps hopes of finishing sixth in the USL-1 standings alive, with Vancouver already assured a spot in this year's playoffs. They now sit three points behind sixth-place Rochester Rhinos after the Upstate New York club drew 0-0 at home to Miami FC Blues on Sunday. Victory also improved the Whitecaps record to 10W-10L-9D.
Austin, meanwhile, completed their inaugural season in USL-1 and out of a postseason berth after Sunday's loss. The Aztex ended their 30-match regular season schedule with a record of 5W-17L-8D.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made three changes to the side that started the 1-0 away defeat to Canadian rivals Montreal Impact on Wednesday night. There were two changes in midfield, with Ansu Toure replacing Tyrell Burgess on the left-hand side and Chin coming in for Lyle Martin to play in the middle. The moves saw Tanzanian international Nizar Khalfan shift out to the right-hand side of midfield. In attack, fit-again Marlon James took the place of Haber to partner Charles Gbeke up front for the home side.
Aztex head coach Adrian Heath, meanwhile, made one change to the side that claimed a surprise 2-1 victory at Portland Timbers on Friday evening. Striker Kyle Brown replaced Brazilian winger Sullivan Silva for the Texas club's final game of the season.
On a sunny and beautiful September day, a sold-out Swangard crowd of 5,288 saw Vancouver dominate the first half in terms of chances created, but not make the desired breakthrough they were seeking. The sell-out crowd was a club-record 11th of the year for the Blue and White.
Playing in their away strip of all blue, the Whitecaps created the first chance inside the first 40 seconds of the match. Toure released James with a fine through ball, as the big striker broke in free on goal. With only Aztex goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo-Aparicio to beat, the Austin shot-stopper came up with an important save to keep the match scoreless.
James seemed determined to have an impact on the match, with the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international curling a free kick into Gallardo-Aparicio's arms on four minutes.
Both sides were then forced into early substitutions because of injuries. First, it was the Whitecaps that brought on Martin for Khalfan in midfield after the East African import failed to overcome an ankle problem on 13 minutes. Six minutes later, the Aztex changed strikers, with Holmes replacing Jamie Watson, who also picked up a leg injury.
The Whitecaps had most of the opportunities up to the break. On 25 minutes, Toure tested the hands of Gallardo-Aparicio with a strike from the left before Gbeke had two chances off his head. He first connected with Wes Knight's cross on 29 minutes that flew over the Austin crossbar. A minute later, the Canadian international repeated the chance with his second effort after getting on the end of Knight's long throw-in from the right.
Then on 32 minutes, substitute Martin had the best chance of the half for the 'Caps. The speedy winger played a fine give-and-go with Gbeke before breaking in on goal. However, Austin were thankful again to their keeper Gallardo-Aparicio for another good stop from Martin's shot. Seconds later, Gbeke powered a header just wide of the target following a solid cross from Knight.
The Aztex offered little in terms of an attacking threat for most of the half, but they nearly took a surprise lead when Brown eluded the Whitecaps offside trap to latch on to a forward ball. He then rounded Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly at the edge of the Vancouver box and looked to slip his shot into the empty net from a tight angle. However, Brown's strike could only find the side-netting - much to the relief of the home fans.
The last chance of the half fell to James in the two minutes of time added on, but the forward's shot flew high and wide of the target.
As a result, both sides went to their respective dressing rooms deadlocked at 0-0.
Whitecaps fans saw their team make another substitution at the start of the second half, as Marco Reda replaced Shaun Pejic at centre back. They also saw the visitors look the brighter of the two clubs shortly after the restart.
It was Holmes that created Austin's early chances. On 46 minutes, the Austin striker forced a good save from Nolly with his legs after hitting a close-range shot. Two minutes later, Holmes squandered an even better opportunity, as he broke in on the Vancouver goal before striking his shot just wide of the target.
However, the Aztex would not be denied, as they claimed the game's opening goal on 51 minutes. Much to the dismay of the 'Caps, Brown beat Vancouver's offside trap before breaking in again on goal. He then easily squared a pass to an unmarked Holmes, who duly converted into an empty net for a 1-0 Austin lead. The goal left the Blue and White frustrated, as they made strong calls for an offside decision. This led to match referee Mathieu Bourdeau booking Nolly for his protests shortly afterwards.
Having seen his side control large spells of the match, Thordarson was far from pleased to find the 'Caps a goal behind. This prompted the Icelandic tactician to make two substitutions on 56 and 61 minutes respectively. Haber came on for James in attack, while Burgess replaced Toure on the left side of midfield.
Now in the position of chasing the game, the Whitecaps saw efforts from Gbeke on 62 minutes and Martin on seven minutes later fly wide of the target. Gallardo-Aparicio was then called into action to save Reda's header from a Burgess corner on 73 minutes before the Mexican keeper made acrobatic stop from another Burgess corner three minutes later.
The turning point of the contest likely came on 77 minutes, as Austin were reduced to ten men after striker Noel-Williams was shown a straight red card for an awful two-footed tackle on Whitecaps midfielder Kenold Versailles. Two minutes later, Vancouver added more speed to their attack by introducing Randy Edwini-Bonsu for left fullback Takashi Hirano.
It was on 80 minutes that the Whitecaps pulled back to level terms with a headed goal by Haber. The Aztex failed to properly clear Burgess' corner from the right, with the ball falling out to Chin on the left. The midfielder volleyed the ball back towards the far post, where Haber was on hand to direct his header past Gallardo-Aparicio for 1-1.
The goal livened the spirits of supporters at Swangard, and Chin was looking to make more inroads with a low drive that Gallardo-Aparicio did well to stop on 84 minutes after Edwini-Bonsu made a fine run into the Austin box before slipping a pass to his midfield teammate.
Chin seemed undeterred in his search for his first-ever Whitecaps goal, with that moment coming in spectacular fashion on 86 minutes. The midfielder took a simple pass from Martin before heading into the Aztex box and unleashing a powerful right-footed shot that struck the underside of the Austin crossbar and bounced into the net for a 2-1 Whitecaps lead.
It was an excellent turnaround by the 'Caps, and they seemed in the mood to find more goals, with Edwini-Bonsu causing particular problems to the Austin backline in the dying stages. The youngster's best chance to score a first-ever men's team goal came in the four minutes of time added on, but after beating his marker into the Aztex box, the striker chipped his finish over Gallardo-Aparicio and the crossbar.
The final whistle from referee Bourdeau confirmed a morale-boosting victory for the Whitecaps, with the club still in with a chance of finishing sixth in the league standings.
90 FULL MINUTES
The Whitecaps will complete their 2009 USL-1 regular season schedule when they host Cleveland City Stars for the first time in club history at Swangard next Friday night.
USL First Division Stories from September 13, 2009
- Timbers Handed 1-0 Loss By City Stars - Portland Timbers
- Whitecaps Storm Back for 2-1 Win - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Underdog City Stars Defeat First Place Portland 1-0 - Cleveland City Stars
- Miami Draws its Last Road Game of the Season - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Final Thunder Away Match Ends in 1-1 Draw with Montreal Impact - Minnesota Thunder
- Impact Earn Late Tie - Montreal Impact
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