Whitecaps Sweep Doubleheader
Published on June 8, 2008 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
Vancouver Whitecaps men remain top of the USL First Division standings after an entertaining 3-1 home win over Portland Timbers on Saturday night.
Though the home side were a goal down at halftime following Scot Thompson's early first-half strike for Portland, second half goals from Eduardo Sebrango, Martin Nash, and substitute Alfredo Valente saw the sold-out Swangard Stadium crowd of 5,288 head home in delight, as the Whitecaps extended their winning streak to four games. The result also made it two wins out of a possible three in the regular season against their Pacific Northwest rivals, with Vancouver also leading the Cascadia Cup standings over Portland and Seattle Sounders at this stage of the campaign.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made two changes to the side that won 1-0 at Minnesota Thunder last Saturday. Striker Nicholas Addlery replaced Jason Jordan, as he partnered Sebrango in the Vancouver attack. In midfield, Vicente Arze replaced Tony Donatelli to play on the left-hand side. Timbers head coach Gavin Wilkinson, meanwhile, made just one change to the squad that drew 0-0 at home to Minnesota on Thursday night. Shaun Higgins came into Portland's midfield for Tom Poltl.
Despite Saturday being a cool evening at Swangard, the sold-out crowd were hoping to see a Whitecaps performance that was reminiscent of their three recent victories on the road. Unfortunately for home fans, Portland were very much in the mood to avenge their first defeat of the season to Vancouver back on May 24.
The tempo was unsurprisingly high and competitive from the kickoff, and an old face in on-loan Timbers striker Bryan Jordan was doing his part to give Vancouver's backline plenty of problems. Unlike their first meeting at Portland's PGE Park last month, Wilkinson used a page out of Thordarson's tactics book by applying some effective high pressure on their hosts.
That pressure turned into an early lead for The City of Roses club, as the Whitecaps failed to deal with Timbers captain Andrew Gregor's free kick in their own box. The ball swung out to the far post, where the fleet-footed Jordan got on the end of the loose ball. The forward - who played against the Whitecaps in Edmonton, Alberta, this season with parent club Los Angeles Galaxy - crossed the ball back across Jay Nolly's goal to an unmarked Scot Thompson, who came streaking in to head the ball home for 1-0.
Thordarson would have been disappointed to concede early at home again this season, but fullback Lyle Martin tried to make amends with a run and cross from the right on 17 minutes, but Addlery was unable to connect with the ball with his head in the visitors' box. A minute later, another Gregor free kick allowed the Timbers skipper to set up striker Chris Brown to strike from distance, but the Portland native flew a fierce effort just wide of Nolly's goal.
On 23 minutes, Whitecaps fans called for a penalty after Portland centre back Cameron Knowles handled in his own box, but referee Jonathan Lavergne waved away all appeals. A minute later, Arze sliced a close-range effort wide of Jordan James' goal after taking a feed from the attack-minded Martin on the edge of the Timbers' box.
Then after Poltl had to replace the injured Higgins in the Portland midfield, Miguel Guante forced a save from Nolly with a low drive on 29 minutes before Gregor had his free kick easily saved by the Whitecaps keeper. By the halftime break, Portland had easily showed they were the more dangerous attacking side in the opening half. "To a certain extent, I think we kept the ball better in the first half than the Whitecaps," Wilkinson told whitecapsfc.com. "It put us in a position where we could pressure them a little bit higher up the pitch. The second half, however, we came out flat and let ourselves down. We lost our shape at the back and started doing things as individuals and not as a collective group. The first ten passes we made in the second half, we gave the ball away on every occasion. That put us on the backfoot and turned the momentum over to the Whitecaps. The second half was impressively played from Vancouver, but I think the teams are on a par, to be honest."
In a bid to get back into the contest, Thordarson made two important changes to freshen up his attack for the start of the second half. Jason Jordan replaced Addlery in attack, while Valente came into the wide-left midfield position for Arze.
On 48 minutes, some good work in the Portland box by Jason Jordan from Martin Nash's throw-in allowed fellow substitute Valente to force James into a reflex save with his close-range strike. Five minutes later, Justin Moose was unlucky not to hit the target with a volleyed effort after Nash floated a fine cross over to the former DC United man on the right-hand side.
It was a bright restart by the Whitecaps, and the sell-out crowd had something to shout about on 54 minutes, as Jason Jordan took Omar Jarun's cross on his chest before turning and beating former Vancouver defender Justin Thompson in the Portland box. His low drive then struck the far post and came out to hit the sprawling James before Sebrango pounced on the loose ball to knock it home for 1-1.
The goal breathed new life into Vancouver, with Jason Jordan causing Justin Thompson more problems in the Timbers box, while Moose set up an unmarked Steve Kindel, who drove a powerful header right at James with a cross from the right on 64 minutes.
Two minutes later, the Whitecaps attacking play brought a superb game-winning goal. Portland failed to deal with Moose's free kick from the left, with Timbers substitute Tim Karalexis heading his clearance out to Nash near the edge of the box. The Whitecaps captain lined up a fine first-time shot that flew past James and into the far corner of the goal for 2-1. "That's why we put players at the top of the box," Nash told reporters after the game. "The ball bounced nicely for me, so I had a go and it went in the corner. I thought it was a great second half and it is that way that we want to play over 90 minutes. We've just got to work to that level, even though it takes time. Hopefully, we get to that level soon."
In what was a pulsating second half of action, Portland contributed with some excellent chances of their own with a quarter of an hour remaining. Nolly had to bail out Jarun by saving well from the dangerous Bryan Jordan after the Timbers forward got the better of the Palestinian international in Vancouver's box. Moments later, Brown was unlucky to see a low shot deflect just wide of the target.
With the game coming to a close, fans remained on the edge of their seats, as Portland looked to find a way back into the game, but to no avail. In fact, it was the Whitecaps that secured their first three-goal haul since early last season in time added on, as a Vancouver counter-attack saw Sebrango's cross reach Valente at the far post. He took his time before striking the ball home to cap a thoroughly enjoyable evening for the USL-1 leaders. "Jason and I were able to go out and make a difference in the second half," Valente said. "Portland were sitting a little bit on their 1-0 lead and with some fresh legs, we were able to get at them. We've been looking for those games where we can get a win and get multiple goals. After a disappointing first half, it was nice to get three goals in the second half and make it exciting for the fans. Portland didn't come here for a draw, they came here for a win. They got the early goal, but we had the legs to turn it around and be on the winning side."
90 FULL MINUTES
Thordarson admitted that the game was a tale of two halves. "I thought we were poor in the first half, and I didn't like it," the Icelandic tactician said to reporters after the game. "We have been tired after the recent road trip and during the week's training, we were not as fresh we would have liked. I was actually a bit concerned about this game, in regards to that. I just told the players at halftime that we could not go on like we were playing, and that we needed to take the initiative in the game. We made some changes and they worked out very well, as both Alfredo and Jason did very well in the second half. The equalizer was a big turn, as it gave the guys the spirit to go win the game. In the end, we became stronger and stronger, and when we play like we did in the second half, we are a good side that is difficult to beat."
The Whitecaps will now head out on the road for the first of two visits to Upstate New York, as they meet Rochester Rhinos for the second time this season, with PAETEC Park being the venue for this contest next Friday night. Portland, meanwhile, return home to face Atlanta Silverbacks at PGE Park on Thursday evening.
USL First Division Stories from June 8, 2008
- Thunder Drops Match in Seattle 3-1 - Minnesota Thunder
- Whitecaps Sweep Doubleheader - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Sounders silence Thunder with 3-1 victory - Seattle Sounders
- Timbers taken down 3-1 by Whitecaps - Portland Timbers
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