Good Monday morning Caps fans and there’s no two ways around, it’s a tough one today.
The biggest match in club history did not go to plan, with the Caps played off the pitch in Mexico City, as they were on the receiving end of a demolition from Cruz Azul.
If you’re reading this, though, you watched. And many of you subjected yourself to all 90 minutes, like I did. And the pain came not just from losing but from not showing any of the character, the boldness and the quality that has defined this season, especially the CONCACAF Champions Cup run.
The poor showing in the final will detract from a magical run. It shouldn’t, but it will. The players should still be proud of a run that changed the perception of this team and shattered notions of what an MLS team can do when playing against Mexican opposition. That is the bigger picture that hopefully will shine through eventually. More than that, they should be proud of re-energizing this fanbase at a time when it desperately needed it.
But this loss was bigger than being down two key players and it was bigger than having to play a one legged final in altitude (though both are ridiculous). No one could have foreseen Andres Cubas’ awful performance, an invisible performance from the most dynamic attack in the league and an inadequate tactical approach from the frontrunner for MLS coach of the year.
There will be recriminations league wide, as there always is when an MLS team loses in Mexico. I would offer that the Caps are actually a powerful example of how to get the job done against Liga MX opposition but Cruz Azul are a different beast. And if we’re looking bigger picture, the fact is this league still does not do enough to let it’s teams replace two key players. Cruz Azul can pull in $10 million players off the bench; Vancouver have Ralph Priso and Daniel Rios.
For the Caps, you can question Jesper Sorensen not rotating enough to stay fresh during league play or not begging off the Minnesota match during the midweek. And Cruz Azul knew exactly what to do to counter the Caps’ now patented build up play (leaving me to wonder if it will be viewed as a playbook for MLS teams). The dip in form was perhaps a warning sign. You can take your foot off the gas against RSL and get away with it. You cannot in this one.
But ultimately what’s done is done — and it hurts. For a team that allowed us all to dream, it is painful for that dream to crash abruptly back to earth. I can only imagine how the players feel. And that is ultimately where the focus must now shift. The risk is this loss will derail the season when there is still so much to play for. A fourth straight Canadian Championship is of course on the line but so is a Supporters Shield and a pathway to contention for MLS Cup. There are plenty of dreams yet out there that we can collectively aspire to. This is a tough day but I still believe in this team — I hope you all do too.
Shameless Self Promotion
If you dare read the post match analysis of last night, Sam has a good, level-headed breakdown of the result.
Best of the Rest
A look at how the Caps plan on turning the page from their ugly defeat.
Meanwhile, back in the U.S., the Seattle Sounders players are protesting the payment structure for the Club World Cup later this summer.
LAFC had better luck against Mexican opposition, beating Club America on Saturday to reach the aforementioned CWC.
The Canadian Men’s National Team have a fresh round of frustrations with Canada Soccer ahead of a busy summer period.
Former Caps man Julian Gressel is getting Vancouver vibes from Minnesota.
If they can get through the Gold Cup and still be in the top four when they get all the players back (and hopefully Gauld) they’ll be well placed for a very good season.
Here’s hoping!
I watched the LAFC v Club America game Saturday night. That game was *nothing* like what Vancouver faced. Cruz Azul would have destroyed LAFC just as they did Vancouver.
I think every fan should try to adopt Jesper’s philosophy and let it go. The game is over. It ended the way it did, and there are many more games on the schedule. No one is more vested in the outcome at the end of the season than the players. They deserve our support.
Totally agree….but yes it was on 980 telus………..a secret?
if you play any kind of team sport at any reasonable level, you have suffered embarrassing losses- but you pick yourself up, learn from the experience and play again… this what i expect the Whitecap players to do, including the no doubt, heavy guilt-ridden Andres Cubas where he played a game from hell (3 goals attributed to his mistakes and the first 2 in the opening 12 minutes were devastating for the rest of the match)
for whatever reasons, the Caps lacked any energy from the get-go- we saw this for 2-3 games in May – could be fatique what with logging tens of thousands of air miles and a multitude of games in a short span, most of them of a critical nature- this drains you physically, mentally and emotionally (and if this were Miami/Messi in the Final game, MLS Brass would have them have no mid-week game prior- we all know that to be true) (and Cruz Azul had 2 weeks from games)
June/July does us no favors what with players missing- White, Berhalter, Ahmed for sure- Gold Cup and International games- MLS has to figure out what to with the schedule due to FIFA, CONCACAF and Country call-ups
after saying all this, the Team got stuffed and its up to us supporters to help the Team get unstuffed and get back to playing like they did in March and April- mourn for a few days and then realize this is what the Beautiful Game can do to us – the good times will come back
more to come in the Game Player/Coach Ratings
Salty
I’m disappointed that a game of this magnitude doesn’t get picked up by a local TV station. I don’t know what to say, but you can’t build fans when they cant see your games!
tsn/sportsnet would’ve picked up the rights if it was TFC in the final, they couldn’t care less about the whitecaps
Totally agree….but yes it was on channel 980 telus………..a secret?
i really cant wait for the more too come. I always love hearing your insight after every game it offers me a way to think about this world differently and you are so very meaningful. Please DONT ever stop commenting.
Here is what Google AI said about preparing for endurance competitions in Mexico City:
Professional athletes should aim for at least 14 days of acclimatization before competing in Mexico City, which sits at an altitude of about 7,500 feet (2,286 meters). Some sources recommend a minimum of 3 weeks and even up to 6 weeks for more extensive acclimatization, especially for endurance events.