Good Friday morning Caps fans, hope you all are having a lovely week and that this weekend brings a well deserved break — after all, it’s hard working all five days isn’t it?
It was probably not how Jesper Sorensen (and everyone else) envisioned things going but Vancouver are marching on to the semis of the Voyageurs Cup, seeing off Valour with a late goal from Bjorn Utvik of all people.
As I said in the post match, if you were looking for a confidence booster, this was not it. But the second half, following the introduction of Sebastian Berhalter, clearly swung things in the Caps’ favor. Valour played well and should be proud of their effort but a bit better performance from Vancouver in front of goal would have had this one well clear. Valour was largely kept at bay thanks to some tidy defending but their late tally of a corner seemed to seal the fate of a penalty shootout.
Credit to Utvik for the winning header and Jayden Nelson for the delivery. Utvik has had a tough year but was excellent on Wednesday and Nelson was more good than bad after his ill timed sending off against the Galaxy.
The Caps deserved to go through but they will have no small task against Forge, who ousted Montreal in a thriller shortly before Vancouver kicked off. Perhaps the best team in the CPL, Forge will present a different sort of challenge and hopefully this tie was a wake up call.
I regret to inform you, however, that the Pedro Vite transfer saga has not closed, despite him reportedly putting pen to paper on a contract extension.
The generally reliable CL Merlo is reporting that Pumas is in advanced talks to sign Vite, a sign that the new contract isn’t designed to keep him in Vancouver but rather boost the fee the Caps receive this off-season. Manuel Veth is reporting there is no formal approach but my read on his reporting is a Vite departure is very much a possibility. So choose your fighter on this one.
This is a bizarre one on many levels. Sure, Vite would instantly be a top player on that team (one that has gone in for top MLS players previously). But if you’re going to roll the dice on a new situation a year before the World Cup, why not just move to Europe? Pumas, while solid, are a clear tier below Liga MX’s elites and, if CCC is to be believed, a level below the Caps. He might earn a pay bump, it also would likely hinder any long term ambition for Europe. While Pumas did sell Cesar Huerta overseas, this is an anomaly. Vite should be aiming higher than Anderlecht, where Huerta went.
And unless Vite is demanding to go, selling him now (to Pumas or anyone else) would be a horrendous fumble by Vancouver. There is still a chance to do big things this season and losing Vite would severely damage that. Unless the new contract had a handshake deal to see Vite (a very real possibility) it is unclear what is to be gained here. Pumas (or clubs like them) will be there next year.
Hopefully there will be clarity on this before long. For now? We wait with bated breath.
Shameless Self Promotion
Our hybrid post match/report card breaks down the cup tie and the podcast assesses the Caps’ chances of breaking out of their recent slump.
Best of the Rest
More details on what the Canadian Championship semifinals will look like.
DC United are the latest club to dump their manager, hiring Swiss gaffer Remi Weiler to replace Troy Lesesne.
In European transfer news, Tajon Buchannan could be staying in Italy with a move to promoted side Sassuolo.
An interesting look at how long throws as set pieces have taken MLS by storm (focusing on Minnesota United but relevant to the Caps as well).