On Saturday night in San Diego, the Vancouver Whitecaps played to a 1-1 draw against San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium.

It was an entertaining and evenly contested match between the top two teams in the West, and while both will lament missed opportunities, I think the final result was fair given the balance of play. There were several standout showings for the Whitecaps, so without further delay, let’s have a look at those in the Report Card.

Yohei Takaoka – 8.0

The Japanese keeper was sharp in this match and made some good reflex saves at close range. I also noticed he was a bit more aggressive with his sweeping and clearances, which would be good to see more often.

Bjorn Inge Utvik – 7.0

That’s two solid matches in a row for Bjorn. He’s been much better with the ball at his feet than last year, and he’s always been good in the air. I think Sørensen has been able to get him comfortable playing a higher line, that’s been beneficial to both him and the team.

Belal Halbouni – 6.5

The young Canadian replaced Ranko in the 30th minute, and though he started a bit shaky, he was solid from there on out. It’s hard not to like the physical and technical tools Belal can offer; It’s a question of his being able to process the game at the level needed to play in MLS.

Mathias Laborda – 7.0

Laborda has been showing off his attacking skill set in recent matches, with his trademark late runs into the box. He had the final Whitecaps touch on the goal, and otherwise was pretty effective at both ends of the pitch.

Edier Ocampo – 7.5

The youngster can take over matches at times with his attacking threat, and he’s had some great moments this past week. Ocampo ripped a shot that tested the San Diego keeper, and then moments later, his clever footwork helped create Vancouver’s goal. Sure, he still has some work to do in terms of discipline and the defensive side of the game, but he has tools that are hard to teach.

Andres Cubas – 7.5

I thought Cubas was immense in this match, especially in the first half, where Vancouver notably frustrated San Diego. His defensive pressure stalled so many moments where SD was looking to progress the ball, and he was reasonably involved passing as well, with 5 balls into the final third.

Sebastian Berhalter – 8.0

Is Seba Vancouver’s most important player right now? Because that’s what it feels like.

Berhalter’s distribution has been essential this week, in particular as the Whitecaps have sat a bit deeper and played more vertically on the ball. His technique and vision stand out in every match. Without Berhalter, I’m not sure Vancouver walks away with 4 points from the last two matches.

Jeevan Badwal – 6.5

The youngster was pretty quiet in this match, and against a very good midfield from San Diego, I think that’s a decent showing. He had a couple of decent runs forward, but he struggled to find the right final ball.

Jayden Nelson – 6.5

It seems like opinions in the community are pretty divided on Nelson. There are those who love his effort and creativity on the ball, and there are those who find his refusal to look for the open man and constant attempts to take on players 1v1 frustrating. Both are probably right, and this match was a good example of that.

Think about it this way – If Nelson was a great decision maker with all the other tools he possesses, there’s no way he would have left Europe on a cut-rate deal. I think Nelson has provided great value for Vancouver this year, given the acquisition cost, and if Sørensen can help Nelson round out his game, he could easily be a 10-goal + 10-assist guy in MLS.

Brian White – 6.0

Ah, the trademark match where Brian mysteriously forgets how to shoot. We’ve seen this movie before, and though it’s frustrating, it’s also not a reason to be concerned. White was still effective making off-ball runs and holding up the ball, plus he’s getting himself in the right areas, which is never a bad thing. He probably could have done without that six-week hiatus where he played 9 minutes. 

Emmanuel Sabbi – 6.5

Given how effective Sabbi was against Houston, this was a bit of a step back, but nothing to worry about, really. Sabbi seems like a player who is going to run a bit hot and cold based on his form, as well as matchups. I think he’s a player who works better with some rotation rather than starting every match.

Substitutes – 6.5

I’ve put Ranko in this category because he only played 30-ish minutes. Hopefully, he is alright, as you never like to see someone go down without contact. Tate Johnson came on at the half, and he did a nice job linking up with Nelson, even though Vancouver did not manage to find a second goal. Ralph Priso, for whatever reason, looked a step off the pace, and he was dribbled past a couple of times. Daniel Ríos’ biggest moment was the final kick of the match, a shot that was stopped by Pablo Sisniega.

Alright, those were my thoughts. Feel free to chip in with yours in the comments section.

(Image: Vancouver Whitecaps FC)