The Vancouver Whitecaps drew 1-1 with the Portland Timbers in a quintessential MLS match. Both teams, at various times, were insanely lucky not to lose the game. Perhaps that indicates that a draw was the correct result, although the MLS website lists the xG as 3.1-1.7 for Vancouver, which may indicate that Portland were the luckier of the two sides.
The first half was very bad (from our perspective as Whitecaps followers at least). The youth of the squad and the lack of familiarity between the players was on full display. I noted that Portland, when pressing, essentially sat 5 players on Vancouver’s backline and dared the ‘Caps to play through them. Maybe a team that included more regular starters, or at least more players used to playing together, could have played through this more easily, but the microseconds of hesitation caused by unfamiliarity were really killing the ‘Caps in the first half. That lack of familiarity was also a big problem out of possession, as Portland was able to play through Vancouver very easily in transition.
Young fullbacks Tate Johnson and Giuseppe Bovalina caught the brunt of these troubles, but, while neither covered themselves in glory, I also think the rest of the team did not do a very good job of protecting them. I think it is noteworthy that things turned around significantly with the introduction of Ali Ahmed, an attacking player who also gives a lot defensively. Significant props need to go to Yohei Takaoka, who made six first-half saves and helped Vancouver weather the first-half storm. Kamal Miller scored a pretty nice goal.
In the second half, things turned around significantly for Vancouver. Ali Ahmed balanced the team a little bit more, and Vancouver were territorially dominant for the first 20 minutes of the second half. However, it was not until Brian White entered the game that the ‘Caps started turning that dominance into some actual shots. I don’t think Rayan Elloumi was bad necessarily, but I do think the Whitecaps were missing somebody who could give more trouble to Portland’s three massive centre-backs in physical battles. White scored and missed another big chance, but it’s also worth noting how he created more space for other attacking players.
It wouldn’t be a Whitecaps game without an injury. This time it was Kenji Cabrera who had to be withdrawn for J.C. Ngando. I was a little surprised Ngando wasn’t introduced until it was forced, as he has looked good in recent games, and I think he was a difference maker here as well.
This result is not particularly good for Vancouver’s Shield hopes as they will now rely on results elsewhere down the stretch in order to win. They’ll next face the Seattle Sounders on the road, which will not be an easy game by any means.
Related
Any truth to the rumour that the Timbers were going to stay in Vancouver to seek asylum from “war ravaged” Portland for the remainder of the season?
The seesaw analogy is appropriate, the highlights reel is kind of funny because it is almost all focused on the single goal, all Portland’s chances in the first half and all Vancouver’s in the second, it’s only at the very end that the other goal is finally shown 😄…
If you think about the ‘Caps best starting 11 (fully healthy):
White
Ahmed – Muller – Gauld
Cubas – Berhalter
Adekugbe – Vesolinovic – Blackmon – Laborda
Takaoka
(arguably you could say Ocampo over Sam with Laborda shifting to left back)
Only 2 of those players started and one was out of position (Laborda is not a CB). One more came in at the half and another played 30.
Although they needed heroics from Takaoka in the first half to keep them in the game, the fact that they somehow managed a draw is a great result. Have to be impressed with the grit and heart that this team shows game and game out.
When you look at the whole season and think about how many games (through all competitions) that so many of these players have missed due to injury and international duty (only Takaoka has been available for every game) it’s remarkable that they are in the Shield race, they should win the Canadian Championship, and they could be a major force in the MLS Cup playoffs (considering that they might have all of their best players except Sam and Ranko healthy by then).
I don’t think any of us realized how good a hire Axel Shuster was and how smart Kerfoot and ownership was in making the right choice when things between Pannes and Shuster started to sour.
GOOD TEAMS COME FROM GOOD LEADERSHIP
and the Caps now have that leadership
missing 9 potential starters (7 injured, 2 suspensions) really stretched the Team in the first half- we were being shredded down our flanks as Portland had a game plan to attack a slow-footed Bovalina to great effect and to go at Johnson for being too eager to intercept balls- it worked well- couple that with the missing bulldog in MF (Cubas) and we were lucky to only be down 1 goal
BUT OUR PLAYER OF THE MATCH, TAKAOKA, got us the point with some terrific stops
what i liked most of all is how the Team toughened up in the second half and the Ahmed-Cabrera magic happened (its going to be difficult to keep Cabrera out of the starting line-up, except for the dreaded injury)
and i doubt we will ever see Kamal Miller get a wonder goal again- but since he is Canadian, i salute him
Salty
What, NOTHING on the vicious assault (takedown and then two kicks, the second one with serious force and well after the whistle) on Elloumi by Zuparic that got a mere yellow but should have been a straight red or possibly three yellows in five seconds? Who are you working for, Apple TV+?
Takaoka, screened slightly on the goal, nearly got to it anyhow, and saved at least three more in the first half, while doubling as a 3rd CB. His best half of the year, despite the breaking of his shutout streak.
Clearly letting Ahmed and Nelsen play 45 each and telling them to go all out is the way to go moving forward. If JS can solidify the tactics around this with the returning A-players using the remaining four subs, there’s no limit to how far this team can go.
Cascadia is 99% ours, Seattle needs to beat us by four and then beat Portland, or win by three and then beat Portland by two or more. However, the Supporter’s Shield race is now shifted to the East after tonight’s results.
I am giving the ref a bit of slack on the missed red. He was screened from it by the clutch of players around Elloumi. What is inexcusable is that the linesman was standing right there and saw it happen and it was clear on video so where the hell was VAR?
The three yellows were all the right call. In each case, Sabbi wasn’t clear of the last man and it wasn’t a direct opportunity on goal.
As for Ahmed and Nelson splitting a half, there’s no comparison. Ali Ahmed is a step up in class from Nelson. Squad rotation is why Ahmed didn’t start and probably wouldn’t have gone more than 30 minutes if the game was going better.
I was not referring to Sabbi when I said three yellows in five seconds; I was referring to 1) the takedown by Zuparic, 2) the kick of the ball under a defenseless player, and then, clearly after the whistle, 3) the second, much harder kick of the ball still under a defenseless player. If that’s not violent conduct then there are simply no more rules that matter when a small market team is challenging and we have no hope. But it should be at least multiple yellow card offenses if not a straight red. Instead, it doesn’t even make it into the official highlights.
Agree completely that the linesman watching the whole thing and saying nothing is hard to fathom and VAR apparently was manned by Timbers Joey and his chainsaw.
Ahmed is definitely better than Nelsen, but the advantage of playing both is that we get 45 minutes of super pace from both. Nelsen did pass once or twice but Ahmed finds the open man far better.
Sorry, thought you were referring to three jersey grabs. I think there was a straight due on Zuparic which is why I didn’t connect it.
I wouldn’t say it’s 99% ours, I would expect a few players to be rested this weekend ahead of the Canadian championship next week, so a loss is a real possibility… Of course we are still in the driver’s seat, but Seattle is a good team, so a 5 goal difference isn’t insurmountable…
Please no cabrera injury. PLEASE!!!!!!
Apparently there are limits to this team’s depth. Good to know.