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Fredy Montero

Sounders celebrate Fredy Montero scoring
Seattle Sounders

Sounders ran through the Six with three points

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The Seattle Sounders headed to the Great White North to take on Bob Bradley’s Toronto FC. By the end, Schmetz was feeling better than Bob as the Sounders left Toronto with a 2-0 win. This win takes them to the number four spot in the Western Conference. 

Coming off the heels of the Sounders’ 2-1 loss to Montreal, Brian Schmetzer had a decision to make. After playing his starters two games this week, squad rotation was something Schmetzer had to consider seriously. Of course, Schmetzer would admit it; there was also the matter of a particular rivalry match a week from Saturday. It would be nice for some of his starters to get a little rest.

Stefan Frei, Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, and Albert Rusnák were all left at home and allowed to rest while Stefan Cleveland, Léo Chú, Dylan Teves, and Danny Leyva started in their places. In addition, Kelyn Rowe was allowed to start on the bench, and Jimmy Medranda stepped in at left wingback as the Sounders opted for a 5-4-1 with a box midfield.

Lineups:

Seattle Sounders: 5-4-1

Toronto FC: 4-4-2

Match Report

Sounders Starting XI

Image via Seattle Sounders FC

The Sounders opened up the scoring late in the first half thanks to Dylan Teves’ first career MLS goal. The play started with a long ball from Stefan Cleveland down the left side to Medranda. Medranda slipped the ball forward for Léo Chú to run onto and hit a low cross into the box that Teves hit the ball the first time.

Toronto started putting on the pressure after the opening goal, looking to work their way back into the game. Nine of Toronto’s 13 total shots came after Teves scored, but for all their effort, the Sounders created better opportunities and finished the best of them at the hour mark. Jackson Ragen sprayed the ball out wide to Alex Roldan, who cut in-field and found Fredy Montero. Montero dropped the ball back to Nico Lodeiro with his first touch and started his run through the backline. Lodeiro returned the ball, and Montero slotted it home. 

With that goal, Fredy is now the first Sounders player to score 74 goals for the club. Absolutely HISTORIC.

Schmetzer took a risk, and it paid off. Schmetzer can reasonably feel like he hit a mini-jackpot, as the win catapulted the Sounders into fourth place, which would be suitable for at least one home playoff game. Breaking out the 3-man backline, the Sounders got the tactics nearly perfect. Aside from a handful of TFC chances, the Sounders controlled the match’s tempo and could have scored another goal or two. Along with the clean sheet, the two-goal margin boosted the Sounders’ goal difference to +7, vital as they look at tiebreakers down the line.

Post Math Thoughts

Montero magic

Fredy Montero has struggled to influence games for most of the season. But with the Sounders significantly depleted, they needed their once-and-current all-time leading scorer to reclaim a bit of that old-time magic. And boy did he deliver against Toronto. Leading the attacking line, Montero gave the Sounders a big-time boost, tracking back to help disrupt the Toronto midfield and holding up the ball to assist in the transition. He was unlucky not to score early in the second half, when his shot hit the underside of the crossbar in the 52nd minute, but got his reward just a few minutes after.

Welcome to MLS, Dylan Teves

With the Sounders dealing with rotation and injuries, it was a rare opportunity for Teves to make another impression. Consider the Sounders duly impressed, as Teves found himself the beneficiary of a bit of individual brilliance from Léo Chú and clinically finished a pass from the Brazilian to open the Sounders scoring. In addition, Teves also became the youngest Sounder to score in their first MLS start since Fredy Montero did it just a bit younger in 2009. Not bad company to keep.

Léo Chú finally finding his footing

Many fans have written off Léo Chú, but they may want to start changing their minds. The young Brazilian has increasingly found himself part of Schmetzer’s rotation and has rewarded the coaches’ trust. Chú has been able to use his speed and skill on the ball to get himself in dangerous positions all day. He easily could have had another assist or two on the day. It’s been tough sledding for Chú as he gets acclimated to MLS and breaks into an established Sounders side. However, things look like an upswing for the lad.

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Seattle Sounders

Cascadia Clash ends with the Timbers on Top

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

It was another beautiful Pacific Northwest night as the Seattle Sounders took on the Portland Timbers again in another Cascadia Cup clash. Last time out, fans saw an absolute beating from the Sounders as they topped their rivals 6-2 at Providence Park. Every match between these two is always a fun battle, so it was interesting to see who would come out on top this time.

Unfortunately for Sounders fans, the Timbers would get their revenge in the end. Thanks to horrible luck, poor finishing, and the post, the score would end 0-2 favor the visiting Timbers. So while the Sounders are still at the top of the table, things are potentially looking problematic for the would-be champions.

Lineups: 

Seattle Sounders: 5-2-2-1

Portland Timbers: 4-3-2-1

Match Report

“We are going to try and push past it. We have to. The team is not going to sit back and dwell on that.”

The setting was beautiful for this Cascadia Cup clash with the Portland Timbers. The prematch festivities were grand; Reign beat the Thorns, tributes for Jimi Hendrix and his family, and record-setting crowds in the stadium. Everything was setting up a potential Sounders win. So, what happened? 

The match started with the usual intensity you would expect with a Cascadia rivalry game. However, it looked like it could have gone either way. The Timbers began with the match’s first chance six minutes in as Dairon Asprilla lets off a wicked shot off the crossbar but ultimately leads to nothing. 

Only minutes later, tragedy struck the Timbers as defender Eryk Williamson suffered an ACL tear after getting his feet caught in the turf. From there, there was not much else that happened the rest of the half. A couple of decent chances for either team, but it was far from a dull fest. 

The second half was a bit of a different story. The Sounders came out ready to fight, but the Timbers came out wanting it. 

Overall, the Sounder’s defense, especially Xavi, was playing well. That was until the Timbers got their first goal after a disastrous back-pass from Yeimar. After that, Cleveland had no good choices to make as Blanco finished off a pass from Mora into an empty net to give Portland the lead in the 58th minute. 

That was when the Sounders turned it on. Seattle took control of the half and had a couple of great chances courtesy of Shane O’Neil and Raul in the 61st and 86th minutes. Unfortunately, O’Neil’s header hit off the post, and Clark stopped Raul’s rocket of a shot. Things were not going their way all night. 

Caught sleeping once again, the defense and Yeimar left Clevland alone with Mora. Cleveland came out to win a ball in the air but misjudged the bounce. As a result, Mora was able to gain control and chip the goalkeeper to double Portland’s lead in the dying minutes of the game. 

Post Match Thoughts

Sounders centerback, Yeimar, clears the ball despite a Timbers push in the first half of this Cascadia Cup clash.

Image via Max Aquino

While the Sounders created decent chances, their overall performance was relatively poor for significant game stretches. Considering their usual standard, this was a poor result. Seattle struggled to connect passes, and players seemed to show an uncharacteristic lack of familiarity. 

This loss feels like quite the letdown after coming off of an exceptional three games away from home. To add to the frustration, Lumen Field was the fullest it’s been since Seattle hosted the 2019 MLS Cup Final, and the stadium played host to an OL Reign 2-1 win over the Portland Thorns earlier in the day with over 27,000 in attendance to make history and set an NWSL record.

The Sounders won the Cascadia Cup series thanks to two wins earlier in the season at Providence Park, but the loss tonight continues a strange trend. You have to go back to May  2017 to find Seattle’s last regular-season win at home against the rags. They’ve had five such successes at Providence Park in that time. It almost certainly doesn’t mean anything, but that won’t make anyone feel better about it. For now, it’s just an oddity.

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Cascadia Clash Ends in a Surprise Draw

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

It may have only been a draw, but taking a point from the league leaders? This must feel like a major win for the Vancouver Whitecaps. 

The Whitecaps took on league leaders and Cascadia rivals, the Seattle Sounders. Heading into the match the Sounders were undefeated and the Whitecaps were on a 5 match losing streak. All the odds were stacked up against the Whitecaps. 

Against the Sounders, a team that they haven’t beaten since 2017, it felt like anything but a loss would be seen as positive for a team that was quickly fading after a bright start. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-3-3

Seattle Sounders: 5-3-2

Match Details

Scoring Summary

40′ – SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (assisted by Brad Smith)

49′ – VAN – Cristian Dájome (assisted by Caio Alexandre)

56′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (assisted by Cristian Dájome)

71′ – SEA – Jimmy Medranda (assisted by Fredy Montero)

Statistics

Possession: SEA 61.6 – VAN 38.4

Shots: SEA 19 – VAN 11

Shots on Goal: SEA 5 – VAN 4

Saves: SEA 2 – VAN 3

Fouls: SEA 9 – VAN 13

Offsides: SEA 0 – VAN 2

Corners: SEA 2 – VAN 1

Cautions

22′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (yellow)

45’+4 – VAN – Caio Alexandre (yellow)

89′ – VAN – Maxime Crépeau (yellow)

 

Match Report

“There’s two things that we addressed the last two days,” “It’s the why of coming out and sometimes lacking little things to dictate the game, and we also spoke about making big plays at the end of games.”

Image via Vancouver Whitecaps Twitter

It was that execution and determination that were most important for the Whitecaps. While it may not have been pretty, they fought hard and climbed their way back for the draw. This is not something that can be said for most of this 2021 season. 

Cristian Dájome and Lucas Cavallini scored the goals for the Whitecaps they finally snapped a five-match losing streak. The first 45 minutes saw Vancouver and Seattle evenly matched. The Whitecaps came at the league leaders hard from the get go and did not make it easy. Again, something we really haven’t really seen much of this season.

Despite a strong showing to start the half, the Sounders opened up the scoring thanks to Golden Boot candidate, Raul Ruidiaz. The Peruvian nets it home to make 0-1 for the league leaders. 

The goal resulted from a poor giveaway in the midfield and some questionable positioning by goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.

The Whitecaps came out just as strong and surprisingly found a bit of life in the second half. Despite being down, away from “home”, AND against the team at the top of the league standings, they fought their way back into the game.

Vancouver found their opening goal in the 46th minute after a beautiful through ball from Alexandre to Dájome. After making an incredible run behind the defense, Dájome slips the ball around the keeper for an easy shot right on goal. This goal could not have come at a better time just as momentum was building.

Thanks to the momentum picked up after that first goal, the Whitecaps then picked up the lead in the 56th minute.  Dájome continued his strong 2nd half. After a wonderful ball out wide from Andy Rose, Dajome looked up and whipped in a cross into the box. The cross came and bounced off of striker Lucas Cavallini and in. Truthfully the striker needed a little extra luck as he had to stick out a limb and just hope that the ball would roll in.

There it was, the Whitecaps were leading the league leaders 2-1 on their home turf! They had the chance to get their first win in 8 matches. Against their Cascadia rivals of all teams. No one would have expected that going into this match. Not even Whitecaps fans! 

Seattle had other plans…

Immediately after the Whitecaps’ second goal, the Sounders turned it on and then came the onslaught. Crépeau stayed busy in the second half with the Whitecaps holding onto dear life.  With three saves, the Canadian international was able to keep the Sounders off the board. 

It felt like a Sounders goal was inevitable and in the 71st minute, that proved to be the case. Jimmy Medranda found some space at the edge of the box with the ball being placed perfectly for him. After failing to close it down, he was able to settle and slam the ball home through a crowd of bodies to tie up the game for the Sounders.

It felt like a Sounders goal was inevitable and in the 71st minute, that proved to be the case. Jimmy Medranda found some space at the edge of the box with the ball being placed perfectly for him. After failing to close it down, he was able to settle and slam the ball home through a crowd of bodies to tie up the game for the Sounders. 

It was a gut wrenching goal as the Whitecaps dream of taking down the league leaders came crashing down. They sat back inviting pressure, so the goal was almost inevitable, but it still hurt. It is also hard to keep the Sounders down but everyone knows their quality. You never let them grow into the game. 

Surprisingly enough, the Whitecaps managed to hold off a late storm, keeping the match even at two a piece. Even more impressively, they almost scored a late winner! Cristian Gutierrez found Brian White with less than a minute to go, but the new striker’s header fell comfortably into Cleveland’s hands. 

Overall it was a solid showing from the boys. From a strong start, to being a goal down at the break, to coming back and taking points from the league leaders. Everything points to a solid performance. The Whitecaps were able to snap their 5-match losing streak. This will definitely be considered a positive performance all things considered. 

 

The Vancouver Whitecaps are back in action Sunday July 4th, when they visit FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium. Catch the game live on TSN 1/3 and ESPN+  starting at 5:30 p.m. PT.

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Seattle Sounders

Why Weren’t The Sounders Favorites for MLS Cup?

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The Seattle Sounders are first in the Supporter’s Shield race, first in the Western Conference, and they have yet to lose a game this season. So why did it take so long for the Sounders MLS Cup odds to go up? You would think they would have been favorites from the start.

The Sounders are having an excellent start to the season, their best ever in fact.  This has not come as a surprise because the Sounders are synonymous with winning. They have arguably been one of the best teams in MLS over the last 5 years. 

This year specifically has been great for the team. Best goal difference (+11), least goals allowed (3, ZERO from open play), and the second best goal scoring team on top of that (14 goals to SKC’s 15). 

So with all that in mind, you would think that they would have had the best odds to win MLS Cup right? Well, it took the bookies 7 games to finally put them at the top. Why? 

You could argue they should have been at the top from the beginning but it seems others have had their doubts. The reason for this could have been our injury problems to some key players. Many of which are out for a longer while.  

 We have yet to see Nico, our DP #10,  all season due to knee issues, JMO out for the season after picking up another torn ACL in Swansea, Delem out with an ACL tear, and now Frei out for the foreseeable future due to complications with his knee injury. All such key components to the team. 

For most teams, when you lose important players like that, your form has a tendency to take a big dip. That has to be exactly what they were thinking when the season started. That is why the Sounders were second on the list. No one knew what to expect, including Sounders fans. 

Thankfully, the team has stepped up so immensely in the absence of these players. Brian Schmetzler has changed the formation up and the team is performing. Playing a 5-3-2 has paid off immensely. Every single player has stepped into new roles and are playing with a tenacity I have not seen in a while. 

Image via Seattle Sounders FC Twitter

Even without Nico and JMO, the team is still creating plenty of chances and scoring goals. The new emergence of the kids is paying off as they look like they have been part of the team for years. I am excited to see how the team plays when Nico comes back, but for now fans can sleep comfortably knowing the team will still perform. 

As we speak, the Sounders are now getting the best odds in the league at +400 to win the MLS Cup, according to Sports Betting Dime. That’s higher than what LAFC had at the start of the season! 

Things can only get better from here for the Sounders. If they stay on this path, then there is no reason to believe that they won’t win the cup. They’ll also break some league records along the way. Let’s hope the bookies agree with us.

The Sounders now head into the upcoming FIFA international break, with the club pausing from league duty until Saturday, June 19 when they play LA Galaxy (6:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Prime Video, ESPN +)

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Portland TimbersSeattle Sounders

Timbers suffer brutal 2-1 loss to Seattle in Providence Park

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

After a disappointing week that saw the Timbers concede four times to FC Dallas and thrice to Club América, Portland returned home to Providence Park for a date with their bitter rivals, the Seattle Sounders. 

Portland missed chance after chance, including two from the penalty spot, before Seattle put two second-half goals in. Bill Tuiloma’s late free-kick made it close, but not close enough to threaten a result. The match would end 2-1 to the Sounders. 

Match Recap

Portland were without regular starting goalkeeper Steve Clark, as well as would-be starters Sebastián Blanco and Jarosław Niezgoda. Forward Jeremy Ebobisse made his return to the starting XI but would be replaced by Felipe Mora after an hour. Playmaker Nicolas Lodeiro was out for the Sounders, though it hadn’t meant much so far this season. 

Portland were on the front foot in the first half, but missed a series of chances in the 30th to 42nd minutes—and by a “series” I mean four or five half-chances and three more legitimate ones. The worst miss came from Ebobisse in the 40′, slipping as he fired a left-footed shot wide. 

The first major moment of the match came in the 55′ as Ebobisse was brought down by Shane O’Neil in the box for a penalty. Valeri stepped up and had his attempt saved by Frei, but was awarded a second chance after Nouhou encroached and Frei came off his line. 

Valeri’s second attempt offered no added joy for Timbers fans. His penalty smacked off the post and while his rebound went in, it would have required Frei touching it to count. Valeri was immediately subbed off for Dairon Asprilla, and the match continued at 0-0. 

Ebobisse was also replaced by Felipe Mora in the exchange, and Andy Polo would replace Marvin Loría shortly after. 

Portland’s attack struggled mightily without Valeri. His creativity and oversight of attacking combinations usually out Portland in successful positions, but post-60′ the Timbers resorted to getting the ball wide before stalling and losing it. 

Few minutes passed before the deadlock was broken. Ruidiaz stumbled over Tuiloma and Attinella on the other end, culminating in a penalty for the Sounders. Ruidiaz took the pen and slid it to Jeff’s right, opening the scoring in the 62′. 

Not a minute after the ensuing kickoff, disaster would strike once more for Portland. Attinella went down with a non-contact injury after playing the ball with his left foot and needed to be replaced by 19-year-old Hunter Sulte. 

“How many times do you see three goalkeepers going down at the start of the season?” lamented Giovanni Savarese post-match. While he praised Sulte’s performance (one save, 3/5 accurate passes) he also noted that it was an exceptionally tough spot to be put in. 

Ruidiaz nearly drew another penalty in the 76′ and Williamson couldn’t get on the end of a cross at the other end. It would be punished in due time. 

A Seattle free kick from the right side of Portland’s defense found the head of a barely-onside Fredy Montero, who beat Sulte to give Seattle a 2-0 lead in the 79′. 

Halfway through the six minutes of added time, Bill Tuiloma (of all people) blasted a beautiful curling free kick past Stefan Frei. Tuiloma’s fourth goal for the club was his most impressive, but the Timbers couldn’t muster another one. The match ended 2-1 to the visitors in a match that looked like it was Portland’s to lose. 

“You don’t get some things in your favor that you’re supposed to get,” said Gio. “Unfortunately, the score doesn’t show what we gave to the game today.” 

Other Notes

  • Joao Paulo was showing his quality in the middle of the field for Seattle, stopping numerous attacks with well-timed challenges and springing the Sounders forward in the same role Diego Chará has historically played for the Timbers. 
  • Nouhou Tolo and Diego Chará were locked in a battle during the first half, with Chará getting the better of the always-unpredictable Nouhou early. A caution was issued to Nouhou after taking down Diego as he broke away down the right. 
  • Portland’s overall passing play was amazing, building up and transitioning well from defense-to-attack. Now the focus shifts back to finishing chances, a la 2019 pre-Brian Fernández. 

Follow @doublepostpod for total coverage of tonight’s match (and every match!), including our postgame reaction podcast later this evening.

As always, RCTID!

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Seattle SoundersVancouver Whitecaps

Fredy Heads Back Home: What this means for Whitecaps and Sounders

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

Here we go!! Freddy Montero is officially signing for his former team, the Seattle Sounders. He will be signing a one year contract with options for 2022 and 2023. He will be joining in on preseason training after the mandatory quarantine and testing protocols. There had been rumors circulating his move to Seattle once contract talks stalled for the Whitecaps late last year. 

Everything about the move just makes sense for him. The Sounders were the first team in MLS to give him a platform to build on, scoring 60 goals in his time there. He has his coffee business, which to be fair it’s pretty damn good. Then lastly, his family. They love it in Seattle and can frequently be found residing there during the offseason. 

This tweet just says it all…

Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzler on Fredy coming back, 

I have a lot of fond memories of Fredy Montero in a Sounders jersey, and I’m pleased to welcome him back to the club,

He has always been a dynamic attacker with a strong finishing touch. I’m always happy to have players that can score goals and am looking forward to getting him on the training pitch as our 2021 preparations ramp up.

Montero spent the last 3 seasons in Vancouver tallying 24 goals and 14 assists in all competitions. While his second stint at the club did not go as well as the first, his contribution to the team will not be forgotten. He was arguably the most creative player this last season and helped get that spark back in the team.

What does this mean for the Whitecaps?

In case you guys can’t tell by my writing, I am a HUGE fan of Fredy Montero, so this move away from the Whitecaps does sting a little bit. It just means I can’t write about him anymore… But beyond that, depending on who is making their way to Vancouver, this could be detrimental to the team.  

While the numbers don’t speak for themselves, Fredy did a lot for the Whitecaps, especially in this last season. In the absence of a #10, he would be the creative outlet up top to help create space for Cavallini to get a shot on net. He would also drop in deeper to start the run of play. Whenever he was on the pitch, the team just played that much better. 

Like I said above, this all depends on how the Whitecaps spend and where they spend it. They have made some good signings thus far and some solid rumors have come through, but nothing is concrete. If they they don’t find a #10 to replace what Fredy brought, then it will be another disappointing season for the Whitecaps.

How about for the Sounders? 

This move could mean a lot for the Sounders. Montero is going to Seattle on a free transfer; because of this, there is still plenty of cap room for other marquee signings. It is a very low transfer and they are bringing in a player with some excellent experience. He is also a club legend and it is always fun seeing players come back to former clubs. He will be fighting for a place as the second striker behind Ruidiaz. 

Fredy Montero is still a goal scoring threat. He can easily create something out of nothing. With the Sounders he will not have to worry about that though. They are one of the most creative teams in the league in front of goal. This still doesn’t answer the question, what does Fredy coming home for the Sounders? It’s quite simple. 

Not only is he getting the chance to potentially retire with the club that started it all, but he is bringing that much needed experience in the team. He is also bringing some excellent depth into a title chasing team. Fredy is a natural leader and combine that with everything else, there is no reason but to expect him to make an immediate impact. 

The Sounders have blessed us with a little goal compilation via twitter so have at it!

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Transfer Talk: Caicedo Making His Way to Vancouver! Potentially More on the Way?!

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via Twitter

Image via Twitter

After this crazy year, I hope you all had an excellent new year and holiday season! All we can do now is look up and hope for a great 2021. Now onto some transfer news for the Whitecaps. 

Axel Schuster gave us some promise at the end of season. He reassured us that we would be filling out that final DP spot, bringing the new 3 Young DP’s, and getting use out of the remaining TAM/GAM we had left. He also gave us a little more insight the other day via J.J. Adams of The Province.

“We are good. We have a list of 10 guys,” he said. “In the list of 10, we have three guys we would put in position 1A, B, C. It doesn’t matter. They are very different, but all exactly fit with our needs. One is more experienced, one is playing in a very big club with huge experience, and one is younger, but has incredible skills and helped …  an average or below average team to become second in the league.”

Two of the players were South American — “one from a big country, one from a small one,” Schuster said with a grin — while the other played in a top European league.

I fully expect there to be some big announcements coming in the next few weeks. It is very exciting to hear that all the signings are expected to be done before preseason! We will just have to wait and see…

One of the transfers that is all but confirmed by the club is the signing of Deiber Caicedo, the young Colombian winger out of Deportivo Cali in the Colombian first division. The Whitecaps have agreed to acquire his discovery rights from Nashville SC, contingent on finalizing the transfer. The fee is expected to be in the range of around $2.5 million. There is also rumored to be a sell on clause of about 20%.

Caicedo, 20, can play on either wing, though he has spent more of his time on the right with Cali and the U20 national team. He has seven goals and 16 assists in 67 professional appearances after graduating into the club’s first team. Which if you think about it, those are some incredible numbers for an academy kid. Something that is fun to note, he has a 68 rated card on FIFA Ultimate Team!

The club is expected to make an official announcement in the coming days regarding the transfer. He will be joining fellow Colombian countrymen, Dajmoe and Fedy Montero.

Stay tuned for some more transfer news coming soon! There will be another piece regarding some rumors for our vacant #10 position, so be sure to check that out!

Twitter: @Michael_James32

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Uncategorized

Third Time is Not The Charm… Whitecaps Fall to Sounders 2-0

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

It was a short rest for the Whitecaps as they faced  Western Conference leaders, the Seattle Sounders last night. This match came after just 3 days of rest from their previous win against San Jose Earthquakes. The Whitecaps made wholesale changes to their lineup after Saturday, fielding a club MLS record seven Canadians in their starting XI. Let’s get into the rest of the match!

Lineups:

Vancouver Whitecaps: 3-4-3

Plenty of notes for the starting XI today!:

  • Second match in 4 days

  • An MLS record 7 Canadians in the starting XI

  • Formation Change to a defensive 3-4-3 (more like a 5-4-1)

  • Only 3 players from Saturday’s win in starting XI. Bush, Bikel, and Vanko

  • Club set record for most appearances played by Canadians in a single season (137)

Seattle Sounders: 4-2-3-1

Match Stats

VWFC Man of the Match: Derek Cornelius

Referee: Fotis Bazakos

Scoring Summary

54′ – SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (assisted by Nouhou Tolo)

60′ – SEA – Nicolás Lodeiro (assisted by Raúl Ruidíaz)

Statistics

Possession: VAN 31.9% – SEA 68.1%

Shots: VAN 4 – SEA 11

Shots on Goal: VAN 0 – SEA 4

Saves: VAN 2 – SEA 0

Fouls: VAN 12 – SEA 6

Offsides: VAN 0 – SEA 3

Corners: VAN 4 – SEA 3

Cautions

62′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (yellow)

84′ – VAN – Cristian Dájome (yellow)

90′ – VAN – Derek Cornelius (yellow)

Match Review

A pair of second half goals sealed the deal as a tired out Whitecaps lose to the Seattle Sounders 2-0. DP striker Ruidiaz’s heroics for the Sounders take them back to the top of the West. To be 100% honest, the result was expected. The Sounders are arguably the best team in  the league. Even with us being on a good run of form, this was always going to be a tough match. With the loss, the Whitecaps were unable to climb up the table, staying put at seventh place and above the barely playoff line with two matches remaining. One against Portland and the other against LA Galaxy.


Image via Sounders FC twitter

Image via Sounders FC twitter

The first half started off fairly evenly as both teams almost seemed to want to play for a draw. The Whitecaps stayed defensively sound all half and did not let the Sounders through. Vanko and Cornellius shut everything down on that right hand side. There were a few times where Andy Rose was exposed by potential league MVP, Jordan Morris, on the left. On the other side of the ball, the Sounders seemed to be testing us to see how we would press and how we would react without the ball. Mostly playing out of the back and keeping possession. Ultimately, both sides stayed complacent as the half ended 0-0. 

The second half was a different story. After the break, the Sounders came out ready for a result. They  pressed the Whitecaps until they found the net not even 10 minutes into the half. 

Although initially ruled offside by the assistant referee, the Sounders struck in the 54th minute as Nouhou spun a deep cross into the box that Ruidíaz smashed into the back of the net. After some VAR review, the center referee ruled it onside making 1-0 for the Sounders. Seattle was able to put up one final goal as Yeimar sent a long ball down the middle of the pitch to find Ruidíaz in the box, where the Peruvian cut back a pass to the middle of the box where none other than Nicolás Lodeiro finished into the net in the 60th minute. 

The Whitecaps could not get anything going for them offensively after that. The Sounders bunkered down and did not allow anything to come through. This was even after MDS brought in our star front 3 of Dajome, Fredy, and Cava all at once. None of the subs had much impact on the match as the final score was 2-0 in favor of the visiting Sounders. 

Post Match Thoughts

The first half was probably the best defensive half of football I have seen the Whitecaps play in a while. Especially considering their opponent and their front 4. Things just seemed to be clicking tactically. On paper it started out with a typical 3-4-3, but then in transitions back, it would seemingly turn into a 5-4-1. I know it’s not the prettiest way to play, but hey, it worked for a half. 

Derek Cornellius and Vanko played their hearts out and left it all on the pitch. I have been sceptical on Vanko most of the season, but since we’ve signed him permanently, he’s easily been one of the better defenders. Both players are super young, so I know they can only get better. I still think Godoy and Vanko are our best CB pairing going forward, but in the eventuality that we lose Godoy, DC can easily slot right in. 

Second half was another story… The team looked like it had lost a bit of their shape. They tried to press too much and got caught in the counter press that the Sounders are so good at. It makes sense why we came out like that at the start. We initially were playing for the draw, but there were opportunities to go for the goal. The battle was lost in the midfield. That was evident in the stat line and heat map below.


This is the heat map for the Whitecaps

This is the heat map for the Whitecaps


This is for the Sounders

This is for the Sounders



whoscoredratings2.png

While I love Baldisimo, he is not a defensive midfielder. Maybe he would have been better suited for the wingback role, switching with Bikel.

The kids did alright. This was a learning match for most of them and I couldn’t be more happy with the result. 

Baldisimo balled out today. While DC was MOTM for the Whitecaps, I thought Baldi deserved a shout as well. He kept possession so well and picked passes like it was nothing. He looked like he belonged on that pitch. He has been fighting for a starting spot, and I feel that he is so close to getting it. MDS should look into finding a way to get him into the team. He deserves it. 

He even got a new fan! Kristian Jack of TSN had nothing but praise for the young Canadian. We’ve all been fans of the kid all season, but it’s still good to see him finally get some more recognition. 

The Whitecaps will be staying in Portland for their final two games of the regular season. Although this time around, they will be serving as the away side in another Cascadia clash with the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. Catch the match live on Sunday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. PT on TSN and ESPN+

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Secure Crucial Win Against San Jose!

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

For both teams tonight, this was a crucial match to earn all three points. Both San Jose Earthquakes and the Vancouver Whitecaps are just barely grasping on the line for the playoffs in an already difficult Western Conference.  What a thrilling match this turned out to be! The Whitecaps came back from behind with two second half goals to secure the dub! This put them just above San Jose, who bested them last time in California. With goals coming from a brilliant Adnan free-kick and then Tosaint Ricketts to finish it off. 

Lineups: 

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-4-2

A few note regarding the starting XI for VWFC tonight:

  • Bikel replaces Baldi in the midfield

  • Ricketts replaces Teibert on the wing, playing out of position

  • Dajome takes Teiberts Left Wing spot as Ricketts takes the right

  • The start of the last 4 remaining fixtures of the regular season

San Jose Earthquakes: 4-1-4-1

Match Stats

VWFC Man of the Match: Cristian Dájome

Referee: Marcos de Oliveira

Scoring Summary

24′ – SJ – Carlos Fierro (assisted by Cristian Espinoza)

51′ – VAN – Ali Adnan

57′ – VAN – Tosaint Ricketts (assisted by Christian Dajome)

Statistics

Possession: VAN 38.7% – SJ 61.3%

Shots: VAN 9 – SJ 10

Shots on Goal: VAN 4 – SJ 2

Saves: VAN 1 – SJ 2

Fouls: VAN 17 – SJ 7

Offsides: VAN 0 – SJ 0

Corners: VAN 6 – SJ 6

Cautions

82′ – SJ– Marcos Lopez (yellow)

90’+1′ – VAN – Russell Teibert (yellow)

90’+3′ – VAN – Leonard Owusu (yellow)

Match Review

The Whitecaps win! After a tough loss last week to bottom of the table, LA Galaxy, the boys rallied behind two second half goals from Adnan and Ricketts. In this crucial Western Conference match, both teams needed to walk away with all three points to secure themselves a spot in the playoffs. This win is a huge boost for the teams playoff hopes. Now let’s get into the exciting stuff, THE GOALS. 

San Jose took control of the game early and looked very dangerous on the attack. In typical Whitecaps fashion, the boys  conceded the match’s first goal, which was pretty brutal defensively to be fair. The goal came from the Earthquakes in the 24th minute from Fierro. 

The defensive breakdown began down the left side with Ali Adnan, who was a bit out of position, pushing up the field too much before being outrun by Christian Espinoza. While Adnan should have positioned himself better, the glaring worry came on the finish. Nerwinski was nowhere to be found when a wide open Carlos Fierro volleyed an easy shot past Evan Bush. 

Despite a slightly disappointing first half, the Whitecaps stayed resilient as they would overturn the result with a pair of scores in a six-minute span early into the second half.

The first came from an Adnan laser off a free kick from long distance in the 51st minute.

With the momentum shifting, Cristian Dájome kept the pressure on the Quakes defense with an attacking run down the left side, burning USMNT regular, Nick Lima. Their keeper got a touch on the initial shot but was helpless against Ricketts’ put back goal. Perfect positioning and run from Ricketts, who nets his second goal of the season. 

As the second half drew to its final moments, the already scary Whitecaps defense looked as though it would concede late again, similar to last week against  LA. Galaxy. However, after a few late substitutes, along with crafty shit housery, the Whitecaps held on to win 2-1. This also puts them two slots above the line into 7th place. 

Post Match Thoughts

With a bit of luck, and a lot of fight, the Whitecaps now sit in seventh place in the Western Conference, one spot on Earthquakes. Both Salt Lake and Houston, both drew their matches earlier on Saturday, giving the boys  a leg up heading into these last 3 matches. However, the team to keep an eye on is the Colorado Rapids. Due to COVID related issues, they were forced away from the pitch for nearly a month due. Colorado lost 4-0 in their first match back,  but the amount of games they have in hand, SIX,  could flip the conference on its head if they manage to go on a solid run. 

Now onto the defensive shape for the match… 

The problem on the goal is two-fold: Nerwinski had to be more accountable for the defensive positioning of the centre backs, but our more zonal marking system also left him a bit lost as to where he needed to be. A more zonal defensive shape can be beneficial, however, if the player is not in the correct areas, the whole shape falls apart. The system appeared to be a problem for the Whitecaps all night, but fortunately, San Jose could only capitalize on the one goal. 

While I think that playing a zone style defense can be very beneficial, especially combined with a high press, it requires the correct instructions. Especially from the fullbacks and central midfielders. Yes you can win the battle in the midfield, but then if you’re caught out, then it will be a bit easy to counter attack. Just like the goal San Jose scored. MDS is finally sorting things out, but I hope he can keep it going against some of the toughest opponents in the West. 

While the Whitecaps may have scrapped out a win today, they have a very tough outing these next three matches. Sounders, Timbers, then lastly LA Galaxy. Luckily they do not have to travel as they are staying put in Portland for the remainder of the regular season, and hopefully the playoffs as well! 

Here’s a little something to help brighten the mood as well!

Let’s hope the boys can keep their match fitness going into their next match against the league leaders, Seattle Sounders back at Providence Park on Tuesday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT live on TSN and ESPN +

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Do It Again! Cavallini Brace Stun LAFC 2-1

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

Make that two in a row! The Whitecaps put on a show fas they take down LAFC 2-1 after a Lucas Cavallini brace. I was especially nervous going into the match today because of the fact that we got trampled by LAFC 6-0 in the previous outing. With this being their second consecutive win, the Whitecaps vault up to eighth place in the Western Conference and just barely above the playoff line.

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-4-2

Very few notes regarding the starting XI today.

  • LITERALLY zero changes after last match against RSL

  • Teibert equals club record for most club appearances at 179

LAFC: 4-3-3

Match Stats

VWFC Man of the Match: Lucas Cavallini

Referee: Tori Penso

Scoring Summary:

30′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (assisted by Cristian Dájome)

59′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (assisted by Fredy Montero)

83′ – LAFC – Eduard Atuesta (penalty kick)

Possession: VAN 40.4% – LAFC 59.6%

Shots: VAN 13 – LAFC 12

Shots on Goal: VAN 4 – LAFC 1

Saves: VAN 0 – LAFC 2

Fouls: VAN 17 – LAFC 11

Offsides: VAN 2 – LAFC 2

Corners: VAN 3 – LAFC 4

Cautions:

49′ – LAFC – Eddie Segura (yellow)

83′ – VAN – Evan Bush (yellow)

89′ – VAN – Janio Bikel (yellow)

90’+3′ – LAFC – Erik Dueñas (yellow)

Match Review

The Whitecaps did not hesitate at the start, as they came at LAFC hard and fast right in the beginning. The first half was all Whitecaps as we held on to 50% possession and kept the pressure on LAFC the entire time. The passing and movement from the players was something we haven’t really seen as of late, but I certainly was not complaining! MDS got the team motivated and ready to fight. They looked determined after that embarrassing 6-0 previously. 

The pin-point passing and excellent pressing came in handy, especially in the 30th minute as the Whitecaps finally broke through to make it 1-0. The play started with a long ball from Janio Bikel to Cristian Dájome down the right side of the pitch, the Colombian was able to take a nifty touch back to find fellow countryman Fredy Montero near the middle of the pitch. After taking possession, Montero sent a perfect through ball into the box to find a streaking Dájome once more where he was able to draw the LAFC goalkeeper out of goal just enough to send a ball in front of the empty net where Lucas Cavallini tapped with ease.

The first half ended in favor of the Whitecaps with it still being 1-0, however, LAFC came out flying ready to get that equalizer. Alas that was not the case as the Whitecaps kept their form going into the half and made sure to stop any oncoming attacks. Ali Adnan and Veselinovic put in some excellent defensive shifts as nothing really came from that left hand side. We controlled the match in the middle of the pitch and the stat lines show. I will get into that a little bit later though. 

Despite LAFC’s attempt to bring more pace and urgency, a critical second goal in the 59th minute from the Whitecaps to bring them back down. It was Cava again as Dájome, who found himself open again on that right side, found Montero at the edge of the box who was able to cross a lofted ball into the center to find Cavallini. The striker adjusted his body to drill in an acrobatic volley to elevate the lead to 2-0. Cavallini’s goal gave the striker his first brace with Vancouver, and increased his scoring tally to five for the season. 

The rest of the match was fairly one sided as we held our ground defensively to deny any attempt at a come back for LAFC. Although in the last 15 minutes, it was all LAFC. They held possession and they came at Vancouver with everything they could muster. It wasn’t until the 82nd minute where a penalty kick was awarded for the visitors after a handball from Jake Nerwinski. LAFC captain, Atuesta, converted the penalty making it 2-1. But naturally there was a little extra something in there as well. This was on his second attempt as Evan Bush came off his line too early to make a save in the first shot. This resulted in an obvious yellow card but it also gave LAFC a chance to start a comeback. 

Ultimately the match ended 2-1 to the Whitecaps who redeemed themselves after the last time these two met. With this, they officially move up in the rankings to 8th in the Western Conference AND are in a playoff spot as well.

Post Match Thoughts

The big thing that stood out to me was the midfield. Despite the win against RSL this last Saturday, the midfield pairing of Owusu and Bikel was not clicking. They did not seem to press together, the passes were off, everything just seemed very out of sync. This match felt like they did a complete 180 on us. They were all over the pitch! Bikel had himself a night defensively as he recorded 4 tackles and 4 interceptions on the night. Owusu added 3 tackles and 2 interceptions himself. Good things happen when you defend through the midfield, and last night showed that. 

I do feel like we saw Baldisimo much too late. He barely came on in the 88th minute, giving him less than 10 minutes of playing time. Come on Marc, just play the kid! He has shown he is more than good enough. With Bikel suspended for the next match, it will be interesting to see if the young Canadian will get the nod. 

The trio of Dajome, Montero, and Cava were deadly. They were causing all sorts of problems for the LAFC defense. That whole right hand side was attacked hard by the Whitecaps. I hope they can keep this form going for these last few games. I truly believe they will be crucial in securing a last playoff spot. Just so long as they don’t get suspended or injured. Dajome said that he is loving the 4-4-2 formation cause it gives him a little more freedom to move behind the opposing defense. He showed that ability last night. 

Ranko Veselinovic is officially one start away from being signed on a permanent deal. It is expected that he will start alongside Godoy on Sunday against LA Galaxy. While he has turned it up these last few matches, I feel that his price tag is a bit too steep for his level of play. $2 million will be used to buy him… This money could definitely been used elsewhere, *COUGH, like a #10, COUGH* But that is just my opinion. Maybe once he gets used to the system more, him and Godoy will be an excellent center-back pairing. But we will just have to see. 

Up next for the Whitecaps is a visit to SoCal when they face an out of form LA Galaxy on Sunday. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT live on TSN1/4 and ESPN+

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