<i>Continuing our new feature <b>Pitch Perfect</b>, where we break down various moves of perfection in Whitecaps matches, Steve Pandher takes a look at the move which led to Sebastien Le Toux's goal against Colorado Rapids at the weekend....</i>
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After the game on Saturday I didn't expect to write about the Le Toux goal as I just saw it as a great pass from Chiumiento and a perfect finish by the striker. However, looking at the goal closer you can see that the Whitecaps set this goal up perfectly with great movement and a switch across the pitch. It was also assisted by poor play by the three man backline that Colorado used in the final part of the match.
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The play starts with Lee running into two opposing players including Colorado defender Hunter Freeman, so Lee moves the ball back to Thorrington. Le Toux also comes back to midfield to try to give Lee a target and also bringing Scott Palguta with him.
Thorrington sends the ball back to Koffie, who is pressured immediately by the frontline of the Rapids. Instead of sending another backpass he locates Rochat on the left side and continues the movement from right to left. During the match Lee had been making runs down the right side, sometimes into the box, which makes Freeman believe it could happen again forcing him to track him.
Rochat gets the ball to Chiumiento, who fakes going down the sideline only to move towards the space to his left. Davidson makes a run into the area behind Chiumiento, which makes Moor have to slide down to pick him up.
Moor’s movement forces Palguta to move into the space vacated to keep a tight line but Freeman is too slow to react giving Le Toux more space to make his run into the box. Chiumiento recognizes the space that Le Toux has when he looks up and delivers the ball just over Palguta’s head.
Freeman has no chance to make any ground up at this point as the ball is delivered into the box with precision. Le Toux makes the right decision to take the shot immediately and opens up his right foot to get the shot past Matt Pickens.
On the goal the Whitecaps benefited from the Rapids going for the win and bringing on a striker for a defender. The goal may not have been possible if there was a four man backline, as the two central defenders would have been able to keep the space tight in the middle.
The most underrated move during the setup of this goal was the run made Jun Davidson, who as a holding midfielder rarely ventures so high up the pitch. It was that run that opened a large amount of space for Le Toux to take a perfect pass from Chiumiento and finish the chance clinically. Watch the goal one more time at full speed. Perfection.
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<center>[** Steve has noticed that he has spelt Palguta wrong in pics 3-5. He apologises to the Pagluta family and is sure their boy would have done better! **]</center>
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