Vancouver Whitecaps rode their luck and fought back from going a man down to carve out a huge 1-0 win over Colorado Rapids at BC Place this afternoon.
Although it’s still relatively early in the MLS season, games like today’s between the West’s fourth placed Caps and the fifth placed Rapids, could have serious implications when the final playoff places have all been done and dusted.
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There were no shocks in the Vancouver starting eleven, which remained unchanged from last week’s win over Houston. The only change to the Caps’ gameday eighteen was Floyd Franks coming in for Matt Watson on the bench, after the English midfielder had picked up an ankle injury in Tuesday’s Reserve game against LA.
Darren Mattocks’ pace wasn’t exactly going to be a surprise to Colorado, but the visitors got to see first hand just what they would have to contend with within the first 38 seconds of the match.
Davide Chiumiento sent a perfect ball forward for Mattocks to chase down and the rookie easily got past Rapids captain Drew Moor before forcing a leg save out of Rapids’ keeper Matt Pickens for a corner.
Joe Cannon got his first test of the afternoon in the fourth minute.
Martin Bonjour’s woefully weighted passback saw the veteran keeper get to the ball just before Edu to clear the danger.
The game soon calmed down and fell into a bit of a dull affair.
Vancouver were having the better of possession, but only had free kicks and corners to show for their efforts, as neither team threatened to find the opposition’s net.
Colorado finally had another attempt on goal in the 28th minute when Edu cut the ball back from the edge of the box for Martin Rivero to drive wide right.
Another defensive slip nearly cost the Caps dearly in the 34th minute.
Jay DeMerit gave the ball away cheaply to Brian Mullan near the right touchline. Mullan played the ball inside to Jeff Larentowicz who cut it back to Rivero, who again drove wide from the edge of the box, but this time with the help of a deflection.
The danger wasn’t over for Vancouver and as the subsequent corner came over, it was played out to Kosuke Kimura and the Japanese defender’s 20 yard effort took a deflection and forced Cannon into an excellent sprawling save to stop the ball on his goal-line.
The Caps were living dangerously at the back and weren’t looking too promising at the other end of the pitch either.
Vancouver had a great chance to open the scoring in the 43rd minute.
Chiumiento saw an opportunity for a long ball forward, but this time for Sebastien Le Toux to run on to.
The Frenchman was deemed to have stayed onside and bore down on goal, but he slowed to weigh up his options, allowing Moor to get a stretching foot out and knock the ball back to Pickens.
It was to be the last action of the half and the team’s went in for the break, the visitors would have been the happier with the chances created.
Neither side made any changes at the half, but Vancouver came out looking a whole different attacking threat.
The Caps had their first chances of the second half when Young-Pyo Lee and Le Toux had shots blocked after another long ball into the box.
Two minutes later and Mattocks was put through on the right but hit a wild shot out for a throw in on the right.
Moments later and it was Mattocks who turned the provider, playing the ball inside to Gershon Koffie who blasted wide from 12 yards out.
Mattocks was now causing some real problems for the Colorado defence and had a shot deflected for a corner in the 56th minute.
As the hour mark approached, the Jamaican was played in again but went to ground after over-running the ball in the box and picked up a booking for what the referee deemed was a dive.
Seconds later and Mattocks was off, picking up a second yellow for a late tackle on Moor on the sideline.
It was a clear booking, but well sold by Moor, who had his left ankle clipped but went down clutching his right knee.
Despite the one man disadvantage, the Whitecaps continued to take the game to the Rapids.
Colorado had their first chance of the half in the 68th minute when Edu cut inside and forced Cannon into a low save from the edge of the box.
Vancouver responded with a similar chance of their own, Pickens getting down well to turn away a Chiumiento strike.
The Caps came the closest yet to opening the scoring in the 70th minute.
Some nice interplay between Rochat and Le Toux, ended with the ball at the feet of the Frenchman eight yards out, but his low strike was deflected off both the foot of Scott Palguta and the hand of Pickens onto the crossbar.
John Thorrington was the next Caps to be thwarted, as Pickens fisted away a volley from the edge of the box in the 75th minute.
The Caps pressure finally paid off in the 80th minute.
Another perfect ball over the Rapids defence fell straight into the path of Le Toux and he made no mistake in burying it to make it 1-0 Whitecaps.
The goal sparked Colorado into life and they had two chances to level in the 82nd minute.
Substitute Conor Casey was sent clear on the right. Cannon was only able to get a hand on his dangerous ball across the goal and diverted the ball straight into the path of Edu. The Brazilian’s fierce strike was bravely blocked by Bonjour and as the rebound fell to Rivero, the Argentinian rattled his shot off the crossbar.
Vancouver had the woodwork to thank again in the 88th minute, when Hunter Freeman capitalised on some poor Caps defending to curl a shot off the right hand post.
Vancouver nearly doubled their advantage two minutes into injury time when Koffie noticed every Rapids player bar Pickens in the Caps half and played a neat ball over the top for Le Toux to run on to.
As he bore down one on one with Pickens, Larentowicz showed some amazing speed to get back and put the striker under pressure, forcing a shot which Pickens did incredibly well to stop at close range.
It wasn’t to matter and the final whistle soon came for a dramatic three points for Vancouver, that not only showed their never say die attitude this season, but gave them a vital six points of breathing space between themselves and the Rapids in the race to the playoffs.
ATT: 19,166
FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Whitecaps 1 – 0 Colorado Rapids
VANCOUVER: Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Alain Rochat; Jun Marques Davidson, John Thorrington (Eric Hassli 86), Gershon Koffie; Sebastien Le Toux, Darren Mattocks, Davide Chiumiento (Jordan Harvey 83) [subs not used: Brad Knighton, Carlyle Mitchell, Michael Nanchoff, Floyd Franks, Camilo Sanvezzo]
COLORADO: Matt Pickens; Kosuke Kimura (Conor Casey 72), Drew Moor, Scott Palguta, Hunter Freeman; Brian Mullan, Jeff Larentowicz, Jaime Castrillon; Tony Cascio (Kamani Hill 76), Martin Rivero, Edu [subs Not Used: Stewart Ceus, Harrison Henao, Joseph Nane, Wells Thompson, Luis Zapata]
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