<i>Match report and post-game reaction from the Caps locker room on Vancouver's 3-1 win over Chivas USA in MLS</i>
<b>Report:</b>
Vancouver Whitecaps made hard work of it at times but came through a harder than expected game against Chivas USA 3-1 at BC Place on Wednesday evening.
After falling behind to an excellent early strike from Tristan Bowen, the Caps hit two deadly blows in first half stoppage time to go in at the half with an unexpected lead. Camilo added a third late in the second half, his second of the game, to seal Vancouver’s victory and they now move up into the playoff positions in the west.
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In what is a rarity for Vancouver these days, Martin Rennie kept an unchanged starting line-up to the one which begun the rollercoaster of a game against New England on Saturday.
Vancouver enjoyed the better possession in the opening minutes but were stunned when Chivas opened the scoring in the 7th minute.
Carlos Alvarez was allowed to power through the middle and played the ball out right to Tristan Bowen in acres of space. Jordan Harvey failed to close him down and he had time to compose himself and fire off a rocket into the top left hand corner which left Caps keeper Brad Knighton flat footed and he should have done better.
Vancouver went back to having possession but were unable to do much with it, but Chivas now had a bit more confidence and were coming forward more themselves.
The Whitecaps finally had their first chance of the game with the clock on 17 minutes. YP Lee took a short throw in on the right to Kenny Miller and the Scotsman played a great ball into the box and on to the head of Camilo, but the in-form striker couldn’t get his header on target and it went narrowly wide.
Chivas were happy to sit back and let Vancouver have the ball, trying to move forward when they could.
They had a great chance to add to their tally in the 26th minute. Jorge Villafana turned Carlyle Mitchell inside and out but his shot was blocked by the back of Johnny Leveron.
The visitors kept the pressure on and Oswaldo Minda blasted high and over from the edge of the box seconds later.
The Whitecaps were looking frustrated and finding it hard to break down the Goats’ defence.
They got a chance in the 33rd minute when Camilo backheeled the ball to Miller who shot wide.
There was a worrying moment for an already defensively short handed Vancouver in the 39th minute when Leveron went down with an injury after a clash with Alvarez.
The Chivas player was booked for the challenge and Leveron had to have his head bandaged up but was able to continue.
It was looking like Chivas would be heading into the half with a shock lead but Vancouver hit two killer blows in first half stoppage time.
Teibert’s cross was sliced by Camilo and into the path of Harvey at the back of the box and the defender made up for his earlier defensive lapse when his shot was turned in by Carlos Borja for the equaliser.
Vancouver smelt blood and they took the lead 82 seconds later.
Again Teibert was pivotal in the move and showed great tenacity to come away with the ball on the right wing at the halfway line before playing in Camilo easily got the better of Mario de Luna and buried the ball low past Dan Kennedy.
It was an amazingly sudden turnaround and changed the whole complex of the second half.
Chivas had a go early on in the second but looked like a broken team, although neither side were carving out any clear cut chances and the game fell into something of a non event with a few flashes of skill here and there.
Miller came within inches of getting his foot on the end of Camilo cross in the 73rd minute, which would have put the game beyond doubt, but that was about it as far as the goalmouth action had been concerned.
Vancouver finally eased the tension in the 81st minute.
Teibert showed more great work on the wing but his overhit cross came out to Harvey who played a give and go and headed into the box. He cut the ball across to Camilo and the Brazilian got his second of the night when his ten yard shot flew into the net with the aid of a failed block from Walter Vilchez.
The Whitecaps nearly struck again in stoppage time but Chivas defender de Luna made two brilliant goal-line saves to first keep out a Camilo backheel and then the rebound from substitute Erik Hurtado.
It might not have been pretty to watch at times and there is still a lot for the team to work on but back to back home win and three wins out of their last four in MLS has given Vancouver a huge confidence boost.
They are not back in the playoff positions and with ten days off they need to work hard on their inadequacies to make sure that they stay there.
FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Whitecaps 3 - 1 Chivas USA
ATT: 16,130
VANCOUVER: Brad Knighton; Young-Pyo Lee, Johnny Leveron, Carlyle Mitchell, Jordan Harvey; Nigel Reo-Coker, Matt Watson, Daigo Kobayashi (Jun Marques Davidson 79); Russell Teibert, Kenny Miller (Tommy Heinemann 90), Camilo Sanvezzo (Erik Hurtado 88) [subs Not Used: Joe Cannon, Adam Clement, Darren Mattocks, Corey Hertzog]
CHIVAS: Dan Kennedy; Mario de Luna, Carlos Borja, Walter Vilchez, Gabriel Farfan; Jose Manuel Rivera (Aaron Ponce 69), Carlos Alvarez, Oswaldo Minda, Jorge Villafana (Marky Delgado 63), Tristan Bowen (Marvin Iraheta 75) [subs Not Used: Patrick McLain, Bobby Burling, Joaquin Velazquez, Steve Purdy]
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<b>Reaction:</b>
<b>Martin Rennie on the game overall:</b>
"I thought as the game went on we improved a lot. The last fifteen minutes of the first half we were really on top. It was the 44th minute and I was thinking I wish half time wasn't coming. I wish we could just keep playing and suddenly we got two goals and that obviously turned the game.
"I think in the second half we were very comfortable, kept great possession, created some chances, scored another goal....In the end we had a great chance to score four or five."
<b>Martin Rennie on the Cap's fighting spirit:</b>
"We got off to a bad start. It was a little bit of a freak goal....but again we showed excellent character to stay composed and fight back. A lot of teams when they lose the first goal, the game is over, and that's never been the case with us, especially this season. So that's an encouraging sign."
<b>Martin Rennie on the unknown of how Chivas would line up and how the Caps had to adapt:</b>
"If you're not sure what the opposition will do, you have to have a plan B and I think plan B worked well for us."
<b>Martin Rennie on what Caps need to do now to win on the road:</b>
"We have to keep tightening up defensively. We're hoping that players will all be back available for us so that gives us good options to strengthen the line up if we decide we want to do that. But we need to keep playing with good energy and keep attacking teams and putting them under pressure because when we're creating chances and going forward we're dangerous and scoring goals."
<b>Camilo on form of team:</b>
"Our confidence is back and we won four games out of six. At the start of the season we didn't play well, like we didn't win in seven games, but now we're back we have to continue like it is to make a good season for us."
<b>Camilo on whether this is the best form of his career:</b>
"No, I think in Malta I had that. 22 games and scored 24 goals. But I feel very confident here now. Every game, even if I don't score I think I play well and this is good."
<b>Camilo on success of partnership with Miller and Teibert:</b>
"We work together and their movement makes it much easier for me."
"Two players on top makes it much easier to play against poor defenders. If you play with one striker it's hard. You need one, two and with Kenny we work hard."
<b>Camilo on whether he wants to lead the scoring charts:</b>
"I don't look for this. I just have to continue to play and I don't care if I make top scorer or Kenny, I just want the Whitecaps to win the games."
<b>Kenny Miller on the overall game:</b>
"We set out on Saturday to pick up maximum points from these two home games and we came through it. We've come through it with six tonight. Tonight, again, not a great start but we fought back again. That's four games in a row we've went one down or two down and we've fought back to take the lead in each of the games. "
<b>Kenny Miller on importance of having two strikers scoring regularly:</b>
"I'll take us alternating each game getting a couple of goals each every other game. Again, Camilo was superb tonight."
<b>Russell Teibert on coming back to win again:</b>
"I think it shows our character. The first 20 minutes didn't really go our way, but towards the end of the first half we bury two goals and we come into the half feeling very confident."
<b>Russell Teibert on how much he's enjoying his play at the moment:</b>
"It's fantastic. I feel good and I feel confident on the field."
<b>Russell Teibert on the importance of the home fans:</b>
"Every time we come to our stadium we have an advantage because of the fans, all over the stadium. They drive us on, even when things aren't going our way. Even when we get a goal scored on us in the first ten minutes of the game. They're the ones that are driving us one and I think we build of them."
<b>Jordan Harvey on becoming a goalscoring sensation:</b>
"I don't even know how to explain it. The chances just seem to fall right to me and I've been fortunate to put them in.
"It's kind of just how we've been playing and putting pressure on teams and I've been able to capitalise from it."
<b>Jordan Harvey on need for team to defend better:</b>
"When you give up a goal the first five, ten minutes it's not good."
<b>Jordan Harvey on what team needs to work on the most to stay in playoff spot:</b>
"We have a few injuries, so we're going to have a few days off now which is huge and hopefully we're going to get some guys back that have been injured. We're going to get some rest for a few days then get back and work on I think defensive shape, and just defending as a team and really being able to start off the way we've been finishing games."
<b>Erik Hurtado on what getting his first MLS goal will do for his confidence:</b>
"It would take a big weight off my shoulders. It would do the world to get that first goal. I can't wait to get it. It's coming. I feel it coming soon."
<b>Erik Hurtado on goal-line save that prevented that first goal:</b>
"It came right to my feet but it was a great save by the defender. I'm just going to imagine that going in. I'm not going to mourn on it. I'm going to pretend that it went in so next time I don't imagine myself missing, I imagine myself making that."
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