It took 15 games but the Whitecaps were finally able to break their winless streak with what was their best game of the season so far. In Tom Soehn's home coaching debut the team he spent the last 2 years assembling finally seemed to play to their full potential, or at least they played to a much higher standard then they had in any of their previous matches thus far this season.
12 minutes in Alain Rochat played a ball across his own 18 to Michael Boxall, who turned and sent the ball on to Jonathan Leathers who pushed the ball up to Shea Selinas, and then on to Davide Chiumiento. Dede went on to show some fancy footwork going down the wing, made a quick one two with Hassli, and laid a ball off to a streaking Alain Rochat who finished the play he started with a perfectly placed strike that curled just beyond Faryd Mondragon's outstretched fingers.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
While Alain Rochat deservedly won the Man of the Match an agruement could be made that Davide Chiumiento was also worthy of the honour. He had his best game of the season, and hustled like... like... well like someone who is not Davide Chiumiento. He chased down defenders went in strong for tackles and played several fantastic balls to teammates that may have caught them a little off guard by how precise they were. In the 57th minute Jeb Brovsky was so dumbfounded to have the ball in the middle of the 18 yard box he had to take a second touch before he realized he should just hammer it into the yawning cage. Unfortunately by the time he gained the presence of mind to shoot he had been closed down by his mark. Chiumiento found Nizar Khalfan with a nutmeg pass on Jordan Harvey in the 78th minute. Khalfan had stolen the ball of a Mondragon miscue that took place outside his own 18, and calamity insued. Chiumiento's pass caught Khalfan unexpectedly and the chance was wasted.
Referee Alex Prus and his crew helped suspended Portland Coach John Spencer's case with a number of mind boggling missed calls. The linesman on the bench side was especially aweful, and left me to wonder if he had taken his Ritalin before the match. There was a clear pass back between Danny Califf and Mondragon that the three blind mice miraculously missed. Danny Carrol received a Yellow on a studs up kick to the stomach of Terry Dunfield that only Howard Webb could have let go.
Dunfield scares me a bit lately. I'm not going to comment on his play at the Gold Cup, but I am genuinely concerned every time he gets the ball. His passes always seem to be just a bit off their mark. Case and point; a waist high back pass/shot on his own goal that surely got Joe Cannon's heart pumping. The only thing that is scarier then Terry Dunfield with the ball under pressure in his own end is Gershon Koffie being his replacement. The two of them make more turnovers then your local Tim Hortons.
Moving forward it was a great performance but the 'Caps were lucky to be facing a Philadelphia team that has been giving points away lately as Coach Peter Nowak said "like a charity".
Not having goal poacher Carlos Ruiz couldn't have helped (he did score in a losing effort tonight against Mexico) and if new Serbian signing Veljko Paunovic was supposed to fill his boots he was doing his best Casper the Ghost impression.
The Cap's next game is a battle for the basement at Kansas City in the brand spankin' new Livestrong Sporting Park on Saturday June 25th at 5:30 pm pt.