If it seems the Whitecaps have been playing must-win games for pretty much the entire 2013 season, it’s only because it’s true. The MLS Western Conference is, to quote Roger Waters, as tight as a funeral drum. Sadly for Vancouver soccer fans, that’s exactly what the Southsiders might as well be beating after the club has taken just six points out of a possible 24 since mid-August.
Sunday’s 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers offered wonderful entertainment — not least of which was Camilo’s world-class scissor kick strike in the 78th minute to draw the homeside even — but leaves Vancouver six points below the playoff bar with just three games remaining in the regular season.
Pro: Camilo played his face off in the final 30 minutes, scoring twice — including the head-scratching MLS Goal of the Week To Be shown above — and forcing Portland keeper Donovan Ricketts to make several diving saves to keep the Caps to just two goals.
Con: Camilo made countless poor decisions during the first 60 minutes, looking for all the world like he’s playing out the string. When he’s on, he’s a goal-scoring genius, but oy vey, son, what’s with all these poor decisions through the front half of the game?
Pro: Whitecaps FC did not — I repeat, did not — concede a goal inside the first ten minutes, as they’ve done in the last three matches played at home. In fact, they took control of the early going, generating several dangerous scoring chances against the Timbers in the first 10–15 minutes before Portland gained their legs.
Con: It was still Portland who opened the scoring in the 41st minute, as Darlington Nagbe put a 33-yard strike into the back of the net. It was a well-placed ball, but it has to be said that David Ousted was brought to Vancouver to make saves that Brad Knighton cannot. To this point there’s been little evidence of him doing so. Let’s not forget that the only reason Nagbe had the ball in the first place was that Ousted had handed the ball directly to Will Johnson. Isn’t the big Dane supposed to be a wizard when it comes to ball distribution?
Pro: The man with the captain’s armband, Jay DeMerit, had his strongest performance since returning from that brutal torn Achilles. He offered well-placed sliding challenges, blocked more than his share of passes and shot attempts, and jumped forward to provide more push during offensive set pieces.
Con: DeMerit and Jordan Harvey both went to the turf to prevent a cross down low by Nagbe mere seconds after Camilo’s first goal. With double coverage on their butts, Nagbe just put on the brakes and teed up a one-timer for the Canadian-born Johnson. The deflection off the foot of Carlyle Mitchell just highlighted the futility of the five white shirts lined up in the box. Boom, it’s 2-1 Timbers in the 76th minute.
Pro: The new MLS stat page is gorgeous. Have you checked out the passing matrices yet?
Con: Nobody told me there’d be math!
Pro: It was all pink all the time on Sunday, as BC Place took part in the MLS Works Soccer Kicks Cancer program. Pink was the order of the day, as seen on pink official MLS soccer balls, special pink-ribboned jerseys, pink & black supporter scarves and pink laces in the players’ cleats.
Con: Cancer still sucks. Learn about it, talk about it, and support organizations that fight it.
Pro: Kudos to lead Referee Silviu Petrescu, and his crew: Assistant Referees Joe Fletcher and Baboucarr Jallow as well as the Fourth Official Younes Marrakchi. Sunday’s match was well-called from start to finish; in fact, yellow cards were given justly in all four instances, including the caution shown to Ricketts for time wasting on a defensive zone free kick late in the game.
Con: Some will argue that Manneh should have earned a PK in injury time when Portland defender Mamadou Danso swiped him with an errant elbow wide right in the six-yard box. But let’s be honest, he let another questionable tackle go in the Caps box just seconds later. I hate to draw cross-sport comparisons, but Petrescu & Co called this game like well-managed playoff hockey. This game was decided by the players — just the way good competition should be.