Residency ease past Hansa Rostock

May 26, 2009

By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency claimed a third-straight victory on their two-week trip to Germany after a convincing 5-2 win over the U-19 Junior Bundesliga side of Hansa Rostock on Tuesday.

Building on their weekend success over FC Energie Cottbus U-19's, a first-half hat-trick by Jerome Baker gave Thomas Niendorf's side a comfortable friendly win over their German hosts. Alex Semenets and substitute Coulton Jackson were also on the scoresheet for the 'Caps, as Rostock's youngsters struggled to contain their Canadian visitors in the midweek match-up.

Playing near Hansa's DKB-Arena home, the Residency team claimed control of the match with four goals in the first quarter of the contest. There was a ten-minute delay to the start of the match to allow a thunderstorm to pass over the pitch before Vancouver opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark, with Baker easily converting Philippe Davies' fine cross for 1-0.

On 19 minutes, Semenets doubled the Whitecaps lead with a left-footed shot from 20 yards out after the striker took a pass from Sahil Sandhu. Two minutes later, Baker struck his second goal of the game when he took a Sandhu pass before beating one Rostock player and finishing for 3-0. On 24 minutes, Baker completed his hat-trick when he took a Semenets through ball before breaking in on the Rostock goal and finishing to make it 4-0.

The home side replied four minutes before halftime, as a low shot from the top of the Whitecaps box skidded under Residency goalkeeper Simon Thomas to make it 4-1 at the break.

Niendorf made five substitutions for the start of the second half. One of those players to be introduced to the match was striker Jackson, who on the hour mark, struck Vancouver's fifth goal after taking fellow substitute Bobby Jhutty's flick in the Rostock box before finding the back of the net for 5-1.

Rostock completed the scoring from a corner with three minutes remaining, but the 5-2 scoreline seemed a fair reflection on Tuesday's proceedings, as the Residency squad put in another fine performance on their travels through north and eastern Germany.

One disappointing note for the Whitecaps was the absence from Tuesday's friendly of centre back Keithy Simpson. The Jamaican youngster was injured in training on Monday and not available for Niendorf's starting XI versus Rostock.

Whitecaps Residency will have little time to savour the Rostock win, as they return to action on Wednesday when they face the U-19 Junior Bundesliga side of Hertha Berlin.

Whitecaps FC Residency - starting line-up v FC Hansa Rostock
Simon Thomas; Axel Levry, Jack Cubbon, Kevin Cobby, William Hyde; Nolan Moore (Russell Teibert 46'), Gagandeep Dosanjh (Bobby Jhutty 46'), Philippe Davies, Sahil Sandhu (Gagandeep Josan 46'); Jerome Baker (Randy Edwini-Bonsu 46'), Alex Semenets (Coulton Jackson 46')

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