PUERTO RICO ISLANDERS PREVIEW

July 31, 2007 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC men will aim to start the month of August with a victory when they host Puerto Rico Islanders on Thursday evening.

The USL First Division champions failed to claim maximum points in their six league encounters in July, with Bob Lilley’s side completing the month’s schedule with a 2-2 home draw to arch-rivals Seattle Sounders last Friday. Substitute Greg Howes struck a stoppage time free kick to salvage a point for Seattle and take Vancouver’s winless streak to eight games. Despite the disappointment of conceding a late equalizer, the new-look Whitecaps ended a four-game losing streak with the result, as new signing Alen Marcina got on the scoresheet for his hometown club.

Lilley felt there were signs that his team were heading back in the right direction during Friday’s draw. “To play that well with a makeshift line-up against Seattle shows the quality and the intentions of this group,” he said after the Seattle game. “When we play well, we get it right everywhere. I like it when we’re playing with high energy because I feel that’s when we’re at our best. I think this is a team on an upswing. People should come out and see how we play on Thursday against Puerto Rico.”

The Whitecaps will need to perform at their best when the Islanders visit Swangard Stadium, as the Caribbean island outfit sit above Vancouver in the USL-1 standings by a single point. Colin Clarke’s side moved into fourth place after a 1-0 win at California Victory on Saturday evening. It meant Puerto Rico went undefeated during the month of July after recording four victories and two draws. The result was also a positive beginning to their five-game road stint, with the Islanders set to follow their match with Vancouver with trips to Seattle on Saturday, Atlanta Silverbacks on August 10, and Rochester Raging Rhinos on August 12. “When we played the Islanders in Puerto Rico, you could see their quality, even though conditions were not optimal,” assistant coach Todd Wawrousek told whitecapsfc.com. “They had a real jump start when they had a change in leadership to Colin Clarke, so I think it’s going to be an interesting duel. On Thursday, however, we will have the addition of Ze Roberto, who I think will give us a real stable force in the midfield to complement what we have already.”

Lilley’s side first played Puerto Rico during their extended road trip on June 24. A torrential downpour left the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium pitch waterlogged and forced the kickoff to be delayed by 75 minutes. Despite the farcical conditions, the Whitecaps battled through the standing water and mud to earn a goalless draw. “It was difficult for both sides,” Wawrousek said of the game. “The footing was really atrocious, but we were able to salvage at least a point there. I felt that we were fortunate on a few occasions, as they were fortunate on a few occasions. The game could have gone either way.”

Both sides are sure to play in far better conditions on Thursday, with the Whitecaps needing to be aware of Puerto Rico’s danger men in Chilean midfielder Alejandro Gonzalez and English striker Taiwo Atieno. Both Atieno and Whitecaps defender Geordie Lyall share the common distinction of having played for English club Walsall FC at one time in their careers.

With seven of their final eight regular-season games at home, Lilley is looking forward to making a strong finish before the USL-1 playoffs in September. “I think there’s a quiet confidence growing in the room based on the fact that we’ve been through the tough times. We know we’re on an upward swing,” he said.

Thursday’s game at Swangard Stadium kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Single game tickets start at just $16 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 604.280.4400 or visiting whitecapsfc.com. For more information on Whitecaps ticket packages and group rates, please call 604.669.WAVE (9283) or visit our tickets page. The legendary Peter Beardsley will be joining us again, so wear your England, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Everton, or Whitecaps jersey for a chance to win prizes in a fun contest-filled evening sponsored by Gatorade and Overwaitea Save-on-Foods.

You can also watch Thursday’s game between the Whitecaps and Puerto Rico live on USLlive.com or on Shaw Cable. Check your local listings for time and availability.

You can also listen to the game live via the internet on team1040.ca.

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