Match Report:

By Farhan Devji/whitecapsfc.com

It was a tale of two halves on Wednesday evening at Simon Fraser University Field #4, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency (3W-9L-3D) suffered a 6-2 home defeat to an experienced Kitsap Pumas (11W-2L-2D) side, despite controlling the opening 50 minutes of play.

Striker Doudou Toure scored in his third consecutive match and midfielder Russell Teibert gave the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead early in the second half with a penalty. However, the second-place Pumas responded with five unanswered goals in the final 40 minutes of action to stun their hosts and secure an important win in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) Western Conference, Northwest Division.

Although it was Kitsap who opened the scoring on 13 minutes with a goal by defender Jamel Wallace, the first scoring chance of the match went to the Whitecaps. Coming off a two-goal performance against Spokane Spiders, striker Alex Semenets nearly potted another one on three minutes when he picked off a Pumas pass at the top of the visitors' box and skipped around his defender before releasing a left-footed strike that sailed over the goal.

Down 1-0, the Residency squad picked up their level of intensity and nearly equalized on 25 minutes when Semenets and Toure executed a fine give-and-go before the Mauritanian's right-footed effort from a tight angle flew over the goal. However, the men's team striker made up for it on 28 minutes. After receiving a short pass from midfielder Gagandeep Dosanjh, Toure let loose a brilliant right-footed strike that curled left-to-right and just inside the left post from 30 yards to level matters at 1-1. "Doudou's goal was a cracker," Residency assistant coach Steve Meadley told whitecapsfc.com. "Thankfully, there was a net on the goal or else the ball would still be going. Doudou does that. He does special things. That being said, Doudou has things he needs to work on like everyone else."

Neither side was able to take the lead before halftime, as a competitive first 45 minutes ended in stalemate. "We were very happy with our performance in the first half," said Meadley. "Once we got into the pace of the game, I thought we pressed the ball with great energy, we caused turnovers, we got at them quickly, and caused them a lot of problems."

After replacing stalwart defender and team captain Ethan Gage for Honduran defender Elvin Castillo, and striker Caleb Clarke for Semenets, the young 'Caps kept things going in the early stages of the second half.

After a patented long throw-in by defender La'Vere Corbin-Ong, Pumas goalkeeper Dustyn Brim hauled down Toure in the Kitsap box for a Whitecaps penalty. Teibert made no mistake with his spot kick on 51 minutes, as he fired home a fine shot that a sprawling Brim was unable to handle for a 2-1 Vancouver lead.

Yet, from that point on, the Pumas took control of the contest. After Whitecaps goalkeeper Dan Pelc stopped midfielder David Gray's point-blank chip attempt, Kitsap managed to equalize on 52 minutes. Striker Eli Gordley made it 2-2 when he finished off a fine feed from striker Tye Perdido, who had made a nice run down the right flank. A sprawling Pelc had no chance to prevent Gordley's accurate first-time finish from finding the back of the net.

Gordley then returned the favour three minutes later when he found an unattended Perdido at the top of the Residency team's box. After a defensive breakdown by the Whitecaps, the 21-year-old striker did well to finish, as the Pumas took a 3-2 lead.

Kitsap then went on to score three more goals before final whistle, but none more impressive than Gordley's second goal of the match. After Cameron Hepple made it 4-2 to the Washington State outfit on 71 minutes, Gordley took advantage of Pelc being off his goal line to strike a remarkable scissor-kick goal from 35 yards out for a commanding 5-2 Kitsap lead on 74 minutes.

One bright spot for the 'Caps in what was a difficult second half came moments later when Pelc made a fine sprawling save off Gordley's penalty attempt before stopping midfielder Hepple on the rebound.

It only seemed to delay the inevitable, however, as defender Taylor Hyde added a sixth goal off a scrambled Kitsap corner on 82 minutes, as the Pumas cruised to a 6-2 win.


With the victory, Kitsap secured second place in the PDL Western Conference, Northwest Division, and therefore, the division's final playoff berth with one regular season match remaining.

While Meadley admits that the entire shape of the match changed when Gage - who will dress tomorrow for the men's team, was subbed off at halftime, he believes his side collectively fell apart in the second half, in which they were out-shot by a margin of 16 to five. "We know Ethan's a senior player in this squad and he was missed," said Meadley. "That being said, we're not putting any blame on anyone who came in. It's a team game. We're not looking to point fingers at anybody. It’s a learning experience for these boys. They’ll learn from both ends of this game - the good side and the bad side."

Whitecaps Residency conclude their 2010 PDL season this Sunday afternoon when they host local rivals Victoria Highlanders FC in a doubleheader at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC, with the men's team in USSF D-2 Pro League action versus NSC Minnesota Stars in the evening. Kickoff of Sunday's PDL season finale is set for 4 p.m. PT.

Scoring Summary:
13' – KIT – Jamel Wallace (Tye Perdido)
28' – VAN – Doudou Toure (Gagandeep Dosanjh)
51' – VAN – Russell Teibert
52' – KIT – Eli Gordley (Tye Perdido)
55' – KIT – Tye Perdido (Eli Gordley)
71' – KIT – Cameron Hepple (John Fishbaugher)
74' – KIT – Eli Gordley
82' – KIT – Taylor Hyde

Match Stats:
Shots: Vancouver 10 – Kitsap 21
Saves: Vancouver 5 – Kitsap 1
Fouls: Vancouver 13 – Kitsap 13
Offsides: Vancouver 3 – Kitsap 0
Corners: Vancouver 4 – Kitsap 1

Cautions:
27' - VAN – Alex Semenets
50' – KIT – David Gray
62' – KIT – Cameron Hepple
77' – VAN – Elvin Castillo

Kitsap Pumas
0.Dustyn Brim (31.Derby Carillo 82'); 3.Mark Lee, 5.Taylor Hyde, 7.Stephen Mohn (17.Zack Sampson 83'), 16.Jamel Wallace; 4.David Gray (16.Greg Miley 81'), 8.Matt Friesen, 9.Cameron Hepple (12.Warlyn Silva 84'), 13.John Fishbaugher; 20.Tye Perdido (14.Stephen Phillips 64'), 24.Eli Gordley (15.Kellen Wantulok 81')

Subs not used: 1.Garrett Staples

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
30.Dan Pelc; 2.Ethan Gage (18.Elvin Castillo 45'), 6.Tim Hickson, 8.Charlie Trafford, 21.La'Vere Corbin-Ong; 7.Russell Tiebert, 10.Gagandeep Dosanjh, 13.Kevin Cobby (12.Brayden Gant 75'), 14.Coulton Jackson (26.Hector Garcia 84'); 9.Doudou Toure (16.Nelson Castillo 68'), 25.Alex Semenets (11.Caleb Clarke 45')

Subs not used: 22.Callum Irving