Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency continued their preparations for Dallas Cup XXIX with a 4-0 victory over Victoria Selects on Wednesday afternoon.Thomas Niendorf’s side made their second trip to Vancouver Island and Esquimalt’s Hampton Park in just over two months. On December 18, 2007, Whitecaps Residency claimed a 4-2 win over the same opponents in the British Columbia provincial capital.With assistant coach Steve Meadley in charge of the side, Whitecaps Residency played a 4-3-3 formation against the Selects, with Victoria natives Adam Straith and Simon Thomas making appearances in their hometown. The youngsters created numerous goalscoring opportunities in the opening 45 minutes, but had to settle for a one-goal lead at the break. Edmonton, Alberta, native Randy Edwini-Bonsu gave the visitors the lead when he struck the eventual winner just after the midway point of the first half.The visitors remained in control after halftime, but it was not until the late stages of Wednesday’s friendly that Whitecaps Residency were able to confirm their second win of 2008. Substitute Gagandeep Dosanjh doubled their advantage on 79 minutes before another substitute in Edmonton’s Marcus Johnstone made it 3-0 a minute later. The Residency team capped a successful trip to Vancouver Island when American youngster Drew Russell struck the team’s fourth goal in the dying stages.The win takes the Residency team’s unbeaten run since last October’s trip to Germany to seven games. The squad will continue to prepare for their trip to Texas next month and three important games against top international opposition. They start their Dallas Cup campaign on the tournament’s opening day (March 16) when they face Portuguese giants Benfica. The following day, Whitecaps Residency take on Mexican giants Chivas Guadalajara before completing their group games on March 19 against German Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt. All three matches will take place at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.
Whitecaps FC Residency - line-up v Victoria Selects
Karm Shergill (Simon Thomas 45’); Greg Smith (Antonio Rago 10’), Adam Straith, Anthony DiNicolo, Navid Mashinchi; Ethan Gage, Philippe Davies, Devin Gunenc (William Hyde 55’); Kyle Porter (Drew Russell 70’), Randy Edwini-Bonsu (Gagandeep Dosanjh 55’), Alex Semenets (Marcus Johnstone 45’)
