By BOB MACKIN
Paradise Lost, starring the Vancouver Whitecaps?
It could be after Sunday's scoreless tie with the Minnesota Thunder at Swangard Stadium.
"The next two games we have to get a couple of good wins and hopefully have some luck with the other teams having some bad results," said midfielder Justin Moose.
The 13-7-8 Whitecaps came home with only one of a possible six points from their two-game Caribbean visit with the first-place Islanders in Puerto Rico. The Islanders have a two-point lead atop USL First Division standings with a game in-hand over the second-place Whitecaps.
The Whitecaps failed to solve Thunder goalkeeper Nic Platter, despite playing 42 minutes with a man advantage after Andres Arango's ejection. The teams were even when Whitecap Omar Jarun received his second yellow card in the 83rd minute.
"We just made it hard for ourselves, we have two games left to right this ship," said captain Jeff Clarke. "We're winless in three and we want to get some momentum before playoffs."
The Whitecaps host the Montreal Impact Saturday before visiting the Seattle Sounders on Sep. 20 to end the regular season. Vancouver's playoff berth is its 12th consecutive.
