Midfielder seals 3-1 win
BY MARC WEBER
The Vancouver Whitecaps hadn't scored three goals in a game all season. Blake Wagner netted three on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old midfielder from Tampa, Fla., tallied in the 18th, 56th and 90th minutes as the Whitecaps beat Miami 3-1 in front of 5,024 fans at Swangard Stadium.
If this is Wagner at three-quarter fitness, look out.
"It's just a relief to have someone score three goals," said head coach Teitur Thordarson, who suggested this week that Wagner still has a way to go before he's at full fitness after a lengthy foot injury.
"It's not only that, he could have easily had two more. It's just a fantastic thing to watch; he's a big danger all the time."
Vancouver (7-2-8) is unbeaten in 10 games overall and undefeated at home this season.
Yet despite picking up points, they've been edgy of late; miffed and frustrated with their lack of goals.
To suggest that Wagner changed all that single-handedly Wednesday would do a disservice to his teammates, especially forwards Cornelius Stewart and Nizar Khalfan, who worked their tails off to create space and opportunity. Each had an assist.
But the fact is, Wagner wakes up today as the team's leading goal scorer, having played just 303 minutes. Alfredo Valente was the last Caps midfielder to net a hat trick, a decade ago.
Wagner's last three-goal game? "In my sleep, maybe," he quipped.
Certainly not in Major League Soccer. In 40 games for FC Dallas between 2006 and '09, he didn't score. Here, he's been in a more attacking role on the wing.
"It felt really good," said Wagner, who had six shots on Miami goalie Caleb Patterson-Sewell -- all legitimate goal chances. "I was fortunate to get some good stuff from my teammates. They made some great runs, made it easy for me. The chemistry was good tonight."
Some context is needed. Miami is 2-6-8 and winless on the road, where they allow two goals per game.
But the Wagner-Khalfan-Stewart trio was able to open up Miami with their speed and passing in a way Vancouver couldn't against bottom-feeder St. Louis last week when Wagner was at left back, Ansu Toure was on left wing and Jonny Steele was up front with Khalfan.
"They are all fast and all technical; they worked incredibly for the whole game," said Thordarson. "I would like the strikers to use their opportunities better, but when Blake scores three, that is fine with me."
Brian Shriver cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 57th minute, just seconds after Wagner scored his second.
Shriver came close to tying it, too, when Caps defender Nelson Akwari got tangled up with Miami's Christian Gomez in the 77th minute and the ball popped free in the box.
His shot missed the left post, however, and Vancouver wasn't made to pay for numerous missed opportunities on the counterattack.
Whitecaps fans, here's your chance to ask the players, coaches and staff anything you want. And if it's in good taste, we'll get it answered. You're in charge of the Q&A for the next Goal section. Email questions to mweber@theprovince.com. Include your name and hometown.
© Copyright (c) The Province
