COLUMBUS, OH – Vancouver Whitecaps FC earned a crucial 3-1 win over Columbus Crew SC on Saturday night at Mapfre Stadium. Here are three takeaways from the match.
‘CHARACTER, GUTS, DETERMINATION’
It wasn’t necessarily pretty, but the ‘Caps got the job done.
And they did so thanks to “character, guts, and determination,” according to head coach Carl Robinson, who watched from a box due to his suspension.
The game plan was simple: try to catch Columbus on the counter. They are one of the best possession-based teams in MLS – especially at home. In fact, only one team averages more possession. They were always going to see more of the ball, which meant Robinson’s side had to be up for a fight.
They certainly were.
“We really dug in and fought and scrapped and defended our goal really well,” assistant coach Martyn Pert, who manned the sidelines in Robinson’s absence, told TSN 1040.
Two players who did just that were centre backs David Edgar and Kendall Waston.
The defensive duo, who have helped the ‘Caps concede just one goal in their last two outings, had a combined 11 clearances on the night.
“I thought they were terrific,” Pert told TSN 1040. “[Columbus] got lots of crosses in and those two were tremendous. Brilliant sliding tackles, headers, and all those things you expect from your centre backs. They put their bodies on the line.”
HURTADO BOUNCES BACK
Turns out a trip back to Columbus, where Erik Hurtado scored his first MLS goal two years ago, was just what the doctor ordered for the 25-year-old striker.
A week ago, Hurtado was “in tears” after a tough outing vs. New York.
On Saturday night, you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face after his first MLS goal of the season clinched the victory for Vancouver.
Another for @WhitecapsFC. #CLBvVANhttps://t.co/5YzBeIm0Wq
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 11, 2016
“As a coach, it’s important you stick behind your players and I certainly will stick behind Erik,” Robinson told reporters. “I said to him today that you’ll get a chance. He had one chance and he managed to put it away and sometimes you need a little bit of luck."
"Today, he had the little bit of luck. If you work hard, you put the hours in, you put the commitment in, you get the rewards at the end of the day and he got his reward today as well as the team.”
NOT DONE YET
It wasn’t do or die for Vancouver, but it was pretty darn close.
Saturday’s win gives Vancouver life. It gives them hope. Two years ago, Vancouver won four of their final five matches – and drew the other – to get into the post-season.
Well, here we are again.
With five games to go, the ‘Caps sit seventh in the Western Conference – just below the red line – and four points out of a playoff spot. Four of their five remaining matches are against the three teams they’re competing with for that final spot: Portland, Seattle (x2), and San Jose.
“The most important thing is that we follow it up with another good performance and start collecting points to start getting on a roll,” said Whitecaps FC midfielder Andrew Jacobson, who scored the game-winning goal on Saturday.
Game on.
Be a part of the best sporting atmosphere in Vancouver. Get 12 per cent off 2017 Whitecaps FC Full Season Tickets from Sept. 22 - Oct 3. Click here for more information.
