Score: 0:1 Loss
Venue: Swangard Stadium
Match Type: 
Match Number: 2
Kickoff (PDT): 7:00 PM
Audio: Team 1040
Video: USL Live
Tickets: Buy
Live Stats: Launch
Youth Club: Surrey Breakers
Attendance: 4989

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By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC suffered their first defeat of the 2008 USL First Division season after a 1-0 loss at home to Minnesota Thunder on Saturday evening.

A second-half penalty from Ricardo Sanchez gave the visitors their first win in Vancouver since 1997 after Whitecaps left fullback Takashi Hirano had brought down Minnesota striker Luchi Gonzalez in the home side's penalty box.

Though they created many chances during the game, the Whitecaps struggled to put Thunder goalkeeper Nicolas Platter under any sustained pressure, as Minnesota's backline held firm to earn a clean sheet and end a 15-game winless run in Vancouver.

After starting the season with a 1-0 home win over Canadian rivals Montreal Impact on April 12, Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson named an unchanged side from the one that started against the Quebec-based club two weeks ago.

Minnesota head coach Amos Magee, meanwhile, made two changes to the side lost their season-opener 2-1 at Portland Timbers on Thursday night. Tighe Dombrowski replaced Brian Kallman in defence, while former Atlanta Silverbacks man Dayton O'Brien replaced forward Aaron Paye in the visitors' starting XI. Also included in Minnesota's starting line-up was former Whitecaps striker Alen Marcina, who partnered former Miami FC hit-man Gonzalez in the Thunder attack.

On a pleasant spring evening at Swangard, a crowd of 4,989 saw a relatively subdued first half of soccer, with both teams' goalkeepers not properly tested during the opening 45 minutes of play.

The Whitecaps had the first chance on six minutes, but Montreal game-winner Eduardo Sebrango struck Nicolas Addlery's pass in the Thunder box high and over the crossbar from close range. Six minutes later, Minnesota tried an effort at goal, but Andrew Barron volleyed a Sanchez corner from the right well wide of the target.

On 16 minutes, Sebrango had the best chance of the half, as the Cuban hit-man headed a fine Hirano cross from the left just wide of Platter's near post.

Still in search of the first goal, Vancouver applied some good pressure on Minnesota through the midway point of the first half, but the Thunder looked well organized and resilient in their defensive third. In fact, on the half-hour mark, Barron had another shot at the Whitecaps goal, but his low drive failed to trouble Whitecaps goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic.

The last real chance of the half came from former California Victory player Sanchez, but the Mexican's tame effort caused little problems for Djekanovic, who made a simple save. After one minute of time added on, both sets of players walked off to the dressing room deadlocked at 0-0 and looking to make a breakthrough after the halftime break.

Though the two-week break before Saturday's game may have affected the Whitecaps, captain Adrian Cann feels the side need to deal with the extended time between games at this stage of the year. "We can't use that as an excuse," he told reporters after the game. "We've got to keep our minds focused, as we are going to have back-to-back games, as well as other breaks in the season to deal with. What we need to do is keep on the same page and stick to our game plan, which comes from the structure we’ve had during training sessions and follow through with that."

The restart saw the Whitecaps finally force Platter into a save on 50 minutes, as Addlery drove a low at the Thunder number one before Sebrango was left frustrated again when his header flew over the Minnesota crossbar from Martin Nash's cross on 54 minutes. "Tonight was a big disappointment, as we did not play well," Sebrango assessed of Saturday's defeat. "Our performance was flat. If we were five or ten per cent better, I think we would have won the game."

Two minutes later, Thordarson introduced Tony Donatelli for his first bit of action of the 2008 season following his return from Major Indoor Soccer League side Philadelphia KiXX, as he replaced Alfredo Valente in the Whitecaps midfield.

The home side kept searching for the first goal, and Vicente Arze came ever so close to hitting the target on 63 minutes when his low shot ran across the face of the Thunder goal after the Bolivian winger took a pass in the Minnesota box from Steve Kindel.

Then after Gonzalez caused a scare in the Whitecaps box, the home fans were left stunned on 66 minutes when Hirano was booked for bringing down Gonzalez in the Vancouver box for a penalty after the Japanese defender allowed the Thunder striker to intercept his wayward pass. Sanchez stepped up to send Djekanovic the wrong way and give Minnesota the lead on 68 minutes. Thunder head coach Magee was delighted to see his side earn a split of results from a season-opening two-game road trip. "The effort we made was sublime tonight," said the former Thunder player. "They battled and fought, and they all came through for each other in the end. It's a great win and something for us to build on and get better. This team is a new group that needs to learn how to win, but tonight, we took a big step."

The goal was frustrating for the Whitecaps, who had made more intent to find the opening goal before going behind. The situation brought several substitutions from both clubs, with the Whitecaps handing new signing Justin Moose his Vancouver debut after his move from Major League Soccer side DC United, while centre back Omar Jarun made his USL-1 debut for the club after replacing Nash.

Though he was happy to see some action, Moose would have preferred to see the Whitecaps claim a result. "I thought we struggled to keep a rhythm the whole game," said the former Wake Forest University star. "We had a few chances to capitalize on, but as we were a goal down, we were chasing the game and pumping balls into Minnesota's box in order to find a breakthrough."

On 86 minutes, substitute Donatelli forced a good diving save from Platter, as the Whitecaps tried their best to get back into the contest in the dying stages. Fellow substitute Jason Jordan was then unlucky not to find the target with a dangerous header from Hirano's fine cross in the five minutes of time added on, as Minnesota held firm to claim their first win of the new season.


Thordarson admitted it was not his team's night on Saturday, as the Icelandic tactician suffered his first-ever defeat as a USL-1 coach after claiming his first-ever win in the North American league two weeks ago. "I was unhappy that we didn't manage to play the way as we really wanted to," he said to reporters. "If you counted the chances we had in the game, then I'm not unhappy with that. I'm just unhappy with the mistakes that we made, as Minnesota benefited from one of our mistakes. We did not look as we did in the Montreal game, but the league schedule is set as it is, and we have to accept that. I'm not looking for any excuses, as we had our chances to win the game, but didn't take them."

The Whitecaps will now have another two weeks off before their third game of the season, as they host Darren Tilley's Rochester Rhinos at Swangard on Saturday, May 10. The Thunder, meanwhile, now return home for their 2008 home opener on Sunday, May 4, when they host Rochester at James Griffin Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Goal Summary:
68' – Minn 0-1 - Ricardo Sanchez (PK)
Minnesota forward Luchi Gonzalez picked up the ball just inside the box with a clear line to goal. Vancouver defender Takashi Hirano took him down, and referee Fabrizio Ramano pointed to the penalty spot. Mexican midfielder Ricardo Sanchez dispatched the penalty kick with ease, firing the ball to the right of goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic.

Match Stats:
Shots: Vancouver 9 - Minnesota 5
Saves: Vancouver 1 - Minnesota 3
Fouls: Vancouver 16 - Minnesota 10
Offsides: Vancouver 4 - Minnesota 5
Corners: Vancouver 5 - Minnesota 3

Cautions:
Vancouver: Takashi Hirano 67', Martin Nash 76'
Minnesota: Kevin Taylor 26', Ricardo Sanchez 77'

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
77.Srdjan Djekanovic; 2.Jeff Clarke, 4.Adrian Cann, 22.Takashi Hirano, 24.Lyle Martin; 7.Martin Nash (15.Omar Jarun 83'), 8.Steve Kindel, 9.Alfredo Valente (14.Tony Donatelli 56'), 23.Vicente Arze (25.Justin Moose 76'); 11.Nicholas Addlery (26.Jason Jordan 69'), 16.Eduardo Sebrango (3.Nick Webb 74')

Subs not used: 1.Jay Nolly, 12.Geordie Lyall

Minnesota Thunder
12.Nicolas Platter; 24.Tighe Dombrowski (4.Paul Moran 75'), 5.Kevin Taylor, 6.Kevin Friedland, 17.Stephen deRoux; 22.Jeremiah Bass, 18.Andrew Barron, 10.Ricardo Sanchez (16.Kyle Altman 78'), 13.Dayton O'Brien (19.Brian Kallman 59'); 8.Luchi Gonzalez, 11.Alen Marcina (23.Frederico Moojen 63')

Subs not used: 1. Matt van Oekel, 3. Andres Arango, 9.Aaron Paye