Match Report:

By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency began their inaugural USL Premier Development League season with a 3-1 home victory over Lower Mainland rivals Abbotsford Mariners on Sunday.

Despite being a goal down at halftime following a late first-half strike by Abbotsford's Adrian Kekec, second half goals by Kyle Porter, Dever Orgill, and Drew Russell meant Thomas Niendorf's youngsters got off to a winning start in the weekend sunshine at Simon Fraser University.

In an entertaining first half at SFU's Terry Fox Field, it was Abbotsford that created the first chance on goal, as Residency goalkeeper Karm Shergill made a good save from Kekec's turn and shot after just four minutes. The Whitecaps responded four minutes later, but Randy Edwini-Bonsu was unable to force Mariners goalkeeper Kristjan Johannson into a save after he struck Ethan Gage's through ball wide of the target.

The Residency squad then had an excellent chance on 16 minutes after Mohammad Aziz was booked for bringing down Alex Semenets on the edge of the Mariners box. Philippe Davies curled the set-piece effort at goal, where Johannson's save saw him spill a rebound to Orgill. With an empty net to shoot at, the Jamaican's shot somehow rolled across the face of Abbotsford goal and away to safety.

Shegill was in good form in the Whitecaps goal, and on 19 minutes, the young shot-stopper tipped Spencer Schmidt's twisting header over the crossbar, while at the other end, Edwini-Bonsu forced another save from Johannson moments later.

Play settled down for a spell before the Whitecaps claimed a penalty on 34 minutes after Edwini-Bonsu was brought down in the box by Abbotsford's Goran Vitic. The Whitecaps striker was forced to leave the game with a shoulder injury before Semenets took the penalty. Unfortunately for the home side, the Residency winger struck his left-foot spot kick off the crossbar and into touch.

With the game still well poised, Abbotsford found a way past Shergill on 43 minutes, as Kekec slotted home his own rebound after the Whitecaps keeper had stopped his initial shot. "I thought their goal was unlucky," Shergill told whitecapsfc.com after the game. "I made a save and the rebound bounced right back to their goalscorer. It was disappointing, but all in all, I was pretty happy with my performance today."

Undeterred, Orgill tried to bring the Whitecaps level in time added on, but Johannson was equal to his close-range run and shot, as Abbotsford took a slender lead into the halftime break.

The second half saw the Whitecaps bring more composure to their play and claim control of the contest, with Porter bringing the home side level on 56 minutes. Substitute Gagandeep Dosanjh's initial low strike beat Johannson but bounced off the post. The ball fell nicely for Porter, who slotted home to make it 1-1.

Abbotsford were struggling to create the type of chances that they made in the opening 45 minutes, with Schmidt hitting a well-struck volley over Shergill's goal before the Whitecaps completely turned the game around with a second goal on 74 minutes.

Orgill got on the end of a fine Dosanjh through ball before slotting a low finish past Johannson for the game-winning goal. The Caribbean youngster then delighted the watching crowd with a sensational celebratory back flip.

The Jamaican striker was delighted that his side overcame a stiff Abbotsford challenge. "It was a perfect effort from the team," Orgill said. "Even though I was struggling in the first half with my hamstring, I was still able to put up a good fight. In the end, I think we proved to them that the Whitecaps are made of champions."

Having taken the lead, the home side looked in the ascendancy in the game's final stages, with Semenets curling a free kick just over the Mariners crossbar on 79 minutes before forcing Johannson to save his close-range effort just before the end.

Abbotsford's last opportunity fell to Trinity Western University star Kekec, but his free kick set-piece flew high and wide from the edge of the Whitecaps box on 86 minutes.

In fact, it the Residency squad that sealed their first PDL Western Conference, Northwest Division result in time added on, as substitute Russell got on the end of Devin Gunenc's lofted forward ball to slot it into an empty net just before the full-time whistle was blown.


Residency assistant coach Steve Meadley felt his side put things right after the halftime break. "We out-chanced them in the first half, but I think our work rate was missing a bit," he said "We like to pride ourselves on our work rate, and it wasn't there in the first half. To be fair, the boys have come through a tough week after traveling back from Germany and the high school graduation festivities they’ve had this weekend, so hats off to them for coming out in the second half and putting in an improved effort, which is what it's all about."

Whitecaps Residency's next PDL encounter takes place next Friday, May 23, when they travel down to Oregon to face Cascade Surge. Abbotsford, meanwhile, return home to face Utah's BYU Cougars at Bateman Park on Friday, May 30.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
Karm Shergill; Antonio Rago, Adam Straith, Greg Smith, William Hyde; Alex Semenets, Kyle Porter (Drew Russell 66'), Ethan Gage, Philippe Davies (Devin Gunenc 73'); Dever Orgill, Randy Edwini-Bonsu (Gagandeep Dosanjh 35')

Abbotsford Mariners
Kristjan Johannson; Goran Vitic, Jason Gill, James Giebelhaus, Mohammad Aziz; Adrian Kekec, Milan Francisty, Robert Fadden (David Vanderhoek 81'), Justin Cordick; Cameron Wilson, Spencer Schmidt