Match Report:

By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency had to settle for a goalless home draw with Lower Mainland rivals Abbotsford Mariners on Sunday afternoon.

In their second USL Premier Development League meeting between both clubs in less than a month, it was the visiting Mariners who were the happier of the two sides to claim the 0-0 draw after playing the majority of contest with ten men. Despite having numerous chances, Whitecaps Residency were unable to find a way past in-form Abbotsford goalkeeper Tyler Baldock.

Coming off a 2-0 home win over Spokane Spiders in their last PDL Western Conference Northwest Division clash, Thomas Niendorf's side struggled to make inroads into the Mariners in the early stages. In fact, the first set of chances fell to Fraser Valley club, with Goran Vitic missing Karm Shergill's goal with a rolling shot on seven minutes before Spencer Schmidt misconnected with a cross in front of the Whitecaps goal three minutes later.

The intensity of a Vancouver versus Abbotsford contest was not lost on both sets of player or coaches, and on 13 minutes, referee Andrew Foster ordered Mariners head coach Shaun Lowther away from his own bench after the official fell foul of the coach's persistent complaints.

Two minutes later, Abbotsford were left even more frustrated by proceedings after Mariners captain Brad Peetoom was sent off for pulling down Residency midfielder Gagandeep Dosanjh, who would have been clear through on the visitors' goal, had he not been impeded.

Though a man short, Abbotsford were up for the battle at Simon Fraser University's Terry Fox Field, with Schmidt - brother of Whitecaps women's team midfielder Sophie Schmidt - striking high and over the target before Shergill had to deal Justin Cordick's deflected shot on 25 minutes.

The Residency squad responded a minute later, with Randy Edwini-Bonsu forcing a fine save from former Whitecaps goalkeeper Baldock before the Abbotsford shot-stopper did equally as well to stop Kyle Porter's fierce strike on 33 minutes after Ethan Gage played the forward in on the edge of Abbotsford's box.

Baldock proved to be pivotal to Sunday's outcome, as he again denied Edwini-Bonsu on 41 minutes. The young Whitecaps then struggled to break through with more pressure by the time the halftime whistle was blown.

The start of the second half saw Baldock deny the speedy Edwini-Bonsu for a third time on 49 minutes before Schmidt tested the hands of Shergill with a free-kick strike at the other end moments later.

Where the first half was high on emotion, the second half was a case of Abbotsford bunking down in their own third and prepared to defend a 0-0 scoreline, with Baldock called on again to save from former Mariners player Dosanjh, while Gage was off-target with a strike of his own.

Shergill had to be alert to stop Schmidt's header from Mohammad Aziz's free kick on 53 minutes, while Porter showed good skill to elude two Abbotsford defenders on the left before forcing a fine diving save from Baldock, who then bore the brunt of a collision with the onrushing Dosanjh on 66 minutes after the midfielder tried in vain to reach the rebound.

It was not turning out to be Dosanjh's day, as the midfielder failed to connect with a great opportunity in front of goal on 76 minutes before Whitecaps substitute Drew Russell had a deflected shot save by Baldock four minutes later.

The Iowa youngster would then see a close-range header from Edwini-Bonsu's cross fly wide before Alex Semenets struck an effort over the Abbotsford crossbar on 87 minutes.

As Shergill stopped Cordick's well-hit volley on 90 minutes, five minutes of additional time was played, with the Residency team given a major opportunity to claim a late winner with an indirect free kick well inside the Mariners box. Unfortunately for Vancouver, Porter low strike flew wide of the target in the third minute of time added on.

Even chances from Edwini-Bonsu and Russell before the final whistle was blown would not turn the game around, as a share of spoils were taken in the afternoon sunshine at SFU.


Residency assistant coach Steve Meadley felt his team failed to convert their opportunities on Sunday. "It's another afternoon where we didn’t take our chances," he told whitecapsfc.com. "I'm disappointed with the effort level in the second half. There were things we wanted to do that we didn't do, and that's disappointing. I thought Abbotsford defended quite well with ten men and were compact at the back, so there wasn't a lot of space to play into. It was all about that first goal. If we got that first goal, then you thought that more would come, but it just never happened. All in all, it's a draw that feels like a loss, but we'll take the point and bounce back next week."

Whitecaps Residency now sit in third place in the PDL Western Conference Northwest Division with a record of 4-1-1. Next weekend, they host Ogden Outlaws at SFU on Friday evening before visiting Abbotsford for their third league meeting on Sunday afternoon. The Marniers will also host Ogden on Saturday before hosting the Whitecaps the next day.

Goal Summary:
No goals

Match Stats:
Shots: Vancouver 15 – Abbotsford 8
Saves: Vancouver 3 – Abbotsford 6
Fouls: Vancouver 14 – Abbotsford 14
Offsides: Vancouver 2 – Abbotsford 0
Corners: Vancouver 2 – Abbotsford 1

Cautions:
Vancouver: none
Abbotsford: Spencer Schmidt 15', Patrick Kelly 17'

Ejections:
Vancouver: none
Abbotsford: Brad Peetoom

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
12.Karm Shergill; 3.Navid Mashinchi (13.William Hyde 87'), 4.Adam Straith, 5.Anthony DiNicolo, 14.Antonio Rago (2.Greg Smith 72'); 6.Ethan Gage (10.Devin Gunenc), 8.Philippe Davies (18.Drew Russell 69'), 14.Gagandeep Dosanjh, 17.Alex Semenets; 7.Kyle Porter, 9.Randy Edwini-Bonsu

Abbotsford Mariners
00.Tyler Baldock; 2.Adam Lang, 3.James Giebelhaus, 4.Jason Gill, 5.Brad Peetoom; 10.Mohammad Aziz, 14.Pat Kelly, 19.Robert Fadden, 22.Goran Vitic; 11.Spencer Schmidt, 21.Justin Cordick