Match Report:

By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency suffered their second USL Premier Development League defeat of the season after a 1-0 setback at home to Yakima Reds on Sunday afternoon.

Junior Garcia's first-half strike proved the difference in the first PDL Western Conference Northwest Division encounter between the two clubs, despite Thomas Niendorf's side creating more than enough quality chances to turn the game around at Simon Fraser University.

In what was another hot and sunny day on the Terry Fox Field turf at SFU, it was the young Whitecaps that created the early chances in the match. On eight minutes, Jamaican forward Dever Orgill took a free kick opportunity early, but his set-piece hit the Yakima wall before finding the arms of Reds goalkeeper Robert McCurdy.

On 13 minutes, Ethan Gage rolled an effort wide from a Residency free kick before Orgill brought two fine saves from McCurdy just before the midway point of the half, with midfielder Devin Gunenc supplying the striker with two good passes.

Action was regularly heading towards the Yakima goal until the 28th minute, as the Reds stunned Vancouver with the game-winner from a good bit of play. Juan Viveros' fine forward ball caught out Residency centre backs Adam Straith and Anthony DiNicolo, thus allowing Garcia to slip in and finish past goalkeeper Simon Thomas for 1-0.

The Whitecaps reply was swift, but as with the theme of the day for the home side, chances went begging. Gunenc had the last opportunity before halftime, as he headed a redirected Vancouver corner over McCurdy's crossbar from close range.

Whitecaps Residency made two changes to their side for the start of the second half, as Marcus Johnstone replaced Orgill and Greg Smith took the place of Antonio Rago.

Though Yakima's Andrew O'Brien was not far off-target with a 47th minute strike, it was the Residency squad that dominated with the chances in the second period. Gage struck another effort wide on 51 minutes before Saturday hat-trick hero Randy Edwini-Bonsu flashed a shot across the face of the Reds goal three minutes later.

Vancouver's fortune in finding the back of the net was not seen on Sunday, as Gage was left frustrated with a chance in front of the Yakima goal following Kyle Porter's free kick from the right on 57 minutes, while Reds substitute Bryan Neal was unlucky not to make more of a Yakima free kick on the hour mark after seeing his close-range header fly over Thomas' crossbar.

On 70 minutes, Viveros brought a good save from Thomas with a fierce low drive before goalscorer Garcia hit the Whitecaps side-netting moments later for the visitors, but the ball ended up living in the Yakima half of the pitch for the most part.

The final quarter hour proved most excruciating for the Residency squad, with substitute Johnstone seeing his close-range header tipped over the crossbar by McCurdy. On 76 minutes, Johnstone went even closer with another header off the Yakima crossbar, as Navid Mashinchi's tight angle shot initially slipped through the hands of Reds number one.

As the game reached the dying stages, the urgency increased in both sets of players, with Edwini-Bonsu and substitute Philippe Davies having chances in the final minutes.

As the match entered four minutes of injury time, Davies had Vancouver's final opportunity in time added on, but the Longueuil, Quebec, native was unable to steer Mashinchi's cross from the left on target, as Yakima held on for a priceless away victory to cap a successful two-game weekend stint in Canada. The Washington State club won 2-0 at Abbotsford Mariners on Saturday before claiming all three points over the Whitecaps on Sunday.


Niendorf was disappointed that his side did not make their opportunities count against the Reds. "You could see that they are an experienced side that are well organized," Niendorf said of Yakima to whitecapsfc.com. "They defended well and closed down the channels for us not to penetrate them. Regardless, we had six or seven very good scoring opportunities and we couldn't take them, but that is the game sometimes. We’ve got to learn from it and take the positive aspects, as we look to move forward."

Whitecaps Residency return to PDL Western Conference Northwest Division action next Saturday, as they host Cascade Surge at SFU before heading to Abbotsford for their fourth encounter with the Mariners on Sunday. Yakima, meanwhile, will await the visit of the Whitecaps to their Marquette Stadium home for their next PDL match on Friday, July 11.

Goal Summary:
28' - YAK - 1-0 - Junior Garcia (Juan Viveros)
Viveros' fine forward ball caught out Residency centre backs Adam Straith and Anthony DiNicolo and allowed Garcia to slip in and finish past goalkeeper Simon Thomas.

Match Stats:
Shots: Vancouver 25 – Yakima 12
Saves: Vancouver 4 – Yakima 7
Fouls: Vancouver 17 – Yakima 14
Offsides: Vancouver 0 – Yakima 3
Corners: Vancouver 8 – Yakima 0

Cautions:
Vancouver: Greg Smith 65'
Yakima: Junior Garcia 39', Bryan Neal 68', Jorge Lopez 78'

Ejections:
Vancouver: none
Yakima: none

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
1.Simon Thomas; 3.Navid Mashinchi, 4.Adam Straith, 5.Anthony DiNicolo, 15.Antonio Rago (2.Greg Smith 45'); 6.Ethan Gage, 7.Kyle Porter (18.Drew Russell 88'), 14.Gagandeep Dosanjh, 10.Devin Gunenc (8.Philippe Davies 61'); 9.Randy Edwini-Bonsu, 11.Dever Orgill (16.Marcus Johnstone 45')

Subs not used: 12.Karm Shergill, 17.Alex Semenets

Yakima Reds
1.Robert McCurdy; 4.Juan Viveros, 5.Jorge Lopez, 6.Joshua Hacker, 11.Alvaro Valencia; 2.Nicholas Malmstrom (3.Dennis Stevenson 88'), 8.Andrew O'Brien (14.Bryan Neal 50'), 13.Luis Galvan (9.Hector Vega 90'), 23.German Hernandez; 17.Junior Garcia (22.Justin Merrell 86'), 20.Jacob Sagare

Subs not used: none