Match Report:

By Alan Douglas/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC women (4W-0L-2D) continued their impressive undefeated run with a 3-1 victory away to Interstate 5 rivals Seattle Sounders women (0W-1L-5D) in Tukwila, Washington, on Wednesday night.

Amy Vermeulen scored twice and Kara Lang once at the Starfire Sports Complex, as Vancouver opened a six-point lead atop the Western Conference standings in the United Soccer Leagues W-League.

'Caps head coach Hubert Busby Jr. adopted a more attacking 4-3-3 formation than the one he used in Vancouver's sensational 2-1 away win over Pali Blues on Saturday. The personnel, however, remained largely unchanged. Goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain got the start after returning from international duty with England, while defender Shannon Woeller started on the substitutes' bench to make way for striker Vermeulen. As it turned out, Woeller would not be kept out of the match for long, as she subbed in on seven minutes after veteran Martina Franko limped off with an injury.

The Whitecaps jumped on the home side early and went a goal up after just seven minutes. Jodi-Ann Robinson sent in a cross, which Melissa Tancredi fired on goal. Though Seattle goalkeeper Katie Hultin was able to stop the initial effort, Vermeulen was there to fire in the rebound.

Robinson was in fine form, terrorizing the Sounders defence down the right flank. She again set up Tancredi with a cross, but the striker's header sailed wide.

Seattle were battling for every ball in a bid to get back on even terms, but the Whitecaps controlled play. On 29 minutes, midfielder Sophie Schmidt broke in alone on Hultin, but her tame shot was easily saved.

Soon after though, Vermeulen drew a penalty when Seattle's Megan Miller was adjudged to have pulled the shirt of the Whitecaps attacker in the Sounders box. Miller was cautioned before Vermeulen stepped to the spot to put away for her second goal of the game, and of the season, on 34 minutes.

The Vancouver front-runners continued to cause Seattle problems, but there were no further goals in the half, as the Whitecaps reached the interval with a 2-0 lead.

The Sounders came out strong in the second half, cracking an early shot just over the crossbar. When they were on target though, the safe hands of Chamberlain were there to make the save.

Midway through the half, Tancredi tested Hultin with a hard shot, but the Sounders keeper pushed it wide in an awkward fashion for a corner.

Seattle were creating chances. On 69 minutes, they came close to scoring on a free kick before going just wide of the far post with a 75th-minute cross-shot.

Vancouver, however, put the game out of reach with ten minutes remaining. Substitute Lang hit one of her trademark ballistic missiles from way out on the right flank, which found the inside of the far post. It was the midfielder's first goal for the Blue and White in over four years since rejoining the women's team this season.

Seattle did manage to pull a goal back on 83 minutes, as Sounders striker Jocelyn Charette fired home in a mad scramble in front of the Whitecaps goal. Yet, despite chances for both teams in the final minutes, the match finished 3-1 to Vancouver.


This was the Whitecaps first win in Seattle since the championship season of 2006. It was also Vancouver's final road game of the regular season, with the 'Caps going undefeated away from home (3W-0L-2D) for the first time since 2006. The six-game undefeated run, meanwhile, is the longest since Vancouver went unbeaten in seven to start the 2008 season.

Following five straight games on the road, the Whitecaps now prepare for a four-game home stand. First up is a big rematch with defending W-League champions Pali Blues, which could well decide first place in the Western Conference. The match takes place this Sunday afternoon at Langley's McLeod Athletic Park at 2 p.m. PT.

Scoring Summary:
7' - VAN - Amy Vermeulen
34' - VAN - Amy Vermeulen (penalty)
80' - VAN - Kara Lang
83' - SEA - Jocelyn Charette

Match Stats:
Shots: Vancouver 10 - Seattle 9
Saves: Vancouver 3 - Seattle 6
Fouls: Vancouver 16 - Seattle 10
Corners: Vancouver 5 - Seattle 1
Offsides: Vancouver 0 - Seattle 6

Cautions:
32' - SEA - Megan Miller
69' - VAN - Robyn Gayle
70' - VAN - Siobhan Chamberlain
86' - VAN - Kara Lang
90' - VAN - Kirsteen Buchan

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Siobhan Chamberlain; 16.Robyn Gayle, 2.Emily Zurrer, 19.Martina Franko (3.Shannon Woeller 7'), 21.Danielle Sweeney; 13.Sophie Schmidt, 17.Chelsea Stewart, 18.Monica Lam-Feist (15.Kara Lang 53'); 10.Jodi-Ann Robinson (11.Desiree Scott 51'), 6.Amy Vermeulen (20.Ranee Premji 76'), 14.Melissa Tancredi (7.Kirsteen Buchan 89')

Subs not used: 27.Stephanie Panozzo, 25.Rachael Pelat

Seattle Sounders
1.Katie Hultin; 10.Jamie Coe, 22.Beth Drollinger (4.Kelly Irving 45'), 23.Kelli Smith (20.Justina MacDowell 78'), 17.Kathryn Warner (13.Patty Blankenship 89'); 7.Justi Baumgardt-Yamada, 18.Kelsey Jenkins (24.Mily Reiter 64'), 19.Megan Miller, 9.Tafara Pulse; 11.Jocelyn Charette, 6.Erin Redwine (15.Claire Morgan 45')

Subs not used: 35.Maddie Dickinson