In their first game of a three-match road spell, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (1W-5L-7D) had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Western Conference club Chivas USA (3W-4L-5D) in Major League Soccer on Wednesday evening.
In Tom Soehn's first match since becoming Whitecaps FC head coach this week, a fine second-half strike from Camilo cancelled out Nick LaBrocca's opening goal for Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Though they created several chances to earn their first away win in MLS, the Blue and White will, in some ways, be happy to take a point from this return meeting with The Goats after striker Eric Hassli was sent off for the third time this season. While Wednesday's result was Vancouver's fourth draw in five league matches, it extended the club's winless run in MLS to 12 games. Chivas USA saw their winless streak extend to three games.
"We had a lot of ups and downs," Soehn said after his first Whitecaps FC match in charge. "I thought we had a really poor start to the match, and they really came at us. We knew they would show a lot of energy. But then I thought we found our way into the game and we started to possess the ball a little bit and created a couple really good opportunities. But creating chances isn’t enough; we have to start burying some of them and putting our opponents on their heels."
With Soehn taking charge of the 'Caps on Monday, it was expected that the former D.C. United head coach would make changes for Wednesday's match, and that proved to be the case. Playing a 4-4-1-1 formation, the visitors made four changes and one tactical switch for their first visit to The Home Depot Center. Experienced MLS campaigner Joe Cannon earned his second start in goal this season, while Soehn handed league debuts to MLS SuperDraft pick Bilal Duckett and Cameroonian Alexandre Morfaw. Mouloud Akloul replaced Greg Janicki to partner captain Jay DeMerit in the centre of Vancouver's backline. Soehn also switched positions with goalscorer Camilo and Davide Chiumiento. The Brazilian played as a wide midfielder, while the Swiss international partnered Hassli in attack.
On a fine evening for soccer in Southern California, Whitecaps FC tried to claim control of this midweek contest by creating the better chances before the break. While they had spells of possession, Chivas USA failed to test Cannon during the first half, as Akloul, DeMerit, Duckett, and Alain Rochat were very strong at the back for the 'Caps.
The game's first chance came from Whitecaps FC's first corner, as Morfaw put an inswinging set-piece into the Goats' box that Rochat was unlucky not to connect with on 13 minutes. A minute later, Hassli took a pass from midfielder Gershon Koffie before striking a shot just wide of the target from the edge of the Chivas USA box.
Vancouver kept pressing forward and created more opportunities past the half-hour mark. On 34 minutes, Hassli neatly controlled Rochat's forward ball off his chest, but was unable to test Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy with his half-volleyed strike. Seconds later, an unmarked Chiumiento was presented with a glorious opportunity to open the scoring from a dangerous run and pass by 'Budweiser Man of the Match' Shea Salinas. The Swiss playmaker, however, was unable to hit the target with his strike.
The form of Hassli in recent matches has been an encouraging sign for 'Caps fans, as the big Frenchman has looked to strike at goal when opportunities presented themselves. On 39 minutes, he took advantage of a turnover that was created by Camilo before teeing up a left-footed shot that struck the crossbar and bounced away to safety. It was the closest that either side came to scoring before halftime.
Where the opening half might have lacked much in terms of excitement, the second half started with a bang, as both sides got on the scoresheet minutes after the restart.
It was Chivas USA that amazingly drew first blood from their first shot on target on 46 minutes. LaBrocca took a pass from fellow midfielder Gerson Mayen before making a forward run towards the Whitecaps FC goal. As he reached the edge of the Vancouver box, the former Toronto FC player drilled a low shot through the 'Caps backline and past Cannon to give the home side the lead. It was LaBrocca's third goal of the season.
Though it was a horrible start to the half, Vancouver's attacking qualities that created many fine chances before the break, produced an equalizer on 48 minutes. Again, it was Salinas that created the opportunity, as he found Hassli in the Chivas USA box with a pass from the right. The striker backheeled the ball on to Chiumiento, whose initial shot was blocked by the Chivas USA defenders. The loose ball fell nicely to Camilo, and the Brazilian wasted no time by curling a first-time strike past Kennedy and into the top right-hand corner of the Chivas USA net to make it 1-1. It was the South American's fourth goal of the season.
Having quickly restored parity, Vancouver went about pressing their hosts, as they seeked that elusive first away win in the league. On 53 minutes, Chiumiento had another fine chance to get on the scoresheet, but after receiving another pass in the box from the dangerous Salinas, the playmaker curled his first-time effort agonisingly over the Chivas USA crossbar.
It seemed that another Whitecaps FC goal might arrive sooner rather than later, but as the match reached the midway point of the half, match referee Ricardo Salazar became a talking point of this midweek contest when he showed a straight red card to Hassli following the striker's late challenge on Chivas USA's Ben Zemanski. Though the tackle may have merited a booking, Hassli was instead given his marching orders from an MLS game for the third time this season, despite fierce protests from the Vancouver bench.
Down to ten men, Soehn used his three substitutions, with two of his new introductions nearly combining for a second 'Caps goal on 78 minutes. Russell Teibert's cross from the left nearly found fellow substitute Omar Salgado right in front of the Chivas USA goal. However, the United States U-20 international was unable to connect with the Canadian youngster's fine delivery.
Instead, it was The Goats that went about using their extra man to push for a match winner, but they found Cannon and Vancouver's backline up to the task in the dying stages. The 'Caps goalkeeper made two excellent saves from Chivas USA striker Justin Braun on 84 and 86 minutes respectively, while LaBrocca was denied a second goal by a fine clearance from DeMerit.
It resulted in the final whistle being blown on another stalemate between these two clubs in 2011, though Whitecaps FC will wonder if two more points could have been taken in Southern California. Soehn's squad will complete a busy week of action by travelling up to the state of Utah for a first-ever meeting with Western Conference side Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening. Chivas USA, meanwhile, now prepare for the league's other expansion side in Portland Timbers, who visit The Home Depot Center on Saturday.
Scoring Summary:
46' - CHV - Nick LaBrocca
48' - VAN - Camilo
Match Stats:
Shots: Chivas 15 - Vancouver 13
Shots on Goal: Chivas 5 - Vancouver 3
Saves: Chivas 2 - Vancouver 3
Fouls: Chivas 9 - Vancouver 13
Offsides: Chivas 3 - Vancouver 3
Corners: Chivas 7 - Vancouver 1
Cautions:
79' - CHV - Victor Estupinan
86' - VAN - Mouloud Akloul
Ejections:
66' - VAN - Eric Hassli
Chivas USA
1.Dan Kennedy; 13.Ante Jazic, 3.Heath Pearce, 4.Michael Umana, 20.Zarek Valentin; 6.Francisco Mendoza (11.Michael Lahoud 60'), 21.Ben Zemanski, 10.Nick Labrocca, 14.Gerson Mayen (5.Paulo Nagamura 60'); 27.Chris Cortez (99.Victor Estupinan 76'), 17.Justin Braun
Subs not used: 22.Zach Thornton, 7.Tristan Bowen, 8.Mariano Trujillo, 33.Seth Owusu
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Joe Cannon; 3.Bilal Duckett, 6.Jay DeMerit, 50.Mouloud Akloul, 4.Alain Rochat; 22.Shea Salinas (12.Jeb Brovsky 83'), 28.Gershon Koffie, 27.Alexandre Morfaw, 37.Camilo (17.Omar Salgado 77'); 20.Davide Chiumiento (31.Russell Teibert 68'); 29.Eric Hassli
Subs not used: 18.Jay Nolly, 8.Wes Knight, 14.Greg Janicki, 33.Peter Vagenas
