MORAGA, CA – After a two-month delay to their first clash this season, The Town FC took three points off Whitecaps FC 2 in a 2-1 victory on Saturday evening in California. Forward Julian Donnery converted in the 93rd minute to put the home side up for good.
Under a sunny sky at Saint Mary’s Stadium, the opening minutes were a cagey affair. WFC2 forward Johnny Selemani had decent touches; he was closely marked by The Town FC’s defensive corps.
At the quarter hour, midfielder Nikola Djordjevic whipped in a sublime ball to the middle of the box. Selemani had positioned himself well, but his volley cracked over the crossbar to put The Town FC goalkeeper Luca Ulrich on notice.
Djordjevic received a bit of luck on his next rush. He raced down the right wing and made space. Just before he reached the goal line, the 22-year-old flashed the ball across the crease that was batted in for an own goal by The Town FC right back Wilson Eisner.
With a 1-0 lead, the young ’Caps gained confidence as the first half ticked on.
Djordjevic almost added to his highlight reel in the 36th minute with a stutter-step move around a defender, and then used two others to screen his cracking 20-yard attempt which barely whizzed wide.
On the last kick of the first half, The Town FC pulled off a Hail Mary play. A long free kick from their side of the centre line led to WFC2 ’keeper Isaac Francoeur sprinting to the top of the box for a challenge.
Francoeur punched the ball; it unexpectedly swerved behind him. Centre back Alejandro Cano pounced on the ball to tie the match 1-1.
After play resumed, Francoeur redeemed himself with a perfectly timed slide to deny a dangerous Nonso Adimabua dribbler from deep in the area.
The WFC2 ’keeper stood tall until TTFC broke WFC2 hearts again in stoppage time.
Adimabua spotted fellow forward Julian Donnery with a pinpoint through ball, and the 20-year-old sped ahead to go one-on-one with Francoeur. Donnery cooly slotted home his third of the season for the game-winner.
Next up, WFC2 will return south on another Cali road trip when the young ’Caps land in the City of Angels to take on LAFC 2 on Thursday, August 21 at 7 p.m. PT.
At the end of August, Whitecaps FC 2 returns home to Swangard Stadium for a Cascadia rivalry match against Timbers2 on Sunday, August 31 at 4 p.m. PT. Tickets are available at whitecapsfc.com/wfc2.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Dion Coxe-Trieger
Scoring Summary
22’ – VAN – Wilson Eisner (own goal)
45’+4 – TTFC – Alejandro Cano
90’+3 – TTFC – Julian Donnery (Nonso Adimabua)
Cautions
17’ – TTFC – Edwyn Mendoza
18’ – VAN – Cyprian Kachwele
45’+4 – VAN – Mark O’Neill
90’+7 – TTFC – Keegan Walwyn-Bent
Statistics
Possession: VAN 62% – TTFC 38%
Shots: VAN 8 – TTFC 19
Shots on Goal: VAN 2 – TTFC 9
Saves: VAN 7 – TTFC 1
Fouls: VAN 8 – TTFC 17
Offsides: VAN 2 – TTFC 1
Corners: VAN 3 – TTFC 8
The Town FC
97.Luca Ulrich; 27.Wilson Eisner (99.Keegan Walwyn-Bent 89’), 18.Reid Roberts, 66.Alejandro Cano, 74.Ariel Mbumba; 15.Cruz Medina (52.Julian Donnery 74’), 29.Kaedren Spivey (50.Rohan Rajagopal 67’), 38.Edwyn Mendoza (72.Ricardo Ibarra 74’); 3.Paul Marie (88.Diogo Baptista 67’), 55.Nonso Adimabua, 80.Missael Rodríguez
Substitutes not used
89.David Sweeney, 44.Chance Cowell, 60.Yujin Kikuchi, 98.Alex Ling
Whitecaps FC 2
80.Isaac Francoeur; 66.Sahil Deo, 53.Mark O’Neill ©, 48.Adrián Pelayo, 41.Nikola Djordjevic; 71.Carson Rassak (68.Yuma Tsuji 84’), 44.Jackson Castro, 64.Mateo Clark; 55.Cyprian Kachwele (93.Antoine Nehme 84’), 75.Rayan Elloumi, 63.Johnny Selemani (43.Antoine Coupland 64’)
Substitutes not used
98.Marko Kos, 74.Charlie Rogers
