Two goals by Mauricio Salles lead Rochester to 3-0 win over visitors
The Vancouver Whitecaps men saw their four-game win streak come to a crashing halt after a 3-0 road trouncing by the Rochester Rhinos on Friday night.
Inclement weather in and around Rochester's PAETEC Park meant the kickoff was delayed for nearly two hours. Once the action got under way, two goals from Mauricio Salles set the Rhinos on their way to just their second win of the USL First Division season, with Johnny Menyongar scoring Rochester's other goal shortly after halftime. Former Whitecaps midfielder Ze Roberto also factored in the scoring with two assists.
It was the Whitecaps' first road loss of the season and the first away goals they have conceded this year. The loss dropped the Whitecaps' record to 7-3-1, but they remained in first place as the visiting Charleston Battery (6-3-2) lost 1-0 to the Montreal Impact in another Friday game.
It was a difficult night for coach Teitur Thordarson's side, with referee Joe Caroccio booking Omar Jarun, Alfredo Valente, and Lyle Martin in the first half hour. Valente's yellow card then turned to red at 47 minutes before Rochester midfielder John Ball was red carded after he lashed out at Vancouver's Steve Kindel with his arm in the 66th minute.
The Whitecaps take on the Impact in Montreal on Tuesday in a non-league game. It's the Whitecaps' first of four CONCACAF Champions League qualifying games against Canadian opponents.
At Los Angeles, two goals by veteran striker Tiffeny Milbrett powered the Whitecaps women to a 3-1 victory over the Ventura County Fusion in W-League Western Conference play.
Milbrett struck in the sixth and 42nd minutes, sandwiching goals around the winning tally in the 16th-minute by Sanna Talonen, as the Whitecaps (5-0-2) jumped over the idle Pali Blues (5-0-0) for first place in the conference.
Milbrett also assisted on Talonen's goal.
The Whitecaps can improve their first-place margin with a victory over the Blues on Sunday at the end of a three-game road trip.
© The Vancouver Sun 2008
