NOTES
- This was the first ever win for Whitecaps FC against Colorado Rapids
- Whitecaps FC jump to third place in the MLS Western Conference standings
- Whitecaps FC now lead MLS with seven shutouts
- Whitecaps FC are on a four match unbeaten streak and have now won two straight
- Whitecaps FC are unbeaten in their last five MLS matches at BC Place, and their last seven overall
- Sebastien Le Toux scored his first goal since May 9 at home to FC Edmonton, and his first goal in MLS since April 18 at home to Sporting Kansas City
- The goal was the the fourth in MLS play for Sebastien Le Toux, and sixth overall (two in Amway Canadian Championship)
- The assist was Davide Chiumiento's fourth in MLS play, and seventh overall (three in Amway Canadian Championship)
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
HEAD COACH MARTIN RENNIE
Thoughts on the match:
“I thought it was a pretty even game and at times we played some good stuff but Colorado did well getting behind the ball and we found it difficult to break them down. In the second half we started well and we looked dangerous getting behind them and moving the ball side-to-side and getting the ball in the box. There was a big turning point when Darren went down in the box and we had a chance to score and the referee pulled the play back and gave a yellow card a bit harshly and immediately after gave a second yellow card. It put us in a position where we had excuses to lose the game and a lot of teams will take that excuse and take a hard fought and unlucky loss where they blame the referee, but the players in our team showed a lot of character and an incredible work rate and a desire to come out with something better than that. We showed we’re a team that doesn’t give up and doesn’t look for excuses, so I’m happy how the game ended up and happy for the players and look forward to Wednesday.”
Thoughts on the two yellow cards against Mattocks:
“The sending off was a big decision but people can draw their own conclusions on that and I think if I give my opinion it can detract from the game and end up being something that people talk about more than what we achieved tonight. My main focus is on how we respond to those decisions and I’m very pleased with that tonight.”
On Joe Cannon’s goalkeeping:
“He’s done very well for us this season, not just on the field but off the field he is someone that has really bought into the ideas we’ve wanted to bring to the club and he’s helped present them to the other players. He made some great saves, as did Matt Pickens who made some fantastic saves off certain goals. Both goalkeepers played well tonight.”
On still pushing for goals and not sitting back and defend:
“We could have easily taken the excuse that was given to us by the decisions that were made, but we chose not to and the players responded. We want to give the fans high value for their tickets and win every game. We were able to pull it off tonight which we’re really pleased about.”
Sebastien’s play tonight and the chances he had:
“It was great to see the ball go in for him. He’s one of the hardest working players in MLS. When we went down to ten men the work rate he put in to stretch the opposition meant the letdown wasn’t there. He was a major contributor and it’s fitting the winning goal was his.”
Getting the seventh win of the season in league play:
“It was something we talked about and motivated us going into this game. We want to keep the momentum of winning going and stay on a good run of wins and good performances. It’s significant because it’s the seventh and it’s more wins than the team has had before in a season and hasn’t been done before.”
DAVIDE CHIUMIENTO
On getting the goal despite being a man down:
“We defended really well, that was really important as to why we scored. Then I think with the quality we have we can always have a chance.”
On defensive effort:
“Defensively we did a great job with Jay, Alain, Martin and Y.P.”
On going down to ten men:
“Sometimes when a team is down to ten they play well and they know they have to work more to get the result. And I think sometimes it was just destiny and lucky.”
SEBASTIEN LE TOUX
On his goal:
“I missed in the first half, but we have some perseverance and we scored in a 10 against 11. I think we did a great job. I’m lucky the one went in.”
On Davide’s assist:
“I know he’s capable of doing that so I always know to make the call when he’s like that and he gave me the perfect ball. I just had to be concerned with my finish, and I’m glad it was perfect.”
On first shot going off the cross bar:
“We continued to attack afterwards and I think we deserved the win.”
On the win:
“It was great, especially in a big game against a team in the Western Conference. The further we can get ahead of them the better it is for us and for our momentum.”
JAY DEMERIT
On the team’s performance:
“You’ve got to look at it as one of the best performances of the year it would have been easy to get 10 behind the ball and try to see out a nil-nil draw. But to show the character we did, to keep fighting, and to keep trying to get forward and advance and to score the goal, and keep going and do last ditch defending: I think it was a total team effort and well deserved.”
On what would have happened down to 10 men last year:
“I think we all need to stop talking about last year. What we’ve decided this year is to try to put last year behind us. And I think games like this prove that this is right.”
On the exciting atmosphere at end of the match:
“That’s what makes this game so great. It’s games like this where your backs are against the wall and the fans are with you too, just trying to see that 90 minutes through. I think tonight was a perfect example of that. I think there’s a lot of smiling faces going home tonight from BC Place and that’s what it’s all about.”
On Joe Cannon:
“Joe’s been one of our most consistent guys this year and when he’s called upon on he makes the save.”
JOHN THORRINGTON
On the win:
“Great to get a win like that. A lot of things were stacked against us, like when Darren got sent off, and we showed some character to get that win. We rode our luck a bit at times but I think our hard work paid off. With 10 men we made some chances and I think we got rewarded for a lot hard work that everybody put in tonight.”
On going down to 10:
“It puts the onus on every single person that’s on the field to make up the difference of that extra guy so you can’t look to somebody else to do it. I think everyone still on the field knows they have to do that bit more. You know you can’t hide out there.”
On defence:
“Fantastic block by Martin, and the last one where the guy tried to bend it in that was in slow motion. Joe made some good saves, the defenders were fantastic, midfielders worked really hard, strikers helped close down. It was a true team performance. We got rewarded for hard work.”
COLORADO RAPIDS
HEAD COACH OSCAR PAREJA
Thoughts on the match:
“Two teams gave it all they had today. The first half was much better for us; the second half got a little chippy and we started giving Vancouver some open space in the back, but we had our chances as well. It was a pretty open game and I thought we dominated the first half. I’m proud of our boys and I thought we deserved better today but sometimes things don’t bounce our way, but it’s disappointing to come away with no points.”
On Colorado’s shots off the post and crossbar:
“Sometimes the game can be cruel. We did all we could to put the ball in the back of the net but we hit the post a few times today and things didn’t bounce our way. In the first half we created chances, and the second half space opened up and we responded well. Our subs off the bench helped us to create dangerous plays, but I’m happy with what I saw today from the Rapids.”
On shutting down Darren Mattocks:
“We know that Darren is a good player and he has those diagonal runs that can hurt you, but I thought he was well controlled in the first half. In the second half we started to lose him a little bit, but the plan with him or any of their flank players is to play with intention with them and control them.”
MATT PICKENS
Thoughts on the match:
“It was a tough match. I wish it had stayed eleven versus eleven. I thought it was one of the better road performances until that point. We were playing fine until that happened and I feel like we took the foot off the gas pedal a little bit.”
On Mattocks’ red card:
“It slowed the game down and I think that helped them out. I felt like we worked pretty well offensively but defensively we were always chasing them and they got a lot more chances when they were a man down which shouldn't be that way. It was a hard one on the road to drop points. Hats off to them, they beat us. We need to go back and see what we did wrong and try and correct it.”
On Colorado's performance:
“I felt the guys were really alert with Mattocks on the field with his speed and we were really organized, to be honest. It was one of the road games this year where we start the game really well and controlled the game in the first half no problem. But that red card changed everything; it changed to whole game for us and for them. It shouldn't be that way when you're a man up.”
JEFF LARENTOWICZ
Thoughts on the match:
“We felt like the rug’s been pulled out from under us. We're all pretty proud of the performance we put in. If you look at the last two games for us – Montreal and tonight – and they're almost carbon copies of each other. We came out on top of one but not on the other. It happens.”
On Colorado’s chances:
“I think we're happy with what we were able to do. This is a tough place to come and play against a team that's playing well, and I think that our objective tonight was to come in and not back down from the first minute, and I thought we did that. We got opportunities but they didn't fall for us tonight. There were a couple of blocks on the goal line and hit the post and the crossbar, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.”
On Whitecaps FC:
“They’re a good team; tonight I thought we were the better team. As far as looking at this year and last year for them, it's another year of them playing together and I think that they've added some talent in Lee at right back. They've got a lot of professionals and a lot of good soccer players. Looking from now until the end of the year I think they're a team that's going to be in the mix.”
BRIAN MULLAN
Thoughts on the match:
“We played well until they got the red card and then our level dropped a little on probably one of the best games of the year.”
On the red card:
“I think they raised their play which most teams do when they get a red card. We sat back a little bit and took it easy so it was a mistake.”
On Colorado’s performance:
“We want to score goals. We got unlucky and it's encouraging that we played well, but it's not good enough.”
On the atmosphere at BC Place:
“I think for a new team, an expansion team, it's huge to know your fans are behind you. They were out there to win, and they did that today.”
