WHITECAPS FC - NOTES
- Now in sole possession of third place in the MLS Western Conference standings
- Move past the 2011 MLS points total of 28 by reaching 29 points at the midway point of this season.
- Third MLS regular season away win - all 1-0 victories (Chivas USA, Columbus Crew, Colorado Rapids)
- One win and one loss on their five match road trip
- All-time series between 'Caps and Rapids is even at two win apiece
- Lead the league with eight shutouts; Keeper Joe Cannon leads the league with seven shutouts
- Cannon passed the 29,000-minute mark in his MLS regular season career
- Midfielder Barry Robson made his MLS debut - 57 minutes, 1 shot, 2 fouls committed, 4 fouls suffered, 23 successful passes, 4 unsuccessuful passes
- Striker Darren Mattocks ties Sebastien Le Toux with the team lead in four MLS regular season goals
- Mattocks picked up his fifth caution on the season and will miss Saturday's match against Chivas USA for caution accumulation
- Jun Marques Davidson served his one match suspension for caution accumulation
WHITECAPS FC - QUOTES
HEAD COACH MARTIN RENNIE
On the team’s performance:
I think that we stayed compact, we didn’t get too spread out. We learned a lot from our last away performance where we did get spread out, we pressed the ball in wrong areas in our last game. But tonight I thought we stayed pretty compact, we gave up a couple chances but not too many, we tried to stop them playing through us and making it difficult for their players to get on the ball in those areas, and overall I thought we did it well.
On goalkeeper Joe Cannon’s performance:
Yeah, he had some decent saves, ones that you would hope he would make and you would expect him, with the form he’s on, he makes those saves pretty regularly. Joe’s a top goalkeeper in the league, so away from home you’re going to rely on your goalkeeper to make a couple saves, and I think he did a good job at that.
On getting road wins against Chivas USA, Columbus, and now Colorado without dominating:
That’s the important thing on the road. The crowd are all here to see the home team make the game and make the tempo, and be creative and exciting, and the away team has to just make sure they stay in the game and make sure they’re hard to play against and hard to beat, and as you say, those three games have followed a similar pattern, and one that we’re happy with.
On Darren Mattocks’ goal:
He took it really well. He only really had that chance, and he finished it really well. At other times, we had a couple other chances, half chances, if we’d been a little bit cleaner we might have at least troubled Matt Pickens a little bit more. Overall, that was an excellent performance. When you consider coming from Vancouver to this heat and to the altitude being a little bit higher on a night where it’s the 4th of July and everyone’s here for a party to see Colorado do well, we’ve done well to come into their stadium and get a good win.
MIDFIELDER BARRY ROBSON
Thoughts on your MLS debut:
It was a hard game to go into at that altitude and that heat as well as being the first game in a few months I've been on a break. It wasn't easy but the boys really helped. I think we showed a great determination as a team and great resilience to weather the storm and get the win. To get the three points is the most important thing and I'm glad we got that.
GOALKEEPER JOE CANNON
On toughest chance faced on the night:
I think probably the one late where he (Tony Cascio) tried to go near post, but there wasn’t too many, they were all within my reach. Luckily for me, our defense played great tonight, and made my job pretty easy.
On Casey’s dangerous chances:
Luckily I got a finger on that one (Casey’s first half attempt). He normally doesn’t miss those. I’ll be thankful for that. We had a game plan; we knew it was going to be tough. These conditions are by far the toughest that we’ve played in, in a long time, and I’m just proud of our guys.
On playing in these conditions in the past:
It was snowing one July 4th when I was there (Colorado). Normally I’m on the other side of it, like Matt (Pickens), you’re kind of watching your team go a little bit forward, and I’m sure it was frustrating for him because he didn’t have much to do except just one shot. That’s how these games go, when you’re in Colorado, especially with the good team that Oscar (Pareja) has put out, they’re going to find teams that are going to try to come out and play defensively.
STRIKER DARREN MATTOCKS
On converting with limited chances:
I drew it in on the defense and coach Martin (Rennie) told me as soon as I get a chance to put in, just to put it in. Their backline wasn’t able to clear it, unfortunately for them, but it was a good opportunity for me, and I just put it away.
On what was going through his mind after get got the ball:
As a striker, you have to make split second decisions, especially in the pros. As soon as I saw that ball, it fell to me, and just I took it far corner.
On mindset playing on the road:
Most importantly, especially a game like tonight, with the altitude, and their fans were really amazing. I knew we weren’t going to get a lot of chances, but I think the guys did a really good job. Hats off to my teammates, I think they did a fantastic job, especially in the last 10 minutes. We were a bit unfortunate, but I think it’s a really good performance by the guys, I think they dug really deep and we got a one-nil victory.
On the heat playing as big of a factor as the altitude:
The combination of both was really tough, but we can’t find excuses, especially on the road. We have to stay as a team, stay compact and find a way to win, and we did that tonight, so that’s really great.
COLORADO RAPIDS - QUOTES
HEAD COACH OSCAR PAREJA
On the game overall and another tough loss to Vancouver:
We have a different proposal every game. We have the initiative and then that’s the game. The game is just… the result comes on a play tonight like, it was a mistake. And then Vancouver is a team that can organize in the back. And we knew our job is to score and create a lot of options and have the initiative all the time. And you feel at the end of the game like what’s missing? But I believe in these guys and they are doing their job and trying to play the way they have been. And we’re just waiting, we’re waiting. Last game we scored three goals and today we could not, and that’s what gives you points. So the answer is that’s the way the game is. You have to score goals to get the points, otherwise it’s difficult.
On the offensive performance:
We created options all the time. And in the first half we had probably eight or nine times where we were dangerous and creative, and then suddenly the game just put us in a bad situation and an unfortunate play for us. And then you’re waiting for that last touch, that last final pass and be sharp in the back and score a goal, and they’re a team that just drops and waits. And that’s the way it is, I have said this before everywhere. We take now the pain of not getting the result against a very important rival. And it hurts, but the boys worked hard and they gave what they had. And I think the people who were in the stands that came out tonight for this special day recognize the effort of the boys. They gave what they had and unfortunately we couldn’t score.
On the message to the team after the game:
I want them to keep their heads up. That’s what I want. I want it because there are 17 games to go still and they’re doing the right things. We didn’t put the ball in the back of the net today, and we missed a lot of chances. It was that final touch that could have changed the story of the game but they did all they could. And they moved the ball, they worked hard and they got the ball back quick. I say that probably we could have moved the ball quicker. But all these positive things I have to let them know that they did it. because sometimes you come blind and say you know we lost, but as negative as it is – losing at home against Vancouver – I’m going to tell you they did a lot of good things today that we have to build on. This is our team, this is my team, and they gave us everything they had.
STRIKER CONOR CASEY
On the result:
I thought we played well, we got chances, we just didn’t finish them. You don’t finish, you don’t win, and that was kind of the story of the day, really. Had a lot of chances, couldn’t score, and they got lucky and got one.
On if the team got discouraged as the game wore on:
No, not discouraged. I mean, we had a lot of chances and if you’re getting chances, that’s always positive. But obviously it’s frustrating not to be able to put them away.
On what was said at halftime:
Just keep doing what we were doing. I thought we were in control of the game, that’s all you can really ask is to have possession and keep creating chances. I thought we did that a little bit less in the second half. They sat back which made it a little harder, but still we had chances in the second half too, just couldn’t get it in tonight.
DEFENDER DREW MOOR
On the goal Vancouver scored:
It was one of those plays. I think the ball came onto me quicker than I thought it was going to. I thought it might take a touch, and I don’t think it actually did, but I just anticipated a touch and just kind of misplayed it. It wrong-footed me a little bit. You know it could have bounced off of me and gone anywhere but unfortunately it went right to Mattocks. Bad goal to give away, definitely. Especially on a night like this where that was really the only chance they had I feel like. I just need to stay concentrated, and try to put this one behind me but it’s a tough one to swallow for sure.
On the overall game:
I thought we controlled most of the game, if not all of the game. Like I said I don’t remember too many chances that they had. We created a bunch of good chances. We definitely had our opportunities to not only tie the game up but win the game in the second half. We need to learn to win games like this. We need to learn to get back into a game like that and not just tie it but win it. This is a game that we have to win. We’re halfway through the season, we need to start putting that right. We’re a good team, we’ve got great players and we create chances. We need to stay more organized in the back but that’s a game that we need to win. Once we start figuring out how to win a game like that we’re going to do great.
On dropping this result after a shutout win on Saturday:
We need to stay concentrated in the back. A lot of the pressure is on us, without a doubt. And it should be, that’s the life of a defender to be honest. We’ve been good in the past. We’ve had a regular lineup the past couple weeks and that’s important too. We have Marvell back, and he and I are starting to recognize each other’s tendencies again, but yes, it’s concentration. It’s just kind of a ball thrown into the box that we didn’t deal with. And when you don’t score gals and you give up bad goals like that it leads to bad results. We’re a little bit snake bitten right now, but our heads are up and we’re positive and, like I said, this is a game we need to learn to win and once we do we’re going to be great.
