PORTLAND, OR – Pedro Morales looked like the Pedro Morales of old on Saturday in Portland.
The ‘Caps captain scored twice as Vancouver Whitecaps FC closed out the preseason with a 3-1 win over North American Soccer League side Minnesota United FC.
Yes, it was a preseason match. Yes, it was against lower competition. But for large portions of the match, it was the Morales show.
And boy, it was fun to watch.
“I thought he was outstanding,” head coach Carl Robinson told reporters. “He got on the ball, he obviously scored his two goals and he should have scored three. But his all-around play, his passing, his work rate, his positioning, his wanting to get on the ball, was exceptional.”
Morales, who went the full 90 minutes, actually had a hand in all three of Vancouver’s goals.
He scored the first one with a first-time left-footed strike, as you can see below.
He won the free kick on the second, and scored the third one on a penalty kick after starting the sequence with a pinpoint, long ball across the park to Christian Bolaños (eventually leading to the penalty won by Jordan Harvey).
And he did so playing in a deeper position alongside Kianz Froese in midfield. Playing in such a position places more defensive responsibility on Morales – and on Saturday he did not disappoint.
Here are a few examples:
Morales, 30, is entering his third season with Whitecaps FC. He got off to a dream start in 2014, recording 10 goals and 12 assists, and was named the MLS Newcomer of the Year. Things didn’t go as smoothly in 2015. The Chilean dealt with a swarm of injuries, but still managed to record eight goals and six assists in all competitions.
On his day, Morales has proven he can be one the best in MLS.
Safe to say Saturday was his day.
Morales and the ‘Caps open the 2016 MLS regular season on Sunday, March 6 against Montreal Impact (2:30 p.m. PT at BC Place). Get your tickets today.
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