VANCOUVER, BC – Preparations for Saturday’s visit to San Jose and Tuesday’s David vs. Goliath showdown against Tigres UANL in Mexico continued on Wednesday as Vancouver Whitecaps FC trained at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium. Here are some news and notes from the day.
MORE MEZQUIDA
Whitecaps FC announced today that midfielder Nicolas Mezquida has agreed to a new contract through 2018 with a club option for 2019. After a career year in which he scored six goals in all competitions, earning the club’s 2016 Jock MacDonald Unsung Hero award, Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson said the new deal was a just reward for Mezquida – but also a challenge.
“He’s been excellent since the day I took the job,” said Robinson, who acquired Mezquida prior to his first season as head coach. “He’s got excellent personality first and foremost and he’s very respectful. Second of all, he’s got better each year he’s been here.”
“He’s played more games each year, contributed more with his goals and assists, and he focuses on the team first which is really important,” Robinson continued. “And I still think Nico has more to give. So I wanted to reward him and also challenge him to try and get to the next level.”
BALANCING ACT
One of the big questions heading into Saturday’s match from a Whitecaps FC perspective is what sort of lineup they field with the Mexico trip looming.
“How big of a change from Saturday to Tuesday?” a reporter asked.
“Big,” Robinson answered.
So which game is more important?
“Saturday, because it’s the first game,” Robinson said with a smile.
Certainly, the ‘Caps will be hoping for a positive result in both matches, but make no mistake: Tuesday’s Champions League affair is one of the biggest matches in club history.
“It’s not going to be easy, but that’s what we like,” Robinson said. “Us Canadians, I say us Canadians now, that’s what we’re about. Proving people wrong. Going into the lion’s den as you call it and try to get a result. The game is not won over one leg. It certainly can be lost. We know that. But we’re in the mix and we’ve got a chance at winning it. We need to play to our maximums and perform at our levels. Maybe if they don’t then we’ve got a chance.”
BOLA’S BACK
Well, almost.
Christian Bolaños (right knee patellar tendonitis) trained in full on Wednesday and Robinson said he’s hopeful the Costa Rican will get his first minutes of the year on Saturday and/or Tuesday.
The 32-year-old led Whitecaps FC with eight assists in 2016, his first season in MLS, and chipped in with five goals. He also enjoyed a highly productive offseason with the Costa Rican national team, helping the Ticos defeat Trinidad & Tobago and the U.S. with a goal and an assist in each match.
Suffice to say, his return to the lineup will be a welcome sight.
But how will he be deployed? Will he return to the right wing where he spent most of 2016, will he play on the left side as he often does with Costa Rica, or will he slot in centrally – as he did late last season against Seattle Sounders FC?
There are certainly no shortage of options.
