VANCOUVER, B.C - Vancouver Whitecaps FC have climbed the table and now sit tied for first place in the MLS western conference. An exciting 3-0 victory over expansion side Minnesota United FC, came in front of 17,368 spectators with a potent attack, early and often. The Caps are on 44 points, and tied with Portland Timbers FC . Vancouver never looked to be in doubt from the opening whistle, moving to 13-9-5 this season.
Yordy Reyna, and Erik Hurtado, scored first half goals, while Brek Shea smashed home a header in the 88' minute. David Ousted made two saves to earn his sixth clean sheet of 2017.
"I think it was a very workmanlike performance," said Carl Robinson. "It is a tricky game because of Minnesota, where they are in the table, not because they’re a bad team, they’re a good team, they have good players. Adrian does a great job there. We just had to make sure our focus was right, our mentality was right and we played well, and the boys did that. They deserve a lot of credit. There was a couple of changes I made for freshness reasons, and they worked. So those guys, every guy, deserves a lot of credit."
While the Whitecaps taste life at the top of the western conference. Robinson isn't about to congratulate himself for a job well done. Vancouver still have plenty of work to do with seven remaining matches.
"I won’t make much of it," said Robinson. "We’ve just got to keep ticking along, we’ve got to keep winning games of football. That game’s gone now. It was a good performance by the group. Some players got a rest today, some people were left out. We’ll be training tomorrow, we’re back to work tomorrow. We’ve got a huge game on Saturday against a very good team who’s flying in the East as well. We’ll put our total focus onto that. But I won’t be looking at the table."
The Opening 45
It did not take long for Vancouver Whitecaps FC to take advantage of a weakened and vulnerable Minnesota United FC back-line. A mere five minutes in, Marcel de Jong played a beautiful long ball over the top, that Yordy Reyna brought down.
The Peruvian split the Minnesota defence, and slipped the ball past a falling Bobby Shuttleworth. Vancouver was quickly ahead, and looking to pile up goals.
Vancouver took advantage of poor defending to double their lead in the 31' minute. Brek Shea broke into the Minnesota box, and had his shot on goal deflect off of Erik Hurtado, and past Shuttleworth into the visitors net. It was Hurtado's second goal of the season.
"Brek (Shea) put a great ball in," said Hurtado. "I just wanted to get on the end of it and put it on target, and it went in the back of the net."
The Loons played a pedestrian first half, and lacked hunger, and finish on offensive. They were a disaster on defence, and Shuttleworth had no help from his defence.
Heading into the interval, Vancouver never looked to be in danger. The Loons held a 61% - 39% possession advantage, but it was Whitecaps FC running in complete control.
The Second Half
Vancouver's dominance continued in the second half. They pushed the pace and had Minnesota hemmed inside their own half. Brek Shea, Yordy Reyna, and Erik Hurtado created numerous scoring opportunities against an experienced defence.
The Caps added a late tally in the 88' minute thanks to a goal from Shea. Fredy Montero broke in down the flank and crossed the ball into the Minnesota box. Shea bounced his header off the pitch and past Shuttlworth for his 4th goal of the season.
Whitecaps FC were too strong on the night. Minnesota came in under-manned and was no match for a high-flying Vancouver club. The Vancouver depth showed its strength with Shea, Reyna, Hurtado, and Davies causing havoc.
Vancouver will look to continue their winning ways on their four-match home-stand on Saturday afternoon. Kekuta Manneh and Columbus Crew SC visit B.C. Place looking to up-end first place Whitecaps FC.
Man of the Match
Yordy Reyna
Reyna scored his 4th goal of the season, and his second in as many matches. The creative attacking midfielder showed exactly why his style compliments Whitecaps FC. The Peruvian international's quickness helped him get behind Minnesota's back-four, and he made them pay. Reyna also picked up assist, and was the most dangerous player on the pitch. Reyna adds another attacking dimension to Vancouver's offensive. MLS teams had better figure out quick, how to contain him.
"He was good for sixty odd minutes, he really was," said Robinson. "He scores goals, which helps. If you’re going to be an attacking player, you need to either score or create. He does things which he shouldn’t do, in wrong areas of the field, but he does exciting things in the top third of the pitch. Obviously it’s a wonderful ball by Marcel (de Jong), it’s a great touch (by Reyna), and it was a great finish by a forward player."
Vancouver Whitecaps Starting XI: David Ousted; Marcel de Jong, Tim Parker, Kendall Waston(C), Jake Nerwinski; Russell Teibert, Tony Tchani; Alphonso Davies, 80 (Nicolas Mezquida), Yordy Reyna 63 (Bernie Ibini), Brek Shea; Erik Hurtado, 72 (Fredy Montero). 4-2-3-1.
Minnesota United Starting XI: Bobby Shuttleworth; Ismaila Jome, Brent Kallman(C) 62 (Joseph Greenspan), Michael Boxall, Jerome Thiesson; Ibson, Collen Warner; Sam Nicholson, 72 (Sam Nicholson), Johan Venegas, Ethan Finlay; Abu Danladi. 4-2-3-1.
Notes: Former Vancouver Whitecaps FC Goalkeeper Coach, Marius Rovde did not make Minnesota's trip to Vancouver. The club denied reports that he has been sacked.
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