It was an open match, but neither side could find a way into the goal as the Vancouver Whitecaps drew St. Louis CITY in a 0-0 affair on the road.
And although it was open in terms of pace, referee Pierre Luc Lauziere kept his whistle close at hand, calling 26 fouls and six yellow cards.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen said, “It was a very, very difficult match.”
“The first half, we had some difficulties with St. Louis, who played a good game, I think,” he said. “But I think in the second half, we did better, got more control over the game, did not concede much.
Sørensen left nothing to chance with his starting XI. The Whitecaps head coach went with the strongest lineup at his disposal.
With Sam Adekugbe and Ryan Gauld still injured, Tate Johnson and Ali Ahmed took positions on the left. Emmanuel Sabbi, fresh off goals in back-to-back games, kept his spot on the right.
The midfield of Andrés Cubas, Sebastian Berhalter and Pedro Vite has been touted as one of MLS’s best (if not the best).
While the Whitecaps started well, St. Louis was not shirking away. It was the home side that thought they had drawn first blood.
Marcell Hartel’s goal in the 25th minute was chalked off as Conrad Wallem was deemed offside in the buildup. Lauziere was called to the pitchside monitor to confirm the call, giving the Whitecaps some breathing room early in the match.
The second half was marginally better for the visitors. Passes were connecting with their intended targets more, and the possession-based play that has been showcased throughout the season so far made a return.
However, the Whitecaps were unable to capitalize on the tentative play of St. Louis. The game ended in a nil draw, a solid point on the road.
But given the recent play of Vancouver this season, with expectations for this club growing, the other two points were up for grabs.
“We will always hope to play well, and play spectacular. But it’s not always possible because the opponents won’t allow it. So, today it was a game where we didn’t really hit the high point,” Sørensen said.
Open, but a tough match
Rain earlier in the day had left some water on the pitch. It made for a quick match as the ball was moving, but it was difficult for the Whitecaps to connect with their passes, especially in the first half.
“The pitch was very fast. You could see we had difficulties controlling the ball. And a little bit of difficulties, especially in the first half, people were slipping,” the head coach said, referring to a bit of water from an earlier rain.
For the Whitecaps, playing home matches in BC Place, where outside conditions can be managed by opening or closing the roof, means that they do not get as much exposure to playing wetter weather.
A busy whistle
The Whitecaps were called for 18 fouls throughout the match. Cubas, Vite, Sabbi and Ali Ahmed all received yellow cards.
Sørensen said the openness of the game and the number of transitions played a factor.
“There was a lot of space to run into, and some tackles from behind that gives a yellow card was one thing.”
He also said water on the pitch increased the pace of the game.
“It was due to the circumstances that things looked a little bit hard out there than it actually was,” Sørensen said.
Up next
It is best to the CONCACAF Champions Cup as the Whitecaps play host to Inter Miami in the first leg of the semi-final.
The match is on Thursday, April 24. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
