For the first time, the Vancouver Whitecaps were featured on prime time.
It was the first time they were put on MLS Season Pass’s Sunday Night Soccer. Familiar adversaries, LAFC, were in town, and the Whitecaps wanted to prove to them they are truly an elite team. LAFC and Vancouver have met 12 times in all competitions since the start of the 2012 season.
These two teams know each other and faced each other more often than Eren and Reiner had in Attack on Titan. It has, in many ways, become a rivalry.
On this Mother’s Day, it was another chapter in the rivalry. And oh boy, it was another game full of feistiness.
First half: Rough start
Yohei Takaoka had to be sharp early and made three big saves within the first 10 minutes. However, he couldn’t stop the rebound after his third save as Timothy Tillman’s throw-in gave the Whitecaps issues. As a result, LAFC took the lead nine minutes into the game. In MLS play, this was just the second time Vancouver gave up the first goal. The last was in the 3-1 loss to the Chicago Fire at BC Place in late March.
Not the best defending from the Whitecaps here. Ay caramba.
The Whitecaps had trouble getting set up offensively and could not test Hugo Lloris. The flanks were also getting exposed, particularly the left. Things got worse when Edier Ocampo took down Ryan Hollingshead in the box and Denis Bouanga converted the penalty.
Vancouver really needed to wake up. How long? Not long because they reaped what they sowed. Bouanga and Hollingshead were giving Ocampo a really hard time down that left flank.
It didn’t help that the Whitecaps gave the ball away so easily. LAFC were pressing once Vancouver got into their half, hoping to kick-start a transition.
But it turns out a free kick was the kick-start the Whitecaps needed. Berhalter delivered a free kick into the box in the 25th minute. And who got on it and scored? The man from Flemington, New Jersey: Brian White. The Whitecaps needed that. It kicked-started their hearts and hopefully gave them a start.
Vancouver still wasn’t making the most of their possession. When LAFC had the ball, they were in no rush to go up the pitch. That was evident as they passed the ball around in their own half, which frustrated the Whitecaps. There also needed to be more pressure from the home side.
Second half: Whitecaps wake up
With the attack needing some more fireworks, Ali Ahmed came on. But surprisingly, Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen took Pedro Vite off for him. Interesting.
Early in the second half, the Whitecaps started looking more like themselves. They looked more in control of the ball and were winning it back quickly.
Vancouver looked dangerous on the transitions as well. But LAFC did a good job limiting spaces for the final pass.
It looked like a Whitecaps goal was inevitable. It was. You know who else is inevitable? Brian White. He’s more inevitable than Thanos at this point.
Ahmed started the goal with this beautiful cross to Sabbi, who just came on for Jayden Nelson. Sabbi returned the favour to Ahmed, and guess who was on the end of his header? The man from Flemington, New Jersey, again. More inevitable than Thanos.
Bringing on Ahmed and Sabbi really changed things. The attack got the creativity that was lacking in the first half.
LAFC looked lacklustre and wasteful for most of the half. However, there was a near disaster as Takaoka spilled Bouanga’s cross. But somehow, he managed to get his fingers on the rebound.
One thing worth mentioning is that referee Joe Dickerson got a lot wrong. He should’ve given out more yellows and fouls than he actually did, especially in the second half. Bouanga, Hollingshead and substitute Cengiz Ünder must have loved the smell of the turf so much they fell on it so much. The turf must have smelled really nice!
But good on the Whitecaps for waking up and keeping their heads. A point is a point, and they are still on top of the Supporters Shield race.
It did feel like they should’ve won this game, especially given the way they played in the second half.
Stat of the match
This doesn’t count as an actual stat, but the Whitecaps have not won a game this season where they had a week off. They lost to Chicago, drew in Toronto and St. Louis and on Sunday, drew to LAFC.
As Har Journalist of Daily Hive and Canadian Soccer Daily would say, fun fact.
What was said
Sørensen stated he wasn’t happy with the start of the game and end of the game. However, the head coach was content with the way his team came back.
“I think what is important is that when you play 20 minutes, you’re early in the game,” said Sørensen. “You have a game plan you trust and rely on, and don’t all of a sudden get caught too much in the moment. We made some stupid mistakes, they scored on the throw-in, and we made a very, very stupid penalty, but that’s what happens. Then you’re behind, but don’t go into panic mode. In the break, I think it was easy because we knew we could do better. We knew we could come out with more energy and better quality on the ball.”
The Danish head coach also spoke about the feistiness of the game.
“I just think it’s great,” said Sørensen. “I think it’s great if it animates the audience even more and gets an even better atmosphere around the game. It’s great for everybody.”
Takaoka spoke about his game-saving save off Ebobisse.
“I just trusted my instincts,” he said. “It was tough because there was traffic.”
The Japanese goalkeeper also spoke about the team coming from behind to get a point.
“We came back in the second half, it was a good attitude,” said Takaoka. “We showed good spirit.
“It shows a lot of character to be 2-0 down against LAFC, one of the best teams in the West, and be able to come back 2-2 and feel frustrated that you weren’t able to win,” echoed White. “It shows the turning of what we were in the past. I think at times we would have been really happy to come out of here with a point.
Tweet of the match
What is the point of VAR if it is not being used?
Wrap-up
Vancouver gets back on the road as they travel to Texas to face Austin FC on Saturday. Kickoff is at 5:30 pm Pacific.
The Whitecaps are undefeated on the road this season and will hope for that to continue.
