The Vancouver Whitecaps and CF Montreal provided the first all-Canadian matchup of the MLS season.
Canadian derbies usually don’t disappoint. If you are a Whitecaps fan reading this, other than another tough injury, there was not a whole lot to be disappointed in from this match.
The Whitecaps are 3-0-0 for the first time in their MLS history and (can you believe it?!) are top of the Western Conference. Vancouver and the Philadelphia Union are the only teams in MLS with 3-0-0 records and both teams also have first-year head coaches.
Is this year different? Is this the year where the Whitecaps put their mark on the city of Vancouver? Is this team good? It’s only been three games in MLS but there is lots to like, especially with how the team has persevered with injuries and a tough schedule.
Against Montreal, it was another solid and dominating performance.
First Half: Gauld goes down but they keep pushing
The Whitecaps started off the way they wanted: By controlling the game. However, they had a tough time generating chances for Jonathan Sirois.
The injury bug struck again. Whitecaps fans all collectively yelled “No, God, Please No!” in unison as Ryan Gauld went down on the turf after 22 minutes. It looked like he just fell awkwardly and he limped off the turf. First Emmanuel Sabbi in preseason, then Sam Adekugbe, then Jayden Nelson and now Gauld. Injuries are kicking the Whitecaps in the teeth. Watching Gauld go down on the pitch after and limp to the locker room gives the same feeling as watching the first 10 minutes of the first episode of Daredevil: Born Again, no way this is happening and it hurts. It is so Whitecaps that they have a really good start to the season and their star player goes down.
Gauld left the match with a knee injury.
The injury to Gauld sucked the life out of BC Place but the Whitecaps were trying to put it back in. The breakthrough finally came thanks to Mathias Laborda. There was a mad scramble in the box and like a lion hunting his prey, Laborda found the ball and slotted it past Sirois. CF Montreal did a really bad job clearing the ball too.
You have to give credit to the Whitecaps for the way they rebounded after Gauld went off. However, one goal wasn’t enough.
Second Half: Tate’s great first start
This was Tate Johnson’s first MLS start. Early in the second half, he made Saturday night even more memorable.
The Whitecaps ran down the pitch like the Scouts charging after the Beast Titan (spoilers for Attack On Titan Season 3, Part 2) and Ali Ahmed delivered a perfect ball for Johnson. That was the 19-year-old’s first MLS goal.
And look at all that space Johnson was given. CF Montreal’s defenders totally forgot about the former North Carolina Tar Heel. They probably thought they forgot something but realized it wasn’t important.
Vancouver wanted more. Sirois made sure CF Montreal didn’t sink further with some fine saves on Pedro Vite and JC Ngado.
Defensively, the Whitecaps didn’t bend either. Prince Owusu was all alone on Yohei Takaoka. However, Ranko Veselinovic made a well-timed and executed tackle.
There were a few defensive lapses late in the half. Despite not having to do a whole lot in the match, Takaoka stuck out his left leg for a huge save on Rios. That was Montreal’s first shot on target. Owusu later hit the crossbar with a header which also went off Takaoka’s ankle.
But the Whitecaps persevered despite losing their captain and got three huge points.
Stat of the match
Laborda won five out of five duels but he was all over the stats sheet against Montreal.
What was Said
“It’s been a tough first couple of weeks here,” Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen. “If we talk about the program we’ve had with all the matches and the significant injuries, I think everybody hung in there.
“I think we looked a little bit flat at the ends of both halves which concerned me a little bit with two games coming up and of course, we have to really use all our resources now and next week,” he also said. “I think the team is doing well, everybody is doing everything, and that’s the positive thing.”
Sørensen was very pleased with Johnson.
“It’s a great story, it’s great for him,” said the Danish head coach on the 19-year-old left back. “He came on the pitch 45 minutes, just three days ago, to play his first minutes for the Whitecaps. Now he’s started his first regular season and played 90 minutes. It also says a lot about how the players have done well, with their physicality and getting into shape during pre-season. I think it’s fantastic for Tate, and everybody is happy for him.”
He was also asked about the team’s mentality.
“We know where we are [and] we know also who we are,” said Sørensen. “We know that we have to work every day to get better. We know that we have been off to a good start, but also, we have lots of work to do to become the team we would like to become. I think players are just helping each other. They’re trying to do whatever I tell them to do so we can get the identity of the team that we want to have.”
Sørensen also said that more will be known about Gauld’s injury will be known on Sunday and hopes it is s short-term.
“He was more positive after the game than he was in the break, so I hope that if five minutes can do so much, then I hope it will not be long,” he said.
Both Johnson and Ahmed spoke to the media after the match.
“Yeah, it feels great, definitely happy to do it at home,” said Johnson on his first start and goal. “I think I’ve just been trying to control what I can control and just ready when my name’s called.”
Ahmed jokingly said to Johnson that he found out he was 19 two weeks ago. But he also spoke about his teammate and being a mentor for him since he went through the same process two years ago.
“I scored my first goal against Montreal, too, around the same time, my first start,” said Ahmed. “I think he’s following a similar path to his big growth. Not to bump him here, but he has some aura…But I think he believes in himself…he is doing well so far.”
Ahmed also spoke about overcoming losing Gauld and getting the win.
“It’s a long season, you’re going to need every single body,” said the Canadian international. “It’s not an 11 or 12, 13 guys sport, and I think we all understand that.”
Tweet of the match
Crazy how both Levonte and Tate Johnson wore 28. Levonte never scored a goal in MLS play and Tate has already surpassed him.
Up Next
The Whitecaps start is great. But things get tougher as the second leg against Monterrey is on Wednesday at Estadio Corona in Torreón instead of Estadio BBVA due to a Shakira concert. Nonetheless, Vancouver will be up for a tough match in Mexico, especially without Gauld. Kickoff is at 5:30 pm Pacific.
After that, Vancouver travels to Dallas for their next MLS match next Saturday. Kickoff is at 5:30 pm for that as well.
