MLS 2013: Vancouver Whitecaps drop in standings with 2-0 loss against Colorado Rapids
DENVER - The Vancouver Whitecaps certainly aren't ready to hit the panic button.
They realize, however, that they let an opportunity get away on Saturday night as they lost 2-0 to the Colorado Rapids and dropped in the Western Conference standings.
"Obviously tonight was a chance to really put Colorado in a really tough spot because we're running out of games," Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie said. "What it does, it keeps everybody in it and keeps it really interesting."
Coming into the night, Colorado and Vancouver were tied for second place in the jam-packed conference.
The Rapids now have sole possession of second place. The Whitecaps slipped all the way to fifth with the Los Angeles Galaxy and Portland Timbers also picking up wins and passing them.
"Definitely it was an opportunity tonight to cement a place in the playoffs, come to a tough place against a good team," Whitecaps forward Kenny Miller said.
The Whitecaps, however, were unable to keep the momentum going after picking up four points (1-0-1) in their previous two games.
Colorado keeper Clint Irwin helped stop that momentum. He saw just three shots on goal — stopping them all — but also made solid plays to halt other Vancouver chances.
"The man of the match tonight was their goalkeeper and probably rightly so," Rennie said. "We had three or four great chances. We had one when it was nil-nil that was a great opportunity. We had another at nil-nil and in the end we lost a bad goal which changed the game a little bit."
The game-changing goal came in the 36th minute, when the Rapids' Deshorn Brown scored on a header. Vicente Sanchez lofted a crossing pass to Brown, who tucked the ball inside the left post, just above the head of Whitecaps' keeper David Ousted.
Rennie said the Whitecaps lost Brown on the back side and it was an easy crossing pass for the Rapids.
"We haven't lost many goals like that, which is a good thing," he said.
Brown's goal came just two minutes after the Whitecaps' best scoring chance of the night. Russell Teibert delivered a pass to Miller, but Irwin was there for the save.
"I tried to angle it back across the goal so (teammate Camilo Sanvezzo) could tap it in," Miller said. "I think the keeper got a left leg on it to stop it going past. We had a couple of opportunities like that where we could have maybe played someone and the pass just wasn't there."
The Rapids added an insurance goal in the 80th minute as substitution Edson Buddle drilled a shot that deflected off the inside part of the legs of Whitecaps defender Johnny Leveron. That deflection was enough to change the direction of the shot and get it past Ousted.
Miller said the Whitecaps have had a lot of games this year in which they've rallied to get a win or draw, but against the Rapids, he said, "There didn't seem to be that reaction and that belief that we could do it."
Rennie added: "I'd like to have seen us be more direct and put them under more pressure."
Colorado tallied 17 shots, five of those on net, while the Whitecaps had just nine shots, with three on net.
Still, with 10 games to play — including the last two against the Rapids — and weekly movement in the standings, the Whitecaps said they simply need to bounce back against the Galaxy on Aug. 24 at B.C. Place.
"It's an off night," Miller said. "We've not had too many off nights in the last three, four months, so we'll just have to regroup and make sure we're back next week."
They realize, however, that they let an opportunity get away on Saturday night as they lost 2-0 to the Colorado Rapids and dropped in the Western Conference standings.
"Obviously tonight was a chance to really put Colorado in a really tough spot because we're running out of games," Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie said. "What it does, it keeps everybody in it and keeps it really interesting."
Coming into the night, Colorado and Vancouver were tied for second place in the jam-packed conference.
The Rapids now have sole possession of second place. The Whitecaps slipped all the way to fifth with the Los Angeles Galaxy and Portland Timbers also picking up wins and passing them.
"Definitely it was an opportunity tonight to cement a place in the playoffs, come to a tough place against a good team," Whitecaps forward Kenny Miller said.
The Whitecaps, however, were unable to keep the momentum going after picking up four points (1-0-1) in their previous two games.
Colorado keeper Clint Irwin helped stop that momentum. He saw just three shots on goal — stopping them all — but also made solid plays to halt other Vancouver chances.
"The man of the match tonight was their goalkeeper and probably rightly so," Rennie said. "We had three or four great chances. We had one when it was nil-nil that was a great opportunity. We had another at nil-nil and in the end we lost a bad goal which changed the game a little bit."
The game-changing goal came in the 36th minute, when the Rapids' Deshorn Brown scored on a header. Vicente Sanchez lofted a crossing pass to Brown, who tucked the ball inside the left post, just above the head of Whitecaps' keeper David Ousted.
Rennie said the Whitecaps lost Brown on the back side and it was an easy crossing pass for the Rapids.
"We haven't lost many goals like that, which is a good thing," he said.
Brown's goal came just two minutes after the Whitecaps' best scoring chance of the night. Russell Teibert delivered a pass to Miller, but Irwin was there for the save.
"I tried to angle it back across the goal so (teammate Camilo Sanvezzo) could tap it in," Miller said. "I think the keeper got a left leg on it to stop it going past. We had a couple of opportunities like that where we could have maybe played someone and the pass just wasn't there."
The Rapids added an insurance goal in the 80th minute as substitution Edson Buddle drilled a shot that deflected off the inside part of the legs of Whitecaps defender Johnny Leveron. That deflection was enough to change the direction of the shot and get it past Ousted.
Miller said the Whitecaps have had a lot of games this year in which they've rallied to get a win or draw, but against the Rapids, he said, "There didn't seem to be that reaction and that belief that we could do it."
Rennie added: "I'd like to have seen us be more direct and put them under more pressure."
Colorado tallied 17 shots, five of those on net, while the Whitecaps had just nine shots, with three on net.
Still, with 10 games to play — including the last two against the Rapids — and weekly movement in the standings, the Whitecaps said they simply need to bounce back against the Galaxy on Aug. 24 at B.C. Place.
"It's an off night," Miller said. "We've not had too many off nights in the last three, four months, so we'll just have to regroup and make sure we're back next week."
FIFA gives thumbs up to 2015 Women's World Cup venues
FIFA officials gave the thumbs up to 2015 Women's World Cup soccer tournament venues Saturday. FIFA's Mustapha Fahmy said no major changes are needed at facilities in advance of the 24-team event. But the key question of turf quality will not be addressed until a year before the competition.
Mustapha Fahmy, FIFA's competitions director, said no major changes are needed at facilities in advance of the 24-team event. But the key question of turf quality will not be addressed until a year before the competition scheduled to take place in six Canadian cities.
"You have all of the facilities here in Canada," said Fahmy as FIFA and national organizing committee members wrapped up an inspection tour of four host cities on Saturday.
FIFA officials and Canadian organizers toured Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver — the site of the championship game — during the week. This trip followed up on visits to Montreal and Moncton, the two other host cities, in April.
Fahmy said some minor adjustments to such areas as hospitality could still be needed, but most requirements have been met. Ottawa's stadium is under construction, but Fahmy expressed confidence that it will be completed as scheduled in the summer of 2014.
"We have seen the drawings, and it's going to be a nice product once finished," he said.
In addition to venues, FIFA officials and Canadian organizers also examined such factors as practice facilities, hotels, security and ticketing. Canadian organizers hope to sell 1.6 million tickets, but the exact number of tickets available has not been determined yet.
It remains to be seen whether the artificial turf at stadiums will be up to FIFA's standards. Field inspections will not be completed until 12 months before the event begins.
Fahmy said he is confident that all fields will meet FIFA's standards.
Peter Montopoli, CEO of the national organizing committee and also general secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association, said domestic organizers will be responsible for the expense of any replacement field.
"There are many different layers" to the question of field-approval protocol, but he expressed confidence in the quality of existing pitches.
"I don't roll the ball," he said, referring to one part of the testing procedure. "I don't do the tests. ... From what we can tell, we feel very comfortable where we are right now."
Turf called into question
All pitches must meet FIFA's Star II standard. Artificial turf quality is an ongoing issue for players, who are concerned that it poses a higher risk of injury than grass.
U.S. star striker Abby Wambach has criticized FIFA's decision to hold the event on artificial turf rather than grass, which is used for international men's events.
Montopoli said there are no plans to revert to grass if a stadium's artificial turf does not meet FIFA standards. The group completed its inspection of B.C. Place Stadium, site of the championship game, on Friday and gave it a good review.
"Certainly, the venue is more than capable of hosting a championship match for the FIFA Women's World Cup," said Montopoli.
Tatjana Haenni, FIFA's deputy director of women's football competitions, said B.C. Place is a great place to host the championship game because of Vancouver's experience holding major international events. The stadium, which serves as home to the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer, is already configured for the sport and hosted the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying tournament.
But Canadian organizers are still seeking to identify 24 practice facilities. If all goes according to plan, said Montopoli, each team would have its own training site, with four facilities in each of the six host cities.
Practice fields would also consist of artificial turf that must meet FIFA standards. Montopoli said many of the fields that the group examined this week are acceptable, but more need to be identified.
"We still have a ways to go [on confirming training facilities] across the country," he said.
Friendlies will be played in host venues in advance of the tournament, he added, but no exhibition matches will be played in other Canadian cities.
The 2015 Women's World Cup will mark the first time 24 teams have competed for the global crown.
"That's a massive step forward for the world of women's football," said Haenni.
She said the event, which will be held for the seventh time, must live up to FIFA's standards and history because it's the "most important" international competition for women, will affect people involved in all levels of the sport — and "the world will be watching."
تركيب باركيه بالدمام
ReplyDeleteتركيب غرف نوم بالدمام
تركيب اثاث ايكيا بالدمام
تركيب مطابخ بالدمام
نجار بالدمام
نجار بالاحساء
جلي رخام بالرس
جلي بلاط بالقصيم
معلم بلاط بالدمام