Jump to content

USL D1 - May 14 - Vancouver vs Minnesota [R]


DJT

Recommended Posts

Vancouver Whitecaps (2-1-0, 3rd place) vs. Minnesota Thunder (1-1-1, 6th place)

Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 7:00 PM PDT

Swangard Stadium (natural grass), Burnaby, BC

Radio, Audio Webcast:

MOJO 730 AM Vancouver

Pre-match articles from the last few days:

[*]Whitecaps Men vs. Minnesota - Vancouver Whitecaps, May 14

[*]Caig to live Canadian dream - The Whitheaven News (UK), May 11

[*]Thunder Heads Northwest in Search of Points - Minnesota Thunder, May 12

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well so much for the Webcast (after the Montreal postponement, this isn't my night). 8 minutes into the game, click, it suddenly switched over to the San Jose vs. Edmonton hockey game. What the heck? No mention of what was going on.

Someone on usldiscussions.com called the station. Apparently they are broadcasting soccer on the radio and hockey on the Webcast. Hmm? You can get the hockey game on streams from Edmonton and San Jose, so why would anyone want a Vancouver stream?

Anyway, the Whitecaps text matchtracker is here. 1-0 Vancouver on a goal by Valente at 20'. Caig started for Vancouver. Must be just a few minutes left in the first half now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Final:

Vancouver 3 Minnesota 0

20' VAN Alfredo Valente

45' VAN Joey Gjertsen

53' VAN David Testo

USL match report

Minnesota Thunder match report

Vancouver Whitecaps match report:

WHITECAPS REMAIN PERFECT AT HOME

May 14, 2006 - Vancouver Whitecaps 3

Minnesota Thunder 0

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, BC (attendance: 4,556)

Overview:

The Whitecaps picked up their biggest win of the young season as they downed the Minnesota Thunder 3-0 to move back atop the USL First Division standings. Striker Joey Gjertsen paced the attack yet again, scoring a goal and setting up the winner by Alfredo Valente.

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Tony Caig got the start to make his Whitecaps debut. Caig organized the defence well and was only required to make one save. Overall Vancouver’s back line had a strong game allowing just five shots.

The Whitecaps remain undefeated at 3-0-1 for 10 points, to sit atop the standings. Also undefeated are the Rochester Raging Rhinos at 3-0-0, and they will be Vancouver's next opponent in a top-of-the-table clash in a Victoria Day doubleheader on Monday, May 22 at Swangard. The action starts at 4:00 p.m. with the Women in a rematch with Seattle, followed at 7:00 p.m. by the Men taking on the Rhinos.

Scoring Summary:

20' Vanc Alfredo Valente (Joey Gjertsen) Alfredo Valente picked up the ball from Gjertsen in the box on the right, then did very well to make space for a shot before cracking a 15-yard left-footed rocket into the top left corner.

45' Vanc Joey Gjertsen (Martin Nash)

David Testo started the play, feeding a nice ball to Nash breaking into the box down the left. Nash was just to the left of the goal when he cut the ball back to Gjertsen at the top of the six yard box, and the tricky striker controlled the ball, cut inside his marker, and then fired it inside the right post for his third goal of the young season.

53' Vanc David Testo (Jason Jordan)

A quick free kick sent Jordan breaking into the box on the left, and his sweet centering pass was right into the stride of David Testo who first-timed his first goal as a Whitecaps from 10 yards.

Game Notes:

Joey Gjertsen had several other chances in the first half. He fired over the bar from the edge of the box at 9', put it high on a chance from in close at 12', and then at 20' from good position to the left of goal had an enterprising first-time volley blocked by a defender.

Minnesota's only shot on goal came at 18' when Matt Schmidt fired a low weak effort from 20 yards that gave Tony Caig no problem.

Vancouver out-shot Minnesota 7-1 in the first half.

The Thunder's best chance of the game came with a quarter hour to go as an acrobatic volley by defender Dustin Branan sailed wide of the near post.

Minnesota drop to 1-2-1 for four points. They tied the Sounders 1-1 in Seattle on Saturday.

Striker Joey Gjertsen was named UMBRO Player of the Game for the third consecutive home game. With three goals and an assist, he is now the USL First Division's leading scorer.

The Thunder have now lost 11 straight games in Vancouver dating back to 1998. The Whitecaps lead the overall series 13-8-2.

Midfielder Martin Nash has played 40 consecutive games, spanning three seasons.

Whitecaps: 1.Tony Caig - 3.Steve Klein, 8.Steve Kindel (22.John Jones 63'), 20.Dave Morris (6.Jay Alberts 61'), 25.Anthony Noreiga - 2.Jeff Clarke (14.Tony Donatelli 63'), 7.Martin Nash, 9.Alfredo Valente, 11.David Testo (13.Tino Cucca 79') - 26.Jason Jordan, 17.Joey Gjertsen (19.Sita-Taty Matondo 67')

Minnesota: 1.Nicolas Platter - 2.Brett Branan, 5.Chad Dombrowski, 6.Kevin Friedland (24.Zafer Kilickan 82'), 13.Dustin Branan - 3.Freddy Juarez, 15.Michael Wilson (7.Chris Brisson 55'), 21.Matt Schmidt (8.Nate Winkel 59'), 26.Terry Alvino - 9.Aaron Paye, 10.Nathan Knox (18.Melvin Tarley 70')

Shots: Vancouver 9 Minnesota 5

Saves: Vancouver 1 Minnesota 1

Fouls: Vancouver 12 Minnesota 10

Offside: Vancouver 1 Minnesota 3

Corner Kicks: Vancouver 2 Minnesota 3

Referee: Martin Reid

Cautions:

Vancouver: none

Minnesota: Dustin Branan 37'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by loyola

Great debut for Tony Caig with the Whitecaps. Way to go Tony!!!

Are you trying to stir the pot? Caig only had to make one save, and it was an easy save. He played just like Wicks - as he mishandled one ball, a high cross from his left, which he was unable to catch.

The Minnestota team played very poorly, time after time they passed the ball to a Whitecap, and they weren't a threat to score. The radio commentators said that Minnesota was tired team as they played Seattle the previous evening.

Noriega got his first start, as Cann sat. Noriega played very well, as did Klein, Kindel and Morris on the back lime. Jeff Clark was Vancouver's best midfielder. Jason Jordan had another sub-par performance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Jeffery S.
quote:Originally posted by Richard

Caig may not have had to make many saves but he was very good with marshalling the defence, certainly better and much more credible than Wicks ever was in that regard.

Did he use bagpipes or a long, nicely stripped hickory branch?

I am asking seriously, as I am trying to imagine if the marshalling was like in a military tattoo like what you'd see at Edinburgh Castle, or of the very far back boarding school style where you just swat them, like a grazing herd.

This is a positive signing for the Whitecaps as he can always be called in for crowd control if the Southsiders get out of hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Communication skills are so important for a goalkeeper, I think Jeffrey S. reply is a joke, downplaying the importance of the most vital part of goalkeeping......

I have no idea if Caig is a good goalkeeper but surely organizing the defence with some authority is a very good sign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Caig was an improvement from Wicks. He simply looks more comfortable in there. I wouldn't jump to conculsions and say he is a giant step up from Wicks. You're right, he didn't have to make a save and the one cross he had to deal with he swung a punch at it and missed.

Whitecaps were solid throughout. Valente was the best player on the pitch in the first half and his goal was a cracker. He ran at the Minnestota defence beat two players and hit a rocket into the top left corner.

The entire Caps back line had great games. Morris was exellant winning endless tackles, getting in hard and getting forward well. Kindle didn't screw up and made a couple good runs forward and whipped a couple crosses - that's all you can ask from him. Klien, as always, and Noriega were solid. Noriega had a great debute and will fit well as Cann's alternate. They are both great ball winners, but Cann has had better distribution out of the back.

Gjertsen had a great game as always. Jordan was definitely nothing special although he's starting to play the role he has to play - coming back to hold up the ball and let Gjertsen use the space in behind him, instead of floating around.

Minnestota was definitely a tired team. They're best player was their captain Branan at the back who, despite the result, battled well with Gjertsen and later Sita-Taty Matondo.

I was partial to Morris as man of the match, but Gjertsen has to get it as he had a great game scoring a goal and setting up another. He's always a contender for man of the match.

Does anyone know if Lyall is injured?

quote:Originally posted by analyst

Are you trying to stir the pot? Caig only had to make one save, and it was an easy save. He played just like Wicks - as he mishandled one ball, a high cross from his left, which he was unable to catch.

The Minnestota team played very poorly, time after time they passed the ball to a Whitecap, and they weren't a threat to score. The radio commentators said that Minnesota was tired team as they played Seattle the previous evening.

Noriega got his first start, as Cann sat. Noriega played very well, as did Klein, Kindel and Morris on the back lime. Jeff Clark was Vancouver's best midfielder. Jason Jordan had another sub-par performance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe he's been battling that injury for quite sometime. Do you think when he's fit he'll take Morris' place on the right? Morris was fantastic on Sunday, but Lyall is a great player.

quote:Originally posted by Richard

Geordie Lyall has a small tear in a right thigh muscle, small but niggling injury. He was at the Minnesota game but not dressed, spoke to him in the media lounge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe he's been battling that injury for quite sometime. Do you think when he's fit he'll take Morris' place on the right? Morris was fantastic on Sunday, but Lyall is a great player.

quote:Originally posted by Richard

Geordie Lyall has a small tear in a right thigh muscle, small but niggling injury. He was at the Minnesota game but not dressed, spoke to him in the media lounge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree - Testo was invisible on the ball and committed multiple fouls in the middle. He only got involved a little before he was replaced by Cucca who was average.

Donatelli was great in the middle. He played multiple dangerous balls through.

quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

That Noriega is a player. He's a lot like Cann...good in the air and rangy. Good insurance. Testo was so-so until the second half, but I still think he'll have a tough time taking Donatelli's minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree - Testo was invisible on the ball and committed multiple fouls in the middle. He only got involved a little before he was replaced by Cucca who was average.

Donatelli was great in the middle. He played multiple dangerous balls through.

quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

That Noriega is a player. He's a lot like Cann...good in the air and rangy. Good insurance. Testo was so-so until the second half, but I still think he'll have a tough time taking Donatelli's minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

Good point...Harmse is hurt and will be out until mid-July. When he comes back, you have to wonder where he'll fit in. He can play midfield or at the back.

You'd have to imagine that if Harmse gets back to 100% that he'd find his way back to the starting XI.

He's one of the best Caps players, IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...