Report and Reaction: Shea breaks away to secure all three points for the ‘Caps in Colorado
An 84th minute breakaway goal from Brek Shea gave Vancouver Whitecaps the 1-0 victory over a poor Colorado Rapids side, giving the ‘Caps their first back to back road wins since 2015.
Shea was a surprise inclusion in the gameday squad, having just returned to the training pitch this week after picking up an injury in the loss to Tigres just over a month ago. But if he was feeling the effects of missing the last five matches, he certainly wasn’t showing it.
Carl Robinson went with the same line-up for the third straight week, looking to build on two excellent team performances with it in Portland and Montreal.
There was very little to write home about in the first half. What it lacked in excitement it made up for… nope, we’ve got nothing. Both teams enjoyed possession without producing any attacking threat and it already felt like a draw was playing out. But we were wrong.
It was a much livelier start to the second half and Colorado came within inches of taking the lead in the 55th minute when Jordan Harvey, who was making his 250th MLS appearance, stuck his leg out on a Rapids cross and poked the ball goalwards, bouncing off the right post and along the goalline before David Ousted managed to get a hand on it and force it away.
A huge let off for Vancouver and rare goalmouth action on the night.
The ‘Caps were certainly getting forward, and Sheanon Williams was having a good game going up the right wing, but there was little of note in the final third and it was proving to be an easy night for Tim Howard upon his return from suspension.
Both teams made substitutions to try and freshen up their attack. The spark nearly worked for Vancouver when the ball came to an open Christian Bolanos in the box but he couldn’t bring his shot down and it flew over in the 74th minute.
It certainly looked like the game would grind away to scoreless end but Shea was to change all that with six minutes remaining. Substitute Nicolas Mezquida’s perfect pass set an all alone Shea free in the Colorado half and he easily outpaced the chasing Bobby Burling to get into the box and slot home through the legs of Howard.
The goal finally woke up the home side and Dillon Powers just missed with a low outswinger two minutes later, that just zipped passed the left post from 30 yards out.
Things were soon to get even worse for Colorado when Mekeil Williams picked up a second booking and a red card for a horrible two footed challenge on Mezquida in the 88th minute, that thankfully missed most of the Uruguayan.
It kind of summed up Colorado’s night. Five straight losses in a row has left the Rapids adrift and struggling at the foot of the Western Conference standings. Vancouver move up to fifth with the win.
All early days around a quarter of the way through the season, but grinding out gutsy road victories with a team not firing on all cylinders yet and still missing some key pieces bodes well for the months to come. If this was a make or break road trip for Robbo and his squad, then they may just very well have made it. Time will tell.
FINAL SCORE: Colorado Rapids 0 – 1 Vancouver Whitecaps
ATT: 13,745
COLORADO: Tim Howard; Eric Miller, Bobby Burling, Jared Watts, Mekeil Williams; Michael Azira, Dillon Powers; Mohammed Saied (Dillon Serna 77), Kevin Doyle (Dominique Badji 67), Shkelzen Gashi; Alan Gordon (Marlon Hairston 73) [Substitutes not used: Zac MacMath, Mike da Fonte, Sam Hamilton, Kortne Ford]
VANCOUVER:David Ousted; Sheanon Williams, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey; Matías Laba; Cristian Techera (Brek Shea 69), Andrew Jacobson, Tony Tchani (Alphonso Davies 65), Christian Bolaños (Nicolás Mezquida 80); Fredy Montero [Substitutes not used: Paolo Tornaghi, Marcel de Jong, Russell Teibert, Mauro Rosales]
[Postgame reaction from both camps will be up short]
Read Further on AFTN.ca
An 84th minute breakaway goal from Brek Shea gave Vancouver Whitecaps the 1-0 victory over a poor Colorado Rapids side, giving the ‘Caps their first back to back road wins since 2015.
Shea was a surprise inclusion in the gameday squad, having just returned to the training pitch this week after picking up an injury in the loss to Tigres just over a month ago. But if he was feeling the effects of missing the last five matches, he certainly wasn’t showing it.
Carl Robinson went with the same line-up for the third straight week, looking to build on two excellent team performances with it in Portland and Montreal.
There was very little to write home about in the first half. What it lacked in excitement it made up for… nope, we’ve got nothing. Both teams enjoyed possession without producing any attacking threat and it already felt like a draw was playing out. But we were wrong.
It was a much livelier start to the second half and Colorado came within inches of taking the lead in the 55th minute when Jordan Harvey, who was making his 250th MLS appearance, stuck his leg out on a Rapids cross and poked the ball goalwards, bouncing off the right post and along the goalline before David Ousted managed to get a hand on it and force it away.
A huge let off for Vancouver and rare goalmouth action on the night.
The ‘Caps were certainly getting forward, and Sheanon Williams was having a good game going up the right wing, but there was little of note in the final third and it was proving to be an easy night for Tim Howard upon his return from suspension.
Both teams made substitutions to try and freshen up their attack. The spark nearly worked for Vancouver when the ball came to an open Christian Bolanos in the box but he couldn’t bring his shot down and it flew over in the 74th minute.
It certainly looked like the game would grind away to scoreless end but Shea was to change all that with six minutes remaining. Substitute Nicolas Mezquida’s perfect pass set an all alone Shea free in the Colorado half and he easily outpaced the chasing Bobby Burling to get into the box and slot home through the legs of Howard.
The goal finally woke up the home side and Dillon Powers just missed with a low outswinger two minutes later, that just zipped passed the left post from 30 yards out.
Things were soon to get even worse for Colorado when Mekeil Williams picked up a second booking and a red card for a horrible two footed challenge on Mezquida in the 88th minute, that thankfully missed most of the Uruguayan.
It kind of summed up Colorado’s night. Five straight losses in a row has left the Rapids adrift and struggling at the foot of the Western Conference standings. Vancouver move up to fifth with the win.
All early days around a quarter of the way through the season, but grinding out gutsy road victories with a team not firing on all cylinders yet and still missing some key pieces bodes well for the months to come. If this was a make or break road trip for Robbo and his squad, then they may just very well have made it. Time will tell.
FINAL SCORE: Colorado Rapids 0 – 1 Vancouver Whitecaps
ATT: 13,745
COLORADO: Tim Howard; Eric Miller, Bobby Burling, Jared Watts, Mekeil Williams; Michael Azira, Dillon Powers; Mohammed Saied (Dillon Serna 77), Kevin Doyle (Dominique Badji 67), Shkelzen Gashi; Alan Gordon (Marlon Hairston 73) [Substitutes not used: Zac MacMath, Mike da Fonte, Sam Hamilton, Kortne Ford]
VANCOUVER:David Ousted; Sheanon Williams, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey; Matías Laba; Cristian Techera (Brek Shea 69), Andrew Jacobson, Tony Tchani (Alphonso Davies 65), Christian Bolaños (Nicolás Mezquida 80); Fredy Montero [Substitutes not used: Paolo Tornaghi, Marcel de Jong, Russell Teibert, Mauro Rosales]
[Postgame reaction from both camps will be up short]
Read Further on AFTN.ca
