In the end, should have been all too much for an exhausted Portland side. Less than 3 days ago, they had played 120 minutes followed by an emotionally excavating 22 kick penalty shoot out.
While that drama had supposedly drained their resources, the Whitecaps players were sitting with their feet up on their moose skin rugs resting knocks and presumably making notes. Rested and prepared, they held a large psychological advantage over Portland. To add to that, Portland lost their hero of Thursday night, goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey to flu.
His unsuspecting replacement Jake Gleeson hopefully did not over celebrate New Zealand’s rugby World Cup win on Saturday night. All this seemed like a recipe for uncertainty, mental errors, and fatigue in the Portland defence faced, as they were by one of MLS’ speedier and more unique offences.
Well that was the script. As they have done so often in recent weeks, Portland Timbers rewrote it. And tonight, they get the chance to add a last chapter that has the final unexpected twist.
Yet it could have been even better for Portland when Lucas Melano nipped in front of Caps veteran defender Jordan Harvey to reach an 8th minute Rodney Wallace cross. Melano did not display that striker’s killer instinct that separates the good from the great. He could only prod it towards Ousted in the Vancouver goal. Towards – but not by. Good – but not great.
Still he did better than an out of form Octavio Rivero firing over and wide while off balance from inside the area. The Caps had been hitherto dormant allowing their hosts 2/3 of the possession. Perhaps coach Carl Robinson had decided the later the tie progressed, the more the energy advantage would favor his side. We will know the empirical results of that theory by 9pm tonight.
As has been so often the case this year, David Ousted stepped up (or in this case fell down) to save Vancouver
Because there was really no other reason for how sluggish the Whitecaps were for the first hour, other then the traditional ‘bad day at the office’ routine. Indeed, it was Ousted who made the match’s best save as he dove left to palm a Valeri free kick around the post.
In the 77th minute, Pedro Morales came on for his first appearance since September with the hope that his fresh legs would cause more trouble than the ineffectual Kekuta Manneh. With attacking midfielder Mauro Rosales already sprung from the bench, Vancouver now had their most attacking formation of the afternoon. The corollary was that this invited Portland to drive onward for home goal with defensively minded Gershon Koffie now sitting on the Whitecaps bench. But nothing the Welsh coach could do could refresh the frozen Whitecaps.
It was Portland, roared on by their home crowd, who remained the hungrier and came the closest.
However Max Urruti could only hit the post when Portland finally cut through the Caps back 4. It would have been a well deserved win for Portland and they now have a week to recharge their batteries. Still on paper the Whitecaps have the advantage with a home leg to come.
It should have been so much better for them though. Their initial advantage gone, they will have to make the most of the remaining one, home field.
Also See:
Leg 2 Preview: Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps
Portland Timbers player ratings versus Vancouver Whitecaps (Leg 1).
Vancouver Whitecaps player ratings versus Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers – Vancouver White Caps Play Off Leg 1 Image Gallery
* Boundary Road is the main street running by Swangard Stadium, home of the Vancouver Whitecaps prior to their elevation to MLS. It is referred to by Whitecaps fans in their song “Take Me Home, Boundary Road”, a version of the country music anthem “Take me home, country roads”.
