Because the Main League Soccer season ticks down, Vanni Sartini needs his Vancouver Whitecaps to make a declaration — the workforce is able to compete.
“The time of hiding ourselves, I feel it’s over,” the coach mentioned after the ‘Caps earned a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
“We have to actually say that we’re right here to attempt to be on the ball till the tip and attempting to shoot for the best place. That doesn’t imply that we’re going to make it, however we now have the standard to do it.”
With seven video games left on their regular-season schedule, the ‘Caps (13-8-6) sit in fifth spot within the congested Western Convention, simply two factors out of fourth.
Saturday’s loss formally eradicated the last-place Earthquakes (5-21-2) from post-season motion.
Vancouver has been on a sizzling streak since getting back from the Leagues Cup break and is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its final 4 outings throughout all competitions. The workforce has not allowed a objective in these matches.
“It’s the truth that we play rather well,” Sartini mentioned of the clear sheets. “Now we have the ball so much, we end our assault more often than not of their field. So it’s actually onerous for the opposite workforce to assault us. After which after they assault us, within the uncommon occasions that they arrive within the ultimate third, we’re very stable.”
Current additions have bolstered the workforce’s ranks, together with the membership’s latest designated participant, Stuart Armstrong. The 32-year-old Scottish midfielder scored his first MLS objective Saturday.
Three minutes after approaching as an alternative choice to Alessandro Schopf, Armstrong gave Vancouver a two-goal cushion within the 87th minute.
Midfielder Pedro Vite dished a brief go to ‘Caps captain Ryan Gauld, who tapped it towards Armstrong. The previous Southampton FC participant then blasted a shot into the highest of the web for his first strike in a Whitecaps’ jersey.
He was mobbed by teammates within the nook of the sector.
“I feel everybody was joyful. Additionally for the primary objective, but additionally that it was an vital three factors,” mentioned Armstrong, who signed with the ‘Caps on Sept. 3.
“It sort of felt just a little bit like final week, after we had a variety of possibilities and we didn’t get the three factors. So immediately, I feel everybody was simply relieved to have that two-goal cushion.”
Vancouver was the dominant workforce from the outset Saturday and didn’t relent, outshooting the guests 19-5 and controlling 54.1 per cent of possession.
Fafa Picault additionally discovered the again of the web for Vancouver, whereas Gauld contributed a pair of assists.
Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped each photographs he confronted to gather his seventh clear sheet of the yr, whereas Daniel made 9 saves for the Quakes.
Gauld and Picault teamed up within the twenty second minute when Gauld curled a cross in and the Haitian striker headed it down towards the web, solely to see Daniel catch a bit of the shot along with his forearm and redirect it out of hurt’s approach.
The duo linked once more within the thirty fifth minute on a Vancouver nook. Gauld swung a ball in and Picault jumped up from the pack to ship a glancing header in previous Daniel for his ninth MLS objective of the season.
San Jose briefly appeared to degree the rating within the 68th minute when an unmarked Ousseni Bouda collected the ball, froze Takaoka and tapped a shot into the Vancouver internet. An official shortly raised the offside flag and waved off the tally.
Daniel stored San Jose’s deficit to a single objective with a pair of stable stops within the 82nd minute.
First, the Brazilian ‘keeper dove sideways on his line to tip away a bomb from Alessandro Schopf. He was examined once more on the following nook and jumped as much as ship a header from Picault over the crossbar.
“I feel we created a variety of possibilities once more,” Gauld mentioned.
“We in all probability ought to have put the sport out of their attain sooner. However we’d be extra frightened if we weren’t creating the possibilities. Three clear sheets in a row within the league, I feel it’s an enormous factor for us. And it offers us a very good platform to go ahead.”
NOTES
Vancouver performed with out main scorer Brian White for a 3rd consecutive sport because the American striker works his approach again from a concussion. … Gauld’s second help marked his fifteenth objective contribution (six targets, 9 assists) in his final 15 Whitecaps video games throughout all competitions. … An introduced crowd of 21,309 took within the sport at B.C. Place.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps kick off a two-game highway swing Wednesday towards the Houston Dynamo. The Earthquakes host the Seattle Sounders the identical night time.