Vancouver Tops MLS Standings With 2-0 Win

Vancouver 2 (Rivero, Techera) – Colorado 0

An uninspiring first half gave way to an exciting 2^nd half as the Vancouver Whitecaps used two 2^nd half goals, the first off a Rivero header and the 2^nd off a Techera shot from close range to beat their bogey team 2-0 Wednesday night at BC Place. The win puts the Whitecaps at the top of the MLS standings with 48 points, with only six matches left in the regular season.

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Match Recap

The Vancouver Whitecaps returned to action after an extended break as they hosted the Colorado Rapids Wednesday night at BC Place with a chance to regain top spot overallin the MLS. Whitecaps Head Coach Carl Robinson was forced into a couple of changes due to suspensions and international commitments, as both Kendall Waston and Matias Laba were both suspended for the match, and Russell Teibert and Darren Mattocks both played World Cup Qualifiers for Canada and Jamaica respectively the day before.

Robinson therefore went with David Ousted in goal, Steven Beitashour, Tim Parker, Pa-Modou Kah and Jordan Harvey in defense, Gershon Koffie and Pedro Morales in defensive midfield, and Cristian Techera, Mauro Rosales and Kekuta Manneh supporting Octavio Rivero upfront.

The Vancouver Whitecaps would dominate possession in the first half but would rarely threaten the Colorado goal, with a Gershon Koffie shot from distance the only shot to find the target midway through the first half. Koffie would then get booked late in the half for inadvertently sticking his arm out towards a Colorado player in midfield, causing the player to go down in the center circle.

The first half would end in a 0-0 draw. Vancouver was forced to make one change to start the 2^nd half as Pedro Morales withdrew with a tight right hamstring, with Carl Robinson opting to replace him with Kianz Froese.

Steven Beitashour would join Gershon Koffie in the book as he would also foul a Colorado player in midfield in the 53^rd minute.

Colorado would make their first substitution, with Kevin Doyle coming on for Gabriel Torres.

On 68 minutes Marc Burch would go into the book for a foul on Cristian Techera, the refereee counting out a succession of fouls before issuing the card.

On 70 minutes David Ousted was forced into a sprawling save as Kevin Doyle got his head onto the ball and sent it goalward, but Ousted sprawled to his left to make the save.

In the 73^rd minute Octavio Rivero put the Whitecaps on the board, as he headed home a Cristian Techera delivery past Rapids keeper Clint Irwin to make it a 1-0 lead. Rivero took his shirt off after the goal, earning a yellow card in the process.

In response Colorado would make their 2^nd substitution with Nick Labrocca exiting for Vicente Sanchez. However the substitution had the opposite effect, as Cristian Techera would score soon after, taking a pass from Kekuta Manneh before getting a bounce off a defender, then shooting past the keeper to make it 2-0.

Soon after both teams would make substitutions with the Whitecaps bringing on Jordan Smith for Kekuta Manneh and Colorado bringing on Diillon Powers for Lucas Pittinari.

In the 82^nd minute Kianz Froese earned a yellow card for a foul on the edge of the Colorado 18-yard box.

James Riley earned a yellow card for a foul on Cristian Techera late in the match, with brought a few players from both teams together as they engaged in a bit of a shouting match.

Robert Earnshaw would make a late cameo appearance replacing Mauro Rosales, as the Whitecaps killed off stoppage time to preserve the 2-0 win. Cristian Techera earned man of the match honours, and with the win the Whitecaps return to top spot overall in the MLS standings with 48 points.

The Whitecaps next match will be a Concacaf Champions League match as they host Honduran Champions CD Olympia next Wednesday at BC Place.

Post Match Quotes

Carl Robinson - On Cristian Techera's performance:

"I don't think it was particularly his best game, nor was it Kekuta's or Octavio's or you could name a number of my players that on the ball, performed a number of levels lower than wanted, off the ball, they were fantastic."

On a rusty first half:

"I think from the first 5 minutes they took about 10 seconds every time for a throw in, and you do that away from home. I tell my players when we go to tough places to slow the game down, that's certainly what they did, they were trying to hit us on the counter. I never thought we were really in danger, and that's the pleasing thing about today's performance, we didn't really click attacking wise but we certainly defended very well."

Cristian Techera – Thoughts on the match:

"The first half was really tight, the defenders were playing close to the ball, in the 2^nd half we came out and regrouped and found some more spaces in the 2^nd half and we got the result that we needed."

On his involvement in both goals:

"For the 1^st cross there, me and Octavio get along really well since we're both from Uruguay so its nice we have that understanding and I saw his run and I was able to pick him out and we know he's pretty strong in the air and he finished off the chance. For the 2^nd chance it was a ball that was right in front of me so I just put it in the back of the net, not too much thought there."

Octavio Rivero – thoughts on the match:

"The first half was very tight, not a lot of space, and then before the 2^nd half we came into the locker room, regrouped, and talked about what we needed to take care of in the 2^nd half, and I was fortunate to get the goal and get the three points."

Tim Parker – thoughts on the win:

"I think we didn't play as well as we wanted to, but it shows a lot of character that we got the result, especially at home with these last couple games, we really want to get the crowd and the home supporters behind us, so winning at home is important."