Whitecaps Grind Out 1-0 Victory

Vancouver 1 (Froese) – CD Olimpia 0

Vancouver used a late first half goal from Kianz Froese to get past Honduran champions CD Olimpia Wednesday night at BC Place in a bruising encounter in Concacaf Champions League Group F action. Froese pounced on a loose ball after Darren Mattocks got the ball caught up in his feet, and Froese got the final touch of the ball to loop it over the keeper and in the net. Matias Laba and Nicolas Mezquida where on the receiving end of some hard tackles in the first half, and a player from each side would required to be stretchered off in the 2^nd half, although the Whitecaps Deybi Flores would suffer no more than a knock. The result leaves the Whitecaps tied for a share of the lead in Group F with four points from two matches, although they have a better goal differential than the Seattle Sounders, who they welcome to BC Place in MLS action on the weekend before heading down the I-5 Wednesday with a chance to clinch top spot in the Group.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Match Recap

The Vancouver Whitecaps returned to action Wednesday evening as they hosted Honduran champions CD Olimpia in a Concacaf Champions League tilt at BC Place. Head Coach Carl Robinson went with an experimental lineup, with Paolo Tornaghi in goal, and Jordan Smith, Kendall Waston, Diego Rodriguez and Sam Adekugbe on the back line. Honduran national Deybi Flores got the start alongside Matias Laba in defensive midfield, while Kianz Froese, Nicolas Mezquida and Darren Mattocks supported Robert Earnshaw up front.

Olimpia would get the first good chance on goal off a free kick as Ever Alvarado headed the ball off the cross bar off of the free kick just over 10 minutes into the match.

As the half progressed Olimpia became more rash in their challenges, with Matias Laba and Nicolas Mezquida both on the receiving end of bookable offenses – but the referee left his cards in his pocket.

In the 42^nd minute the Whitecaps would take the lead. The Nicolas Mezquida pass would find Darren Mattocks in alone on the keeper but Mattocks flubbed his lines – and faked out the keeper in the process, leaving Kianz Froese to mop up and put it in the net to give the caps a 1-0 lead.

Mattocks fluffed his lines again a minute later as he was on the edge of the six yard box, and tried to go top corner short side but could only shoot high over the bar.

The Whitecaps would go into the half up 1-0.

Early in the 2^nd half the refereee finally pulled out a card, booking Matias Laba for a foul near midfield. A few minutes later Olimpia's Johnny Palacios would join him in the book, fouling Kianz Froese on the far side of midfield.

Olimpia would make their first substitution on 55 minutes, with Carlos Mejia coming off for Michael Chirinos.

Soon after that there was a heavy collision in the Whitecaps box as Paolo Tornaghi, Kendall Waston, Diego Rodriguez and Olimpia's Romell Quioto all went for the ball, with Quioto coming out the worst of it. He had to be taken off on a stretcher, before walking back to the bench, and then needed to be stretchered from the bench to the locker room. Javier Estupinan would eventually come on to replace Quioto, who would eventually be stretchered off to the locker room.

On 67 minutes Darren Mattocks had to come off after sustaining an upper body injury, with Marco Bustos coming on to replace him.

On 75 minutes Deybi Flores had to be stretchered off before getting treatment on the bench. As Christian Dean waited to replace him, Olimpia made their final substitution, with Kevin Alvarez coming off for Roger Rojas.

Olimpia started to get some good chances on goal, with substitute Chirinos shooting from inside the 18 yard box but right at Tornaghi who held the shot.

Nicolas Mezquida would come off after taking a knock on 85 minutes, the stretcher coming out before Mezquida would walk off on his own before being replaced by Tim Parker.

Robert Earnshaw had a chance to seal it as he found himself in alone on the keeper but could only put it off the head of Noel Valladeres.

Soon after Olimpia's Bryan Johnson would get a yellow card for a foul on Sam Adekugbe.

The Whitecaps would manage to hang on to the 1-0 victory as they now have four points from two matches and are in the drivers seat to advance to the next round as both Olimpia and the Seattle sounders only have one match left to play.

Note: The Canadian Men's National Soccer team announced it will play its next World Cup Qualifying match against Honduras Friday, November 13^th at BC Place. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday through ticketmaster.

Post Match Quotes

Carl Robinson – Expectations of the game:

"It was exactly the way I thought it would play out. I thought it was a very tough game for us, we knew that. They're a fantastic team, they've got top, top players in their team and we knew it would be a test for us, we managed to get our noses in front in the first half and we played very very well, but we huffed and puffed in the second half but we defended brilliantly."

Paolo Tornaghi – Thoughts on the match and the clean sheet:

"I was waiting to have a clean sheet at BC Place, so I got it, I'm happy about it for sure, we got the three points in this competition so I'm quite happy."

Robert Earnshaw – Thoughts on the match:

"Difficult game, but I think overall we came through it, its a good experience, and we have to give credit because they're a team that made it difficult for us and they came to play so, number one we had to get the win, we did that, and I thought we had some good plays as well."

Deybi Flores – Thoughts on the match and playing against friends:

"Thank God for the three points, its obviously great to get the result, the main thing here was to have them respect us here at our house, and obviously its nice to play against my friends, a lot of folks from the (Honduran) national team that we played (together) not too long ago and I've got some goo d friends, but most important was to get the three points."

Kianz Froese – On scoring the goal:

"When you're able to score a goal like this its always a great feeling, and to help the team win the game its the best feeling for me; I wasn't too sure, I tried to get myself centrally, and I thought Darren would shoot it would get blocked and maybe I'd be in there, but it got stuck in his feet and I kicked it, and it went in so...."