Vanni Sartini loved the way his team played Wednesday, for half of the game at least.
SartiniB次元官网网址檚 Vancouver Whitecaps smothered visiting Sporting Kansas City for the first 45 minutes of the match before faltering in the second half. The squad eventually stabilized and collected a 2-1 victory.
Playing 90 minutes of solid soccer has been a challenge for the B次元官网网址楥aps (11-7-5) all season, and the team still needs to learn how to close out when theyB次元官网网址檙e dominating a game, the head coach said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e humans and B次元官网网址� in the back of your mind B次元官网网址� it shouldnB次元官网网址檛 happen because you should be focused on the present B次元官网网址� in the back of your mind is B次元官网网址極h shoot. We dominated the first half and but we made a mistake, they almost score. What do we do? What do we do?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Sartini said.
Vancouver extended its unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1) in Major League Soccer and six (5-0-1) across all competitions. Kansas City (6-14-5) saw its three-game win streak snapped.
Vancouver produced a flurry of early opportunities Wednesday, starting with Brian WhiteB次元官网网址檚 header from the top of the six-yard box in the seventh minute. Sporting defender Robert Valoder saved the day, heading the ball back out from the goal line.
The Whitecaps found the back of the net in the 27th minute after Ali Ahmed beat Valoder, danced around Kayden Pierre, then sliced a ball to White in the penalty area.
The American striker put a shot in past Kansas City B次元官网网址榢eeper Tim Melia, but the offside flag quickly sprang up on the sideline.
White joined up with B次元官网网址楥aps all-star Ryan White for an impressive give-and-go play in the 34th minute.
White dished off to the Scottish attacking midfielder and Gauld wasted no time of sending it back as his teammate crashed the net.
Valoder got his foot on the ball, sending it in for an own goal that put Vancouver up 1-0.
Ahmed looked poised to boost the lead eight minutes later when he blasted a shot in past Melia, but the offside flag went up once again.
The B次元官网网址楥aps outshot the visitors 9-2 across the first half.
B次元官网网址淭he first half was like champagne football. The first half is like MLS Cup-winners level,B次元官网网址� Sartini said. B次元官网网址淪o I liked a lot the first half.B次元官网网址�
SportingB次元官网网址檚 trio of substitutions out of the locker room injected life into the listless squad.
Stefan Afrifa B次元官网网址� who came off the bench for Alenis Vargas B次元官网网址� fired a shot off the crossbar in the 63rd minute.
The rebound landed on the foot of Daniel Salloi, whose shot sailed toward VancouverB次元官网网址檚 net when Whitecaps netminder Yohei Takaoka leapt up and tipped the ball out of harmB次元官网网址檚 way.
Kansas City made their chances count six minutes later. Takaoka dove to deny Salloi and the ball bounced out to an unmarked Willy Agada, who slotted a shot into the yawning net to level the game at 1-1.
The home side got B次元官网网址渁 bit sleepyB次元官网网址� midway through the second half, said B次元官网网址楥aps defender Ranko Veselinovic.
B次元官网网址淲e just need between ourselves to even to talk more with each other, keeping on the front foot, keeping us awake, not to be sleepy,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ecause in this league, every team has good players who can punish you at any second.B次元官网网址�
A pair of Vancouver substitutes combined to recapture the lead in the 76th minute.
Sebastian Berhalter B次元官网网址� who came on for Ryan Raposo in the 67th minute B次元官网网址� chipped a cross to Fafa Picault in the penalty area and the Haitian attacker headed a shot in to make it 2-1 for the B次元官网网址楥aps.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a (David) Beckham-like cross. And Fafa scored a great goal,B次元官网网址� Sartini said.
It was PicaultB次元官网网址檚 sixth goal of the year across all competitions. He replaced Ahmed on the pitch in the 67th minute.
Kansas City missed a prime opportunity in injury time when VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Mathias Laborda was called for a foul on Salloi at the top of the penalty area. Erik Thommy sent a free kick soaring well over the B次元官网网址楥aps net.
NOTES: Sporting outshot the home side 17-13 and 7-4 in on-target shots. B次元官网网址he Whitecapssweptthe season series between the two clubs. They took a 2-1 road victory from SKC back on May 29. B次元官网网址� Kansas CityB次元官网网址檚 star winger Johnny Russell made the trip to Vancouver but did not dress for the game. B次元官网网址� An announced crowd of 23,198 took in the match.
UP NEXT: The Whitecaps entertain the Houston Dynamo at BC Place on Saturday. Sporting hosts St. Louis City the same night.
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