VANCOUVER B次元官网网址� Alphonso Davies said he got the B次元官网网址減erfect endingB次元官网网址� to his Major League Soccer career on Sunday.
The 17-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder scored a pair of highlight reel-worthy goals in his teamB次元官网网址檚 2-1 home win over the Portland Timbers.
B次元官网网址淐oming in this game, knowing itB次元官网网址檚 my last game for Vancouver, I just wanted to leave with a positive feeling,B次元官网网址� he said.
The B次元官网网址楥aps (13-13-8) are out of the playoffs, so the victory marked the teamB次元官网网址檚 final game of the season.
It was DaviesB次元官网网址� final match with the club after the Whitecaps reached a record-breaking US$22 million transfer deal with soccer giant Bayern Munich in July that will see him play for the German team through 2023.
Andres Flores scored for the Timbers (15-10-9) in the 90th minute. It was his first goal of the year.
DaviesB次元官网网址� goals were his seventh and eighth of the season. He also had 11 assists.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檒l always be in my heart.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址� Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC)
To: Vancouver.
From: .
Davies was born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled the Liberian civil war. His family immigrated to Canada, eventually settling in Edmonton.
There he was discovered by the WhitecapsB次元官网网址� recruiting staff. He joined the clubB次元官网网址檚 residency program in 2015 and steadily worked his way up to the MLS squad, with his league debut coming in July 2016.
DaviesB次元官网网址� family was on hand to watch his final match in Vancouver on Sunday. His parents offered congratulations and told him they were proud when he left the field.
Cameras also caught his mom also trying to show some affection.
B次元官网网址淎s you can see, my mom tried to pick me up,B次元官网网址� he said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檓 a big boy now. IB次元官网网址檓 not a little baby any more.B次元官网网址�
Messages of thanks and encouragement were broadcast across the big screen throughout the game. They came from DaviesB次元官网网址� teammates on the Whitecaps and the Canadian menB次元官网网址檚 soccer teams, and from other athletes, including Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid.
The crowd of 25,348 also rose and gave the young man a standing ovation in the 67th minute, a nod to his jersey number, 67.
On the field, his teammates made a concerted effort to put the ball at his feet and give him an opportunity to realize his season-long goal of netting a hat trick.
That showcased how supportive the team has been throughout his career, Davies said.
B次元官网网址淭he team is an amazing team,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd playing my final games here, they just wanted to get me the ball as much as possible and let me do what I do. And I couldnB次元官网网址檛 thank them more for pushing me every day in training and also off the field as well.B次元官网网址�
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SundayB次元官网网址檚 game was bittersweet for Davies, who said heB次元官网网址檚 disappointed his career in Vancouver is over.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e done so much for me,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut I think in the off-season, IB次元官网网址檒l just go back and look at my career here and try to take it all in before I go (to Germany).B次元官网网址�
The young athlete wanted to thank the Whitecaps fans with his performance on Sunday, said Craig Dalrymple, the teamB次元官网网址檚 interim head coach.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 something about him. He just has a knack to continue to prove people right. B次元官网网址� HeB次元官网网址檚 electric,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎 fantastic person and obviously a great talent.B次元官网网址�
An apparent passing of the torch took place in the gameB次元官网网址檚 86th minute, when Davies was subbed out for 16-year-old Simon Colyn, who was making his first-ever MLS appearance.
Colyn immediately showed he belonged, getting the ball alone deep in Portland territory. His shot went just wide of the net.
The moment gave Davies deja vu of his first appearance in a league match.
B次元官网网址淪imon stepping in, he almost scored. I would have run on the field,B次元官网网址� Davies said.
Colyn is an B次元官网网址渆xtremely intelligent footballer,B次元官网网址� Dalrymple said.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 not Alphonso and we donB次元官网网址檛 want him to be Alphonso. HeB次元官网网址檚 Simon Colyn and heB次元官网网址檚 got different qualities,B次元官网网址� said the coach, who usually leads the clubB次元官网网址檚 residency program.
There are a number of bright young players coming through the Whitecaps system, Dalrymple said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e just got to make sure that we give them opportunities,B次元官网网址� he said.
This season has been a difficult one for the Whitecaps, who struggled to keep the ball out of their net, dropped key games and underwent some upheaval late in the season when coach Carl Robbinson and several of his assistants were abruptly dismissed.
Vancouver finished eighth in the MLS Western Conference, two spots out of playoff position.
There was some frustration about missing the post-season, Dalrymple said, but thereB次元官网网址檚 also optimism about the future.
B次元官网网址淐learly thereB次元官网网址檚 a core group here that can take this positive stretch B次元官网网址� whatever you want to call it B次元官网网址� into next season and continue to believe,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ecause the groupB次元官网网址檚 not far away from contending way up the table.B次元官网网址�
Notes: Whitecaps fullback Jake Nerwinski registered the assist on Alphonso DaviesB次元官网网址� first goal on Sunday. The second goal was unassisted. B次元官网网址� The Whitecaps controlled the momentum through much of the match, holding possession for 59 per cent of the game. B次元官网网址� Davies will turn 18 on Friday. He said he has no plans for his birthday.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
