It wasn’t supposed to end this way for the Whitecaps.
A year ago, they had missed the playoffs after stumbling down the stretch, winning only three of their final 10 games. Their offseason wasn’t much better. They lost star player Camilo Sanvezzo, who had 22 goals in MLS and should have won league MVP. They let go of manager Martin Rennie and brought in Carl Robinson, who was an assistant under Rennie. Most — myself included — foresaw a year of rebuilding for the ‘Caps. They had a young squad, and maybe the following year, they could contend for a playoff spot.
Instead, they found themselves in the playoffs after a stretch during which they went five straight games without a loss. And that’s what made Wednesday night’s playoff matchup against FC Dallas such a treat — although perhaps a bittersweet one.
The Whitecaps came out very flat to start the game, and their only noteworthy chance was a 26th minute long range shot by Pedro Morales. The lone goal of the first half belonged to Dallas, and was due to a mix up between Kendall Waston and Andy O’Brien, which allowed Tesho Akindele to deposit the ball into the lower left corner.
The second half saw the Whitecaps push the pace to start. In the 57th, Morales — who had struggled mightily in the first half — came off for Kekuta Manneh. This proved to be a brilliant move by Robinson, as Manneh’s shot in the 63rd deflected to Erik Hurtado who tied the game up.
But the big play of the game came in the 81st. Off of a throw in, the ball seemed to go off defender Kendall Waston’s hand in the box. But on the replay, it was shown to go off his arm, an unintentional play that resulted in a penalty. Dallas player Michel Garbini Pereira calmly scored to give Dallas a 2-1 lead. It was a brutal way to end the season — on a very iffy penalty that really shouldn’t have been called.
Despite the heartbreaking loss to Dallas, ‘Caps fans can take solace, as this appears to be a young team on the rise. After two great performances off the bench for Kekuta Manneh, it seems that he should, at the very least, be given a chance in the starting 11 next year by Carl Robinson. With Erik Hurtado starting up front in the most important game of the season, have we seen the last of Darren Mattocks? He’s only in his third MLS season, and at 24, there will be plenty of teams looking for his services. The Whitecaps have also found a star in Pedro Morales, an excellent player to build around, and one who should win the MLS Newcomer of the Year award.
The success of the Whitecaps this year was dependant on their defence. David Ousted led the MLS with 13 clean sheets, and Kendall Waston not only provided stability in the heart of the defence, he also gave the team a target on set pieces and corners. With Steven Beitashour, Jordan Harvey, Andy O’Brien (if they offer him a new contract), and youngster Sam Adekugbe, the defence looks to be set for next season.
The role of management now is to reinforce the front lines, as the Whitecaps lacked a true natural goal scorer this season. Whether it be through the annual draft, trade, or signing a designated player, they need to fill this hole in order to become an elite team in the MLS.
Wednesday night’s game was a bitter pill to swallow, but concluded what was the best season ever in the MLS for the Whitecaps, and what will hopefully be the first of many.
