Josh Phillips (6’0″) blocking Marco Bustos’ (5’6″) progress and the sun.
The Whitecaps FC2 squad snapped a four game winless streak on Sunday afternoon on Mothers Day at Thunderbird Stadium with a solid 3-1 win over the Colorado Springs Switchbacks in USL soccer before 410 fans in attendance.
The opening minutes were controlled by the visiting Switchbacks from Colorado Springs as they used a solid road game with possession football playing keep away from the Caps and causing the back four problems with timely crosses coming close to scoring the games opening goal.
In the 15th minute striker Aaron King tested caps keeper Sean Melvin from just inside the penalty area sliding his attempted shot across the goal past the far post.The Switchbacks retained possession for most of the first half and gave the back four of Vancouver fits.
Vancouver started to play their own game making adjustments and playing their own possession game after the Switchbacks early dominance sending ball wide to the wingers stretching the Colorado defense with chances from Gloire Amanda and Nazeem Bartman testing start Moise Pouaty of the Switchbacks to come up with some key saves.
Finally in the 23rd minute the Caps struck after forward Marco Bustos was hauled down in the penalty area and referee David Bamie awarded the Caps a penalty kick converted by Bustos sliding it home to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
Ben McKendry, attempting to lead the attack on the Switchbacks defense.
But Colorado got back to control of the opening with some skilled passing and a couple quality attempts with long ball intended to stretch the Vancouver defense
A key stats in the opening half saw Vancouver escape with a narrow one goal lead despite getting outshot 15-2 by the visitors as goalkeeper Sean Melvin kept them in the match with key saves at time in the opening 45 minutes.
In the second half Vancouver played a smarter using the wings and long ball more effectively against the Switchbacks and some wise substitutions coming into the match to begin the second half with Andy Thomas coming in for Nazeem Bartman changing the compaction of the match.
Vancouver with stood a early chance by Colorado ‘s Matanabal Kacher and Josh Suggs with back to back saves to keep the score at 1-0 Vancouver as Sean Melvin swatted away the chances.
In the 68th minute Gloire Amanda staked Vancouver to a 2-0 lead on a beauty from the top of the penalty area blasting it home for a 2-0 Caps lead set up by Andy Thomas a second half Caps sub.
With Colorado testing the Caps defense despite being down two goals as Sean Melvin continued with a steady game turning the Switchbacks away with the chances they had to keep the keep the clean sheet.
Vancouver added in the remaining minutes to their lead as forward Chris Serban sent a shot from 20 yards out past Pouaty of the Switchbacks in the 84th minute unleashing a howitzer to give Vancouver a 3-0 lead in the match.
The visitors finally scored to little to late on a goal by Sean McFarlane on a beauty past Melvin of the Caps in the 88th minute to make the final 3-1 for Vancouver on this day ending a winless streak of 4 matches 0-3-1.
Vancouver improved to 3-4-2 on the season moving into eighth place in the Western Conference while the Colorado Springs Switchbacks remained in the top three of the west as their record fell to 3-3-4.
Next up for the Whitecaps FC2 squad is an afternoon game in two weeks at McLeod Park in Langley when they host the Real Monarchs SLC at 3pm
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
September, 2020
