Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe
Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0 Toronto FC
VANCOUVER, BC–Last year around this time at BC Place, Vancouver Whitecaps thrashed CF Montreal, 5-0. This year, they did something similar to Toronto FC beating them 4-0 and went to the top of the Western Conference after a loss by LA Galaxy and Minnesota United and Real Salt Lake drawing.
The Whitecaps needed just six minutes to take the lead. Brian White stripped Deybi Flores of the ball just outside the penalty area and left Sean Johnson with no chance to stop his shot. Deandre Kerr nearly pulled TFC level in the 18th minute, but Yohei Takaoka would push his shot onto the post and out.
Fafa Picault has turned out to be a great pickup for the Whitecaps and he would score in his third successive match heading in a cross from Alessandro Schopf in the 29th minute to double the Whitecaps’ advantage.
It was all Whitecaps after that. The third goal would come in the 81st minute on a counter where White would send a looping ball to Ryan Gauld who got in behind the Toronto defense and seat Sean Johnson near post. Ranko Vesilinovic would get in on the fun and complete the scoring in the 89th minute with a flick on that hit far post and in.
Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe
While last week’s win was compared to the city of Florence, Italy, his wife, and socialism; Vanni Sartini was closer to Utopia with this win.
“It’s really hard to find something to top [last week’s win], but we did it, so it was my mistake,” said Sartini. “Being a socialist, I should have known that we always look for the utopia, and we always march towards the utopia, and everything can be better in order to reach the utopia. So let’s say that we are going there.”
Part of that “Utopia” is being the best Canadian team in MLS which Vancouver can claim in this young season with the win over Toronto, who slip to 7th in the East with the loss.
“We showed that we are the best Canadian team and we’ve been the best Canadian team for the last two, three years. I don’t know why we need to remind it every time, but it’s true. It’s by far the truth and I’m really happy that we did it again. So I hope that this also goes to our Canadian media, to OneSoccer or whatever, just to know that we are the best and, like, deservedly so,” said Sartini.
Next up will be another home match. This time, it will be LA Galaxy visiting next Saturday with a 7:30pm PT kickoff on Apple TV. A win there for the Whitecaps against a resurgent LA Galaxy (loss to LAFC not withstanding) would really be Utopia.
For more of Gerrit te Hennepe’s photos from this match. Click on the link for his match gallery.
