Vancouver Whitecaps vs Tigres UANL: Good game, tough loss- Post Game Reaction

A break

After the Caps elimination in the Leagues Cup, the Whitecaps have 15 days in between games. While it's unfortunate to lose in this fashion, some might think this break will benefit the team. Especially with players who feels fatigue. As you can train and work hard while relaxing during these 2 weeks. Vanni can rethink tactics with Laryea and Adekugbe. While the players have 2 weeks to work on those tactics and the instructions Vanni Sartini will give them. This will help the Caps regain fitness, and get ready for the playoff push.

Reaction

Vancouver has a team now, for the first time in a long time, this team looks very promising. Losing in penalties to a giant in North America isn't something to be ashamed of, it's a building block for this team. Especially if you are the Whitecaps who haven't really contended in the MLS cup. And you looked like the better team tonight, it was unlucky that you went to penalties. Even if you lost tonight it doesn't stop this from being a good showing by the Caps. The attacking and the defending was pretty good, but in soccer, sometimes things doesn't go your way. I feel like the Whitecaps was dominating the last 30 minutes of the game. A great display by the Whitecaps tonight and I'm impressed.

Bad attendance, great atmosphere

As it was imagined, the atmosphere was amazing at BC Place. The attendance was underwhelming for Vancouver, as the number of people at BC Place was only 13,703 which was ranked 8th out of the 12 teams in the Round Of 32. With 4 teams not being reported. The number was no where as good near the atmosphere in this game. On one side you heard the Southside signing all game, and in the visitors section of BC Place. While it felt like the Caps supporters was being outnumbered by the Tigres supporters as there was a lot in a similar area, the Whitecaps fans were standing and cheering the entire game, giving their maximum effort to cheer for this Vancouver Whitecaps team. Then on the other hand where they have a lot of fans, most of them wasn't really chanting and singing, they were still loud at times with their potential advantage in supporters. That's really debatable. I feel like the Southside did a wonderful job from letting the Mexicans outsing them. What an atmosphere inside of BC Place but most of it was contributed by the Vancouver Whitecaps fans. Now let's talk about the attendance a bit, while the number doesn't look good at all, I felt it inside the stadium, the energy and excitement. It doesn't feel like 10,000 empty seats as the stadium seems quite full. I think if it wasn't against Tigres, there is a possibility the attendance is under 10,000 which will be embarrassing for Vancouver in a knockout game. I would say the attendance is acceptable, since it's a Friday night. But the attendance doesn't change the high quality of atmosphere.

Vanni's decisions/ stats

Vanni Sartini came out and played the 3-1-4-2 formation, Takaoka in net, 3 back of Blackmon, Veselinovic and Javain Brown. Cubas in the CDM spot, with Vite and Schopf being the two central midfielders, the two wing-backs were Raposo on the left and Berhalter on the right, with the two strikers being Ryan Gauld and Brian White. If I were Vanni I wanted to test out the 3 at the back with the two newly acquired full-backs playing at the wing-back spot. But use Martins and Brown as the wing-backs, since Laryea and Adekugbe haven't arrived at Vancouver yet. I thought it'll be nice to test it out with Martins since he also likes to push forward a lot, a pretty similar playstyle to Adekugbe. I think Brown might be too defensive for that spot but I think it's worth trying since he loves to overlap and put crosses in. Unfortunately, Martins was injured for this game and Brown played at center-back. Javain Brown actually played poor in this one, his first start since the Gold Cup, and he didn't really show out at all. He got beaten by the Tigres players so many times, it was horrific defending by him. Raposo on the left wing-back spot had a good game though, I think sometimes he is too attacking for full-back so wing-back is a great position for him to be part of this team. Everything except for shots were in Tigres favour, but the Caps won the shots battle 8-7. The possession was 60/40 for Tigres, as Vancouver played with less urgency in the tackling in their own half and the midfield. Other stats were pretty similar to each other between this match.

Game Recap

It was the 9th minute where Gauld with a touch of class to bring it out wide, he plays a cross into Brian White, headed away by the Tigres defender, falls into Pedro Vite he touches it with his chest then he goes to volley that before the ball hits the ground and volleys it beautifully to the top right corner, outside of the box sensational by Pedro Vite.

In the 18th minute now Tigres has a chance, Quinones makes a lovely turn to go pass Javain Brown a cutback into Gorriaran who shoots it beyond Takaoka, but Ryan Raposo to the rescue! He blocks the shot right before it went in! Heroics by the Canadian man Ryan Raposo.

The first half whistle blows and Vancouver Whitecaps have a one goal lead, in this Round Of 32 tie between the Whitecaps and Tigres.

In the 53rd minute it was a decent cross in by Aquino, then Gignac with a terrific acrobatic overhead kick to get it past Yohei Takaoka.

The 90 minutes ends and there isn't a winner so we go into the penalty shootout to decide the winner and the advancer to the Round Of 16.

Penalties

The coin toss was won by Tigres, and it's shooting the opposite way from the Southside which is a gigantic advantage for Tigres UANL. The first penalty by Gignac was a powerful and and gets it by Yohei Takaoka, as he knew the route but couldn't get it. Then Pedro Vite scores his penalty in a pretty similar fashion. Tigres scores their second penalty. And there was some lunatics by Tigres goalkeeper Guzman, but Sergio Cordova didn't get distracted and buries the penalty.

Angulo scores his penalty beyond the reach of Takaoka, the same result with Brian White as he sends the keeper to the wrong way. This time is the other Cordova, Sebastian Cordova he sends Takaoka the wrong way. Now it's Ranko Veselinovic, Guzman is messing around again, he gets a yellow card but he successfully ruined Veselinovic's momentum as a soft shot to the bottom right was denied.

Now advantage Tigres, if Gorriaran scores they will go to the Round Of 16. And he does so successfully again beyond the reach of Yohei Takaoka and Tigres advance.

Man Of The Match

For the Vancouver Whitecaps, Ryan Raposo is my man of the match, as he was good attacking making great dribbles, crosses and shots. As a couple of times he dribbled past defenders, and opened up a possibility. Of course we have to mention the goal line block which was incredible, it was the intelligence to go to the goal line, as he knew there was a good chance it was getting by Takaoka. As he sticks the right leg out to save a goal being conceded, just before it went passed the line. He had a really good attempt in the first half, that went inches wide. He was unlucky not to score on the header as well. I was extremely happy with the effort of Raposo, it feels like every single game he gives it his all. Overall, a great game for Ryan Raposo.