Vancouver Whitecaps FC suffered their first defeat of the 2008 USL First Division season after a 1-0 loss at home to Minnesota Thunder on Saturday evening.
A second-half penalty from Ricardo Sanchez gave the visitors their first win in Vancouver since 1997 after Whitecaps left fullback Takashi Hirano had brought down Minnesota striker Luchi Gonzalez in the home side’s penalty box.
Though they created many chances during the game, the Whitecaps struggled to put Thunder goalkeeper Nicolas Platter under any sustained pressure, as Minnesota’s backline held firm to earn a clean sheet and end a 15-game winless run in Vancouver.
After starting the season with a 1-0 home win over Canadian rivals Montreal Impact on April 12, Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson named an unchanged side from the one that started against the Quebec-based club two weeks ago.
Minnesota head coach Amos Magee, meanwhile, made two changes to the side lost their season-opener 2-1 at Portland Timbers on Thursday night. Tighe Dombrowski replaced Brian Kallman in defence, while former Atlanta Silverbacks man Dayton O’Brien replaced forward Aaron Paye in the visitors’ starting XI. Also included in Minnesota’s starting line-up was former Whitecaps striker Alen Marcina, who partnered former Miami FC hit-man Gonzalez in the Thunder attack.
On a pleasant spring evening at Swangard, a crowd of 4,989 saw a relatively subdued first half of soccer, with both teams’ goalkeepers not properly tested during the opening 45 minutes of play.
No comments yet.