Vancouver Whitecaps swept away Toronto FC 4-0 in their Major League Soccer game at BC Place in Vancouver Saturday.
The match was seen as a battle of the managers – Vancouver Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini returning to the touchline, facing off against former Canadian national team coach John Herdman. And Sartini would prevail.
“I think that we outplayed them for the entire game,” said a proud Sartini after the match. “It was a beauty of a game, to be honest.”
Vancouver score early
Six minutes into the start, TFC Midfielder Deybi Flores, too slow to lay off possession, was intercepted by Brian White 30 yards from goal. White, running directly at goal, fired the ball passed Johnson’s outstretched arm to open the scoring.
Toronto dominating first-half possession, had their best opportunity, at 18 minutes when Deandre Kerr’s shot was pushed against the post by Yohei Takaoka, the rebounding ball was nearly put into the net for an own goal, but once again the woodwork saved Vancouver Whitecaps.
- Photo gallery: Whitecaps beat Toronto FC 4-0
Vancouver came close to a second goal in minute 28, when Ryan Gauld played along ball down the middle to pick out a sprinting Brian White, Sean Johnson dive to the right managed to palm the ball away from White as he was teeing up the shot.
In minute 29 the Whitecaps finally got their second, TFC failed to clear a Whitecaps throw-in, with Schopf collecting the ball at the edge of the box, driving to the line and crossing a high ball for Fafa Picault to head in at the far post.
Whitecaps score twice more in second half
Brian White won the ball inside the Caps half in the 81st minute, chipping it out towards the centre circle for a sprinting Ryan Gauld to run onto still inside his own half. With more than half a pitch to run, it looked like the TFC defenders would chase him down. But the Scotsman managed to slot the ball passed Johnson as he entered the box, 3-0 to the Caps.
Eight minutes later Ryan Raposo’s corner kick was aimed strait at Ranko Veselinovic at the near side of the six-yard box. Veselinovic’s chip off the inside of his right boot looked more hopeful than directed. But the ball sailed over the crowded box to go in-off the opposite post.
Whitecaps move up to first in west
When asked about his club being top of the MLS western conference Sartini joked, “It’s beautiful. I was actually thinking about quitting my job and resigning so I can say that we were first when I was there.”
“Because now we are no longer just the nice Canadian kids. We are now the team that is at the top, and everyone is probably going to look at us in a different outlook.
“So what we will do is enjoy tonight, enjoy tomorrow and then from Monday night, Tuesday morning we are going to start thinking about the Galaxy. Because its going to be extremely hard and we’ll to keep playing well.”
Vancouver Whitecaps FC next host L.Aa Galaxy on Saturday, April 13. And Toronto FC play away to Charlotte the same day.
