Tag Archives: Camilo Sanvezzo

Articles, Soccer

Camilo out for the season — boo hoo, amirite?

There’s no love lost for Camilo round these parts. The man broke his contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps prior to last season, sparking a year-long search for a decent goal scorer. Sure, the Caps made the playoffs, and did so in dramatic fashion, but they sorely missed the diminutive Brazilian in the striker position.

How Whitecaps fans spent the 2014 season: openly hating the man, but equally desperate to see some consistent goal-scoring. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
How Whitecaps fans spent the 2014 season: openly hating the man, but behind the whatevs we were eager to see some consistent goal-scoring. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The blue and white saw offensive production drop by a full eleven goals without Camilo. In 2013, the Caps were the only teamwith a positive goal differential to miss the post-season; a year later, they were still in the black (thanks to a wonderful improvement on the back end) but had the lowest GD of any playoff team.

Would number 7 have stepped in the way of the LA Galaxy in their quest for a storybook ending to Landon Donovan’s career had he stayed? Unlikely: the Whitecaps may have gotten shut out in both away games versus the Galaxy this season, but they didn’t fare much better last year with Camilo in the lineup. It’s also not his fault that Coach Robbo elected not to offer Kenny Miller a contract extension in favour of giving the young horses in the stable a chance to run.

What if and if only aside, it was that very lack of scoring finish — I’m looking at you, Darren Mattocks — and a bizarre bit of refereeing that ultimately did the Caps in.

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Articles, Soccer

Say It Ain’t So Camilo

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The Whitecaps’ offseason of upheaval continues amid reports the club’s MVP, Camilo, is leaving for greener pastures and paycheques in Mexico. The only problem is, according to the Whitecaps, this isn’t even a possibility considering the Brazilian is still under contract with the team through 2014.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC forward Camilo is the ultimate love-him-or-hate-him kind of player. Whichever side of the fence you're on, you can't deny the game is more interesting with him on the pitch. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the head.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC forward Camilo is the ultimate love-him-or-hate-him kind of player. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, you can’t deny the game is more interesting with him on the pitch. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the head.

Adolfo Rios, chairman of Querétaro FC, contradicted this assertion on January 2nd, telling a website that Camilo’s reps at FootballBrazil had informed him the reigning MLS Golden Boot winner was a free agent.

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Articles, Soccer

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, Portland Timbers 2

If it seems the Whitecaps have been playing must-win games for pretty much the entire 2013 season, it’s only because it’s true. The MLS Western Conference is, to quote Roger Waters, as tight as a funeral drum. Sadly for Vancouver soccer fans, that’s exactly what the Southsiders might as well be beating after the club has taken just six points out of a possible 24 since mid-August.

Sunday’s 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers offered wonderful entertainment — not least of which was Camilo’s world-class scissor kick strike in the 78th minute to draw the homeside even — but leaves Vancouver six points below the playoff bar with just three games remaining in the regular season.

Camilo scored on a spectacular side scissor kick to pull Vancouver Whitecaps FC even with the Portland Timbers in MLS action October 9, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Camilo scored on a spectacular side scissor kick to pull Vancouver Whitecaps FC even with the Portland Timbers in MLS action October 9, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

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Articles, Soccer

Camilo My Dreams

After last week’s historic win over Cascadia rival Seattle Sounders FC, it was a foregone conclusion that Sunday’s afternoon match against the Chicago Fire was going to be somewhat of a letdown. Even those around the team worried about Whitecaps FC perhaps not giving the last-place Fire enough respect. “More nervous than last week,” tweeted team ambassador Carl Valentine through his @CarlTwoOne Twitter account. “The team really needs to focus and we will get the job done.”

Johnny Leveron keeps a close eye on Chris Rolfe, who was unable to capitalize on an early handball missed by officials. Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated Chicago Fire 3-1 on 14 July 2013 on the strength of two goals by Camilo de Sanvezzo. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Johnny Leveron keeps a close eye on Chris Rolfe, who was unable to capitalize on an early handball missed by officials. Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated Chicago Fire 3-1 on 14 July 2013 on the strength of two goals by Camilo de Sanvezzo. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The game on Sunday, then, lived up to expectations, with the Caps sleepwalking through much of the first half. Don’t believe me? Check the highlights below: there’s not a single play shown between kickoff and the 42nd minute. There were a couple of early chances, but they were both for Chicago. A hand ball missed by the officials allowed Fire forward Chris Rolfe a glorious chance in close, but Whitecaps keeper Brad Knighton continued his recent strong play with a goal line stand. In fact, he would throw 92 minutes and 50 seconds of clean sheet at Chicago before they broke the shutout with mere seconds left in stoppage time.

More after the jump.

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Articles, Soccer

Whitecaps Wednesday – Camilo Must Play

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Whitecaps WednesdayIn the two and a half years of the Whitecaps MLS  tenure, there has been no more polarizing player than Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo. Fans of the diminutive Brazilian point to his club-leading goal-scoring numbers, his willingness to get a head on a cross, his penchant for taking on defenders in the box and drawing penalties. His detractors, meanwhile, accuse him of being an unabashed diver, and a selfish player to boot. Deserving penalties those were not, say they, and why doesn’t Camilo ever pass the ball? You can throw me firmly in the former category. I love Camilo, but I also like to have some empirical backup for my opinions.

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