In a time where anyone with an internet connection can spew forth an opinion on their favourite team onto social media or a blog, what can one more game preview really add to the discussion? Instead, Pucked in the Head takes you on a trip into the future! Here, complete with highlights, is a recap of this coming Saturday’s game, as it will most assuredly happen. (Probably. OK, possibly. Alright, fine, it’s hardly likely at all.)
Martin Rennie left his squad nearly unchanged as Vancouver went into Houston, trying to do what no team has yet done: defeat the Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium. Kenny Miller, away on international duty with Scotland, was replaced by Camilo, with Alain Rochat wearing the captain’s arm band. Houston was forced into making several changes to their roster with Will Bruin out injured and Brad Davis, Boniek Garcia and Jermaine Taylor all away with their respective countries.
The Dynamo dominated the early going, and were quickly rewarded in the 8th minute after some horrific set piece defending by the Whitecaps. After a fantastic Cannon save prevented an Andy O’Brien own goal on a deflected cross, O’Brien failed to clear the ball out of play. Instead, it landed back on the foot of Alex Dixon, who had just whipped the cross in. Brad Rusin, sprinting out to defend, committed a foul just inches outside the Vancouver area. On the resulting free kick, nobody in white picked up Adam Moffat making a late run into the box. The free kick was laid off to him, and he made no mistake, firing into the top left corner past a diving Cannon.
The teams would trade chances for the remainder of the half. Omar Cummings put a wide open shot from point blank range just past the far post, while Daigo Kobayashi, played in by a superb Gershon Koffie through ball, beat Tally Hall but not the wood work on the short side. Vancouver showed signs of the great build-up play we saw in their first two games, but the defence looked uncharacteristically sloppy against a Dynamo side lacking four starters.
The second half started off in infuriating fashion for Caps fans, as Vancouver spent almost the entirety of the first 10 minutes in the Houston end. With the Dynamo bunkered, Vancouver passed the ball at will near the top of the 18, yet so focused were they on the buildup play that not one Vancouver player attempted a shot at goal. Finally, in the 65th minute, the Caps broke through. Y.P. Lee played Gershon Koffie down the right flank. Koffie tried to get in on goal, but had to circle back. He played a nice little give-and-go with Kobayashi, then crossed the ball through the legs of Bobby Boswell for Camilo to tap in.
Shabby defending would catch up with the Caps again just a couple of minutes later. This time, Brad Rusin was unable to deal with a cross effectively. The ball looped off his head to Ricardo Clark right in front of goal. Clark was defended, but managed to get a header on target. Joe Cannon should have been able to deal with it easily, but it snuck past him on the left putting Houston up 2-1.
Needing an equalizer, Martin Rennie decided to give rookie Kekuta Manneh a run out, pulling Camilo off in the 83rd minute. Manneh would be a non-factor though, as the Caps would end the second half the way they started it, dribbling and passing around the outside of the area, and not taking shots that presented themselves.
Full credit to Houston for keeping Vancouver to the outside when they were pressing, but the Caps will surely feel they left points on the table tonight. Though Joe Cannon made a couple of fine saves, the Clark winner will likely impel Rennie to give Brad Knighton his chance to start next week when Vancouver visits Chivas USA.
Man of the Match: Adam Moffat
Houston (4-4-2 Diamond)
Hall; Ashe, Brunner, Boswell, Sarkodie; Moffat, Driver, Dixon, Clark; Barnes, Cummings. 4-4-2 Diamond
Subs: Deric, Camargo, Carr, Weaver, Creavalle, Ching, Arena.
Vancouver (4-3-3)
Cannon; Rochat, Rusin, O’Brien, Lee; Koffie, Davidson, Reo-Coker; Camilo, Mattocks, Kobayashi.
Subs: Knighton, Leveron, Hurtado, Harvey, Manneh, Teibert, Salgado.
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