For the Vancouver Whitecaps, Saturday’s 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire didn’t seem a match they were obviously going to win, and that this simply wasn’t going to be their night.
Whether that meant the match was going to end a draw or even with a late heartbreak defeat, after a certain amount of chances went begging, three points just didn’t seem likely.
But then, with just minutes left in regulation, Designated Player Octavio Rivero earned his fat paycheque with the game’s only goal after Steven Beitashour coolly set him up, when many other players would have elected to take the more selfish option.
Here’s a look at three positives and negatives from the Whitecaps’ first road match of the season.
Immediate Rivero impact
With the signing of a new top forward, hope is always the first feeling from fans. And with that hope comes the expectation for immediate results. Given Major League Soccer specifically labels star players making the big bucks as Designated Players, it only adds to the immense pressure to find the back of the net, and do so almost immediately upon arrival.
So to see Rivero off to a strong start with goals in the side’s opening two matches is an instant boost and a relief for the coaching staff and for the club. Once again the Uruguayan put together a strong performance. Yes, he had opportunities to score beyond his goal which he could have taken, but when it mattered he delivered. Beyond the goal, his hold up play was strong, he continues to make intelligent runs, he showed he was more than just a finisher with some clever passing, and displayed a bit more in the way of dribbling prowess than he did on his debut.
Early road win
Wins away from home are notoriously difficult to come by in MLS, and the Whitecaps, like many sides, struggle in this department. To tick off a road win this early in the season will do much to lift spirits in the locker room after a dismal second-half collapse to start the campaign.
Beyond simply claiming the victory, though, there’s still a feeling that there’s more left in the tank for the Whitecaps. This wasn’t a scraped out defeat—the team missed many chances, and if Carl Robinson’s side can become more clinical, Vancouver can become a real force in the Western Conference.
The kid can play
Sam Adekugbe made his first start at left fullback in a situation when starter Jordan Harvey was available to play. That’s a big step up for the 20-year-old Canadian, who some observers feel has the quality to eventually beat out Harvey for the starting role.
It wasn’t a perfect game for the Whitecaps academy product, but it was a comfortable one. He was active and involved, and pushed forward to join the attack when appropriate. There was one instance in the first half where he grabbed on to an opponent’s shirt, perhaps fortunate not to pick up a card. But while he showed perhaps a bit of naivete on that play, he made up for it with an instinctual challenge on Eric Gehrig in the second half which any fan of the defensive side of the game will relish.
In a word, Adekugbe is dynamic in a way that Harvey never will be. But he is still raw and it will be interesting to see if Robinson goes back to the veteran or sticks with the youngster for next week’s match vs Orlando City.
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Wasteful Morales
Once again, Pedro Morales failed to play a decisive role for the Whitecaps. After a fairly ineffective showing against Toronto FC in the season opener, here the Chilean squandered two excellent first-half opportunities which made this victory harder to come by.
Morales is supposedly the creative heartbeat of this team, but a few clever touches and a nice pass or two don’t comprise a strong enough return on investment. He needs to deliver in the final third.
Manneh not on the money
The Whitecaps weren’t punished for it, but once again Kekuta Manneh got himself into excellent positions only to squander opportunities. The Gambian is just 20 years old and shouldn’t be relied on to carry the team or held to the same standard as Morales or Rivero. But he does have an immense amount of raw talent and needs to find a way to do more than just look dangerous. He needs to be dangerous.
Rosales injured
Mauro Rosales is a calming force on this Whitecaps squad, and his composure in possession is very helpful for Robinson as he tries to instill that mentality of keeping the ball at all costs in his side.
So word that he could be out for weeks with an ankle injury suffered in this match is a blow. But even in this negative the side could see a positive. Nicolas Mezquida was excellent off the bench to replace the Argentine and seems to have an understanding with Rivero.
Martin MacMahon is a Vancouver-based writer. Follow him on Twitter