Having dismissed manger Marc Dos Santos after an embarrassing 4 – 3 loss to Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC in the Voyeurs Cup on Thursday, Vancouver Whitecaps FC were gifted with an ideal opponent to help lift their spirits. Real Salt Lake limped into Vancouver minus the services of Andrew Brody, Aaron Herrera, Damir Kreilach, Zac MacMath, David Ochoa, and Bobby Wood. Like Vancouver, they also had a manager with the interim label.
Sensing blood in the water, Vancouver took full advantage. But the match was not nearly as dominant as the score line might suggest, anymore than the 4 – 3 loss was reflective of a close match against Pacific. It wasn't.
The difference is that Salt Lake had no bite. They actually had an advantage in possession, passes, passing accuracy, and duels won. But once they got into the attacking third, they disappeared. Salt Lake only had one corner to Vancouver's ten, yet the shots and shots on goal were much closer.
Salt Lake also gifted Vancouver with an own goal to start the match in the 32nd minute, as Marcelo Silva deflected a corner kick from Ryan Gauld into the back of his own net.
Florian Jungwirth heads home Vancouver’s fourth and final goal against Real Salt Lake.
In the 53rd minute, Vancouver doubled their lead thanks to a Brian White rebound. Ryan Gauld headed a Javain Brown cross in the 64th minute, and Florian Jungwirth made a close range header from another Gauld corner in the 69th minute.
With the match done and dusted, Anderson Julio scored a 90th minute consolation goal for Salt Lake. Many may tout the nine match league unbeaten record, but that's a record that includes 5 draws, and only tonight's match was won by more than a solitary goal.
Still, they have managed to keep two clean sheets during that time, and limited the opposition to one a further five times. So, while it hasn't been exciting football, it will give the 'Caps confidence as they push for a League Cup berth.
Of note, Gauld has managed to score a goal in each of his three matches for the club, Lucas Cavallini's return draws ever nearer, and Jungwirth looked impressive in his first start since joining the club.
Next up for the 'Caps are a pair of home contests against Austin and Portland on the 4th and 10th, before a short trip to Seattle, Denver, and then back at home against Dallas on the 25th.