Vancouver Whitecaps return to the top of the Major League

August 22, 2015 Christopher Vose

Before the first blow of the whistle, athletes like to warm up. They will run and jump and try to simulate match-like situations. For the Whitecaps, this includes leaping up for headers, crossing the ball to their teammates, and other things that you would naturally expect of a professional footballer. But Dallas, they're a funny lot. When they warm up, they like to fling themselves to the ground. At least two of them practiced that today. We're not making any judgements, but it was quite a peculiar sight to behind. We've never seen anything like it before. Perhaps they were curious about the new turf at BC Place and wanted to test it out for themselves. After seeing that, you might expect a Dallas player to be the first one to hit the ground. But that honour was reserved for Cristian Techera.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Rout Salt Lake

August 8, 2015 Christopher Vose

The 'Caps traditionally start well, have a mid-season dip in form, and improve in the final third of the campaign. It's a tradition that they're on course to replicate this year. The key difference being that their highs have been are higher, and their lows are not nearly as pronounced as in seasons past. In the first third, they finished with a 6-2-3 record, good enough for 20 points. In the second, they were 5-1-5, which dropped them down to 16. And in the third, they've already added 6 from two matches. After tonight's victory, they trail only DC United, who they have a game in hand on. They have conceded the fewest goals, and have the best goal difference. They're flying high, though Sporting Kansas City, with all their games in hand, remain a concern.

Kah of Cascadia

August 1, 2015 Christopher Vose

Seattle is not an easy place to play. They're big on the 12th man, here in the Emerald City. You see it on cars, in shop windows, on t-shirts, flags, scarves, and anything else they can get their little hands on. But the Whitecaps needed to get a result. They needed it for the league, where they're mounting a serious Supporters' Shield challenge, and they needed it to keep their search for a record sixth Cascadia Cup alive. It didn't take long for Carl Robinson's men to get on the score sheet. After Dylan Remick brought Cristian Techera down on the edge of the box, Nicolás Mezquida found Kendall Waston. The Tico's header glanced off of Brad Evans' chest, and Pa Modou Kah capitalised on the confusion to put the visitors up one nil. It's a good thing that the majority of the 53,125 wore green, as they weren't looking too good around the gills after that effort.

Whitecaps avalanche buries the Earthquakes

July 26, 2015 Christopher Vose

The San Jose Earthquakes will always hold a special place in the heart of every Vancouverite. They were the Whitecaps very first opponent, way back in 1974. It was a one all win… but before this article gets bogged down in the nuances of the original North American Soccer League, suffice it to say we have a history with the boys from the Bay Area. The less said about regulation stoppage time penalty shootouts and tie-wins, the better. Tonight was the last chance for both sides to get a win in July. Los Angeles (twice), Portland, Houston, Club America, and Manchester United have already defeated San Jose this month in a mixture of league, cup, and friendly encounters. Meanwhile, Vancouver has dropped a pair of results to Colorado and Kansas City, before their ten-men were able to nick a point in the Rose City. With Jordan Harvey unavailable through suspension, Christian Dean bravely stepped into the breach. For some time now, we've extolled the virtues of the young Californian, and he did not disappoint.

Japanese survive a Swiss surge in Group C

June 9, 2015 Christopher Vose

Four years ago, Japan overcame the United States to capture their first Women's World Cup. Today, they began the true defence of their title. And while they did not impress, they were able to get all three points. We don't know yet whether Switzerland raised their game to meet the level of their opponents. We'll have a better idea after Friday's match with Ecuador. But for now, Group C appears to be wide open. Cameroon have the clear goal advantage thanks to their six nil win over Ecuador, but Japan have three points as well, and Switzerland look quite capable of being one of the third place sides to qualify for the knockout phase.

Cameroon's Indomitable Lioness' maul Ecuador's La Tricolour

June 8, 2015 Christopher Vose

On paper, Cameroon v Ecuador looked to have the makings of a compelling affair. Only thirty points, and five positions, separate them in the FIFA World Rankings. But when it comes to the Women's game, the FIFA World Rankings can be left at the door. Points are earned by matches played, and some associations play far more matches than others. Outside of the top ten or so associations, the rankings are meaningless. And that begins to explain how a match between two closely ranked sides can end in a six nil drubbing. Gaelle Enganamouit may only be listed as 171 cm, 5'7" if you like, but against La Tricolour, she looked like a giant. She used her size and strength, clashing with Ecuador's Shirley Berruz from the whistle, and made life miserable for the girls in blue. They weren't about to handle her, and we're not sure that Switzerland or Japan will fare any better. She is a force to be reckoned with.

Draw gives Rabbits a slender advantage heading into the Second Leg

May 13, 2015 Christopher Vose

With a match against defending League Champion Seattle Sounders FC on the weekend, Vancouver Whitecaps FC manager Carl Robinson elected to field a weakened side against visiting division two side FC Edmonton. That decision could come back to haunt him, as the Rabbits hopped out to an early lead thanks to a 4th minute Tomi Ameobi strike.

Caps wish they had skipped Juri Duty in San Jose

April 11, 2015 Christopher Vose

Being a referee is a thankless job. It really is. When you have a great game, nobody mentions you. And when you have a bad game, you're all they can think of. But through all the hardship and the pain, referees occupy a pivotal role. They are the voice of authority, making on-the-fly decisions, charged with enforcing the Laws of the Game. They represent a neutral point of view, and they strive to be anonymous. At least they're supposed to.

Road Work Ahead, Caps and Crew play to a Stand Still

April 8, 2015 Christopher Vose

With four wins through five matches, Vancouver Whitecaps FC stood alone at the top of the table. By comparison, Columbus Crew SC were all the way down in 16th place. But after tonight's two-all draw, nothing much has changed. At least on paper. The Whitecaps found something here tonight. In seasons past, going behind would have meant that the Caps would push up, leave themselves vulnerable to a counterattack, and they would invariably concede the insurance goal. But this squad is different. Whether ahead or behind, they play as a unit, and the play to win. They didn't quite do that tonight, but it was not for lack of trying.

Deadpool says, "welcome to off-topic, Chimichanga"

April 7, 2015 Christopher Vose

According to the official synopsis, Deadpool is "based upon Marvel Comics' most unconventional anti-hero," though we've always subscribed to the thought that he's more of an anti-villain. Anti-heros are heroes with villainous qualities, while anti-villains are the opposite. The synopsis goes on to say that "Deadpool tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool." With a run-on sentence like that, no wonder they call this guy the Merc with the Mouth. "Armed with his new abilities and dark, twisted sense of humour, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life."

Whitecaps banish LA's fear factor to a Galaxy, far, far away

April 4, 2015 Christopher Vose

The Los Angeles Galaxy are winners. They are the class of the Major League. They have five Anschutz Cups, four league Championships, two U.S. Open Cups, and a Champions' Cup to grace their cabinet. But that's the past. In the here and now, Vancouver are the class of the league.

Tales from the Training Ground

April 1, 2015 Christopher Vose

Nine points from four matches should be enough to put a smile on almost anyone's face, but Vancouver Whitecaps FC aren't just any club. They know they could have led Toronto FC by two goals at halftime on Opening Day. They know they left it late against Chicago Fire SC, Orlando City SC, and most recently, the Portland Timbers. And they've made mistakes, but they are the kind that can be corrected. Vancouver has left a lot of goals on the pitch, and if they can bury just a few more of them, then they will be challenging on all fronts.

Caps Continue their Winning Ways

March 28, 2015 Christopher Vose

Cascadia Cup matches are events. There is nothing quite like them. The energy in the building is electric. The passion is palpable. To someone who's never experienced a Cascadia Cup match, the best analogy we can give you is that it feels like a playoff atmosphere, but these roots run so much deeper. The experience is far more pronounced. It's tribalism at its finest. You want to win every game, but you enjoy it more when it comes against a rival.

Caps record famous victory amid off-field concerns

March 21, 2015 Christopher Vose

Octavio Rivero has caused problems for defenders from Toronto, Chicago, and now we can add Orlando to the list. Early in the match, he used his speed to outpace Seb Hines, but the City man gave him a nudge, which proved enough to send Rivero tumbling. No penalty was given, but then neither was Rivero booked for simulation, as he found himself last week against the Fire.

Clash of Clans: Mackenzie v Simon Fraser

March 20, 2015 Christopher Vose

Alan Koch returned to his old stomping ground when his new charges, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, took to Fox Field against his old charges, the Simon Fraser Clan. Koch's seven seasons with the Clan was an unmitigated success, winning several conference titles and making the Semi-Finals in two of the three years that the Clan were eligible for postseason play.

Citizens and Crew impress on Matchday Two

March 16, 2015 Christopher Vose

It may sound as simple and straightforward as a thought can be, but when the ball is in play, you must treat it as such. Many players forget this simple truth. But Orlando City's Pedro Ribeiro proved its wisdom on Friday night when he pressured Houston's Tyler Deric into conceding a 74th minute winner.

Windy City Win marred by Mauro's malady

March 14, 2015 Christopher Vose

When you have a balanced schedule, every club plays every other club at home and away. The Major League doesn't have a balanced schedule anymore, they did away with that after the 2011 campaign. The league doesn't even alternate the imbalance, and that's how we've found ourselves in a situation where in three of the last four seasons, Vancouver Whitecaps FC's only match against Chicago Fire SC has taken place in the Windy City.

G-Man are in for a rough time against the Royals

March 13, 2015 Christopher Vose

Eight games. It's been eight long games since the Giants got in the win column. And of the eight, only one of them has been by a single goal. If the G-Men want to have any hope of making the playoffs, they're going to have to wake up, and do it in a hurry. Claude Noël's done his part. He called a time out early in the first period.

Vancouver facing a giant climb up the table

March 10, 2015 Christopher Vose

As Vancouver's hopes of a last-minute berth in the Chynoweth Cup continue to fade, we begin to reflect on the positives of this year's edition. The Giants can look forward to another high draft pick in 2015. Tyler Benson, Alec Baer, Brennan Menell, and Jakob Stukel will all be another year older, and hopefully ready to take on added responsibility. And of course, the year is almost over.

A lot of fun, but few surprises, in the Matchday One Fixtures

March 9, 2015 Christopher Vose

This time last week, we didn't know if we'd get to see the Major League celebrate its 20th season and welcome two new clubs, or if we were in for a protracted labour dispute with the Player's Union. Fortunately for us, cooler heads prevailed and the league was able to sign a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Players' Union. And while the league seems to be the happier of the two sides, the deal is only for five years, so in 2020, we can all look forward to what Sir Alex Ferguson might call squeaky bum time.

CHRISTOPHeR VOSE

Mynor Campos

Tyler Green