Pissing in someone else’s cornflakes – or how to be unsporting against Sporting

Doesn’t matter if this is your first season as a ‘Caps fan or a seasoned vet since 1974. We all know the ups and downs this team brings, sometimes on a bi-weekly schedule.

Last Saturday’s game at Sporting Kansas City was no exception. If not for a post keeping out Diego Rubio’s penalty, and some brilliance by our new favourite Kiwi Stefan Marinovic, the boys would have boiled to ashes in the cauldron. The possession stats and the scoreline made no sense, but then, few things do at times with this Whitecaps side.

Instead of capitulating, like a ramen haired phoenix rising from the mess that had been Vancouver in Seattle three days previously, Eric E-Money Hurtado pounced on a great long ball by Jordan Harvey, flicking it past Tim Melia and giving us an unexpected lead.

This was followed by more solid defending, missed KC opportunities, and another shot crashing off the woodwork. With bated breath, we watched what we hoped was not only Phonsie’s first MLS goal, but the clincher. Unfortunately, not his best placed shot and the game was still in the balance.

The ‘Caps then proceeded to do what every team in the history of the sport has done when defending a lone goal lead on the road… waste time.

Shocking I know.

What horrible human beings. How not sporting. So began some over the top saltiness from the home fans. Twitter became a laugh fest as KC fans started unravelling and losing the plot.

You get the idea, although Hugh Bolanos had the perfect rebuke for that last tweet.

But leave it to AFTN’s very own Anna Namshirin for a perfect tweet summing up other fans thoughts of KC.

A Yordy Reyna missed break away, red cards to Graham Zusi and Christian Bolanos, and we somehow found ourselves at the final whistle with a 1-0 victory, possession just over 25%, and sitting four points atop of the Western Conference standings. How sweet it is.

Now as I said, if you’ve been here for more than one game you know history, especially in this league, hasn’t been that nice with officiating and games playing out exactly like that against us. So, we can relate and feel some sympathy for KC and their fans. You just have to look at some of the Whitecaps performances over the previous two seasons where they peppered the opposition goal at BC Place and came away empty handed.

But on this particular day last Saturday, I chose smiling while filling their cornflakes. It wasn’t pretty, but who cares? For we’re the top of the West, we locked down a playoff spot, and we’re looking good to at least get a first round playoff bye if not finishing as Western Conference regular season champions.

Enjoy it lads. Way to battle. But do all of the fanbase a collective favour and give us less panic attacks to end the year. Who am I kidding? Same again tomorrow in New York?