Report and Reaction: Whitecaps head back to top of the MLS West after record-extending Cascadia Cup win in Seattle

(Photo Courtesy @WhitecapsFC/X.com)

Second half goals from Rayan Elloumi and Thomas Müller saw Vancouver Whitecaps reclaim top spot in the MLS Western Conference and lift a record-extending ninth Cascadia Cup, with a controlled 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field on Sunday evening.

In a match between two teams struggling to find form, goals, and wins at the moment, it was a game that lacked a lot of quality in the early stages, but the Whitecaps slowly started to find their groove and turn the screw to come away with their first league win since returning from the World Cup break last month.

With three games in seven days, ‘Caps coach Jesper Sorensen sprang a couple of surprises with his starting line-up, with Ryan Gauld and Tristan Blackmon both beginning the game on the bench. With Brian White still out with a hamstring injury, Emmanuel Sabbi led the line for the ‘Caps.

That was to last just 18 minutes, before Jeevan Badwal was forced to make way for a concussion substitution after hitting his head heavily on the ground following a collision with Nouhou. Sabbi moved out to the right wing, with Elloumi coming on up front.

The goalmouth action was proving to be few and far between, with the Sounders having the first shot on goal of the game on the half hour mark, when Albert Rusnák forced a save out of Yohei Takaoka at his near post before drilling the rebound wide.

Seattle almost capitalised on some sloppy defensive play by Vancouver a minute later, but Snyder Brunell shot into the side netting after being played in.

That was to be as good as it got for the home side, who then lost another key player to injury when Jesus Ferreira was forced off with a hamstring.

The Whitecaps were moving the ball around well, but creating no goal threat, although the chances finally started to come for them as the half ticked down.

Oliver Larraz had a long range effort that was deflected for a corner in the 39th minute. Müller got on the resultant corner, but his deft strike was cleared off the Sounders line by Paul Rothrock.

Larraz whizzed a shot narrowly over two minutes before the break, in what was to prove to be the last real action of a disappointing first half for both teams.

The Whitecaps controlled the second half play, and slowly wore the Sounders down, preventing Seattle from registering a single shot on target at home in a derby.

Even with that, the chances weren’t coming for the ‘Caps but that all changed in the 77th minute when Sabbi chipped the ball forward for Elloumi to run on to and the teenager composed himself superbly to fire past Andrew Thomas for the breakthrough.

It was a well worked goal for the ‘Caps, helped by Nouhou playing so deep to allow it to happen.

For Elloumi, hopefully this will be the moment he needs to spark his season. The 18-year-old has struggled this year and hasn’t been able to catch a break in the box. This goal was his first one in the league this year and showed the finish that we know is in there.

If that goal was a tough one on Nouhou, Vancouver’s second was even worse for him.

As Gauld tried to get onto the ball, the Sounders defender tried to get Thomas to come out of his box to clear the ball, as opposed to doing just that himself. In the end, hesitation saw Nouhou play a short passback to the Sounders keeper and the ‘Caps had themselves an indirect free kick which Larraz knocked inside for Müller to curl a low one in off the post and it was 2-0 Vancouver.

A few half chances for the ‘Caps saw the game come to an end and a huge three points heading back up the I5.

After a tough run of results since returning to MLS play, this will hopefully steady the Whitecaps ship ahead of the injury returns of the likes of White and Bruno Caicedo and the new additions made this window.

Next up is a top-of-the-table clash with an in-form Houston Dynamo side at BC Place on Wednesday evening. Houston have lost just two of their last 13 MLS matches and have now recorded four straight clean sheet victories. I don’t expect them to suddenly become a team that takes the game to the ‘Caps so this is likely another match where Vancouver will have to be patient and try and break down a frustrating backline.

If they can get back-to-back victories though, the ‘Caps will be looking pretty good heading into the next stage of the season.

FINAL SCORE: Seattle Sounders 0 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps

ATT: 30,026

SEATTLE: 26.Andrew Thomas; 85.Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (20.Kim Kee-Hee 73’), 16.Alex Roldan (84.Charlie Gaffney 85’), 25.Jackson Ragen, 5.Nouhou; 45.Peter Kingston, 37.Snyder Brunell (35.Antino Lopez 58’); 9.Jesús Ferreira (90.Sebastian Gomez 36’), 11.Albert Rusnák, 14.Paul Rothrock; 19.Danny Musovski (95.Osaze De Rosario 73’) [Substitutes not used: 24.Stefan Frei, 4.Ryan Sailor, 32.Xavi Gnaulati, 39.Stuart Hawkins]

VANCOUVER: 1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo, 2.Mathías Laborda, 6.Ralph Priso (33.Tristan Blackmon 66’), 28.Tate Johnson; 8.Oliver Larraz, 20.Andrés Cubas; 59.Jeevan Badwal (19.Rayan Elloumi 18’), 13.Thomas Müller ©, 7.Cheikh Sabaly (25.Ryan Gauld 58’); 11.Emmanuel Sabbi (41.Nikola Djordjevic 87’) [Substitutes not used: 32.Isaac Boehmer, 3.Sam Adekugbe, 26.J.C. Ngando, 29.Mihail Gherasimencov, 97.Liam Mackenzie]

SCORING SUMMARY:
77’ – VAN – Rayan Elloumi (Emmanuel Sabbi)
82’ – VAN – Thomas Müller (Oliver Larraz)

STATS:
Possession: SEA 44.2% – VAN 55.8%
Shots: SEA 4 – VAN 16
Shots on Goal: SEA 0 – VAN 4
Saves: SEA 2 – VAN 0
Fouls: SEA 16 – VAN 11
Offsides: SEA 2 – VAN 2
Corners: SEA 1 – VAN 8

CAUTIONS:
57’ – SEA – Jackson Ragen
76’ – SEA – Nouhou
86’ – SEA – Paul Rothrock

REACTION:

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

HEAD COACH JESPER SØRENSEN

On the overall performance:

“It was a hectic beginning of the game, I think neither of the teams really gained control over the game to begin with. It was back and forth, a lot of technical errors and mistakes and the game didn’t really settle. It was a lot of pace, but it was more physical than technical. Then I think we got a good grip of the game, after 25 minutes, we started playing with more quality on the ball. We had better positions in our build-up which also gave us the opportunity to play a little bit longer attacks. That I think was tough on them. Then in the second half I think that we were dominating and controlling the game. We finally had the break, and even though we had not won in a while, we still had the courage to go forward and play forward and not start to defend something. I was happy to see that.”

On the defensive performance:

“We didn’t give much away even though we were standing high. They wanted to see if they could go play under us a couple of times, and I think that our fullbacks had very good control on the one-v-one situations. We were good in the defence, we were pushing forward, yet having control of the back space. I think that was very good. Hopefully that’s something that we can bring on. We know that we are going to play up against a team Wednesday that normally sits a little bit lower on the pitch, so it’s very important that we can have the control over the rest defence and the attacking balance. We still need better flow in our offence, but it will come.”

On Rayan Elloumi scoring his first goal in MLS play this season:

“It was important for Rayan, it was important for us. He has not really had that break that we expected and hoped for, and the same for him. He is a young player who has already experienced a lot, but that also puts some extra pressure, and he puts a little extra pressure on himself. We see him every day in training and we have confidence that this is a big talent, but of course it’s been tough for him. As a striker, you are always measured on your goals, and they have not really come on the flow as we had hoped for. But now he got the goal, and I would say given a chance like that and to put it in the back of the net with that quality and confidence, I was very happy to see.

FORWARD RAYAN ELLOUMI

On the pressure of not scoring:

“I feel like everyone knows that this has kind of been a frustrating year, especially for me. I’ve always been the type of player to have such high expectations of myself. Every striker has been through some type of drought, or period, and you can put a lot of stress on yourself. Especially as a young guy, that’s the trap I fell into, I put a lot of stress on myself. I feel like I have a lot of great support, not only from my teammates, but from family back home, and coaches as well. I’ve called some coaches back in Edmonton, and they’ve given me advice for hours. That was an emotional feeling finally getting that goal, god knows how much I’ve wanted that, and how much I’ve been waiting for that. So that’s a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

On the goal:

“It happened so fast in the moment, but I remember Sabbi getting it on the wing, and there was so much space so I told him to start dribbling inside and I was in the middle and kind of rolled out, and we created a two-v-one with the right centre back, then the pass from Sabbi was brilliant. He chipped it over him and I just took my time and picked out my corner.”