Report and Reaction: Whitecaps can’t replicate five-start performance in scoreless draw in Austin

(Photo Credit: Austin FC)

The last time Vancouver Whitecaps played Austin it was a 5-1 demolition at BC Place last month, with Brian White scoring four and he could easily have had more. The ‘Caps were rampant and Austin looked a shambles.

Fast forward five weeks and it was a whole different ball game down in Texas. Tough weather conditions and a grueling schedule in that subsequent period undoubtedly played their part, but it was a lethargic and an uncharacteristically sloppy Vancouver side on Saturday night and they’ll maybe feel slightly fortunate to head home from the Lone Star state with a point, after Austin looked the better side and created the better chances in a disappointing 0-0 draw.

Jesper Sorensen made two changes from the team that came back to draw with LAFC on Sunday, with Ali Ahmed and Emmanuel Sabbi getting handed starts after their substitutions last weekend brought added spark to the ‘Caps.

It was a hot and humid night in Texas, with temperatures 32 degrees at kick off, and Austin came out looking to make a statement of intent after their 5-1 dismantling a couple of weeks ago at BC Place.

Osman Bukari was looking lively and the home side’s biggest threat and he saw a shot three minutes in deflected into the side netting. Owen Wolff sent in the subsequent corner, which was met by Brendan Hines-Ike, but his goalbound header hit off Edier Ocampo for a second corner that came to nothing.

Brandon Vasquez had a great chance to open the scoring for Austin in the 17th minute when a low free kick deflected into his path, but a poor first touch saw him waste the opportunity.

Bukari had another chance in the 29th minute, but his header was tipped over by Yohei Takaoka.

Vancouver seemed a little lethargic at times in the heat and were struggling to get any sort of attack going, with too many of their key players seemingly having an off day all at the same time.

Vasquez had a free header from a corner two minutes before half time, but he could only direct it straight at Takaoka.

Just as the half looked to be coming to an uneventful close, Bukari got onto a long through ball in stoppage time, raced in on goal, rounded Takaoka, and tucked it away, only to see the flag go up for offside and the teams headed in level and scoreless.

Not a classic would be a kind way to describe that first 45 minutes. A far cry from their last meeting, and arguably the Whitecaps worst half of the season so far in terms of being an attacking threat.

Sorensen tried to freshen things up at the half, subbing off both fullbacks and bring in Matias Laborda and Sam Adekugbe, who desperately need game minutes after injuries ahead of next month’s Champions Cup final.

Austin continued to boss the game, however, and Besard Sabovic saw a shot from the edge of the box tipped over by Takaoka after sloppy defensive play by the ‘Caps just three minutes after the restart.

The sloppy play continued, with the Whitecaps turning the ball over more than we’ve seen all season and they were unable to get their possession controlling game going for large chunks of the match until the latter stages. But neither team were creating much and there was no goalmouth action of note.

Vancouver had their first shot on target in the 73rd minute, when White connected with a corner but his header was easily held by Brad Stuver. Sebastian Berhalter had a shot held two minutes later, but that was to be as good as it got for the ‘Caps.

Austin inexplicably waited until the 81st minute to freshen things up and they had the last chance of note two minutes later, saving another Bukari effort, but that was to be that and the game fizzled out to a disappointing scoreless stalemate.

The ‘Caps will be happy to keep their unbeaten road record intact and they’re now on an eight-game unbeaten run across all competitions. Takaoka record his sixth clean sheet in the league this year, and his eighth overall, and some key players got important minutes and looked fresh.

That’s the positives. The disappointing aspect was the lack of chances created against a team they took apart just over a month ago. How much the heat and conditions played into that, we won’t know, but let’s just hope that as the team return back to two-games-a-week action, they can get their mojo back as well.

They still sit three points clear at the top of the Western Conference with a game in hand, and considering everything they’ve been through in the last month, they’ve earned the odd off day. At least they took a point from it.

FINAL SCORE: Austin FC 0 – 0 Vancouver Whitecaps

ATT: 20,738

AUSTIN: 1.Brad Stuver; 17.Jon Gallagher, 5.Oleksandr Svatok, 4.Brendan Hines-Ike, 29.Guilherme Biro; 33.Owen Wolff (20.Nicolas Dubersarsky 81’), 6.Ilie Sánchez, 14.Besard Sabovic; 11.Osman Bukari, 9.Brandon Vázquez (7.Jáder Obrian 81’), 10.Myrto Uzuni (19.C.J. Fodrey 90’) [Substitutes not used: 30.Stefan Cleveland, 2.Riley Thomas, 18.Julio Cascante, 21.Diego Rubio, 23.Žan Kolmanič, 32.Micah Burton]

VANCOUVER: 1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo (2.Mathías Laborda 46′), 33.Tristan Blackmon, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 28.Tate Johnson (3.Sam Adekugbe 46′); 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 20.Andrés Cubas, 45.Pedro Vite (13.Ralph Priso 66’); 11.Emmanuel Sabbi (7.Jayden Nelson 66’), 24.Brian White, 22.Ali Ahmed [Substitutes not used: 32.Isaac Boehmer, 12.Belal Halbouni, 19.Damir Kreilach, 27.Giuseppe Bovalina, 59.Jeevan Badwal]

SCORING SUMMARY:

None

STATS:
Possession: ATX 46.9% – VAN 53.1%
Shots: ATX 16 – VAN 5
Shots on Goal: ATX 5 – VAN 2
Saves: ATX 2 – VAN 5
Fouls: ATX 16 – VAN 12
Offsides: ATX 1 – VAN 2
Corners: ATX 10 – VAN 2

CARDS (ALL YELLOW):
39’ – VAN – Édier Ocampo
39’ – ATX – Guilherme Biro
68’ – ATX – Ilie Sánchez
76’ – ATX – Owen Wolff

REACTION:

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

JESPER SORENSEN

On the performance:

“Our worst performance this season, no doubt about that. Played without quality on the ball, the technical quality was too low. I think that our opponents really came at us. We made some horrible mistakes on the way up with the ball, which turned into a transition and pushed us downwards. I don’t even have count on how many corner kicks they got. They got a lot and they got behind us and they attacked the back space. We had to really fight and we struggled all game long. It was difficult, but we managed to get a result and the point, but I was not happy with the performance.”

On Takaoka’s performance:

“It hasn’t been accustomed [for us] that we’ve had to rely on him to get a point. But the last couple of games, he had big saves, especially late in the games so I think it’s been great, he’s very good. He helps us a lot, and he’s in a period where he also becomes like a match-winning action, even though we didn’t win the game, but it’s like a goal so he’s doing well. He’s great.”

GOALKEEPER YOHEI TAKAOKA

On getting a point on the road:

“It’s a good point for us. Of course, we wanted to get three points. It’s always tough to play against them here, [with the] atmosphere, high temperature, the humidity. We have a lot of things to improve but it’s a good point.”