WFC2 v Real Monarchs – The Story In Pictures
I don’t know what it is about Real Monarchs. but they seem to be proving to be an insurmountable obstacle for WFC2 at home these past two seasons.
It was the Monarchs that ended the ‘Caps 10 game unbeaten streak at the start of the last USL season and they headed to Langley on Sunday in excellent form, striking early to come away with a 2-1 victory and another three points from WFC2.
The young ‘Caps started slowly and were made to pay, quickly being bowled over by a more experienced Monarchs team. Taylor Peay opened the scoring six minutes in when he headed home a corner, and the visitors doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Nick Besler headed home another corner.
It looked like the floodgates may open, with ‘Caps keeper Paolo Tornaghi forced to make a couple of saves, but WFC2 regrouped at the half, made some substitutions and looked a much different team for the second half, dominating play but without that killer instinct in front of goal to get them back into the game.
Terran Campbell grabbed his first professional goal, tucking away a cross from Residency call up Nicolas Apostol 12 minutes from time, but despite pushing hard and creating several good chances, there wasn’t to be a dramatic comeback and Real head back to Utah with all three points.
A season best crowd of 1,131 headed out to McLeod Stadium in Langley on a sweltering afternoon, which was also the first ever ‘Mutts at McLeod’ dogfest. We’ll have separate photos from that aspect of the day later.
AFTN photographer Tom Ewasiuk was there to capture all the action before, during and after the game. Here’s his “Story In Pictures”, with a full Flickr slideshow at the end.
[Also check out Tom’s website www.residualimagephotography.com for more of his photos and work].
If you thought being a mascot was a glamorous job, spare a thought for having to do it for two hours in a hot costume in temperatures of over 100F. Spike survived. But the smell of KFC lingered for a while.
Will Seymore captained the team and there was even a rare Paolo Tornaghi playing enquiry.
You WFC2 starting XI
It didn’t take long for Tornaghi to be tested and he couldn’t get to the ball from a corner, allowing Taylor Peay to head hope the opener six minutes in
And Tornaghi was having a busy first half as the visitors threatened to run riot
But it wasn’t long before it was two, and again it was from a corner, with Nick Besler heading home from Charlie Adams
And things were already looking comfortable for Real Monarchs just 22 minutes into the match
The ‘Caps pushed hard for a goal that would get them back into the game and Thomas Sanner was putting himself about, sliding in on Monarchs keeper Lalo Fernandez
Knocking the ball free
But earning the wrath and a kick in the groin from Real, which went unpunished but the keeper and Sanner got bookings
Gloire Amanda was next to challenge the goalkeeper’s resolve just before the break
Half time came with no further goals, and the ‘Caps needed something drastic to lift them up, up, and away
Sanner kept up his tussle with Fernandez in the second half
Coming off with a sore one as a visiting defender lands on him
But Real were still proving they were dangerous on the counter, and Besler came close to adding his second and finally killing off the match
Vancouver finally found the scoresheet and their groove int he 78th minute, with Terran Campbell tucking away a great cross from Residency call-up Nicolas Apostal to make it 2-1
WFC2 were in urgency mode and chased the equaliser, creating several half chances to tie things up
But no-one could find a second way past Fernandez in the visiting goal.
You can see all of Tom’s photos from the game HERE and in our full Flickr slideshow below:
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