Whitecaps Wonderland in Oregon: Portland vs Whitecaps match analysis as LAFC await
I don’t think anyone had that on their bingo cards. With the Whitecaps going into the match on a seven match winless streak, having lost their hosting duties due to a scheduling conflict and running on fumes, it looked all set-up for a pitiful end to the season. Well it was anything but, since the ‘Caps came away 5-0 winners against Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers on Wednesday, in what is arguably the biggest performance in Whitecaps MLS history in the league.
Praise Be to the Scottish Connection
Whitecaps fans got a glimpse of Stuart Armstrong playing alongside fellow Dundee United alum Ryan Gauld when the former scored his first goal for the ‘Caps against San Jose in mid-September. Armstrong came in with much fanfare as the former Celtic and Southampton midfielder has plenty of experience and quality earned throughout his career, and given the fans love for a certain Scottish club captain. But it took a while for the experienced Scot to acclimate to the team, being left to integrate with just a few substitute appearances.
After a few weeks of little to nothing from Armstrong, people began to question his signing, especially given the sour run that the team were on and his lack of substantial playing time. But that all changed on Wednesday night. Armstrong got himself a goal and two assists against the Timbers, including a deft chip pass to Gauld that allowed him to lob James Pantemis, and his own bullet header that put them four goals to the good. But it wasn’t just the goals and assists that made Armstrong’s match as special as it was. It was also his link up play with the attack and fellow midfielders. His quick passing with Gauld and Pedro Vite allowed the ‘Caps to break through lines quickly and put the pressure on the Timbers’ back-line. It was the quality that fans and pundits alike had been waiting for to help a Whitecaps side that had been struggling to break teams down in the past. Hopefully now, that will be one less problem with Armstrong on hand.
Yet for Armstrong, despite his stellar performance, he was upstaged by his Scottish counterpart in Ryan Gauld, who had the game of his life with a hattrick and an assist on the night. There are few words that haven’t already been used to describe the quality, skill, and talent that is Ryan Gauld. The captain took the team on his back and scored a trio of goals that were all distinct but impressive nonetheless. His poaching was on display in the first, his killer instinct in the second, and his sheer class exemplified on the third. It was a hat trick that any player would be proud with, but for Gauld, it was always just about the result.
LAFC is next for the Whitecaps in the Best-of-3 Round, and they will likely need to rely on some more of that Scottish magic to get past their recent rivals and reach heights that they have yet to reach under Vanni Sartini – a Conference Semi-Final.
Selection Gamble Paid Off for the Whitecaps
Vanni Sartini made a big call by going quite attacking from the start, with Armstrong, Gauld, Brian White, and Fafa Picault all starting for the ‘Caps. But it turned into a masterstroke, as all four players had goal involvements in this rout. Between the two Scots, they got an astonishing seven goal involvements, with Gauld getting four and Armstrong getting three. Meanwhile, Picault grabbed an assist as he curled in that wonderful cross for Armstrong to head home with a bullet, whilst White was in the right place to tap home the second after Mathias Laborda drilled it towards him in the box.
The Uruguayan did very well on that assist, turning his defender inside out before setting up White for the goal, but it reflected his game overall. Laborda has had an up-and-down season to say the least, with a lack of consistency plaguing his form across the last few months. But tonight, the defender looked much better, helping keep that clean sheet for the team and even chipping in on the goals with that assist. Nevertheless, Ranko Veselinovic, and Tristan Blackmon’s performances have to be addressed as well, as they really held it down for the Whitecaps. Between the two defenders, they had 12 clearances, four interceptions, and three recoveries, meaning that, barring a few scary Evander chances from outside the box, Portland really didn’t have much else to show for the match.
Special shout-outs have to be given to some of the most underrated players on the night in Sam Adekugbe, Pedro Vite, and Andres Cubas. Adekugbe was a menace down that left side, providing a lot of threat out wide and exposing the Timbers’ defence whenever Juan Mosquera was caught out of position. Vite, meanwhile, did his job dutifully, being that balance point between an attacking Armstrong and a more defensive Cubas. The Ecuadorian was excellent in keeping the ‘Caps in the Timbers’ half by showing himself as an option whenever the team needed him, and forcing Portland back by some good forward passes. And lastly, Cubas finally looked like the Cubas that fans had come to love earlier this season, consistently hounding the Timbers’ players in midfield and frustrating the likes of Evander and Felipe Mora in those central channels.
Overall, it was a near-perfect performance amplified by one of the worst performances for the Portland Timbers. The question now is if Sartini will employ the same forward-thinking lineup against LAFC, or if he will look to field a more measured side given the opposition’s quality that we have come to know so well.