COMMERCE CITY, CO – Fredy Montero did not receive an assist on Brek Shea’s game-winning goal in Friday’s 1-0 win over Colorado Rapids. And neither did Alphonso Davies.
But it probably doesn’t happen without them.
That’s not to take anything away from Shea, who took a marvelous first touch before finishing with a perfect strike in stride, or Nicolas Mezquida, who alertly picked out Shea on the counter.
They both deserve ample credit, but so do Montero and Davies.
First, let’s look at the immediate build-up to the goal. As you can see below, Davies has himself in position to clear a cross from the right. He’s essentially in line with the back line at that point, which tells you everything you need to know about his defensive awareness.
A little further up the field, Montero applies pressure on Rapids centre back Jared Watts, which forces the turnover leading to the eventual goal. This is Vancouver’s star striker we’re talking about. In the 83rd minute of a game at altitude, he’s still pressing as hard as he was in minute one.
That deserves to be celebrated. And so does the play below.
Less than a minute before the goal, here’s Davies working his tail off defensively to regain possession for the ‘Caps. Full disclosure: they would concede possession again before the goal, but who knows what happens if Davies doesn’t nullify this Rapids attack.
As Carl Robinson so often says, it’s important to defend from the front and attack from the back. Apparently the message was received.
Watch the goal in its entirety below.
.@BrekShea makes a longgg run and slides it home.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 6, 2017
1-0 @WhitecapsFC in the final minutes. #COLvVANhttps://t.co/XPw5IQNiKx
