VANCOUVER, BC – Pedro Morales stole the headlines on Saturday, and rightfully so, after leading Vancouver Whitecaps FC to an entertaining 2-1 comeback win over Real Salt Lake.
After Real Salt Lake took a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute, the Chilean equalized from the penalty spot five minutes later before scoring a late winner.
As illustrated below, several different players actually contributed to that all-important goal, which sealed the three points for Vancouver and moved them back into a playoff position.
First and foremost, we’re probably not talking about Morales’ winner if it wasn’t for an alert play by David Ousted and last-ditch block by Steven Beitashour just two minutes prior.
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<b>Ousted and Beitashour combine to save a goal </b> |
In the 76th minute, RSL striker Sebastian Jaime got behind the ‘Caps back line and looked to be in clear. Without hesitation, Ousted came about 30 yards off his line and did very well to block Jaime’s path to goal without using his hands.
Then, with Ousted out of position, Beitashour thwarted Jaime’s rebound attempt with a sliding block, which drew a big embrace from the Danish keeper.
After an unsuccessful corner, RSL regained possession in their own half but a relentless Matias Laba, who won 10 of 13 duels on the night, hunted down Ned Grabavoy and forced a Salt Lake throw-in at the halfway line.
That’s when Kekuta Manneh was subbed in and the Gambian made an immediate impact. Literally seconds after stepping onto the pitch, Manneh and Russell Teibert, who was all over the park, forced a turnover and moved the ball up field to Darren Mattocks.
<a href="/sites/vancouver/files/passingsequence.png" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://vancouver-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/passingsequence.png" style="width: 275px; height: 206px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin: 0px; float: right;"></a> |
<b>Passing sequence leading up to Morales' winner</b> |
Mattocks then switched it over to Nicolas Mezquida, but the Uruguayan’s attempted pass to Morales was picked off by Kyle Beckerman. Fortunately, Laba was Johnny-on-the-spot once again.
The Argentine midfielder, who had forced the RSL throw-in moments earlier, jumped into the play to recover the ball for Whitecaps FC. And the rest is history.
After a few short passes, the ball eventually reached Manneh on the left and the Gambian made a nice run into the box before sending in a low cross. And guess who got on the other end of it?
That would be Beitashour, who had helped save a goal just two minutes earlier. With Beitashour approaching, Mezquida alertly jumped out of the way before the fullback hit a side-footed effort towards the goal.
Finally, Morales directed it into the back of the net to give Vancouver the all-important go-ahead marker. At the time of the goal, there were six Whitecaps FC players in and around the RSL 18-yard box.
Now that’s what you call a team goal.
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