As the MLS regular season heads into its final weekend, Vancouver Whitecaps FC now sit one game away from a place in the postseason for the second time in their four-year history in the league.
Much of the 'Caps success this year has been driven by a sound defensive footing, and goalkeeper David Ousted has led the way with a campaign that might just put him in contention for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honours.
With one game left, the Dane is already assured of finishing the season as the league's shutout leader, recording 12 clean sheets so far and helping Vancouver to the fifth-best defensive record in the league.
Also of note, Ousted leads MLS with 27 "saving catches," which are defined as saves the goalkeeper catches without giving up a rebound.
As a high-profile addition to Vancouver's squad last summer, the pressure was on Ousted to perform in his first full season in MLS and he's risen to the challenge.
"It’s always important to keep clean sheets, it’s always important to put up good numbers, and I’m happy with where I am," Ousted told reporters after his latest shutout, Saturday's 0-0 draw with San Jose Earthquakes in Santa Clara, California. "I said at the start of the season I felt really ready for it. I was in good shape, I worked really hard in the offseason coming in and I wanted to prove myself, and I think I did."
“I’m not done yet and we’re not done yet as a team, so hopefully we can continue."
With goals proving more difficult to come by than earlier in the season for Vancouver, the pressure has been on the 'Caps defence to make life a little easier by keeping it tight at the back. They've responded admirably, with three straight clean sheets.
Ousted and his teammates are naturally delighted by the part the back line has played in Vancouver's push for the playoffs, but the 'keeper still believes it's just a matter of when, and not if, Whitecaps FC's attackers can find their goal-scoring form again.
"Definitely we want to produce more and we want to produce chances and goals," Ousted said. "But when we’re not doing that, I’m happy to see defensively that we’re really sound and doing good work. I know the guys up front will produce, they have done. I think you’ll see more chances, and hopefully more goals, on Saturday [against Colorado]."
The form of Ousted this season, in which he has played every minute of every game for Whitecaps FC, has pleased head coach Carl Robinson. Although he was quick to praise the Dane for his great performances, the 'Caps boss was also keen to stress the importance of the rest of the team in that clean-sheet record.
"He's been excellent," Robinson told Vancouver's TSN radio about Ousted's play this year. "He's played very well. He's obviously got a commanding presence for us, but it's not just about him. It's about my back four, it's about my midfield players and forwards"
"We attack from the back, with defenders making angles and making space for midfield players to get it into attacking areas, and we defend from the front. I'm proud of David because he's got the clean sheet record, and that's credit to him, but we're a team. I said to the guys, be proud, because you keep clean sheets as a team.'"
Michael McColl covers Vancouver Whitecaps FC for MLSsoccer.com.
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