VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC returned to training Tuesday at UBC after earning a dramatic 1-0 road win over Orlando City SC.
Here are some news and notes from the day.
HOME SWEET HOME
It’s been a long two weeks for Whitecaps FC.
After trips to Chicago and Orlando (over 14,000 kilometres of travel), which included a missed flight and impromptu night in Dallas, the ‘Caps are finally back home.
“It was like trains, planes, and automobiles getting there on Thursday and Friday,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. “Everything that you could possibly imagine going wrong did go wrong.”
But it was all worth it in the end.
After back-to-back road wins, the ‘Caps are excited to be back in Vancouver for three straight home matches, starting Saturday against Cascadia rival Portland Timbers.
“We’re excited to play in front of our fans,” Whitecaps FC defender Steven Beitashour told reporters. “We have a great fan base over here and we want to play in front of them and kind of redeem ourselves from the first game. We felt like we really let them down. We were so excited to play that first game. Things didn’t go our way, but that happens sometimes. We just have to bounce back.”
NEVER SAY DIE
Although the last two games were quite different in terms of the team’s performance, they ended the same way: with a late winning goal.
So what does that say about the team?
“It’s a little bit of everything,” said Whitecaps FC defender Jordan Harvey. “I think our training staff will take as much credit as possible to keep us fit and on the field. Not many people cramped and it was in a humid environment. A little resilience – I mean, the guys out there work so hard. It’s a mentally tough team.”
It’s also a team that has an in-form striker. Octavio Rivero, whose stoppage-time winner against Orlando is up for MLS Goal of the Week, now has three goals in his first three MLS matches.
“We’ve got a player who scores a goal, who’s had a cramp the last five minutes, but he has a desire to get on the end of a cross,” Robinson said. “It doesn’t happen overnight, but that shows the character he’s building each week.”
TEAM TRADITION
Speaking of Rivero, he was presented the match ball from the Toronto FC match (when he scored his first goal) prior to training on Tuesday. And we caught it on camera!
Team tradition. See what @OctavioRivero29 had to say after being presented with this keepsake. #VWFCpic.twitter.com/KOmfxsQ1bq
— Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC) March 24, 2015
FLORES’ FIRST SESSION
There was a new face on the field on Tuesday as Honduran midfielder Deybi Flores joined the first team for his first training session. Whitecaps FC acquired the 18-year-old on a one-year loan with a transfer option from Honduran side Club Deportivo Motagua last month.
“He’s all action,” Robinson said. “Even Matí Laba commented today … he tackles exactly like Matí. And he does. He’s young, he’s got a smile on his face, and it’s great to get him here.”
So what are Robinson’s plans for the young central midfielder this season?
“I think he’ll be flipping between [the first team and WFC2],” Robinson said. “He’s part of the senior roster. There will be a chance for him to come in at some stage with the ACC games, Champions League games and things like that. He’s played in a top league, he’s played in big games, and he won’t be afraid of it as he showed today.”
INJURY UPDATES
Robinson provided a few updates today on the status of Sam Adekugbe (bruised ribs), who did some light work with strength and conditioning coach Jon Poli, and Mauro Rosales (ankle sprain).
On Adekugbe, Robinson said: “He’s okay. He’s had two scans on his ribs and I don’t think there’s a big problem there. Just a very heavy knock … we’ll take it day by day but he probably won’t be joining training until Friday at the earliest if he’s lucky.”
And on Rosales:
“He’s getting better. He’s still not going to be available for Saturday. It’s still a bit too early … it might still be a period of time.”
TEST OF DEPTH
There’s been a lot of talk about the team’s improved depth this year. And that depth will be put to the test this weekend with so many absences.
In addition to the aforementioned injuries, Russell Teibert, Darren Mattocks, Christian Dean are all away on international duty and won’t be available against the Timbers.
“We’re down to the bare bones,” Robinson said. “The majority of the squad will be used this weekend.”
PK COMPETITION
The ‘Caps ended Tuesday’s session with a fun penalty kick competition – culminating with goalkeepers David Ousted and Paolo Tornaghi taking to the spot, as you can see below.
Not bad at all!
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