VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC returned to training on Tuesday after a thrilling weekend win over Portland Timbers. The ‘Caps have now won three matches in a row heading into Saturday’s tilt with defending MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy (7 p.m. PT kickoff – limited tickets still available).
Here are some news and notes from training.
IN THE ZONE
Whitecaps FC goalkeeper David Ousted was named to the MLS Team of the Week after an impressive showing on the weekend – a performance that included this MLS Save of the Week candidate.
These types of performances are nothing new to ‘Caps fans. Last year, Ousted led MLS with 13 clean sheets but wasn’t a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year – something he was asked about on Tuesday.
“You always want to get the compliments and get all that but that’s not why I play,” Ousted told reporters. “I felt last year that I had a really good season and that was enough for me. I felt I improved a lot last year and I felt I improved for this season as well. You can always say that you want to get the prizes but I’m glad for what I’m doing now. I’m glad for the team and I’m glad for myself.”
Robinson wasn’t as diplomatic.
“I don’t understand why he didn’t win Goalkeeper of the Year,” Robinson said. “And I think he’s kicked on again. He’s started the season very brightly and he’s in a good frame of mind. You see him in training, he’s excellent. He’s going to win us nine or 10 points this year and hopefully that might be the nine or 10 points that get us to where we want to get to.”
‘HE’S NO JOURNALIST’
Everyone wants to talk to Robert Earnshaw these days – even Pa-Modou Kah.
Kah jumped into Earnshaw’s media scrum after training on Tuesday and asked the veteran striker a few questions. Listen to a portion of their interaction below.
The club announced on Tuesday that first-team goalkeeper Marco Carducci has been loaned to WFC2 ahead of Wednesday's match against Austin Aztex, joining defender Ethen Sampson, midfielder Ben McKendry and striker Caleb Clarke.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi and defender Tim Parker have returned to the MLS side after appearing for WFC2 on Sunday.
Watch Wednesday’s match vs. Austin live on whitecapsfc2.com at 6 p.m. PT.
INTERNATIONAL 'CAPS
After missing the Portland match due to international duty, Darren Mattocks and Russell Teibert are expected back to training on Wednesday.
Mattocks scored a goal in each of Jamaica’s two matches – a 2-1 win over Venezuela and a 3-0 win over Cuba. The Jamaican striker now has five goals in his last six international appearances.
Teibert, meanwhile, appeared as a second-half sub for Canada in a 1-0 win over Guatemala and a 3-0 win over Puerto Rico – the team’s final matches before kicking off their World Cup qualifying campaign against Dominica in June. The Niagara Falls, Ontario native now has 12 caps with the Canadian senior men’s national team.
Christian Dean, who is away with the U.S. U-23 side, is expected back on Thursday.
CAPO IN TRAINING
In case you missed it over the weekend, Robinson jumped into the crowd after Saturday’s win over Portland to join some of the supporters in song.
“If you know me, that’s not in my nature … but it was their day,” Robinson told reporters on Tuesday. “I don’t mind doing it for them because we realize how important they are. It won’t happen too often, believe me. For that occasion, I think it meant a lot to them. I wasn’t dancing too much though.”
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