VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC returned to training on Tuesday after playing to a scoreless draw with Chivas USA on the weekend. And there was one word in particular that coaches, players, and reporters alike were using to describe the session: “intense.”
Not only was the session longer than usual – about two and a half hours in total – it also included some spirited scrimmages and hard tackles. According to fullback Steven Beitashour, it was “game-like” – a sentiment echoed by goalkeeper David Ousted.
“It was nice to see the fire in the eyes and the will out there,” said Ousted, who’s tied for the league lead with seven clean sheets. “That’s what we need Monday to Friday and that’s what we need on the weekend.”
“Today was just about getting right back to work, doing the little things right, focusing on details, getting back to basics, and putting the hard work in,” added Canadian midfielder Russell Teibert, who wore the captain’s armband for Whitecaps FC on the weekend.
After putting an impressive performance against Chivas USA, Teibert will be looking to hold onto his place in the starting lineup this weekend. If that’s the case, you can bet he’ll be up for the challenge.
“These games are among the best to play in,” said Teibert, who scored his first two professional goals in a 3-1 win over LA last season. “You touch on Portland, you touch on Seattle, and for me I like playing against LA. It’s always nice going out and playing against the best and trying to beat the best. We certainly have a lot of great players and they certainly have a lot of great players. It’s going to be an exciting match and I just can’t wait for the weekend.”
News and notes
- Chilean midfielder Pedro Morales, who was relegated to a substitute’s role against Chivas USA due to a tight hamstring, trained in full on Tuesday.
- On the other hand, fellow midfielder Gershon Koffie (ankle) didn’t participate in the session. Head coach Carl Robinson said the Ghanaian’s status will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. “I was hoping for him to be fit against Chivas and then he wasn’t. And I didn’t want to take a risk. He’s done a bit of work today and we’ll see how he is tomorrow.”
- Omar Salgado fielded questions from media on Tuesday about the way he left pitch when subbed off on Saturday, something he referred to as a mistake. “It was never against Robbo,” Salgado told reporters. “I’m just an emotional person. I like to bring out the passion to the field. Sometimes I get a little frustrated and I don’t direct it in the right way. It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come out that way. I apologized to the team and I was sorry.”
- In response to a question about potentially acquiring a player via trade before Major League Soccer’s September 15 roster freeze, Robinson said: “The amount of conversations you have about trades is phenomenal. You probably talk about 10 to 12 different players a week. And maybe once gets done every month. It’s a chess game with managers and GMs, it really is. Will we look to do it within the league? Yes. Maybe. There are certain players that I do like. But if I have to give up one of my core pieces and I don’t think it’s worthwhile, then I won’t do it. It’s not just about the short term, it’s about the medium and long term as well.”
It’s not too late to participate in the best sporting experience in Vancouver. Whitecaps FC offer a flexible range of ticket products, including prorated season tickets, 5-packs, student season tickets, and a youth soccer half-season ticket. Single-match tickets start at $22, subject to applicable fees. For more information on all Whitecaps FC ticket options, call 604.669.9283 ext. 2 or visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
