Vancouver Whitecaps FC are back in training this week while the league is on international break for this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. Their next match comes on Wednesday, July 19 when they face LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center.
Here are some news and notes from the day.
REYNA ON BC PLACE AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT
If you haven’t heard or seen by now, Whitecaps FC attacking midfielder Yordy Reyna stole the show in last week’s thriller against NYCFC. The Peruvian scored a highlight reel goal to steal the victory in front of a sold-out BC Place. Reyna spoke about experiencing the home crowd for the first time.
“I really enjoyed my first game at BC Place, it was nice, it was great to get my first goal, and it helped me a lot with my confidence.”
Sidelined for most of the first half of the season, Reyna has now appeared in back-to-back matches in a substitute capacity. With the second half of the season on the horizon, Reyna wants to continue his smooth transition into the lineup.
“It comes gradually, improving your game. Hopefully I get a few more minutes, a bit more game time. Hopefully from there, as a team, we can compete and fight for a playoff spot.”
NERWINSKI: PRO GAME MUCH FASTER THAN COLLEGE
With a number of matches under his belt, 2017 MLS SuperDraft first round pick Jake Nerwinski can now reflect on his first half-season in the pros. The UConn product says the biggest difference from the NCAA to MLS is the speed of the game.
“Definitely the speed of the game overall, and the training. You have to be ready to train at 100 per cent every day. If you skip a beat, you’re going to be left in the dust. As time has gone on, I’ve started to play smarter, faster, quicker, and that’s really helped my play.”
The proof is in the pudding for Nerwinski, who earned MLS Team of the Week honours after his performance versus NYCFC.
WHITECAPS FC MAKE MOVES OFFICIAL
The MLS summer transfer window is open, and the 'Caps have wasted no time making moves. Earlier today, the club officially announced they are loaning striker Kyle Greig to USL side FC Cincinnati until December 31, 2017. The club also announced they have transferred WFC2 player Sem De Wit to FC Cincinnati.
FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY
Costa Rica and Canada face off in Gold Cup action tonight, so naturally, our resident Costa Rican and Canadian players will entertain fans as they take over our social media accounts. Get your popcorn ready because Christian Bolaños, Kendall Waston, David Edgar, and Brett Levis will man the Whitecaps FC official Instagram and Snapchat feeds. Kickoff goes at 4:30 p.m. PT on TSN1.
