That was wild.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC scored a combined seven goals in a pair of preseason fixtures over the weekend, defeating USL expansion side Las Vegas Lights FC 3-2 on Saturday in Vegas before playing to a 4-4 draw with MLS newcomers Los Angeles Football Club on Sunday at UCLA.
Here are three things that stood out to me from the weekend.
DAVIES SCORES A WORLDY
The kid’s got wheels.
On Saturday night, Alphonso Davies made headlines with a magnificent run that started in Vancouver’s own box and saw him blow by no fewer than three Las Vegas Lights FC players en route to his first goal of the preseason.
He also did things like this.
The 17-year-old Canadian has consistently been one of Vancouver’s most dangerous players throughout the preseason. Saturday was just the latest example.
BLONDELL, REYNA BUILDING CHEMISTRY
If there’s one ‘Caps player Anthony Blondell can relate to, it’s probably Yordy Reyna.
Both are attacking-minded South Americans who joined Whitecaps FC at the age of 23. They took slightly different paths to get to this point – Reyna spent some time in Europe in addition to playing in his native Peru, while Blondell has spent his entire career in Venezuela to date – but coming to Vancouver was a big move for both of them, personally and professionally.
And, at the time being, they both speak limited English. So they’ve naturally been spending a lot of time together over the last month and have become good friends off the pitch.
It appears they’re building some chemistry on it, too.
Blondell scored two goals and set Reyna up for two others on Sunday against LAFC. Reyna also picked up the assist on Blondell’s first goal with a cross from the left corner. As LAFC.com writer Vince La Rosa put it, “Blondell’s size and strength afforded the smaller Reyna pockets of space in dangerous areas throughout the match.”
“They were both excellent,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. “Obviously they both got two goals each. I think they’re looking for each other in the final third as well. They were arguing over who was trying to get the hat-trick on free kicks and things like that but I want those attacking players to score goals. They certainly have a very good relationship.”
SCORING BY COMMITTEE
Five different players have now scored two goals for Whitecaps FC this preseason: Blondell, Reyna, Kei Kamara, Tim Parker, and Cristian Techera. Davies and Bernie Ibini have Vancouver’s other goals.
On Saturday night in Vegas, Robinson played a front three of Techera, Kamara, and Davies, and each player found the back of the net. Then, on Sunday, the front three of Ibini, Blondell, and Reyna combined for four goals and five assists.
The question of who starts on March 4 just got a little more interesting.
That, however, is a “problem” any coach would like to have. It’s still (very) early days, but it’s hard not to get excited about the forward options Robinson has at his disposal heading into 2018.
