Our Favorite Whitecap Goals, Saves, and Moments from 2016

With 2016 fast drawing to a close, and many finally coming to the realization we have not been in one, long episode of “Punk’d”, it’s time to reflect on what happened, and recant our favorite memories. Yes, some TV shows have clip-show episodes to fill the holiday season void, and we bloggers have our ‘end of year lists’.

For the Vancouver Whitecaps, despite the fact the team failed to meet high expectation and watched the post-season from the couch, there were still plenty of highlights to sift through to bring you our very favorites. Here are some moments to remember, according to the Eighty Six Forever writing staff.

The Best Goal

Let’s be honest here; No one was going to beat Blas Perez for the best Whitecaps goal of the season. In case you don’t recall, it was a stunning bicycle kick and game winner against the Chicago Fire in May.

So, we focused on our second favorite Whitecap goals.

EdmondK: Christian Bolanos, versus Sporting Kansas City, because it looked good.

After Perez's goal I can't remember many attractive goals. An alternate answer could be, the two goals Barnes scored in the final game against Portland. Not because the goals themselves were special, but because for the first time all season a forward put in an impressive attacking display while supported by creative teammates. I would include those goals in the conversation because they actually give hope of something to look forward to next season. Provided Barnes stays with the team, of course.

CascadianLion: Going with Alphonso Davies and his stoppage time winner versus Sporting Kansas City

AtlantisB: While the long run from Manneh against Philadelphia was impressive, I am going to have to give this one to Techera’s long-range shot against RSL back in July.

Best Save

EdmondK: It has to be David Ousted and his reaction save against the Houston Dynamo.

CascadianLion: Ousted’s Penalty stop versus Jozy Altidore

AtlantisB: With their playoff lives hanging in the balance, Ousted came up with a phenomenal save against the Seattle Sounders

Favorite Moment of the season

CascadianLion: My favorite moment from the season has to be winning, and re-claiming the Cascadia Cup.

EdmondK: All four minutes of extra time during the Voyageurs Cup Final at BC Place, until... I was jumping up and down, yelling gleefully, "We're going to win the cup! We're going to win the cup!" A fan two rows down kept calling out the minutes left to play and the stands around me were on fire with exuberance and anticipation. And then you already know what happened. But up until then, it was gloriously fun.

AtlantisB: I am going to go with watching the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 get all the way to the Western Conference Championship in USL. If you have not watched these guys play yet, I highly recommend it. Even if it is just watching a stream online. They are fun to watch, and this year, more competitive than the senior team.

JonSzekeres: Davies, and his first MLS appearance versus Orlando City FC, or his first start, against the Colorado Rapids. There wasn’t a ton to get excited about this season, but watching Davies start what looks like a very promising professional career was undeniably cool.

Worst Moment of the season

EdmondK: Surprisingly not the goal that lost the team the Voyageur's cup, because even though I left the stadium disappointed, I had fun that night. No, it was watching Hurtado miss chance after chance against the Red Bulls at BC Place. It seemed to encapsulate the season. It was the team's last realistic shot at staying in the playoff race and the game could have been there for the taking had it not been for a complete inability to put the ball in the net. I know I am vilifying Hurtado as a scapegoat for his team's bad season, and that is not fair, but it was so incredibly frustrating to watch him waste so many chances that the team so desperately needed. After that, everything that happened in the regular season became quickly irrelevant.

CascadianLion: Unsurprisingly, surrendering the Voyageurs Cup.

AtlantisB: There seems to be many moments that can be selected for ‘worst’. However, I am going to go with the 2016 Canadian Championship. With the Vancouver Whitecaps LITERALLY seconds away from winning and remaining in the CONCACAF Champions League, always-a-pest Will Johnson ripped out the hearts of Whitecaps fans, AT BC Place, with a great goal.

Finally, a special category: The most egregious red card!

EdmondK: Waston's sliding scissor tackle against Portland's Dairon Asprilla (who happened to be, pretty much, out of bounds).

Waston claimed he didn't hear the whistle, but really Kendall? That was a hot headed move any way you slice it.

JonSzekeres: I’m going with the red card Waston got just a few weeks later, as a member of the Costa Rican National Team. (Can’t find the video, but here’s a description) Remember how he took to twitter after the Portland match, and vowed to do better? Well, I guess Kendall didn’t remember.

AtlantisB: I am going to keep this to those given in-game. With that caveat, there were STILL 8 to choose from. I must award this to Kendall Waston for his end-of-the-match tackle, out of bounds I might add, on Portland Timber’s Asprilla; which included an additional match suspension.

The tackle was bad enough but what was possibly worse was that Waston saw nothing wrong with what he did. It is one thing to make a boneheaded play, which can be forgiven, but then to be so adamant after that you did nothing wrong?