WFC2 Top Timbers 2 For Second Straight Win

Talk about an impressive opening to the season for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, the Whitecaps USL affiliate team. Starting the season with two straight road matches, the boys have walked away with all six points after topping the Timbers 2, 3-1 on Saturday.

Spencer Richey got his first start of the season, while Center Back Sem De Wit was the only defender to make his way into the starting 11 for the second time this season. Whitecaps MLS SuperDraft Pick Cole Seiler partnered with him at the position, while Brett Levis and Kadin Chung took the wings. Chung, of course, was fresh off his appearance for the Canadian U-20's, where he scored a goal against England. Will Seymore and Matthew Badlisimo took the defensive midfield in the 4-2-3-1 formation, while 15 year old Alphonso Davies joined Thomas Gardner and Daniel Faber in the attack. Captain Kyle Grieg was the lone man up top. All said and done, Head Coach Alan Koch made five changes from his season opening win.

The majority of the action in this match came in the second half, but Vancouver still had some good scoring chances in the first. In the 4th minute, De Wit launched a deep ball for Davies, but it was cut off by Timbers 2 Goalkeeper Wade Hamilton. However, the keeper had come well out of his net to do that, and wasn't able to cleanly collect the ball. Instead, it found it's way to Grieg, who missed wide with his shot.

Just under a minute later, Grieg would get behind the backline for another good shot, but Hamilton made the save. He would be called into action again just a few moments later, getting a mitt on a close range header that had come off a Vancouver corner.

In the second half, Vancouver opened the scoring thanks to a penalty in the 60th minute. Levis dashed his way into the box, but was tripped up by Marco Farfan of Portland.

Grieg then finished things off with the penalty kick to make it 1-0.

Vancouver kept pushing, and in the 67th minute were able to double their lead. Haber took a nice pass from Levis, then pushed his way into the box before launching his shot into the net.

Haber would strike again in the 76th minute, as took a shot from just outside the box that Hamilton couldn't reach.

The Timbers 2 were able to get one back thanks to a goal from Dylan Damraoui in the 79th minute, but it was far too little, too late, as Vancouver won their second straight to open the season. The boys are back at it on Sunday, when they return home to take on the Sacramento Republic FC.