Report Card: Running Rampant in the City of Roses

Having their win streak snapped against Minnesota last week, the Whitecaps’ prospects weren’t looking too good coming into a match against one of the most in form teams in the league. In a testament to the resilience of this team, the Whitecaps were able to grab a point on the road with some stellar displays. Who were the standout performers? Read ahead to find out:

Lucas Cavallini: 5.5

A typical Cavallini performance, there were tackles galore from the Canadian striker. He got away with some dubious ones in the first half, and eventually he did get a yellow card. His production in front of net was much the same, with a strong opening to the game that petered out near the end of his time on the field.

Brian White: 6.5

This was a good White performance, with the opposite effect of Cavallini. He was very quiet at the start of the game but grew until he got the opportunity to slot home that Van Persie- like header. After that, you could see that he wanted more, and it’s unfortunate that he wasn’t able to do so.

Ryan Gauld: 6.0

Gauld bolstered the attack and helped link the midfield to the two strikers. His passes were often key to the attacks which the Whitecaps embarked on and just showed consistency. His performances have gotten better ever since a certain Paraguayan landed in Vancouver.

Ryan Raposo:6.0

Raposo continues to do his job week in and week out. Not just that, but he’s managing to do it well. His numbers this season, while not astronomical, have now began to reflect the effort that he has put in during the season. He looks secure in his spot on the team and is very good at drawing fouls from opposing players. An assist ensured that he would match his record from his time in MLS previous to this year, and with goals to boot, Raposo’s been a nice surprise.

Cristian Dajome: 5.5

Dajome was up and down this game. I found that his game was better when he played down the middle, picking up balls that were crossed in from the wings. You can feel Dajome wants to score goals, it’s evident from his dribbles towards the box and his overthinking when in front of the net. His defensive game suffered quite a bit, and was exploited by Portland’s impressive attack. It’ll be good to have Gressel fill in the position Dajome was playing as not only will he cover defensively but he’ll be able to feed balls into the Colombian.

Andres Cubas: 6.0

Mentioned before, Cubas was a force in midfield. Good passing, good tackles, and a good hustle on the field really drove in the point that he was sorely missed last game. It was an overall positive display from the Paraguayan, with not much to elaborate on from a well-rounded performance.

Russell Teibert: 5.0

Rusty didn’t really impact the game positively or negatively. He did have a highlight in the first half where his shoe ripped open, but for the rest of the game he was just there. Cubas makes the gulf in quality quite apparent.

Tristan Blackmon: 4.0

Tristan Blackmon had a decent game. At least until he conceded a penalty that he really shouldn’t have committed. Yes, the Whitecaps defense was collapsing near the end of the game, but there was still a feeling that maybe the Whitecaps could have smashed and grabbed three points if they continued to hold on. Alas, a penalty was given and conceded and the Whitecaps had to settle for a draw.

Ranko Veselinovic: 6.0

Veselinovic was in the middle ground for defender performance. He played well but didn’t stand out too much. His positioning left something to be desired but somehow they managed and the Whitecaps were able to leave the game with no goals conceded in open play.

Jake Nerwinski 6.0

Nerwinski grew into the game better than he has done in a long time. Did a pretty good job to get central and blocked certain dangerous shots. He was often last man back and was able to put out fires effectively. It was a performance for him to be proud of during a crucial away game.

Isaac Boehmer: 7.0

What is it with Whitecap keepers and debuts? First MLS start and nearly a dream start for the Okanagan Falls native. He showed confidence in both his abilities and that of his defenders, parrying multiple shots and making some stops expected of players with twice his experience. It was a David and Goliath match against Portland’s attack, but the young keeper stood his ground, and although the match ended 1-1 he can hold his head high.

Michael Baldisimo: 5.5

Baldisimo was a positive impact on the game but he also made a lot of mistakes in his passing that led to Portland attacks threatening the Whitecaps back line.

Marcus Godinho: 6.0

Probably the highlight of the substitutes, Godinho did well to get wide and cross balls in, allowing for Dajome to become more effective. He played exactly what the Whitecaps are hoping to get from their new German signing, Gressel, so it was like a small taste of what is to come. If he can continue like this, he could turn to be a reliable backup to the new ‘Cap.

Tossaint Ricketts: 5.5

Ricketts is always a nice card to have in the back pocket against opposing teams, and although he didn’t really do much, he did contribute to the attack with his runs.

Javain Brown: 5.5

Javain played well into the system, defending well and putting crosses in as he was tasked to. He blocked some shots and all around played positive with the limited time he was on the field.

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