Tosaint Ricketts roofed a pass from Lucas Cavallini in the 90th minute to give the Caps a dramatic 11th-hour win over Toronto FC at BC Place on Mother’s Day.
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This time, Tosaint Ricketts wasn’t robbed, and he stole the Vancouver Whitecaps a much needed win.
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The veteran striker, who had a game-tying goal ruled offside last game out, roofed a pass from Lucas Cavallini in the 90th minute to give the Caps a dramatic 11th-hour win over Toronto FC at BC Place on Mother’s Day.
His first goal of the year sent Toronto (3-6-2) to its fourth straight loss, while ending the Caps (2-6-1) own three-game skid.
To say this stretch of games is gargantuan in the Caps’ season would be underselling it. Aside from Wednesday’s Canadian Championship game against Valor, the Caps have three league home games, and anything short of six points from them and it feels like you could put pennies on the eyes of their playoff chances.
NEXT GAME
wednesday
Canadian Championship
Valor FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
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7 pm, BC Place, TV: onesoccer.ca, Radio: AM730
The first half was a mostly uninspired performance that one German member of the local media, watching from afar, deemed “Langweilig” and went back to eating bratwurst.
Vancouver had just 41 per cent possession and a pass completion of 79 per cent, but did have the two best scoring chances of the half, both of which forced big saves from Toronto’s Alex Bono.
The game opened up in the second half, and brought the announced crowd of 17,709 in the stadium to their feet when Ricketts’ wounded the winner home.
Here’s what we learned…
HARD LUCK HASAL
Toronto’s best scoring chance in the first half came after Ranko Veselinović was whistled for a handball. Referee Victor Rivas initially missed the call until video referee Malik Badawi alerted him to the infraction.
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Alejandro Pozuelo had been admonishing Hasal for what he’d deemed simulation, and their conversation continued right up until the Toronto designated player took the kick.
Pozuelo’s effort, a weak strike that only a mother could love, was smothered by Hasal to keep the game scoreless.
It looked like Pozuelo had gotten his revenge in the 70th minute, when he banged home a rebound that Hasal had spilled, but Rivas waved it off for an apparent foul. On replay, the decision seemed as offensive as a bad Yo Momma joke.
Hasal left the game with a hand injury, and was replaced by Cody Cropper, who made a game-saving stop on a looping header to the far post just seconds after coming on.
Hasal has had bad luck with injuries, breaking his leg in 2020 and suffering a concussion
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DISCRETION OVER VALUE
It’s a short week for Vancouver, who host Canadian Premier League side Valor FC on Wednesday night in their first Canadian Championship game of the season.
Valor (1-1-2) are currently sixth in the standings, playing to a scoreless tie in their last game out.
That game is as massive as next Saturday’s game against San Jose, who are two points up on Vancouver.
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