Whitecaps U-23 Defeat SeaWolves

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Friday, July 6, 2012

BURNABY, B.C. -- Playing in their third-last match of the Premier Development League (PDL) season, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 defeated Northwest Division rivals the North Sound SeaWolves FC 4-0 at Swanguard Stadium.

"We had to get the win tonight and we pushed hard from the opening whistle," said residency head coach Craig Dalrymple. "We set a good tempo to the game and pressed them as high as we could. We created a lot of opportunities and went two up in the first half and then we came out in the second half with two quick goals in five minutes and put the game to bed."

It was a perfect evening for soccer in Burnaby without a cloud in the sky and a strong turnout of devoted fans on hand for the Friday night match. The play was equally as unobstructed with some quick back and forth between the rival sides. But the 'Caps (6-5-3) clearly appeared the dominant of the two teams, dictating the quick pace of the match and keeping the SeaWolves (4-10-0) on their heels throughout. Despite a smattering of attempts on the counter-attack, the 'Caps would help goalkeeper Nolan Wirth earn a shutout in his first match for the U-23 team of the season. Wirth, who typically plays with Whitecaps FC's U-16 team, was stepping in for 'Caps goalkeepers Callum Irving and Lucas Menz as they prepare for the U-18 playoffs in just over a week's time.

Whitecaps striker Coulton Jackson would get on the scoreboard first in the 33rd minute, easily tapping in the ball after a headed ball by James Farenhorst from the top of the six-yard box.

The 'Caps would continue to turn the screws, scoring a second time only 11 minutes later when Gagan Dosanjh played a perfectly weighted through-ball directly into the path of a streaking Kartar Hundal, who cooly slotted his shot past North Sound goalkeeper Andrew Wildfong. Hundal's blazing speed would continue to cause problems throughout as the SeaWolves struggled to contain him on the right flank.

Whitecaps FC would serve up more of the same in the second half. Carlos Marquez performed a spectacular bicycle kick which the SeaWolves keeper made an equally spectacular save on but spilled it right into the path of Jackson, who tapped it in to earn himself a brace.

The Blue & White would finally put the match well out of reach for North Sound only moments later when Bobby Jhutty struck a piledriver into the top-left corner of the net from a good 25 yards out.

With the 'Caps firing on all cylinders it was an impressive performance indeed which can only help their run at a playoff position. "The boys are hungry enough to want to win out the season," said Dalrymple, "and I think they've got a good chance to do it."

The 'Caps remain on home turf for both of their remaining two matches, beginning with another clash this Sunday at noon against the Victoria Highlanders FC at Minoru Oval Park in Richmond, B.C. Following that the U-23 'Caps wrap up their PDL campaign against Fraser Valley Mariners FC at Swanguard Stadium on Wednesday night in their final match of the season.