The Whitecaps season wasn’t dead when they went into the break in Portland two goals down and playing like they had never seen each other before in their lives, but it was definitely sitting on the couch and wondering if that pain in its left arm was something to really be concerned about.
Turns out it was nothing to be worried about at all because they went on to win the game 3-2.
How did that happen?
Seriously, how did that happen?
It was mainly the introduction of Cristian Dajome for Javain Brown (after Brown played possibly the worst game of his career) because Dajome provided a degree of intent and spark that was badly missing in the first half.
But for those who believe that sport is a mix of Greek tragedy, high farce and some kind of bizarre twist on an allegorical Morality Play it really all changed the moment Lucas Cavallini was replaced by Brian White.
Not because Cavallini was particularly terrible (although he wasn’t great) but because the universe has decided that the Canadian striker must suffer the fate of watching his supposed understudy reap all the glory night after night after night.
The scoring began with a Caicedo run from his own half, was followed by Gaspar (Yes Gaspar!) pulling a seemingly lost ball back to White who (obviously) headed it into the corner and it ended with Dajome slotting home a penalty that he earned for himself.
Not even seven minutes of added time could derail the Whitecaps.
The previous results of the evening had left Vancouver seemingly adrift in the post-season race, but suddenly they find themselves in the playoff places and with more belief than a Ted Lasso episode written by Neil Diamond.
On to San Jose where we have no idea what will happen next.
Time for the Soccer Shorts player ratings!
Crepeau-5, Brown-1, Godinho-4, Jungwirth-5, Nerwinski-4.5, Gutierrez-4.5, Teibert-3.5, Bikel-4.5, Caicedo-5, Gauld-4, Cavallini-3 (White-5, Gaspar-5.5, Dajome-6.5*)
Soccer Shorts (The Director's Cut) 