Vancouver Whitecaps are the real deal

Well that was better.

Let’s not pretend that Real Espana are the greatest team in the world, but the Whitecaps have lost to worse teams than that in the past.

The first half was fine but, in the second, as the Hondurans wilted the Whitecaps finally found the ability to punish a team when they were there to be punished.

It’s hard to imagine that even the Whitecaps can blow a 5-0 lead in the second leg.

Random thoughts on a few players.

Give Gauld players running in front of him and he will find them with a pass.

Raposo did more than enough to win back the left back role for Saturday’s game.

Blackmon may not be the most reliable defender at all times but he’s by far the best man to bring the ball out of the back and offer Vancouver the opportunity to disrupt the shape of an opponent.

Cordova did not look like a DP forward in this game. All lumbering runs and bad first touches.

This was Dajome’s best game for about a season and a half and probably the first game in that length of time that he’s genuinely looked like he wanted the ball. Let’s hope that continues.

New midfielder J.C. Ngando wasn’t given much time to show his worth but he has a likeable swagger of arrogance about him when he’s on the ball.

One swallow does not make a summer and one win does not make a season.

But the Whitecaps have shown they can create and finish chances. Now they need to do that on a regular basis.

Time for the Soccer Shorts player ratings!

Takaoka-5.5, Laborda-5.5, Raposo-6.5, Veselinovic-5.5, Blackmon-6, Cubas-6, Gressel-6, Gauld-6.5, Dajome-6.5*, Vite-5, Cordova-3