Home MLS Vancouver Whitecaps Camilo’s amazing brace puts shine on disappointing draw for Whitecaps

Camilo’s amazing brace puts shine on disappointing draw for Whitecaps

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A Camilo brace wasn’t enough for the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday, as they drew 2-2 with the Portland Timbers at BC Place.

The game’s most frantic moments occurred during a four-minute spell around the 75th minute, as Donovan Ricketts stopped Kekuta Manneh from close range before denying Camilo seconds later.

Camilo would score though a minute later, picking the bottom left corner of Ricketts’ goal from a dead ball 30 yards out to bring the score level at 1-1 and cancel out Darlington Nagbe’s 41st-minute opener.

Will Johnson fired the visitors ahead in the 77th minute, hitting a shot into the bottom left corner of David Ousted’s goal after a neat cutback from Nagbe on the right side of the area.

Ricketts stood tall again with two saves in stoppage time, pushing a zipping Lee Young-Pyo effort over the bar before leaping to his right moments later in a separate attempt from Darren Mattocks.

“If I was sitting in the stands I think I would be going home a very happy fan, but unfortunately for us their ‘keeper makes two world-class saves,” captain Jay DeMerit told reporters following the match. “They should be making a statue of Donovan Ricketts in Portland right now, because he’s definitely kept them in it, which is disappointing for us, because that was a game where we should have taken three points.”

This result means the Whitecaps, with three matches left to play are now six points back of the fifth and final Western Conference playoff spot occupied by the Colorado Rapids, who sit on 48 points.

If Vancouver is to make the playoffs, they likely must win every game — something head coach Martin Rennie believes is possible.

The Whitecaps play the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday at CenturyLink Field before wrapping up with an away game in Colorado before hosting the Rapids in their final game of the season.

“Playing like that, it can be done,” Rennie insisted. “What a threat we were, with Mattocks, Camilo, Kekuta and at times with Daigo [Kobayashi], what a threat. I think if we get those kind of players on the field and if we get Russell [Teibert] probably doing what he was doing a little bit earlier in the game, then we have a fantastic chance to do that.

“It’s obviously a big ask, but we want to make sure now we focus on Wednesday.”

For the second straight week, designated player Kenny Miller was unavailable for selection due to an abductor problem. That meant a start for Mattocks up front alongside Camilo.

The speedy 23-year-old put in one of his more lively performances of late and, following the match, said he would contact the Jamaica Football Federation to inquire about the possibility of sticking around for Wednesday’s match against the Sounders rather than linking up with his country for the Sept. 11 match against the United States.

“I’m contemplating about it to be honest,” Mattocks said. “It’s 50/50 if I go or stay, especially the way I played tonight. There’s still a very good chance we can get a result in Seattle and then two games against Colorado.

“I’m going to contact the Jamaica Football Federation tonight and see what they think.”

When asked to clarify those comments, Mattocks seemed a little less assertive.

“There’s a chance,” Mattocks said. “But I mean it could go either way. I’m not saying I’m staying but I’m not saying I’m leaving.”

Following this result, the Whitecaps now hold a record of 11-11-9.

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2 Comments

  1. wfan

    October 7, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    Seattle will crush us….rennie is an idiot….he will be fired.

  2. cwell

    October 7, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    Forget Kobayashi; the Caps needed Koffie. Was he out injured? Is he likely to be available Wednesday?

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