Preview: Vancouver look to rebound against surging Dallas

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC vs FC DALLAS
BC PLACE, Vancouver, B.C.
April 21, 2012 (WEEK 7, MLS Game #59)
7 p.m. PT (SNET Pac.; KTXA-21)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC play their second home game of the week when FC Dallas come calling to BC Place on Saturday evening. Whitecaps FC have dropped back-to-back games and gone four contests without a win, after their 3-1 midweek loss to Sporting Kansas City. FC Dallas have won back-to-back games in dramatic circumstances, getting two late goals last weekend for a 2-1 home win against Montreal.

REFEREE: Edvin Jurisevic. SAR (bench): Darren Clark; JAR (opposite): Mike Rottersman; 4th: Paul Ward
MLS Career: 41 games; FC/gm: 22.1; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 4; pens: 5

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INJURY REPORT:

• VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC - OUT: FW Darren Mattocks (R shoulder burn); DF Alain Rochat (L knee sprain); GK Brian Sylvestre (R knee surgery); DOUBTFUL: FW Etienne Barbara (groin strain); MF Michael Nanchoff (L heel contusion)
• FC DALLAS - OUT: MF David Ferreira (R foot surgery); MF Ricardo Villar (R foot strain); MF Andrew Wiedeman (sports hernia repair); QUESTIONABLE: MF Andrew Jacobson (R hamstring strain); DF Hernan Pertuz (R foot strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS:

SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none

SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: VAN: Eric Hassli

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME (2 meetings): Whitecaps FC 0 wins, 1 goal ... FC Dallas 2 wins, 4 goals ... Ties 0

AT VANCOUVER (1 meeting): Whitecaps FC 0 wins, 1 goal ... FC Dallas 1 win, 2 goals ... Ties 0

RETURN MATCHES: 8/15: Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. FC Dallas, 7 p.m. PT; 9/15: FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7:30 p.m. CT

LAST YEAR (MLS):

4/23: VAN 1, DAL 2 (Rochat 25 - John 53; Avila 83)
10/15: DAL 2, VAN 0 (Chavez 35; Shea 54)

• FC Dallas won both meetings last year in Whitecaps FC's inaugural season, including a 2-1 win April 23 at Empire Field.
• Coaches record: Martin Rennie vs. DAL: first game ... Schellas Hyndman vs. VAN: P2 W2 L0 D0

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

Vancouver Whitecaps FC went down to a second consecutive defeat at midweek, falling 3-1 to Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday evening at BC Place. Whitecaps FC are in seventh place in the Western Conference with 8 points from 6 games.

HIGHLIGHTS: 'Caps can't hold back Kansas City
LAST MATCH

• Sporting took the lead 24 minutes into the game. KC had maintained possession following a corner, and Graham Zusi's cross found Collin, who headed back to Roger Espinoza. The Honduran international's shot ricocheted off a defender and back into Collin's path who poked the ball across the line from close range.
• Kansas City doubled the lead in the 51st minute. Whitecaps FC center back Martin Bonjour, while defending a Matt Besler throw-in, attempted to direct the ball back to goalkeeper Joe Cannon while being pressured by Collin -- only to chest the ball into the corner of the goal.
• Fourteen minutes later Kei Kamara sealed the victory for Sporting, finishing a cross from Chance Myers. Kamara started the play by passing the ball out wide to Myers, and the fullback returned the favor for Kamara to flick home at the near post.
• The home side got a goal back in the 80th minute. A Camilo shot came back off the bar and rebounded to Sebastien Le Toux to head in from close range, as Sporting 'keeper Jimmy Nielsen was just unable to keep it from crossing the line.
• Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie made one change to the team that fell 3-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium. Atiba Harris came into the midfield in place of Jun Marques Davidson.
• VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - Lee Young-Pyo, Jay DeMerit, Martin Bonjour (Long Tan 87), Jordan Harvey - Atiba Harris (Omar Salgado 79), Gershon Koffie, John Thorrington (Camilo 60), Davide Chiumiento - Sebastien Le Toux, Eric Hassli.

TEAM NEWS

After starting the season without allowing a goal in 426 minutes, Whitecaps FC have now conceded six goals in the last 114 minutes.

"It wasn't a lack of effort or desire but there were a lot of technical breakdowns where it cost us goals, both for us and against us, so it's disappointing from that perspective," said Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie. "Over the course of a season you're going to have games like that but the most important thing for us is to see how much character we have in our team and you're only going to find that out when you have disappointing results."

Player Profile: Camilo Sanvezzo

Both of Sporting's first two goals began with set-piece opportunities. In the three goals allowed to San Jose, one came as a result of a free kick chance.

"From my perspective it was more how those set pieces came. I think we gave them [up] a little too easy. Both balls were long balls that were desperate, that they just put to the corner and next thing you know the balls in the back of the net," goalkeeper Joe Cannon said.

Whitecaps FC had a season-high 19 attempts at goal and put seven of those on target, also a season-high. Coming into the match, Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen had been forced into seven saves total in six games.

Camilo came in off the substitutes' bench for the final half-hour for his longest shift since starting the first three matches of the season as he recovers from a quadriceps injury.

"We just didn't want to have him get reinjured. You could see tonight that he brought a spark and created chances with his play," said Rennie.

2011 No. 1 overall pick Omar Salgado made his first appearance of the season, coming in for the final 11 minutes on the left side of midfield.

"It's frustrating, but we have the guys to turn this around," Cannon said. "We've got a big game Saturday [against FC Dallas]. Maybe the layoff [during the bye week] was a little bit long for us and we were a little hungover, but now we know what we have to do, and everyone's looking for a response."

FC DALLAS

FC Dallas once again came back for a dramatic victory, this time scoring twice for a 2-1 win against the Montreal Impact at FC Dallas Stadium. FCD is tied for third place in the Western Conference with 10 points from 6 matches.

HIGHLIGHTS: Dallas completes the comeback vs. Impact
LAST MATCH

• Montreal broke through just after the hour mark, when Davy Arnaud was fouled in the box by FC Dallas defender Zach Loyd. Bernardo Corradi converted on the penalty kick attempt and gave the Impact the lead.
• FC Dallas pulled even though in the 77th minute. A free kick from the left flank was headed onto the bar with a looping header from George John, and Blas Perez was first to the rebound, nodding it into the goal from close range.
• Brek Shea then gave FC Dallas another late winner when he latched onto a Perez header flicked over the top and cut through a pair of Impact defenders in the area before driving a shot past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.
• FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made one change to the team that claimed a 1-0 win against the New England Revolution at FC Dallas Stadium. Daniel Hernandez came into the midfield for Ricardo Villar.
• FC DALLAS (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Hernan Pertuz (Bobby Warshaw 46), George John, Ugo Ihemelu, Zach Loyd - Carlos Rodriguez, Andrew Jacobson (Bruno Guarda 46), Daniel Hernandez, Brek Shea - Fabian Castillo (Matt Hedges 91+), Blas Perez.

TEAM NEWS

FC Dallas have won two games in a row, both thanks to late game-winners. "Tonight really just showed the fight and heart of this team. We went down a goal in the second half, despite going against the wind," said FCD midfielder Daniel Hernandez. "We played a better second half than the first. The most important thing is that we are finding ways to win. I was really proud of the guys for showing a lot of heart."

Already missing Ricardo Villar with a foot injury suffered in the New England match, Hyndman was forced into another change at halftime when Andrew Jacobson took a knock.

That change was further complicated when Hern·n Pertuz was also unable to return after the halftime break.

Match Preview: Whitecaps vs. Dallas

"We picked up two injuries in the first half with Andrew Jacobson and Hernan Pertuz. It forced us to make some changes," Hyndman said. "As it turned out, Bobby Warshaw came in and Bruno Guarda came in. Pertuz got kicked on the sideline and was unable to go. When we brought him up there, the foot was swollen. He couldn't go. Andrew took a few hits, and the back of his leg was bothering him."

The substitutions also brought a tactical change, with Hyndman putting Blas Perez as a lone striker up top and setting out Brek Shea and Fabian Castillo to attack from wide positions.

"The game changed for us in positive ways because we started controlling the midfield a little bit better," Hyndman said. "Again, excellent goals. When you put balls in the box, good things happen. George [John] had a great header that gave us a chance to get the rebound, which Blas did to make it 1-1. ... These guys want to push, so we kept going and created more opportunities. Fabian [Castillo] had a great chance. He missed it, but what a wonderful ball he wound up giving to Brek [Shea] for the game-winner."

For Perez, his goal was his third of the season. He also now has three assists, recording an assist on the Shea's game-winner, his first since getting two in the opening game win vs. New York. "Whenever I score a goal, it benefits the team," Perez said. "I'm doing well so far, but there is still more work that we can do to understand each other better and to have better chemistry."

Said Hyndman: "Think what the team would've been like if he would have been with us last year. We worked awfully hard to try to get him, and finally, it worked out. What you see is a very intelligent player. He's giving good balls off. He holds the ball very well. He's strong in the air, and he's got an unbelievable work ethic. When you get all of those qualities together, he's a pretty special player."

On Wednesday, Hyndman confirmed Jacobson and Villar will not make the trip to Vancouver. "You may have players sometime say my leg doesn't feel 100 percent and they're looking not to play. Villar's the opposite. I'm ready to go even if he's 40 percent injured, I can help because he wants to play, because he has such a passion to play," Hyndman to ESPNDallas.com. "So I think on this one, we've got to slow it down a little bit because this could be a serious injury."