Soccer: Mattocks Makes a Statement for Whitecaps

Jamaican rookie Darren Mattocks scored twice as the Vancouver Whitecaps overcame the Houston Dynamo. Al Dannity looks on an intriguing game and what it means for Vancouver going forward.

It’s good to be back
Darren Mattocks’ start in Major League Soccer (MLS) was delayed by a cooking accident but the Jamaican rookie has still set big targets for 2012. Mattocks said he can score 10 goals for Vancouver in his first MLS season and he looks well on his way after bagging two goals on Sunday to go with his debut goal against Portland.

Mattocks needed just four minutes on Sunday to set the Caps on their way to victory at BC Place. The lightning pace of the 21 year old was obvious as he broke through the Dynamo’s defence to finish from close range. His second goal on 66 minutes was a thing of beauty. Gershon Koffie hit a diagonal ball off the side of his right boot to the on-running Mattocks in space. The Jamaican wasted no time in striking for goal to put the Caps 2-0 in front. Macoumba Kanji gave Houston hope with a goal on 83 minutes but Jordan Harvey made the game safe with Vancouver’s third goal, three minutes from time, as the Caps’ held on to win 3-1.

The story was all Mattocks. After a rough start in his first appearance, missing four chances against Seattle, the fans in Vancouver are starting to see what this young talent is capable of. With his goal off the bench against Portland, Mattocks showed he has what it takes to score at this level. The brace on Sunday ensured a raucous reception from the 18,811 in attendance when Mattocks was substituted by Eric Hassli.

Koffie shines bright
The bulk of the plaudits from Sunday’s game will rightly go to Mattocks but Koffie’s fine performance went far beyond his assist on Vancouver’s second goal. The 20 year old, originally from Ghana, had a hand in Harvey’s goal as well on a day when everything went right for Koffie. His passing was a joy to behold, repeatedly threatening to unlock the Houston defense. Vancouver’s coach Martin Rennie was full of praise for Koffie. “I just thought his overall play was excellent and now what’s important for him and for the whole team is to be consistently good and that’s what we need to keep working on,” Rennie told the Vancouver Sun.

With bright young talents like Koffie and Mattocks on song, the Whitecaps charge for the post-season looks well on track.

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