Soccer: Set Pieces See Sporting Top Whitecaps 3-1 in BC Place

Sporting Kansas City recorded their seventh win in seven games and inflicted a second straight defeat on the Caps in a one-sided affair in Vancouver last night. Al Dannity breaks down a frustrating night for the home side in BC Place.

All about Aurelien
Sporting’s French talisman Aurelien Collin was a big factor in this win. Collin scored the first of Sporting’s goals on 24 minutes, finishing off a move that began with a corner for the visitors. He was in top form again shortly after the break. Collin put enough pressure on Vancouver’s Martin Bonjour to make the defender turn Matt Besler’s throw into the Whitecaps’ goal. Besler is a unique weapon for Sporting, with throw-in power comparable to Rory Delap of the English Premier League’s Stoke City. Besler can get the ball into position in the box to turn possession into serious opportunities to score.

Impressive start for Sporting
Kei Kamara put a cap on the win with Sporting’s third goal on 65 minutes as the MLS leaders finally found their shooting boots. Efficient defense has been at the heart of Sporting’s record start to the 2012 campaign. You don’t get to the top of the ladder without scoring some goals but Kansas City’s most impressive facet has been at the back. With just two goals against in seven games, one of those coming in garbage time last night, SKC is already playing the type of soccer that will make them difficult to beat in the post-season. Goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen hasn’t been forced to exert himself much this season although he pulled off some impressive saves in the second half of Wednesday night’s game.

Whitecaps should stay positive
Having started with two wins and two draws, it’s easy for Vancouver fans to start worrying after dropping two straight. It’s still early days in the MLS season and there’s plenty to be positive about. Just think about the crisis in Toronto, a more established club at this level that has lost all five games in 2012. The expansion Montreal Impact is going through the growing pains one would expect from a newcomer to the big leagues. That leaves the Whitecaps as the undisputed kings of Canadian soccer in the early part of the season. Clawing back some of the ground on their American counterparts won’t be easy, especially in the more competitive Western Conference. The Caps have however shown the kind of competitive streak necessary to hang around for the long haul. This season has only truly just begun.

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