Issue #30 - Decision Day Is Upon Us
Recounting Whitecaps FC's thrilling comeback, celebrating first MLS goals, and calling for goal line tech!
Hello!
If you’re reading this “tonight,” MLS Decision Day is tomorrow. If you’re reading this “tomorrow,” MLS Decision Day is tonight. And if you’re reading this “the-day-after-tomorrow-or-beyond,” how did the Whitecaps FC do?
It’s taken a spell or two to find the time to sit down and put this together, and in complete honesty, my memory of the match this weekend past is a little fuzzy… but… that ending?! Ain’t no way I’ll ever forget that.
The View
Long-time readers know that the newsletter got an official start when my father-in-law told me to sign him up. So it’s kind of appropriate that I got to witness a Whitecaps FC come-from-behind effort of two (but really three) late goals alongside him.
Heck, if there were only video of our reaction to the goal from Thomas Müller to win it in extra time - a sight to see it was.
As I think back to my tenure as a Whitecaps FC season ticket holder, I’ve seen some late-match heroics from this side.
But this has to be the first time I’ve ever come to expect it to happen match-in, match-out.
So despite the defending boo boo from Belal Halbouni in the first half (if you watch the replay, he got stuck in Narnia) that spotted Orlando a 1-0 lead, I never truly believed the match was out of reach.
And that was despite every effort from Orlando to park the entire Lynx fleet across the pitch to defend.
I did get my father-in-law a touch excited with premature shouts of potential action, be it Édier Ocampo nearly notching a goal off an Orlando deflection and Müller’s bicycle attempt.
But it was utter glory when Nelson Pierre got his backside in gear as a second-half substitute, and used it in the literal sense to score his first in the MLS to draw it one!
We both thought Sebastian Berhalter gave the ‘Caps a lead well into added time, and upon seeing the replay, we both saw it as a goal. Contrary to the opinion of the VAR official.
But who cares about that at this point with everything that Müller did to score the eventual winner at the death!
The Good
Édier Ocampo - Édier continues to drive the offense through his speed and solid distribution from the wings. It’s a shame he wasn’t rewarded against Orlando, but the kid never stopped running the entire time he was on the pitch.
Nelson Pierre - when a kid gets himself his first MLS goal, you know he gets himself listed as part of The Good. And thank goodness they don’t draw a picture on the scoresheet. As far as we know, it was an absolute golazo. 😆
The Not So Good
MLS & International Breaks - I understand the league is a touch better than it was in the past at handling international breaks, but to have both teams short a dozen players due to international duty & injury is an absolute shame.
Around the Pitch
I find it shocking that goal line technology isn’t a thing in the MLS.
Whether you believe that Berhalter shot crossed the line (I think it did), the fact the league leaves it up to the human eye with obtuse camera angles to make critical decisions is nuts - especially in this modern era.
Major League soccer is not a recreational or semi-pro operation where budgets are inconsistent. So there’s really no excuse from a financial perspective.
And from a technological one, you have a partner in Apple who continues to claim you can film IMAX-quality movies on an iPhone, so I’m not entirely sure how you can’t strap a few of those in critical spots to ensure enhanced coverage.
Seriously though… the MLS was one of the first to fully adopt video-assisted review, so it’s somewhat shocking to see them still “meh” on the use of goal-line technology.
It’s a pleasant development the Whitecaps FC have something on the line come Decision Day that doesn’t involve qualifying for the post-season.
Simply put - if the ‘Caps get a result, they win first-overall in the West.
And I don’t imagine it will be a walk-over. Dallas comes into Vancouver needing a win to secure themselves a spot, so I don’t imagine they’d be conducive to gifting Vancouver a point or more.
I’m thinking we’re gonna have a gooder on our hands!
From my seat to your browser!
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-Chris (@lyteforce.ca)