Final
'Caps keeping expectations in check ahead of Chivas match
Mar 16, 2012 - 7:15 PM Carson, CA (Sports Network) - Vancouver Whitecaps FC will be bringing a toned- down approach to Saturday's match at The Home Depot Center against Chivas USA.Vancouver opened the season with a 2-0 win over the Montreal Impact, but head coach Martin Rennie is cautioning his team to keep the victory in perspective.
"The players realize it's three points, which is excellent, but that's all it is," Rennie said following the win over Montreal. "It's one win, and that doesn't get you very far in the end, so we've got a lot of work to do and we know that, and we're willing to put the effort in."
You can excuse the Whitecaps for not getting overly excited about last weekend's victory, considering the fact that the club won its opening match last season and proceeded to go winless in its next 14 league games.
"I can't say enough [about the team's performance]," Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon said. "It was good to see, but we have to keep it in perspective. Last year, with what happened - I think we all thought we were going straight to the cup after our first win. This year it's a lot different."
A win on Saturday against Chivas would make this year a lot different in another sense, in that the 'Caps became one of only four MLS teams ever to go winless away from home for an entire season last year.
Vancouver's 0-12-5 mark away from BC Place was a big source of disappointment last term, but as the 'Caps players are quick to point out, this year is a lot different.
Chivas USA finished eight points above Vancouver in the Western Conference last season, but both clubs finished well out of playoff contention.
Goats head coach Robin Fraser was disappointed his team took nothing from its opening match with the Houston Dynamo, which ended in a 1-0 loss on a stoppage-time goal from Houston's Andre Hainault.
But Fraser was pleased with how his team played, and feels that last weekend's match provides the team with a good starting point and something to build on.
"There was no need to and no sense in hanging our heads, we'll come back and we'll look at the things that we didn't do well enough and continue to pound away at the things that we did do well," said Fraser. "We're a group that is building and if this game is a starting point for what is a relatively new group, I'm encouraged about where we're going to be."
- VANCOUVER FC: 1
CHIVAS USA: 0
Final
Mar 18 12:30 AM - VANCOUVER FC: 0
CHIVAS USA: 0
1st Half - 1'
Mar 17 10:42 PM
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