The game in 100 words (or less): Sometimes MLS is just awesome. All sorts of awesome. One would think that given their two games in Vancouver and Boston just 65 hours apart, Columbus Crew SC would have preferred not to play at the Vancouver Whitecaps’ preferred speed (100 mph), but here we are, 90 minutes on the clock at BC Place, and…What. A. Game. Crew SC proved their slow start was more the byproduct of bad luck than anything. It’ll be interesting to see if the Whitecaps can sustain the kind pace with which they play for an entire season, because if they can, few teams will be able to keep up with them.
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Three moments that mattered
24' — Kamara finishes the counter with a cool finish — Kei Kamara crossed for Ethan Finlay near the top of the six-yard-box, but Kendall Waston managed to get a foot in and prevent a shot. The ball fell delicately 12 yards out from goal, where Kamara raced in from the right to pounce on the loose ball and hit it low past David Ousted. A beautiful worked, two-man counter attack.
50' — Kamara capitalizes on Ousted’s goal-kick gaffe — What Ousted was trying to do with this goal kick, the world may never know. Regardless, it was poor and right to Justin Meram, who did well to control, eat up space down the left wing and drop the cross on Kamara’s foot near the penalty spot. Meram and Kamara made it look oh so easy together.
64' — Mattocks pull the ‘Caps level again — Darren Mattocks had himself a game, with the assist on Octavio Rivero’s 31st-minute goal (fifth of the season) and a goal of his own shortly after the Whitecaps fell behind a second time. Kekuta Manneh entered the game in the 57th minute. In the 64th minute, he made a lightning quick run down the left side and cut the ball back for Mattocks, who coolly beat Steve Clark with the finish.
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Man of the match: Kei Kamara — Not many teams will go to BC Place this season and leave with anything to show for their efforts. Kamara continues to be the athletic, unpredictable center forward capable of holding the ball and threatening on the counter attacked that the 2014 Crew so badly needed.
LINEUPS
Vancouver Whitecaps: Ousted, Beitashour, Waston, Rodriguez (Kah 14'), Adekugbe, Laba, Teibert, Mezquida (Manneh 57'), Morales, Mattocks (Earnshaw 92'), Rivero
Goals: Rivero (31'), Mattocks (64')
Columbus Crew SC: Clark, Klute, Parkhurst, Wahl, Jimenez (Barson 70'), Trapp (Saeid 46'), Tchani, Finlay, Speas (Steindorsson 70'), Meram, Kamara
Goals: Kamara (24', 50')