It was all going so well for the Whitecaps.
A raucous BC Place saw Kenny Miller and Darren Mattocks link up to give Vancouver the lead over the Colorado Rapids with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Referee Loannis Stravrides and Whitecaps midfielder Matias Laba would turn the game on its head just 10 minutes after Mattock’s go-ahead tally. Laba, already on a yellow, was given a second after grabbing the ball with his hand, believing he was fouled.
He wasn’t, leaving Stravrides with little choice, though his hesitation indicated he forgot Laba was already on a yellow. The Argentine was off, giving the Rapids new life after a rather lifeless display thus far.
What happened next was anything but dour. Jose Mari put on a show, scoring the goal of the week, if not the season, two minutes after Laba’s dismissal.
Wow. There are no words that can do that wonder strike justice. A left-footed whirling dervish was just the start of the former Real Zaragoza man’s heroics, as another strike, this time with his right just two minutes later, secured two points for the Rapids.
"The truth is those are the two best goals that I've ever scored,"Mari said through a translator, to KUSA’s Matt Boyer. "It's also true, I understand the importance that they have. These are three very important points for us and we have to keep growing."
Newly-minted head coach Pablo Mastroeni was left in awe of Mari’s exploits.
"He's your all around complete six (midfielder) and you know we're delighted to have him around," Mastroeni said. "More importantly it's the aura that he gives the other guys on the team."
Colorado will hope Mari’s aura -- coming soon to grocery stores in the Greater Denver Area -- will give them a lift when the Rapids head to BMO Field for a date with Toronto FC this Saturday.
Seattle and Portland produce instant classic
Goals, goals, and more goals. The Pacific Northwest was the scene of a harrowing fixture on Saturday, where Seattle and Portland combined for eight goals.
Clint Dempsey recorded a hat trick, scoring twice in the final five minutes of regular time to salvage a point for the visitors. The American international’s efforts earned him player of the week honours.
The opening 10 minutes were a harbinger of things to come. Kenny Cooper got the visitors on the board with one of the easier goals he’ll ever score.
Then, just six minutes later Diego Chara notched the equalizer with a belter, and his first goal in two-and-a-half years.
Chara wasn’t finished, making up for lost time with another stunning goal, which was aided by some terrible defending. Instead of featuring one or two goals from this fantastic match, just watch them all. This was a tremendous avert for the league.
Goal of the week
Yes it was featured above, but I’ve had trouble not watching Jose Mari’s equalizer against Vancouver. By “trouble” I mean my personal life has been thrown into turmoil due to be inability to stop watching this goal. The spin, the swerve. Everything. My goodness.
