Whitecaps 1, Charlotte 1: A point won, not two lost

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Well, that was something.

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The Vancouver Whitecaps and Charlotte FC played to a 1-1 draw in the home opener for the Caps at B.C. Place on Saturday, in what has become almost a tradition: the slow start out of the gates.

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Of their last eight home openers, the Whitecaps have won just once. Excluding the 2021 season, when they returned home midseason, their 2018 win over Montreal was the only victory since 2015 (0-6-2).

Here are some random observations from the rafters at B.C. Place.

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SHOWING HIS STRIPES

It was probably a good thing that Vanni Sartini was forced to watch this one from the coach’s box, the first of his multi-game suspension to start the season. (Six games, but they’re hopeful it will be reduced for his complying with the conditions).

“I love the referees” is his mantra for this year. It would have been said through gritted teeth after watching Scott Bowman, the stand-in replacement referee from the Canadian Premier League. The standoff between MLS referees and PRO means the league has been forced to bring in replacement referees with varying degrees of embarrassment. Inter Miami’s game, for example, had to replace their replacement official just before the game because multiple pictures of him wearing Inter Miami game surfaced just before the game.

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NEXT GAME

Saturday, March 9

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

7:30 p.m., B.C. Place, TV: TSN, Radio: AM730

Bowman called a first-half penalty on Triston Blackmon when it was clear to everyone in attendance that Enzo Copetti had just tripped over the back of his legs. A quick point to the spot was followed by quicker call from VAR to have Bowman to the sideline replay monitor. He rescinded the penalty to cheers and jeers.

Later in the half, Ryan Raposo took a clear foul just outside the Charlotte box, but Bowman swallowed his whistle. Likewise when Raposo scythed down Kerwin Vargas later in the half, another clear foul. When Charlotte took exception and Raposo was chopped down moments later by Ashley Westwood, there was no whistle, and both players remained inert lumps until Ryan Gauld played the ball into touch.

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Bodies were strewn about the field with regularity, though only two yellow cards were issued: one apiece to Andres Cubas and Blackmon, and cards  to Ashley Westwood and Iuri Tavares.

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LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

It was supposed to be the moment to honour a club legend: minute 31.

With midfielder Russell Teibert retiring — he spent his 16-year career with the Whitecaps —  fans were supposed to give him a standing ovation in the minute matching his jersey number. But Charlotte spoiled the party with Tavares scoring in the 31st minute instead.

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SAVE OF THE DAY

Yo ho hay, another save for Yohei.

After centreback Ranko Veselinovic had his pocked picked by Copetti, the platinum-haired striker went in untouched on a breakaway into the Caps box.

But Yohei Takaoka charged out from his net and got a leg down to stop the FC attacker, and keep his team from going in a 2-0 hole.

PAY DIRT FOR POLLO

Sartini said he might not be the best one-v-one defender, nor the east crosser on the team, but he lauded Raposo as most effective wingback on the team.

He sneaked in on a weak side run in first half injury tie to get on the end of a Pedro Vite cross, and his weak redirection dribbled just past Kristian Kahlina to tie the score.

It was his first league goal since May 14, 2022, in a 3-3 tie with the San Jose Earthquakes.

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CROWDED HOUSE

The Whitecaps said they had 16,000 season tickets sold for the 2024 season, and Saturday’s attendance bore that out. The crowd of 29,624 — including the upper deck — was the largest for a home opener in team history.

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