Tonight's USL fixtures saw the Vancouver Whitecap's rough stretch continue as they drew 2-2 away to the struggling Cleveland City Stars and the Impact manage to maintain the momentum they won last Saturday with a home win against Miami.
Vancouver managed to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat against the City Stars, who are second from bottom in the USL. Vancouver lead out with the scoring with an 18 minute Marcus Haber goal on a rush that typified the poor defensive coverage of the Stars throughout the first two-thirds of the game. Cleveland's Leo Gibson scored ten minutes later and it remained a tie until Taka Hirano conceded a penalty kick just before half-time, which Pato Aguilera sank to make it 2-1.
In the second half, Vancouver were unable to convert a their chances in the second half, which they were getting in spades. The Stars, to their credit, were good at closing down defensively. However, on the ninetieth minute, the Wes Knight Long Throw Watch meter went off the charts as Knight's throw was headed to Martin Nash, who put it in from exactly twenty-eight yards. (Cleveland's Middlefield Cheese Stadium has clear American football lines on the pitch, which seemed to make the Whitecaps more hesitant to commit to wide play.)
In the other game, Miami FC Blues and the Montreal Impact were in an 80-minute deadlock until Nevio Pizzolito scored to put more energy into what was a fairly unexceptional game. Despite late pressure from Miami, the game ended 1-0 to Montreal.
Montreal has now moved past Miami and Rochester into fifth spot on the USL table. Vancouver is one place out of the playoffs in eighth, one point behind Miami. Vancouver has taken four points from the last possible 15 in the league. They don't play again for two weeks until they host Miami at Swangard Stadium.
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