Valour FC keeps swinging the axe — chopping and chopping and chopping – but continue to have absolutely nothing to show for all their toil and sweat.
So desperate to get back into the Canadian Premier League playoff race, Winnipeg’s offensively challenged side played to a nil-nil draw with expansion Vancouver FC at Willoughby
Stadium at Langley Events Centre Sunday afternoon.
The result ends a two-match losing streak but extends Valour’s winless streak to six with four losses and two draws over that span. Now 3-8-7 and with 17 points, Valour ends the weekend still in seventh place in the tables and eight points behind Atlético Ottawa, York United FC and HFX Wanderers who are locked in a tie for fourth spot.
The margin for error continues to become thinner, however, with just 10 matches remaining in the regular season.
“In any other circumstances you go on the road, and you get a point, you say, ‘OK’ and it’s another clean sheet for the team,” said Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos. “But when you look at it, again, we had good chances that we need to take.
“Again, if you score a goal and you find the back of the net on the chances you had things open up for us. Right now, it’s something that – and I can’t keep repeating myself on this – but we need to find the flow. We need our players not to think about it. Once they stop thinking about it, it’s going to come.”
Indeed, Valour wasn’t without its chances on the afternoon despite just 42.9 percent possession, with a 1.36 expected goals total, nine shots – including three on target – and with Walter Poncé hitting the woodwork on a chance in the 48th minute just before halftime.
Pacifique Niyongabire did score on a corner but was ruled offside while Ahinga Selemani and Kian Williams all had excellent chances in the second half. All that said, it was goalkeeper Rayane Yesli who helped Valour earn the road point with several stellar stops, including two back-to-back in the 49th minute and then as time expired as he gobbled up a Rocco Romeo header in the 95th minute. Vancouver did bang the ball out of his hands and into the net in that moment, but the referee did not allow the goal because Yesli had possession.
Yesli added to league-leading clean sheet total with his sixth, and also leads the CPL with 63 saves.
“There were those two key saves early in the second half, but overall, he managed his box well,” said Dos Santos. “He had a good game, a solid performance for us. He’s been solid throughout the season. Credit to Patrick (Di Stefani, goalkeeper coach) and all the keepers who have passed through this club. They never arrive here with the status as a starter and the truth is they grow with games and with training and that’s something that has happened with Rayane throughout the season.”
Valour now has just 13 goals in 18 matches, fewest in the CPL, and has been held scoreless eight times. Since knocking off Vancouver 1-nil on a penalty on June 25th, the club has been outscored 10-2.
“There’s a moment where you can’t be frustrated about the same thing all the time,” said Dos Santos. “You need to just put your head down and work. For me, it’s simple – the game is going to have shifts in momentum. You can’t allow them to score when they have momentum, but we need to capitalize when we do have our chances. That’s what happens with good teams, they manage situations and when they get the momentum, they score.
“We can’t dwell on the same thing over and over again. I need to work the team and make sure they execute without overthinking. We need them to find the flow. There’s no other way.”
‘V’ NOTES
-Midfielder Dante Campbell picked up his eighth yellow card of the season and will now be suspended for the next two matches.
-Valour is next back in action on Friday, August 11th in a home match against Cavalry FC.
VANCOUVER FC 0 VALOUR FC 0
Goals
Valour FC
None
Vancouver FC
None
CARD SUMMARY
Valour FC
25:05’: Marcello Polisi (yellow, reckless offence)
72:29’: Dante Campbell (yellow, tactical foul)
96:28’: Jordan Haynes (yellow, reckless offence)
Vancouver FC
19:00’: Gabriel Bitar (yellow, reckless offence)
35:57’: Renan Garcia (yellow, reckless offence)
94:55’: Rocco Romeo (yellow, dissent)
VALOUR STARTING XI (4-3-2-1)
GK Rayane Yesli
D Jordan Haynes
D Abdou Samake
D Klaidi Cela
D Eskander Mzoughi
MF Marcello Polisi
MF Dante Campbell
MF Diego Gutiérrez
FW Kian Williams
FW Pacifique Niyongabire
F Walter Poncé
Valour substitutions:
59:48’: on Ahinga Selemani; off Walter Poncé
60:00’: on Andy Baquero; off Ezkander Mzoughi
77:49’: on Jared Ulloa; off Pacifique Niyongabire