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It was a chance for the University of Victoria Vikes men鈥檚 soccer team to test themselves against some higher-calibre competition.
Saturday afternoon鈥檚 friendly between the Vikes and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 鈥� mostly their reserves 鈥� was also a chance for Simon Thomas to put on a Whitecaps jersey for the first time 鈥� and in his hometown, to boot.
The Whitecaps recently signed Thomas, a graduate of the Bays United and Lower Island Metro youth leagues, to a one-year deal to be their goalie of the future. The 22-year-old couldn鈥檛 be happier about playing the final 45 minutes of a 3-0 Whitecaps win in front of dozens of family and friends at Centennial Stadium and sharing the shutout with Whitecaps No. 2 keeper Brad Knighton.
鈥淚t was awesome. A lot of fun,鈥� said Thomas, who attended Oak Bay High School before moving over to the Whitecaps residency program and graduating from Burnaby Central. 鈥淎nd I could hear [my family] yelling from the top row.鈥�
Neither Knighton, who backs up Whitecaps MLS starting keeper Joe Cannon, nor Thomas had a whole lot to do as the Whitecaps outshot the Vikes 15-4 in front of 2,600 fans on what turned out to be breezy but sunny afternoon. But Thomas will take the lack of work and shutout any day.
鈥淚 would rather have no work to do and be organized at the back than be super busy making saves, so it was a good showing by the guys.鈥�
Thomas was signed by the Whitecaps after a one-year stint at Huddersfield Town in England and getting two appearances with sa国际传媒鈥檚 national team in February against Denmark and the United States.
And the Whitecaps like what they see of their young player.
鈥淗e looked solid today and is an excellent young goalkeeper,鈥� Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie said of Thomas. 鈥淗e鈥檚 done well in training, is a very hard worker, and we expect him to be a big part of our team.鈥�
Thomas couldn鈥檛 be happier about starting his pro career close to home.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to be with the Whitecaps,鈥� Thomas added. 鈥淭hey have big goals for me, and I have even bigger ones for myself, so I鈥檓 just going to keep working hard and improving.鈥�
The Vikes would have liked to pepper Knighton and Thomas a little more, but the Whitecaps reserves were in an owly mood after losing 3-0 to the UBC Thunderbirds on Thursday and came out with something to prove.
Young Brazilian Camilo Sanvezzo struck first for the Caps, whose main squad was on a bye week from MLS action, when he hammered a shot from 12 yards out past Vikes keeper Elliot Mitrou at the 36-minute mark. Just three minutes later, American Tom Heinemann slid a shot past Mitrou to send the young Whitecaps on their way. Heinemann added his second of the day in the 77th minute.
鈥淯Vic gave us a tough game, especially at the start,鈥� Rennie said. 鈥淏ut our guys we鈥檙e really motivated to bounce back from the UBC loss, and they did all the little things and dirty work that you need to do to be successful.鈥�
Vikes coach Bruce Wilson was happy with most of the first half.
鈥淚 thought we did well in the first half, and if we could have got to halftime tied 0-0, it likely would have been a different story,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淏ut they got those two late ones before the half and then played with the lead very smartly.鈥�
The score wasn鈥檛 really the point of this game, which helped raise funds for UVic athletic scholarships.
鈥淲e were happy to see a big crowd, and we owe a lot to the Whitecaps for coming over here. They鈥檙e into their season, so they鈥檙e very busy right now, but they still made time for us and fans in Victoria, so we want to thank them for that.鈥�
Wilson鈥檚 Vikes now turn their attention to their annual Keg Cup spring tournament, which goes next Saturday and Sunday. The Vikes men will be joined by UBC, Trinity Western and Fraser Valley, while the UVic women will go up against UBC, Trinity Western and the Alberta Pandas.
