VANCOUVER — Thomas Hasal proved he's ready to be the Vancouver Whitecaps' No. 1 goalkeeper on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Canadian made four saves, backstopping the 'Caps to a 0-0 draw against New York City FC and collecting his first clean sheet of the season.
It was a special performance for Hasal because his mom, dad and brother were sitting in the stands.
“It feels really cool, having them come and watch," the young 'keeper said.
When Hasal was part of Whitecaps academy, his family would come out to Vancouver from Saskatoon and they would all attend Major League Soccer games together.
“For me as a young player, it was a huge spectacle," he said. "So having them go from sitting in the stands, watching it with me, to now being in the stands and getting to watch me, it’s a dream come true.”
Hasal took over as the Whitecaps starter earlier this year when star goalie Maxime Crepeau was dealt to Los Angeles FC in a blockbuster deal due to an unspecified personal situation.
He was previously pressed into action during the 2020 campaign when Crepeau went down with a fractured thumb, but Hasal saw that season cut short by a concussion and a stress fracture in his leg.
“We just have to give him all the confidence," striker Lucas Cavallini said of the netminder. "I think before his injuries, he was unbelievable. And I think after his injury, he hasn’t been the same, lacking that confidence. But it’s normal, I guess. But now he demonstrated who he was before his injury and he’s just getting better game by game.”
Hasal's best save of the night came in the 89th minute Saturday when Santiago Rodriguez sent a ball into the Vancouver box, where Thiago Andrade redirected it at the 'Caps net. The Canadian 'keeper leapt up off the goal line, tipping the shot up and over the crossbar to preserve the 0-0 draw.
The tie means the 'Caps (0-1-1) pick up their first point of the season.
“This is what we have to bring and we have to bring more and more. This is a game that we have to build off," Hasal said.
Both sides were coming off losses, with the 'Caps suffering a 4-0 drubbing to Columbus Crew SC on opening day. New York dropped a 1-0 decision to the L.A. Galaxy in its first outing of the MLS campaign.
Goalkeeper Sean Johnson registered a single save for NYCFC (0-1-1) on Saturday.
New York, the reigning MLS Cup champions, overwhelmed Vancouver during long stretches of the match, outshooting the home side 19-11 and 4-1 in shots on target.
After a chaotic start, though, Vancouver settled in and began to limit the visitors’ chances, blocking seven shots across the match.
“At the end, we were facing the MLS Cup champions," said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini. "They had two, three great chances but we had two, three great chances, too. I think the tie is a fair result at the end.”
New York was the dominant side across the first half, dictating the pace and controlling 68.6 per cent of the possession. The visitors also outshot the 'Caps 12-5 and 3-1 in shots on target.
Vancouver's first on-target shot came when attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld sent a crisp cross into Cavallini in the box. The Canadian striker flicked a header on net but Johnson made the diving stop.
“I think we could have finished today with a win, no doubt. Got unlucky with my chances," Cavallini said. "Little positive energy for myself. And then team wise, better than last week, for sure.”
It was the 'Caps first on-target shot of the season after failing to put a single ball on net against Columbus.
New York forced the Whitecaps into desperation mode several times early in the game.
The home side got lucky in the 15th minute when a corner resulted in a scramble in the penalty area and NYCFC's Alexander Callens put up a header, only to see it glance off the crossbar.
Another corner in the eighth minute saw Andrade launch a hard shot from the top of the box, with Hasal making the stop.
A minute earlier, Talles Magno sent a ball soaring toward the Vancouver net but the young 'keeper sprawled for the fingertip save, sending the ball wide of the far post.
“We have to do much more if we want to win games," Sartini said, noting that his team needs to be cleaner on its chances and make the simple pass instead of a high-risk lob.
"Today was enough in order not to lose but we need to do much more in order to win games.”
The Whitecaps are set to visit the Houston Dynamo next Saturday.
NOTES: The Whitecaps were without defender Jake Nerwinski (red card suspension), defender Erik Godoy (calf injury) and midfielder Caio Alexandre (recovering from foot surgery). Defender Anton Tinnerholm (Achilles tendon) was out for NYC. … Fans held Ukrainian flags and the Ukrainian national anthem was sung before kickoff to show support for the country amid the Russian invasion. … Vancouver midfielder Ryan Raposo turned 23 on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2022.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
