? What: Sunday soccer doubleheader.
? Who / When: Portland Timbers U-23s against Seattle Sounders U-23s, PDL match at 2 p.m. Vancouver Victory FC vs. Seattle Stars FC, EPL Washington match at 5 p.m.
? Where: McKenzie Stadium.
? Cost: $8 for both games.
? Details: www.V2FC.com
Vancouver Victory FC finds itself in a somewhat unfamiliar place today — at home.
The amateur men’s soccer team will play at McKenzie Stadium for only the third time this season in Evergreen Premier League Washington play when Seattle Stars FC visits.
The 5 p.m. match is the second half of a doubleheader that begins at 2 p.m. with the Portland Timbers under-23s taking on the Seattle Sounders under-23s in a Premier Development League match.
Also a new experience for the Victory is coming off a loss. A 1-0 setback at Wenatchee on June 13 was their first in league play. Actually, Vancouver has dropped two matches in a row including a 1-0 loss to Premier Development League club Lane United.
? What: Sunday soccer doubleheader.
? Who / When: Portland Timbers U-23s against Seattle Sounders U-23s, PDL match at 2 p.m. Vancouver Victory FC vs. Seattle Stars FC, EPL Washington match at 5 p.m.
? Where: McKenzie Stadium.
? Cost: $8 for both games.
? Details: www.V2FC.com
The result was a spirited week of training according to Vancouver coach Aaron Lewis.
“There was a different feel in training this week,” Lewis said describing the two training sessions as intense.
Despite the loss, the Victory (7-1-0) still have a four-point cushion atop the EPL Washington standings. And they play five of their remaining six matches at home. The lone exception is a key match on Wednesday in Lakewood against second-place South Sound FC.
Vancouver’s 26 goals through eight games is tied with South Sound for the league lead, and the Victory’s seven goals against is the best in the EPL Washington. Ten players have scored goals in league play for Vancouver, six of them with at least two. Timur Zhividze leads the team with six league goals.
Lewis said the trip to Wenatchee, when things did not go Vancouver’s way, was a good learning experience for his squad. He expects the focus to be fine on Sunday even though Vancouver dispatched Seattle 6-1 on June 6.
The Stars (3-4-1) sit sixth in the eight team league.
Lewis noted that the game at Seattle was 4-0 in the first half, but much more competitive in the second half when the Stars added a fifth midfielder to take passing space away and force the Victory to play more direct.
