Jason Jordan may be 36, but he still has it. The former pro, who tallied 74 goals as the third-leading career scorer for the pre-MLS Vancouver Whitecaps of the United Soccer League, made a crafty move that turned the tide Saturday for Vancouver United of the Pacific Coast Soccer League.
In the 86th minute of a scoreless game against the Victoria Highlanders, the former Canada U-20 player began the play that got host United’s first goal in a 2-0 PCSL victory. United scored again late, with Victoria desperately pressing.
“Jason Jordan got the touch in behind us. It was a well-orchestrated winning goal,” said Victoria head coach Dave Dew.
So just four minutes from full time, the Highlanders (2-1-3) suffered their first loss of the PCSL season while United remained undefeated at 2-0-1. The teams drew 1-1 last weekend in Victoria.
The United roster is decent and also features former Canada U-17 player Gagan Dosanjh, a former Whitecaps prospect who has played pro games for FC Edmonton and Energie Cottbus in Germany. United’s playing-coach is Nick Perugini, four-time CIS all-Canadian and 2007 CIS MVP during his career with the Spartans of Trinity Western, and who helped lead Canada to a best-ever fourth place at the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok.
Dew said he was satisfied with his side’s effort. “Our work rate was great tonight, but we just didn’t have the finish,” said the Victoria bench boss “We had lots of crosses that just missed finding their target.”
The Highlanders have another game today in Vancouver against a Thunderbirds club (2-0) that features current and alumni UBC Thunderbirds and is coached by UBC head coach Mike Mosher. “Our bench needs to come up big [today],” said Dew, about his side’s back-to-back fixtures, while noting the Thunderbirds did not play Saturday.
The weekend set begins a stretch of five consecutive road games for the Highlanders.
