Toronto native Mark Anthony Gonzalez is gearing up to head back to Canada to play Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 after his stellar performance during Wednesday’s 4-0 victory over Rio Grande Valley FC. Gonzalez played the opening 69 minutes and scored two first-half goals to bring his season tally to three.
“It felt really good to score two goals. It always feels good to score a goal, but to score two in front of the fans for the first time was amazing.”
“I was hoping for a hat trick, but unfortunately I couldn’t get it, but we did come out four nothing, so I’m happy about that,” the rookie forward said.
The shutout came at a crucial time for the team’s morale. “It was very important to get a win at home, especially after losing 4-1 at their place,” Gonzalez remarked. “We knew this was going to be a good game and that they would come here with the same intensity. We did all the little things right and we really wanted to win for our fans.”
The last time the Rangers faced Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on April 27 they came up short, falling 2-1 at home. “They beat us before on our home field, so we are going to go there and hopefully do the same. Road trips are always tough, but hopefully we can come home with a win and if not a win, a point. We are just going to keep the same mentality (as Wednesday’s win).”
“It will feel good to be back in Canada, it’s far away from my hometown, but it will still feel good.” The Swope Park Rangers face Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Sunday, June 12 at UBC Thunderbird Stadium. Game time is slated for 4 p.m. CT and is available via live stream on SportingKC.com. The Rangers enter Sunday’s game with a 4-5-2 record and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 are tied for first in the Western Conference after going 6-2-4 in their opening 12 games.
