Teenager Alphonso Davies leads Whitecaps over Orlando City 5-2

Striker Kei Kamara scored twice for Vancouver, once on a penalty kick, to break out of a scoring drought. Yordy Reyna and Nicolas Mezquida scored the other Whitecaps goals.

Forward Sacha Kljestan scored for Orlando when the Lions were playing with just 10 men. Mohamed El-Munir was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in the 58th minute. Dominic Dwyer also scored minutes into injury time.

Robinson said he has been challenging Davies to have a better start to games.

“I think he’s a little bit slow with his reactions and decision making in the early parts of games,” said Robinson. “After 55 to 60 minutes he kicks on and gets his second wind.

“He needs to do that from the first minute to the 94th minute. I think he did that today. He got his reward today. There still are areas to wok on (but) a very good performance from him.”

The Whitecaps (6-5-5) defeated Colorado 2-1 last week. It’s the first time since the opening two matches of the season Vancouver has won back-to-back games. A sellout crowd of 22,120 also watched the Whitecaps win at home for the first time since April 27.

The Whitecaps head into a two-week World Cup break undefeated in six games (2-0-4).

Orlando City (6-7-1) lost its fifth consecutive MLS match.

“They transitioned well and blew us out the water,” said Orlando City coach Jason Kreis.

“You can’t play 90 per cent. We need players to step forward. We need players to say enough is enough. I think that we are going to have to talk to individual players about their performance. We have to expect more, and we have to demand more.”

Davies was born in a refugee camp in Ghana. He moved to Canada with his parents when he was five and grew up in Edmonton. He doesn’t turn 18 until November but already is in his third season with the Whitecaps.

At five-foot-11 and 160 pounds Davies has speed and size. He handles the ball with grace and can dance around defenders.

Davies made a pretty run to set up Kamara’s goal in the 36th minute. He stole the ball near midfield, made several nifty moves to get past three Orlando players, then dished off a pass to Kamara.

He snapped a 1-1 draw in the 76th minute, scoring his second goal of the season on a rebound after goalkeeper Joe Bendik stopped a shot from midfielder Jordon Mutch.

With his combination of skill and potential there are questions about how long Davies will remain a Whitecap. There have been rumours on social media that the Turkish club Besiktas is interested in him.

“It’s a really good question,” Robinson said when asked how long he might be able to keep his young star. “I try to protect him a little bit. I know there are vultures out there good and bad.

“I’m just trying to let him develop at his rate. His body is changing, his mindset is changing. It’s important we take time with him. When he performs like that, there is no hiding him. While he’s here he will continue to work hard and he will continue to get better.”

Kamara said Davies makes everyone on the team better.

“He’s doing his job,” said Kamara. “It’s a good team for him to be part of.

“I’m not going to be as good as I can be if I don’t have people around me doing the things they are supposed to do to make me look good. We know what Alphonso’s strengths are and we definitely are putting him in positions where he can use those strengths.”

Kamara’s goal was his first from the run of play in seven games. He did score on a penalty kick May 19 against Dallas.

“I’m used to scoring goals,” said Kamara. “Sometimes they come, sometimes they don’t.”

NOTES: Referee Jose Carlos Rivero handed out seven yellow cards, five to Orlando. … Whitecaps midfielder Felipe made his 200th MLS start, 208th regular season appearance. … Vancouver midfielder Efrain Juarez and his wife Carlotta celebrated the birth of their second child Saturday, a 7.5-pound girl.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Teenager Alphonso Davies leads Whitecaps over Orlando City 5-2

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