Mattocks ends MLS slump with 8th goal
JAMAICA’S Darren Mattocks of Vancouver Whitecaps has finally broken his scoring slump in Major League Soccer after three months and five days, which has threatened his status as the 2012 Rookie of the Year.
After losing 2-1 to the LA Galaxy on Thursday at The Home Depot Center in California, the Whitecaps failed to advance to the MLS Cup conference semi-finals.
Mattacks scored in the third minute to end his season with eight goals from 22 matches.
Mike Magee (69th minute) and Landon Donovan (73rd, pen) ensured Galaxy advance 2-1 and stay in contention of defending their title.
The Jamaican striker who was born in Portmore admitted to the Metro that “there’s no excuses not to be scoring because I’m still getting playing time”.
An outstanding player at the University of Akron and blessed with flare and explosive speed, Mattocks explained what he needed to do.
“I just got to get back to basics, back to where I was scoring goals and… whatever I’ve done up to now doesn’t really matter. It’s what I’m going to do in games coming up.”
Mishaps and injuries, with the latest being his hamstring, has caused Mattocks to miss a lot of matches. Most teams play 34 matches in the regular season of the MLS, so Mattocks was only active for 64 per cent of the Whitecaps’ engagements in 2012.
He is set to lose the Rookie Award to a player whose team is in the conference semi-finals, left-winger Nick DeLeon of DC United.
Other contenders, according to MLSsoccer.com, are Chicago Fire defender Austin Berry, FC Dallas defender Matt Hedges and Toronto FC midfielder Luis Silva.
In its Rookie Rankings update on October 24, MLSsoccer.com noted that “if this list was based on potential alone, Mattocks would be at the top by a wide margin”.
“That’s not the case, though. Yes, there have been moments of brilliance from the explosive young Jamaican, but has there been enough sustained impact to overtake Berry, DeLeon, Hedges or Silva? Probably not, as injury disrupted Mattocks’ rookie campaign multiple times.”
In all, the Whitecaps played 39 matches this season, 35 in the MLS and four in the Canadian Championship.
