Pondeca Scores Golazo to Push North Texas Over Vancouver

For the first 45 minutes, North Texas dominated at home, going up two goals, but after a quick Vancouver comeback, Pondeca blasted the go ahead goal.

The narrative of the week for North Texas Soccer Club was why they selected Vancouver Whitecaps 2 for their first round game.

Noted on the broadcast, Vancouver and North Texas played close matches each of their previous meetings in 2024, but the home team was in rich form as of late, fresh off a shellacking of Minnesota 8-2.

Interim head coach Michel made clear that he wanted his team to face a challenge in their first game. Was that extra motivation to a Whitecaps 2 side with nothing to lose? Was it a desire for his team to get a wake up call in the first round of MLS Next Pro Playoffs?

Whatever the reason, North Texas almost got more than they bargained for, watching a hard won lead from the first half dissolve in minutes after Eliot Goldthorp scored two incredible goals to draw level. Herbert Endeley and Diego Garcia had given North Texas in the first half, and really, the home team looked completely in control. Perhaps that little bit of complacency gave the opening that the Whitecaps needed to make it interesting.

Late in the second half though, Tomas Pondeca, off the bench, took matters into his own hands, scoring an incredible blistering goal after a dangerous play into the middle from the left wing.

The go ahead goal was all the team would need.

“The first half was very dominant. We created a lot. We dominated possession,” Michel said to media after the game. “Second half, we got relaxed. We stopped doing what we had been doing. Then we had guys who came in and raised the energy again.”

Pondeca was one of those energy boosts, something he noted Michel and staff wanted from him.

“He told me to go in, bring energy, and help change the game. The main motivation was for myself. I just wanted to change the game,” the attacking midfielder told the media.

This first round score may be just what the doctor ordered for this young dynamic team who cannot afford to get complacent any further. Their next round opponent is Tacoma Defiance, who crushed their opponents 4-0.

One fun nugget from the match was the surprise start of Logan Farrington up top. While Farrington didn’t score, he provides another weapon for the team to turn to as they push for hardware.