Russell Teibert didn't have an explanation for the Vancouver Whitecaps' meltdown Wednesday night, but he did have an apology.
"That was a team that gave in. And that's not what we're about here," the veteran midfielder said after his squad's 4-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City (16-8-8).
The loss further dims Vancouver's hopes of a spot in the post-season. With just two regular season games left, they currently sit in eighth place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference, two spots out of playoff position.
"I want to apologize on behalf of the team to the people who came and watched, to the people who supported us. ... It's unacceptable."
The 'Caps (12-13-7) were up 1-0 going into halftime, thanks to a goal by Felipe Martins. It was the 28-year-old's first with Vancouver.
But Vancouver began to unravel around the 60th minute.
Whitecaps midfielder Jordon Mutch slipped and fell in the 62nd minute, allowing Kansas City's Yohan Croizet to get the ball at the top of the box and rocket it into the back of the net.
Daniel Salloi added two more, and Gianluca Busio scored the first goal of his MLS career.
"I am just happy, it's my first goal, a big step for me," the 16-year-old midfielder said after the match.
"It's a great feeling helping the team and getting on the score sheet is one of the best feelings. It's what you do, you work 90 minutes to score goals. I'm just so happy, and I almost missed it."
Whitecaps interim coach Craig Dalrymple said his team was in control for much of the game, frustrating their opponents.
"The fight was there for 60, 65 minutes," he said.
"In the last 15 minutes, (Sporting) altered the game plan and went after it and shape changed, some tired legs kind of crept into the game. It was a disappointing end."
Asked what happened in the game's final third, Teibert was at a loss for words.
"It pains me to say that the team, we crumbled," the 25-year-old midfielder said.
"Sometimes things can't be explained. But I'm telling you now, as a promise, that's not going to happen again at this club."
Still, Dalrymple saw positives in loss, including both Martins' and Teibert's performances.
"Both of those players, they bleed for the shirt, and you saw it tonight," he said.
The 'Caps were playing without several of their marquee names, including striker Yordy Reyna and captain Kendall Waston, who were both out on international duty.
Alphonso Davies and Doneil Henry returned from playing with the Canadian men's team earlier on Wednesday and didn't make it on to the field against Kansas City.
Teibert played 90 minutes in Canada's 5-0 win over Dominica on Tuesday, but still subbed in for the Whitecaps in the 69th minute.
Mathematically, there's still a chance the Whitecaps could make the playoffs after Wednesday's loss, but the entire team needs to do some self-reflection if they're going to have a real opportunity, Teibert said.
"All of us, that entire locker room, we need to have a long, hard look in the mirror and figure out what it is, who it is, what we're playing for," he said.
The Whitecaps will head to California, where they'll play LAFC on Sunday.
Only players who still trust that the club can make the playoffs will be making the trip, Dalrymple said.
"Eighteen players who believe will be on the plane to L.A., simple as that," he said.
One player who's unlikely to make the journey is Kei Kamara. The striker was handed a red card following the final whistle on Wednesday after he put his hands in the face of Sporting's Johnny Russell.
---
NOTES: Kansas City fullback Seth Sinovic was shown a yellow card in the second half after Vancouver's Erik Hurtado was hauled down midfield. ... Players on both clubs celebrated milestones Wednesday night. The match was the 250th regular-season game for Sporting's Graham Zusi and the 200th regular-season start for Roger Espinoza. It was also the 100th league match for Whitecaps midfielder Nicolas Mezquida. ... Vancouver fullback Jake Nerwinski marked his 24th birthday Wednesday.
– Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
