German star Thomas Mueller made his Major League Soccer debut for Vancouver Whitecaps in a 1-1 draw against Houston Dynamo on Sunday. The 35-year-old forward, who joined after leaving Bayern Munich, impressed the home fans but saw his debut goal ruled out for offside.
Whitecaps Start Strong, Mueller Enters to Huge Ovation
Vancouver began brightly with Brian White converting a penalty in the sixth minute. The crowd at BC Place, numbering 26,301, erupted again in the 61st minute when Mueller stepped onto the pitch. The World Cup winner received a standing ovation and acknowledged the fans before getting his first touch of MLS action.
Only moments later, Mueller fired the ball into the net, but the strike was disallowed for offside.
“Mixed feelings, mixed feelings,” the 35-year-old said. “The result is disappointing, to be honest. But, yeah, I came in at my first moment directly with my first goal here. The crowd was going crazy, but then it was taken off for offside.”
Dynamo Strike Late to Snatch a Point
Vancouver looked set to secure three points until Houston’s Artur equalized with a long-range effort in stoppage time. The late goal frustrated Mueller, who believed his team could have sealed the victory earlier.
“We had to win it clear,” Mueller said. “We had to get big chances. But in the end, yeah, it’s soccer and it can happen.”
The Whitecaps remain third in the Western Conference on 46 points, trailing leaders San Diego by six and Minnesota by one. San Diego climbed to the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings with a 2-1 comeback win over San Jose Earthquakes.
Despite the disappointing draw, Mueller enjoyed his first MLS experience and praised the atmosphere at BC Place. “But I’m very happy to be here. I think the crowd was amazing,” he said. “I’m happy now that my first game is in the books. I can start next week, just a regular week.”
After spending his entire career at Bayern Munich, where he won 13 Bundesliga titles and a World Cup with Germany, Mueller is now ready for a new chapter in North America. “I just have to settle down today after this game in my apartment and think about what happened this week — it was crazy stuff,” he said.
Stay tuned for all the latest Sports News, follow Todaysmatchprediction on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
