VANCOUVER, B.C. – Vancouver Whitecaps left back Sam Adekugbe may not be a name widely known across Major League Soccer right now, but that could soon be about to change with the 20-year-old former youth star potentially on the verge of a breakthrough season.
Adekugbe got the start over veteran Jordan Harvey at left back in Vancouver's 1-0 road win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday, picking up MLSsoccer.com "Team of the Week" honors in the process. The young defender put in an assured attacking display as the Whitecaps recorded their first victory – and clean sheet – of the new season, with Adekugbe never looking out of place
Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson wouldn't confirm a changing of the guard just yet, but the youngster has now seemingly made it hard to leave him out of the starting XI going forward.
"It was a very good performance from Sam, which I knew it would be," Robinson told reporters at training on Tuesday. "I want to have hard decisions, and if I have hard decisions it means I've got players in form. Sam grabbed his chance with both hands, so I've got a good decision to make there. He's done himself a lot of favors."
The Chicago game wasn't Adekugbe's first start in MLS, but it was perhaps his most significant, being the first time that the Homegrown product was given the starting nod with Harvey available for selection.
Adekugbe came through the Whitecaps Residency program, signing an MLS contract in August 2013 and making his pro debut two months later. The Chicago game was his third start, and sixth MLS appearance overall, and felt like the breakthrough many have been expecting. Adekugbe, however, isn't taking anything for granted and knows there is still a lot of hard work ahead to make it happen.
"Obviously you want to prove yourself any time you step on the pitch," Adekugbe told MLSSoccer.com. "There's always details to be discussed and things to work on, but I thought generally it was a good team performance and I did OK.
"I think there's always a chance to establish yourself as a starter. Of course you want to get on the pitch and improve yourself, but it just comes down to training before a game, and that starts today."
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If the pressure to perform has been placed on his young shoulders, he's never shown it, putting in confident performances beyond his years every time he has been called upon in MLS to date.
Like all young players, he's been keen to get his chance and move from squad player to starter. He's also remained respectful and patient in the process and feels he's learned a lot from Harvey along the way.
And he knows he still has a lot of learning ahead of him.
"As a player you're always wanting to push boundaries, you're always wanting to learn new things," Adekugbe said. "With that you gain a lot of experience. I may have not played a lot of games the first season, the second season or this season right now, but at the same time training with the USL, training with the Reserves, coming from the academy, it's almost like you're slowly going up a mountain trying to get to the top. You're always trying to prove yourself."
