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Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Whitecaps First Doubleheader This Saturday

May 15, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release


VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC host their first doubleheader of the season on Saturday at Swangard Stadium. Action kicks off with the women's team's USL W-League season opener versus Interstate 5 rivals Seattle Sounders at 4:00 p.m. PDT followed by a top USL First Division encounter between the Whitecaps men and Rochester Rhinos at 7:00 p.m. PDT.

Led by new head coach Alan Koch, the Whitecaps women (7W-2L-3D in 2008) will look to avenge last season's playoff defeat to the Sounders women (5W-3L-4D in 2008) when they host their Washington State foes for the 32nd time in club history. Meanwhile, the Whitecaps men (3W-1L-2D) look to extend their three-match winning streak in USL-1 when they host former 'Caps striker Darren Tilley and his Rhinos side (3W-2L-1D) in the evening kick off, with Saturday's match being the 16th all-time meeting between both clubs.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC MEN

Vancouver Whitecaps FC men (3W-1L-2D) look to extend their three-match winning streak when they host Rochester Rhinos (3W-2L-1D) at Swangard Stadium on Saturday evening.

Last Sunday, Teitur Thordarson's side bounced back from a disappointing Nutrilite Canadian Championship defeat at Major League Soccer club Toronto FC with an important 1-0 home win over USL First Division rivals Puerto Rico Islanders. Charles Gbeke haunted the Caribbean outfit again by scoring the match winner with a fine header for his first goal of the season.

The result was not only Vancouver's third straight league win of the season, it catapulted the Blue and White to the top of the USL-1 standings - one point clear of both the Rhinos and Carolina RailHawks. Vancouver remain at the league summit after the Rhinos were unable to take advantage of their match in hand on the Whitecaps after Darren Tilley's side suffered a late 2-1 defeat away to Portland Timbers on Thursday night. Thordarson is sure to kept a close eye on that match in Oregon, as he looks to maintain Vancouver's undefeated home streak against Rochester that dates back to the 1996 season.

Last year, the Whitecaps extended that streak when Eduardo Sebrango's strike earned a 1-0 home win over the Rhinos on May 10. Rochester, however, rebounded to take the regular season series after handing the 'Caps two of their heaviest defeats of the season. On June 13, the Rhinos blanked Vancouver 3-0 in Rochester, with two goals from Mauricio Salles and a single strike from Johnny Menyongar. On July 5 in Rochester, the Rhinos repeated that result with a 3-1 win over the Whitecaps. Though Nicholas Addlery scored the fastest goal in modern-day Whitecaps history with a strike after 10 seconds of action, former 'Caps player Ze Roberto struck twice to lead the Rhinos to a second home win over the 'Caps.

Despite losing two of last season's three meetings with the Rhinos, the Whitecaps lead the all-time set of results versus Rochester with seven wins, six defeats, and two draws. At home, the 'Caps have dominated with a record of five wins, one defeat, and one draw. Saturday's match will be the 16th all-time meeting between both clubs.

Complete match preview: whitecapsfc.com/men/schedule/2009_05_16_v_Rochester_Rhinos.aspx

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC WOMEN

Vancouver Whitecaps FC women (7W-2L-3D in 2008) raise the curtain on their 2009 USL W-League campaign when they host Pacific Northwest rivals Seattle Sounders (5W-3L-4D in 2008) on Saturday afternoon.

In the first match of a Whitecaps doubleheader, which also sees the men's team take on Rochester Rhinos in USL First Division action at Swangard Stadium later that evening, the Whitecaps women look to avenge last season's playoff defeat to the Sounders women by making a positive start to 2009 when they host their Washington State foes for the 32nd time in club history.

Saturday also begins the Alan Koch era with the women's team. The South African-born tactician, who is also head coach of the Simon Fraser University men's team, became the women's team's fifth head coach last month. Though new to the women's game, Koch has assembled a squad with a mix of youth and experience.

Vancouver face a Sounders side they met three times in 2008. On June 7, Canadian international Christine Sinclair scored two goals in a one-match cameo appearance for the 'Caps, as they defeated Seattle 3-1 at Swangard. Then in Tukwila, Washington, on June 30, the Whitecaps played to a 2-2 draw with the Sounders women at Starfire Sports Stadium. Despite the squad being decimated by illness at the time, goals by Amy Vermeulen and Sanna Talonen earned the Whitecaps a hard-fought away point. Their third encounter was last season's W-League Western Conference playoff final at Swangard on July 26. The Whitecaps season came to end when Chalise Baysa's bicycle kick finish allowed the Sounders to advance to the league semifinals.

The Whitecaps lead the all-time series of results against Seattle, having registered 21 wins, six defeats, and four draws since the 2001 season. At home, the 'Caps have recorded 12 wins, three defeats, and two draws all-time against the Sounders women.

Complete match preview: whitecapsfc.com/women/schedule/2009_05_16_v_Seattle_Sounders.aspx

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