'Caps win 5-4 on aggregate and advance to USL-1 Championship Final
October 4, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
Vancouver Whitecaps FC reached the 2009 USL First Division Championship Final after upsetting Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers 5-4 on aggregate following a thrilling 3-3 away draw in the second leg of their playoff semifinal series on Sunday afternoon.
In what was a pulsating postseason contest at PGE Park in Portland, Oregon, the defending USL-1 champions secured their spot in this season's championship final series after goals by Marcus Haber, Martin Nash, and Marlon James brought the 2009 campaign to a sudden end for the top-seeded Timbers. The USL-1 regular season champions did not go down without a fight, however, as a pair of first-half goals by Brian Farber and a late strike by substitute Alex Nimo made for 90 minutes of sheer playoff drama in The City of Roses.
The reward for the seventh-seeded 'Caps is a two-match, aggregate score series with Canadian rivals Montreal Impact, with the match-up being the first time in league history that two Canadian clubs will contest the USL-1 championship title. The fifth-seeded Impact made the final series after pulling off an upset of their own when they defeated third-seeded Puerto Rico Islanders 4-2 on aggregate in their playoff semifinal series following a 2-1 second-leg win in the Caribbean on Sunday.
The first leg of the USL-1 Championship Final will take place at Swangard Stadium next Saturday, October 10, at 6:30 p.m. PDT. *Tickets for Saturday's first leg in Vancouver will go on sale on Monday morning at 10 a.m. PDT*. The second leg of this year's Championship Final will take place at Stade Saputo in Montreal, Quebec, at a time to be confirmed shortly.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made one change to the side that started Thursday's first-leg win at Swangard. Chris Pozniak replaced Kenold Versailles to partner Nash in central midfield.
Timbers head coach Gavin Wilkinson also made one change to the side that started the first leg in Vancouver. Gambian defender Mamadou Danso replaced Japanese import Takuro Nishimura in the Portland backline. Danso partnered Stephen Keel at centre back, with Scot Thompson moving from the middle of the Timbers defence to the right fullback position, as a result.
On a sunny autumn day in Portland, a PGE Park crowd of 14,283 saw an action-packed first half of soccer, with chances and goals created at both ends.
With the 'Timbers Army' in full voice as always, it was the Whitecaps that made a fine start to the match, with Wes Knight having two opportunities to score on two minutes. The right-sided midfielder first volleyed a shot over the Portland crossbar before forcing a fine save from Timbers goalkeeper Steve Cronin after racing in on goal and hitting a low strike following Charles Gbeke's fine through ball to the speedy winger.
It was sign of things come, and on four minutes, the Whitecaps took the lead when an unmarked Haber easily headed home Ansu Toure's fine run and cross from the left flank. The goal stunned the Timbers and their fans, with Vancouver extending their aggregate lead to 3-1.
With a two-goal advantage, the 'Caps seemed in control of the series, but the Timbers quickly responded by levelling the match on 10 minutes. Midfielder Johan Claesson found striker Mandjou Keita in the Whitecaps box before the Guinean forward turned and found Farber at the far post. Farber then slipped his shot past Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly to make it 3-2 to Vancouver on aggregate.
Portland's goal put the series was back in the balance, and it was the home side that looked far better soon after play resumed. Nolly needed to make a huge save with his legs on 13 minutes after Ryan Pore connected with a cross from the left, then three minutes later, David Hayes' free kick into the Whitecaps box saw Farber earn a corner with a deflected shot that went just wide of goal.
Not to be outdone in the chance department, the Whitecaps responded on 18 minutes, as Toure hammered a shot against the Portland crossbar after Haber found the winger in the Timbers box. Two minutes later, Nash had a dangerous free kick cleared in front of the Portland goal after Hayes had fouled Knight near the edge of Timbers box.
Trailing only by a single goal in the series, Portland worked hard to try and win possession off their Canadian opponents. Their enthusiasm did bring the first booking of the match, however, as referee Hilario Grajeda issued a yellow card to Timbers midfielder Tony McManus for his late tackle on Nash on 26 minutes. A minute later, Portland striker George Josten got on the end of Cronin's forward ball that flew into the Whitecaps box. His header, however, went straight into the arms of Nolly.
Vancouver's Pozniak and Portland's Keita traded chances on 33 and 35 minutes respectively before the Whitecaps were forced to change their left-sided midfielder after Toure was unable to continue on 42 minutes after picking up a leg injury. Justin Moose came on in place of the injured Liberian winger.
As the match neared the break, Portland struck again to pull the aggregate score back to 3-3 on 43 minutes. Hayes' cross from the left deflected off the head of 'Caps centre back Shaun Pejic and found Farber at the far post. His low header beat Nolly to give the Timbers a 2-1 lead in the match.
It was a disappointing goal to concede for the visitors, and with their tails up about them, the Timbers looked to take the aggregate lead for the first time. Yet, from Pore's free kick, the midfielder's effort deflected into the arms of Nolly in time added on.
It meant both sides went to halftime deadlocked at 3-3 in the series and facing another 45 minutes to determine the semifinal winner.
With matters back in the balance, the start of the second half saw Portland look to make a breakthrough soon after the restart. Josten and Keita, however, had tame efforts for the Timbers either side of James coming on for Gbeke on 50 minutes.
The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international was looking to make inroads soon after entering the action, and on 58 minutes, he forced Danso to clear his dangerous cutback pass in front of the Timbers goal. Moments later, Pore struck a shot high and wide for Portland at the other end.
The just past the hour mark, the Whitecaps swung the series back in their favour with a spectacular finish from captain Nash. After Thompson had fouled Haber near the edge of the Portland box, Vancouver's talismanic playmaker struck an exquisite right-footed set-piece past Cronin and into the top right-hand corner of the goal to make it 2-2 in the match and 4-3 to the Whitecaps on aggregate. "I decided to go the other way with my second free kick and it seemed to do the trick," Nash said of his goal. "Their keeper seemed to step the wrong way and I was able to get it past him."
The goal was a hammer blow to the Timbers, who had done well to overcome the earlier deficit they had been in. Vancouver, meanwhile, were in the ascendancy at this stage, but they were left bemused by referee Grajeda's decision to book Haber on 63 minutes for an apparent dive in the Portland box, even though it looked like the striker's shirt was being pulled back by Thompson.
The Timbers tried to put things back in the balance with a free kick by Hayes on 69 minutes, but his shot flew straight to Nolly. A minute later, Versailles replaced Pozniak in the Whitecaps central midfield.
Then on 71 minutes, Vancouver came ever so close to extending their aggregate lead. Japanese defender Takashi Hirano was unlucky to hit the post with a curling left-footed free kick from near the edge of the Timbers box, with the ball being cleared away for a Vancouver corner.
Hirano's chance was soon forgotten by Whitecaps fans seconds later. From Nash's ensuing corner from the left, a scramble in the Timbers box saw the ball fall at the feet of James, who was able to poke his shot home from close range for a 3-2 Whitecaps lead in the match and a 5-3 aggregate lead in the series.
James' strike was huge for the defending league champions, as Vancouver tried to see out the remaining minutes of what was a highly-entertaining USL-1 contest. On 83 minutes, however, the Timbers set up a grandstand finish to the game and the series when substitute Nimo struck a fine shot past the outstretched arms of Nolly to level the match score at 3-3 and trim the Whitecaps aggregate lead to 5-4.
It meant that Whitecaps fans - both in the stands at PGE Park and back in Vancouver - were to endure an excruciating end to the second leg. On 87 minutes, Pore nearly connected with Timbers substitute Takayuki Suzuki's cross from the left, while Nolly made an important diving save from Suzuki's goal-bound shot a minute later. In the 90th minute, Timbers fans were in left in agony after Keita headed substitute Nishimura's cross from the right wide of goal.
Portland's desperation to get forward meant the Whitecaps could hit their hosts on the break. In time added on, 'Caps substitutes Moose and James broke from their own half, with James having a great chance to score a second goal. Cronin, however, did well to come off his line and save the big striker's effort.
The atmosphere around PGE Park was a sight to behold at this stage of the match, but when referee Grajeda blew his final whistle, it was the visiting Whitecaps and their small band of supporters doing the celebrating, as Vancouver's quest to defend their USL-1 championship title heads to a final two-match aggregate score series with Montreal over the next two October weekends.
For Nash, Sunday's performance made him proud of his Whitecaps teammates. "We came out flying in the first half, but credit to Portland, they fought back," said the Vancouver skipper. "In the second half, we came on stronger with two more goals, and held on in the end. I can't say enough about the young players on our team, they were fantastic. To show the mental toughness as league champions and come back to win here was unbelievable."
Nolly, meanwhile, took time to give the travelling Whitecaps fans plenty of praise for their support during the second leg in Portland. "The Southsiders and all of our fans have been behind us all year," said the 'Caps goalkeeper. "They came and we heard them in the stands, and that is what you need when you are on the road. By winning this series and moving on, it was important for us to celebrate with them at the end of the game because they're all part of our success."
USL First Division Stories from October 4, 2009
- 'Caps win 5-4 on aggregate and advance to USL-1 Championship Final - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Timbers Season Comes To A Close, Fall In Semifinal Series To Whitecaps - Portland Timbers
- Impact Advances to USL-1 Final - Montreal Impact
- Mamadou Danso Honored As Timbers Community Player Of The Year - Portland Timbers
- Letter From Rocco Placentino - Montreal Impact
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