Late Goal Earns Tie for Whitecaps
May 6, 2010 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
VANCOUVER, BC - In their opening match of this year's Nutrilite Canadian Championship, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (0W-0L-1D) earned a late 1-1 home draw with USSF D-2 Pro League rivals Montreal Impact (0W-1L-1D) on Wednesday evening.
Marcus Haber's late penalty earned the Blue and White a valuable point in the three-club competition after Peter Byers had given the Impact a first-half lead. The Quebec-based outfit also finished the match with nine men after defender Adam Braz and substitute striker Reda Agourram were both sent off late in the game at Swangard Stadium. The result extends Vancouver's all-time unbeaten record in the Canadian Championship to four matches, while Montreal have now gone a total of seven games without a win in the Voyageurs Cup.
Wednesday's result on the west coast leaves defending champions Toronto FC (1W-0L-0D) currently leading the Canadian Championship standings with three points from one match played. The Whitecaps are second with a single point from one match, while Montreal are bottom of the table after claiming just one point from two tournament games.
Much like the way they finished last Thursday's USSF D-2 defeat at Portland Timbers, the Whitecaps chose to play in a 4-4-1-1 formation to start their Canadian Championship campaign on Wednesday, with midfielder Jonny Steele replacing striker Marlon James in head coach Teitur Thordarson's starting XI.
With the Impact playing their tournament colours of pink and black, the Whitecaps opted for their road colours of all blue on a pleasant spring evening in Burnaby, BC. What the crowd of 4,325 saw was a first half that Vancouver started well in, but Montreal finish as the better looking side.
The Whitecaps looked bright in possession in the early stages and created a couple of half chances inside the opening quarter of an hour. On eight minutes, Ansu Toure's cross from the left found fellow midfielder Luca Bellisomo in the Impact box, but his header drifted wide of the target. Five minutes later, centre back Greg Janicki headed wide of the near post after connecting with Steele's driven free kick in the Impact box.
The visitors, meanwhile, made a quiet start to the midweek clash, with their first notable event coming on 21 minutes when Montreal right fullback Braz was booked for his late challenge on Haber. The yellow card was Braz's second of the competition, which means the Impact defender will miss next Wednesday's Canadian Championship home match versus TFC.
Yet, the booking seemed to spark Montreal into life. On 25 minutes, Rocco Placentino forced Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly to tip his goal-bound header over the crossbar for a corner after Portuguese midfielder Filipe Soares had picked out the striker with a fine cross from the right.
From that point, Montreal started to take control of the contest, as they enjoyed a large amount of possession. That fine spell would result in the game's first goal on 31 minutes. Former Whitecaps midfielder Tony Donatelli played a fine through ball into the path of Byers, who got a step on his marker Janicki in the Whitecaps box. The Impact striker was then able to pick his spot and hit a low strike past Nolly to give Montreal a 1-0 lead. It was the first goal to be conceded by the Whitecaps at home this season.
Byers' goal left Swangard in silence, and the Whitecaps reeling, as they struggled to contain the speedy attacking pair of Byers and Placentino. In fact, the 'Caps could have found themselves further behind on 40 minutes. A challenge for the ball between Bellisomo and Donatelli at the edge of the Vancouver box saw the ball inadvertently run into the path of Soares. Yet, with the goal at his mercy, the Impact midfielder poked his close-range shot just wide of the post.
It was a real let-off for Vancouver, who had to consider themselves fortunate to be just one goal down at the halftime break.
Clearly needing to change the course of proceedings, Thordarson brought on James for Steele, with the Icelandic coach reverting back to his trademark 4-4-2 formation. However, the early signs were not promising that an equalizing goal was coming from the home side, as Bellisomo forced an easy save from the in-form Matt Jordan in the Impact goal on 61 minutes, while Toure hit a shot well wide of the target a minute later.
Montreal, on the other hand, continued to pose problems for the 'Caps. Braz flashed a dangerous cross right across the face of Nolly's goal, while Impact captain Nevio Pizzolitto headed Leonardo Di Lorenzo's cross from the left right at the Whitecaps number one on 65 minutes.
As frustration grew amongst the home support, Thordarson used his final two substitutions to try and turn things around. Striker Randy Edwini-Bonsu replaced Toure on the right-hand side of midfield on 70 minutes, while Justin Moose took the place of Wes Knight on the opposite flank five minute later.
As the match entered the dying stages, it was experienced striker James that created the turning point of the contest, as the Vancouver striker's power and pace resulted in a free kick on the edge of the Montreal box on 80 minutes. Whitecaps captain Martin Nash played the set-piece into the box, where match referee Geoff Gamble blew his whistle and quickly pointed to the penalty spot after seeing Braz throw a shove on the charging Janicki, who was trying to challenge for the ball. The decision then prompted referee Gamble to show Braz a second yellow card, and a subsequent red card, for his push on the former D.C. United defender.
As Braz walked off the Swangard pitch in disgust, Haber stepped up to coolly place his spot kick past Jordan for the Whitecaps equalizer on 81 minutes. It was the Vancouver native's first goal of the season for the Blue and White.
The unlikely turn of events brought much needed energy to Thordarson's side, who were keen to find a winner and claim maximum points from one of their two home matches in the tournament. With five minutes of time added on, it was Vancouver that went about attacking the ten men of Montreal.
The best chance in those five added minutes fell to James, as he got on the end of Haber's flick after centre back Nelson Akwari powered a clearing header forward. The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international got a step on his Impact marker before striking a low shot just wide of Jordan's far post - much to the agony of Whitecaps supporters.
The drama was far from over before referee Gamble blew his final whistle. A sideline altercation between Montreal's Agourram and Whitecaps right fullback Chris Williams saw the Impact substitute earn a straight red card for violent conduct against the former Charleston Battery player.
90 FULL MINUTES
It was an eventful end to a match that was looking to go Montreal's way for the most part. In the end, the team that would have benefited most from Wednesday's draw would have been Toronto FC, as their lone victory keeps the Major League Soccer club in pole position at this early stage of the competition.
The Whitecaps will quickly turn their attentions back to USSF D-2 action on Saturday evening, as Crystal Palace Baltimore make their first-ever visit to Swangard. Montreal also return to league play on Saturday, as they host NSC Minnesota Stars at Stade Saputo.
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North American Soccer League Stories from May 6, 2010
- Rested Stars Ready For Montreal Trip - Minnesota United FC
- Palace Go West In Quest For First Points - Crystal Palace Baltimore
- Late Goal Earns Tie for Whitecaps - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Down a Man, Impact Earns Point - Montreal Impact
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