Montreal Impact tops Whitecaps 2-0
Published on June 26, 2008 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
BURNABY, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps suffered a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Montreal Impact in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship on Wednesday evening.
Goals by Roberto Brown and former Whitecaps midfielder David Testo secured Montreal's second win in the three-club competition to boost their hopes of winning the competition, which also includes Major League Soccer club Toronto FC. Defeat for Vancouver was their second defeat in the Championship, and with two games remaining against Toronto FC early next month, the Whitecaps now have an uphill battle to be crowned the best club side in Canada for 2008.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Miami FC Blues in the USL First Division on Sunday. Making a return from injury on Wednesday night was Jeff Clarke following a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a leg injury. He partnered captain Adrian Cann in the centre of defence, with Chris Pozniak moving into the left fullback position and Diaz Kambere having to do with a place on the substitutes' bench. Also included on the left side of midfield was Japanese star Takashi Hirano, as he replaced Tony Donatelli in the starting XI. In attack, Nicholas Addlery replaced fellow goalscorer Jason Jordan, as he partnered former Impact forward Eduardo Sebrango up front.
Impact head coach John Limniatis, meanwhile, made three changes of his own for his first-ever away match since taking over the Montreal reins from Nick De Santis on June 10. Defenders Nevio Pizzolitto and Adam Braz joined Testo in being the visitors' new inclusions from the side that started last Sunday's convincing 3-0 home win over Carolina RailHawks in USL-1. Another former Whitecaps favourite in striker Joey Gjertsen had to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench.
On a great night for soccer on the Lower Mainland, the first quarter of an hour proved relatively uneventful, as both sides looked evenly matched in the opening exchanges. The first real opportunity fell to the visitors, but Brown's goal-bound free kick hit the Whitecaps six-man wall before the danger was cleared away on six minutes.
Vancouver's earliest reply came from Hirano on the left-hand side, but the winger's low cross failed to find a Whitecaps teammate in the Montreal box on 17 minutes, despite the ball causing some initial excitement from the home fans.
USL First Division Stories from June 26, 2008
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