Vancouver tops Montreal, 2-0
May 20, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
MONTREAL, QC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC men claimed their first win of the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship following a 2-0 away victory over Montreal Impact on Wednesday evening.
First-half goals by Marcus Haber and former Impact striker Charles Gbeke put the Whitecaps back in contention in the three-club tournament. The win moves Vancouver into second place in the Canadian Championship standings - three points back of leaders Toronto FC. It was also the Whitecaps first-ever win at Stade Saputo after failing to register a victory on three occasions at Montreal's soccer-specific stadium last season.
It was a fine all-round performance by the Whitecaps, who will feel vindicated after last Saturday's USL First Division defeat at home to Rochester Rhinos, where they played extremely well in defeat.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson was forced to make one change from the side that started last Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Rochester Rhinos in USL-1. Gordon Chin replaced Vicente Arze in the visitors' midfield for only his second-ever start with the Blue and White.
Impact interim head coach Marc Dos Santos, meanwhile, made five changes to the side that started last Sunday's 4-0 home win over Austin Aztex. Matt Jordan returned to the Montreal goal, as he replaced former 'Caps shot-stopper Srdjan Djekanovic. In midfield, Sandro Grande and Rocco Placentino replaced Stephen deRoux and the suspended David Testo. Captain Nevio Pizzolitto returned to the Montreal starting XI in his usual centre back position for the injured Cedric Joqueviel. Another former Whitecaps player in Tony Donatelli also made way for former Vancouver striker Eduargo Sebrango, who partnered Roberto Brown in the Montreal attack.
On a pleasant evening for soccer in Quebec, it was the Whitecaps in their away strip of all blue that made a sensational start by scoring inside the first 35 seconds of the match.
Chin made the most of his first start of 2009 by slipping a neat through ball into the path of Haber. The 'Caps striker side-stepped Jordan in the Impact box before putting the ball into an empty net for a 1-0 lead.
Thordarson's side could not have asked for a better beginning to proceedings, though Montreal would keep the 'Caps on their toes minutes later, with goalkeeper Jay Nolly making a fine save from Sebrango's shot that deflected off the sliding legs of Whitecaps defender Jeff Parke.
Vancouver, however, looked the more likely to score at this stage, with Ethan Gage missing the target with a dangerous turn and shot in the Montreal box after Gbeke played a fine through ball into the midfielder's path.
While the Impact strikers were struggling to stay onside, the Whitecaps were measuring their attacks to perfection. On 17 minutes, Vancouver increased their lead when Takashi Hirano took Gbeke's pass before making a surging run down the left flank. The Japanese defender played a fine cross to the far post, where Gbeke was on hand to head the ball past Jordan and make it 2-0.
Gbeke, seeking a second goal, nearly found the end of Hirano's run and cross to the Montreal byline, but defender Zanzan Atte-Oudeyi made a timely tackle in front of the Impact goal to keep the Whitecaps from scoring a third goal.
Then came a moment of disappointment for Vancouver, as centre back Wesley Charles was booked for a foul on Sebrango in the Whitecaps half. The yellow card means the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international will miss next Wednesday's return match at Swangard Stadium after he also was booked in Vancouver's first championship game against Toronto FC.
It was from Grande's ensuing free kick that the Whitecaps were forced to change their other centre back, as Parke suffered a clash of heads with Impact striker Roberto Brown in the Vancouver box. Parke's injury saw Justin Thompson come on for the former New York Red Bulls player on the half-hour mark.
To their credit, Montreal made the match a contest, with the home side hitting the woodwork twice on 32 minutes. Placentino's fine run to the Whitecaps byline saw the winger cut the ball back to former 'Caps striker Joey Gjertsen. His turn and shot rattled off the crossbar before bouncing out to Brown, whose return header hit the bar again before bouncing off Charles for a Montreal corner.
Impact fans were wondering how they were not on the scoresheet after that chance, and they were left even more frustrated five minutes later, as Placentino drilled a long-range free kick off the Whitecaps crossbar again.
Chances were then traded in the four minutes of time added on, with Gage forcing a Jordan save before Nolly was equal to Simon Gatti's goalbound effort. The Whitecaps took a deserved two-goal lead to the halftime break.
Complete match report: whitecapsfc.com/men/schedule/2009_05_20_at_Montreal_Impact.aspx
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