Whitecaps Advance with 0-0 Tie
September 27, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
Vancouver Whitecaps FC reached the USL First Division playoff semifinals after defeating Carolina RailHawks 1-0 on aggregate following Sunday's goalless draw in the second leg of their first round playoff series.
Leading 1-0 from Thursday's first leg, the seventh-seeded Whitecaps put in a fine defensive performance to earn another playoff clean sheet and upset the second-seeded RailHawks at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. In the end, Randy Edwini-Bonsu's match winner at Swangard Stadium helped the Blue and White reach the next round of the league playoffs.
The defending USL-1 champions will now face Pacific Northwest rivals and regular season champions Portland Timbers in the semifinals next week. The first leg will take place at Swangard on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. PDT, with the second leg to take place at PGE Park in Portland, Oregon, next Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. PDT. Tickets for Thursday's first leg will go on sale on Monday morning at 10 a.m. PDT.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made two changes to the side that started Thursday's first leg. Kenold Versailles replaced the injured Gordon Chin to partner captain Martin Nash in central midfield, while in attack, Marlon James took the place of Charles Gbeke.
RailHawks head coach Martin Rennie, meanwhile, made four changes to the starting XI that he played in Vancouver on Thursday night. Eric Reed replaced Caleb Patterson-Sewell in goal, while Joseph Kabwe replaced John Gilkerson in the Carolina backline. In midfield, Gregory Richardson replaced Luke Kreamalmeyer, while Andriy Budnyy took the place of the on-loan Matthew Delicâte in attack.
On a typically warm North Carolina day, a WakeMed Soccer Park crowd of 2,471 saw a lively start to the match, as both sides looked to get an early advantage in this crucial playoff encounter.
On two minutes, Carolina's crafty midfielder Daniel Paladini caused a scare in the Whitecaps box with a free kick that deflected just wide of the Vancouver goal for a RailHawks corner. At the other end, Marcus Haber's low cross from right nearly found his strike partner James, but Carolina did well to cut out the danger in front of Reed's goal.
With the aggregate advantage in favour of the Blue and White, the onus was on Carolina to get back into the series. On 19 minutes, centre back Mark Schulte struck the chest of Versailles with his header from Paladini's corner. Then three minutes later, Paladini looked to spark something after playing a short free kick to Kabwe, but the Zimbabwean midfielder drilled his long-distance shot right into the arms of Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly.
The 'Caps then replied with two fine chances from Haitian international Versailles. On 26 minutes, the midfielder struck a powerful volley off the Carolina crossbar after the home side failed to properly clear Wes Knight's throw into the RailHawks box from the right. Then on the half-hour mark, Versailles headed Nash's corner from the left wide of the far post.
Then the pivotal moment of the match and the series came on 35 minutes. The RailHawks were awarded a penalty after match referee Niko Bratsis adjudged Whitecaps right fullback Lyle Martin to have pulled down the speedy Richardson in the Vancouver box - much to the displeasure of the visitors in all blue. The responsibility of the spot kick fell to Paladini, but his effort was well saved by Nolly, as he dove to his right to block away the midfielder's penalty.
Though disappointed not to be level in the series at this stage, the RailHawks kept pressing and earned a free kick on 43 minutes after Whitecaps centre back Luca Bellisomo was booked for pulling down Budnyy near the edge of the Vancouver box. Paladini, however, could not take advantage of the set-piece opportunity, as he curled his effort wide of the target a minute later.
The last chance of the half fell to Haber in the three minutes of time added on, but the Whitecaps striker's turn and shot was easily saved by Reed.
It meant both sides went to the break deadlocked at 0-0 in the match, with the Whitecaps still leading the series 1-0 on aggregate.
Looking to turn the tide of the series, Rennie made a change in his attack for the start of the second half, with Delicâte coming on for the Ukrainian Budnyy.
Thordarson then responded by changing strikers himself, as first-leg goalscorer Edwini-Bonsu replaced James on 54 minutes. The youngster soon caused the Carolina backline problems, with the Whitecaps upset they were not awarded a penalty themselves on 54 minutes. Schulte looked to have pulled down Edwini-Bonsu in the RailHawks box after the striker made a fine attacking run towards goal.
The 'Caps then made another forward substitution, with Gbeke replacing Haber on 62 minutes. The big striker was soon into the action himself, as his looping header from Ansu Toure's cross from the left went straight to Reed.
RailHawks fans then had a moment of premature excitement on 64 minutes, as Delicâte found the back of the net with his finish, but the play was rightfully blown down for offside on the Carolina substitute.
The next Whitecaps substitution became a bit of a homecoming, as North Carolina native Justin Moose replaced Toure on the left-hand side of midfield on 69 minutes. Seconds later, the winger looked to make decisive impact with a cross from the left, but Versailles' header went wide of the target.
Though the aggregate lead was a slim one, the Whitecaps looked relatively comfortable in the defensive shape, as Carolina struggled to find a way through their backline. Defender Brad Rusin tried his best to find the target with a long-distance shot on 72 minutes, but his effort flew wide of Nolly's goal. Three minutes later, Martin was booked after bringing down Richardson on the right-hand side of the Whitecaps box for a free kick.
As the match entered the dying stages, Vancouver created chances to secure the series win. On 83 minutes, Knight struck a shot into the arms of Reed before Nash hit a free-kick effort over the Carolina crossbar four minutes later. Moose, meanwhile, was unlucky to just miss the target with right-footed strike momemts after that.
With time winding down, Thordarson looked to shore up his defences by bringing Edwini-Bonsu off the pitch and placing Mason Trafford in midfield before the match entered a further five minutes of time added on.
Though Carolina pressed hard to find a goal, the Vancouver rearguard stood firm, with the final whistle confirming the Whitecaps passage to the semifinals and a two-legged meeting with arch-rivals Portland. For the RailHawks, their best-ever season in USL-1 came to a disappointing end on Sunday. Carolina have yet to win a league playoff match or score a postseason goal in their brief history.
USL First Division Stories from September 27, 2009
- Impact Eliminate Battery - Montreal Impact
- Whitecaps Advance with 0-0 Tie - Vancouver Whitecaps
- RailHawks eliminated from USL-1 quarterfinals, fall 1-0 on aggregate - North Carolina FC
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