Whitecaps Drop Championship Series Opener
October 11, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
Vancouver Whitecaps FC suffered a 3-2 home defeat to Canadian rivals Montreal Impact in the first leg of the 2009 USL First Division Championship Series on Saturday evening.
Despite two second-half goals by Marcus Haber and substitute Marlon James, the Impact take a one-goal lead back to Montreal's Stade Saputo for the decisive second leg next Saturday afternoon after a first-half own-goal by Shaun Pejic was followed with second-half strikes from Peter Byers and former Whitecaps forward Eduardo Sebrango. It was the Impact's fourth straight victory over the Whitecaps in USL-1 this season, with Montreal also making it five wins out of five in the 2009 postseason.
Vancouver also finished the first leg with ten men after captain Martin Nash was sent off early in the second half for a late challenge on Impact striker Roberto Brown. The red card means the influential playmaker will miss next weekend's second leg in Montreal.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made two changes to the side that started last Sunday's playoff semifinal, second leg, draw at Portland Timbers. Both changes came in midfield, with Haiti international Kenold Versailles replacing Chris Pozniak in the middle, while Tanzanian international Nizar Khalfan replaced Ansu Toure on the left-hand side of the midfield line.
Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos, meanwhile, named an unchanged side from the starting XI that played in the 2-1 second-leg win at Puerto Rico Islanders last Sunday. Included in Montreal's starting line-up were three former Whitecaps players, as Tony Donatelli, Joey Gjertsen, and David Testo all appeared in the Impact midfield. Former 'Caps players in goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic and striker Sebrango took places on the Montreal substitutes' bench.
On a cool and calm autumn evening on the Lower Mainland, a sold-out Swangard crowd of 5,886 saw a competitive, yet untidy, first half of soccer from both clubs, with Montreal finishing the stronger side just before the break.
The game's first chance came on two minutes, with former Impact striker Charles Gbeke trying an ambitious long-range shot from just inside the Montreal half that had Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan retreating back to his goal line to save with ease.
The Quebec-based outfit soon responded. On eight minutes, Leonardo Di Lorenzo's cross from the left saw Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly and centre back Luca Bellisomo accidentally collide with each other in the Vancouver box. The loose ball fell to Brown, but the Panamanian attacker's volley flew over the Vancouver crossbar. Two minutes later, Di Lorenzo had a chance for the Impact, but his low shot from Brown's lay-off flew just wide of the near post.
The next Whitecaps chance came on 18 minutes, as Wes Knight volleyed Gbeke's byline cross from the left wide of the target from a tight angle.
Then came a disjointed spell of play from both sides, as several turnovers were committed by both Vancouver and Montreal in midfield, with neither side able to gain command of the contest at this stage.
Vancouver then had two chances go begging. On 32 minutes, Khalfan struck Nash's free kick pass high and over the crossbar, while four minutes later, Knight was also wayward with a shot from the edge of the Montreal box after cutting inside from the right flank.
In fact, it was the Impact that ended the half in the ascendancy. On 38 minutes, Brown headed Di Lorenzo's free kick from the right just wide before Byers had an opportunity to give the visitors the lead on 44 minutes. Donatelli's fine through ball from midfield found the Antigua & Barbuda international striker. He then beat the slide-tackling Pejic to the ball in the Whitecaps box before drilling a shot right into the chest of Nolly, who was then able to hold on to the loose ball.
It was a sign of things to come, and in the 45th minute, Montreal took a one-goal lead into halftime. Stephen deRoux's dangerous cross from the left redirected off the mid-section of Pejic before finding the back of the Whitecaps net for a 1-0 Impact lead at the break.
It was a disappointing end to the opening 45 minutes for Vancouver, and in an effort to try and turn things around, Thordarson made two substitutions for the start of the second half. James replaced Gbeke in attack, while Justin Moose took the place of Khalfan on the left-hand side of midfield. James was quickly into the action soon after the restart, as he headed Nash's free kick wide of goal on 48 minutes.
Then a major turning point in the match, and possibly the series, occurred on 51 minutes. Match referee Carol Anne Chenard issued a red card to Nash for his late challenge on Brown in the Whitecaps half. The playmaker caught the Montreal striker on the ankle just seconds after Brown had seemingly made a late challenge on Nash. The red card stunned the Swangard crowd, with the 'Caps not only trailing by a goal, but down to ten men for the rest of the first leg and without their inspirational captain for next Saturday's crucial second leg.
Though the red card made things more of a challenge for Vancouver, the match amazingly opened up and soon brought an equalizer from the home side on 56 minutes. deRoux turned the ball over to Haber in the Whitecaps half, with the 2009 USL-1 Rookie of the Year able to run straight at the Montreal backline as a result. He then sidestepped Impact centre back Cedric Joqueviel before placing an exquisite right-foot finish past Jordan to make it 1-1 and bring delight to the crowd at Swangard.
The pace of the game also increased, and Montreal tried their best to use the man advantage. Brown headed Di Lorenzo's cross from the left wide of goal on 58 minutes before the Panamanian was unlucky to hit the post from close range three minutes later.
It was pulsating stuff in Burnaby and the crowd were soon treated to a couple more goals at either end. First, Montreal restored their lead on 63 minutes, as Byers beat the Vancouver offside trap to latch on to Adam Braz's through ball down the right flank. As he reached the byline, the Impact striker eluded the sliding challenge of Pejic before slipping a low shot through the legs of Nolly and into the goal for 2-1.
Two minutes later, however, the Whitecaps made it 2-2. James powered home a downward header from Knight's curling cross to restore parity again, with the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international earning a booking for his celebration seconds later.
The goals meant that matters were well poised at this stage, and after Takashi Hirano missed the target with curling free kick on 70 minutes, Sebrango entered the match for Montreal in place of Byers up front.
The Cuban international was soon causing havoc in the Whitecaps box. On 71 minutes, a cross from the left by deRoux saw Brown hit the crossbar with his close-range header. The rebound came out to Sebrango, whose return header was heroically clawed away by Nolly on the goal line. The loose ball then came out to Brown, but he squandered his chance to get on the scoresheet after striking his shot high and wide, despite having an open goal to aim for.
Looking to claim the advantage for the second leg, Montreal introduced Rocco Placentino for Gjertsen in midfield on 78 minutes. Seven minutes later, Sebrango headed Di Lorenzo's cross from the left wide of the target for the visitors.
The Whitecaps made two more substitutions themselves in the late stages, with Tyrell Burgess replacing Lyle Martin, who looked to have picked up a leg injury, while youngster Randy Edwini-Bonsu came on for Haber to play in midfield.
Yet, any hopes of the Whitecaps taking an advantage to Quebec next weekend were dashed when Montreal scored the match-winner in the 89th minute. Placentino's powerful strike from the left flank saw Nolly direct the ball straight up into the air after making a spectacular save. The ball dropped kindly for the onrushing Sebrango to head home and give the Impact a slim one-goal advantage for the second leg.
As exciting a second half as it was, Montreal's third goal was disheartening to see for Whitecaps fans. In the three minutes of time added on, however, James came ever so close to a third Vancouver equalizer, but his fine turn and shot from Burgess' pass rolled just wide of the Impact goal.
90 FULL MINUTE
The final whistle confirmed that the Impact will now head home sitting in the driver's seat of the two-match, aggregate score series, though the Whitecaps know there is more to come from what is already looking to be another memorable playoff showdown with their Canadian foes. The second leg at Stade Saputo will take place next Saturday afternoon at 11:30 a.m. PDT.
USL First Division Stories from October 11, 2009
- Whitecaps Drop Championship Series Opener - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Impact take USL-1 Championship lead - USL-1
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