Whitecaps FC Return to Portland for Second Leg
October 9, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
PORTLAND, OR - With a two-goal advantage from Thursday's first leg match, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (1W-0L-0D) travel down Interstate 5 to meet Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers (0W-1L-0D) in the second leg of their USSF D-2 Pro League first-round playoff series on Sunday evening.
The Blue and White made a fine start to their pursuit of the USSF D-2 title, as first-half goals by Gershon Koffie and Martin Nash gave Whitecaps FC their first victory of the season over the Timbers. Thursday's result puts Teitur Thordarson's side in a solid position to win this first-round playoff series and advance to the semifinals.
Sunday's second leg between Whitecaps FC and Portland Timbers from the University of Portland's Merlo Field in Portland, Oregon, kicks off at 6 p.m. PT. Whitecaps fans can watch Sunday's playoff contest live online at whitecapsfc.com/live.
WHITECAPS FC
Thordarson's squad had a feeling of accomplishment following the first leg, as Vancouver put together their most complete performance against the Timbers this season. The requirement for this weekend's second leg will be to emulate those same efforts and see themselves through to the last four of the playoffs for a third straight season. "Our focus for the second leg will be to find the balance that we had on Thursday. That is to defend well and attack Portland on the break," Thordarson said after the first leg. "Before the first game, we focused quite a lot on discipline. I thought our approach was perfect in the first leg."
Whitecaps FC will be without Wes Knight for the second leg after the right fullback suffered an unfortunate shoulder injury. The former College of Charleston standout fell awkwardly after slipping on the Swangard Stadium pitch during the second half of Thursday's match.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Sunday's match will be the 67th all-time meeting between Whitecaps FC and the Timbers, with both clubs facing each other for the fourth time in the postseason. During the USL-1 era, Whitecaps FC won two of three playoff series and posted a 4W-1L-1D record in the process. In 2002, Vancouver defeated Portland 2-0 on aggregate in the first round before the Timbers avenged that result with a 3-1 aggregate success in first-round playoff action in 2007. Last season, both clubs played a memorable semifinal series, with Whitecaps FC emerging as 5-4 aggregate winners. Going back to the 1975 North American Soccer League (NASL) season, the Whitecaps hold an all-time record of 33 wins, 23 defeats, and 10 draws versus the Timbers.
USSF D-2 PLAYOFF FORMAT
Vancouver's first-round playoff series with Portland is being contested as a two-match, aggregate score series. If the aggregate score is tied at the conclusion of the second leg, then two 15-minute extra-time periods will be played to determine the series winner. If both sides remain tied at the end of extra time, then the series will be decided using a penalty shootout. *Unlike European club competitions or the CONCACAF Champions League, the 'Away Goals' rule is NOT in effect as a tiebreaker in the USSF D-2 playoffs*.
The winner of this first-round playoff series will advance to the semifinals and face the winner of the Rochester Rhinos (first seed) versus Puerto Rico Islanders (eight seed) series, with Puerto Rico leading 2-0 on aggregate from the first leg. The other playoff semifinal will see the winner of the Austin Aztex (third seed) versus Montreal Impact (sixth seed) series take on the winner of the Carolina RailHawks (second seed) versus NSC Minnesota Stars (seventh seed) series. Montreal lead Austin 2-0 on aggregate in their series, while Carolina and Minnesota are level at 0-0 on aggregate following a goalless first-leg draw.
The semifinals will take place between Wednesday, October 13, and Sunday, October 17, while the USSF D-2 championship final series will be played over two weekends. The first leg of the final is set for the weekend of October 23 & 24, while the second leg will take place during the weekend of October 30 & 31.
U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from October 9, 2010
- Aztex Record-Setting Season Comes to an End - Austin Aztex
- Impact win over Austin - Montreal Impact
- Stars' season ends with 4-0 loss in North Carolina - Minnesota United FC
- Rhinos Fall 3-2 on Aggregate - Rochester Rhinos
- RailHawks Roll 4-0 Over Minnesota - North Carolina FC
- Whitecaps FC Return to Portland for Second Leg - Vancouver Whitecaps
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