Whitecaps Open 2009 Season Against Charleston

Published on April 10, 2009 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release


Vancouver Whitecaps FC (15W-7L-8D in 2008) help raise the curtain on the 2009 United Soccer Leagues First Division season when they host Charleston Battery (11W-12L-7D in 2008) on Saturday evening.

Teitur Thordarson's side return to Swangard Stadium for the first time since claiming their second USL-1 championship title in three seasons. It has been nearly six months since the Blue and White gave their fans a Thanksgiving Sunday to remember when they defeated Puerto Rico Islanders 2-1 on October 12.

Since that time, much has changed with both the team and the club as a whole. Thordarson has several new players to choose from this season and a squad that should be in excellent shape to start their title defence following an extensive 12-week preseason campaign. This included an historic trip to the East African nation of Tanzania in March.

With Carolina RailHawks taking on Minnesota Thunder in the only other match on opening day, the Whitecaps aim to have a positive start to their league title defence by maintaining their undefeated home record against the Battery. Since 2001, Vancouver have recorded three wins and two draws versus their South Carolina opponents, with the 'Caps leading the all-time series of results versus Charleston with four wins, three defeats, and three draws.

Last season, the Whitecaps claimed a win, a draw, and a defeat in their three league meetings with Mike Anhaeuser's side. On May 28, goals by Jason Jordan and Nicholas Addlery earned Vancouver's first-ever win in Charleston after a 2-0 victory. On July 23, Charles Gbeke scored his first competitive goal for the club in a 1-1 home draw with the Battery before the South Carolina outfit claimed their first win over the Whitecaps since June 18, 2006, when Osvaldo Alonso struck twice in a 2-0 win at Blackbaud Stadium on August 3.

Saturday is also a chance for Thordarson's side to extend their undefeated run in home openers to eight matches. In fact, the Whitecaps have not lost or even conceded a goal in a home opener since the 2001 season, with the club claiming five wins and two draws since 2002.

AN EXCITING TIME

These are exciting times for North America's longest running professional soccer club, with the Whitecaps entering their 23rd consecutive season in 2009. The season marks 35 years since the Whitecaps set foot on the old Empire Stadium turf for their inaugural North American Soccer League (NASL) match versus San Jose Earthquakes on May 5, 1974.

To celebrate this special year, the club have designed a special commemorative version of the current Whitecaps logo. The commemorative logo, along with a corresponding word mark version, will be featured throughout the 2009 season on items such as the Whitecaps season ticket booklets, commemorative pins, player jerseys, and a special limited edition collection of 16 retrospective player cards sponsored by Shaw Cable. At each Whitecaps men's regular season home match this season, a new player card will be distributed free to the first 1,000 fans that enter Swangard Stadium. For the Charleston match on Saturday, the player card will be of Bob Lenarduzzi.

There will also be a limited edition line of commemorative UMBRO clothing that will highlight the many eras of the club's history, with the first item being released in late April. There will also be a series of special events and appearances that are planned throughout the year, with many of these events to include Whitecaps alumni.

2009 also sees the return of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship following a highly-successful first year in 2008. The Whitecaps will take on USL-1 rivals Montreal Impact and Major League Soccer (MLS) club Toronto FC to determine the top club side in Canada this season, with the winner claiming the Voyageurs Cup and Canada's lone spot in the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League. The three-club, six-match tournament proved an intriguing competition last year, with Montreal surprising many as the inaugural winners before embarking on equally remarkable run to the quarterfinals of the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League.

The Whitecaps Residency program also made further strides after beginning its second year last September. The squad won all five friendly matches during their 12-day tour of Japan in December, and this month, have reach the U-19 Super Group semifinals at Dallas Cup XXX. On May 3, the team will begin its second season in the USL Premier Development League with a home match versus expansion club Victoria Highlanders.

The excitement for the new season has also been fuelled by last month's announcement that Vancouver will become the 17th team to join MLS. The new team will begin play at a newly-renovated BC Place Stadium in Vancouver's downtown entertainment district. BC Place will undergo approximately $365 million in improvements before the new MLS team takes to the field, and will have a seamless 20,000-seat soccer-specific configuration in the renovated stadium.

The impact of the MLS announcement has seen the Whitecaps take their season ticket base past the 2,500 mark for the 2009 season, while the first phase of 5,000 Vancouver MLS 2011 season ticket deposits sold out in the space of 48 hours last month. Click here for more information on securing a season ticket for Vancouver MLS 2011.

WHITECAPS

Much has taken place since the Whitecaps started their season plans on January 19. With many talented new faces arriving on the Lower Mainland and several youngsters from Whitecaps Residency program being given a serious look over by Thordarson and his staff, the team's extensive preparation time is sure to have greatly benefited the USL-1 champions. "This preseason has been very interesting," Thordarson told whitecapsfc.com during Wednesday's 'Media Day' at Swangard Stadium. "We not only did we start preseason training earlier than usual, we also had tougher friendly games to play. That was a very important thing for me."

Indeed, the Whitecaps played a variety of opponents in preseason. They include a behind-closed-doors friendly versus MLS expansion club Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field on February 22, three difficult matches in the heat of Tanzania last month, and a competitive draw with Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers on April 3. The games have helped Thordarson shape his squad to his system of play. "We have some very interesting qualities in the team this year," Thordarson said. "We have a lot of speed and good technique, as well as better crossing abilities than last year. I think it's important we give the team a little bit of time to come together on the pitch because we have a lot of new players."

After many training sessions, friendly matches, and thousands of miles of traveling, the season opener cannot come soon enough for some Whitecaps players. Vicente Arze is particularly looking forward to Saturday night. "Everybody is really excited about the game," said the Bolivian winger. "The team dynamic is really good and everybody is ready to start the new season. This is a team that will do everything it can on the pitch, as it will fight until the last minute of the match to try and win. I think fans will be entertained by our team this season."

The Whitecaps are without several key players for the visit of Charleston. Despite being back in full training, defender Geordie Lyall and winger Justin Moose will miss the season opener, as the pair continue to recover from offseason injury concerns. Speedy right fullback Lyle Martin remains four to five weeks out after breaking his foot in preseason, while striker Marlon James will have to wait to make his USL-1 debut after suffering an ankle injury in training this week. Recent signing Jeff Parke will also miss Saturday's game, as he serves the first of four remaining matches of a 10-game ban that he received in MLS last season. The former New York Red Bulls player was suspended after testing positive for a banned substance last season. Good news for Thordarson is that new signing Kenold Versailles is in consideration for Saturday after overcoming a foot injury.

With the injury problems and the Whitecaps Residency team currently at Dallas Cup XXX in Texas, Thordarson has signed two youngsters that have been with the Residency team recently. 17-year-old striker Jerome Baker and Trinity Western University centre back Paul Hamilton have been added to the Whitecaps squad for Saturday's match.

BATTERY

A front-loaded home schedule gave Charleston a bright start to last season, with the South Carolina club spending some time at the top of the USL-1 standings. Unfortunately for Anhaeuser's squad, the Battery were unable to maintain their league form, despite an impressive run to the 2008 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup final. Charleston's season ended in late September with a first-round playoff exit to Rochester Rhinos.

The Battery come into the 2009 season without the services of talented midfielder Alonso. The former Cuban international made the jump to MLS and expansion club Seattle Sounders FC for 2009, while centre back Marco Reda looks set to face the club he captained last season as a member of the Whitecaps on Saturday.

Those to arrive in Charleston include experienced USL-1 striker Dan Antoniuk, former Atlanta Silverbacks midfielder Scott Buete, former Seattle Sounders player Kenji Treschuk, and former Carolina RailHawks defender Frankie Sanfilippo. Japanese import Tsuyoshi Yoshitake also joins the Battery after playing in J.League Division One with Tokyo Verdy 1969. Stephen Armstrong, Dusty Hudock, Randi Patterson, and Darren Spicer are among Charleston's returning contingent, while the Battery also have the former Whitecaps pair of Ian Fuller and Nigel Marples in the roster and former Vancouver defender Mark Watson as their assistant coach. Canadian Chris Williams is back for a second season with the club, while compatriot Tyler Hemming comes to the Battery after two seasons with Toronto FC.

Despite beginning their preseason campaign at the end of February, Charleston faced MLS opposition as hosts of the Carolina Challenge Cup tournament. The Battery played Toronto FC, Real Salt Lake, and D.C. United as part of their build-up.

Reda himself is fully aware of Charleston's battling qualities after being a major part of their side last year. "It'll be a tough game," Reda said of Saturday. "Mike Anhaeuser always has his players well organized defensively, but considering that we've been training longer than they have this winter, it might give us a physical edge come the latter stages of the match."

FUTURE ENCOUNTERS

The Whitecaps will meet the Battery on two more occasions this season. Vancouver will again host the South Carolina outfit at Swangard on Friday, August 7, before completing their set of regular season meetings at Charleston's Blackbaud Stadium on Thursday, August 20.

ARE YOU IN?

There are a limited number of 2009 season tickets still available. A Whitecaps season ticket remains the best value to see all of the men's team's home matches in USL-1 and guarantees your seat for both of Vancouver's home matches in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Season tickets holders also receive priority listing for Vancouver MLS 2011 in BC Place.

Saturday's game between the Whitecaps and Charleston at Swangard Stadium kicks off at 7:00 p.m. PDT. Whitecaps individual match tickets start at just $19 and are available at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centres, online at ticketmaster.ca, and by phone at 604.280.4400 or 1.800.663.9311. CLICK HERE for information on our individual match tickets.

Whitecaps season tickets are also on sale. Season tickets include all men's and women's team regular season and playoff home matches at Swangard Stadium, Nutrilite Canadian Championship home matches against Toronto FC and Montreal Impact, as well as priority listing for Vancouver MLS 2011 in BC Place and the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. For more information on the 2009 season ticket packages, call 604.669.WAVE (9283).

You can also watch Saturday's match between the Whitecaps and Charleston live on USLlive.com.

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USL First Division Stories from April 10, 2009


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