Whitecaps Visit Reds In Toronto
June 1, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
VANCOUVER, BC - Looking to wrap up a challenging three-match road trip, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (0W-0L-3D) visit Major League Soccer (MLS) club Toronto FC (2W-0L-1D) in the final match of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship on Wednesday evening.
Having been eliminated from contention for the Voyageurs Cup title following last week's draw at USSF D-2 Pro League rivals Montreal Impact, Teitur Thordarson's side will look to finish this year's Canadian Championship campaign in positive fashion by claiming a result against The Reds, with TFC already assured of the 2010 crown following last Wednesday's result in Quebec.
Wednesday's Nutrilite Canadian Championship clash between the Whitecaps and Toronto FC from BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, kicks off at 5 p.m. PT. Whitecaps fans can watch Wednesday's encounter through live streaming on sportsnet.ca or on Rogers Sportsnet East and Rogers Sportsnet West.
NUTRILITE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
This time last week, the Whitecaps were hoping that Wednesday's contest would be a tournament decider at BMO Field. For that to have taken place, the Whitecaps needed to win in Montreal last week. Though things looked promising after Ansu Toure scored early in the second half for the Blue and White, an equalizer by the Impact's Philippe Billy resulted in a 1-1 draw at Montreal's Stade Saputo and TFC's confirmation as Canadian champions for a second straight year.
As 2010 Voyageurs Cup winners, TFC will return to the CONCACAF Champions League for the 2010-11 season, with The Reds facing a very challenging two-match, aggregate-goal Preliminary Round series versus former TFC midfielder Amado Guevara and Club Deportivo Motagua of Honduras. The first leg is set for Toronto's BMO Field during the week of July 27 to 29, while the second leg will take place in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, during the first week of August.
WHITECAPS
Many in Thordarson's squad would not have envisioned their trip to Toronto to be a meaningless affair. However, a run of three straight tournament draws leaves the 'Caps playing for pride at BMO Field and with the opportunity of leaving a mark for what will surely be a heated all-Canadian MLS rivalry come Vancouver's entry into the league in 2011.
For Thordarson, an improvement on Saturday's disappointing display in Upstate New York is on his order list following Vancouver's 2-1 league defeat to the Rhinos in Rochester. "I would like to use our game in Toronto as good preparation for our league match at home on Sunday," he told whitecapsfc.com. "For that, we need to see the team perform well in Toronto and attack better than we did in Rochester. We might change some players from the line-up we used against the Rhinos, but we will not decide that until after our training session on Tuesday."
Having missed the USSF D-2 clash in Rochester, centre back Greg Janicki remains listed as day-to-day with an ankle problem. The club are still without defender/midfielder Blake Wagner, who remains sidelined with a strain in his foot, and long-term casualty Mouloud Akloul, who continues his recovery from a fractured ankle. Goalkeeper Dan Pelc also remains sidelined with a gluteus maximus injury.
TORONTO FC
Win, lose, or draw, Wednesday night will be an evening of celebration for TFC, as they will hoist the Voyageurs Cup in front of their home supporters following their clash with the 'Caps. A pair of wins over Montreal, coupled with a goalless draw in Vancouver, was more than enough for The Reds to defend the Canadian Championship title they first won in dramatic style last year. "It is nice to be named champions and advance in this competition," TFC head coach Preki told CanadaSoccer.com. "We did what we needed to do in the first couple of games, so we took the pressure off ourselves."
Securing the Voyageurs Cup title capped a fine month of May for the Southern Ontario outfit, as TFC registered four wins, one defeat, and two draws in both MLS and Canadian Championship play. In fact, The Reds are unbeaten in their last four MLS contests, with TFC earning their first away win in the league this season following an impressive 3-1 victory at San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night. Captain Dwayne De Rosario's two goals in San Jose earned him the MLS Player of the Week honour for Week 10, while the win moved TFC up to second in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with a record of 5W-4L-1D.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Wednesday's match will be Vancouver's sixth all-time meeting with Toronto FC, with the Whitecaps holding a favourable record of two wins, one defeat, and two draws since 2008. This includes one win and one defeat versus The Reds at BMO Field. On Canada Day (July 1, 2008), a Martin Nash penalty gave the Whitecaps a famous 1-0 away win over TFC in what was a must-win Canadian Championship game for the 'Caps. Then in last year's tournament opener on May 6, 2009, an early strike from former Whitecaps player Kevin Harmse gave TFC their only win over Vancouver, as they ran out 1-0 victors at BMO Field. The midweek match-up will also be the last time that the Whitecaps face TFC as a North American second division club. In 2011, both Vancouver and Toronto will do battle in MLS and the Canadian Championship.
BLUE & WHITE IN TORONTO
Vancouver's defeat at TFC last year took the club's all-time record of results in Toronto to 11 wins, 17 defeats, and three draws. Between 1974 and 2010, the 'Caps have played no less than seven different Toronto-based clubs.
In the days of the North American Soccer League, the Whitecaps had three wins and six defeats in nine away matches versus Toronto Metros, Toronto Metros-Croatia, and Toronto Blizzard between 1974 and 1984. In the Canadian Soccer League years of 1987 to 1992, Vancouver had one win, four defeats, and three draws versus the CSL's Blizzard in Toronto, while in the American Professional Soccer League, the club won and lost twice on the road to the Blizzard in 1993 and Toronto Rockets in 1994.
Vancouver's more recent exploits with Southern Ontario opposition came in the form of ex-United Soccer Leagues First Division club Toronto Lynx between 1998 and 2006. Though the Whitecaps hold the all-time set of results, they recorded four wins and four defeats versus the Lynx in Toronto during that time.
VOYAGEURS CUP PUB PARTY
Whitecaps fans can cheer on Thordarson's side during Wednesday's Canadian Championship clash at Cinema Public House (901, Granville Street, downtown Vancouver) at 5 p.m. PT. Cinema Public House is a member of the Whitecaps Preferred Pubs & Restaurants program. Whitecaps season ticket holders can use their 'Caps Card for discounts at all of our Preferred Pubs & Restaurants.
HOME TO ROWDIES
Following Wednesday's game in Toronto, the Whitecaps return home and prepare for the visit of the newly-formed FC Tampa Bay Rowdies on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff of Sunday's USSF D-2 clash at Swangard Stadium is set for 4 p.m. PT. Whitecaps individual match tickets start at $20, plus applicable service charges, and are available at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centres, online at ticketmaster.ca, and by phone at 604.280.4400 or 1.800.663.9311. Visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets for more information on individual match tickets.
U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from June 1, 2010
- Beavers Face Salt Lake in Homestand - Portland Timbers
- Impact Faces AC Milan - Montreal Impact
- Miami FC Looks To Remain Undefeated On The Road - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Celebrate Whitecaps FC Week Of Soccer - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Whitecaps Visit Reds In Toronto - Vancouver Whitecaps
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