Whitecaps Win Series Opener 2-1

October 2, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release


Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers 2-1 in the first leg of their USL First Division playoff semifinal series at Swangard Stadium on Thursday evening.

A pair of headed goals by Charles Gbeke and Marcus Haber gave the defending USL-1 champions a slim one-goal advantage for Sunday's decisive second leg in Portland, Oregon. The result was Portland's second road loss of the 2009 campaign, with the Timbers' other away defeat this season occurring in Vancouver on April 25. The win also extended the Whitecaps unbeaten streak in the league to five matches (4W-0L-1D).

Though Thursday's events did not go according to plan for the top-seeded Timbers, the USL-1 regular season champions will feel they can turn the series around in The City of Roses on Sunday after Portland's Ryan Pore scored from the penalty spot just before halftime.

Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made one change to the side that started last Sunday's goalless draw at Carolina RailHawks in the second leg of their first round playoff series. That change came in attack, as Gbeke replaced Marlon James to partner Haber up front.

Timbers head coach Gavin Wilkinson also made one change to the side that started Portland's final regular match at home to Cleveland City Stars two weeks ago. Midfielder Pore returned from suspension to replace Japanese striker Takayuki Suzuki in the visitors' starting XI.

On a cool and wet autumn evening on the Lower Mainland, a Swangard crowd of 4,516 saw an intriguing first half of soccer, with both sides finding the back of the net before the break.

It was the Whitecaps that had the first chance of the match on six minutes. Centre back Luca Bellisomo got on the end of captain Martin Nash's cross at the far post, but his effort flew wide of the target.

Portland then had a couple of chances of their own. On 13 minutes, Tony McManus side-footed a shot into the arms of Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly after Geroge Josten found the Timbers midfielder at the top of the Whitecaps box. Two minutes later, Portland's Swedish import Johan Claesson struck a shot high and wide from long range.

The Whitecaps then responded with a glorious chance just past the midway point of the half. Ansu Toure's curling cross from the left found Haber at the far post, but with an empty goal to aim for, his header went just wide of the target.

Vancouver fans did not have to wait long for the home side to draw first blood, however, as Gbeke headed home his 14th goal of the year and first of the playoffs on 25 minutes. Takashi Hirano beat Portland's Brian Farber down the left flank before curling in a fine cross to Gbeke in the Timbers box. The Canadian international's header struck the ground before beating Timbers goalkeeper Steve Cronin, then hitting the underside of the crossbar, and bouncing into the goal for a 1-0 Whitecaps lead.

Having made the opening breakthrough in the series, the Whitecaps tried to build on their lead, with Portland looking a bit out of sorts, as a result. On 27 minutes, Wes Knight nearly got on the end of Toure's dangerous cross from the left before an unmarked Haber struck a great chance over the Portland crossbar on 35 minutes after Gbeke failed to initially connect with another Hirano cross from the left.

Things seemed to be going according to plan for Thordarson's side, but on 43 minutes, the Timbers were given a chance to equalize after match referee Geoff Gamble awarded Portland a penalty. He adjudged Whitecaps right fullback Lyle Martin to have handled Farber's half-volleyed effort towards goal in the Vancouver box. The decision upset the home side and the Swangard crowd, but that did not bother Pore, as he stepped up to strike home his 11th goal of the season for 1-1.

Portland's goal had the Whitecaps faithful up in arms over the manner that it was conceded. As the match entered the extra minute of time added on, referee Gamble and fourth official Paul Ward took issue with the protests of Whitecaps substitute Marco Reda, with Gamble showing a red card to the Vancouver centre back. The sending off means Reda will not be available for the remainder of the semifinal series.

The halftime whistle brought widespread jeers from Whitecaps fans, with referee Gamble taking the brunt of the supporters' frustrations, as both clubs went to their respective dressing rooms deadlocked at 1-1.

The start of the second half saw both teams resume action in pouring rain, with the Whitecaps needing to put the events that took place just before halftime behind them.

They did just that on 49 minutes, as Vancouver restored their lead in both the match and the series. Gbeke was given time and space to drive in a cross from the right flank to Haber at the far post. The Canadian youth international rose above Timbers defender Scot Thompson to head the ball off the inside of the near post for a 2-1 Whitecaps lead. It was Haber's first-ever goal in the USL-1 playoffs and 10th of the year for his hometown club.

The goal restored a positive mood around Swangard, with Portland finding themselves behind once again. It only took the Timbers three minutes to try and respond, but Pore's goal-bound shot was blocked in front of the Whitecaps goal, with play eventually blown down following an ensuing scramble in the Vancouver box. Then Josten and Keita squandered opportunities for the visitors on 56 and 59 minutes respectively.

Just before the hour mark, James replaced Haber in the Whitecaps attack, and the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international was soon causing problems of his own for the Oregon-based opponents.

After Nash did well to win the ball in midfield on 68 minutes, Toure slipped a fine through ball to James. The big striker closed in on the Portland goal, but his strike was well saved by Cronin, with the visitors able to clear the danger away.

As the match entered the latter stages, Thordarson put on more fresh legs in the form of Justin Moose for Toure on the left-hand side of midfield on 75 minutes, while fit-again Chris Pozniak replaced Kenold Versailles on 81 minutes after the Haiti international had put in a solid performance alongside Nash in central midfield.

The final chances of the first leg fell to the home side, with the Whitecaps seeking to take as big of an advantage to Portland as possible. On 83 minutes, Gbeke and James broke on the counter-attack, with Gbeke unlucky to find his strike partner with his chipped through ball at the top of the Portland box.

Then in the three minutes of time added on, Whitecaps substitute Nizar Khalfan forced a fine save from Cronin after drilling a fierce strike from the right flank, with the Tanzanian international having come on minutes earlier for Knight on the right-hand side of midfield.

90 FULL MINUTES

It made no difference to the final outcome of Thursday's match, as Vancouver took a one-goal lead with them for their trip down Interstate 5 to The City of Roses and Sunday's second leg. Kick-off from Portland's PGE Park is set for 4 p.m. PDT.

The other USL-1 playoff semifinal series also began on Thursday night, as fifth-seeded Montreal Impact earned a 2-1 first-leg win over third-seeded Puerto Rico Islanders at Stade Saputo. Goals by former Whitecaps midfielder Tony Donatelli and Roberto Brown gave Montreal an important win in Quebec. Puerto Rico, however, will feel confident of turning the series around at home after Jonny Steele scored the Islanders' lone goal in Thursday's first match. Both clubs will now head to the Caribbean for the second leg at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, on Sunday.



USL First Division Stories from October 2, 2009


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