Vancouver Whitecaps News Release - www.whitecapsfc.com

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

VANCOUVER, BC -- The Vancouver Whitecaps completed their Nutrilite Canadian Championship campaign with a 2-2 home draw against Toronto FC on Wednesday evening.

In yet another entertaining contest between both clubs, two goals by Eduardo Sebrango secured a point for the USL First Division outfit in the their final game of the competition at Swangard, with the Whitecaps striker needing to score late on in game after the Major League Soccer club came from a goal down with second half strikes from Maurice Edu and Rohan Ricketts.

Though the result eliminates the Whitecaps from winning the inaugural Voyageurs Cup title as tournament winners, it leaves TFC needing a win at home to competition leaders Montreal Impact in the competition’s final game on July 22 to secure the championship and Canada’s lone place in the brand-new CONCACAF Champions League.

Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson kept faith with the same starting XI that began both the 1-0 away win over TFC on Canada Day, and last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat away to Rochester Rhinos in USL-1. Reds head coach John Carver, meanwhile, was forced into two changes for Wednesday’s game, with rookie defender Julius James replacing suspended TFC captain Jim Brennan, while Jeff Cunningham came in for the injured Danny Dichio, who missed out with a suspected concussion.

On a beautiful and sunny summer’s evening for soccer, a sold-out Swangard crowd of 5,288 saw the visitors have the better of the first-half opportunities, but fail to find a way past Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly.

The home side - who were in their away strip of all blue - had the first chance of the game on three minutes, but Sebrango was unable to direct Martin Nash’s cross from the right on target, with strike partner Nicholas Addlery eagerly waiting to receive the same ball into the TFC box.

Ten minutes later, Toronto striker Cunningham was left in astonishment at being called offside when he putt the ball in the Vancouver net, with the Whitecaps supports giving the forward a hard time as a result.

Carver would have been disappointed not to have taken the lead after putting their hosts under some good pressure in the half. Their first chance came on the quarter-hour mark, as Nolly and centre back Omar Jarun crossed wires in challenging Ricketts’ cross from the left. As a result, Edu flicked the ball on to Cunningham, but the TFC striker was unable to direct his header on target.

On 18 minutes, Wales international Carl Robinson was wayward with a shot at goal before former Newcastle United man Laurent Robert horribly sliced an effort out for a throw-in with his usually dangerous left foot five minute later.

On 27 minutes, TFC had a great chance to open the scoring when Ricketts hit the Vancouver crossbar with a well-hit volley from Marvell Wynne’s cross from the right. Nolly then scrambled to grab the loose ball off the back of Toronto’s Amado Guevara, as the Whitecaps dodged a major bullet. A minute later, TFC defender Tyrone Marshall headed Guevara’s corner from the left just wide of the far post.

With the game still scoreless, there was a spell of even and competitive play before the home fans were given something to shout about on 43 minutes, as the Whitecaps took the lead.

Justin Moose received the ball on the edge of the Toronto box before forcing goalkeeper Greg Sutton into a save with his hard goal-bound drive. The former DC United winger then claimed the rebound before finding Sebrango in the TFC box with a short pass. The Cuban’s right-footed finish flew past Sutton and into the low corner of the goal to gave Vancouver the lead, with the striker celebrating his goal with a back flip.

However, just as the home fans delighted in seeing their team take the lead, TFC were unlucky not to equalize after Marshall’s turn and shot went wide of Nolly’s near post after the Whitecaps keeper had spilled Robert’s free kick into the Vancouver box.

At the break, it was Vancouver who had the one-goal lead.

There was a bright start to the second half from both sides, with Sebrango heading a Moose corner right at Sutton on 46 minutes before Edu squandered another TFC opportunity after striking Cunningham’s pass woefully high and wide of the target three minutes later.

Being a goal in front, there was some neat flow to Vancouver’s attacking play, with Addlery troubling the TFC defence before striking a low shot wide of the visitors goal.

Yet, as the game reached 61 minutes, TFC pulled level with a poacher’s goal from Edu. The 2007 MLS Rookie of the Year redirected Robert’s poorly-hit close range shot into the net after Cunningham made a good run to the Whitecaps byline before playing in a cross in front of goal.

Then on 64 minutes, Cunningham breached the Whitecaps offside trap and broke in clear on goal. With only Nolly to beat, the keeper saved his first shot before the striker theatrically went down in the box, as he tried to claim the rebound. The sequence left Carver speechless in the TFC technical area, as he wondered why referee Carol Anne Chenard did not award his side a penalty.

The events brought more bite to the contest, with both sides showing lots of spirit with their challenges and play. On 72 minutes, Moose and Addlery were replaced by Jason Jordan and Diaz Kambere, but the home side soon found themselves a goal behind.

On 76 minutes, a TFC move forward saw Guevara elude the challenge of Jarun on the edge of the box before slipping a ball to the onrushing Ricketts on the left. The Englishman’s first-time shot with his right foot beat Nolly on the short side to give TFC a priceless 2-1 lead.

It was disappointing for the home fans to see Toronto in the lead, but the Whitecaps kept pushing forward to find a morale-boosting leveler to complete their Canadian Championship campaign, and their hopes were achieved on 87 minutes.

Nolly’s forward ball found the head of Jordan in the TFC half. The substitute’s flick saw Edu, who had moved back into the TFC defensive backline, struggle to deal with the loose ball on the edge of his own box. Sebrango pounced to win the ball and round his former Montreal teammate in TFC keeper Sutton before slotting a potentially influential equalizing goal.

The goal lifted the spirits of the sold-out crowd, as the Whitecaps looked to snatch a winner in the stages, but Kambere’s shot in the final minute flew high over Sutton’s crossbar.

The final Whistle from Chenard brought an end to Vancouver’s tournament campaign, but there will surely be notes of thanks coming from Quebec, as the draw leaves Montreal just needing a point to win the first-ever championship and a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League. Both TFC and the Impact meet in the competition’s final game at Toronto’s BMO Field on Tuesday, July 22, to determine the championship winner.