July 1, 2008: TFC vs. Whitecaps, Match Thread (R)

[Cheeta]

Sutton made a couple of nice saves, real game savers and then AG blocked that shot from 7 yards out by Nash. Nash was maybe a little too casual on the play but I doubt AG will pull a blocking tackle like that off again over what remains of his career.

All that being said I'm going to bet the TFC fans will be feeling hard done by themselves.

[Vancouversoccerman]

Yeah, the PK was unusual for sure, but the Caps could say the same for the ridiculously lopsided officiating in the 2nd half.

[Tuscan]

Yeah Nash really needed to pull the trigger on that one first time. Let's hope Guevara's form for Honduras isn't anywhere near how he played today. Once again I have to give praise to Wynn, he was really the only player out there who on his own crushed many of Van's offensive opportunities (except for that one cross).

[Vancouversoccerman]

Wynn's a thoroughbred racehorse...the Caps either need to stop running at him, or know they have to get rid of the ball quickly if he's in the area code.

[Most Scottish Man in Cdn.]

I only saw the second half online because of that baffling "not in Atlantic Canada" decision...as much as I love the show, is watching Arrested Development for the 9th time really more important?

What I did see on choppy streaming video was TFC yet again unable to finish. Wow. Also I couldn't clearly see which of the centre-backs it was who around the 60th minute gave up a break to Vancouver and they almost were in on goal. It was really woeful. Anyone remember who it was?

[Kurosawa1555362267]

I just want to say, on behalf of every Mtl Impact fan, a huge thank you to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

[Gordon]

TFC hard done by the offside call on Cunningham's goal...look good from all the CBC replays. But having said that, if every call is right, and every excellent chance buried, its 5-3 for the Whitecaps, so I don't think any injustice occured. I thought Sutton played very well to keep TFC in it - other than badly misplaying Gbeke's header off the post. Nolly also did very. Got too much credit from Nigel Reid IMO, as most of his saves were of the sort you expect your keeper to make.

[Mpenza]

Brennan making a fool of himself all game long and getting caught with his pants down on the penalty. Cunningham taking his shirt off and jumping in the crowd to celebrate a goal he did not score. TFC as vigorous as a limp dick. Vancouver winning in Toronto...

It must be the best Canada Day ever.

Thanks to the Whitecaps for a job well done.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

For those of us who did not see it, could anyone describe the plays you are commenting on, Cunningham, dust-up, wow, all that sort of stuff.

Glad I have tix for next week as if we win, and by a few goals even, we could take it if TFC beat Montreal by just one. As is, two sides need at least a win to stay close and one needs just a draw to take it all.

[Daniel]

Cunningham, ruled offside but everyone thinking he had scored, took off his jersey and jumped into the stands to cheer with the crowd.

[piltdownman]

Sounded like a great game. Didn't get to see it, but my parents were kind enough to put their phone up to the TV so I could listen on my mobile phone.

[Mackenzie]

Was exciting, but frustrating from a TFC perspective - just wanted shots on net and couldn't seem to get it.

[Tintin]

Wow! What a match. I can't wait to see these two go at it again in Vancouver. On behalf of all Whitecaps supporters, thank you Carver for replacing Dichio with that plonker Cunningham. What a useless... It sure is hard to talk about Cunnhingham without using words that have to be censored. The only time he was close to doing anything right, he was offside (barely) and made an arse of himself. A yellow without even getting a goal, ha ha. (sorry, I don't like Cunningham, can you tell?)

GO CAPS!

[Massive Attack]

Haven't had time to look at the tape. Was the penalty fair?

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack

Haven't had time to look at the tape. Was the penalty fair?

NO. definitely not. Devos called it the the strangest call he ever saw. In fact, I dont think anyones knows why it was awarded.

[jonovision]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

NO. definitely not. Devos called it the the strangest call he ever saw. In fact, I dont think anyones knows why it was awarded.

I don't remember him saying 'strange', but after he saw the replays he also said he liked it. Brennan pulled down Clarke in the box, with two arms.

[jonovision]

My favourite moment in the match was Clarke getting in Brennan's grill for his dive in the box in the 2nd half. I don't mind Brennan at all, but he really seemed to have embraced his inner Guevara today, engaging in all forms of douchebaggery.

[Daniel]

This should wake up some TFC fans who expected an easy 12 points, a cup and a berth against "lowly" USL opposition.

[Gian-Luca]

Regardless of how bad the calls may have been (I haven't seen a replay of any of them as yet) the fact is Toronto didn't deserve to win this game, they came out flat, un-motivated & IMO overconfident, under-estimating the talent in the USL 1. I think this is especially the case of the foreign players on TFC today, the ones who have never played in the USL & who played today like they don't care much about being the Canadian champion. John Carver had mentioned a number of times how much these games mean to the Canadian players on TFC, well maybe he could learn from his mistake this game and play a few more of them. The lack of effort from certain players was pitiful, and I'm not just talking about the first half.

Perhaps it is fitting that on Canada Day the team that fielded the most Canadians won.

[Kurosawa1555362267]

There are higlights on CBC.CA

[TFC07]

I was very angry today. TFC played ****! We need strikers ASAP. 4-3-3 (or was it 4-2-1-2-1?) didn't work at all, but I liked 3-5-2 formation though. Maybe we should try that formation next game?

-What the heck got into Jimmy B? He needs to cool down a bit.

-Edu was ****.

-Dichio and Ricketts were invisible.

-Robert had couple of nice shots in beginning of the game, but besides that, he wasn't good at all.

- Smith can't score!

- Cunny needs to learn how to make his runs instead of being offside all the time.

- Guevara played alright.

- Robinson was **** today. Can't shoot and can't pass (at times at least)

- The only players that played well today were Sutton (huge save in 2nd half) and Wynne.

F*** WHITECAPS! I think I hate them more than Montreal Impact now.

[Michael Crampton]

quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack

Haven't had time to look at the tape. Was the penalty fair?

No, absolutely not. I just saw the highlights on CBC's website and they confirmed my initial reaction at the game which was that if anything the Whitecaps player had committed the foul. When the whistle blew my initial reaction was to cheer until I noticed the ref pointing at the spot.

I'm more pissed off that TFC didn't score though. Too often everything happens too damn slow with them and most of the crossing was abysmal.

[Winnipeg Fury]

Well let me just say that was the best TFC match at BMO I have ever seen ! The passion being displayed by the Canadian players on all three teams for the Voyageurs Cup is unbelievable. The European Cup had nothing on this game.

As for the PK, a good call and Jason Devos stated as such. Brennan clearly dragged his man down, and the ball was in the immediate area.

Hirano was the player of the game. He destroyed TFC all match and once he left injured, that was when the game really turned in TFC's favour. Too little, too late for TFC.

As for Cunningham, he should have been red-carded for being a complete loser.

I don't have an ounce of sympathy for TFC. Any professional Canadian side that comes out for the Voyageurs Cup and plays 2 Canadians deserves to be humiliated.

Great game for the Whitecaps and an even better result for Montreal.

[Most Scottish Man in Cdn.]

It's an interesting point that was made about the lack of Canadians in the TFC side. No doubt Canadian players would care more about the Cdn. championships than non-Canadians but it isn't just in this series that might help. In many MLS games several of the players seem to zone out for minutes on end like they don't have a care in the world. I don't want to sound like Don Cherry but might there be something in that theory?

Brennan can be a hot head but at least he seems to give a s***.

[Winnipeg Fury]

Whitecaps stun Toronto FC

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Martin Nash scored on a penalty kick to lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-0 upset victory over Toronto FC in a Nutrilite Canadian Championship game at BMO Field on Tuesday.

With the win against Canada's lone team in Major League Soccer, the Whitecaps (1-2) kept their slim hopes alive in the three-team, round-robin tournament.

The Montreal Impact leads the way at 2-1 while Toronto FC sits second at 1-1.

Toronto suffered its first loss at home in nine games this season. Toronto FC is 5-0-3 at BMO Field in MLS play.

The Canadian championship resumes when Toronto travels to Vancouver on July 9 and wraps up when FC plays host to the Impact on July 22.

The tournament champion will represent Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League and play the Nicaraguan champion in a home-and-away series, beginning Aug. 27.

The Whitecaps were mocked by Toronto FC fans chanting "U-S-L! U-S-L!" Even still, they dominated play in the first half and were rewarded in the 37th minute after Toronto captain Jim Brennan pulled down Alfredo Valente in the box.

Brennan was livid after referee Steve Depiero made the call, allowing Nash to kick right to a wide-open net while goalie Greg Sutton went left.

Nash's goal was Vancouver's first of the tournament after the Whitecaps lost a pair of 2-0 games against Montreal.

Earlier, Depiero ensured that Brennan would be suspended for the next Canadian Championship match as he hauled out the yellow card following a shoving match between the midfielder and Nash, the younger brother of Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash.

Brennan received another yellow in Toronto's previous match in Montreal.

Toronto FC was lucky not to be down 2-0 at halftime as Sutton had to go down to make an sharp kick save on Eduardo Sebrango, who received a nice cross from Valente in the 45th minute.

Toronto coach John Carver made his three substitutions at halftime – replacing midfielders Laurent Robert and Rohan Ricketts with Jarrod Smith and Julius James and inserting forward Jeff Cunningham in place of Danny Dichio – and the changes resulted in much-improved play from the home side.

But Vancouver goalie Jay Nolly made several highlight-reel saves to record the shutout. He also received help in the 86th minute when Smith hit the crossbar after a corner. An ensuing wild scramble in front of the net resulted in nothing for Toronto.

Cunningham thought he had tied it when he scored in the 81st minute and then went into the stands to celebrate, but the play was ruled offside.

Cunningham almost propelled Toronto FC to a legal goal in the 47th minute when he collided with Nolly while going for a high ball, sending the `keeper to the ground. However, the first-year Whitecap got back to his feet and made an outstanding diving stop on Maurice Edu from point-blank range.

Toronto had another good chance in the 54th minute, but Depiero made a big non-call, letting the teams play on after Vancouver defender Jeff Clarke took down Smith in a race for the ball in the box.

Down the stretch, Nolly left his feet to make great stops on Edu and Amado Guevara. A last-ditch stop on Guevara in injury time and an ensuing wide header by Sutton, who moved way up for a corner, ended the proceedings.

It was Vancouver's second win against an MLS team this season. The Whitecaps beat David Beckham's LA Galaxy 2-1 earlier this year in an exhibition game in Edmonton.