Vancouver boosts Canadian title hopes with 1-0 win; Montreal eliminated from Champions League return

May 28, 2009

BURNABY, British Columbia — The Vancouver Whitecaps ended the Montreal Impact’s hopes of repeating as Nutrilite Canadian champions Wednesday night, winning 1-0 on 18-year-old Ethan Gage’s first career goal for the Whitecaps midway through the second half.

Montreal played without several injured first-team regulars injured and defender Nevio Pizzolitto, who was suspended for accumulated yellow cards.

“They scored, we didn’t. That was the story of the two games,” Montreal coach Marco Dos Santos said. “Last year it was Montreal winning. This year it will be Toronto or Vancouver and I wish them the very best.”

The victory gave Vancouver six points and moved it into a tie atop the three-team standings with Toronto FC, which has played one less game. It also sets up a battle for first place when Toronto FC visits Vancouver on June 2. The Canadian champion earns a berth in next season’s CONCACAF Champions League, which begins July 28.

“I’m very happy with what I saw from the team,” Vancouver coach Tietur Thordarsson said. “We have our destiny in our own hands. We have to come out and play against Toronto.”

Wednesday’s game was the opposite of last week’s match in Montreal, where the Impact controlled possession but were unable to capitalize. In contrast to a week ago, the Whitecaps outshot the Impact 6-2 in the first half in front of a near capacity crowd of 5,134 at Swangard Stadium.

Vancouver’s passing created both space and attacking opportunities, while the Impact could only muster a scattering of chances on the counter-attack.

Just before the 10- minute mark, Vancouver midfielder Justin Moose swung a cross in from the right side that was met by Charles Gbeke. But his first time shot was deflected over Matt Jordan’s crossbar in the Montreal goal.

Jordan kept Montreal in the game early in the second half, stopping a 55th-minute penalty by Gbeke.

“Pretty much every time in training he was hitting them,” Thordarsson said. “It was a little bit unfortunate that he missed this one.”

Vancouver’s penalty was created when Adam Braz fouled Gbeke at the penalty spot. Jordan dived to his left to parry Gbeke’s poorly taken penalty, and Justin Moose’s follow sailed over the bar.

Vancouver’s goal came in the 67th minute after Montreal striker Eduardo Sebrango tried to clear a Marcus Haber flick into the box. The clearance only came as far as Gage, who drove a low right-footed ball into the left corner.

“It was the biggest goal of my career so far,” said a smiling Gage.

Montreal nearly equalized in the 88th minute, but Vancouver keeper Jay Nolly made two point-blank saves to thwart Amadou Gai and Sebrango.

Sebrango was looking for a goal in his first game back in Vancouver, and also to honor his father, who was celebrating his 65th birthday and is battling cancer.

The result left Montreal, which reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League this past season, at the bottom of the table with no points after three games. It needed a win to keep any hope alive of retaining the Voyageurs Cup.

Whitecaps captain Martin Nash will miss the game against Toronto after he picked up his second yellow card of the tournament in the first half.

By Gavin Day

Go to Source

Share and Enjoy: