Comemorações do Dia dos Açores em Toronto ... - Post Milenio

24 5 a 11 de Junho de 2009
Stadium Suplemento Desportivo
Excitement builds before Nutrilite showdown
It may be a new rivalry on the
Canadian sports landscape, but
it hasn’t taken long to come to a
boil. Canadian club pride will be on the line
Tuesday night when Vancouver Whitecaps FC
hosts Toronto FC on match day five of the Nutrilite
Canadian Championship. The two sides will meet
this 2 June at Swangard Stadium in a showdown
that could determine the championship.
Both coaches will meet the media this Monday afternoon
at Swangard Stadium at 14.00. Toronto FC coach
Chris Cummins needs but a draw or victory for his side to
win the 2009 Voyageurs Cup and qualify for the 2009-10
CONCACAF Champions League season; Whitecaps coach
Teitur Thordarson needs a win from this troupe to stay alive
in the competition.
The Tuesday 2 June match kicks off at 19.30 at
Swangard Stadium in Vancouver, BC. The match will be
broadcast live on Rogers Sportsnet (22.30 ET / 19.30 PT).
Last year, Vancouver won the two-match rivalry with
four points: a 1:0 win on 1 July in Toronto and a 2:2 draw
on 9 July in Vancouver. This year, Toronto has the upper
edge after a 1:0 win on home turf on 13 May.
Toronto FC leads the 2009 competition with a perfect
six points in two games. Whitecaps FC is second with six
points in three games. Following the Vancouver-Toronto 2
June match, Toronto FC will be hosted by the Impact de
Montréal on 18 June.
Should Whitecaps FC win on Tuesday night, it will finish
with nine points and hope that Toronto FC fails to win
on 18 June (thus finishing with six or seven points). If
Whitecaps FC wins Tuesday and Toronto FC wins on 18
June, then both sides will consult the tie-breaking scenarios.
The champion will be determined by:
1. Most points in all group matchs;
2. If two or more teams are tied, then the team with the
greatest number of points in matches featuring tied teams;
3. If teams are still tied, then the greater goal difference in
matches featuring tied teams; 4. If teams are still tied, then
the greater number of goals scored in matches featuring tied
teams; 5. If teams are still tied, then greatest goal difference
in all matches; 6. If teams are still tied, then greatest number
of goals scored in all matches; 7. If teams are still tied,
then drawing of lots.
Toronto FC's road is much simpler: it needs but a draw
on Tuesday night to win the championship. If Toronto FC
draws Whitecaps FC and both teams finish the competition
with seven points (after an Impact win on 18 June), then
Toronto FC will win the championship on account of winning
the Toronto-Vancouver series (four points to one).
The 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship runs 6 May
to 18 June in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. The Impact
de Montréal, after winning the 2008 championship and
reaching the quarter-final stage of 2008-09 CONCACAF
Champions League, has already booked a third-place finish
in 2009. As such, a new champion - be it Toronto FC or
Whitecaps FC - will be crowned champion come 18 June
when the Voyageurs Cup is presented in Montréal.
2009 Nutrilite Cup
Whitecaps jump into first place with 2:0 win
Vancouver Whitecaps FC have put themselves
in the driver's seat in the effort to win the
2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. With
a 2:0 victory over Toronto FC at Swangard Stadium
in Vancouver – both goals scored by Ansu
Toure - Vancouver jumped into first place in
the Nutrilite Standings.
Whitecaps FC finish the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian
Championship with nine points in four matches – three
wins and a loss. Vancouver finished with a +4 goal differential
and five goals scored. Toronto FC now has six points
after three games (two wins and a loss) with a 0 goal differential
and just two goals scored.
As such, Toronto FC will need to win its final match on
18 June by four or more goals in difference against the
Impact de Montréal. A Toronto FC victory by three goals or
less in difference, regardless of score, will give Vancouver
the championship. A Toronto FC draw or loss will also hand
Vancouver the championship.
Toure scored one goal in each half in the Vancouver
win. Toure jumps all other scorers for the tournament lead
in goals. Vancouver’s goalkeeper Jay Nolly, meanwhile,
posted his third consecutive clean sheet.
The home side came out on the attack, creating most of
the offence and keeping Toronto on its back heel. The first
six corner kicks were all awarded to Vancouver as the
Whitecaps threatened to take the lead.
Finally in the 31st minute, Vancouver broke through.
From within the box, Marcus Haber pushed a pass forward
to Wes Knight who blasted a shot from the right side.
Toronto FC goalkeeper Greg Sutton made the save, but the
rebound on the opposite side was buried by Ansu Toure.
Right back off the whistle, Vancouver continued to
press on Toronto. Finally in the 35th minute, Toronto won
its first corner kick, but little could be amounted. Three
minutes later, however, Toronto created a real chance as
Pablo Vitti played a ball forward to Dwayne De Rosario.
De Rosario chipped Vancouver keeper Jay Nolly, but
Vancouver’s defender Lyle Martin was back to clear the
ball before it reached the line.
In the 41st minute, Vitti broke through himself and fired
a shot past goalkeeper Nolly only to see it come back off
the post. Toronto’s first chance in the second half came in
the 50th minute off a De Rosario free kick. Barrett got up
in the air to head the ball in the right direction, but the ball
sailed over the net. Two minutes later, another terrific free
kick by De Rosario was headed by Barrett – this time goalkeeper
Jay Nolly stopped the ball on the line.
As the half continued, Toronto pressed on. Toronto’s
pressure, however, also opened up the back end for several
Vancouver chances. Vancouver forwards Charles Gbeke
and Marcus Haber had several opportunities, but the
Toronto defenders - especially Nana Attakora-Gyan and
Adrian Serioux - nullified each chance.
Vancouver doubled its lead in the 81st as the Whitecaps
counter-attacked down the left side and pushed the ball forward
to Gbeke. Gbeke coolly dropped it back to Toure who
fired his second goal of the match with perfectly placed
drive to the top corner of the net.
Toronto pushed to get at least one back, but was unable
to beat Nolly in the dying minutes.
The 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship runs 6 May
to 18 June in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. The final
match on 18 June will be played at Stade Saputo in
Montréal. The match will be broadcast live on Sportsnet
(20.00 ET / 17.00 PT) and on tape-delay on Radio-Canada
(23.00 ET / 20.00 PT).
SCENARIOS FOR 18 JUNE FOLLOWING WHITE-
CAPS FC 2:0 WIN OVER TORONTO FC ON 2 JUNE
* A Toronto FC loss or draw to Montréal, regardless of
score – Vancouver wins championship
* A Toronto FC victory by three goals or less in difference,
regardless of score – Vancouver wins championship
* A Toronto FC victory by 4+ goals in difference, regardless
of score – Toronto wins championship
STADIUM BELEZA