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Result of the Wednesday May 6th, 2009 Nutrilife Canadian Championship game between Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps played at BMO Field in Toronto at 8:00pm.
Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)
................24 Stefan Frei
16 Marvell Wynne...3 Nana Attakora-Gyan...4 Marco Velez...11 Jim Brennan (cpt)
5 Kevin Harmse...33 Carl Robinson...20 Amado Guevara
..............8 Pablo Vitti...19 Chad Barrett...14 Dwayne DeRoario
Subs:...1 Greg Sutton (gk)...2 Sam Cronin (mid)...7 Fuad Ibrahim (fwd)...9 Danny Dichio (fwd)...10 Rohan Ricketts (mid)...13 Johann Smith (mid)
32 Emmanuel Gomez (def)
team officials:...head coach Chris Cummins
Vancouver Whitecaps (all white, blue names and numbers)
.......................1 Jay Nolly
27 Jeff Parke...6 Wesley Charles...2 Marco Reda...18 Mason Trafford
7 Martin Nash (cpt)...23 Vincente Arze...19 Justin Moose...16 Ansu Toure
................98 Charles Gbeke...9 Marlo James
Subs:...99 Diego Oliverra (gk)...4 Justin Thompson (def)...8 Wesley Knight (def)...14 Marcus Haber (fwd)...20 Ethan Gage (def)...22 Takashi Hirano (def/mid)...28 Gordon Chin (mid)
team officials:...head coach Teitur Thordarson
Game officials:...referee Sylviu Petrescu...referee's assistants Hector Vergara and Daniel Belleau...fourth official Dave Gantar...(neon green shirts, black shorts and socks)
1st Half:...game starts 8:07pm...TFC defend south end on this overcast cool night. There's been the threat of rain all day and the wind was from the east.
2 min...Toronto FC Kevin Harmse GOAL...TFC Amado Guevara long high pass from middle of center circle to Dwayne DeRosario at 30 yards who rushes up left and his high cross over goalmouth from 15 yards near end line finds charging Harmse alone on right post who heads ball from sharp angle into net from 5 yards past sprawling goalie Jay Nolly.
4 min...A light rain begins to fall.
6 min...VW Arze pass from 30 yards on right into edge of TFC box and VW James can't draw penalty kick with fall at 15 yards when he's tugged on arm by TFC Attakora-Gyan.
7 min...TFC Harmse pass from center line for TFC Barrett ro rush on left and low 18 yard shot is smothered by goalie.
9 min...VW Nash 50 yard freekick from right has VW Reda and TFC Attakora-Gyan both injured in TFC box when they bump heads jumping for cross. Reda was down much longer and a stretcher was eventually brought out although he waved it off and walked off the field.
12 min...play finally resumes.
13 min...VW sub...Knight replaces still injured Reda.
15 min...VW Knight gets back to poke ball away from rushing TFC DeRosario at 20 yards on left and concedes cornerkick.
15 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left is short and TFC Brennan blast from 22 yards on left is batted down by goalie and TFC Attakora-Gyan mid-air shot through crowd of players from 15 yards is caught by diving goalie on right post.
17 min...VW Toure has ball poked away on left of box as he tries to dribble past TFC Wynne.
17 min...VW Arze 25 yard blast is well over net after VW Gbeke on edge of TFC box chests down pass for him.
18 min...VW goalie charge left to dive on through ball ahead of TFC Guavara and defender.
21 min...It now starts to rain much harder.
22 min...VW Charles bumps TFC Barrett off ball on run down right wing on edge of VW box.
23 min...VW Trafford cross from 25 yards on left is well wide left of net.
24 min...VW YELLOW card...Gbeke earns it for trip of TFC Wynne breaking out at TFC 45 yard line.
25 min...TFC DeRosario low 35 yard blast up middle is saved by diving goalie on right post.
26 min...VW Charles blasts 20 yarder well over net after charging forward to get loose throw-in from right that was knocked around on edge of TFC box.
28 min...TFC Brennan low cross from left is into edge of VW box but cleared.
28 min...TFC DeRosario has 6 yard shot on left post blocked by sliding VW Charles deflecting ball for cornerkick.
28 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left has leaping defender head away.
30 min...The rain gets even harder than before.
31 min...VW Arze ends VW pressure with spinaround and 15 yard mid-air shot over TFC net.
31 min...TFC Barrett chase for high ball up middle but just too far ahead of him and goalie grabs.
32 min...TFC Guevara 40 yard blast pops up off sliding defender and goalie catches at 2 yards.
35 min...VW Trafford cross from left has VW Gbeke chest down ball in crowd of players in TFC box but ball is poked away.
35 min...TFC Attakoya-Gyan holds off VW James on rush on left of TFC box and wins freekick.
37 min...TFC Harmse rush on left, forward pass further to left to TFC DeRosario is over end line for goalkick as VW Knight jostles him off ball.
38 min...TFC Wynne high cross from right along end line has defender give up cornerkick by heading out ball on left side of box.
38 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left is short and TFC Guevara wins freekick on corner of box.
39 min...TFC Guevara freekick from 20 yards is lofted well over net.
42 min...VW Moose 20 yard shot up middle on ball headed down has goalie save on bounce eluding VW James lunge at 6 yards.
46 min...VW Arze cross from left into TFC box but no shot made.
48 min...half ends 8:55pm.
Halftime entertainment: There is a fan contest of five fans with one ball each trying to poke the opponents ball out of the center circle while keeping their own inside the circle. The girl who won mostly stood still guarding her own ball.
2nd Half:...starts 9:11pm...the hard rain continues to fall.
45 min...TFC DeRosario cross from left 22 yards is cleared on edge of VW box.
48 min...TFC Barrett rush on breakaway on right and low 20 yard shot is blocked by sliding goalie on great kick save.
48 min...VW YELLOW card...Moose draws this for tackle on TFC Harmse in the center circle which injures the both of them.
52 min...VW Arze 25 yard shot from left is well wide right of net.
53 min...VW Arze low cross from left has TFC Attakora-Gyan kick ball away for cornerkick.
53 min...VW Nash cornerkick from left has TFC Robinson as nearest defender near left post head away.
54 min...TFC Barrett cross from right has TFC DeRosario miss header on near post but redirect it with his hand and vault over sign board.
54 min...TFC YELLOW card...DeRosario earns it on the last play for a hand ball.
57 min...TFC player's 25 yard freekick from left has TFC DeRosario kick ball over end line for goalkick as he moves ball past defender.
59 min...VW goalie dives on ball as VW Charles holds off TFC Guevara blocking him from getting to the ball near the left end line.
60 min...TFC Harmse falls in VW box then reknocked down by VW Charles.
61 min...TFC YELLOW card...Harmse draws it for pushing incident or diving.
.............VW YELLOW card...Charles draws it for pushing incident or stepping on Harmse.
Referee gives these cards after discussion with referee's assistant.
63 min...TFC DeRosario pass up to TFC Brennan charging and his 8 yard shot on left is blocked by sliding VW Charles whose momentum knocks ball for cornerkick.
63 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left is out to TFC DeRosario on right edge of box and 18 yard blast is just over net.
64 min...VW Toure blasts from 30 yards is well over net.
65 min...VW sub...Hirano replaces Moose.
67 min...TFC goalie slides to right edge of box to smother through ball. He slid right outside the box but kept the ball and his arms in.
69 min...TFC DeRosario diagonal run from left and pass forward has TFC Barrett 8 yard shot stopped by diving goalie.
70 min...VW Arce low cross from right is smothered by goalie after run up middle by VW Parke and pass through box.
71 min...TFC DeRosario cross from 15 yards near left end line is deflected for cornerkick.
71 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left is well over players in box.
72 min...TFC sub...Dichio replaces Barrett.
73 min...TFC DeRosario throw-in from right has TFC Dichio pop up header and TFC Harmse pop ball wide and defender runs ball out of box.
74 min...VW Knight slides to block TFC Harmse cross attempt from 8 yards on left end line results in goalkick.
75 min...VW sub...Gage replaces Toure.
77 min...VW Parke 80 yard freekick has VW Charles head ball wide left of TFC net from 20 yards.
78 min...TFC sub...Ibrahim replaces Vitti.
79 min...TFC Guevara low cross from 15 yards on right is popped up on kick inside VW box by defender and VW goalie catches pop up ahead of TFC Dichio.
79 min...VW James rolls cross along left end line that TFC goalie easily picks up.
80 min...VW Gbeke midair 22 yard shot has goalie easily stop.
81 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from right has VW Charles head ball away.
84 min...VW Parke pushed over on edge of box but wins throw-in on right when defender boots ball away.
84 min...VW Nash short throw-in from right and crosses high into box but cleared.
85 min...VW James gets through ball on right after short pass from VW Parke and low 15 yard shot has diving TFC goalie get hand to stop it and TFC Velez clears rebound.
87 min...TFC DeRosario cross from left has TFC Guevara chest 8 yard shot and VW Trafford injured in face.
88 min...TFC DeRosario rush on left and stops to line up shot so defenders overrun him and his 1 against 3 low shot curves from 20 yards is saved by diving goalie.
89 min...TFC DeRosario spurt on left cross has TFC Dichio tap backwards but TFC Guevara launches 20 yarder well over net.
91 min...TFC DeRosario heads away cross and makes another sliding block on VW cross in TFC box giving up cornerkick.
91 min...VW Nash cornerkick from right has charging TFC Robinson head away from box for throw-in on right.
91 min...VW Nash long throw-in from right has TFC goalie not able to catch ball and TFC Wynne clears ball from box.
92 min...TFC Ibrahim rush to far corner on right when he sees he won't be able to get away a clear shot while on run down right wing.
92 min...TFC YELLOW card...Dichio for tackling VW Parke at VW 40 yard line.
93 min...game ends 9:59pm.
Final Score:.......Toronto FC.......1..........Vancouver Whitecaps..........0...........
Attendance was announced as 16011 which I couldn't believe as although I noticed empty seats especially before game time, the season ticket base is 16000. They must have counted the fans who actually showed up. Perhaps a midweek game with known bad weather approaching scared away the walk up crowd. This wasn't a league game but the first game of the Nutrilife Canadian Championship and only the second year of this tournament. Last year this game was not a part of the season ticket package because of the late organization date and the club had to do a lot of advertising for quite a long period to sell out their tickets.
This was another game held in poor weather with the second one in a row played with rain falling during the game. The other games have been rainy or very cold. This was in fact TFC's six home game in just over a month.
The fans were given inflatable air clappers (thundersticks) that could be pounded together to make quite a noise. They were sponsered by the hardware chain Lowe's.
TFC warmed up on the south west side of the field this game so it was tougher for me to see the starters up close. This looks like this will be the norm for the rest of the season after two years having them warm up on the south east side.
The TFC starters were exactly the same as the Saturday game except for young Nana Attakora-Gyan replacing the injured Adrian Serioux in defence and Kevin Harmse getting the start in the midfield over rookie Sam Cronin. Dwayne DeRosario got his first start after recovering from his hamstring injury.
Whitecaps had no cornerkicks in the first half so no streamers were thrown at them. Toronto should have put the game away earlier and found that Whitecaps almost tied it with only five minutes left except for the diving save by goalie Stefan Frei on Whitecaps Marlon James.
Vancouver had won the USL Division 1 championship last year. They had beaten Toronto FC 1-0 at BMO Field last year when the teams played on July 1st--Canada Day. Vancouver will join the MLS in time for the 2011 season so Toronto has their best chance of winning this tournament in the next two years while they have the bigger player budget.
The Nutrilife Players of the Game were named as Nana Attakora-Gyan who played a strong game in defence for TFC and midfielder Martin Nash from Whitecaps for his midfield play.
Next up for TFC is a league road game in the city of Washington against first place DC United on Saturday night. Their next home game is their other Nutrilife Canadian Championship home date next Wednesday May 13th against the USL Division 1 Montreal Impact who won the championship last year then went on a run right to the quarter-finals in the CONCACAF championships.
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
Vancouver Whitecaps (0-1-0) vs. Toronto FC (1-0-0) May 06, 2009 -- BMO Field Scoring Summary: TOR -- Kevin Harmse 1 (Dwayne De Rosario 1, Amado Guevara 1) 3 Vancouver Whitecaps -- Jay Nolly, Hason Trafford, Jeff Parke, Marco Reda (Wes Knight 14), Wesley Charles, Martin Nash, Vincente Arze, Ansu Toure (Ethan Gage 76), Justin Moose (Takashi Hirano 66), Marlon James, Charles Gbeke. Substitutes Not Used: Gordon Chin, Marcus Haber, Diego Oliveira, Justin Thompson Toronto FC -- Stefan Frei, Marvell Wynne, Nana Attakora-Gyan, Marco Velez, Jim Brennan, Amado Guevara, Carl Robinson, Kevin Harmse, Pablo Vitti (Fuad Ibrahim 78), Chad Barrett (Danny Dichio 73), Dwayne De Rosario. Substitutes Not Used: Sam Cronin, Emmanuel Gomez, Rohan Ricketts, Johann Smith, Greg Sutton Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps total shots: 12 (3 tied with 3) 7 (Vincente Arze 3) shots on goal: 9 (Chad Barrett 3) 2 (Justin Moose 1, Marlon James 1) fouls: 11 (Kevin Harmse 3) 15 (Charles Gbeke 3, Marlon James 3) offsides: 5 (Danny Dichio 2) 4 (Marlon James 3) corner kicks: 6 (Amado Guevara 6) 2 (Martin Nash 2) saves: 2 (Stefan Frei 2) 8 (Jay Nolly 8) Misconduct Summary: VAN -- Charles Gbeke (caution; Reckless Foul) 25 VAN -- Justin Moose (caution; Reckless Tackle) 49 TOR -- Dwayne De Rosario (caution; Handball) 56 VAN -- Wesley Charles (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 63 TOR -- Kevin Harmse (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 63 TOR -- Danny Dichio (caution; Reckless Foul) 93+ referee: Silviu Petrescu Referee's Assistants: Hector Vergara; Daniel Belleau 4th official: Dave Gantar time of game: 1:53 attendance: 16,011 weather: Cloudy -and- 59 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
TFC starters
Whitecaps starters
Whitecaps with ball
Whitecaps Marco Reda needs treatment and leaves game at 12 minutes.
Ball sent into Whitecaps end.
TFC's Amado Guevara drives ball into Whitecaps box.
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