Ian Walker
Vancouver squad goes goaless for its second straight game
The Vancouver Whitecaps have more to worry about than dropping their first game of the Canadian Championships on Tuesday. Lack of scoring should be a bigger concern for the United Soccer Leagues First Division club.
Vancouver was held scoreless for the second straight game in a 2-0 loss to the Montreal Impact at Saputo Stadium. It comes on the heels of a 3-0 drubbing by the bottom-feeding Rhinos last Friday in Rochester, N.Y.
The fact the game was the first of four matches that the Whitecaps will play in their quest to win a national title and earn Canada's sole place in the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League this coming August only adds insult to injury. The top team at the end of the three-club competition will earn a spot in the Preliminary Round stages of the CONCACAF Champions League, where they will play a two-leg tie against the club champions from Nicaragua.
Vancouver and Montreal meet for their second game of the Canadian Championship tournament on June 25 at Swangard. The Whitecaps will also face Toronto's FC at BMO Field on July 1 before hosting the Major League Soccer club at Swangard on July 9.
The Canadian Champions League kicked off on May 27 when Toronto FC earned a 1-0 victory in Montreal over the Impact. The final game in the competition goes July 22, when Toronto FC host Montreal at BMO Field.
Severino Jefferson in the 25th minute and former Whitecap Joey Gjertsen in the 35th scored for Montreal.
A trio of Whitecaps women players figured in Canada's 2-0 victory over Nicaragua at the CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship on Tuesday. Midfielders Monica Lam-Feist and Paige Adams scored while goalie Erin McNulty posted the clean sheet in the first-ever match between the two women's youth sides. Canada had as many as 14 goal-scoring chances in the historic game.
© The Vancouver Sun 2008
