BY MARC WEBER
When the Montreal Impact last visited Swangard Stadium, David Testo turned the middle third of the field into his personal playground.
He roamed free, kept possession with ease and passed unmolested. He picked the Whitecaps apart in a 3-2 first-leg USL-1 final win.
It sparked a rare tactical shift from Caps' coach Teitur Thordarson, who is loath to veer from 4-4-2. Thordarson started the second leg in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Marcus Haber playing in behind Marlon James up front.
The strategy, designed in part to crowd the midfield, and Testo in particular, didn't work that night. It never had the chance. Defender Shaun Pejic was sent off just 29 minutes in for a foul in the box and Montreal scored on the penalty kick.
Tonight, with Vancouver opening its Nutrilite Canadian Championship tournament at home to Montreal, Thordarson seems set to repeat that bold move. But there's a difference: his name is Jonny Steele.
"He has weapons that we've really missed," Thordarson said of Steele, the 24-year-old Northern Irish midfielder recently back from a lengthy knee injury. "He's very good at going forward. His runs are very clever and he's very hard working. He was a very positive boost when he came on down in Portland and if I play him [today], I know exactly what kind of role I will use him in."
If Tuesday's training is an accurate indicator, Steele will take up position between the mid-fielders and lone striker Haber, while James will start on the bench.
It's a role Steele relishes. One that allows him some added freedom and one that helped him earn USL-1 MVP honours in 2008 with the Puerto Rico Islanders.
"I think every attacking-minded player likes that role," said Steele, who tore the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee three months ago.
"But I don't mind if he puts me in central midfield, or if he pulls me off the striker, which is my preferred role, I just enjoy being out there. If he starts me or brings me off the bench, it's out of my hands. I just want to have an impact."
Last year's USL-1 finals loss to Montreal was salt in the wound for Vancouver. Earlier in the season, it was Montreal's unthinkable 6-1 loss to Toronto FC in the Nutrilite finale that denied the Caps a taste of CONCACAF Champions League play.
Steele doesn't have those bitter memories to draw on. He only signed here in December. But he knows better than any Whitecap what winning the Nutrilite tournament could mean for the club.
In 2008, Puerto Rico made it all the way to the semifinal round of the 24-team Champions League, two steps from the FIFA Club World Cup. Their fans were treated to games against the likes of Mexican sides Cruz Azul and Santos.
"We got more media coverage than we ever had," Steele said. "It's a huge tournament and a great experience to play games in Central and South America. It's a major part of the season for us, to try and get into CONCACAF, and I'm sure we have the quality here to upset a few of those teams, too."
First they'll have to win the Nutrilite tournament for the first time. Montreal were the inaugural champions in 2008 and TFC claimed the Voyageurs Cup last season. TFC opened this year's tournament with a 2-0 home win over the Impact last week.
Anything less than three points will be a big blow to Vancouver tonight and, as witnessed last year, goal differential can certainly come into play in such a short competition.
Goals have not come fast and furious for the Whitecaps so far this season -- four in four games -- and if Thordarson does in fact take on a more defensive posture tonight and things stall, he will take his share of criticism.
But there's also the potential to look prescient. Steele should have as much to say on the subject as anyone.
mweber@theprovince.com © Copyright (c) The Province
