Vancouver Whitecaps FC (1W-0L-0D) open the 2010 USSF D-2 playoffs with a convincing 2-0 win over Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers (0W-1L-0D) last night at Swangard. Make sure to check out the match reports from both
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
and
Portland Timbers
, as well as the post match media reports:
MLSsoccer.com: USSF D-2: Ghanaian teenager leads Whitecaps past Timbers in playoff opener - Brandon Timko
Koffie's play spurs Vancouver's win in first leg over Portland
Nineteen-year-old Ghanaian midfielder Gershon Koffie shone for the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday night as they won 2-0 over the Portland Timbers in the first leg of their USSF D-2 playoff series.
Captain Martin Nash scored the other goal, from the penalty spot.
Koffie is the latest West African to have a massive impact in the last week in the Pacific Northwest. Last weekend, Ghanaian Kalif Alhassan scored the Timbers’ opening goal against the Whitecaps in the regular season closer at Swangard Stadium.
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to read more.
The Vancouver Sun: Caps' shock-and-awe nets wild win
-
Defence was dismissed in series' opener as Vancouver scores early and hangs on
So much for a tight defensive battle.
The Vancouver Whitecaps grabbed an early advantage Thursday in their two-game, total-goal playoff series with the Portland Timbers with a 2-0 win at Swangard Stadium in front of 5,018 fans.
The USSF D-2 Pro League series now shifts to Portland for the second match on Sunday.
Caps head coach Teitur Thordarson juggled his lineup -- starting midfielder Martin Nash as a forward and playing 19-year-old Gershon Koffie in central midfield -- and it paid off early in a game filled with scoring chances for both sides.
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to read more.
The Province: Whitecaps dominate Portland 2-0 in playoff opener -
@ProvinceWeber
Whitecaps' fans have waited all season for a dominant home performance. At the most important time of year, their team finally delivered.
Vancouver vaulted to life in their USSF D-2 playoff opener Thursday night at Swangard Stadium.
They were physical, full of energy, ruthless in front of goal and miserly in defence.
They led 2-0 just 13 minutes in and then shut the door on the visiting Portland Timbers in front of 5,018 fans.
The second leg of this aggregate-goals quarterfinal goes Sunday in Portland with the Whitecaps now heavy favourites to advance.
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to read more.
The Canadian Press: Whitecaps open USSF playoff series with win over Timbers
Martin Nash scored on a penalty kick and set up another goal as the Vancouver Whitecaps downed the Portland Timbers 2-0 in the first leg of their two-game USSF D-2 playoff series Thursday night.
Rookie Gershon Koffie opened the scoring 56 seconds into the game for Vancouver in a physical affair that featured numerous fouls at Swangard Stadium.
Nash put the Whitecaps up 2-0 with a penalty 12 minutes later. The score could have been higher, but two Whitecaps hit goal posts on clear chances.
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to read more.
The Columbian: Whitecaps come crashing down on Timbers in Game 1
Timbers return to Portland down 2-0 in total goal series
Any advantage the Portland Timbers carried into their first-round playoff series against the Vancouver Whitecaps vanished almost as soon as they stepped upon the pitch at Swangard Stadium on Thursday.
The Whitecaps scored twice in the first 13 minutes and those goals stood up for a 2-0 win in the first leg of a two-game, total goals series.
The Timbers will need to score at least three goals on Sunday to advance to the semifinal round of the United States Soccer Federation Division 2 Pro League playoffs.
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to read more.
The Oregonian: Timbers embarrass themselves in loss to Vancouver - Geoffrey C. Arnold
Well, that was ugly.
All the talk about being ready for the playoffs. The 10-game unbeaten streak. The solid defense. Breaking the hex in Vancouver.
Whatever.
The Timbers gave up two quick goals in the first 14 minutes of play and never recovered, losing to Vancouver 2-0 Thursday night in Vancouver in Game 1 of the first-round, two-game playoff series.
Look folks, this series is pretty much over. The possibility of the Timbers overcoming the two-goal deficit against the stingy Whitecaps is about as likely as the Portland Beavers returning to Portland next year. The Timbers had their chance and simply blew it. They're not going to score enough goals in Sunday's Game 2 in Portland to overcome the two-goal deficit in this aggregate-goals series.
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to read more.
More stuff available on Weber's blog -
Back of the Net
Also, check out the following blogs:
EightySixForever.com
,
ProstAmerika
,
WhitecapsFan
, and
SoccerByIves
