Match Report:

By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC have advanced to the semifinals of the USL First Division playoffs after holding on to defeat Minnesota Thunder 5-4 on aggregate, despite losing Sunday's second leg 4-3.

In an eventful game at the National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota, the Whitecaps built on a 2-0 first-leg win at home, as goals by Alfredo Valente, Martin Nash, and Eduardo Sebrango had Vancouver in a 5-1 aggregate lead at one stage.

However, the Thunder made the series a contest right up until the final whistle, with Minnesota scoring three unanswered goals in the second half after Luchi Gonzalez had struck for the home side in the first half. Melvin Tarley, Stephen deRoux, and a late penalty from substitute Frederico Moojen gave Minnesota a final win before bringing their 2008 USL-1 season to a close.

Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson made one change to the line-up that started the first leg at Swangard on Friday night, with Charles Gbeke replacing Nicholas Addlery in the visitors' attack. Thunder interim head coach Donny Gramenz also made one change to his starting XI, with Brian Kallman replacing Kevin Taylor in the Minnesota backline.

On a nice and sunny early autumn afternoon in Minnesota, the Whitecaps made the best possible start to Sunday's decisive match, as they took the lead after just three minutes.

Gbeke intercepted a poor Jonathan Greenfield clearance near the edge of the Thunder box before hitting a low cross from the right-hand side. Valente made an unmarked run to the far post and slotted home Gbeke's cross to give Vancouver a 3-0 aggregate lead.

The goal silenced the home crowd in Blaine, though Melvin Tarley tried to reply with a header a minute later, but Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly was on hand to make a simple save. At the other end, Gbeke missed the target with his header after Lyle Martin played a fine delivery in from the right on six minutes.

Three goals down, it was on the Thunder to try and get back into the contest, with Nolly forced to tip Gonzalez's looping effort over the crossbar for a corner on 11 minutes. Ten minutes later, Stephen deRoux went close when he flashed a shot across the face of the Whitecaps goal from the left.

Minnesota remained persistent with their attack, and their efforts paid off on 23 minutes. deRoux's byline cross from the left found Gonzalez at the top of the box, and his half-volleyed strike flew past Nolly and body of players to level matters in the match at 1-1.

Only two goals behind at this stage, the Thunder pressed forward in search of more goals, with Nolly initially struggling to deal with Mark Schulte's close-range shot on 29 minutes following a Ricardo Sanchez corner from the left. Two minutes later, Gbeke missed the target again with a header after connecting with Nash's corner from the left.

The series remained a contest as the second leg edged towards the break, but Vancouver put another nail in Minnesota's coffin with another well-taken goal on 44 minutes. Gbeke played a searching ball out to the right flank to Martin, who then slipped past deRoux before finding Nash in the Minnesota box. The midfielder side-stepped his marker before hitting a fine right-footed finish to make it 2-1 to the visitors at halftime.

4-1 down on aggregate, Minnesota looked to make a seemingly improbable comeback soon after the restart, with substitute Moojen forcing a save from Nolly on 49 minutes before Tarley rolled an even better chance wide of the Vancouver goal a minute later.

As expected, Thordarson made several changes in the second half, including Friday goalscorer Justin Moose replacing Geordie Lyall, who picked up a worrying leg injury after trying to make a run down the right flank.

On 55 minutes, the Whitecaps took a commanding 5-1 aggregate lead when Sebrango converted Valente's simple pass from the left to make it 3-1 after Nash had initially picked out Valente with a fine cross-field ball.

With the Thunder in need of four goals to turn the series around, they pulled closer on 64 minutes when Tarley took advantage of a Vancouver defensive mix-up to slot the ball into an empty net. Wesley Charles wrong-footed Nolly, as the Whitecaps defender tried to head Gonzalez's cross into the box back to the Vancouver number one.

As the match entered the latter stages, it was still on Minnesota to find their way back into the series, as the Whitecaps looked to see out Sunday's game. On 77 minutes, Minnesota's emotions got the better of them, as they were reduced to ten men. After Nolly did well to save Brian Cvilikas' close-range header, the Thunder made strong appeals for a hand ball on Whitecaps captain Jeff Clarke after he made a timely goalline block to deny Gonzalez a second goal. Minnesota's protestations saw Sanchez receive a straight red card as a result.

Yet, from the ensuing corner on 78 minutes, the home side leveled the match at 3-3 when deRoux scrambled Gonzalez's low cross home to provide more life to Gramenz's side, as the Whitecaps now led 5-3 on aggregate.

Through they still had a two-goal aggregate lead, Vancouver were absorbing a lot of pressure from Minnesota, despite the Thunder being a man down. On 83 minutes, Tarley came close to scoring again, but Nolly was able to get the ball off of the Thunder striker in the six-yard box.

As three minutes of stoppage time were played, the Whitecaps tried to kill the series off with a fourth goal, but after getting forward on the break, substitute Addlery drove a hard shot high and over the Minnesota crossbar.

Seconds later, the Thunder claimed the morale victory of a match winner from the penalty spot after another Whitecaps substitute in Vicente Arze was adjudged to have brought down deRoux in the Vancouver box. Moojen stepped up to finish the spot kick past Nolly for a 4-3 second-leg win, though it was Vancouver that advanced to the semis with the 5-4 aggregate scoreline.


Though pleased to reach the last four, Thordarson was far from satisfied with his team's second-leg performance. "Although I'm very happy that we went through, I wasn't happy with the way that we did it," he told whitecapsfc.com. "After having such a good first half and being in a 3-1 lead, we made some changes to try and rest some players, but we seemed to lose our shape as a result. When we were 3-1 in front, we had two or three major opportunities to kill the game off, so I'm extremely unsatisfied with how the game ended."

The Whitecaps will now return home and prepare for a two-leg semifinal clash with Canadian arch-rivals Montreal Impact, who overcame Seattle Sounders 4-3 on aggregate after a thrilling 3-1 second-leg win at Saputo Stadium in Quebec on Sunday. Details of both semifinal matches will be announced on Monday morning. On Wednesday, the Impact will be in Honduras to play Club Deportivo Olimpia in their latest Group C match in the CONCACAF Champions League.

With a sixth and seventh encounter of the season to come against Montreal, Thordarson is fully aware of the challenge that lies in wait for his players next weekend. "All the games we’ve played against Montreal this season have been extremely tight and tough, so these next two matches will be no different," said the Icelandic tactician.

In the other USL-1 semifinal, Commissioner's Cup winners Puerto Rico Islanders will face Rochester Rhinos over two legs next weekend. The Rhinos advanced to the semis after claiming a 2-1 aggregate win over Charleston Battery in their quarterfinal series.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC have announced that they will pursue one of two Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchises set to be added to the league by 2011. Fans are encouraged to visit whitecapsfc.com/mls to register their support for a Whitecaps MLS franchise and help show the rest of North America what Vancouver and British Columbia have to offer.

Scoring Summaries:
VAN - Alfredo Valente (Charles Gbeke) 3'
Gbeke hit a low cross from the right-hand side to Valente, who made an unmarked run to the far post before slotting the ball home.

MIN - Luchi Gonzalez (Stephen deRoux) 23'
deRoux's byline cross from the left found Gonzalez at the top of the box. His half-volleyed strike flew past Whitecaps goalkeeper Jay Nolly for 1-1.

VAN - Martin Nash (Lyle Martin) 44'
Martin took a Charles Gbeke pass before playing ball into the box to Nash. The midfielder side-stepped his marker before hitting a right-footed shot to make it 2-1 at halftime.

VAN - Eduardo Sebrango (Alfredo Valente) 55'
Martin Nash found Valente with a fine cross-field ball. The Winger slipped a simple pass to Sebrango, and the Cuban converted with aplomb to make the aggregate score 5-1.

MIN - Melvin Tarley 64'
Whitecaps defender Wesley Charles wrong-footed his keeper Jay Nolly with his headed back pass, allowing Tarley to score into an empty net for 3-2.

MIN - Stephen deRoux 78'
From a Thunder corner, deRoux scrambled home Luchi Gonzalez's low cross to draw Minnesota level at 3-3.

MIN - Frederico Moojen 90' PK
Whitecaps substitute Vicente Arze brought down Stephen deRoux in the Vancouver box. Moojen stepped up to finish the spot kick past Jay Nolly to give Minnesota a 4-3 second-leg win.

Match Stats:
Shots: Minnesota 19 - Vancouver 8
Saves: Minnesota 3- Vancouver 3
Fouls: Minnesota 11 - Vancouver 7
Offsides: Minnesota 3- Vancouver 2
Corners: Minnesota 8- Vancouver 1

Cautions:
Minnesota: Melvin Tarley 73', Mark Schulte 90'
Vancouver: none

Ejection:
Minnesota: Ricardo Sanchez 77'
Vancouver: none

Minnesota Thunder
12.Nicolas Platter; 19.Brian Kallman (5.Kevin Taylor 80'), 26.Mark Schulte, 28.John Greenfield; 7.Dale Weiler (23.Frederico Moojen 45'), 8.Luchi Gonzalez (24.Tighe Dombrowski 88'), 10.Ricardo Sanchez 78', 17.Stephen deRoux, 22.Jeremiah Bass; 2.Melvin Tarley, 27.Brian Cvilikas

Subs not used: 1.Eric Reed, 3.Andres Arango, 6.Kevin Freidland, 16.Kyle Altman

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Jay Nolly; 2.Jeff Clarke, 4.Wesley Charles, 8.Steve Kindel, 12.Geordie Lyall (25.Justin Moose 50'); 7.Martin Nash (23.Vicente Arze 80'), 9.Alfredo Valente (22.Takashi Hirano 60'), 18.Mason Trafford, 24.Lyle Martin; 16.Eduardo Sebrango (11.Nicholas Addlery 65'), 98.Charles Gbeke (26.Jason Jordan 65')

Subs not used: 31.Tyler Baldock, 20.Ethan Gage