Whitecaps to watch: How will the whole team respond under new coach Teitur Thordarson, who brings big changes with his attacking style? Up front, will Jason Jordan, the 2005 USL-1 scoring leader and MVP, bounce back after two injury-filled seasons? Thordarson wouldn't say who would start in goal, but the play of Srdjan Djekanovic or Jay Nolly could be key against a highly-touted Montreal side. Returning scoring leader Eddy Sebrango (seven goals), centre back Adrian Cann and midfielder Martin Nash should be fired up to face their former team.
Impact to watch: Forward Joey Gjertsen, the 2006 league MVP, and midfielder David Testo will be looking to burn their former club -- dealt last season in exchange for Ze Roberto and Alen Marcina, neither of whom remain with the Whitecaps. Other former Caps on the familiar Impact roster are forward Charles Gbeke and midfielder Sita-Taty Matondo. Gbeke led Montreal with 10 goals last season and the Caps must also keep close tabs on creative Argentinian midfielder Leonardo Di Lorenzo, the Impact's MVP in 2007.
Need to know: These clubs will square off three times in USL-1 play and also clash twice in the new CONCACAF Championships League qualifying. Vancouver was 0-1-1 against Montreal last season, including a 2-0 home loss. This preseason, the Whitecaps went 4-0-1, but Montreal spent time training and playing friendlies in Italy and Portugal and, more recently, topped the Honduran national team 3-1 in Florida. The Whitecaps haven't lost a home opener since 2001 (4-0-2 since then), but they haven't beaten Montreal at Swangard Stadium since Aug. 21, 1996.
Records last season:
Vancouver (9-7-12, 27 GF, 24 GA); Montreal (14-6-8, 32 GF, 21 GA).
