Match Report: Vancouver @ TFC

My mp3 player does not want to do prolonged voice recording. So I'm winging it again. Hopefully it reads less like a blog post and more like witty commentary.

Today was a beautiful, sunny, and not too hot, day to spend celebrating Canada Day than amongst the few that opted in for the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, from here on in referred to as "The NutCan" and watch the homestand juggernaut that is Toronto FC.

Unfortunately, things don't always pan out as you hope for.

The Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL (yes, there are other Canadian teams that play professional soccer) are no slouch. These lads play well together and they proved it... by doing what no MLS team could do : Beat Toronto at home.

I was 11 minutes late. I blame Gmail and Firefox for, somehow, opening up the game tickets to the Colorado match from a few weeks ago. Of course, I can't read, so I printed them, and marched merrily to the ground not thinking another damn thing about it

Will Call drama later, we enter New Fort York (We need a better name for the stadium other than a bank... seriously), grab a bevvie and head up to the stands. Vancouver apparently had a shot on net.

The penalty call was suspect, but sadly, warranted. TFC defender held a Vancouver player and threw him to the ground. Yes, he wasn't involved in the play, but that's still a foul, and in the box, it's still a penalty. Martin "Knowlton" Nash scored from the spot. This was the only goal of the game, but there should've been more. And few of them earned by the mighty reds.

Misconception #1 : The USL is shite. WRONG! The Lynx were shite (old school U-Sector knows... hell, I know first hand how bad they are) but the Impact and the Whitecaps are excellent sides. The gap between USL and MLS is NOT AS BIG AS YOU THINK. Just because it's called "Major League Soccer", doesn't mean it's "Major League anything". When you get a chance, go look up how the Red Bulls did in the US Open Cup this past weekend. They lost. 2-0. TO A USL DIVISION 2 SIDE.

Misconception #2 : TFC is infalliable. WRONG! We here at The Yorkies are very open with the concept of NOT SUPPORTING SHITE PLAY. When TFC is bad, we call it. Vancouver SCHOOLED Toronto. Watch the game again if you don't believe me. If all the great chances at goal were converted, Vancouver would've won the game 5-3. TFC were not anywhere near the dominant side. Pathetic, over-confident, under-prepared and really frustrating of you actually paid money for this game

Misconception #3 : The current squad is perfect for MLS supremacy. WRONG! We need a striker. Hell, Charles Gbeke who came on as a sub for the Whitecaps is ex-Lynx, ex-Impact, ex-Hamilton Thunder, ex-Rochester Rhinos is a journeyman striker who has a knack of scoring crazy goals from nothing. He was playing this week for Impact reserves and he stepped on the pitch and HIT THE POST. How many posts did Cunningham hit? Smith? Dichio?

I had a Whitecaps scarf on one arm. I don't believe that TFC has to "hate" everyone who comes into the ground. I believe in the concept of "friendly teams". There is no good reason to hate Vancouver. Kerfoot, the Caps owner, is doing more for soccer in Vancouver than our owners are doing for footie in Toronto. The Whitecaps should've got a nice cheer from educated folk. Personally, I'd like to extend a "friendly arm" to the following sides :

San Jose, Seattle, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Montreal.

Why? We're new school. That's a good start there. Especially San Jose how their fans got screwed out of a championship side... sorry, off topic.

Vancouver played excellent. Nolly was outstanding in goal for the Whitecaps. The Japanese kid was a sparkplug too.

However, we cannot forget the "genetically deteriorating officiating" for this match. Cunningham's goal was completely legit and they blew it (in more ways than one) offside. I will be able to justify my season's ticket going up another 10% if it means IMPORTING REFEREES and sending the current ones TO A REAL REF SCHOOL where they actually have to PASS IT instead of sitting in a room for 2 days and learning to ref by osmosis.

Man of the match : Sutton.

"Budgie" award : Wynne, the only player out there on TFC NOT in a keeper's kit who seemed like he was taking Vancouver as serious as any other MLS side. Thank you Mr. Wynne.

Thumbs up : Um, Sutton, Wynne.

Thumbs down : Anemic forwards. Our midfield took more shots than our forwards. If that's the case, I will happily embrace a 4-6-0 system for the rest of the season.