THE MATCHUP: FC Edmonton wants oily hands all over our NutCan

Hands off our sweet NutCan!

FC EDMONTON VS. TORONTO FC

NUTRILITE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMI-FINAL - 1ST LEG
　
COMMONWEATH STADIUM - WEDNESDAY 8PM ET
TV: SPORTSNET ONTARIO / WEST
　
Very rarely does Toronto FC go into a match as the "reigning" anything but as the 2011 Nutrilite Canadian Championship (NutCan to its friends) kicks off, The Reds look to add their two concurrent trophies. With the lush reward of a CONCACAF Champions League berth for the winner, The NutCan is a valuable little tournament which has expanded to four clubs with the inclusion of FC Edmonton. With the additional club, the format has changed to a knockout style with home-and-home legs which delivers TFC to Alberta on Wednesday.
　
The debutant FC Edmonton have just started their first season in the NASL and have shown some decent quality early. The core of the club has been playing together for a number of months and have tried to instil a similar "Dutch-style" as is being attempted in Toronto. Dutchman and former Eredivsie pro Harry Sinkgraven manages Edmonton onto the cavernous Commonwealth Stadium pitch, attempting to find long-term solidity in a town where the likes of the Drillers, Brickmen and Aviators have come and gone.
　
For Toronto FC, The NutCan may represent the club's only chance at finding glory in 2011. In the midst of an admitted major rebuild, Aron Winter would be wise not to underestimate the importance of this tournament to TFC's supporters. While most fans would see the need for some squad rotation - on the back of Columbus and with Seattle on the near horizon - The Reds are in no position to be fielding entire B-Squads. Anything less than another trophy in 2011 will be considered a failure.
　
MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME: "The Driller Thriller"
　
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FC EDMONTON: Alex Surprenant, Rein Baart, Chris Kooy
TORONTO FC: Richard Eckersley, Tony Tchani, Oscar Cordon
　
THE ODDS
- Higher number of hot dog vendors than fans at Commonwealth: 8-1
- Conservative Party to rescind any points TFC gains in Alberta: 10-1
- With duelling Dutch managers - Belgian slurs to number in hundreds: 50-1
　
WHO ARE YA?
- NASL new boys FC Edmonton were named after a "Name The Club" competition picked FCE over two other entrants: Brickmen Rovers and PSV Oilhaven
- In an attempt to mimic the Whitecaps' Nash brothers popularity, FC Edmonton tried to sign Keith Gretzky during the off-season
- Commonwealth Stadium officials have tried to downplay fears over a rough pitch by promising to fill the giant divots with run-off from the Alberta Tar Sands
　
DUTCH-ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION OF THE MATCH
"Commonwealt Shtadium ish for Eshkimoshe not footbalsh"
　
OILERS SAY: 1-0 Edmonton
SPOILERS SAY: 2-0 Toronto
HEADLINE: "NUTCAN FEVER GRIPS DOZENS AT COMMONWEALTH STADIUM"