Montréal eliminates Vancouver at Stade Saputo

Vancouver Whitecaps FC saw its CONCACAF Champions League hopes slip away in a 1:1 draw with Impact Montréal. After going up a goal in the 50th minute, Vancouver conceded a goal 12 minutes later and was unable to retake the lead and claim the required three points.
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​Earning just a single point on Match Day Five of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship, the Whitecaps were officially eliminated on Wednesday 26 May. Toronto FC, who will host the championship finale next Wednesday 2 June at BMO Field, has clinched the 2010 Voyageurs Cup and a spot in 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League.
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​Vancouver’s Ansu Touré scored what could have been the game winning goal in the 50th minute. A redirected ball from Nelson Akwari found its way to Touré who buried it for a 1-0 Vancouver lead.
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​In the 62nd minute, however, Eddy Sebrango crossed the ball to Philippe Billy who fired a bullet past goalkeeper Jay Nolly and into the Whitecaps goal. It was a 1-1 with less than 30 minutes to go.
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​The Impact actually had some good possession after the score was even, albeit Vancouver did find a way to fight back and push towards the Montréal goal. In the end, the Whitecaps just couldn’t score the go-ahead goal needed for a victory and a three-point night in the standings.
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​On this night, Montréal’s starting XI featured Srdjan Djekanovic in goal, Adam Braz at right back, Hicham Aaboubou and Stefano Pesoli at centre back, Philippe Billy at left back, Tyler Hemming at right midfield, Felipe Soares and Tony Donatelli at centre midfield, Leonardo Di Lorenzo at left midfield, and Rocco Placentino and Eddy Sebrango up front. In the second half, Montréal’s three changes were Soares for Stephen DeRoux (46th minute), Hemming for Peter Byers (57′) and Donatelli for Patrick Leduc (75′).
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​Vancouver’s starting XI featured Jay Nolly in goal, Wes Knight at right back, Nelson Akwari and Greg Janicki at centre back, Zurab Tsiskaridze at left back, Justin Moose at right midfield, Luca Bellisomo and Martin Nash at centre midfield, Ansu Touré at left midfield, and Marcus Haber and Cornelius Stewart up front. In the second half, Vancouver’s three changes were Moose for Doudou Touré (64′), Ansu Touré for Takashi Hirano (68′), and Knight for Ricardo Sanchez (76′).
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​Next Wednesday 2 June, Vancouver will travel to BMO Field to face Toronto FC on Match Day Six, the final match of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Toronto FC has already clinched the championship, but the match will give the home side a chance to celebrate with the trophy in front of its home fans. This will mark the first time that the trophy is presented to the home team since the Nutrilite Canadian Championship was first introduced in 2008.