Vancouver wins 2008 USL Cup

[mlssoccer]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2008/10/12/whitecaps.html (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2008/10/12/whitecaps.html)

Whitecaps win 2nd USL title in 3 years

Last Updated: Sunday, October 12, 2008 | 9:34 PM ET
The Canadian Press

The Vancouver Whitecaps beat Puerto Rico in Sunday's USL-1 final. (Canadian Press file photo)

Forward Charles Gbeke scored two goals in the second half as the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated the Puerto Rico Islanders 2-1 Sunday to win their second United Soccer Leagues First Division championship in three years.

[mlssoccer]

http://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/galleries/photos/do_not_publish/images/6148/original.aspx

http://www.whitecapsfc.com/schedule/match10120801.aspx

Match Report:

By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC claimed their second United Soccer Leagues First Division championship in three seasons after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Puerto Rico Islanders on Sunday afternoon.

In front of a sold-out and enthusiastic Swangard Stadium crowd, Charles Gbeke became the Whitecaps hero, as he scored twice with his head in the second half to secure Vancouver's first league title since the USL-1 Championship Final success of 2006 when The Blue & White defeated hosts Rochester Rhinos 3-0 at PAETEC Park.

[gregro]

Congratulations Vancouver! It is great to see another Northwest team and former NASL / USL rival win the cup. I really hope you guys get an MLS team. Seattle and Vancouver is a great Derby with great history!

Vancouver is a beautiful city with great fans and it would be great to come up and see our teams play.

I am sure we will continue to play matches (either friendlies or USOC) until you join MLS.

Enjoy the fruits of victory! Cheers mates! :)

[Mr. Bandwagon]

Grats Vancouver.

See you in MLS some day.

[ArsenalMetro]

Congratulations to Vancouver...

Not to be a downer or anything, but it's still a load of crap that the game was in Vancouver. :p

[coniafr]

Great Game Vancouver!!!

[coniafr]

Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 1 Puerto Rico Islanders


Summery
USL First Division




Scoring
Charles Gbeke(Vancouver)
Sandy Gbandi(Puerto Rico)
Charles Gbeke(Vancouver)




Cautions
Steve Kindel9Vancouver







First Half Corners 1 2 First Half Corners

Second Half Corners 1 3 Second Half Corners

Overall Corners 2 5 Overall Corners

[TO2988]

next stop MLS

[PG Tips]

Well with the bids going in to MLS on Wednesday(though the Mayor of Vancouver might have gave it to Garber last week when in NYC) this certainly is good timing. The Vancouver win may or may not help an expansion bid but it surely can't hurt it.

With Vancouver winning the League and Montreal going to the QF of CL, these successes are better than nothing. It shows these teams can or could compete on the MLS level as well.

[Nerroth]

I am sure we will continue to play matches (either friendlies or USOC) until you join MLS.

They can't meet in USOC - as a Canadian team, the 'Caps are involved in the NCC instead.

They could meet if both qualified for the CCL and were somehow drawn against one another, though.


Also - well done, Whitecaps!

[gregro]

They can't meet in USOC - as a Canadian team, the 'Caps are involved in the NCC instead.

They could meet if both qualified for the CCL and were somehow drawn against one another, though.


Also - well done, Whitecaps!

Doh! :o You are correct. I forgot Canadian teams can't play.

[Johnnie Monster]

But they can meet in CONCACAF Champions League.

MLS teams just need to start performing as well as the USL ones! :D

[canuck51]

^
because of the way MLS seeds its teams for CCL, the earliest that could be a possibility though would be in summer/fall 2010, and hopefully by that point we're in our final USL season, going for the 3-peat, and getting set to join MLS the following spring anyways.

Nonetheless, I'd love to see a few friendlies over the next couple of years, but knowing the Whitecaps they'll probably try and set up another friendly with Beckham and the Galaxy....maybe they'll try and whore him out in Moose Jaw or Whitehorse this time.

[WhiteRockk]

I think this just solidified our chances without a doubt in coming into MLS before Portland

[JohnnyRanger]

No it doesn't. Winning the 08 USL Title has sweet F&*K ALL to do with getting into the MLS for '11

What it does show is that the club has good scouting, management, and coaching.

I don't figure many if any of the players will be around for the MLS Incarnation of the Caps.

[Johnnie Monster]

Hopefully we can retain our young guys like Moose, Arze and Edwini-Bonsu. Gage holds his own in USL at 17, so I'm optimistic that he can make the leap with some added training & development.

[Johnnie Monster]

And why do I get the feeling that WhiteRockk is Bill from the V-board?

[JohnnyRanger]

And why do I get the feeling that WhiteRockk is Bill from the V-board?
I was thinking the same thing JoMo