- THE BUZZ:
It's must-win time for the Vancouver Whitecaps who trail by a goal and won't have their captain tomorrow when they visit the Montreal Impact to conclude the United Soccer Leagues' First Division final (11:30 a.m. Team 1040/Radio-Canada/ Fox Sports World Canada).
- SCENARIO:
A tie isn't good enough for the defending champion Caps, who won just two USL road games in 2009. They did, however, beat the host Impact 2-0 in a May 20 Nutrilite Canadian championship game.
- KEEPER CHAT:
"We're going to have to be defensively strong, we definitely don't want to give up the first goal," said Caps' goalkeeper Jay Nolly. "That's going to be the key to the game."
- SEBRANGOAL:
Vancouver enters with the deficit because of ex-Cap Eduardo Sebrango's 89th minute 3-2 winner at Swangard Stadium last Saturday in the opener of the two-game, total goals series.
- STRIKING:
Vancouver played shorthanded after Martin Nash's 51st minute ejection, but got timely goals from rookie of the year Marcus Haber and Marlon James.
- MARCUS MUSINGS:
"It was a tale of two halves," Haber said. "If we can build on what we did with 10-men we should be in good shape for Saturday."
- THOR THOUGHTS:
"I have a big belief in my team and I think we can turn it around," said head coach Teitur Thordarson. "We have 90 minutes to change this and we will try to stay calm, focussed and be clever."
- MEET-UP:
Whitecaps' fans are gathering for viewing parties at the Terminal City Lions Pub (888 Cordova St., Vancouver) and Boston Pizza (4219 Lougheed Hwy., Burnaby).
