One game for all the marbles.
Again.
After slugging through a rain-drenched, lightning-filled abandoned championship game back in May, Toronto and Vancouver are set to do it all over again. This time, there will be no rain and thunderstorms.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
The two teams meet up only three days after an ugly 1-0 TFC win on Wednesday night, a match which featured sub-optimal lineups for both sides, although the reasoning behind each team's starting XI was vastly different for Tom Soehn than it was for Aron Winter.
Soehn, the Vancouver GM-turned-coach, sent out a decidedly second-choice lineup for Wednesday night's MLS match, electing to throw a bunch of kids and reserves in hopes of resting his bigger guns for the more meaningful weekend affair. It would have been a fine strategy, except that he didn't really seem to stick to it, instead choosing to insert Eric Hassli, Camilo, and Nizar Khalfan into the match in the second half.
It came across as though Soehn hadn't really decided between prioritizing the Voyageurs Cup finale over the mid-season MLS match, instead choosing to half-ass both in some sort of panicky "oh shit, I thought our B teamers would be able to steal three points from an injury-ravaged TFC side" move. Khalfan's inclusion was no big deal, but Hassli and Camilo's second half entries had to have raised some eyebrows amoung Whitecaps faithful, who saw their two biggest available offensive threats exposed to potential injury ahead of a massive championship game (especially with midfield magician Davide Chiumiento ruled out with a hamstring strain).
Perhaps even more disheartening for 'Caps fans was the utter ineffectiveness displayed by Hassli and Camilo -- both of whom have feasted on TFC in previous meetings -- when they did sub on. TFC's on-loan right back Richard Eckersley, thrown into the middle by pure necessity, handled Hassli almost too easily, helped in no small part by the rest of TFC's players choking the service to Vancouver big striker, leaving the Frenchman with very little to do for most of his 45 minutes on the pitch.
Camilo was similarly ordinary, relegated to taking poor angle shots from the wing which amounted to nothing. Hardly inspired stuff from the Brazilian.
In any case, expect both Camilo and Hassli in the starting lineup Saturday afternoon, alongside Jay DeMerit, Terry Dunfield, Joe Cannon, Jonathan Leathers, and maybe even Chiumiento. All represent the cavalry that will ride in and significantly strengthen the Whitecaps from the lackluster side that played mid-week.
Surprisingly, Toronto -- forced to lean on the same core of players game in and game out through an awful injury spell --may have a cavalry of their own.
No, new designated players Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans will not be suiting up for TFC (they can't until July 15th in accordance with the CSA/USSF transfer window). Instead, a handful of the Reds' walking wounded could be available for the match.
Julian de Guzman, Tony Tchani, Alan Gordon, Maicon Santos, and Jacob Peterson all may be included in Winter's squad for the final, with JDG and Tchani looking the most likely candidates to participate. It's not exactly an earth-shattering list, and Toronto's biggest ailment continues to be at central defender, but if one, two, or all of the above players can take part, Toronto should look a more composed and experienced -- and dangerous, should the returnees include Gordon and/or Santos -- side.
The Reds head into Saturday's matinee holding a slight advantage thanks to a late away goal scored in the first leg at Vancouver (which seems like eons ago), so look for the 'Caps to press from the opening whistle, just like they did in the cancelled return leg, in order to gain the upper hand.
Toronto FC v. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Saturday, July 2, 2011. 12:30pm EDT / 9:30pm PDT.
BMO Field. Toronto, ON.
Watch: Rogers Sportsnet ONE, NCC Official Stream
Listen: TEAM 1040 AM (Vancouver), FAN590.com, teamradio.ca
Rudi Schuller occasionally contributes Toronto FC and Canadian national team content to the 24th Minute. He manages the Euro File here at Canadian Soccer News, and is MLSsoccer.com's beat writer for all things concerning Canada's men's national teams. Follow Rudi on Twitter, @RudiSchuller.