BURNABY - The Vancouver Whitecaps failed to score Wednesday night, but coach Teitur Thordarson was not complaining.
The underdog Whitecaps kept their Canadian Nutrilite soccer championship hopes alive as they fought Toronto FC to a 0-0 draw before an energetic crowd of 4,928 at Swangard Stadium.
"I thought we played extremely well in all departments of the game," said Thordarson. "We attacked well. We had to measure some risks in the beginning ... I thought we did that well and then controlled the game. For me, the only thing missing was a goal."
A loss would have ended Vancouver's title hopes and given the crown to Toronto for the second straight year.
The Whitecaps improved to 0-0-2 and retained their chances of advancing to the next stage of North and Central American and Caribbean zone qualifying for the FIFA club World Cup. Toronto dropped to 2-0-1 but remained in first place in the three-team competition.
Toronto plays in the MLS, North American soccer's top pro league. The Whitecaps are toiling in the fledgling United States Soccer Federation Division-2 Professional League this season before entering the MLS in 2011, when they will play in a renovated BC Place Stadium that features a new retractable roof.
Many Vancouver players are fighting to retain their positions in the team before management proceeds with planned roster improvements for MLS play, when the club stands to gain financially from larger crowds and more revenue streams and will be able to afford higher-priced international talent.
"It's a great step forward for us, especially with the Canadian championship and also for the season," said Whitecaps defender Wes Knight, who played a strong match.
The Whitecaps dominated most of the game -- a sharp contrast from their last Nutrilite competition outing May 5, when they struggled in the first 45 minutes and had to rally to tie the Montreal Impact 1-1 on Marcus Haber's late penalty kick.
"I don't think we played particularly well," said Toronto FC coach Preki. "We did not come to play ready to play from the first moment. Apart from set pieces and long throw-ins we didn't have trouble defending."
Vancouver's strong showing came despite a heavy afternoon rainfall, which ended about an hour before the game, and left the grass field slick. The Whitecaps also played the first 65 minutes without captain and star midfielder Martin Nash, who rested due to a bad back before subbing in during the second half.
Toronto, playing without Canadian international forward Julian De Guzman, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury, generated little offence until the game's latter stages, when FC pressed for a goal.
The Whitecaps must win their next two games in the series, May 26 in Montreal and June 2 in Toronto. The Montreal Impact has already been eliminated from contention.
"It's doable -- absolutely," said Thordarson.
It was almost doable last year as the Whitecaps lost the Canadian title to Toronto on goal differential. Toronto whipped a Montreal club that fielded many reserves 6-1 in the decisive game.
But Thordarson is not counting on Montreal to return the favour this time round.
"I'm not expecting that," he said. "I believe they will send their best team out. But we will be ready for whatever (lineup)."
Knight said the Whitecaps have to find a way to score goals. Wednesday's contest marked the third straight game they have gone scoreless -- but not for lack of trying.
Vancouver's Nelson Akwari started a series of Whitecap near-misses as he sent the ball wide of the net as he tried to head in a corner kick in the seventh minute.
Tempers flared another seven minutes later as Haber was yellow-carded for a hard sliding tackle on Dan Gargan and Toronto star Dwayne De Rosario was carded for arguing with referee Steve Depiero. In the 29th minute Vancouver goalkeeper Jay Nolly slid to steal a loose ball away from O'Brian White.
Nolly played his 49th consecutive game, which eclipsed a Vancouver team record held by Phil (Lofty) Parkes. Meanwhile, Toronto goalkeeper Jon Conway, playing in place of resting starter Stefan Frei, earned his shutout by getting his hands on Vancouver's crossing attempts.
Toronto received a rare scoring chance in the 79th minute, but Amadeu Sanyang's shot went over the crossbar. About three minutes later, Vancouver goalkeeper Nolly was tested again, punching a De Rosario shot away.
Toronto or Vancouver will play Montagua of Honduras in the next stage of qualifying, the Champions League, in July.
NOTES: In the 90th minute, Vancouver's Knight received a yellow card for a hand-ball infraction while down on the turf. Haber and Toronto's Raivis Hscanovics was also carded in the second half for a hard tackle ... Vancouver played without defenders Blake Wagner (foot) and Mouloud Akloul (ankle) while backup goalkeeper Dan Pelc had a sore gluteus maximus ... Toronto's De Rosario and De Guzman will compete for Canada in an international friendly against Argentina in Buenos Aires on May 24 ... Toronto rookie Zac Herold, 17, retired this week due to a potentially-fatal condition, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which abnormally thickens a part of the heart muscle. Strenuous physical activity can lead to a fatal arrhythmia.
