The Vancouver Whitecaps will play their first match of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championships when they host the Montreal Impact at Swangard Stadium on Wednesday.
The Impact come into this game after suffering a 2-0 loss last week against Toronto FC in Nutrilite play. Montreal cannot afford another loss in the three-team tournament if the club wants to advance.
The Whitecaps played in hostile territory last Thursday and suffered a loss in Portland to the Timbers in USSF Div. II league play.
Head coach Teitur Thordarson's club put in a solid effort, but a great finish from Timbers midfielder, Ryan Pore, secured the win for the home side.
Montreal heads into Vancouver after capturing a win in league play against the Puerto Rico Islanders off the boot of newly acquired midfielder Filipe Soares.
The Impact are sporting many new faces since defeating the Whitecaps in last year's USL-1 Championship game. Soares, Phillippe Billy and Tyler Hemming are just some of the additions to the Impact locker room.
Panamanian striker Roberto Brown will serve his first game of a two-game suspension Wednesday, after he was given a red card for violent conduct in Montreal's game last week against the Toronto FC. Brown was also suspended by his own club for an undetermined amount of time.
Wednesday's matchup will be the 48th all-time kick-off between the Whitecaps and the Impact. Montreal leads the all-time series with 28 wins, 13 losses and six draws. This is the first of six meetings between the two clubs in 2010.
The winner of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship will boast the title of Voyageurs Cup Champions and also be Canada's only berth in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League.
Notes: Whitecaps centre back, Mouloud Akloul will not play and is expected to be out of commission for at least four months after undergoing successful surgery on his injured ankle last week...defender/midfielder Blake Wagner is sidelined with a strained foot and winger Nizar Khalfan is out with quadriceps muscle problems.
