Whitecaps spoil Impact's MLS debut
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Sebastien Le Toux and Camilo
scored and the Vancouver Whitecaps spoiled the Montreal Impact's
Major League Soccer debut with a 2-0 victory Saturday.
Le Toux scored early in the first half, and Camilo connected 9
minutes into the second in front of a sellout crowd of 21,000 at
B.C. Place Stadium.
"If you wrote it up any way you wanted, you would definitely
want an early goal, not only in one half but in two halves,"
Rennie said. "(Le Toux's goal) definitely settles the nerves,
because Montreal started the first few minutes well, and then we
caught them on the other end. So it was a welcome goal - and
definitely a big part of the win."
The Whitecaps, opening their second season in the league after
finishing last overall last year, got the strong start they were
looking for under new coach Martin Rennie.
Le Toux, who had 25 goals and 20 assists in the past two seasons
with Philadelphia, opened the scoring in the fourth minute.
Fellow Frenchman Hassli headed the ball forward, then took it
off former Italian national team defender Matteo Ferrari and
rolled a low shot past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.
"The disappointing part is that it happened so quickly into the
game," Montreal coach Jesse Marsch said. "We don't even give
ourselves a chance for the game to settle in, and we're already
down 1-0."