Excitement builds before Nutrilite showdown

It may be a new rivalry on the Canadian sports landscape, but it hasn’t taken long to come to a boil. Canadian club pride will be on the line Tuesday night when Vancouver Whitecaps FC hosts Toronto FC on match day five of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The two sides will meet this 2 June at Swangard Stadium in a showdown that could determine the championship.



Both coaches will meet the media this Monday afternoon at Swangard Stadium at 14.15. Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins needs but a draw or victory for his side to win the 2009 Voyageurs Cup and qualify for the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League season; Whitecaps coach Teitur Thordarson needs a win from his team to stay alive in the competition.



The Tuesday 2 June match kicks off at 19.30 at Swangard Stadium in Vancouver, BC. The match will be broadcast live on Rogers Sportsnet (19:30 PT / 22.30 ET).



Last year, Vancouver won the two-match rivalry with four points: a 1:0 win on 1 July in Toronto and a 2:2 draw on 9 July in Vancouver. This year, Toronto has the early advantage after a 1:0 win on home turf on 13 May.



Toronto FC leads the 2009 competition with a perfect six points from two games. Whitecaps FC is second with six points from three games. Following the Vancouver-Toronto 2 June match, Toronto FC will travel to Montreal to face the Impact on 18 June.



Should Whitecaps FC win on Tuesday night, it will finish with nine points and hope that Toronto FC fails to win on 18 June (thus finishing with six or seven points). If Whitecaps FC wins Tuesday and Toronto FC wins on 18 June, then both sides will consult the tie-breaking scenarios.



The champion will be determined by:

1. Most points in all group matches

2. Greater # of points in matches between the teams concerned

3. Greater goal difference in matches between the teams concerned (if more than two teams finish equal on points)

4. Greater # of goals scored in matches among the teams concerned (if more than two teams finish equal on points)

5. Results from all group matches

a) greater goal difference in all group matches

b) greater # of goals scored in all group matches

6. Drawing of lots



Toronto FC’s road is much simpler: it needs but a draw on Tuesday night to win the championship. If Toronto FC draws Whitecaps FC and both teams finish the competition with seven points (after an Impact win on 18 June), then Toronto FC will win the championship on account of winning the Toronto-Vancouver series (four points to one).



The 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship runs 6 May to 18 June in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. The Impact de Montréal, after winning the 2008 championship and reaching the quarter-final stage of 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League, has already booked a third-place finish in 2009. As such, a new champion – be it Toronto FC or Whitecaps FC – will be crowned champion come 18 June when the Voyageurs Cup is presented in Montréal.