Canadian clubs come home for 2010 season

Vancouver Whitecaps FC was the first Canadian club to open its 2010 home season, doing so on Sunday 11 April with a 2:0 victory over the visiting NSC Minnesota Stars. Luca Bellisomo and Marlon James both scored for Vancouver as the Whitecaps christened the start to its final season at Swangard Stadium with a win.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC was the first Canadian club to open its 2010 home season, doing so on Sunday 11 April with a 2:0 victory over the visiting NSC Minnesota Stars. Luca Bellisomo and Marlon James both scored for Vancouver as the Whitecaps christened the start to its final season at Swangard Stadium with a win.



The Swangard Stadium home opener was part of the 2010 USSF-2 regular season. In three weeks, it will be the site for Match 2 of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Swangard Stadium in Vancouver, BMO Field in Toronto and Stade Saputo in Montréal are the three venues for the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship.



Swangard Stadium will host the 5 May and 19 May matches against Impact Montréal and Toronto FC respectively. BMO Field has both the championship opener on 28 April (against Impact Montréal) and the final match on 2 June (against Whitecaps FC). Stade Saputo hosts the 12 May and 26 May matches against Toronto FC and Whitecaps FC, respectively.



Of the three professional clubs, Impact Montréal will be the last to open its 2010 home season. Like Vancouver, Montréal plays its regular season in USSF-2. Montréal hosts the Portland Timbers on Sunday 25 April, just three days before it faces Toronto FC in the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship opener.



Toronto FC is in the middle with its 2010 home opener. Unlike Vancouver and Montréal, Toronto plays in Major League Soccer. Toronto’s home opener is Thursday 15 April against MLS expansion club Philadelphia Union. New to BMO Field this year is the natural grass and the north-end bleachers for additional seating.



The 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship runs six consecutive Wednesday nights from 28 April to 2 June in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. The three teams play four games each – two at home and two on the road – with the champion advancing to represent Canada in CONCACAF Champions League. Montréal won the first championship in 2008 while Toronto won the second year in 2009.



CanadaSoccer.com will once again serve as the official website for the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. All six matches of the championship will be broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet. For ticket information to any of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship matches, please visit the respective home club websites and their ticketing agencies.



2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship

Impact de Montréal

Toronto FC

Vancouver Whitecaps FC



2010 Match Schedule

28.04.2010 – 20.00 ET / 17.00 PT – BMO Field – Toronto FC – Impact Montréal

05.05.2010 – 22.30 ET / 19.30 PT – Swangard Stadium – Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Impact Montréal

12.05.2010 – 20.00 ET / 17.00 PT – Stade Saputo – Impact Montréal – Toronto FC

19.05.2010 – 22.00 ET / 19.00 PT – Swangard Stadium – Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Toronto FC

26.05.2010 – 20.00 ET / 17.00 PT – Stade Saputo – Impact Montréal – Vancouver Whitecaps FC

02.06.2010 – 20.00 ET / 17.00 PT – BMO Field – Toronto FC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC