International Soccer in Vancouver
With Whitecaps Nations Cup
VANCOUVER - International soccer returned to Vancouver in July 2005, when the Vancouver Whitecaps hosted English Premiership side Sunderland. The Black Cats, led by former Irish National Team Head Coach Mick McCarthy, had won the English League Championship in 2005 and were eagerly looking forward to a season when they would do battle with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
To prepare for their Premiership season, Sunderland completed a North American tour that included stops in Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. The Black Cats finished the tour undefeated, with the exception of a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Whitecaps in front of a record crowd of almost 7,000 fans at Swangard Stadium.
In an effort to build off the success of this event, and continue the excitement generated from the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the Vancouver Whitecaps have announced plans to host the inaugural Whitecaps Nations Cup.
This international tournament will be a celebration of the world's game, and Vancouver's multicultural diversity. This year's participants are led by Cardiff City FC from the English League Championship, along with China's U-20 Men's National Team, India's Men's National Team and the Whitecaps.
The tournament will open with games on July 19 and 21, followed by a consolation/final that will take place on July 23 in a special doubleheader. The opening game on July 19 will feature a match-up between the Whitecaps and India. Cardiff City will then take on China on July 21. All matches will be played at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.
Cardiff City FC, from Cardiff, Wales, is one of six Welsh sides that play in the English football league system, rather than the Welsh system. Founded in 1899, the Bluebirds have a rich soccer history which includes 22 Welsh Cups and one Football Association (FA) Cup.
The Bluebirds became the only team to have taken the FA Cup out of England with their victory over Arsenal in 1927. Cardiff City finished in 11th place in England's Championship League with 16 wins, 12 draws and 18 losses.
At the timing of printing, the Vancouver Whitecaps men's team sits in first place in the USL First Division with a record of five wins, two losses and seven draws. The Whitecaps have advanced to playoff contention for nine straight seasons, and hope to once again challenge for a USL Championship.
The Whitecaps was bolstered recently by the addition of former Newcastle goalkeeper Tony Caig. Caig has recorded four shutouts in his first 10 starts with the Caps.
China's U-20 Men's National Team comes to Vancouver having recently completed their most successful FIFA World Youth Championship. Last June in the Netherlands, China finished atop their group with three successive wins, including victories over Turkey and Ukraine, before bowing out to a tough Germany squad 3-2 in the Round of 16. The high scoring Chinese squad finished the tournament third in overall team scoring with 11 goals in four games.
India's Men's National Team has also enjoyed some success of late. Last December India won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship title and is currently participating in the qualifying rounds for the 2007 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.
India's triumphant performance at the SAFF Championship combined with some strong performances in recent friendlies has moved the program up 17 spots in the FIFA World Rankings.
Tickets for the inaugural Whitecaps Nations Cup are on sale now. Seats can be secured by calling Ticketmaster at (604) 280-4400. Hotel packages are also available through the Vancouver Whitecaps website at www.whitecapsfc.com.
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