SoccerWhitecaps, Impact push on in the playoffs

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Both the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Montreal Impact are through to the semifinals of the USSF Division 2 playoffs, which begin play on Thursday.

The Whitecaps are due to face the Puerto Rico Islanders away from home, while the Impact have a date with the Carolina Railhawks at Stade Saputo in Montreal. The second game in each series is due to take place on Oct. 17. 

Both Canadian teams are riding the wave of momentum, which is always a good sign once a playoff campaign gets under way. 

Gerba on fire for Impact

The Impact are also riding the coattails of possibly the hottest striker in North America right now - Ali Gerba.

Gerba scored both goals in a 2-0 first-round victory over the Austin Aztecs in Montreal, and followed that up with another two goals in a 3-2 second leg victory in Texas. Add to that the fact that Gerba has scored nine goals in just 13 games since joining the club in mid-July, and you can see why he is such a threat for the Impact up front. 

Carolina will provide a stern test for Montreal, though. They finished the regular season atop the NASL Conference standings, and they comfortably handled the NSC Minnesota Stars in their first round playoff match, winning 4-0 in the home leg after a scoreless draw in Minnesota. 

Regular season form counts for very little in the playoffs, though. Confidence and momentum can be the deciding factors, and Montreal will know that if they can remain solid defensively - which they have been of late - that Gerba will be able to fire the goals to take them all the way to the final.

The Vancouver Whitecaps won the home leg of their two game series with the Portland Timbers by a comfortable score of 2-0. The second game of the series however, was a different proposition.

After a largely uneventful first half, Portland took the lead in the 49th minute through a James Marcelin header. Knowing they needed to score another goal to keep their playoff hopes alive, Portland threw everyone forward looking for an equaliser.

At times it wasn't pretty, but give credit where credit is due - the Whitecaps showed grit and determination to defend as a unit, hanging on for a 2-1 aggregate victory despite losing on the night 1-0. 

That kind of commitment and determination is a sign of character, and a victory gained under trying circumstances can be a galvanizing experience for a team that is still getting used to each other. 

The Whitecaps have had somewhat of a revolving door in terms of their playing staff this season, as new players have been added over the course of the season in preparation for the club's entry into Major League Soccer in 2011. They could be forgiven for being disjointed and disorganized, but that hasn't been the case as head coach Teitur Thordarsson has done a good job getting his squad of players to work together as a team.

Bright future in Vancouver

That bodes well not only for the rest of this year's playoff campaign, but also for next season's move into MLS.

The Whitecaps have also added another important piece to their MLS puzzle, by recruiting Dutch coach Richard Grootscholten to lead their Academy program.

Grootscholten comes to Vancouver from Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie, where he was the club's Technical Director. 

I have previously written about the strength of the Whitecaps' front office team, and the growth of their soccer operations department continues to impress me. At first glance, Grootscholten appears to be a fantastic acquisition, because he brings experience to the club in a vital area - player development. 

The ability of the Canadian MLS clubs to develop young talent through their Academies is a key to their long-term success. Recruiting someone with Grootscholten's pedigree has to be considered a real coup for the Whitecaps organization.

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