As one nation gets ready for World Cup Qualifying, another focuses on club football. But we have reason to salivate; this tie really is sumptuous. Montreal and Vancouver are two top clubs who do not like each other.

Being Canadian clubs in USL, there is a lot of rivalry between Montreal and Vancouver notwithstanding anyhting that happened this year. Seven players between them have played for both teams, including Montreal’s Eddy Sebrango and Vancouver’s Charles Gbeke. But so much happened this year.

For those who do not remember, after beating the Impact twice in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, the Whitecaps were in a place to win so long as Montreal didn’t lose by an unheard of amount against Toronto in the final group stage game, which they absolutely did. An effort that can be described only as flaccid saw them lose 6-1 and deny the Whitecaps glory.

To make matters worse, the Impact beat the Whitecaps two days later, and again in their final meeting of the season. And that is what makes this match-up so damn interesting. There is very little between the two teams to say that one is better.

The Impact team that Vancouver beat in the Voyageurs Cup was in shambles, rattling below the playoff line and filled with poisonous elements. Vancouver’s last half wasn’t much better; critical problems in the defense were exposed by terrible finishing. Both teams eventually recovered; after sacking players for fighting with other players, they began to rack up real results. The Impact’s last 12 matches of the season contained only one loss; the Whitecaps went their last 14 with only one loss; to Montreal.

Although Vancouver swept the season series, but Vancouver have looked like something else in this playoff run, smartly dumping the Timbers, who have been so deadly this season I am wholeheartedly surprised they are not in this game.

There is nothing between the teams that can give us any indication of what will happen. That’s what will make it so exciting. A theme whispered under the breath of the Southsiders is the phrase je me souviens (I remember for our American readers), Quebec’s national motto but evocative, in this context, of the pain of this year’s Voyageurs Cup; of ecstatic joy followed by bitter anger. Regardless of the result, however, one thing is certain; this tie will be impossible to forget.

Cross-posted to the 24th Minute