Vancouver Whitecaps v Toronto FC – The Story In Pictures

The streak is over and we’re not talking about the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. Toronto FC came to Vancouver having never won a game in the city and with the Whitecaps not having lost a home opener in 13 matches. By half time, it looked like the same old story. By full time, the question was revised to “what the hell just happened?”.

Football cliches can be lame but they can also be very accurate and a game of two halfs is most certainly apt in this case. The Caps were dominant in the first 45 but only went in tied at 1-1 after Jozy Altidore cancelled out Octavio Rivero’s opener. Robbie Findley put TFC ahead just before the hour mark and Toronto controlled and killed off the rest of the game before Altidore added a late penalty for a 3-1 victory.

AFTN photographer Tom Ewasiuk was there to capture all the action before, during and after the game and here’s his “Story In Pictures” [Check out his website www.residualimagephotography.com for more of his photos and work].

The pre game excitement and tifo from Curva Collective

Vancouver Whitecaps starting XI

Toronto FC starting XI

Octavio Rivero already with the miss of the season eight minutes in?

Sebastian Giovinco comes within inches of giving TFC an 18th minute lead

But the Whitecaps go up the pitch and Rivero makes amends and the score 1-0 Caps

And boy is he happy!

Rivero celebrates with his new teammates

And saves a special moment for the man who provided the pass, Pa Modou Kah

But Jozy Altidore silences BC Place with an equalizer against the run of play

Um….

Worse is to come just before the hour mark as Robbie Findley makes it 2-1 TFC

And the agony is completed in the final minute when Kah brings down Altidore in the box

And the American international gets up to chip home the spot kick

Vancouver’s attack was left frustrated and impotent in the second half

Sad Pedro sums up the mood in Vancouver

Carl Robinson muses about the loss after the match

You can see all of Tom’s photos from the game as a video slideshow (with added crowd noise) below: