Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2-2-0 in the playoffs) look to cap a fine 2008 season when they host Puerto Rico Islanders (1-1-0 in the playoffs) in the United Soccer Leagues First Division Championship Final on Sunday afternoon.

In search of their third North American professional soccer title, and second USL-1 championship in three seasons, the Whitecaps made the Thanksgiving Sunday showdown after defeating Canadian arch-rivals Montreal Impact 2-1 on aggregate in last weekend's playoff semifinal series. Teitur Thordarson's side overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit, as well as the sending off of goalkeeper Jay Nolly in Montreal, to secure a 2-0 home victory in the second leg. Whitecaps fans were left in delight at Swangard Stadium last Sunday after captain Jeff Clarke and Eduardo Sebrango scored the decisive goals in the first half to take Vancouver to the final.

It sets up the first-ever championship match involving two clubs that are based outside of the United States in USL-1 history, as regular season champions Puerto Rico overcame a 2-0 first-leg deficit to defeat fourth-seeded Rochester Rhinos 3-2 on aggregate in their playoff semifinal series. Colin Clarke's side sent the second leg at their Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium home to extra time after first-half goals by Fabrice Noel and Taiwo Atieno pulled the Islanders level on aggregate. The Caribbean outfit then made sure of a top-two clash for the final when Cristian Arrieta struck the decisive goal in dramatic fashion near the end of the second period of extra time. It is the Islanders' first-ever trip to the final since their inaugural season as a USL-1 club back in 2004.

Should the Whitecaps win on Sunday, it will be the seventh championship won by a professional soccer club from Vancouver. Prior to winning the USL-1 title in 2006, the Whitecaps famously won the North American Soccer League's Soccer Bowl title in 1979. Years later, the current club - who were originally known as Vancouver 86ers - went on to claim four-straight Canadian Soccer League championships between 1988 and 1991.

It is fitting that the USL-1's two best clubs will meet for the title in 2008, as both the Islanders and Whitecaps battled right up until the final weekend for the regular season crown, with Puerto Rico taking the Commissioner's Cup by a single point. The Islanders also edged their three head-to-head meetings with Vancouver during the year, with the first two matches ending in stalemate. Whitecaps fans were left disappointed by the last Puerto Rico contest at Swangard on August 17, as a disallowed Omar Jarun goal resulted in the sending off of Sebrango, and the match ending in a 0-0 draw. Then came two crucial encounters in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, with Takashi Hirano's first-ever goal for the Whitecaps earning The Blue & White a 1-1 draw with the Islanders on August 31. The third game went the way of the home side on September 5, as Noah Delgado's late goal gave the Islanders their first-ever league win over Vancouver in club history.

Those results extend Vancouver's winless run versus Puerto Rico to more than two years, with the Whitecaps last victory over the Islanders being a 3-1 away win on August 4, 2006. Since then, the Whitecaps have recorded four draws and a defeat in the past two seasons, with their overall record standing at four wins, one defeat, and four draws versus the Islanders. At Swangard, however, the Whitecaps are undefeated against Puerto Rico, with a record of two wins and two draws heading into this 10th meeting all-time with the Islanders. Sunday's Championship Final will also be the Whitecaps 90th playoff match all-time, with the club's record of 43 wins, 33 defeats, and 13 draws stretching back to the 1976 North American Soccer League season.

Complete match preview: www.whitecapsfc.com/schedule/match10120801.aspx