An extension to Canadian Soccer News’ MLS Week in Review, this article provides a closer look at the performances of the Canadian players who saw the pitch this week.
Russell Teibert, Kyle Porter, and Will Johnson claim the top three spots – only four players actually saw the pitch in a truncated weekend schedule with Dwayne De Rosario starting on the bench and only entering in the 75th minute.
Find out what they did to deserve recognition and who else earned their keep this week.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Russell Teibert
Teibert made his seventh start of the season – third consecutive and eighth appearance in total – in a losing effort for Vancouver, who fell 3-2 in Seattle in another Cascadia Cup loss.
Once more stationed on the right side of midfield, Teibert was integral in both Vancouver goals, each the result of his service, garnering the young player a pair of assists – his second and third of the season.
The first, Camilo’s tenth minute header, was a quick response to having gone down a goal a minute earlier.
Teibert and YP Lee interchanged passes before Russell pointed for a ball down the right flank. He just reached it before the end-line and swung a right-footed cross – his weaker foot – towards the back-post where Camilo met it with a downward header back to the right side of the goal to level the match.
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To hang that ball up so invitingly with his wrong foot was impressive.
Sixteen minutes on Teibert again set up the Brazilian, this time from a free-kick about forty yards from goal, slightly right of centre. A left-footed ball swung towards the left-post found Camilo, who flung himself low to get on the end and similarly send it in at the right-post.
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The Niagara Falls-native completed 16 of 21 passes and half of his six crosses, conceding possession only nine times, while also doing good work on the defensive side of the ball.
He tracked deep to help quell the threat of Lamar Neagle on several occasions and got a slight deflection on a dangerous Servando Carrasco free-kick from just outside the wall.
Winning two of three tackles, Teibert made six recoveries and four interceptions.
He was also the subject of a TSN feature during the broadcast.
Teibert has now contributed two goals and three assists on the season, all in the last four matches, to earn his starting spot under Martin Rennie.
Kyle Porter
Porter made his eighth-straight start for DC United in their scoreless draw in New England. Since joining the starting lineup back at the end of April, Porter has not looked back and made himself one of the more impressive contributors in a struggling DC side, as they look to turn the corner on a season that has gotten off to a very poor start.
From the left-side of midfield, Porter gave first-overall draft pick, Andrew Farrell, more than enough trouble, once schooling him mercilessly with an ankle-breaking move, faking in several times before beating him to the outside, leaving Farrell lying prone – Perry Kitchen could not convert the chance his ball into the middle eventually created.
He completed only 22 of 42 passes, two of thirteen crosses, and conceded possession 22 times – it should be noted that those numbers are not necessarily bad. Pass completion can be more indicative of a player trying to create chances than actually delivering poor service, while the loss of possession counts any time the ball is turned over, say an over-hit cross that goes out of bounds or a defensive punt up-field.
Two of three dribbles were successful, perhaps evidence of his increasing confidence as he gets more accustomed to the league.
The Toronto-native took a pair of shots, one was blocked and the other sent wide after cutting in onto his right foot – he should have hit the target – and was regularly taking free-kicks and corners.
He won a foul and conceded another, before being removed in the 82nd minute for an out-and-out striker, Casey Townsend, much to the chagrin of the announcers, who proclaimed him DC’s best player once more.
Will Johnson
Johnson started his fourteenth match of the season for Portland in their 2-2 draw against the club that first brought him to MLS, Chicago.
Including the Open Cup, Will has played every minute of every match for Caleb Porter.
He was positioned in a more offensive role this match, with five players – Johnson, Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe, Diego Chara, and Ben Zemanski – all suited to the central midfield on the pitch at once, Portland was very fluid in attack.
Their captain, Johnson, was regularly pushing deep into enemy territory, popping up in the box, often times more advanced than nominal forwards, with Zemanski laying much deeper in the position one usually sees Johnson man.
From that advanced location he got on the end of a Michael Harrington ball to the back-post from the left, but his looping fade-away header dinked off the left-post.
Completing 28 of 35 passes, Johnson’s finishing left something to be desired, once dragging a shot after cutting onto his right-foot wide, only finding the side netting and later sending a right-footer from eight yards over the bar after a left-sided Nagbe cross when completely unmarked in the box.
Having spent 2004-05 in the Chicago system, prior to moving to Holland, he gave a little bit to their fans after Zemanski scored the Timbers second – he can be seen giving the first pump in the top of the screen – after his shushing the crowd in Vancouver, Will is proving to have no qualms regarding getting involved with the opposition fans midgame.
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Once Portland’s lead was cut to one, he dropped deeper to protect that advantage, winning two of three tackles, making five recoveries, a pair of interceptions, and a single clearance. He then picked up a yellow card - his third of the campaign - for barking at the referee after Chicago had scored – officially noted as dissent.
The Toronto-born midfielder almost created the winner in stoppage-time when he picked out Pa Modou Kah in the 93rd minute from a right-sided free-kick, but the centre-back’s redirection was straight at the keeper.
Dwayne De Rosario
De Rosario returned to the bench for the second time in DC’s last three matches, though, after his post-match comments led to furour last time, he focused entirely on the result after this draw.
Joining the fray in the 75th minute, replacing Carlos Ruiz, Dwayne made himself busy in his brief cameo, completing five of seven passes, one successful dribble, and winning a foul – after his old pal, Chad Barrett, bustled into him from behind and was lucky to not receive a booking for the rough challenge.
The Scarborough-native lost possession only twice, which is miraculous given his game, one of which was when a dangerous ball into the area for Townsend was cut out by New England’s savvy centre-back, Jose Goncalves.
The Rest
Drew Beckie was spotted at Crew Fest 2013, Columbus’ annual meet the players/fan appreciation day - getting soaked in the dunk tank, despite being listed as OUT on the injury report with a left adductor strain – though cold water could be good for the injury.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Drew Beckie gets absolutely soaked in the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Crew96">#Crew96</a> Fest dunk tank. <a href="http://t.co/MMbdopEfvM" title="http://instagram.com/p/aTsve9kNwG/">instagram.com/p/aTsve9kNwG/</a></p>— Columbus Crew (@ColumbusCrew) <a href="
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Thanks to all the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23crew96">#crew96</a> fans who dunked me at the Water Dunk station, maybe next time we can get some warmer water</p>— Drew Beckie (@DrewBeckie) <a href="
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Dejan Jakovic missed a third-straight league match with that nagging left adductor strain. There is no word on when he will return, though he is listed as QUESTIONABLE, rather than OUT – whatever that means.
As mentioned last week, Nana Attakora hopes to be ready for San Jose’s next match on June 15th away to Colorado. If fit, it will be his first appearance in over a month – and first under interim boss, and Canadian, Mark Watson, who takes over after the parting of ways with long-time partner in crime, Frank Yallop.
For more on the Yallop situation, Center Line Soccer – though they spelt ‘centre’ wrong – has some great coverage, talking with Club President, Dave Kaval, and Watson, as well as a eulogy for Frank.
Chris Wondolowski, representative of the players, was shocked at the decision.
With limited league action there were a pair of reserve matches involving Canadians.
Toronto drew 1-1 in Pittsburgh against the USL PRO Riverhounds on Friday – their new ground is in a fantastic downtown location - with Quillan Roberts, Doneil Henry, Ashtone Morgan, Kyle Bekker, Emery Welshman, and academy player, Chris Manella, all starting – another academy prospect, Dylan Sacramento came on as a substitute.
Montreal renewed rivalries with another USL PRO side Rochester Rhinos – featuring former TFC midfielder, Tyler Rosenlund - also playing to a 1-1 Friday night draw with a side featuring Maxime Crépeau in goal, Karl Ouimette – who scored on a deflected shot, his first for the Impact – Wandrille Lefèvre, the recently-signed Zakaria Messoudi starting and a handful of academy prospects (Amine Meftouh, Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, Dominique Morin, Frédéric Lajoie-Gravelle, and Victor Ndiaye) either starting or joining from the bench.
NB – Not sure if the academy players are all currently eligible for Canada; it is good to see so many local kids getting the chance to play for the big team.
Each week James takes a look at the contributions of Canadians in the league and the league as a whole.
You can follow James on twitter @grawsee or read more of his writing at Partially Obstructed View