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    Duane Rollins
    Blatter’s support is driven by a feeling of smaller federations that the powerful nations don’t care about their concerns. Many exist in parts of the world where it’s understood that graft is a necessary part of survival. They aren’t dumb – they understand that people are getting rich through kickbacks and that a certain degree of bribery is part of how things get done. They may look at the arrests and outcry from the west and think it’s an example of #FirstWorldProblems.
    If we want to reform FIFA and put Prince Ali’s beautifully articulated vision in place then we need to do more than rage against those that have taken advantage of the disenfranchised.
    We need to truly address the disenfranchisement. We need to convince the 133 that their concerns will be heard and their needs met in an open and transparent FIFA.
    For many of the 133 that simply wasn’t the case for generations. Now, they feel that they are at least part of the system even if the system is broken.
    Fix that and you truly fix FIFA, even if you don’t get the pleasure of seeing the old man put in his place.
    Michael Mccoll
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    Duane Rollins
    A lot of fans dismiss Canada’s relevance in FIFA. They are looking at things through a naïve viewpoint though. The truth is that the CSA has become a very effective voice at both CONCACAF and FIFA levels. Canada has lived up to the infamous “middle power” label that Lester B Pearson so loved (and won a Nobel Peace Prize by effectively being) – American-like, without being American -- and by doing so Canada has quietly put itself in very good position to land 2026.
    It’s here when I can practically hear the condescending laughter. Don’t you know Canada sucks? CFL stadiums aren’t big enough! Canada hosting is absurd!!
    Those voices are making the classic mistake of assuming that World Cups are awarded on merit. They're not. They are awarded politically and Canada’s political game is what makes Canada 2026 credible.
    As 2022 has shown us, FIFA can put up with a hell of lot bigger deficits in a bid than what Canada does or does not offer.
    However, for 20 years, being effective politically has meant being able/willing to work with and in Sepp’s world. Making an enemy of him was to effectively give up on ever getting anything from FIFA again.
    And, that’s why Canada voted for Blatter in 2011.
    So, why change now, just two years out of the 2026 bid?
    It’s a good question.
    One possible answer is that Canada truly does believe it’s the ethical thing to do, consequences be damned (although it likely helps that the other serious challengers for 2026 might vote against him as well).
    Or, it could mean that they sensed a change in the air. If Blatter’s power has been eroded then it might be safe to stand against him.
    It’s unlikely he will lose. Africa still is almost all in his corner, as is much of the Caribbean and Asia. The one nation, one vote format of FIFA favours Blatter immensely (and is key to understanding how the culture of corruption has evolved). However, it is possible for Blatter to win the election but do so in such a way that he’s been neutered.
    In fact, it’s difficult to see how Blatter escapes this week without losing his influence, if not his actual job.
    Canada may feel that it has already done enough of the dirty work needed to get the votes to host 2026 without Blatter. The CSA could also assume that the political climate wouldn’t change all that much even if Blatter is gone.
    The latter point may be cynical, but it could also be the closest to reality. Real change at FIFA won’t happen quickly, and certainly not before 2017.
    The vote should take place around 3:30am ET Friday morning. Set your alarms.
    Guest
    Until next time, stay non-corrupt!
    @24thminute
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    James Grossi
    Kofi Opare
    Opare made his ninth-straight start for DC in their 1-1 draw against New England on Saturday – it was his ninth start and tenth appearance of the season.
    Lining up alongside Bobby Boswell once more, featuring as the left centre-back, Opare was instrumental at helping limit the chances that fell the way of attack-minded Revolution. He did well to cut out a Juan Agudelo pull-back in the early going, preventing it from finding its desired target – the streaking Lee Nguyen – and then came up with a huge block to deny Nguyen later in the match.
    Both examples of his general alertness at spotting building trouble and snuffing it out – a feat he would achieve again, bailing out Boswell after he was by-passed by Teal Bunbury, drifting out wide to block the attacker's effort.
    The Niagara Falls-raised defender was also a factor at the other end, nearly getting on the end of a Davy Arnaud cross – a shove in the back from Bunbury prevented him from making good contact – and then committing forward with regularity late in the match as DC looked to turn a two-man advantage to their favour through the last half hour.
    Completing all but eleven of some forty passes, Opare was ended the match with impressive numbers, accounting for eight recoveries, five clearances, two tackles, two blocks, and an interception.
    Since coming into the lineup for the injured Steve Birnbaum, Opare has not missed a step, keeping his now-fit teammate out of action having locked down a position on the pitch.
    Jonathan Osorio
    Osorio made a second-consecutive start for Toronto FC in their 1-0 win over Portland on Saturday – it was his seventh start and ninth appearance of the season.
    From the left-side of the midfield, Osorio inserted himself into TFC's buildup play, contributing a small role in Sebastian Giovinco's opening rip in the fifth minute. Having aided in that play, Osorio would cost his teammate a second when Giovinco's strike beat Portland keeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey, only to strike Osorio squarely in the back.
    While that particular passage was unfortunate, it is his budding understanding of how to play with Giovinco that has seen Osorio shirk the slump that carried him through the opening months of the season. It was always going to be difficult to subsume his natural inclination to get on the ball to the Italian maestro, but the past two rounds have seen Osorio grow accustomed to adapting his game to the needs of Giovinco. On several occasions, the young Canadian alertly made runs to provide options and his willingness to get into the box – such as on the play above, or a later run that saw Nat Borchers scoop a low Giovinco cross over the bar – both provides a target for combination and occupies defenders, thus granting space to be exploited.
    Osorio would find one shot of his own, settling a ball in the area to get off an attempt, only for Borchers to get in a necessary block. He would make a later charging run on the counter up the left, leading to another Giovinco chance, this time saved.
    The Toronto, Ontario-native completed all but six of his 35-odd pass attempts, making seven recoveries and a tackle throughout, conceding and winning a foul each way, before coming off for Nick Hagglund in the 83rd minute as Toronto sought to see out the one-goal victory.
    It will be interesting to see if Osorio can carry this strong run of form into further production – he has just a single assist this season. Both Toronto, considering the absence of Jozy Altidore and an over-reliance on Giovinco, and Canada, with upcoming World Cup Qualifiers and a Gold Cup this summer, could use some contributions on the score-sheet from Osorio.
    Karl Ouimette
    Ouimette made a second-straight start for New York in their 0-2 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday – it was his fourth-straight appearance, encompassing his entire output for the Red Bulls this season.
    As the right-sided centre-back, Ouimette was put in an awkward position as the lone true defender on the back-line. He would take to the pitch alongside Roy Miller, a left-back, in the middle for New York, with injuries to Ronald Zubar and Damien Perrinelle and Matt Miazga's international absences leaving the defensive-cabinet threadbare.
    Through the first half, Ouimette and company were able to fend off Philadelphia attacks, the Canadian showing good hustle and alertness to track and cut out the run of Cristian Maidana in the box. But with the second-half introduction of CJ Sapong, New York began to struggle.
    Vincent Nogueira scored the first in the 57th minute, redirecting a Maidana shot after Andrew Wenger moved in from the left. Ouimette was faced with attempting to mark two attackers, occupied by Sapong as Nogueira found the space to get the final touch.
    Five minutes later, Ouimette would suffered the recriminations for his loose pass that was picked off by Fabinho, leading to a Union counter and their second goal, but it was neither a terrible pass, nor was what came after entirely his fault.
    Yes his ball did lead to the turnover, but in response he tracked the run of the Philadelphia left-back, pressuring him every step of the way; others were responsible for tracking the run of Sapong, who eventually turned in the cross after jogging unmarked to the edge of the six-yard box.
    The Terrebonne, Quebec-native would continue to have his hands full with Sapong, suffering a knee knock in one challenge and then caught a bloody nose in an aerial challenge with the rough attacker, which saw the Philadelphia forward receive a yellow card for launching himself into an unwinnable ball. Ouimette would engage in the mischief himself, seeing a yellow in the 84th minute for hauling down Sapong on the turn in the centre-circle – his second booking of the season.
    The defender completed all but ten of his near-forty pass attempts, accumulating some impressive numbers: eight interceptions, five clearances, four recoveries, and four tackles, committing just a single foul, while winning two.
    Hopefully that giveaway will not overshadow some strong performances; Jesse Marsch, who brought him in after getting to know Ouimette in Montreal no doubt has faith, but do the New York fans?
    Cyle Larin
    Larin started up top for Orlando City in their 1-1 draw at San Jose on Sunday for a seventh match running – it was his ninth appearance of the season.
    Again tasked as the lone striker leading the line, Larin faced the unenviable task of engaging both San Jose centre-backs, Victor Bernardez and Clarence Goodson. His aerial battles with Bernardez were especially intriguing, the rookie not shying away from one of the league's dominant presences, and Larin nearly crafted a chance, pressuring a turnover out of the usually-impeccable Goodson, staying strong on his feet, but unable to find the space required.
    Not shying away from the physicality, Larin was hacked down by Marvell Wynne in midfield on one occasion, and then took a knock in a collision with a teammate, getting clipped by Eric Avila, spending a moment down on the pitch thereafter.
    But his major contribution to the match was winning the penalty kick that put Orlando into the lead, albeit briefly. Racing onto a ball in the area, Larin was flattened by San Jose keeper, David Bingham, who caught the forward with an errant arm across the chest, bringing him down in the process. Kaka would step up to the spot and convert the chance – taking over the team goal-scoring lead in the process – only for a San Jose penalty minutes later to quash the advantage.
    The Brampton, Ontario-native would come off in the 84th minute for Martin Paterson, seeing his goal-scoring run end at three matches.
    Larin completed eleven of thirteen passes, made two recoveries and a tackle, conceding four fouls and winning three, including the crucial penalty kick.
    Tesho Akindele
    Akindele began Dallas' 2-1 loss at Montreal on the bench, coming on in the 53rd minute for Michel with the visitors in need of goals having fallen behind by two.
    Taking up the right-side of midfield, Akindele played a role in Dallas' 77th minute goal, making a nice turn in the box to get off a right-footed shot after Je-Vaughan Watson corralled a loose ball at the top of the area. Evan Bush would make the save, but the rebound fell to Matt Hedges, who thumped it into the gaping goal.
    The shot was the only one for the Calgary, Alberta-native, who completed just three of his ten passes, but added an interception and a tackle to his stat-line, winning and conceding a foul in the process.
    Despite having made just one start in Dallas' last six matches, Akindele is still very much in the plans of Oscar Pareja, who has plenty of attacking options at his disposal. Akindele has appeared in each of those games, bringing his season total up to twelve appearances, seven of which have been starts.
    Kyle Bekker
    Bekker made a brief cameo for Dallas in Montreal on Saturday, coming on in the 73rd minute for Ryan Hollinghead – it was his fifth appearance of the season, all from the bench.
    Taking up a deep central role alongside the more defensive-minded Victor Ulloa, Bekker was very good in his seventeen minutes of play, completing nine of ten passes – three of which were 'key', and getting off a shot.
    The only incomplete attempt was a ball over the top down the right-channel for Watson, but the full-back had slowed his run prematurely and it ran out of play.
    The Oakville, Ontario-native played a role in Dallas mounting pressure as the clock ticked down. His corner kick was met by Walker Zimmerman, but caught by Bush in the Montreal goal, and it was Bekker's lovely ball into the area from deep that picked out Blas Perez on the left, drawing a game-saving stop out of Bush to rescue to result.
    Not done there, Bekker would alertly pick a ball off the boot of Eric Alexander inside the area before driving a shot towards goal – it was blocked by Callum Mallace, leading to an almighty scramble, but Dallas could not find the equalizer.
    Though hardly the best of testing grounds – Montreal were bunkering with the score already in their favour – it was perhaps Bekker's best outing of the season, which can only be encouraging.
    Kianz Froese
    Froese made his first-ever MLS start for Vancouver in their 1-0 loss at Colorado on Saturday – it was his fifth appearance of the season and second straight.
    On the right-side of the Whitecaps midfield, the Cuban-Born Froese was active, but unable to make much of an impression on the match.
    He would pick up a strange booking in the 24th minute, recorded as a 'dive', when he challenge Clint Irwin on a ball near the end-line. Colorado were not pleased with his effort, drawing a crowd; replays showed it was Irwin who caught the attacker and not vice versa, and Froese had every right to go for the loose ball anyways. Shouts for a penalty were non-existent, while the booking, his first of the season (and his career), was evidence of some over-zealous refereeing. The penalty-dive debate is not an either-or proposition.
    Froese would find one good look at goal when the ball fell to him on the right-side of the area, but under pressure from the hulking frame of Axel Sjoberg, his right-footer would drift wide of the post. And his energetic young legs would allowing him to break free of the tracking of Marc Burch on a curling run, busting into the middle of the field, but it came to naught.
    He would be replaced by Cristian Techera in the 62nd minute; the longest output of his nascent career.
    Ashtone Morgan
    Morgan started an eight-straight match for Toronto in their win over Portland – all nine of his appearances have come in the past nine matches, retaining his left-back position with Justin Morrow swapping over to the right-side.
    It was a bit of a mixed performance from Morgan.
    The Toronto, Ontario-native was a touch over-aggressive on one play, getting sucked into Alvas Powell out wide, allowing Diego Chara to burst into the space behind him and send it a cross, but Fanendo Adi could not settle the service, the chance dissolving in the process. He then made a vital intervention in the area, getting a needed flick on a cross, nicking the ball away from the waiting Borchers at the back-post.
    Morgan would then strip the ball away from his opposite, Powell, to spur a Toronto counter, before taking a poor touch as he cut out a low Jorge Villafana ball into the TFC box. The ball would fall precipitously to Rodney Wallace, who could not do anything fruitful with the chance.
    Undaunted, the left-back thundered into a late challenge on Dairon Asprilla in the final minutes, desperate to prevent a Portland counter, catching the attacker with a sliding tackle – he would be booked for his troubles, collecting his first yellow card of the season.
    With Mark Bloom now fit, it will be interesting to see if Morgan can maintain his spot in the starting lineup. Regardless, it has been very encouraging to see him take this chance and run with it, while addressing the frailty of his game that was highlighted by his struggles: a difficulty in striking the balance between when to burst forward and when to play the more conservative, defensive-role.
    Patrice Bernier
    Bernier made his fourth appearance of the season on Saturday against Dallas, coming on in the 83rd minute for Andres Romero as Montreal sought to see out their 2-1 lead and kickoff a winning streak.
    Completing four of six passes and contributing a single clearance, the Brossard, Quebec-native would show some of that calmness on the ball in the midfield for which he is known, evading the attentions of Kyle Bekker to prevent Dallas from completely dominating possession through the final moments of play.
    As a senior statesman of Canadian players, especially with Dwayne De Rosario set to officially announce his retirement, it was encouraging to see Bernier and Bekker share a lengthy chat after the final whistle.
    The Rest
    Jordan Hamilton, Jay Chapman, and Quillan Roberts were unused substitutes for Toronto against Portland, while Will Johnson was in the matchday eighteen for the Timbers: his return to MLS play would have to wait until the following week.
    Maxim Tissot, Anthony Jackson-Hamel, and Wandrille Lefevre were unsused subs for Montreal against FC Dallas.
    Each week James takes a look at the contributions of Canadians in the league. He can be followed on twitter @grawsee and more of his writing is available at Partially Obstructed View
    Duane Rollins
    Keep in mind that these are powerful men that aren’t about to give up their influence without a fight. Alleged isn’t convicted and just because these arrests happened today doesn’t mean FIFA is suddenly going to turn into a transparent and hyper-ethical organization.
    We all know what happens when you cut off the head of a cockroach, right?
    FIFA is already on record saying that the presidential election will continue as scheduled. No matter how much Price Ali protests Sepp Blatter is still going to win (as an aside, CSN has been told that the CSA plans to vote for Prince Ali, although it has not been confirmed). If Blatter wins, it’s evidence that it’s still business as usual in the murky world of FIFA politics – they might just have to be less (allegedly) brazen about it.
    Additionally, FIFA has said the 2018 and 2022 votes will not be re-opened.
    Although Switzerland has opened an investigation in the 2018/22 bids, it seems unlikely that they will be pulled at this point. The politics of re-assigning them would likely be nearly as ugly (and the idea the USA is getting 2022 now seems a tad…naïve).
    However, what today might signal is the start of the end, if not the end itself. By targeting Webb, the race to take over from Blatter (who will eventually retire) just became wide open. Additionally, the dynamic for the 2026 World Cup bid – a bid Canada is involved in – may have changed.
    The possibility of a true reformer to win the 2019 election is real – although it’s more likely that a moderate candidate like the IOC’s Thomas Bach will emerge. And, for what it’s worth, there’s been worse IOC presidents than Bach.
    As for the 2026 World Cup bid, that’s a bit less likely to change. The decision on the host is in just two years. Blatter will very likely still be in charge. The dynamic of FIFA politics unlikely to have changed.
    It’s probably too much to suggest that American involvement in today’s arrests just handed Canada the 2026 World Cup.
    Probably. But, you could make the argument it helped. Winning because the Americans did the heavy lifting (and paid the political price for doing so) to take down FIFA while we sat back and played the political long game is not exactly part of the squeaky clean Canada narrative, but…
    The impact of Traffic Sport possibly being taken down is harder to nail down. Traffic is thought to have significant involvement in the NASL (and the NASL is widely thought to be key to Canada’s effort to start its own league), but the NASL plays down Traffic involvement.
    So, it’s a bit of a mess and it’s going to get messier.
    Same as it always was…
    Michael Mccoll
    It was a goal that you sensed was coming from McKendry’s recent performances, and he came agonisingly close to grabbing it on a couple of occasions against OKC Energy last weekend.
    For a player who often plays more as part of the two man defensive midfield shield, McKendry has a very strong attacking element to his game. He’s very much a box to box midfielder and scored 14 goals (five of them match winners) from his 61 appearances with New Mexico Lobos in NCAA action.
    Watching him these past couple of weeks, you could sense his desire to find the back of the net, and now that he has, it’s a weight off his shoulders.
    "It's huge," McKendry admitted to AFTN after the match. "It's a bit of a relief to be honest. A little bit of a monkey off the back. I feel like I could probably have had one last week and this week I just wanted to come back with the same mentality and when I got my opportunity I wanted to take it, and I did. Credit to Victor [blasco] it was a great ball across, and I think [Chris] Serban was also involved on the wing there."
    McKendry has been a staple of the Whitecaps’ USL team this season, starting all nine of their matches and logging the most minutes of the side with 723. He is also second on the team with shots (11) and third with shots on goal (5).
    Despite those numbers, McKendry hasn’t been completely happy with how he was playing with WFC2 to begin with.
    "I think it was a little bit of a slow start," McKendry feels about his initial performances with the 'Caps USL side. "For not only me, but probably the whole group, to the season. But slowly we've all gotten better and I think you can see that, especially these last few games. You just got to keep your head down, keep working and things will pay off."
    What’s been interesting to see these last couple of weeks is how well WFC2 have played when it is the core USL group and there’s not been as many MLS players in the line-up, just the regular guys that have been loaned down like McKendry.
    The chemistry is much better, and although all the chopping and changing hasn’t been ideal, McKendry sees both the MLS and USL squads as one big, combined unit.
    "Obviously it's not ideal having guys in and out of the group," McKendry admits. "But you saw Diego [Rodriguez], he came in and he was fantastic I thought. I think we get on well with the USL guys. We hang out off the pitch and stuff and credit to them, they've been great about us coming and playing with them."
    WFC2 coach Alan Koch has been pleased with McKendry’s performances of late and delighted to see him get on the scoresheet on Sunday.
    "It's great for Ben to score," WFC2 coach Alan Koch told us after the win over Real Monarchs SLC. "That should give him a bit of confidence in terms of getting in to the final third. His energy's always good.
    "First half he played probably a little bit higher than we'd like him to but then he found better shape in the second half. But full credit to him. He got the goal and we keep moving forward. He's played very, very well the last few weeks so it's nice to see him getting rewarded with scoring the goal."
    McKendry picked up a booking for his celebration after he scored, as he ran to the corner flag and knocked it over. That in itself came as a surprise to him, having done it numerous times before without caution.
    "That's my go to celebration, hitting the flag," McKendry told us. "I don't quite understand why I got a booking for that. I've never had a yellow for hitting the flag over but that's ok."
    One celebration that didn’t get him in trouble came after the match, when McKendry went into the stands to celebrate with Curva Collective and do their now traditional match winning ‘Humba’, but as Ben explained to us, that in itself has been a long time coming!
    "It was brilliant," McKendry enthused. "I was actually meant to do it the first home game if we won. Again the second home game. Again the third home game. We just kept on tying so today we got the win so I was finally able to do it with Zach [Meisenheimer], which was awesome. It was special."
    Sunday’s goal was just another part of McKendry’s journey with the club. It’s a journey that still has a long way to go, with the next step being minutes with the MLS side.
    The Whitecaps had monitored McKendry’s progress closely at New Mexico and ‘Caps coach Carl Robinson has long stated that he is a fan of the 22-year-old, citing the fact that the club offered him a MLS contract and not just a USL deal as an indication of how much.
    McKendry has yet to feature in a gameday squad so far this season, not even for the Voyageurs Cup games against Edmonton. That would be the next step but the ultimate goal is to make his MLS debut and earn his first minutes.
    It's a tough midfield to break in to and he has Matias Laba, Russell Teibert and Gershon Koffie ahead of him, with young Honduran Deybi Flores also seeing time on the pitch before him this season.
    As frustrating as it must be to sit and bide your time, McKendry knows that how he plays in the USL games will shape how and when Robinson wants to use him and give him his debut. Making the USL 'Team of the Week' will help too, and with a tough five game road stretch coming up and with players set to leave on international duty, June and July's games may give him his chance.
    It's certainly something he's thought about.
    "Yeah, absolutely," McKendry says. "Of course that's what you're working towards. I'm happy to be getting minutes here and I'm just going to keep working and good things will come."
    The man that holds the answer to when McKendry will get his chance on the MLS stage is obviously Robinson, but the 'Caps coach is happy with what he's seen from the Residency alumni in both training and USL play and hinted that that chance may come soon.
    "He is [pushing for minutes]," Robinson told reporters at training on Tuesday. "He's getting better and better each week. The last two weeks have been excellent for him, they really have. Last week's game in the USL was excellent and he produced another one on Sunday.
    "You see him in training, he's getting used to playing with our first team group of players and looking stronger. With the games coming up, I'm sure he'll get his minutes, but it'll be because he deserves them. If they're not ready, I'll won't put them in. If they are ready, and they deserve them, then they'll get their minutes and Benny's certainly knocking on my door."
    Guest
    Until next time, have a great soccer!
    @24thminute
    @KevLaramee
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    Every year following Victoria Day weekend CSN embarks on a one month fundraiser to cover the costs of the site. This is the only time we ask you for your support all year. If you feel CSN is a valuable part of the Canadian soccer media landscape we ask that you provide a donation of your choosing to support the site for the year. There are four ways to donate:
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    3) I am happy to accept cash donations in person
    4) Personal cheques can be sent. Email DuaneGRollins@gmail.com for address
    Duane Rollins
    By Alexander Nathan
    Ottawa Fury's 1-0 win over Indy 11 shot their opponents down to last in the NASL table, and Fury up to eighth. While New York Cosmos may be six points clear at the top, the rest of the league is tighter than a hipster's jeans with only six points separating Minnesota in second, and Indy themselves.
    The victory was Fury's first since April 18th, but there was an element of fortune to the winning goal.
    With two minutes remaining in the game, Ottawa’s central midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic drove down the right hand side of a congested penalty area. Confronted by a defender, he cut cleverly inside his man only to slip over as Indy's No. 4, Brad Ring, came to sweep up the danger. Fortunately for Fury, Ring wasn't being too careful about the direction of his clearance, comically smashing it straight into the tumbling Ubiparipovic. The ball rebounded in the kindest possible manner straight to Nicki Paterson – criminally unmarked - who drilled it into the far corner. It was a brilliant finish to a fortunate build up, but it was enough to give Ottawa all three much-needed points and send the home fans into raptures.
    Though naturally pleased with the win, Fury head coach Marc Dos Santos was under no illusions after the game. Asked what his team would be focusing on in their next few training sessions, he told the press:
    “There's a lot of good things to build on this game, but there's also things that we're all aware it wasn't good enough, so I don't feel it's going to be a week of happy go lucky and everybody's going to just [be] waiting for the game against Edmonton, I think we have to keep working on what we did in the last two weeks. We have to refresh and remind them of defensive cover, of how we defend as a unit, and at the same time we have to grow in the last third.”
    This is the right attitude from Dos Santos. He and his coaching staff have definitely improved their team defensively in the last few weeks. On Saturday, Indy 11 were limited to just two shots on target as a strong Ottawa rearguard kept them at bay, getting a second consecutive clean sheet.
    That will need to continue next Friday against Canadian rivals FC Edmonton, who have scored 15 goals so far this season to Ottawa's five. That is a drastic difference, but it isn't necessarily cause for too much concern. While Fury have conceded eight overall, Edmonton have shipped a league-high 17, suggesting a rather more laissez-faire attitude towards their defense than that espoused by Marc Dos Santos. If Ottawa can build more rhythm in their attacking play than they've demonstrated so far and make intelligent and most importantly composed decisions in the final third, they should be able to taken advantage of Edmonton's porous defense.
    The possible return to the starting line up of striker Tom Heinamann, who came on at half time against Indy 11, would help the cause. The Missouri native got seven goals in 20 appearances last season.
    Let's hope they can do it. Back to back home wins, eleven points and another goal or two really would feel like a seismic change to the picture of the season so far, and be a truly solid foundation to build on.
    Every year following Victoria Day weekend CSN embarks on a one month fundraiser to cover the costs of the site. This is the only time we ask you for your support all year. If you feel CSN is a valuable part of the Canadian soccer media landscape we ask that you provide a donation of your choosing to support the site for the year. There are four ways to donate:
    1) Our PayPal is dgrollins@gmail.com.
    2) EMT is CSNDonation@gmail.com.
    3) I am happy to accept cash donations in person
    4) Personal cheques can be sent. Email DuaneGRollins@gmail.com for address
    Michael Mccoll
    Have a listen!
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    Michael Mccoll
    The Uruguayan has had a tough start to his MLS career.
    Rodriguez joined Vancouver on a one-year loan with a transfer option from Primera Division side Club Atlético Juventud de Las Piedras in January. Beaten out of a starting spot in the preseason by veteran Pa Modou Kah, the centre back made his MLS debut with a start against Orlando City in the third week of the season.
    Rodriguez played well in the 1-0 win and many, ourselves included, felt that he immediately formed a formidable centre back pairing with Kendall Waston. It looked like they could be the partnership to move the club forward but unfortunately he was to pick up a two game ban for his now infamous grabbing of Aurelien Collin's balls during the second half of the match.
    After sitting out the wins against Portland and LA, Rodriguez immediately came back into the starting line-up to face Columbus on April 8th. His MLS woes were to continue, however, limping off in the 15th minute with a right quad strain.
    It was a tough setback for a 22-year-old starting off life in a new country and league. He worked hard to get back fit, but just when he was close to a return he suffered a heartbreaking relapse in training and was carted off in tears. You really had to feel for him and what it meant to him to get fit enough to play for his new club.
    The whole time that Rodriguez has been rehabbing, the Whitecaps defence has had mixed results. On the whole, pretty solid but with some lapses and the play of Kah can be something of an adventure at times.
    The good news for Rodriguez and the Whitecaps is that he is now back healthy and raring to go. He scored a wonderful long range goal at training last week that beat David Ousted all ends up, leaving the Dane waxing lyrical about the strike.
    "It was tough for me because I was in a good moment," Rodriguez admitted to AFTN. "Then I had the injury and came back and then had a step back, but now I feel very good. The turf sometimes means adapting but now I'm very healthy, I'm very good and ready to play."
    Which is what everyone connected with the Whitecaps wanted to hear.
    'Caps coach Carl Robinson indicated that Rodriguez would get a run out for the USL side on Sunday to test his readiness and we're pleased to confirm that he came through it with flying colours.
    Rodriguez played 64 minutes for WFC2, looked comfortable and was rarely troubled at the back, while coming close with a header and looking a danger at set pieces in the opponent's box.
    The Uruguayan was delighted to come through the outing unscathed in what is the final step to his recovery and being back in the MSL reckoning.
    "I feel very good," Rodriguez told us after the match. "It was a good game, it's a good group and we wanted to win. I felt very comfortable on the field and felt very happy.
    "First up was this moment, that I passed, but now I feel very good. and looking forward to playing."
    Rodriguez captained the young 'Caps on Sunday and the experience and professionalism he brought to the squad over the weekend delighted head coach Alan Koch, who was delighted to see the Uruguayan back to full fitness.
    "It's huge [having Rodriguez in the WFC2 team]," Koch told us after the match. "Diego's a class act. He's a true professional. He came and trained with us yesterday for the first time. He jumped in right away. He embraced everybody and he got to know [the squad]. He didn't know some of the guy's names yesterday when he got there. But he was asking guy's names, he got to know them.
    "You could see today that he wanted to play the full 90 odd minutes but we were told to play him the 60 odd. He put in a quality performance."
    Rodriguez knows it's not simply a case of waltzing straight back into the 'Caps starting line up in MLS. Competition is fierce in the centre back position right now, with Kah having ups and downs, Waston close to suspension and Tim Parker and Christian Dean both pushing hard to get minutes.
    It's that competition that's driving Rodriguez on, however.
    "It's like an internal competition that we have," Rodriguez added. "We have great players, but it's good for us because we're pushing up the levels. When the coach needs me, I'll be ready. I'm very comfortable here, very happy and it's a great group."
    So just how ready is he? He certainly looked comfortable against Real Monarchs and felt no adverse effects or pain during the match. A great sign and great news. Robinson may feel that he needs another USL match next weekend against Arizona United to get back to full match fitness, but he may find himself on the bench to face Real Salt Lake on Saturday first, with an eye to getting minutes in the horrific five games on the road that the 'Caps have coming up.
    Whatever plans Robinson has for him, he'll be good to go.
    "I work every day," Rodriguez said. "I have to thank all the medical staff that have worked with me and all the guys for the support and my family. They're all together for me. When the coach needs me. I will be ready."
    Despite the trials and tribulations he's had during the start of his MLS career, Rodriguez is loving his time in the city and with the Whitecaps. He loves Vancouver and despite it being hard watching games from the sidelines these past few weeks, he's been very impressed with what he's seen of Major League Soccer so far.
    "I've enjoyed the games," Rodriguez told us. "MLS is a great league. There's great stadiums, great players. I feel very comfortable here. The club here is great and all the fans. It's different but on the field it's all the same. Eleven versus eleven and we do the best to win."
    The Whitecaps certainly need to get back to winning ways with a tough five game road stretch coming up. Having Diego Rodriguez back in the mix should definitely help.
    Michael Mccoll
    [Also check out Tom's website www.residualimagephotography.com for more of his photos and work].

    WFC2 come out for battle

    Oh Canada

    Things get feisty early with a 5th minute booking for the Monarchs' Lennon Celestino

    Caleb Clarke tries his new cunning plan to beat the offside trap

    And it works as he fires WFC2 into a 21st minute lead!

    Nothing like the ball nestling in the opposition net

    How many goals has he scored so far? Three is the answer

    12 minutes later a great run, control and cut back from Victor Blasco sets up the second

    And Ben McKendry slots home his first of the season for 2-0 WFC2

    Much to the dismay of the corner flag - and the referee who incredibly books him!

    "He's one of our own" sing Curva Collective

    Someone's a hugger

    Thunderbird Stadium in all its glory

    The 'Caps look like their heading for a comfortable win before pulling one back through a 82nd minute Lucas Baldin penalty that sends keeper Spencer Richey the wrong way

    The Monarchs are reduced to ten men when Phanuel Kavita picks up a second yellow

    It's a double bottle celebration kind of day for Jackson Farmer!

    Ben McKendry does the Humba with Curva Collective

    You can see a Flickr slideshow of all of Tom's photos from the game below:

    Michael Mccoll
    The Monarchs pulled one back through a Lucas Baldin penalty with eight minutes remaining, after Jordan Haynes brought down RSL's homegrown MLS player Sebastian Saucedo in the box.
    But after giving up a late equaliser against OKC Energy last weekend, there was to be no way back for the Utah side, who were reduced to ten men when Phanuel Kavita, another of the RSL's MLS players, picked up a second booking for a foul in the last minute.
    Vancouver looked the more dangerous team throughout, creating a number of chances but finding the Monarchs a tough team to break down at times. Real had chances of their own and did trouble the 'Caps at times, without finding a way through.
    WFC2 coach Alan Koch was naturally delighted with his side's first home win.
    "It's nice to win obviously," Koch told AFTN after the match. "It's been a long time coming. The only other win we've had was in the second game of the season so it's been a few weeks.
    "Give the guys credit. They've worked very, very hard for several weeks now to get that win. They've been getting sick and tired of tying at home, so I was glad that we could turn that round and get the three points today."
    Both teams had nine shots apiece, but Vancouver will disappointed that they appear to be mirroring the MLS side by creating some dangerous opportunities but are being let down by the final ball and the lack of clinical finishing.
    The defensive side of their game, and in particular not falling to another late goal, was more pleasing to Koch, but he wasn't so delighted with the overall team performance over the full 90 minutes.
    "We worked hard, but to be brutally honest, for the first 45 minutes I thought we weren't very good," Koch added. "We worked hard, we kept our shape, but they're a very, very good footballing team. They did good at keeping the ball. They made us run around all over the place and obviously we got a little bit tired.
    "But give our guys credit. The last ten minutes they score and we think, oh here we go all over again. But we hang on and showed the character to get the job done."
    That aspect of the Caps having to chase the ball and the Monarchs was certainly something matchwinner McKendry noticed as well.
    "It's credit to RSL, they came out and tried to play," McKendry told reporters after the match. "For large parts of the game, they made us chase. I think that's something we're not quite used to yet. Usually we're a team that likes to keep the ball. We did well to stay as a group. We're opportunistic and got those two goals which ultimately won us the game."
    The win moves WFC2 on to 9 points and a 2-4-3 record, four points off the last playoff place with a game in hand.
    The team is still clearly a work in progress, with all the chopping and changing of the starting line ups making it difficult to establish complete chemistry and establish a rhythm. You get the feeling it's very close to coming though and the last couple of performances have been marked improvements on some of their early season displays.
    "We get better every single day," Koch feels. "As I said, I wasn't that impressed with our performance today. I'd like to go watch the video, sometimes you get a different perspective from that. I was very happy with going out and obviously grinding out the result.
    "But our group, collectively, is getting better and better all the time. Our young guys in the team are improving and our older guys are grabbing the opportunities they've been getting. It's nice to see us rewarded today with the three points."
    Amongst those older players are two Americans with MLS experience. Billy Schuler played with San Jose Earthquakes last season and has played in eight of Vancouver's nine USL matches this season, starting three and grabbing two goals. Ian Christianson had two seasons with New York Red Bulls, but came to WFC2 rehabbing an injury. The midfielder got his first start with the 'Caps against the Monarchs, after two previous brief substitute appearances.
    Both players were brought in to add some experience to a very young WFC2 team and Koch feels that what they bring to his side will be important in the latter weeks of the season.
    Although fans haven't seen either player in full flow yet, Koch is confident the best is still to come from both guys.
    "They're obviously a little bit older than our teenagers essentially," Koch said. "They've got a little bit more experience. Both of them had good college careers and obviously have been in MLS. This is almost a second opportunity for them to see if they can do the same thing that they've done before and get themselves back into the league. It takes a little bit of time.
    "Billy started with us and he wasn't a 100% match fit. His match fitness is obviously a lot better now. Ian's been riddled with injuries. So we're integrating them and they've started to do better and better. Billy's scored a couple of goals and he'll hopefully continue to improve as the season goes on."
    Another experienced player turning out for WFC2 today was Diego Rodriguez, who played 64 minutes, and captained the side, in the centre of defence on his return from the injury he picked up against Columbus on April 8th. He looked sharp, composed in his own box and a danger at set pieces in the opponent's area.
    We'll have more on Rodriguez on AFTN later, but it was great to see him back and looking like he can add to the Caps in MLS. The Uruguayan was delighted to be back playing again and came through the game thankfully unscathed.
    "I feel very good," Rodriguez told us after the match. "It was a good game, it's a good group and we wanted to win. I felt very comfortable on the field and felt very happy."
    WFC2 now wrap up a three game home stand next Sunday when Arizona United come to town, with former Whitecap striker Long Tan in tow.
    The 'Caps are keen to make it seven points out of a possible nine against an Arizona side who are currently sitting in fourth place in the West, four points ahead of Vancouver with a 4-4-1 record.
    It'll be a tough game but everyone at WFC2 is keen to build on today's win and will be meeting an Arizona side coming off the back of a 3-0 US Open Cup defeat to unheralded (and relatively unknown) Californian amateur side Chula Vista Futbol Club on Wednesday and a 5-0 hammering in ULS action by Colorado Springs Switchbacks on Saturday.
    "They're a little bit up and down," Koch said of next week's opponents. "They were smacked on the wrong side of a rough score yesterday. I've watched videos of them already. They're a good team. A little bit hot and cold but you could say that we're a little bit hot and cold too at times.
    "There's no easy games in this league. The Western Conference is proving that right now. We played against Real Monarchs, who are near the bottom with us, and they're a good footballing team. There's no easy games. We'll be up for the challenge and hopefully we can get the same sort of result.
    Kick off is at 2pm at Thunderbird Stadium next Sunday, so get out and support the future if you can.
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