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    Rose_Rago
    Toronto FC conceded three goals inside the first 30 minutes against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium to lose their fourth straight 3-2 Saturday evening.
    It was a case of déjà vu for both teams as rain delayed the continuation of play in the 42nd minute when power went out and lightning struck. On August 24th 2011 TFC and FC Dallas faced off in a Concacaf Champions League match at BMO Field. TFC trailed 1-0 but had their half time deficit erased due to lightning. The game was replayed the following morning only to see TFC lose by the same score-line.
    However the damage had already been done in Saturday's contest as Fabian Castillo burned Toronto FC just 32 seconds in. Moises Hernandez sent a long ball from outside the attacking half on the left flank past Nick Hagglund which allowed Castillo to sneak in behind the defender. After a few quick touches Castillo hit a left footed shot to the top left corner of the net.
    Less than 10 minutes later FC Dallas struck again. Blas Perez saw an opening as Castillo was in behind Hagglund again who was playing off his mark. Perez fed a pass inside the top of the 18 yard box to the Colombian who fired a shot past Joe Bendik to the far post for his second of the match and third of the season. Immediately following the goal Toronto head coach Greg Vanney had Hagglund swap positions with Justin Morrow, from right back to centre back in order to minimize the damage.
    But the defensive woes continued for TFC in the 27th minute. A FC Dallas throw in made its way inside the box where defender Damien Perquis was able to initially fend off a pressing Ryan Hollingshead. However the Frenchman failed to clear the ball and lost it in the middle. Perez pounced on the loose ball and fired a shot to the bottom left corner of the box for his fourth tally of the season.
    In the 42nd minute parts of Toyota Stadium lost power. Lightning and sheeting rain forced the officials to delay the match for three hours and 23 minutes.
    Upon return TFC failed to muster much offense. However Sebastian Giovinco ignited a late game comeback attempt for the Reds in the 83rd minute when he received a long from Hagglund.
    Giovinco tip toed across the end line to keep the ball in play and chipped the it over keeper Chris Seitz on the near post.
    Minutes later Giovinco went on a run to draw a foul that earned TFC a free kick just outside of the area. The Italian delivered a set piece that sailed behind the Dallas wall and curled into the top left corner of the net in the 89th minute.
    Toronto falls to 1-4 on the season while Dallas improves to 4-2. TFC finish off their seven game road swing with matches against Orlando City FC on the 26th and Philadelphia Union May 2nd before returning to BMO field May 10th to take on the Houston Dynamo.
    Michael Mccoll
    The first one is that old chestnut of just what should we be expecting from the team? Should we be primarily focused on results? Development? A combination of both?
    The latter is the perfect answer. That WFC2 becomes both a winning team that is developing future Whitecaps MLS talent. That's the goal. That's the dream. It's obviously not the current reality. Not yet at least.
    My argument will always be that to develop players, results matter. A winning team breeds winners. We need confident and successful players, who have had that taste and want more at the higher level. It's an old cliché, but winning really is infectious.
    If you look at the 'Caps results so far, how much does a 4-0 thumping by Seattle develop a player? Sure, it can build resilience and a desire improve their game and to do better next time, but it can also sow the seeds of doubt that they're maybe not as far along the road as they think they are as a player.
    Some will argue that development is all that really matters for WFC2. The team is a chance for players to get minutes and for coaches to assess just whether they are future MLS prospects or whether they should cut their losses and move on to the next guy.
    You can't get a proper look at a player in training, in friendlies or reserve matches. They need competitive action and USL will certainly give them that on a regular basis. Who cares if they win or lose, just so long as they develop and get ready for, hopefully, the move to the next level?
    When you're charging money to go and watch the team play at Thunderbird though, fans want to see a winning, or at the very least an entertaining, product on the pitch. How many will continue to pay on a regular basis to see a team that is simply learning and developing but not winning?
    That's the big question. Fans will know this is a developmental team, but will they want to pay to watch that? It's certainly a step up from PDL in terms of the overall standard, but you were struggling to get over 100 at those games and they were free. And the Caps were winning.
    There will be over 2000 fans there for the home opener. A great start and something for the Caps to build on for sure.
    But back to the whole winning v development argument. It's complicated and Carl Robinson agrees.
    "Results, it's tricky, because we want to win every game that we play, at whatever level we're playing at," Robinson told reporters this week. "But it's also about getting players minutes and developing young players as well, so it's an important tool for us this year, WFC2."
    Part of the issues for WFC2 so far is the lack of chemistry and the lack of consistency in their starting line-up. The team is chopping and changing every game so far.
    There were five changes to the starting eleven from their first game in Seattle, to their next game, their first win, in Austin. Now normally, you wouldn't want to change a winning team but there were a further five changes from Austin to game three against Orange County. Then a staggering nine changes for the most recent match, the midweek loss in Sacramento.
    It's not conducive to a winning formula. I'm not really sure it's conducive to a good developmental formula for the players either. The Caps will know that, Alan Koch will knows that and Robbo knows it, but it's a situation that isn't likely to, or able to, change any time soon.
    "I want to try and get a rhythm into the team," Robinson told us. "Obviously Alan does as well. It's tricky. They've had a number of away games at the moment. Three games in a week is always going to be difficult as well. I've shown with my group here that there will be players in and out and there will be again on Saturday.
    "It's not ideal, but it is a platform for us to get players minutes and to get players experience but also get some of the younger guys up as well from the Residency. And keep everyone happy. That's important."
    When it comes to consistency, tied into that is the fact that WFC2 coach Koch doesn't always know what players he has at his disposal and what players Robinson wants to get minutes until very close to kick off time.
    MLS players have been loaned to the USL team for every game so far. Some haven't been loaned until the night before the match, as was the case this past weekend when Kianz Froese and Tim Parker were only added to the USL squad once the 'Caps MLS match had finished in San Jose. And in the case of the former, that meant playing in both matches and having to travel the near six hour trip on the morning of the Orange County game.
    Again, not ideal, but again, there's not any way around it right now and it was always going to be the case. All the parties involved knew that. If anything, with all the games coming up for the Whitecaps over the next few months, the problem is just going to be exacerbated.
    "We want results," Robinson reiterated. "We want to do as well as we can in the USL. We want to do as well as we can in MLS. During the season it's going to happen, with the Canadian games coming up for us and the Champions League eventually well when the draw gets made.
    "Alan's team will be dependent on what I do with my team and who plays in my team, so unfortunately I think that's the way it's going to be."
    There have been some positives to come out of the WFC2 so far however.
    I've personally liked what I've seen of goalkeeper Spencer Richey so far, obviously aside from being beaten by a 60 yard wondergoal. Even the best get beaten by such strikes at times. Just ask David Ousted.
    He's looked confident and assured and has a clean sheet to his name as well.
    Local midfielder, and Residency alumni, Sahil Sandhu has started three of the four games so far and has impressed at times, especially with his workrate. As has his fellow midfielder, Victor Blasco, who certainly has some skills not seen from others in the squad.
    It is slightly worrying that the MLS players that have dropped down to the team have, on the whole, not really shone all that much.
    Others will start to shine in the coming weeks I'm sure, and for the players that do well, Robinson wants to reward them with training stints with the first team.
    "Yes, without a doubt," Robinson told us. "I've spoke to the guys about that in the early part of the year because six or seven of my guys went up to the USL team to play in a practice match and the USL team beat the Major League Soccer players 4-1.
    "It was an eye opener for them and I stressed then to Alan and stressed to the group that if I believe someone is doing well in USL, and I think that there are one or two at the moment who are emerging, they will be given the opportunity to train down here.
    "Will they be able to play for us? Probably not at the moment but I think the carrot of coming down to train with this group shows it works both ways. It's not just a downward tool where we're allowing players to go down and get games but also an upward tool where if you do well in that team you'll get the opportunity to train with the first team, which is always important."
    Whitecaps fans will finally get the chance to watch the new team in person on Sunday. Just who they'll see will be dependent on what squad Robbo takes down to Utah. The luxury of having a player on the bench against RSL and then play for USL the next day isn't an option for this one.
    "The guys that travel with me to Salt Lake won't be involved unfortunately because by the time we get back, just before kick off on Sunday, it's not ideal for them," Robinson told us. "There's no preparation, Alan can't prepare his team for that game. The guys that travel won't be involved on Sunday, so we'll have to make some decisions today based on that."
    But whoever takes the pitch against TFC II on Sunday, the important thing is that they give a good account of themselves. You only get one chance to make a first impression. There will be nerves, especially from some of the local lads, and the pressure will be on.
    That in itself is all part of the learning curve and development of these players after all.
    It's going to be a good crowd, it's going to be a beautiful day. Let's hope for a fantastic performance to cap it all of. And remember, results do matter. Especially when you're playing Toronto.
    Guest
    Today on Off the Woodworkx,
    I recall the road of the Montreal Impact in the 2014-15 Scotiabank's Concacaf Champions League. Starting in Edmonton for the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship Semi-Final, I go through games and moments of the competition and try to put a perspective on the size of the accomplishment of reaching the Final of our continent's biggest club tournament.
    From the group stage through to the knockout stage, I remember the key moments of the club, with a certain emphasis on a certain 94th minute series winning goal by the rookie Cameron Porter!
    Come for the ride, the memories are forever!
    See you in Mexico!
    @KevLaramee
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    offthewoodworkx@hotmail.com
    Michael Mccoll
    Froese looks like he's been playing MLS for years, but ask him how he feels about that and he just shrugs it off in an equally composed, non-fazed manner, although he does feel he has adjusted well to the noticeable step up in quality from Residency to first team level.
    "I just feel that every game is another focus," Froese told AFTN at training this week. "Just refocus on the task in hand. It's just like playing, training here, playing a game right. It's what I do every day and I try to do that on the field.
    "It's definitely faster and there's more pressure to play. When you go on the field, results matter a lot more."
    Froese's latest appearance came in the final ten minutes of the dismal display down in San Jose. He was one of the few bright spots for Vancouver in the game and Robinson said immediately after the game that he felt the young midfielder's performance had given him something to think about in terms of his future squad selection.
    And it was something he expanded on further in his first press scrum of the week.
    "He's been great coming off the bench and he was again on Saturday," Robinson mused. "In a dull match, he was the spark. Subs are there to make impacts and differences. The challenge is then when they get their opportunity in the starting line-up, can they have the same impact?
    "Sometimes that doesn't happen, so it's easier for a sub to come on sometimes and change the game. But he's doing himself a lot of favours at the moment with his performances coming off the bench."
    Robinson doesn't want to rush Froese and is happy using him in the sub role just now, loaning him to the USL side for additional valuable minutes. This past weekend saw Froese turn out for ten minutes for the MLS team on Saturday before heading down to start and play 77 minutes in Sunday's 2-0 loss to Orange County Blues in USL action.
    And you can expect more of that double dipping as the season goes on.
    "I sent Tim Parker and Kianz after our game on Saturday to go and play in the game," Robinson said. "It's important for them. It wasn't ideal with regards travelling on Sunday morning to play in a game Sunday afternoon, but it's important that they get match minutes as well."
    Playing two games in a weekend is nothing new to Froese. He's been doing it with the Residency in the USSDA for the past few years. This is obviously at a much higher level, coupled with a long drive between San Jose and Irvine inbetween, but as you'd expect, the midfielder takes it all in his stride.
    "I knew I needed to go down to USL for minutes," Froese told us. "It's good for me and I tried to give it my all in terms of how I performed and how I played because those games are important for me in how I continue to improve myself."
    What is slightly more difficult from him and all of the MLS guys heading down to WFC2 is the establishment of team chemistry.
    The starting line-up of WFC2 has chopped and changed considerably for each game and that will have contributed somewhat to the three losses in their four matches so far.
    Froese, and the others, primarily train with the MLS squad. He's had little time to train and bond with his WFC2 teammates. Arriving shortly before kick off doesn't help either, but Froese feels that the chemistry will start to come soon between the two squads.
    "I think you just take it as it comes," Froese feels. "You try and develop a chemistry as you play and go on and try and get things going when they're not going. Everyone can play soccer. It's kind of a one language type of thing."
    But with 111 MLS minutes already under his belt, it can't be long now until Froese does get his first start.
    He's itching for it but patient at the same time. But whatever Robinson's plans are for MLS playing time for Froese this season, it's not been something the pair have discussed.
    "As a young player, you get chances," Froese added. "I don't expect anything or to play a bunch of minutes. I just come here day to day and hopefully get a chance to play. He hasn't spoken with me about that kind of stuff. All I can do is hope and when it comes it comes."
    Duane Rollins
    MLSE vice president of facilities and entertainment Wayne Zronik said that MLSE wants the team at BMO Field, but that negotiations continue to drag.
    “The Argos deal continue to move slowly, but ultimately we hope they can play here,” he told a group of MLSE part-time and game day employees that were gathered at the annual “Welcome to BMO Field” event at the stadium. CSN was informed of his statement by staff attending the event.
    Staff were also told that the stadium will sit 25,000 for Argos games, which is 5,000 seats less than capacity for TFC games.
    The event is ongoing. We will update if more information becomes available.
    Michael Mccoll
    One sure fire way to get us to cover a large selection of matches is to play them ten minutes from my house! What that meant for the kickoff weekend was that we were able to cover three of the Sunday games played at Vancouver's Trillium Park.

    Kicking things off was an intriguing clash between Vancouver Metro Soccer League Division 2B runners up Gastown FC and the Richmond Adult Soccer Association (RASA) Premier Division runners up, Richmond All Blacks. Richmond won the B Cup in 2013 and lost last year's final to South Burnaby Fighting Irish, and they were fairly untroubled in their quest to regain the trophy in a 2-0 victory.
    Gastown made most of the early running, with Jeroen Bart having the first real chance of the game seven minutes in when he fired wide right from just outside the box. Oscar Salvador was next to have a go for Gastown, but his low shot was saved by the All Blacks keeper Peter Proctor.
    It was to be Richmond who opened the scoring though in the 16th minute when Ming Choy rose unchallenged to head home an Alan Tso free kick from six yards out.
    When Nan Yang was played in and beat the onrushing Gastown keeper, Carl Ostridge, in the 33rd minute to make it 2-0, it looked like a tough ask for the VMSL side to get back in to things, and so it proved.
    Craig Shirra had a chance to pull one back for Gastown two minutes before half time but Proctor was out quick to smother the chance and when Mike Roger's fierce shot flew past the right post just past the hour mark, you got the feeling it wasn't going to be Gastown's day and the former champs held on quite comfortably in the end without pushing too hard to increase their tally.
    One interesting side note to come out of the game was that the officials had incorrectly told the coaches that there were to be only five subs in the game instead of unlimited. The assistant referee was corrected on this by Richmond coach Kyle Shury during the first half but the information wasn't relayed to Gastown coach Owen Parrott until later in the half and after the All Blacks had made four subs to their none.
    Richmond All Blacks now advance to face Burnaby Mens Soccer League (BMSL) Persia FC at Burnaby Lake West on Sunday afternoon at 2.30pm.
    You can see highlights of Richmond's first goal and most of their second in the video below:

    While Gastown FC and Richmond All Blacks were battling it out on the Trillium West pitch, there was a VMSL v FVSL (Fraser Valley Soccer League) match-up going on at the same time on Trillium East, as Twin Arrows hosted Aldergrove Red Devils.

    We tried to keep track of both matches as best we could and in the end it would appear that we chose the wrong one to primarily follow, as Twin Arrows fought back from being down 3-0 to set up a frantic finish against Aldergrove before losing out 3-2.
    Twins Arrows were runners up in Division 3A of VMSL, but qualified for the Provincials on the back of being beaten finalists in the VMSL Division 2 Cup, with winners Guildford FC having already qualified as Division 2A champs. Aldergrove finished third in FVSL Division 2.
    It was Twin Arrows who came out of the traps fast, however, and they had a great chance to open the scoring in the first minute when Ali Pickett raced clear on goal but Aldergrove keeper Atilla Davalovsky rushed out and came up with a massive save.
    A super early game changer? Perhaps. But Aldergrove settled and took the lead through Eric Vanderhoek in the 11th minute, with their first chance of the game.
    Hard to tell how the rest of the half went as I was mostly watching the other game, but most of the time I looked over the ball was in the Aldergrove half. This may not be a fair reflection!
    The Red Devils doubled their lead though in the 55th minute when Anthony Fragoso fired home from the spot, sending Twin Arrows keeper Brennan Baker the wrong way.
    Aldergrove made it 3-0 in the 70th minute through Ryan Miller and it looked game over before Twin Arrows made a storming comeback in the closing minutes of the game.
    The VMSL side pulled one back in the 85th minute through Daniel Jansson, with Aldergrove looking for the offside, and then a stunning goal made it 3-2 in the 90th minute, when the ball bounced around the box before it broke to Monir Pejgaleh and he back flicked the ball over his head and into the top corner. Just wish we'd caught it on camera.
    Twin Arrows had pushed hard but just couldn't force extra time and Aldergrove now advance to face Guildford FC.
    You can see Aldergrove's second goal in the video below:

    Our feature match of the weekend was our good friends at Rino's Fury FC as they hosted BMSL side Burnaby Hotspur. Well I say friends, we're expecting a banning order now since we've watched them in their first Provincial Cup match for the past three years now and they haven't won one yet so we're clearly a jinx and apologise!

    Rino's Fury finished third in the VMSL Division 2A standings this year, while Burnaby Hotspur finished 7th in the BMSL First Division but qualified for the Provincials on the back of winning the BMSL League Cup at the end of March.
    It was a pretty uneventful first half, with both teams feeling each other out.
    Rino's had the first real chance of the game in the 29th minute when Alessandro Pace forced a save out of the Hotspur keeper. The rebound fell to Yuda Shih but he blasted over from inside the box.
    Burnaby's best chance of the half came two minutes later when Ahmad Al-Ashkar cut the ball back to David Kliewer, but his flighted shot landed on the roof of the Fury net.
    So goalless at the half, but the game was to liven up pretty quickly in the second.
    Hotspur thought they had taken the lead in the 53rd minute when Ibrahim Al-Ashkar fired home after latching onto a rebound after his brother Ahmad's shot had been parried by Fury keeper Patrick Hayward, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
    It was just to be a temporary reprieve for Rino's and Burnaby opened the scoring three minutes later, and it was the same players who were involved, with Ibrahim heading home Ahmad's free kick.
    The Hotpsur lead was to be short lived and Fury equalised in the 59th minute later when Guy Packham poked the ball home from close range after a scramble in the box.
    The game was pretty open now and Fury hit the post in the 67th minute as they pushed for the go-ahead goal. That was to come for Hotspur five minutes later and it was to be Ibrahim Al-Ashkar in the thick of the action once again, sending a brilliant pass through to Corey Sanford who slotted what was to prove to be the winning goal past Hayward.
    Fury went forward looking to tie things up once more and had a couple of chances and forced several corners, but Sanford nearly gave Hotspur some breathing room with an effort from outside the box that flew wide right with 12 minutes remaining, before Nathan Kung brought a good save out of Hayward a minute later.
    The Burnaby side saw out the remainder of the match fairly comfortably and now move on and travel to face FVSL side Langley United Sparta on Saturday evening, kicking off at 8pm at Willoughby Turf.
    You can both of Burnaby Hotspur's goals and some other highlights in the video below:

    The full results of the B Cup Preliminary Round were as follows:

    Port Alberni Athletics (VISL) 4 - 0 PMO Titans (FVSL)Meralomas FC (VMSL) 5 - 1 Westcoast FC Milan (FVSL)
    Campbell River Cermaq City FC (VISL) 0 - 1 South Delta Royals (VMSL)
    Gastown FC (VMSL) 0 - 2 Richmond All Blacks (RASA)
    Twin Arrows (VMSL) 2 - 3 Aldergrove Red Devils (FVSL)
    Mundiavocat FC (BMSA) 3- 0 Graduates (RASA)
    Saanich Fusion Campus Honda (VISL) 4 - 1 Bacardi FC (BMSL)
    Rino's Fury FC (VMSL) 1 - 2 Burnaby Hotspur (BMSL)
    You can find the schedule for all of this weekend's matches in all of the Cups over at the BC Soccer website HERE. Try and get out and see some matches if you can and #SupportLocalSoccer.
    Here's our Flickr slideshow for all of our photos from the three games:

    Guest
    Also, they talked about the recent 1-0 loss of the CanWNT against France, about the Impact in the Concacaf Champions League, about the signing of Kenny Cooper by the Impact and about Kevin's upcoming trip to Mexico City for the final!
    Plus the famous Canadian Review!
    Support the show by becoming a patron and gain access to exclusive content live from The Concacaf Champions League Final in Mexico City next week! https://www.patreon.com/twosolitudes5rings
    Until next time, have a great soccer!
    @24thminute
    @KevLaramee
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    James Grossi
    Cyle Larin
    Larin started his first MLS match in Orlando City's 0-2 win at Portland on Sunday – it was his third appearance of the season and his longest spell on the pitch, with Orlando suffering an injury crunch at the top of their formation.
    Drafted into the first eleven after Pedro Ribeiro's injury last round, Larin did not look out of place, though he was tasked with a rather difficult path to goal, the only true forward, staring down a pair of grizzled (and rather hairy) veteran centre-backs in Nat Borchers and Liam Ridgewell, who minimized his looks at goal.
    The Brampton, Ontario-native would have two chances inside the first twenty minutes, both hurried shots that trailed wide under the watchful eyes of his experienced opponents. But he was finding positions, a skill that would come in handy on the half-hour mark, helping him get a modicum of space in front of Borchers and behind Ridgewell to attack the near-post.
    A weak headed touch from Borchers was collected by Kevin Molino, who scythed down the right-side of the area, picking out Larin at the near-side with a bullet cross into the middle. With no time or space to bring down the fast-moving pass, Larin adjusted his body to direct the service in with his chest.
    Not the prettiest of goals, it did exhibit an awareness and calmness that is worth noting.
    The best forwards care not how they go in, simply that they go. Through his previous two appearances Larin had looked eager, but perhaps overly so, snatching at half-chances, rushing his looks. This was a coolly dispatched opportunity, one that was easier to send off-target than on.
    No doubt it will be the first of many.
    He would not get the chance to add to his tally this night however, coming off for Carlos Rivas in the 82nd minute as Adrian Heath sought to inject some addition pace and fresh legs with Portland pressing forward leaving holes at the back.
    Larin would complete twelve of his eighteen passes, take three shots – the goal and two off-target, while contributing defensively as well, with three clearances, two recoveries, and, peculiarly-for-a-forward, two tackles, committing three fouls and winning one.
    Heath praised his rookie post-match: “As a young player starting to make a career in MLS, you always want to get that first one. We had chances last week, when I thought Cyle played really well, and he kept getting in the right place today. This time he got his reward and it was a really great finish, to have the foresight to direct it towards goal the way he did. He didn’t have time to try to try to pull the ball down from Kevin’s cross and it showed great presence of mind. He also matched up well against two very big, physical defenders. He can be very pleased with his day’s work.”
    Elaborating, 党The finish was fantastic because there was no way he was going to be able to control the ball and shoot in that tight of an area. It was a really good improvisation on his part and I think that will be the first of many for him in MLS.媒
    Larin himself reacted in this post-match interview.
    Russell Teibert
    Teibert featured twice for Vancouver this round, starting Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Columbus at home and coming on from the bench in Saturday's 1-0 loss at San Jose ・his fourth start and fifth appearance, respectively.
    On Wednesday, from his usual deep-lying defensive midfield position, Teibert was everywhere, ending the match with two shots ・one off, one blocked, both from distance ・seven recoveries, four tackles, two clearances, one block, one interception, and a foul; completing all but six of his roughly seventy passes on the night.
    The evening got off to a concerning start, as there was a slight scare when he pulled up, appearing to tweak his hamstring in a footrace to pressure the ball carrier Ethan Finlay as Columbus countered. The Crew would open the scoring on the play, Kei Kamara netting in the 24th minute, and Teibert would require some treatment, but would soldier on.
    Unhampered, Teibert would resume his running, tracking another Finlay run to strip the dangerous opponent on one play and making repeated timely interventions to pin back Columbus as Vancouver tied the match shortly after the hour and looked for a winner as the match built to crescendo.
    The Niagara Falls, Ontario-native was precise on the ball, as usual, playing one especially pretty long pass to spring Darren Mattocks.
    His post-match interview can be seen here.
    On Saturday, Teibert would come on in the 68th minute, replacing Derby Flores.
    Taking up that central midfield role, Teibert would provide some fresh legs in the middle, pressuring the ball at every turn ・in his 22 minutes he racked up three fouls, indicative of his aggressive play (and of the referee's penchant for blowing his whistle).
    Completing thirteen of his fourteen passes, Teibert was again excellent on the ball, and suffered further injury troubles when a teammate stepped on his hand as he got tangled up in a challenge with Matias Perez Garcia; once more he ignored the concern.
    He also exhibited his growing leadership, holding back Pedro Morales who was infuriated at receiving a kick and a red card in the 88th minute, perhaps sparing his teammate any additional sanction from the disciplinary committee for voicing his frustrations. Teibert was very-much involved in the action on that play, making the initial challenge that brought Adam Jahn to the ground, spurring the fractious encounter.
    Teibert added an interception and a recovery to his defensive tallies on the night.
    Patrice Bernier
    Bernier started his first league match of the 2015 season in Montreal's 3-0 loss at Houston on Saturday ・it was his second-appearance, having come on as a substitute against Orlando in their last MLS match at the end of April.
    Stationed deep in the Montreal midfield, Bernier was a calming presence, regularly dropping very deep to get on the ball and moving it well, as per usual ・completing all but seven of his 45-odd passes.
    Sporting the captain's armband, he may have a few miles (sorry, kilometres) on the legs, but he can still pick his moments, playing a lovely ball over the top to spring Donny Toia down the left; were it not for a vital touch from Houston centre-back David Horst, the full-back may have been in clear on goal with a chance.
    And in the 58th minute, with the Impact trailing 1-0, Bernier stepped to a free-kick after Andres Romero was fouled, neatly bending his right-footer around wall, but skimming the top of the bar, too high by the slightest of margins ・it was his only shot of the night.
    With eight recoveries, one clearance, a tackle, and a foul each way, the Brossard, Quebec-native was instrumental ・it should be noted that once he made way for Nigel Reo-Coker in the 67th minute Houston sealed the night with two further goals, one within five minutes of his departure ・though he did concede possession sloppily on one occasion, allowing Giles Barnes a shot from distance.
    While Bernier may not feature regularly, he will undoubtedly play a role in any success Montreal finds this season.
    Kofi Opare
    Opare started a second-straight match for DC United in their 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday ・it was his third appearance of the season, all since Steve Birnbaum went down with an ankle injury.
    As the left-sided centre-back, Opare was forced into action early, exhibiting good speed to get back and pressure Bradley Wright-Phillips as he strode towards goal in the 9th minute, only to redirect the eventual cross, which struck off the base of the post, narrowly avoiding an own goal.
    It was the first of many plays in which Opare would play a critical role.
    The Niagara Falls, Ontario-raised defender would drag opposing centre-back Matt Miazga out of a central position in the 26th minute on a Taylor Kemp right-sided corner kick,
    , in off the underside of the bar.Opare would then get taken advantage of himself in the 68th minute, not even able to get up to challenge as
    .In between those specific plays, Opare continued his admirable play for DC, completing 17 of 26 passes, racking up six clearances, three interceptions, two recoveries, and a block.
    With Birnbaum out for four-to-six weeks, Opare will get further chances to prove his worth for United.
    Marcel De Jong
    De Jong started a second-consecutive match for Kansas City as they drew 0-0 at home against Real Salt Lake on Saturday night ・it was his fourth start of the season.
    Resuming his left-back position De Jong was active as usual, completing 20 of 32 passes ・including a lot of searching long passes or crosses from deep positions, an indication of his conservative positioning given the threat of Salt Lake in those wide spaces ・and collecting four tackles, one interception, a recovery, and a clearance by the end of the match.
    The Newmarket, Ontario-native played at least two balls of note, the first a lovely cross that picked out Servando Carrasco at the back-post early, only for Salt Lake centre-back Elias Vasquez to get the important headed touch out for a corner. And then dragging a low ball through the box, only for no Sporting attacker to be able to get the required touch on the back-end.
    And his education in the physicality of MLS continued, getting caught late by a Jordan Allen challenge, flipping De Jong up in the air ・more spectacular than dangerous.
    It was initially surprising that De Jong landed in Kansas City ・and that no Canadian side sought out his services ・but that he has managed to force long-time left-back Seth Sinovic into a secondary role is truly evidence that De Jong's style fits well with what Peter Vermes desired from his full-backs.
    Steven Vitoria
    Vitoria continued his iron-man streak for Philadelphia in their 2-1 win over New York City on Saturday ・it was his sixth start of the season, going the distance in each of the Union's matches this year.
    Once more as the left-sided centre-back, paired again with Maurice Edu, Vitoria was a solid defensive presence, keeping the potentially explosive City attack at bay for large stretches of the match ・he was, however,
    .The Toronto-born defender was caught stepping up to David Villa in midfield late, leading to an Edu foul and a dangerous free-kick in the 89th minute ・luckily Villa would launch his attempt well over the target.
    He even got his first attempt at goal, rising up to meet an early corner kick, only to send his effort wide under pressure from Jason Hernandez.
    His six recoveries, six clearances, interception, and tackle, while conceding three fouls were impressive figures, but it was his overall calming influence that was most helpful for Philadelphia. Vitoria regularly helped talk debutant keeper John McCarthy through the match and reminded Vincent Nogueira that, despite his winner, the match was not over, as the Union saw out the final few minutes to seal their first win of the season.
    Vitoria's passing, completing just 13 of 31, was of concern, but given the sheer number of long launches that were counted as 'passes' it should be considered more a measure of the pressure applied by City than of Vitoria's decision-making.
    Sam Adekugbe
    Adekugbe started his fifth match of season for Vancouver on Wednesday against Columbus ・he has featured in all but two of the Whitecaps' matches this year.
    In his customary left-back position, Adekugbe continued to show exciting glimpses of the player he will become, making darting runs forward ・once drifting off-side, but still testing Steve Clark for the heck of it, and then having a touchline sprint ended by a necessary defensive touch ・and hitting a lovely curling ball from the left that sought out Octavio Rivero in the area ・his weak header was easily saved by Clark.
    Defensively he did well to get out wide and block a Hector Jimenez cross, but was beat twice on a play in the 84th minute with the game tied, first pinching high on Ethan Finlay only to be by-passed by a neat flick, and then lunging into a recovering challenge on Finlay at the edge of the box, missing the Kei Kamara pass entirely and allowing Finlay clear in on goal ・luckily David Ousted was off his line quick to deny the chance.
    Despite that one mistake, the English-born full-back tallied some solid numbers: five interceptions, two recoveries, two clearances, and a single foul ・misplacing just 8 of some 45-plus passes.
    Adekugbe was an unused substitute on Saturday in San Jose.
    Kyle Bekker
    Bekker made his third-appearance of the season for FC Dallas in their surprising 0-4 loss to Colorado on Friday night, coming on for Michel at half-time with his side already down a pair of goals.
    With Dallas chasing the game, Bekker took up a slightly more advanced position, getting himself involved in the build-up, in search of a much-needed goal.
    He played one particularly nice ball over the top for Tesho Akindele, and then collected the ensuing rebound at the top of the box, opting for the unselfish pass rather than take the shot himself ・a shot he should perhaps have taken.
    But Colorado were flying, unleashing all the pent up frustrations of long winless and goal-less spells, and that energy forced some poor passes out of Bekker, who completed just 15 of 26 in his 45 minutes of play.
    The Oakville, Ontario-native had one final chance to make an impact in the 83rd minute, standing over a free-kick. This time he opted to go at goal rather than curl a ball into the crowd at the back-post, hoping to catch Clint Irwin shading to the far-side, only for the keeper to be alert to the threat ・it was his only shot of the match.
    He would accumulate three recoveries and a pair of tackles throughout.
    It has been interesting to watch how Bekker has fit into his new side; some positive signs, but a lot of the same problems ・namely, easy turnovers ・that plagued his time in Toronto. Will he feature when his new side faces his old one next weekend? He is still awaiting his first MLS goal and there would be no sweeter time to score it.
    Tesho Akindele
    Akindele started a sixth-straight match for Dallas in their loss to Colorado ・factoring in the starting eleven for each of his side's games.
    Nominally playing as the withdrawn forward, off the shoulder of Blas Perez in the middle, Akindele would regularly swap with Ryan Hollingshead to take up the attacking right-sided position.
    But Dallas struggled to find the connections that saw them surge to the top of the standings, and the Calgary-born forward consequently suffered.
    His best look of the match came from the aforementioned Bekker pass, forcing a strong parry from Irwin in the 53rd minute, after getting the ball out of his feet ・one of his two shots on the night, both were on target.
    Akindele would exhibit that same ranging play he has all season, racing up the right to find space and get on the ball, but his low cross was easily cleared.
    His passing was very succinct, completing 27 of 32, while contributing defensively with a pair of tackles and a recovery.
    With the rest of his side, he was caught napping on a quickly-taken Rapids free-kick, turning his back on the ball to coordinate his teammates, as Marcelo Sarvas picked out Dillon Powers who sent a low drive into the far-corner of the goal in the 43rd minute to double the visitors advantage ・one needs to stay alert and focused at all times, a lesson he will have learned from this mishap.
    Post-match Akindele noted, 的t wasn稚 a good game for us・It just wasn稚 our day. We will figure it out this week・Figure out what we did wrong・We will do better next week.媒
    Kianz Froese
    Froese made his third-appearance of the season from the bench for Vancouver in the waning minutes of their loss at San Jose, coming on for Matias Laba in the 80th minute.
    In need of an equalizer, Froese made one nice run, cutting into a good position to get off a right-footer from the top of the area, but the weak attempt was handled easily by David Bingham ・it was his only attempt at goal.
    The Cuban-born midfielder completed six of his eight passes and added a clearance in his ten-minute cameo.
    The Rest
    Karl Ouimette was an unused substitute on the bench for New York in DC.
    His former teammates, Anthony Jackson-Hamel and Maxim Tissot were similarly unused by Montreal in Houston.
    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
    Guest
    Today on USL Radio, Duane and Kevin talked to Dave Martinez of Empire of Soccer about New York Red Bulls 2, their season, their place in USL and the new USL landscape.
    They also talked about future USL teams in Canada and the benefits to the Canadian Men's National Team a Canadian Conference could bring.
    Plus the now famous Weekend Roundup with sound from Ricardo Lopez of Sacramento Republic FC after their victory versus LA Galaxy 2!
    Until next time, have a great USL!
    Support USL Radio by becoming a patron of the show, a dollar goes a long way! http://patreon.com/twosolitudes5rings
    @24thminute
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    Guest
    – Lineup and formation: Ottawa started the match in a 4-2-3-1 formation, a formation he has started with only once or twice in 2014, although it is frequently seen in the 2nd half of games. There were 4 changes to the starting lineup, as Paulo Jr. and Julian de Guzman joined Richie Ryan, Phil Davies and Sinisa Ubiparipovic on the sidelines due to injury and suspension.
    Nicki Paterson and Oliver returned to the XI from their own suspensions, while Tom Heinemann and Brandon Poltronieri came in to start for Andrew Wiedeman and Drew Beckie, after the two came off the bench last week. Dos Santos shifted the formation to a 4-3-3 in the 86th minute to close out the game and partly due to necessity after Poltronieri had to come off, due to cramps, for Mauro Eustaquio.
    – Canadian content: There was no all-Canadian midfield for the Fury this time, as two Canadians, Patryk Misik at RCM and Carl Haworth at RW, earned the starts. There were substitute appearances for two further young Canadians, as Beckie came on once again at DM, while Eustaquio joined him in the midfield near the end of the play.
    – Play: It seems that Dos Santos came out to use the long ball more than he normally would like to have done so this game, as he had pointed a number of times to the poor turf conditions in Atlanta, declaring it the “worst in the NASL”. This was pretty much confirmed with the 4-2-3-1 formation showcasing Heinemann leading the line.
    I thought Heinemann played a pretty decent game, winning a number of headers in dangerous areas and finding his teammates often with lay-offs and holding the ball up and even making two tackles on defenders that led to chances. But he fluffed his best chance, in the 1st half, and he mis-controlled one crucial pass to him in the area. I found that he was being used easily as a scapegoat by some fans after the game, but I believe it was the team and the staff instead that decided tactically to pump a number of long balls to him this match, with the poor turf conditions. I believe he did what he could with all these hoofed balls up to him, winning over 50% of the aerial duels against 2 CBs, which was a job well done in my opinion. I suspect his performance reflected the coaching staff asking the team to play long balls more than usual, if anything.
    I was hoping to see more of Oliver during the game in his role as a CAM. That is a key position and the player playing that role must exert his influence in the game. He did have one of the best chances in the game, getting on the end of Heinemann’s flick-on, but he was quiet most of the game when he should have had a more starring role, despite the turbulent incident he experienced just a day prior. I believe this is more of an indictment of how the team prepared for and went about this game, rather than Oliver per se, as the reliance on the long ball often bypassed Oliver in the CAM role.
    – Looking forward: Chris Hofley of the Ottawa Sun has reported that MDS expects the entire senior squad, minus Davies, to be back and match fit in time for the home opener this Saturday vs. Minnesota. That would mark the return of Paulo Jr., Ryan, Ubiparipovic, as well as the end of the 1-game ban for de Guzman. The Fury midfield suddenly looks far more deep as the fans welcome the team into TD Place/Lansdowne for the first time this season.
    – Ottawa MotM: Romuald Peiser; Ottawa Honourable Mentions: Nicki Paterson, Rafael Alves
    Lineups

    Diagram courtesy of LineupBuilder.com (http://lineupbuilder.com/2014/custom/?sk=6l10)

    Diagram courtesy of LineupBuilder.com (http://lineupbuilder.com/2014/custom/?sk=6l11)
    —
    Key Fury FC Moments
    8′ Ottawa – Fury FC with the first dangerous attempt, as Oliver tries an ambitious 25-yarder that just goes wide
    12′ Atlanta – The Silverbacks find Kyle Porter streaking in on the right flank with a long diagonal ball. LB Mike Randolph recovers just in time to make clumsy but fair challenge on Porter
    20′ Ottawa – A dangerous corner whipped in by Paterson finds Alves and Falvey streaking in, with Falvey meeting the ball with a firm header that just goes over the bar
    32′ Ottawa Goal – Randolph finds Poltronieri with a chipped ball into the left flank corner. Poltronieri does well to get to the ball and is fouled with a kick to the chest. The resulting FK from the corner by Paterson is dangerously whipped in low, and is glanced on by an Atlanta CB as it finds the net. Nicki proceeds with a celebration that makes light of the Oliver incident on the Air Canada flight, to the delight of players and fans. 0-1 Ottawa.

    Nicki with the early candidate for NASL Celebration of the Year. Photo courtesy of Rogers TV.
    39′ Ottawa – A Poltronieri cross is met by a charging Haworth in the box, with Ottawa players asking for a handball on Haworth’s shot
    40′ Ottawa – Heinemann is set racing clear all alone from a big clearance and a header from midfield, but he fluffs his lines with a tame shot to the keeper
    45′ Atlanta – Peiser is called on to make a punch charging out of the 6-yard box after the Fury are slow to defend a quickly taken FK
    48′ Atlanta – Peiser makes a great save and then Paterson is on the line to clear the shot from the rebound as the Fury escape one
    56′ Atlanta Goal – An expertly put-together passing play finds Shaka Bangura behind the defense and he draws in Peiser and finds Kyle Porter all alone in front of the net. However, Porter is almost certainly in an offside position, but the assistant referee can not keep up with the pace of the passing and fails to raise his flag. 1-1.

    Atlanta F Kyle Porter looks to be in an offside position as he taps in the equalizer. Photo courtesy of NASL.com.
    62′ Ottawa – A flick-on by Heinemann is met by a charging Oliver with a volley that just goes over
    66′ Atlanta – Peiser makes a fabulous save with his legs after a missed tackle allows Atlanta to get behind the defense
    71′ Atlanta – Peiser wins his MotM performance with this double save on Hans Denissen after a lifted pass goes over the head of Falvey, as the keeper shows his quickness on his feet
    81′ 84′ Ottawa – Wiedeman makes his presence known quickly, with a shot from the CAM position testing the keeper, and then getting a head on a decent cross a few minutes after
    ---
    2015 Fury FC NASL Season – Matchday 2 – Atlanta Silverbacks FC vs. Ottawa Fury FC Review – 1-1 D
    When: Saturday, April 11, 2015 @ 7:30pm EDT
    Where: Atlanta Silverbacks Park, Atlanta, GA
    Ottawa Injuries and Suspensions: CM Phil Davies, DM Richie Ryan, AM Sinisa Ubiparipovic, LW Paulo Jr. (out – injury); CM Julian de Guzman (out – suspension)
    Ottawa Returnees: DM Mauro Eustaquio, CM Nicki Paterson, LW Oliver (in – return from suspension)
    Ottawa (4-2-3-1) – Peiser 8; Randolph 5, Falvey 5, Rafael Alves 7, Richter 6; Paterson 8, Misik 7 (Beckie 76′, 7); Poltronieri 7 (Eustaquio 86′, N/A), Oliver 7 (Wiedeman 74′, 7), Haworth 6; Heinemann 7
    Ottawa Unused Subs: DeBellis, Trafford
    Atlanta (4-4-2) – Cochran, Black, Mensing, McKenzie, Miller, Okafor (Denissen 66′), Reed, Oppong (Sawchak 88′), Porter, Horth (Chavez 71′), Bangura
    Ottawa Goal/Assist – Paterson 33′
    Atlanta Goal – Porter 56′
    —
    You can follow Namu Yoon on Twitter at @BBSC_SeoulBro and @OFFCReview, and his Canadian Soccer News articles on Ottawa Fury FC at http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/index.php?/page/articles.html/_/ottcityfootie and https://offcreview.wordpress.com.
    Guest
    And then the unthinkable happened, Cameron Porter goes down with a season ending injury and all the chemistry the offense has found his gone. Jack Mcinnerney is a good striker and full of potential, we have seen glimpses of great abilities from the young American on a couple of occasions with Philly and Montreal, but the "type" of football that he brings is diametrically opposed to what Cameron Porter brought earlier this season. The biggest difference is Porter was able to hold the ball, giving Piatti more time to observe and then dissect the defense.
    Jack, is more of a finisher, poacher and well-timed run type of striker. He can be affective, with a style of play that would resemble more the Impact of early 2013. With the midfielders that Montreal has (mainly Piatti) and their skills set, the style of play of Jack does not seem to be compatible or fine tuned enough. Montreal needs goals and points in MLS before the gap becomes a wall and becomes insurmountable.
    Then the whole Kenny Cooper rumors started a couple of weeks ago, with a lot of back channel talk about how he could be a tactical answer to Montreal and both clubs and the player were close to a deal. If a deal would have been made then, the Impact would ave had a huge salary cap hit, Cooper being on a big contract. But this being MLS, Cooper was bought out by Seattle, rendering his contract worthless and making him a free agent. Then I started thinking, Kenny's type of play and reputation is closer to a blue collar, hard working striker, like Porter, and he could really be of use here right now, and I guess Adam Braz, the Montreal Impact's General Manager, thought the same. He signs Kenny Cooper for a undisclosed amount, which has to be lower then his last price tag, so at the end of the day, IMFC has the player they wanted and are probably paying less then they originally thought.
    Tactically, Cooper should bring a type of play that will be similar to what Porter brought earlier. He is capable of holding the ball high, capable of playing with his back to the net and capable of dangerous header off set pieces and corner.
    Is Kenny Cooper the savior striker that will rescue IMFC from the abyss of the bottom of the table in the MLS, who knows, but tactically I believe it has a better chance of working then with Jack Mcinnerney.
    Michael Mccoll
    REPORT:
    Seven games in to the new MLS season and do we really know just what sort of team Vancouver Whitecaps are this year? We've seen the good, the really good, the bad and the ugly so far, with the latter being served up in San Jose on Saturday evening as the 'Caps went down 1-0 to a 75th minute Sanna Nyassi goal.
    Neither team really deserved anything from the match. Chances were at a premium, while a lot of the postgame analysis will focus on how the team leading MLS in not just the standings, but also in shot and shots on target, couldn't muster up one single shot on goal during the entire match.
    The did manage to rack up the cards though, six in total, with five yellows and a late red card to captain Pedro Morales. It basically summed up a dreadful trip to California.
    Carl Robinson had promised there would be changes for his tired players and the Whitecaps made four changes to the starting line-up from the midweek draw with Columbus. After coming on as a 14th minute sub against the Crew, Pa Modou Kah came in for basically his third game in eight days, while Jordan Harvey returned to the starting line-up at left-back for the first time since the season opener.
    In the midfield, the young Honduran Deybi Flores came in for his first MLS start in the DM role, while Darren Mattocks made the move to the right wing and Kekuta Manneh returned to the left.
    The first half had a kind of school playground feel to it, as both teams seemed spend a lot of energy simply running around but without creating any clear cut chances or generating any shots on target.
    The referee in the meantime was busy dishing out yellow cards, showing four in total before half time, three of them to Whitecaps. And he was nowhere near finished.
    Mattocks got the first, just three minutes in, and he also booked San Jose keeper David Bingham in the 11th minute for a deliberate handball outside of the box. That should have been a red in our mind as Bingham clearly knew where he was and knocked the ball away from Octavio Rivero.
    Adam Jahn did have the ball in the net for San Jose in the 8th minute but was flagged offside. For Vancouver, Kekuta Manneh had a nice run to make room for himself but finished it off with a dreadful shot, while the lethal Rivero wasn't given a sniff.
    It was a dreadful half and no surprise when both teams went in at 0-0.
    The second half started livelier, which would have been hard, and Chris Wondolowski flashed a shot wide left two minutes in, as the home side took the game to the Whitecaps.
    But then the action died again, or I may have fallen asleep, although the way that time felt like it stood still, I may have been transported to another dimension. Hopefully one that had games with some excitement there.
    Jahn had a low shot for the Quakes just past the hour mark before Manneh nearly lit up the game with some fantastic footwork in the box as he weaved through the San Jose defence. But not for the first time, the Gambian took too many touches and didn't get off a shot. It's something he seriously needs to work on in his game.
    San Jose had what was the best chance of the game so far in the 69th minute when Clarence Goodson stuck out a leg and saw his effort fly narrowly right.
    The game finally came to life in the 75th minute after a spell of pressure from San Jose. The Quakes had a couple of chances blocked by the Whitecaps defence before the ball finally broke to a free Sanna Nyassi, the 'Caps first pick in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft before being immediately traded, and the Gambian made no mistake in burying high into the net, giving David Ousted no chance.
    Fair to say it was a bad day at the office for the Whitecaps, and it was a day that was still to get even worse as 'Caps captain Pedro Morales was sent off along with the Earthquakes Jahn in the 88th minute.
    Jahn was on the deck after a tackle from Whitecaps sub Russell Teibert. With the ball between his legs, Morales tried to kick the ball out, leading to the Quakes player kicking out at the Chilean's shinpad.
    It was a bizarre incident that didn't really seem to merit a red card for either player, and in particular Morales, but referee Edvin Jurisevic had set the tone early and sent both players off. Just the last in a string of poor decisions he had on the night.
    Morales told Robinson after the match that he hadn't heard any whistle and felt the ball was there to be won. He clearly didn't aim to kick the player, while Jahn did definitely kick out.
    With both teams reduced to ten men, the Whitecaps never looked like grabbing a late share of the points, although sub Kianz Froese had a late effort that didn't trouble Bingham.
    The Whitecaps five match unbeaten run has now come to an end, but it was the flat nature of it that will be concerning Robinson the most.
    FINAL SCORE: San Jose Earthquakes 1 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps
    ATT: 18,000 (sell-out)
    SAN JOSE: David Bingham, Marvell Wynne, Victor Bernardez, Clarence Goodson, Cordell Cato, Fatai Alashe, Sanna Nyassi, Matias Perez Garcia (Tommy Thompson 80), Shea Salinas, Chris Wondolowski (J.J. Koval 64), Adam Jahn [subs Not Used: Bryan Meredith, Ty Harden, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi, Leandro Barrera, Mike Fucito]
    VANCOUVER: David Ousted; Steven Beitashour, Kendall Waston, Pa Modou Kah, Jordan Harvey; Matias Laba (Kianz Froese 80), Deybi Flores (Russell Teibert 68); Darren Mattocks (Erik Hurtado 72), Pedro Morales, Kekuta Manneh; Octavio Rivero [subs Not Used: Paolo Tornaghi, Sam Adekugbe, Nicolás Mezquida, Tim Parker]
    REACTION:
    VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
    CARL ROBINSON
    On the overall performance (on TSN radio):
    "I thought we were way below the levels that I expect and the players expect. We didn't get a shot on target, we didn't have enough of the ball, we didn't pass well enough. We looked flat and this game was always a concern for me, being the third game in a week. We weren't at the races. I'll take responsibility for that, and we move on."
    On the standard and consistency of the refereeing (on TSN radio):
    "As you all know, it's very difficult for me to comment and I am unable to comment. What I can say is that I can analyze my performance and my team's performance and we didn't deserve anything from the game based on the way we played. But, I think there's another analysis that needs to be done as well because my team picked up five yellow cards. It seems to be repetitive and it's a concern of mine because I don't think it was a nasty game at all. Both managers were voicing their frustration because there were throw-ins that were given the wrong way, there was corners that were missed, there was simulation, there was bad decisions and you pick up yellow cards for innocuous challenges, but that's not for me to discuss, but I'll analyze my team, I can't analyze anything else."
    "Whether I agree with the yellow cards or not, or decisions or not, I could comment here and I'll be out of pocket every week because it is frustrating. When both managers agree on certain things, whether it's for your side or against your side, I think it's pretty simple. Whether we get a reputation or not, I want to get a reputation for playing fantastic football and winning. Unfortunately we didn't win, we didn't play fantastic football today and we lost."
    "When you get a yellow card after three minutes and 17 fouls in the first half, then I think the tone is set. Nothing surprises me in this game, unfortunately, but the beauty of this game is that there's always another game next week."
    On Pedro Morales' red card (on TSN radio):
    "I spoke to Pedro after the game. The ball is inbetween the boy's legs, as he's on the floor, the linesman is flagging, but there's no whistle heard by Pedro and he tried to kick the ball out of the boy's legs, which you're allowed to do if he's holding the ball on the floor. The boy kicked out at him afterwards, and I'm not saying that was a sending off, but if the ball's inbetween the legs of a player on the floor and no whistle is heard then I don't know what you tell your player to do."
    On Game (scrum):
    "Not a very good match to be fair. We didn’t play well. I don’t think we deserve anything from the game. We didn’t get a shot on target. You don’t get a shot on target, you don’t get to score goals. So, we’ll analyze our performance – my team’s performance – because third game in a week is always going to be difficult."
    On Deybi Flores' performance (scrum):
    "I thought he was good. I thought he showed energy. I thought he grew into the game. He was keen, he liked to get on the ball and stuff and I thought it was a really positive performance."
    STEVEN BEITASHOUR:
    On overall game:
    "We gotta keep the ball. We didn’t keep the ball tonight. I don’t know what it was. Might have been that three game in a week but we just gotta keep the ball, possession, open up the field and just do differently than we did tonight."
    KIANZ FROESE
    On overall game:
    "Obviously we are all disappointed after a match like that, but what can you say about it, right? We’re just going to put our heads down, work hard in training the next week and prepare for the next match."
    SAN JOSE
    DOMINIC KINNEAR
    On difference between first half and second half:
    "I thought we were playing pretty good. We weren’t bad, we were just a little bit disconnected at times. But I thought our energy level was definitely better. We were moving the ball quicker and therefore guys were finding little gaps in the field, which made it easier to attack. And I think at that point we were playing in their half of the field rather than our half of the field. They may have been a little fatigued as well, they’ve had a tough week and put together some good results. But I can’t speak for them, I only speak for us, and I thought we were due a goal. We were knocking on the door, we were getting in around it, our last pass was just a little bit of a pinch off. We were kind of letting them off the hook. But good for us to get the win."
    On no shots on goal in first half:
    "Sometimes we rush ourselves. We were kind of getting there, and then when we got there, we made the wrong decision. At times we could have been a little bit more unselfish. You also have to give the other team credit. They’re a good defensive team. Those two in the middle, [Pa Modou] Kah and [Kendall] Waston are tough ones. I think we had more possession in their half in the second half, therefore we were holding the ball a little bit better. One shot that was on goal went in, so that’s what I’m happy about."
    On performance of the defensive back four:
    "I thought the whole back four played well. Cordell [Cato], being an emergency left back, looked comfortable. I think everyone talked about their speed out wide before the game started. So for us to counter it with speed was a good idea, and I thought both Marvell [Wynne] and Cordell had good games. Through the middle, Victor [bernárdez] and Clarence [Goodson] have been playing good together. It’s a pretty solid partnership. And then quietly Fatai Alashe I thought had a really good game tonight. He was on and around [Pedro] Morales as much as possible and that’s what we wanted him to do. He broke up a lot of plays. To see him [goalkeeper David Bingham] facing no shots on goal is obviously a great thing for us."
    On Adam Jahn:
    "In watching Vancouver play, with Waston and Kah, they’re probably two of the more physical guys as far as defensive partnerships in the center defence. So it was important for him to take his licks today, because he had to, to be helpful for us, and I think he did that well. He’s a bit of a battering ram at times. He keeps his game simple. He provides a great service for us. I think in the second half too, he was taking more two and three-touches, rather than one or four or five, and that’s why we were having more possession in the field. Obviously at the end, he loses his head a little bit, but I thought the last couple games he’s helped us out a lot. I’d like to see him get a goal for all his hard work. He’s putting himself in good spots, but obviously it’s a bit difficult to do. But I think he’s having a good season for us so far."
    MATIAS PEREZ GARCIA
    On overall match:
    "We knew coming in to this match that it was going to be a test. In the first half, we weren’t sharp and running without assignment. We knew in the second half that we needed to play better and it showed. We created multiple chances and I feel that calmed us down a bit. We continued to attack, we scored the goal and that’s why we won tonight."
    On Earthquakes' possession:
    "We had more touches in the midfield. Guys found the open spaces and we were moving the ball. We need to continue playing at this level, especially after a rough loss like last week. We came out empty-handed then, but tonight the ball found the back of the net for us and we leave with three points."
    FATAI ALASHE
    On team playing through injuries:
    "We have a very deep team. The guys coming off the bench can start as well. Everyone is fighting for a spot to play. The players we didn’t have available tonight are good players, but we have the depth to pick up some of those pieces. We are confident either way."
    On clean sheet:
    "It was big for us. Credit to guys like [Clarence Goodson], Victor [bernardez], Marvell [Wynne] and Cordell [Cato]. David [bingham] did a great job out there communicating with the backline. The defenders were winning balls in the air; getting in on good tackles. The shutout is a credit to them, but also to the whole team collectively. We played good team defence starting from the top in Chris [Wondolowski] and Matias [Perez Garcia]. It feels good to get that first shutout. Hopefully there are many more to come."
    MARVELL WYNNE
    On returning to line-up:
    "When you’re not playing, you always feel that if you were out there, you’d make a difference. There was nothing in particular that I saw fault in the defensive play as of late, but I just really wanted to get back out there and play my own game and contribute."
    On pace of match:
    "It felt like we were in command of this game. We came in at halftime and the feeling amongst us was we can win this game. We knew we did not let them get any shots up to that point so we tried to keep it going. We felt our play deserved three points and we just went for it."
    Guest

    Does a stadium have a soul?

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    That is a question that I will attempt to answer 10 days from now, when I step into Estadio Azteca, in Mexico City for the first time. When you talk about mythical and intimidating stadium, in North America at least, it does not get any better than Azteca. This venue saw Pelé win the Jules Rimet Trophy against Italy in the 1970 World Cup and saw Diego Maradona execute arguably the most famous goal in the history of goals in the sport of football, the "Hand of God". So if there has ever been a candidate to investigate the presence of a "soul" in a stadium, Azteca is the cream of the crop!
    The stadium that is home for Club America and Cruz Azul, of the Mexican First Division (Liga MX), will be the host of the Scotiabank's Concacaf Champions League Finals 1st leg on April 22nd betweent Club America and the Montreal Impact. The cinderella-like run of the club out of Montréal will be in serious jeopardy in front of the arguably most rowdy and intimidating crowd in the world. Having watch and analysed the Impact for a long time, I will attempt to investigate the effects of the famous "home field advantage" on the team and compare them to the positive effects that the game at Stade Olympique , with a sell out crowd of 60 000 I suspect , will have on the bleu-blanc-noir .
    So at the end of the final whistle on April 29th, I will dangerously attempt to answer one of the most long overdue question in sports, Is Home Field Advantage actually real? and Does a stadium have a "soul"
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