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    Duane Rollins
    Namu Yoon will be guiding Canadian Soccer News readers through the rest of Ottawa Fury FC’s inaugural season in the North American Soccer League. This is his first column.
    By Namu Yoon,
    The Ottawa Fury FC NASL franchise was born in 2011 out of a partnership between John Pugh, founder of Ottawa Fury SC (USL PDL from 2005 to 2013), and Jeff Hunt, president of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), with Pugh being named president of the new NASL club. Competing in its maiden season this year, the Fury FC entered NASL as the 9th and 10th club alongside fellow expansion cousin Indy Eleven.
    The Spring Season was a success on the field for the Fury FC, as they finished 6th among the 10 clubs in the 9-game Spring Season, above both Indy Eleven and Ottawa’s Canadian rivals, FC Edmonton, while showcasing an attractive attacking philosophy. Ottawa captured some significant wins, such as a 4-0 demolishing of Carolina RailHawks at home, as well as an impressive 2-4 away victory at Indy Eleven. The club made its temporary home at the Keith Harris Stadium at Carleton University, which did contribute to low attendance figures due to the small capacity of 3,044 at Keith Harris Stadium, as well as a rocky artificial turf which contributed to injuries among the players.
    However, these issues were overwhelmingly addressed after the NASL summer break, with the club entering the balanced 18-game Fall Season in its new permanent home of TD Place Stadium at Landsdowne Park, where the potential for future growth in attendance is very high. The club set the single-game attendance record for NASL 2.0, with 14,593 fans filling the stadium in the home opener against the New York Cosmos, as Ottawa announced itself in the North American footy landscape. The results on the pitch, however, have not gone as planned, as the club currently finds itself at the foot of the standings after 9 matches, with 6 points in the Fall Season so far, with the sole win coming at Indy.
    The club mainly plays in a 4-3-3 formation that emphasizes a great amount of possession and a patient build-up play, while the team can transition to a 4-4-1-1 or even a 4-2-4 when chasing a lead later in the game. The goals have come mainly from ST Tom Heinemann, winger Oliver and CM Tony Donatelli, while assists have come from Donatelli, AM Sinisa Ubiparipovic and DM Richie Ryan. Further offensive spark has come from winger Carl Haworth, while ironman CB Mason Trafford, who has not missed a single minute all season, CB/RB Drew Beckie and CB Omar Jarun lead the defensive efforts of the club.
    The club has a high number of Canadian internationals in the squad, and is led by manager Marc Dos Santos, a dynamic and multilingual tactician who has achieved success with Montreal Impact in the USL First Division and gained significant coaching experience in Brazil recently. Dos Santos is assisted by two accomplished former players in assistant manager Martin Nash and GK coach Bruce Grobbelaar.
    Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Ottawa Fury FC Match Preview
    After a dramatic last-gasp 2-2 home draw vs. Carolina last Sunday, the Fury FC will be traveling to Tampa Bay with renewed confidence and belief that they can avenge their 0-2 loss at home to Tampa Bay in the weekend prior to the Carolina match. While GK Romuald Peiser and Ubiparipovic shone particularly against Carolina, they will have to lead the Fury players to an even better showing to grab a result against a side that has been a front-runner throughout the Fall Season.
    Tampa Bay comes in with 5-1-3 record in the Fall Season, with the 16 points from 9 matches good for 3rd place, while it occupies one of the 4 playoff spots from the combined year-long table. Tampa Bay does possess a somewhat weak home record of 3-2-4 in league play so far, as they have shown themselves to be stronger away from home. The Rowdies visited Ottawa just two weekends ago, as they grabbed a professional 0-2 away win, taking advantage of a makeshift Fury FC defense that had been decimated by injury and transfers. Two defenders, Jarun and RB Andres Fresenga, have since returned from injury, while the club is expected to sign 1 or 2 more defenders in the coming week.
    Ottawa will welcome back RW/RB Philippe Davies from his 1-game suspension, which was enforced due to his two yellow cards against Tampa Bay two weeks ago, in what was a rough and tumble 2nd half between the two teams. Tampa Bay usually lines up in a 4-4-2 formation to take advantage of the stellar play of ST Georgi Hristov, the 2013 NASL Golden Ball winner, while winger/ST Brian Shriver, who won the 2013 NASL Golden Boot, is another dangerous weapon who is regaining his form after an injury in the spring.
    Injuries and Suspensions
    CB/RB Drew Beckie (injury, doubtful), winger Carl Haworth (injury, doubtful)
    NASLLive.com, Saturday 7:30pm EDT
    Michael Mccoll
    You can find his full gallery from the game HERE.


    >Carl Valentine - legend


    Carl Valentine watches his Ring of Honour video montage


    Bobby Lenarduzzi officially inducts Carl Valentine into the Ring of Honour


    The teams come out


    Vancouver Whitecaps starting XI


    Kendall Waston comes close with an early header


    Kendall Waston in the thick of the action again as Victor Bernardez bundles him over


    Penalty Whitecaps! "Who? Me?" says Bernardez


    Pedro Morales strokes up to slot it home


    And celebrates with Carl Robinson


    Second half gets feistily underway as Steven Beitashour is boarded


    Kendall Waston casually makes room for himself at a corner


    And he shakes off everyone to powerfully head home through Cordell Cato's legs


    The big man is happy to get his first Whitecaps and first MLS goal


    Russell Teibert hangs off Kendall Waston in the celebrations


    Pedro Morales fires a fierce one off but Jon Busch produces a fantastic save


    Pedro Morales this time puts the ball away but goal is called back for handball


    And Pedro can't believe it! Even though it was a clear handball!


    Curva Collective finally have a reason to get naked!


    Sebastian Fernandez comes close to adding a third


    Game over. Mean and moody.
    You can follow Tom on Twitter, where he goes under the name Residual Image.
    Grant
    It’s a well-worn theme here. Canada is not an easy thing to do. And I genuinely feel for those who have been dedicated to it far longer than myself. My expectations for last night’s game were so low heading in I only bothered to procure a ticket at the last minute. I arrived at the stadium uncharacteristically early and sober, and was pleasantly surprised to see so many Canada jerseys milling around outside versus relatively fewer Jamaican ones. That feeling deflated as I entered section 114 prior to kickoff and realized the stadium was only half full. The entire west side upper deck and north end sat depressingly barren.
    Even the Voyageurs seemed subdued, which I judged as okay, given some nights are more prone to high energy than others, and mid-week friendlies against experimental opposition are low on that scale. When the Jamaicans scored in the 30th minute it was immediately apparent there were far more opposition supporters in the stands than the sprinkling of yellow shirts initially indicated. “Jesus fuck,” (or something to that effect) was the first phrase through my head. It’s great to make self-deprecating jokes about Canadian soccer and to relish in how futile it all is. Especially if you delude yourself into believing you are somehow cut of more robust cloth for sticking through it. But the generally shittiness of it all eventually gets to everyone but the clinically insane. The idea of losing to whatever ideas Jamaican manager Winfried "Winnie" Schäfer was testing with his squad selection made me wish I’d stayed home. (An interesting note on Winnie, from our vantage point he looked very much like either an old-school television evangelist or a fading Dutch porn star.)
    And then out of nowhere, boom! David Edgar wonder strike. I wouldn’t say the south end exploded in the sense fans often explode after a huge goal. And given how rare Canada goals are you’d think there would be enough pent-up frustration. But the vibe I felt was more of a “Whee-hee, this ain’t going to be so bad after all!” And as the match wore on, my fear that Canada was going to do what it always does - lose frustratingly - slowly melted. Two goals and three beers later I even broke into something resembling a dance.
    I wanted a “we’re going to Russia” chant. I wanted Benito Floro do saunter over to the supporters' section and take a bow and do whatever the equivalent of a mustache twirl is for men with a cleanly shaven face. I was purposely getting ahead of myself.
    Two days later I’m still happy with the result, if not convinced Canada is a dramatically better team than the one that went 16 games without a win, while being outscored 29-4 in the process. Yes, Canada controlled play, but this was a Jamaica far removed from full strength. Goalkeeper Andre Blake put his inexperience on full display, and the islanders’ attack was an uncoordinated mess. Marcel de Jong scored a sweet free kick but also attempted several wild interventions that failed spectacularly. Canada would have been burned in actual qualifying.
    The narrative was one of progress, but I’ll cling to the other trope about enjoying enjoyable moments when they come your way. We rarely get to watch Canada win by multiple goals and, hey, here’s to feeling good instead of feeling bitter, disappointed or feeling nothing at all as a way to cope.
    Add in Jonathan Osorio, Tesho Akindele, Will Johnson, Lucas Cavallini, maybe even Junior Hoilett and this team starts to look like something. I’m still concerned about not having a keeper who receives regular playing time, and apart from David Edgar the defensive line is nothing but question marks.
    But after Tuesday I’m again giving in to hope. I mean, I’d always be giving in to hope, just not publicly. Rationally concluding the team lacks quality and predicting loudly it will suck is one thing. But you always secretly hope the that won't be the case. Otherwise there’s no point.
    Ah Christ. The 2015 Gold Cup, the 2016 Copa America and the 2018 qualifying process. At some point during those three competitions, something meaningful and exciting and totally worth celebrating maniacally in the company of other fans will happen. And it will have a far bigger impact than Terry Dunfield scoring a screamer against Ecuador. I hope.
    Edit: The last paragraph of this post has been changed to show that Terry Dunfield scored against Ecuador, not Peru.
    Michael Mccoll
    With three games in eight days, Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson was wanting to fully utilise his squad, but the important nature of this one somewhat dictated the strength of his starting line-up and there was only two changes from Saturday's 0-0 draw with DC United.
    Steven Beitashour shook off his injury to return to the right back role, with Erik Hurtado coming in to partner Sebastian Fernandez up front at the expense of the wasteful Darren Mattocks.
    Vancouver carried the vast majority of the early play but only had a 13th minute Kendall Waston header and a string of wayward shots to show for it.
    Hurtado forced a low save out of Jon Busch as the half hour mark approached but just when it looked like it was going to be a case of same old, same old the Whitecaps did the unthinkable - they scored a goal!
    Waston went up for a free kick and was bundled over in the box by Victor Bernardez. Pedro Morales stepped up to drill the ball home low past Busch and end the Whitecaps 449 minute goal drought.
    Vancouver took the lead into half time, with San Jose offering nothing in return apart from a long list of zeros on the stats sheet.
    San Jose came out more lively at the start of the second half but Vancouver got the crucial next goal and doubled their advantage in the 56th minute when Waston got the better of his marker to bullet home a Morales corner through the legs of Cordell Cato on the Earthquakes goalline.
    Morales nearly made it three for Vancouver in the 73rd minute when Fernandez played a delicious backheel into his path and Busch was forced to make an acrobatic save to turn the Chilean's fierce shot around the post.
    Vancouver had chances to add to their lead, but couldn't convert.
    Pedro Morales had a goal chalked off for offside late on, but it was a comfortable 2-0 win for Vancouver in the end and almost removes San Jose from the playoff mix in the West with just weeks of the season remaining.
    FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Whitecaps 2 – 0 San Jose Earthquakes
    ATT: 17,183
    VANCOUVER: David Ousted; Steven Beitashour, Andy O’Brien, Kendall Waston, Jordan Harvey; Matias Laba, Mauro Rosales (Mehdi Ballouchy 62), Pedro Morales (Nicolas Mezquida 86), Russell Teibert; Sebastian Fernandez, Erik Hurtado (Darren Mattocks 90+3) [subs Not Used: Paolo Tornaghi, Sam Adekugbe, Omar Salgado, Kekuta Manneh]
    SAN JOSE: Jon Busch; Shaun Francis, Victor Bernardez, Jason Hernandez, Jordan Stewart; Cordell Cato, J.J. Kovall (Khari Stephenson 66), Sam Cronin, Shea Salinas (Atiba Harris 60); Tommy Thompson (Michael Fucito 84), Chris Wondolowski [subs Not Used: Bryan Meredith, Ty Harden, Adam Jahn, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi]
    REACTION:
    VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
    CARL ROBINSON
    Thoughts on the game:
    "My young boys are very, very good. I’ve got a hundred percent faith in them. As I say to you every week, we won the game today, whether they scored or not. It’s not about any individual. What pleased me the most was a team performance today. Capped off with guys filling in for each other like Sebastian (Fernandez). Sebastian set the tone from the first minute of the game, he was absolutely fantastic in everything he did. And he was infectious to all the other players. And Russell stepped up a level, and Matias Laba was good as well. It was pleasing because it’s not easy when you’re in a tricky patch to perform, but we did that tonight."
    Thoughts on Kendall Waston:
    "I still think he can get even better. I think there are areas of his games that he needs to work on, and we’ll work on those with him. When he scored the difficult header, he ran off to celebrate and you see a big smile on the big guy’s face but you have the rest of the team hanging off him and he doesn’t even know they’re on his back, which is how big he is and how strong he is and it was an excellent performance by him."
    On dominating in the second half:
    "Going in at 1-0 is never easy. Pedro getting the penalty was good for his confidence. I think he was very good in the second half. We haven’t scored in four games but if those four games were littered throughout the season when we were scoring three or four goals and going away to Columbus and winning 1-0 then no one asks the question. But we need to get better. That’s a beginning but we still have a lot of hard work to do. And the hard work starts now."
    Thoughts on Steven Beitashour and prospects heading down to Dallas:
    "He held up. There was constant communication between me and him. It was a risk playing him but it was a very big game for us as we had to get points on the board and I think he managed the game very, very well. He’s a veteran player, so he was excellent in his decision making and a big influence. It was hard leaving Ethen (Sampson) out as he did very, very well for 55 minutes. I’ll speak to Steven now as I’ll speak to all my players and I’m sure there will be one or two that are feeling a little bit fatigued. But I have some more young guys ready for the challenge if need be."
    Thoughts on giving Morales more rest for Saturday’s match:
    "There was a little bit of worry that he should be taken off. I wanted a third goal. Because at 2-0 you are never comfortable. The third goal unfortunately didn’t come. He wanted to play as long as he wanted to. But I wanted to get Nicolas Mezquida in the game as well because he’s been very, very sharp in training and it was a reward for him because I didn’t want San Jose to get into a little rhythm in the last ten minutes."
    Thoughts on Russell Teibert and ground coverage:
    "Does anyone cover as much ground as Russell? He’s like a little battery machine. By the way, he’s still got a lot more to give. I think sometimes he plays within his comfort zone, as a few of my young players do, and I don’t want them to do that. I want them to play with an expression and personality, and I think he was one of a number of players that epitomized that today because he ran, he covered, he tackled, he harassed, and there was one time he beat Khari Stephenson to a header and that’s what you have to do if you’re going to play in central midfield. I don’t care how big you are or how small you are but it’s important you compete and today was an all-around performance from Russell."
    Thoughts on this being a big mental win:
    "It will be nice for them to get three points on the board and keep ticking along. I tried to take the pressure off the group in there because we haven’t won as many games as we would have liked. I’m sure the players do feel it, I don’t want them to feel it, but it’s natural if they do. But today they didn’t show as if they were playing with any pressure. And that was a pleasing thing because on Saturday, we didn’t play as if we were feeling any pressure but we couldn’t score. I continued to stick to my beliefs in the way that the game should be played and they continued to stick to their beliefs within a system and it paid today."
    On criticism during the recent goalscoring slump:
    "There's teams that go through stages where they don't win in five or six games. so you can feel sorry for yourselves or you can roll your sleeves up, meet the challenge head on and I think that's what we've done all along. We haven't scored in four games but if those four games. If those four games were littered throughout the season where we were scoring threes and fours and going away to Columbus and winning 1-0 then no-one asks the question. We need to get better. I said to them, that's the beginning but we still have a lot of hard work to do and the hard work starts now."
    What Whitecaps need wins or pointswise to make the playoffs:
    "Every week it seems to change, every result it seems to change," Robinson said. "All I've said all along is take care of your business, that's all we can control. We can't control what San Jose, what Colorado, what Chivas, what Portland do unless we're playing them. We've got to control ourselves and today we did that. I just want to be above that red line. That's what we've got to aim for. If I knew a points total I'd be able to tell you. It could be high, it could be low. It could be two wins, it could be five wins, it could be seven wins. I don't care how many it is, as long as we try and get above that line."
    KENDALL WASTON
    On his first goal:
    "I had the first chance in the first half, and I missed it, so I’ve got to keep on working hard because I know anytime there can be another chance. I thought I could score on the second chance."
    On receiving corners from Morales and Rosales:
    "Yeah, we know that they have athletic qualities, kicking the ball in the box so we just have to reach the great spots, and find a way to score."
    On pressure to end the goal scoring drought:
    "Pressure, we have it every day because you need pressure for success every day. This game is about enjoyment, but having some good stuff – we knew today was the game that could help us to gain in the playoff spot. Tonight you could see everybody from the beginning was focused on what we were going to do, and that’s why we won today."
    What happened on the penalty?
    "Maybe he [bernardez] just pushed me a little bit but he took me out of balance and the referee saw it and for our team he blew a penalty."
    On his movement for the goal:
    "They were trying to hold me so I stuck to Jordan [Harvey] so I could separate from Bernardez because he is strong. So I see the ball going back and thank god I could go back and have a good header."
    Thoughts when the goal went in:
    "I just thought, oh finally because I was looking for it a long time ago. The game before v DC I missed some goals so today was the day."
    How he feels after his first victory at BC Place:
    "Nice, not just for the goal but because I know how hard our players are working during the week to win and today we could win and it was a great feeling."
    How does this result help going in to Dallas?
    "A lot, because we knew we had the opportunity to win and be closer to the first places. So now we have a great chance in Dallas. We know that they are a great team and a hot city, so now we are just preparing ourselves, having a good recovery, so hopefully we can make good stuff."
    DAVID OUSTED
    On frustration from missed early chances:
    "No I don’t think so, I don’t believe that we can score on every chance that we create but tonight was good, tonight we created chances and got our goals. Kendall did fantastic to get that goal in, and you see how aggressive he is, and how hard it is for a defence all the way."
    On whether the game was a relief, or just another game:
    "A little bit of both. It was nice to get the goals, and you saw how happy the guys were and the fans as well, but it’s still back to work now. It’s still one game out of the last push for the playoffs so we need to go to Dallas and still have a strong performance, and get goals and points."
    On the defence’s performance:
    "Fantastic. They made my life easy today. I think they had one or two shots, that was it, and we were really sound, not just the back four but the midfield. A lot of guys did tremendously in pressing, and keeping them away from chances."
    On getting the win after so many draws:
    "Yeah, I love getting three points. I love winning so let’s continue doing that and it’ll be a lot more fun."
    ANDY O’BRIEN
    Thoughts on the game:
    "Yeah it was very important. You know we’ve been waiting for solid goals to come, and we were pleased first and foremost that we got the three points, and to get two goals was very pleasing."
    On the win helping the team going forward:
    "When you’re winning games you want games to come thick and fast, and when things aren’t going so well you’re anticipating the next game, but it’s nice to go into the next game with a good result at home."
    Thoughts on Kendall Waston’s scoring ability:
    "It was well documented before signing him that he’s got a scoring record, and he probably could’ve had more goals, not just tonight but in previous games. He’s a big threat, and we’re delighted for him today to get his first goal, and the second goal for us."
    SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
    MARK WATSON
    Thoughts on the match:
    "It was a disappointing game. We knew it was going to be a tough game – they’re a good team. I think as much as they were the better team on the night, we gave them two goals off of set pieces, which is something you can’t do, especially on the road, and expect a result."
    On whether the second goal (the ball going right through Cato’s legs) is representative of how little things keep going wrong:
    "I think, in a way, we’re just finding ways every game to concede goals. I thought Vancouver was a better team on the night. But we gave them two, what I think were, soft goals off of set pieces and, especially on the road, you can’t do that and expect to get a result."
    On whether he still has hope, in terms of San Jose making the playoffs:
    "I will say it’s a disappointing result for us. That’s all I’ll say."
    JON BUSCH
    Thoughts on the match:
    "We knew it was going to be a tough game, as usual. They’re fighting for points just like we’re fighting for points. The difference in the game was two plays – the penalty kick and the header on the corner kick."
    On whether the loss worsens their shot at the playoffs:
    "Of course. We know how important the last two games were – in Portland and here. Our goal was to come out with six points and right now, we’ve got one out of six. It’s not good enough."
    On how they plan to rebound moving forward:
    "Pick ourselves up, look at the tape and get on with it. At this point in the season, you’ve got to get on with it, and you’ve got to find a way to get points and results. Period."
    James Grossi
    Ashtone Morgan
    Morgan returned to Toronto’s starting lineup for Wednesday’s match in Philadelphia; TFC would lose 1-0 – it was his first start of the season and only his second appearance, having seen one minute as a sub back on opening day in Seattle.
    Taking up the left-back spot in the midst of an injury crisis, Morgan did well, but showed a little bit of rust. He played a good ball to spring Luke Moore early, only for Maurice Edu to recover. Morgan also made a couple of strong runs, once winning a foul when he was tripped up by Cristian Maidana after holding off Sebastien Le Toux and later finding himself receiving a ball inside the Union box after a good run into the middle – a little surprised, he snatched at the chance.
    Defensively, Morgan added three interceptions, three recoveries, two clearances, and a tackle, getting his feet under him as the match played out.
    Morgan was caught out of position on Philadelphia’s goal, wandering up-field and then not recognizing and tracking the run of Le Toux, leading to Conor Casey’s tap-in.
    His night came to an abrupt end in the 77th minute, when he was red-carded for hauling down Le Toux who was breaking in alone after Nick Hagglund was caught in possession.
    Suspended for the weekend match, the Toronto, Ontario-native returned to the National Team camp to prepare for Tuesday night’s match against Jamaica.
    Russell Teibert
    Teibert maintained his place in the Vancouver’s starting lineup, making a fourth-straight start in their 0-0 draw against DC United on Saturday – it was his fourteenth start and 21st appearance.
    Initially alongside Matias Laba at the base of the midfield, Teibert roamed all over the pitch, inserting himself in the build-up of the Vancouver’s attack. He made a strong burst through the middle to give Pedro Morales a target, and then fed Mauro Rosales on the right, leading to a Darren Mattocks chance.
    Another good run down the left would lead to a cross for Mattocks, who connected, but saw his attempt saved by Bill Hamid and Teibert would later pick out Jordan Harvey at the near-post, only for the defender to direct his header wide.
    The Niagara Falls, Ontario-native was patient in the build-up, once trying to stab in Mattocks down the left-side of the box, only for his pass to be slightly over-hit; he also set up a Morales chance, squaring a pass across the top of the box.
    With nine recoveries, four tackles, and an interception, Teibert had a busy evening, but was made to look vulnerable on one play, attempting to close down Fabian Espindola, who blew right past him.
    Kyle Bekker
    Bekker was recalled from the National Team camp prior to Toronto’s rematch against Philadelphia on Saturday to take up a place on the bench. He was forced into action in the 44th minute, replacing Collen Warner, who left with a knock before half-time – it was Bekker’s first appearance in four matches and his thirteenth of the season.
    With Toronto already trailing by two goals – they would lose, 0-2, Bekker helped establish some more purposeful ball movement in the midfield as TFC went in search of goals, exhibiting a good partnership with Michael Bradley, though of course, no goals would come.
    One particular play of interest was a set-piece in the second half, when Bradley, rather than take the free-kick himself, squared in-field from the right to Bekker, who swung a ball towards the back-post. Nick Hagglund would not make the proper connection – though the attempt was spectacular. Too often, Bekker has deferred to more experienced players from set-pieces, when he clearly has something to offer from such situations.
    There were times when the Oakville, Ontario-native was a little indecisive, getting smashed by a Mo Edu tackle in midfield after taking a heavy touch, leading to a Philadelphia counterattack.
    Doneil Henry
    Henry made his seventeenth and eighteenth starts of the season in TFC’s double-headers against Philadelphia, losing each.
    On Wednesday, Henry did well to limit the Union chances, showing good strength to step in and cut out the run of Conor Casey after a Michael Bradley turnover – he was engaged in a physical tussle with the big striker all night, but would be caught out by that same aggression that serves him well on some occasions and proves costly on others.
    There was an early glimpse on that flaw, getting drawn up far too high into Casey, allowing Andrew Wenger a clear break at goal; the next time Henry pressed too high,
    , the Union would score the game’s lone goal.The Brampton, Ontario-native would see a yellow card in the 93rd minute, for a clattering challenge on Philadelphia’s Fred – it was his seventh booking of the season; he collected eight clearances, three recoveries, three interceptions, and a tackle to go with his three fouls.
    Come Saturday, Doneil retained his position as the left-sided centre-back, paired with Bradley Orr rather than Nick Hagglund this time around.
    It was his clearance that led to Casey’s goal in the eighth minute,
    – Henry was one of several defenders to not pick up the danger of Casey in the box.Henry would pick up another yellow card – his eighth – in the 28th minute for smashing into the back of Casey on an aggressive play – he will miss TFC’s next match with a suspension for yellow card accumulation.
    He would again get
    , pursing the ball all the way back to Le Toux near the flag after the initial corner kick was cut out, leaving gaps in the middle and the TFC defense scrambling.Henry would redeem himself on one play, recovering to the goalmouth to block a goal-bound Maidana effort; that one block was accompanied by eight recoveries, five clearances, three tackles, and a pair of interceptions.
    Dwayne De Rosario
    De Rosario, like Bekker, was recalled from the National Team camp for Toronto’s Saturday match against Philadelphia, where he was inserted into the starting lineup – it was his fourth start and twelfth appearance of the season.
    Taking up the left-side of midfield, with Jonathan Osorio out with a hamstring strain, De Rosario, as he did against New England the previous weekend, provided some freshness and verve to the Toronto attack; lively, if not as dynamic as in the past.
    The Scarborough, Ontario-native made one very strong run up the middle, trying to spring a counter from a Union corner kick; he muscled past one player, but with no support, was then thrown to the ground by Ray Gaddis – no foul was given.
    When Toronto started to control passages of the match in the second half, De Rosario regularly helped weave passes down his side, laying off to Mark Bloom, whose low shot struck off the base of the far-post.
    De Rosario would leave the match in the 70th minute, making way for Jackson.
    Wandrille Lefevre
    Lefevre started his fifth-straight match in the Montreal back-line as the Impact fell to a 3-2 defeat away to Houston on Saturday – it was his tenth start and eleventh appearance of the season.
    Paired with Matteo Ferrari in the centre of defense, Lefevre had his hands full dealing with a new dynamic Houston attacking duo of sizable Giles Barnes and speedy Omar Cummings. Lefevre did well to keep pace with Cummings on a long ball out of the back, cutting out the chance, before following the Jamaican attacker too deep into midfield,
    in the 30th minute of play.The French-born defender was also caught out by the quick movement of Barnes on Houston’s second,
    in the 62nd minute.Lefevre was very busy all match, springing Montreal attacks from deep, while picking up five clearances, three interceptions, three recoveries, and a tackle.
    Post-match, Lefevre commented on how difficult it was to play in the late-summer conditions of the Bayou City: “It was very difficult in the second half physically; we were late a number of times on the ball. It’s tough and unfortunate that we couldn’t play a good full 90 minutes. Missing some of our veterans tonight hurt us in the second half, especially under these circumstances.”
    Ferrari in fact had to leave the match at half-time, suffering from heat-related exhaustion, or something to that effect.
    Will Johnson
    Johnson stretched his iron-man streak to 27 consecutive starts in Portland’s entertaining 3-3 draw against San Jose on Sunday.
    Once more alongside Diego Chara, Johnson was part of the two-man shield in front of the back four; given the Timbers were at home, he got forward with abandon – occasionally to Portland’s detriment, as the three goals against can attest.
    The Toronto-born midfield was particularly influential through the opening hour, putting one shot on goal from a tight angle on the left after Diego Valeri laid a ball out wide – of his other two attempts at goal, one was blocked, the other went wide, attempting to wrap his foot around a layoff in stride.
    And Johnson was crucial defensively, getting a block on a Cordell Cato look and hurrying a rushed shot over the target from Sam Cronin, who had a clear sight at goal – Johnson would collect seven recoveries, two interceptions, two tackles, and a clearance to go with his block.
    His afternoon unraveled a little in the 57th minute, when he was yellow carded for dissent, incredulous at the lack of a handball call, though he was the only Timber who took protested so forcefully. Still steaming, Johnson got into a shoving match with Chris Wondolowski seconds later, dangerously testing the patience of the official – he was forced to tread carefully for the rest of the match.
    Post-match, he discussed a myriad of issues, including the club’s mental toughness to twice battle back: “We never have to question that. You guys never come in here at the end of the game and say ‘Wow. There was no effort today. What was up with that?’ Those aren’t the questions we get asked. That’s never been in question. The character of this group is top notch, which is why we keep fighting back when we keep letting ourselves down. Like I said, it’s other things we have to fix.”
    And their finishing: “Yeah. Finishing was poor, especially in the first half. Just got a lot of good chances. Second half, finishing was better and anytime you score three goals at home, you should win. It’s just the bottom line. Leaves you frustrated to only get a point.”
    Tesho Akindele
    Akindele was left out of the Dallas starting lineup for the first time in fifteen matches, a run that included all of his starts this season – he would replace Peter Luccin at half-time, making his fourth appearance from the bench, with Dallas trailing by one.
    Pushed up top with Andres Escobar and Fabian Castillo, Akindele provided a strong central role, nearly paying immediate dividends with a good run before dishing off to Castillo, who found Escobar down the left, but his shot could only find the side-netting.
    The Calgary, Alberta-native did play a role in Dallas’ equalizer, winning the free-kick that
    in the 61st minute – Kyle Beckerman had committed the foul. Akindele was also involved in the Salt Lake game-winner, struggling to match Alvario Saborio on a corner kick in the 77th, getting seconds after entering the pitch.Oscar Pareja hailed Akindele’s contribution to the 2-1 loss post-match, “Bringing in Tesho, he helped us. I thought we did more things going forward, Fabian had more company there, the team found a better rhythm. We were more aggressive. Another forward helped us, we were more confident.”
    Maxim Tissot
    Tissot began Montreal’s loss in Houston on the bench, coming in the 67th minute to replace Krzysztof Krol at left-back – it was his fifteenth appearance of the season, ten of which have come from the bench.
    Given that two of Houston’s goals were the direct result of mistakes from left-back, Krol, Tissot should perhaps have come on earlier, putting in a shift to lock down that side for the rest of the match, while getting forward with the Impact in search of an equalizer.
    Jonathan Osorio
    Osorio made his sixth-straight start for Toronto in Wednesday’s loss away to Philadelphia – it was his eighteenth start and 21st appearance of the season.
    From the left-side of midfield, Osorio was involved in a much better Toronto performance, free to tuck in-field, assisting in maintaining possession, but failing to find any way through a solid Philadelphia defense.
    The Toronto, Ontario-native was forced off at half-time with a hamstring concern, to be replaced by Gilberto; he would miss out on Saturday’s match with that same injury.
    Sam Adekugbe
    Adekugbe made a second-straight appearance for Vancouver against DC on Saturday – it was his third of the season, all but one from the bench.
    Coming on to replace Ethan Sampson at left-back in the 54th minute, Adekugbe was very active, compiling six clearances and three recoveries in his 36 minutes on the pitch.
    The English-born defender did very well to recover his position on a ball over the top for Fabian Espindola, showing good awareness and speed to insert himself between the dangerous attack and goal, getting hauled down to win a foul in the process.
    Kyle Porter
    Porter made a rare appearance, coming on for Luis Silva in the 85th minute at the end of DC’s 0-0 draw in Vancouver.
    It was the Toronto, Ontario-native’s fourth-appearance of the season, each from the bench, for a total of forty minutes.
    The Rest
    Jeremie Gagnon-Lapare, Anthony Jackson-Hamel, and Kofi Opare were unused substitutes for their respective sides.
    Karl Ouimette, who made his second appearance for Canada last night against Jamaica, did so with a heavy heart, having lost his sister Julie to her long battle with a rare leukemia. Send some thoughts his way.
    All video and quotes courtesy of MLSsoccer.com
    Each week James takes a look at the contributions of Canadians in the league and the league as a whole.
    You can follow James on twitter @grawsee or read more of his writing at Partially Obstructed View
    Michael Mccoll
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    You can listen to this week's podcast on iTunes HERE.
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    Michael Mccoll
    It's a lot of ifs, but they are doable ifs.
    Those two teams battled to a 3-3 draw on Sunday, in a game which saw San Jose blow 2-0 and 3-2 leads, the latter of which came with just five minutes remaining. It was a match and a performance that pleased, infuriated and frustrated their Vancouver born head coach Mark Watson all at the same time, but sets them up nicely for a big game in his hometown.
    "The mood's good," Watson said after his team trained at BC Place on Tuesday. "There was disappointment after the [Portland] game. Knowing that we had a lead in the 85th minute, that was disappointing. We know we're at the stage of the season with where we are in the table and the number of games left that we need to win games to get to where we want to be.
    "A certain level of disappointment, but in the end, a point's not bad against those teams that are right above you. You didn't gain any ground but you didn't lose any as well. But I think the team feels good and we'll dust ourselves off and get ready for another big game Wednesday night."
    Three points in Portland for San Jose and all bets are off in the playoff race, but the draw now makes tonight's clash at BC Place a massive match. It's an overused phrase in football these days, but it's an oh so true one for this Whitecaps-Earthquakes encounter, and Watson knows that a win puts his side right back in the playoff mix and gives them some strong momentum for the final stretch.
    "These last few games are against the teams that are right above us and they're in the positions that we want to be," Watson said. "I wouldn't use the phrase six pointer, but they're really crucial games and the results will have a big impact as to who finishes where."
    With the top four in the West (Seattle, LA, RSL and Dallas) all but having already claimed their postseason berth, it's looking like a shootout between Vancouver, Portland and San Jose for that final place in the playoffs. Nothing is really ever a certainty in football but that's certainly the scenario as Watson sees it right now.
    "I think it's pretty clear," he told us. "There's a chance the top four can slip a little bit but just basic math it looks like it's between the three. That's a thing we don't focus on but anyone looking at the standing, it'll kind of jump out at you. It just shows the importance of these past few games for us and obviously Wednesday night."
    The Whitecaps can go some way to removing the Earthquakes from that equation if they can get the win tonight. On current form, with no goals in 411 minutes and nine halfs of football, that's a mighty big if, but Watson cares little about the recent form of his opposition and is preparing as he would whether the Caps were flying or in their slump.
    "To be honest, we don't focus on that at all. We'll look at Vancouver more on a team perspective and individual players and things we've got to look at and focus on ourselves. We don't focus on that kind of stuff.
    "We obviously know they're situation and we know they'll come out motivated. I don't know if that's a positive or a negative sometimes when teams have struggled to score goals, because you know that they're going to come out with so much fire and hunger that it can be a dangerous situation."
    A draw doesn't really help either team, but the Whitecaps would certainly take it right now and it keeps them right on the neck of the Timbers.
    The way the standings and the remaining schedule have panned out must be something of a wet dream for MLS if results keep things so tight. But it is also one hell of a weird schedule. San Jose hadn't played any of their season's games against Portland until Sunday past and now have tow games against the Timbers and two against the Whitecaps in their final nine games.
    It's exciting for the fans, but not ideal as far as Watson is concerned.
    "It's not the way you want it," he told us. "You hope for a little bit more of a balance, but in the end the schedule comes out and you deal with it. I guess it's interesting in that you play so many games in a short period of time that you build up a good rivalry and the previous games aren't too distant, so there's a lot of stuff that can add up. But I think a little bit more balance over the course of the season would be preferred."
    One of Vancouver's best performances of the season came in their only meeting with San Jose back in May. Three goals in the opening 20 minutes and some beautiful football was played. It was a game that Watson joked that he's blocked from his memory. The Whitecaps can only hope that it's fresh in theirs and can rekindle that same performance because someone's playoff dreams could be shattered by the end of this evening.
    Michael Mccoll
    Team performances and breaks aside, Morales' own form has dipped since he was given the captain's armband. It's a correlation he refutes as being nothing more than a coincidence and he feels no added pressure since being given the responsibility after Jay DeMerit retired.
    "I think it's on the contrary," Morales said. "I don't think it's more pressure being the captain, it's an honour.
    "I don't feel the pressure on the field, even though I know I have a bigger responsibility as captain, but the coaches put all their trust in me and that helps me get through it."
    So just what is the cause behind the Whitecaps and Morales' current slump? The need to shoot more, especially himself, is one factor that he highlights, but what other captainly advice can he give the Caps' strikers to get them back firing again?
    "I think it just comes down to concentration in the games," Morales feels. "Just being able to score the chance and be more clinical. That being said, I see them train every day with great work ethic and they're doing everything they can to get better."
    The Whitecaps haven't been clinical since May, even then, in the midst of their eight match unbeaten run, Vancouver were a wasteful side and squandered a number of chances.
    One of their most dominant matches during that time came when San Jose were the visitors to BC Place at the start of May. Vancouver were 3-0 up within the first 20 minutes of the game and Morales had scored two of them.
    It's a performance and an end result that the Whitecaps badly need again, so with the Earthquake heading back to town on Wednesday, can Morales and the Caps' management use that previous game, or anything else, as a firestarter for a return to more of the same?
    "We've talked a lot," he said. "The media's talked a lot, we've talked a lot in the room about certain things on the field, including that. I think we just need to bear down and do what we need to do on the field.
    "I don't think we've played bad in the games, even in that last. We've just been unlucky that we haven't been able to convert. A month or two ago those chances would have gone in."
    And that's the problem. Hoping that the chances will maybe start to go in again could be a lost cause, but there are very little options to try and do something differently to change it that hasn't already been tried.
    The heavy reliance on Morales is understandable. Despite not contributing much for weeks, he still leads the Whitecaps in both goals and assists, with no-one coming even close with the latter. If the strikers had been converting more chances, he'd have had even more. To reiterate what we said before, if he doesn't play, Vancouver doesn't play. Neither of them are currently playing.
    Getting to the bottom of Morales' own dip in form is as hard to work out as to why the team's goals have dried up, but you can't help but feel that tiredness, overuse, burnout, whatever you want to call it, has to play a part in it.
    Morales has played 13 months of football and Robinson has made mention of the fear that that has taken its toll on the player. For his part, Morales feels his earlier fitness issues surrounding his back are in the past and he still has enough in his tank to see out the season.
    "I actually feel good physically and mentally as well," he noted. "Mentally I feel strong still. It has been a long time without a break but we've managed it quite well. The issues that I've had with my back before have gone with the work that I've done and I feel quite good in the games."
    Robinson has rested Morales a couple of times so far this season, citing the fact that he needs his influential captain at his peak for the big games. It's all big games now and with three matches in eight days, including a long road trip to Dallas, it would be a surprise to see Morales play 90 minutes in all of those games.
    The player himself agrees, and readily admits that his best form has deserted him on the road this season, as he struggles to adjust to life in MLS.
    "Tomorrow's game [against San Jose] is the most important here at home," Morales said. "Naturally I want to play in that one.
    "For me, I don't do very well with the travel and then especially when I get off the plane and we go to train, my body doesn't react very well to that. I think most important is for me to play in the game tomorrow. I am slowly getting used to it, but in Spain we never really had to travel that far."
    Reading between the obvious lines, don't expect him to start in Dallas, but with the Whitecaps having just one win without their talismanic midfield maestro contributing either a goal or an assist, and with every point now crucial, that's a blow.
    But perhaps not as big a one as Morales being out of form and out of sorts right now in general. He only has eight matches left this season to rekindle that early season magic, and the Whitecaps badly need him to do so.
    Grant
    According to data compiled from Soccerway.com ahead of last weekend’s MLS games, 17 Canadians have appeared in MLS this season for a total of 12,926 minutes. (The number actually drops to 11,601 minutes if we subtract the 1,325 contributed by Tesho Akindele, who has yet to appear in a Canada jersey and was only included in the original tally due to extreme charity.) That compares with 14 Jamaica-eligible players who have played a total of 14,047 minutes. The Jamaica roster for the friendly has has 4 MLSers on it, compared with eight for Canada. Jamaica’s MLS contingent for this match has logged 3,855 minutes this season compared to 3,835 for the guys wearing red.
    Other middling Concacaf powers from Central America are also well represented in MLS, if not at quite the same level as the Jamaican ones. But the common thread is that these players from other Concacaf nations largely arrive in North America after developing within their domestic club structure. MLS clubs are likely more willing to commit minutes to these guys if they are occupying a limited international position. Whereas Canadians bubbling up through the Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal academy systems are filling the required roster spots but struggling to win more first-team minutes.
    Canada clearly needs some form of Division II developmental league. And yes, MLS is a growing league that increasingly attracts top global talent. That's a good thing. At some point the roster requirements may disappear altogether for U.S. players, and at that point the league and its clubs in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver would have no more obligation to Canada than the NBA's Raptors do to the national basketball side. But for now, the league should change the rules so Canadian players are counted as domestics rather than internationals at U.S. clubs. After all, the Canadian national team should -- at the very least -- benefit more from MLS than the countries it competes with to return to the World Cup.
    Michael Mccoll
    "We fixed many things. The mentality of the team, just stepping out, good concentration, being focused," Rosales told reporters after the DC match. "We’re a little disappointed. We were playing against the top team in the other conference and we still are disappointed because we just got one point. We should take the three.
    "The chances that we generated seems like it was enough to score one goal, but we just have to be positive for the next game and to try to be more calm in the last part of the field. But with this concentration, with this aggressiveness, we can move forward."
    The hours have passed since Saturday's match but with the team at 411 scoreless minutes in over nine full halfs of football, patience is wearing thin for many.
    So with time to reflect, just why is it proving so difficult for the Whitecaps to find the back of the net? Especially in light of the excellent creative work being produced by the likes of Rosales and Pedro Morales.
    "I dunno. Probably we should create more chances for them but it's also that we're a team and everybody is looking to have a best game," Rosales told reporters at training on Monday.
    And that's just the thing, everyone has their theories but no-one can put their finger on just why there is a goal drought now from players that were scoring for fun a few months ago. That makes finding the solution hard, apart from actually buying some new strikers, but Rosales doesn't see the problem as being a lack of effort.
    "This team has been working hard to get to get the result, to get the points, to play well and be the better team," Rosales added. "But sometimes the things don't go in your favour and you have to accept it but also keep working, keep moving forward and be the optimist for the next game all the time, and positive."
    With the pressure mounting on the young strikers, they have often appeared a little bit afraid to make mistakes, then end up making them anyway. The runs aren't there that are needed and often the right passes aren't either. Is it a case that they are playing too tense?
    "Probably," Rosales feels. "They are trying hard and this is what we want. That is the only way. We can talk with them and let them know they have our full support But it's not just the players that play as a forward, we, as a team, the defenders, the middle and the attackers, we have to be a team and a solution for that kind of problem. Not just them because they have to finish it. I believe and I'm optimistic that we're going to get there and the goal will come."
    It's like trying to roll that elusive number to finally bring to a close what has felt like a never ending game of Trivial Pursuit. That one or two just won't come and then when the chance does come, you get the wrong answer at the end of it.
    One thing that has been a consensus of opinion from the Whitecaps players and management though is that the attackers need to shoot more. It's tied in with the fear and tenseness, but enough with the slow build ups and passing it around, just take a shot, or as Robinson described it on Saturday, "buy a lottery ticket". No ticket, no prize.
    "We just need to step up and finish the plays earlier," Rosales admitted. "[Don't] to make the best goal, just score. They're going to be the same, if you score a beautiful or a normal one. At this moment we just have to try to score and just have to try to control the game. Don't be running all over the place for 90 minutes. Try to control the game a little bit more but with a positive result, getting goals.
    "In the last two games, in the first half, we could have scored a goal and controlled the game but we didn't. We are that close to get into the position that we want and just being the aggressive team that we want."
    But could it maybe be the case that the Whitecaps' current crop of strikers simply aren't of MLS quality?
    That was a question put to a lot of the senior players at training on Monday. They all answered pretty much the same, that they've shown they can do it, just not consistently enough. Rosales has been around, he's seen a lot of strikers, he's seen goal droughts and suffered from them himself, but his faith remains with those at Vancouver right now.
    "Of course [they are good enough]. They can score as much goals as we need, but it is a moment that every single striker or people playing in that position has. One time in a year or one time in their career they're probably not getting the confidence that they need. They're working hard, I can see that they are mad or disappointed about it but they keep working, they keep searching, they keep asking for the ball, so this is what we want.
    "We want some guys that just ask for the ball and don't have fear to get the ball and lose it because that's how you're going to get better. Just try to ask for the ball, the play with us, to combine and to get the chances and to create the chances for the goals. It's going to come, for sure. I just try to work with them to get there."
    And he can most certainly help, as all the veterans in the squad can at this tricky time.
    Marc Weber tweeted something out during Saturday's game, and we chatted about it postgame, that was very evident. Rosales may not have been here for very long at all, but he plays with a passion and an attitude that makes you feel that his whole family grew up being Whitecaps supporters and the club is in his blood.
    It's just the way that he, and others in MLS, always play. And it's fantastic to see, even when it's not your team and you're watching a player as committed as that. It's something that often feels lacking in some of the younger players, which is somewhat explainable but no less frustrating.
    Can Rosales share some of that passion as well as football intelligence to his new teammates? Who knows, but he took some time to share his philosophy with media today.
    "I believe you stepping out on the field and being an example of how to play or how to react or how to see the game, is the best way for the others to learn. This is something that is working. I prefer to tell them that they have to work hard, that it's a privilege to be a soccer player. Stepping out on the field is something that you have to enjoy, it's something you have to work on to get your best quality in soccer.
    "This is what I did my whole career, not just now because we need something like that. All my career I've been working very hard and it's the way that's going to give you a little bit more at my level and it's going to push me every time I need it. That kind of concentration gives you an extra focus to play and just taking the right decision all the time. It is the way. Just working hard, concentration and the chance to be an example of how to do it, that is the way."
    After Saturday's game, Rosales made reference to wishing he had more time in Vancouver to do that work and to help impart knowledge with the younger players and get a better understanding of playing with all his new teammates.
    "I just feel sorry that we just have eight games left," Rosales said post DC. "I wish I could be here before and just train with them, take time with them, to know each other much better, but it is what it is and I’m going to work very hard to be part of the team, and to try and to help the team to rise up."
    Many took that to mean that Rosales' trade to Vancouver was just going to see him here until the end of the season, but if Carl Robinson gets his way that won't be the case and the Argentine will be here for some time to come.
    "I spoke to Mauro the day he arrived and I said to him, don't think of this as a short term fix because I knew a lot about Mauro and I said that in all references that I had of him, they said he was outstanding," Robinson told us on Monday. "He's shown in a short period of time that his play has been outstanding and the way he is with young players has been outstanding.
    "If there's a deal that we can do next year, if he continues to remain fit and continues to have an influence on this team and squad moving forward, then he's someone that I would certainly consider keeping because I think he's very, very valuable.
    "Having said that, we're cap constrained as everyone knows, so if we can try and get something tied up with Mauro, at the end of the year or start of next year, I'd love to try and keep him here."
    Michael Mccoll
    You can find his full gallery from the game
    HERE.




    The game's highlight came early in the evening







    Jordan Harvey proudly watches his fiance







    The Whitecaps' starting XI







    Two Vancouver legends - they could show the current team a thing or two







    Mauro Rosales starts to get used to watching Darren Mattocks







    And it's not easy for David Ousted watching at the other end either







    Fabian Espindola tried his luck from distance, forcing Ousted to tip over







    And the same player should have scored from six yards out moments later







    Darren Mattocks decides to blast instead of place







    Jordan Harvey shows more skill in the opposition box than the strikers







    David Ousted comes up big from Espindola again







    Kekuta Manneh plays the ball across goal but Mattocks misses it again







    Sam Adekugbe making the girls scream some more


    James Grossi
    In chronological order,
    for New York against Kansas City is the first candidate, while the next two came in the same match, with and – a strong drive to goal is always an entertaining sight.Honourable mention to
    – of course.On to the results…
    Midweek Results in a Sentence (or Two)

    Philadelphia got their home-and-home series against Toronto off to a winning start with Conor Casey’s 55th minute goal on the counter enough to see them hand a defeat to TFC in Greg Vanney’s managerial debut. Ashtone Morgan was red-carded and were it not for some stellar saves from Joe Bendik, there would likely have been more goals for the Union.

    Two sides heading in opposite direction saw their momentums continue, as the result stretches New England’s winning streak to three matches and Kansas City’s losing run to three as well. Soony Saad gave the visitors the lead after nine minutes, but three unanswered goals from the Revs, through Teal Bunbury and two from Lee Nguyen, overturned the result.

    A scintillating start for the Sounders saw Obafemi Martins notch two in the opening sixteen minutes and Andy Rose add two more before half-time – from near-identical set-pieces. Chivas would tighten up in the second half, finding consolation through Marky Delgado and Ryan Finlay - from the spot, but it was not enough to make amends for a diabolical first half defensive display.
    Results in Brief

    The weekend proper began on Friday night when the Galaxy welcomed the Rapids to town, for a match inspired by the aforementioned heavy hearts.
    A moment of silence gave way to chants of DeLaGarza and applause in the 20th minute (his kit number), by then, the Galaxy were already firmly ahead.
    Colorado keeper Joe Nasco was sent off inside the first minute, for wrapping up the leg of Alan Gordon with the striker looking at an open goal after a Todd Dunivant ball from the left rattled around in the box. Baldomero Toledo, as if it could be any other referee to bear the responsibility of the quickest red card record, pointed to the spot and sent off the keeper, Nasco, making only his second appearance of the season.
    Landon Donovan would convert the penalty kick in the 5th minute, having allowed time for Clint Irwin to warm up and take the pitch.
    Up a man, LA went to town, adding two more before half-time – with Baggio Husidic capping off a sweeping move in the 30th minute with a low right-footer across to the bottom right-corner of goal after Marcelo Sarvas played up to Gordon, who flicked a touch to the left. Gyasi Zardes sagely let the ball run to Husidic, who pounced for the finish – Toledo would book the goal-scorer for revealing his ‘Luca Knows Heart’ undershirt.
    Zardes himself would notch the third, two minutes into first half stoppage-time when Husidic found Donovan from the left and the LA captain cut a ball back against the grain to play in Zardes down the left-side of the area, finishing across the keeper with a left-footer.
    Reeling, Colorado were made to suffer the wrath of the officials once more two minutes into the second half, when Chris Klute was adjudged to have wrapped up Zardes, dragging him to the ground. Donovan again would make hay from twelve paces.
    Zardes would add his second of the match in the 75th minute, rising up at the back-post to meet a right-sided Stefan Ishizaki cross with a downward header, and Husidic would round out the trio of braces in the 86th with LA’s sixth-goal of the night, after Sarvas picked out Donovan, who in turn found Husidic alone in space on the left, beating Irwin with a right-footer to the far-side of goal.
    The 6-0 win extended Los Angeles’ winning streak to five matches, bringing them within two points of league and conference-leading Seattle, who were idle over the weekend. Donovan, with two assists alongside his brace, inches ever closer to another MLS record, closing in on Steve Ralston’s all-time assist record of 135 – Donovan sits on 131 with eight matches remaining in his MLS regular season career.
    Colorado’s misfortunes continue, falling to a seventh-consecutive loss and their eighth in their last nine matches, while succumbing to the worst loss in club history and equaling the second-worst ever result in MLS history.

    Saturday began with a crucial Eastern Conference six-pointer; the back-end of the home-and-away series between Toronto and Philadelphia.
    The Union took the first game and wasted little time getting in front in the second, with Conor Casey again punishing his former side in the eighth minute, flicking a right-sided Sheanon Williams cross on to the far-side of goal, having lost his marker in the scramble after Toronto failed to clear a ball, turning over possession atop their own box.
    It was an all-around better display from TFC, who still required Joe Bendik to save their hides on several occasions, but when the Union doubled their lead in the 44th minute, the match was all but over. Andrew Wenger would nod a header goal-ward after a corner kick was recycled back out to Sebastien Le Toux on the left. His cross was flicked on to the back-post by a Toronto defender, where Williams again put it back into the mix, for Wenger to prod forward. Maurice Edu may have affected Bendik’s ability to make the save, but he was onside and no interference call would spare Toronto blushes.
    Booed off the field, TFC would come to life in the second half, taking advantage of Philadelphia sitting back to drive forward, alas to little avail, as some poor passing and the woodwork – hit thrice – would conspire to keep them off the score-sheet.
    Mark Bloom struck a low drive that kissed off the base of the far-post having cut in from the left, before picking out Jackson for a free-header that struck the bar with an excellent cross. Michael Bradley completed the arboreal hat-trick with a stunning follow-up to his free-kick into the wall, smacking a left-footed half-volley that froze Zac MacMath and violently shook the goal.
    With the 0-2 win, Philadelphia would leapfrog over Toronto into the playoff places, resting in fifth after the rest of the weekend’s results, riding a three-game winning streak back into the meat of the conference. TFC fall to a third-straight defeat – their second under the aegis of new boss, Greg Vanney, while extending their winless streak to five matches. Making matters worse, they have not scored in over three games, a run of 280 minutes.

    The table tossing in the East continued with the next match, with the previously-impervious Kansas City dropping a fourth-straight match, losing 2-1 to a Thierry Henry-inspired New York.
    Sporting’s start was nearly as poor as Toronto’s, falling behind by a goal in the eleventh minute when a desperate lunge and can-opener from Matt Besler took down Bradley Wright-Phillips in the box, prompting the referee to point to the spot, after a delicious headed pass from Henry had played in the league’s most dangerous striker.
    Besler was perhaps lucky to not see red – he wasn’t shown a card of either colour - but Wright-Phillips was less-merciful, converting with a low right-footer to the keeper’s right. Andy Gruenebaum moved correctly, but could not reach the well-struck kick.
    Henry would add the second in the 52nd minute, crafting an inch of space on the left-corner of the area to hit a thunderous right-footer into the top-right corner of the KC goal after Lloyd Sam found him with a square ball across the top of the box.
    Dom Dwyer would pull one back for the visitors two minutes later, notching his eighteenth of the season from a deep free-kick on the right, Seth Sinovic nodded down the delivery for Dwyer on the edge of the six yard box, who beat Jamison Olave to the ball with a snapped left-footed half-volley. The goal would see Dwyer equal KC’s all-time single-season goal-scoring record-holder (that’s a mouthful), drawing level with Preki’s mark from the inaugural 1996 season.
    Kansas City would press for an equalizer and the match grew more fractious with each passing moment, but it would not come, dooming them to their worst losing skid since 2011, putting DC and the top of the conference further out of reach; drawing them back into the fray that is the Eastern playoff picture.
    New York, who won their third in their last five – all three at home – would move up one place by round’s end, but still sit on the outside looking in; though, if Henry keeps playing like he did, they will be a force to be reckoned with through the remaining rounds.

    Saturday’s last all-Eastern encounter pitted two sides scrapping over the lower echelons of the conference. Montreal still sat mired at the bottom, but a pair of consecutive wins at home had seen them make up some ground; while Houston were showing signs of life, alternating wins and losses through their last five matches.
    Despite their lowly positions, both sides would put in a solid effort, but would have to wait for a mistake on the half-hour to see a breakthrough. Wandrille Lefevre chased Omar Cummings way out of position and Krzysztof Krol let a weak pass roll over his foot to allow Giles Barnes to break in on goal down the right. The English forward showed good strength to hold off defenders, scooping a right-footer in off the inside of the near-post.
    Montreal would respond ten minutes later, when Ignacio Piatti surged down the right and played in to Felipe, who found Dilly Duka with a neat cut pass. Duka would finish with a low left-footer that beat Tyler Deric, in for the injured Tally Hall, low to the left-side of goal. And Piatti would put the Impact in front in the 55th, showing off his own bit of strength and skill, slicing through a crowd of defenders to beat Deric with a low right-footer before going head over heels and landing awkwardly – scoring seemed to make the harsh fall less painful.
    But Barnes would respond for the Dynamo, again a Montreal lapse providing the opening, as Cummings surged unfettered into the box from the right past Krol to find Barnes with a low ball, who beat Lefevre to get a left-footed touch on to the far-side past Evan Bush.
    Three minutes later it was Ricardo Clark who found the winner for the home side when a right-sided Brad Davis corner kick fell to him at the back-post. AJ Cochran got the flick and Clark did enough to corral the ball, forcing it over the line with a right-footer from close range.
    The 3-2 win, their third in their last four matches, would put Houston on 31 points, five shy of the final spot in the East, while Montreal’s road-futility continues, yet to pick up a win away from home. Five clubs have gone entire seasons without a road victory in MLS history – the Impact have five more matches to correct that mark, lest they become the sixth.

    Saturday evening swapped over to the West Coast for an inter-conference meeting between Vancouver and DC, resulting in a score-less draw.
    Both sides had plenty of chances, but through the combination of some strong goalkeeping and woeful finishing, neither were able to find any purchase in an open, entertaining ninety minutes of goal-less soccer.
    Vancouver are no strangers to zeros, as they have now been shutout in their last four matches, a streak that extended to 411 minutes, passing the club record set in their expansion year. The draw would end a two-game losing streak, but stretch a winless one to four matches, as Carl Robinson attempts to find a way to redress the lack of firepower.
    It is a bad run that could not have come at a worse time, the Whitecaps falling out of the postseason spots with Portland taking over fifth place in the West last round.
    DC could be more satisfied with the road point, given that, alongside Kansas City’s loss earlier in the night, a single point allowed them to stretch their lead atop the East to five points, though their hopes of contesting for the Supporters’ Shield took a dent with both Seattle and Los Angeles better placed and with one more match left to be played.

    Saturday night would close with a single all-Western contest, where Salt Lake and Dallas jostled for position. Separated by a single point with Salt Lake in third and Dallas in fourth, the two had met two weeks ago, playing out a hard-fought affair where the home-side Dallas, despite playing down a man, emerged victorious.
    Salt Lake, eager for a taste of revenge, would take the match to the visitors, bossing the early passages of play. They would have to wait until the 31st minute to find the opener however and it would not come until after a point-blank block from Chris Wingert prevented Dallas’ Matt Hedges from putting his side in front.
    The breakthrough would come when Luke Mulholland’s drive from distance was blocked, only to fall into the path of Robbie Findley on the right-side of the area; he would beat Raul Fernandez with right-footer across to the far-side of goal for his first MLS goal since August of last season, having overcome an injury that has limited his minutes this season.
    Having rested much-discussed striker, Tesho Akindele, Oscar Pareja brought on his forward for the second half and he nearly made an immediate impact, linking up with Fabian Castillo to provide Andres Escobar with a chance before winning a free-kick in the 61st minute.
    Michel, possessor of a devastating left-foot, would step to the subsequent dead-ball, lashing a low drive through a crowd of bodies from the right-side of the pitch, beating Nick Rimando to the far-side of goal.
    Salt Lake, who have had trouble keeping their forwards fit all season, would hand a debut to recently-acquired Argentine forward, Sebastian Jaime in the 67th minute and shortly after that, Alvaro Saborio, who has been out since breaking his metatarsal prior to the World Cup, made his return to the pitch.
    In fact, it took Saborio only seconds to make his impact felt, getting on the end of a left-sided Javier Morales corner kick mere ticks after joining the fray to pick up where he left off, nodding his seventh of the season on to the far-side with his first touch in some four months.
    The 1-0 win would snap a two-game winless streak for Salt Lake, but more importantly, with their stable of forwards healthy and scoring, they will be a threat in the post-season for whomever they face. The loss, their second straight, would see Dallas drop four points behind Salt Lake, having seen their long unbeaten run ended the previous round in Chicago. Results elsewhere would ensure they closed the weekend with a seven-point hold on fourth, with little risk of either Portland or Vancouver challenging.

    Sunday began with an early, inter-conference match in Columbus, with the Crew hosting Chivas USA.
    Fresh, well, not really, off that midweek battering against Seattle, Chivas were intent on being a much more difficult side to breakdown – a feat they accomplished as the slow first half played out largely without incident. Columbus, who needed a result to stay in the top five in the East, were gifted a glorious chance to take the lead from the penalty spot in the final minute of the half, when Aaron Schoenfeld was hauled to the ground on a corner kick, winning the Crew a penalty kick.
    Federico Higuain stepped to the kick, only to strike the crossbar with his venomous right-footer. Columbus looked to have taken the lead minutes earlier, only for a soft foul call to deny Schoenfeld after Dan Paladini had poked the ball away from Dan Kennedy.
    Playing a third-match in a week, heavy legs became an issue for the visitors in the second half and Columbus needed just seven minutes to make amends for the missed penalty kick, with Justin Meram continuing his fine form, curling yet another right-footer from the left-edge of the area into the far-corner of the goal.
    Meram would add his second of the match and fifth in the last five matches in the 59th minute, collecting a loose pass from Agustin Pelletieri and surging in on goal, before whisking another right-footer past Dan Kennedy into the bottom right-corner of goal.
    Fit-again Bernardo Anor would round out the match with Columbus’ third in the 80th minute, getting on the end of a Hector Jimenez cross to the back-post from the right, heading down the finish over Akira Kaji to sneak one past Kennedy.
    The 3-0 win was Columbus’ third in their last four matches, surging up the table to rest equal with Philadelphia on 36 points, above the dividing line. Chivas fall to a fourth-straight loss, while extending their winless run to nine matches. They cannot wait for Carlos Bocanegra to return from his long concussion lay-off, though having announced he would retire at season’s end, one more question about this franchise’s future is up in the air.

    Up next was a vibrating six-goal thriller between two Western Conference sides, dueling for vital points in the scrap for the most-available playoff spot behind the top four sides.
    Portland dominatrf the opening salvos, but could not find the opener, drawing several saves from Jon Busch and wasting other chances with profligate finishing.
    San Jose would take the initiative in the 21st minute, when Shea Salinas tiptoed in from the left, his shot parried by Donovan Ricketts, falling to Chris Wondolowski, who appeared to be fouled by Jorge Villafana. No penalty was given and play continued, with Salinas finding the loose ball at the right-post, striking the opposite one with his low shot. The rebound fell to Wondolowski, who left-footed straight down the middle into the gaping net.
    Cordell Cato would double the lead in the second half, pouncing on a loose passage of defending from the Portland centre-backs in the 48th minute to smash a low, left-footer to the far-side from the right after Wondolowski’s touch redirected off the boot of Pa Modou Kah to catch Liam Ridgewell flat-footed.
    Portland would claw one back six minutes later, Alvas Powell scored his second in as many matches on the end of a Diego Valeri chip down the right-side of the area, holding off the attentions of Salinas and Jason Hernandez before right-footing through a crowd from a tight angle.
    Ridgewell would make amends for his error to level the match in the 74th minute, getting on the end of a Valeri free-kick from the right at the back-post, ghosting in off the back-should of Shaun Francis to bundle in the equalizer, setting up a frantic finish.
    Wondolowski looked to reinstate San Jose’s two-goal lead a minute before Ridgewell leveled, finding the back of the net, only to have the offside flag deny his second of the match. He would not be so denied in the 85th minute, positioning himself in-between a pair of Portland defenders to get on the end of a left-sided Salinas cross with a free-header, helping the service on to the far-side of goal.
    Less than a minute later, Kalif Alhassan would tie the match at threes, slipping a low shot through the San Jose defenses after a Powell run down the right was dinked back to the mid, near-post.
    An enjoyable 3-3 draw for the neutrals, the single point would satisfy neither team. Portland were able to maintain their one point lead over Vancouver for the final spot in the West, but failed to capitalize on the chance to create some breathing room. San Jose, who are now winless in 6, remain a full eight points behind Portland; their window of opportunity closing fast.

    For the final match of the round on Sunday, the action returned to the East, where a derby of sorts would be played out in the outskirts of Boston.
    Though hardly local rivals, a new bad-blood developed between two Eastern opponents surrounding the murkiness of MLS rules and the pursuit of Jermaine Jones – see Frank Yallop’s quotes in the ‘Overheard’ section below.
    Not only was a measure of pride at stake, but also points. New England have ridden their three-game winning streak back into the top of the East, while Chicago’s penchant for drawing has them still on the outside looking in.
    Denied Jones, who made his first home start in Wednesday’s win over Kansas City, it was another of Chicago’s recent-acquisition’s who opened the scoring, Sanna Nyassi connecting with a Quincy Amarikwa cross from the left in the 28th minute to direct a firm header from the near-post on to the far-side.
    Nyassi nearly added a second minutes later, pouncing on a Jones turnover, only to send his right-footer off the outside of the post.
    Chicago would rue that missed opportunity come the 41st minute, when Diego Fagundez found himself free at the back-post to get on the end of a Lee Nguyen chipped ball, nodding in a downward header to equalize – it was his first goal since May and his celebration was nearly as enjoyable.
    The Revolution’s supremacy began to show; Darius Barnes drew a fine save out of Sean Johnson, and guess who sprung the attack that led to the winner?
    Jones collected the ball in the midfield, made a strong run up-field before playing up to Charlie Davies to break in on goal down the right-channel. Davies’ right-footer, low and hard to the far-post, eluded Johnson to hand the home side their fourth-straight win, vaulting them firmly into third-spot in the East.
    The 2-1 loss would keep Chicago on the outside looking in, seven points adrift of Philadelphia in fifth, while ending their modest unbeaten run at two matches.
    CanCon
    As usual, the extended Canadian Content review will be posted tomorrow, some time early afternoon, before embarking for BMO Field to see the National Team take on Jamaica.
    Another rather quiet weekend for the Canadian contingent in MLS; rare appearances for Ashtone Morgan, Sam Adekugbe, and Kyle’s Bekker and Porter, as well as another strong outing from Dwayne De Rosario will be discussed.
    Overheard
    With many thoughts straying to events off the pitch, Landon Donovan summed up the situation succinctly: “We play a sport for a living that we tend to think it is very important, and people get carried away, I think, with the importance of it. We try to keep it all in perspective, and life is more important. And we’re just heartbroken for a teammate and for our friend Megan and their family.
    “We do our job and get on with it, but that it doesn’t change what happened yesterday… that’s going to be a part of our season going forward. It doesn’t mean that after tonight we forget about it. It’s still a piece of all of us that we feel is lost, and it’s a sad night.”
    He continued: “We had a feeling that they would all be watching. Again, it doesn’t take away from the pain they’re feeling, but maybe it puts a few smiles on their faces [after] three or four days where they’ve had no smiles and a lot of tears.”
    Frank Klopas was in no mood to look at the bigger picture, and will undoubtedly feel the repercussion of this outburst: “At the end of the day, again, we have a clear penalty, in the end of the game. With this referee [Fotis Bazakos], I don’t know if it’s because he’s Greek and I’m Greek, but we never get any calls. Something has to change. We need to start getting some calls. I’m not saying to give us calls, but it’s clearly a 100 percent PK that’s not given and the league’s got to do something about that. It’s embarrassing.”
    Klopas was referring to a supposed handball by AJ Cochran – Montreal has only received one penalty kick all season.
    Chris Wondolowski sums up San Jose’s struggles with the most emphatic of statements: “I don’t know what to say... I’m a bit speechless. To a man in the locker room, we know that it’s just not good enough right now. It hasn’t been good enough all season. We keep finding ourselves shooting ourselves in the foot. It hurts.”
    Yes, shooting oneself in the foot does indeed hurt.
    Frank Yallop spoke about Jermaine Jones after Chicago match in New England; the two clubs went toe-to-toe to acquire the American international: “I think he [Jones] influenced the game a ton tonight. If you look at the game, especially the second half, he was the driving force for them. He makes the difference for any team, so obviously it would be nice if he was on our team. We’ve moved on since then and that’s all we can do.”
    “I wouldn’t use the word deceived, the league has its rules and we have to abide by them. We talked to him for quite a bit, but the Revolution had a chance to come into the picture and they took advantage. We were disappointed because he could have really helped us for sure and I think he’s really helped the New England Revolution.”
    Moved on, eh? Deceived, eh? Wow.
    There were some interesting interactions between the LA crowd and the announcer, culminating in a ‘Thank You’ and ‘Your Welcome’ volley, most cordial.
    See It Live
    A bevy of beauties for one’s viewing pleasure:
    A selection of the best saves of the week – Joe Bendik on Sebastien Le Toux; Zac MacMath on Gilberto; Andy Gruenebaum on Patrick Mullins; Brian Rowe on Edson Buddle; Bendik again – on Le Toux and Maurice Edu; Luis Robles on Dom Dwyer; Dan Kennedy on Aaron Schoenfeld; Jon Busch on Liam Ridgewell and Sean Johnson on Darius Barnes.
    Joe Nasco's historic Red Card was must see stuff.
    Michael Bradley’s cracker off the bar would have been a spectacular strike; Graham Zusi’s tiptoe move on the end-line to work past Chris Duvall was incredible, while the running battles between two of the league’s titans in Fanendo Adi and Victor Bernardez was entertaining.
    A couple of quality celebrations with
    and from the Revolution musketeers.
    was an incredible ending to a powerful run.Will Johnson’s tirade at the official was… well, something.
    Controversy
    Should Graham Zusi have seen more than yellow for throwing Kelyn Rowe to the ground?
    And how Matt Besler escaped a booking of either colour for taking down Bradley Wright-Phillips is perplexing? He would later trip up Roy Miller and once more escape punishment.
    The Ibrahim Sekagya-Dom Dwyer tangle, all elbows and kicks, could have seen both sent off – and may see further action from the DisCo.
    Video of the ‘foul’ that denied Aaron Schoenfeld the opening goal was not forthcoming, but no doubt Dan Kennedy got a keeper’s call on that one.
    Upcoming Fixtures
    A busy week of action is lined up for round 27 of MLS, with a trio of Wednesday night fixtures before a full slate of weekend matches – two on Friday, six on Saturday, and one on Sunday.
    Wednesday: Montreal-Los Angeles; New York-DC; Vancouver-San Jose. Friday: Chivas-Kansas City; Seattle-Salt Lake. Saturday: Philadelphia-New York; New England-Montreal; Chicago-Toronto; Dallas-Vancouver; Houston-Columbus; Colorado-Portland. Sunday: San Jose-Los Angeles.
    Vancouver-San Jose looks the best of the midweek bunch, while Seattle-Salt Lake is a must-watch on Friday. Saturday sees at least three highly-entertaining clashes with Dallas-Vancouver, Chicago-Toronto, and Philadelphia-New York topping the list. Sunday’s lone fixture should be interesting.
    All video & quotes courtesy of MLSsoccer.com
    Each week James takes a look at the league as a whole.
    You can follow James on twitter @grawsee or read more of his writing at Partially Obstructed View
    jacobnoseworthy
    STARTING XI
    11 - Darren Mattocks
    Absolutely terrible performance, missing almost every shot he took. Looked completely unmotivated by the end of the game, and should have been subbed off rather than Fernandez.
    10 - Ethen Sampson
    Not prepared for the MLS quite yet, getting caught out of position multiple times, letting shots through on goal, and showing he's still U-23 quality for the time-being. His inexperience was fully exploited by D.C. prior to his substitution due to injury.
    9 - Sebastian Fernandez
    While Mattocks couldn't finish, Fernandez looked non-existent up in the front two as a striker for the 'Caps. While he was able to set up a few passes to Mattocks, he didn't show the finishing qualities of a striker, and although that is one of the positions he has played before, he looks a better fit as a midfielder.
    8 - Matias Laba
    Below average performance for Laba as the holding midfielder in the diamond formation for the game, and wasn't able to create plays as he has in the past. Unremarkable game from the Argentine.
    7 - Andy O'Brien
    Struggled to pick up some of Sampson's slack on the right side of the defence, and wasn't able to play up to his usual standards.
    6 - Mauro Rosales
    Starting to find his footing with the 'Caps, but seemed to lack the passion from his first few games in the white and blue. Seemed to be ineffective on the wing, and performed much better as an attacking midfielder in the past.
    5 - Jordan Harvey
    Performed well and made up well for the lack of Beitashour as the opposite halfback. Harvey was able to make good runs up the field, and even got a few good shots on goal.
    4 - Russell Teibert
    Managed to play aggressively, and played much better as a winger in the midfield than as a holding midfielder with Laba. Seemed to reignite some of his old passion tonight, and created some great chances.
    3 - Pedro Morales
    Morales has the potential to be amazing for the Whitecaps, if he was provided with a scoring striker. Pedro set up many attempts on goal, while firing shots off at Hamid from distance. Played well, but his strikers, or lack thereof, could not finish.
    2 - Kendall Waston
    The official man of the match played his best game with the 'Caps tonight, providing well needed stability in the back, while maintaining his physical presence in United's end on corner kicks. Waston has the potential to be a great all-around player with more development in the future.
    1 - David Ousted
    As seems to have become a regular occurrence, Ousted managed to salvage a point for the Whitecaps again tonight. As usual, the keeper leapt, dove, and punched to save all of United's attempts on goal.
    SUPER SUBS
    3 - Mehdi Ballouchy
    Completely invisible for his 25 minutes on the field, raising quite a few eyebrows coming on for Rosales. Didn't seem to play with any effort, or create any offensive attempts for Vancouver.
    2 - Kekuta Manneh
    Provided much needed relief in replace of Fernandez, and added his usual pace to the Whitecaps front line. Kekuta created some great attempts in front of D.C.'s goal with his limited time on the field, and has proven he should be a starter.
    1 - Sam Adekugbe
    The 19-year-old Canadian performed far above his age today, replacing the injured Sampson, and playing at a top-level for the time he was able to play, providing great defensive support while also creating offensive attempts. Most definitely the future of the 'Caps, putting in an amazing effort in his limited time in the second half.
    Aaron Campbell
    The Good
    Sam Adekugbe looking poised
    There wasn't many bright spots for the team on Saturday night but Adekugbe was one for the team. He looked poised defending and made some nice runs into the offensive zone.
    Before this game he only had 190 MLS and Amway Championship minutes in his career. For a true rookie he didn't look out of place.
    He will benefit from USL next season but seems to fit the mould that Robinson wants for his fullbacks.
    The Average
    Matias Laba
    Seems to like playing as a lone DM in the 4-4-2 diamond. Didn't play as best as he has all season but played a good game.
    Needs to get the ball to Morales a little faster to start an attack but is a star for this team. With Gershon Koffie out the diamond may be the formation going forward.
    The Bad
    Getting Too Excited In The Box
    I know most men get excited once they get into a box, but these guys are professionals and should be use to scoring.
    Two goals in six games and one of those was an own goal. They have lost their scoring touch. The passion and the spark from scoring in the beginning of the season is completely gone.
    The supporters shouldn't settle for this lack of offensive output. With the roster freeze coming up Robinson hopefully has a trick to pull out of his hat.
    Michael Mccoll
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