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    MLS Week in Review – Round 12

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The twelfth round of MLS play has come and gone – leaving aside the pair of midweek fixtures, nine matches were played, resulting in three draws and just one away win.
    29 goals were scored, including a perfect six-for-six from the penalty spot, and 34 yellow cards were shown, as well as a pair of reds.
    Simple numbers aside, it was a weekend that will live long in the memory, both for its historic implications and the sore feeling left upon a number of those who felt hard done by.
    Plenty of intriguing sights and sounds from the weekend, and a whole lot of controversy - it was enough to make one sick (that was gross, by the way).
    Before the results, the goals of the week:[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Up first is Landon Donovan’s record setting strike – for its implications rather than beauty:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4jhZRtDzIyM?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    The perfect response from a slighted star.
    Then there was Erik Hurtado’s stunning strike against Seattle:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/56ypGrJA_l0?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Featuring a double- ankle-breaking move on two experienced defenders followed by a venomous hit.
    Kamani Hill’s dipping lash was worthy of a re-watch:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/5qwnsCHRSvg?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Not a bad way to score one’s first goal since 2012 – why this guy does not get more playing time is a mystery.
    And finally, a spectacular solo effort from Montreal’s Andres Romero:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/d3cYYydRgNE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    If only Montreal could play as a team.
    Onto the results…
    Midweek Results in a Sentence (or Two)

    DC continued their fine form with a solid 2-0 win over Houston on Wednesday night on goals from Chris Rolfe and Fabian Espindola – the three points would see them already eclipse last season’s total by a full two points.
    For Houston, who fell to a second loss in their last three matches, the night was made all the more intolerable by a concerning early knee injury to workhorse rookie forward, Mark Sherrod that dampened an already rainy occasion.

    LA end their four-match winless streak with a 2-1 home win over Dallas on first-half goals from Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes, before Canadian rookie, Tesho Akindele, notched his first MLS goal in the second frame.
    Dallas saw their long winless streak extended to six matches, losing for the fifth time over that stretch – they have lost six of their last eight, after a five-match unbeaten start to the season.
    Results in Brief
    Kansas City 2 – Toronto 2
    Friday night fixtures are a rare luxury, one that fans should grow accustomed to as the new MLS TV deal will see them become a regular occurrence, but for now, they remain a special treat.
    This one, though both sides were missing key pieces – Toronto without Michael Bradley and KC, basically, without a centre-back – evolved into a mistake-filled cracker after an uneventful first half.
    With the second came Dom Dwyer, notching within two minutes of the restart to continue his scintillating goal-scoring form, registering in a fourth-consecutive match. The Englishman out battled Kyle Bekker to a ball on the right-side of the pitch, skipped away from a Nick Hagglund tackle, then moved across the top of the area, finding Sal Zizzo on the left-side of the box.
    Zizzo moved towards goal before pulling back a low ball to the top of the area, where Dwyer had found a pocket of space from whence to sweep in his ninth goal of the season with a low left-footer, guided to the bottom right-corner of the TFC net.
    It was a rather miserable, disjointed performance by Toronto on the whole, who failed to find much purchase; the night only got worse when captain, Steven Caldwell was dismissed in the 63rd minute for a high boot that caught Sporting’s Toni Dovale in the centre-circle.
    It was undoubtedly an awkward play, but whether it warranted a red – or Caldwell’s heated remonstrations with referee Baldomero Toledo earlier had more to do with the decision - is a matter of debate, but undaunted, Toronto found new life four minutes later when recent acquisition, Collen Warner forced a turnover in midfield and bundled up field.
    He played up to Jermain Defoe, who continued towards goal before Seth Sinovic stepped up, bringing down Defoe, but not before he got a strong enough touch to play up towards Luke Moore, making a diagonal run from the right.
    Moore, who himself only recently joined from Chivas, showed his quality, with a lovely bent finish around KC keeper, Eric Kronberg, that snuck inside the right-post to level the match at one – it was his second league goal in as many games for his new side.
    But Toledo was not done and Caldwell’s replacement, Doneil Henry, would be made to pay for a moment of over aggression. Chasing down his own header, Henry barged into Sporting right-back, Igor Juliao, as he tried to move in from the right, prompting the referee to contentiously point to the penalty spot.
    Dwyer, of course, dispatched the opportunity with an unstoppable penalty, placing his left-footer perfectly beyond the reach of Joe Bendik into the left side-netting.
    Toronto were no doubt frustrated - Ryan Nelsen’s pointed post-match comments will undoubtedly earn his discipline from the league - but come the 91st minute, when Daniel Lovitz clipped a deep free-kick into the box that led to Hagglund lifting in a follow up from Dwyer’s half-cleared header, finding Bradley Orr lurking off the shoulder of Paulo Nagamura for a flicked header past keeper Kronberg, tying up the match in stoppage-time, their concerns were somewhat assuaged.
    The 2-2 draw sees Kansas City’s winless run stretch to three matches, while an injury to Chance Myers further depletes their stores of defensive options – much to the chagrin of Peter Vermes. Nelsen, though still livid, heralded the tenacity of his side, who in consecutive weeks beat the defending Supporters’ Shield champions in Toronto and drew away, in difficult circumstances, to the defending MLS Cup champs.
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    New York 1 – Portland 2
    Saturday’s action began with a firecracker of a contest when New York hosted Portland; falling 1-2 after Bradley Wright-Phillips had put them in the lead from the penalty spot, only for a pair of Maximiliano Urruti strikes to overturn the result.
    New York, fresh off two-straight losses, who had struggled to start matches well – conceding five goals in the opening fifteen minutes already this season - were determined to redress that situation, flying out of the gates and dominating the first half-hour of play.
    Sweeping attacks, seemingly in waves down the left-side of the pitch culminated in a 36th minute penalty kick for Wright-Phillips after he was wrestled to the ground by Pa Modou Kah, as he attempted to turn in the area, having received a slipped pass from Thierry Henry on the left-corner of the area.
    The Englishman, whose resounding miss proved so costly last weekend in Toronto, made no mistakes, right-footing low to Donovan Rickett’s left having eyed the keeper the other way.
    But Portland, who have struggled mightily all season under the mantle of contenders, did not bow – leveling the match in the final moment of first-half regulation somewhat fortuitously, when Steve Zakuani, on the left, played up to Urruti in a pocket of space above the area. His hopeful hit skimmed off the back of centre-back Armando, handcuffing Luis Robles and finding the left-side of the New York goal.
    Already a hard-fought affair, the match descended into a controlled anarchy; the referee, who had to struggle to keep a lid on the madness, had shown one yellow in the first half, but the next thirty minutes saw a further six players booked, before Urruti struck again.
    Jorge Villafana on the left drove a fierce cross through the goal-mouth, Armando got enough to cut it out, but his near-handball fell to Urruti lurking at the back-post for a low, right-footed drive through a mass of bodies back across the goal for his second of the match.
    The Red Bulls would search for an equalizer, nearly finding it in the 84th minute when Timbers defender, Norberto Paparotto cleared a Henry chance off the goal-line, but Portland, who had struggled to see out results, held on this time.
    Mike Petke’s New York fall to a third-straight loss, though he remains calm, knowing that there is a long season ahead, while Caleb Porter likened this result to last season’s turning point, when an away performance in Kansas City sparked their climb up the table.
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    Vancouver 2 – Seattle 2
    Meanwhile across the continent, a Cascadia Cup clash played out to an entertaining, eventful, and ultimately controversial 2-2 draw.
    Chad Barrett, making his first start for the Sounders, began the scoring in the 36th minute, from the end of a right-sided Kenny Cooper cross, lifted towards the penalty spot. Barrett rose over Nigel Reo-Coker to direct a downward header on to the far-side of goal, beyond the reach of David Ousted in the Vancouver net.
    Three minutes later Vancouver responded through in-form Erik Hurtado. The fleet-footed forward who has found some confidence of late - scoring in their last league match, as well as against Toronto in the Voyageurs’ Cup – put that belief into action with a fantastic spell of individual talent.
    He began the play himself, forcing a turnover out of Osvaldo Alonso in the midfield then playing wide right to Sebastian Fernandez, who in turn picked out Pedro Morales in the middle. The silky Morales lifted a ball over the Seattle back-line down the right-channel for Hurtado to chase, which he did.
    Hurtado’s first move was to cut back inside around the pressure of Alonso, before reversing to the outside with an ankle-breaking cut that left both Alonso and Djimi Traore helpless before roofing a tight-angled right-footer over Stefan Frei, in off the underside of the bar. Woof!
    Vancouver would go on to take the lead in the 66th minute, thanks in part to a brain cramp from Frei, who rushed out to the corner flag to keep a ball in play, only to see his clearance fall straight to Gershon Koffie some forty yards from goal.
    Koffie controlled with his chest, then hit a left-footed half-volley towards the unguarded Seattle cage, bouncing across the line as Frei attempted to race back into position – to little avail.
    At home and riding a two-match winning streak, it appeared as though the Whitecaps would see out the result, but come the 82nd minute, a controversial penalty decision from the referee would turn the tide.
    A harmless cross into the Vancouver area was cleared by Jay DeMerit, out-leaping Cam Weaver, who tumbled to the ground in the process, only for the official to point to the spot, much to the surprise and consternation of DeMerit and his side.
    Gonzalo Pineda stepped to the spot and deftly dispatched the chance with a measured chip straight down the middle having guided Ousted to his right.
    Vancouver manager, Carl Robinson, was no doubt frustrated at the decision that cost his side two points on the night, while Sigi Schmid’s side will count themselves lucky to have escaped with a point, though their security atop the West could be threatened, depending on how Salt Lake fared later that evening.
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    Columbus 2 – Chicago 0
    In Columbus, however, no such late drama was required as the hosts strolled to a two-goal lead within the first 25 minutes and rode that early momentum to a sound victory.
    Of course, it was the skillful guile of Argentine maestro, Federico Higuin, who crafted both goals.
    In the tenth minute, having received a pass in the centre-circle from Justin Meram, Higuain threaded a perfectly-positioned ball inside the Chicago right-back to spring Ethan Finlay in on goal.
    The sophomore rounded Sean Johnson in the Fire goal and tucked a right-footed finish in from a tight-angle; for a moment it appeared as though recovering defender Steven Kinney had closed down the space, but he could not make up the final gap – it was his second goal in as many games.
    Higuain was at it again fifteen minutes on when his perfectly-weighted, outside-of-the-boot bending pass for Jairo Arrieta played the Costa Rican behind Patrick Ianni and in alone on goal. The forward, who was left off the World Cup squad, finished coolly, slotting a right-footer through the legs of Johnson – Frank Yallop on the Chicago bench was not best pleased with the circumstances.
    It was not all magic for Higuain, who rashly picked up his fifth yellow card of the season for delaying a restart and will be suspended for their next match.
    The Fire would muster little by way of a comeback, despite the introduction of Tottenham-loanee, Grant Ward, who displayed some quality; Quincy Amarikwa would be shown a yellow card for an embarrassing dive, emblematic of their off-night – he would bounce up immediately, having anticipated an outstretched leg from Eric Gehrig that never came, but was called for the infraction.
    With the 2-0 win Gregg Berhalter’s Crew end their long, eight-match winless run (dating back to the end of March); for Yallop, who was forced into several changes with injuries to the likes of Mike Magee, Patrick Nyarko, Alex, and Bakary Soumare, the loss ends a modest two-game winning streak.
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    New England 2 – DC 1
    Through the opening month of the season, when both New England and DC went winless through their first three matches, were someone to predict that the two would meet to determine, given KC’s draw on Friday, who would take the top spot in the East, they would be incredulously laughed down.
    But that is exactly what their Saturday meeting would determine, with the Revolution on twenty points and United on eighteen from eleven matches.
    The Revolution offense has exploded onto the scene in recent weeks, notching five goals each in consecutive matches, but United, who entered the match having conceded just once in their last three matches, was up for the task, stifling the rampant Revs through the first 55 minutes of play.
    And when the breakthrough finally came, it was not without a spot of controversy.
    Diego Fagundez surged through the DC defense, slicing in from his station on the left. Jeff Parke did just enough to block his route, the loose ball falling to Chris Korb in the box, but Fagundez did not give up, bundling the defender to the ground, freeing Patrick Mullins to collect, step around a tackle from Parke and stab a left-footer high over Bill Hamid from a tight-angle.
    Ben Olsen noted afterwards that on initial look, they though the barge warranted a foul, but regardless, New England took the lead.
    Fabian Espindola, whose resurgent campaign after a quiet year in New York last season has been the driving force of DC’s turnaround, scored his sixth of the season in the 73rd minute to draw his side level after Lewis Neal swung the ball wide left for Christian on the overlap. His whipped ball through the six-yard box was partially cut out by AJ Soares, falling to Espindola below the PK spot, who wasted no time in tucking a left-footed finish under Bobby Shuttleworth in the Revolution goal.
    But four minutes later, Fagundez would again strike, this time from the end of a dangerous Teal Bunbury ball driven through the box after Lee Nguyen had out-competed two DC defenders on the right-side from a throw-in before poking through Bunbury.
    The cross skirted through that corridor of uncertainty, beyond the reach of Hamid, who dove out to intervene, leaving Fagundez at the back-post the entire net to first-time a right-footer for the eventual winner.
    Frustration got the better of Eddie Johnson, who appeared to attempt a stomp on Kelyn Rowe in the 82nd minute – there was not much contact, if any, and Rowe certainly kicked out in retaliation, but Johnson was shown red and sent off, thus proving that referees do not all spot the second infraction, more than the first.
    The 2-1 win allows New England’s current run to continue, stretching their winning ways to five-straight and extending their unbeaten form to seven, while putting them into a five-point lead atop the East, though they could not achieve another five-goal outing. For Olsen and DC, the loss ends a modest three-game unbeaten run, but was only their second defeat in their last ten outings; quite the turnaround from last season, something to be very proud of indeed.
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    Colorado 4 – Montreal 1
    Montreal’s horrid start to the campaign continued as Colorado found their scoring boots, notching one early and others later in a 4-1 rout of the struggling Impact.
    The match began poorly for the visitors, who were unfortunate to have a supposed foul by Sanna Nyassi on Edson Buddle in the box whistled by the referee, handing Colorado the opener inside the first five minutes from the spot.
    Dillon Powers confidently dispatched the chance, registering his first goal of the season with a powerful finish, blasted straight down the middle as Troy Perkins lunged to his right.
    The dynamic, pace-fueled attack of the Rapids, who had scored just five goals in their last eight matches, caused the Impact all sorts of problems, specifically down the left.
    And it was from that flank that Kamani Hill doubled their advantage nine minutes into the second half, Left-back Chris Klute rampaged up the flank, moving slightly in-field before handing off the Buddle, who swung the ball back wide to Hill.
    Making just his third-start of the season (and eighth in three seasons), Hill backed Montreal’s defender, Hassoun Camara into position before hitting a dipping right-footer across the keeper to the right-side of goal for his first of the season and first since 2012. Perkins stretched, but could not reach the perfectly placed effort.
    Four minutes later it was Shane O’Neill’s turn to get on the score-sheet, tallying his first-ever MLS goal with a thunderous right-footer into the top left-corner of the goal after Jose Mari had tried to squeeze one past Perkins at the right post and Jeb Brovsky’s weak clearance fell to the defender atop the box.
    Any chance of a comeback from the Impact was stifled in the 65th minute when Issey Nakajima-Farran’s goal was improperly and dispiritingly ruled offside.
    Powers would add his second of the match – and Colorado’s fourth – in the 84th minute, following a nice build-up from the right between Marvell Wynne and Marlon Hairston, who squared to Powers inside the area to turn and hit a low, left-footer to the bottom left-corner of the goal.
    The Impact would find meagre consolation in the 88th middle, with a jaw-dropping solo effort from Andres Romero, who eluded two defenders on the right-touch-line before twisting up Klute and soiling Clint Irwin’s clean-sheet with a low, left-footer across the keeper to the left-side of goal.
    The victory was Colorado’s first in four matches, ending a two-game losing streak and post-match many credited Pablo Mastroeni’s rousing half-time team-talk as the catalyst for the second half breakthrough, laying into his team for playing too passively after being gifted the lead.
    Frank Klopas, whose side have not won in three matches since picking up their first win of the season at the end of April, is running out of options (and time) as the heat ratchets up and the trigger fingers get itchy in Montreal.
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    Salt Lake 0 – Dallas 0
    Saturday’s final contest was a prelude to history – in more ways than one, as the score-less draw extended Salt Lake’s unbeaten start to the season to twelve matches, tying the record set in 1996 by Los Angeles (which they refrained in 2010).
    Dallas, who entered the match riding a dire six-match winless run that included five losses, had made it their intention to be difficult to beat – a mission which they accomplished on the night.
    Both sides had half-chances throughout, but most noteworthy were a pair of non-goal incidents – first, when Blas Perez caught Chris Wingert on the chin with an inadvertent forearm in an aerial challenge that left the defender stunned (normally, the term inadvertent when Perez is involved would be sarcasm, but this time it was rather innocent) and then when Joao Plata was forced off the field after forty minutes with a recurrence of the hamstring injury that saw his miss action already this season.
    Both events could have implications for the future, should Perez be suspended or Plata absent for a prolonged period.
    Salt Lake’s Jeff Cassar denied that the shadow of the record played a role in a less-than-adventurous outing, preferring to emphasize that getting a result without playing particularly well was important in the long-term.
    Oscar Pareja, whose Dallas side may now be winless in seven, picked up their first clean-sheet of the season, undoubtedly a positive development as they find their way without creative force Mauro Diaz.
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    Los Angeles 4 – Philadelphia 1
    Come Sunday, but in earnest all weekend, eyes were focused on one man and one man alone – Los Angeles’ Landon Donovan, whose exclusion from the US World Cup team stunned the soccer-verse last week.
    Many a word has already been spilled on the decision from Jurgen Klinsmann to leave the most decorated American player ever off the roster; should the US falter in the purported Group of Death, this will undoubtedly be pointed to as a mistake.
    On his return to the Galaxy, Donovan made sure that his play stole the show.
    One of the excuses used to justify ‘The Decision’ was that Donovan has not been in the greatest of form this season – he had been one goal shy of taking sole possession of the all-time goal-scoring lead in MLS (tied with Jeff Cunningham on 134) all season, having registered just two assists through seven matches.
    But two minutes in, he showed the sort of impetus he can provide, hitting a perfectly placed free-kick from deep on the right to the edge of the six for centre-back Leonardo to direct a header against the grain and open the scoring against a stunned Philadelphia side.
    Cometh the second half, cometh the moment, when four minutes in Kenny Walker played up the middle to Donovan, who dished out wide right to Robbie Keane. The Irishman, no stranger to being the centre of a nation’s attention himself, unselfishly found Donovan at the back-post with a low ball, leaving a simple right-footed tap in for the historic strike.
    Donovan celebrated well, sharing the moment with his team as the ball was set aside for safe keeping.
    Philadelphia, who have oft been their own worst enemy this season, alternating moments of class with dastardly breakdowns, shot themselves in the foot once more when Sheanon Williams fumbled a simple back-pass, allowing Keane to steal in on goal unmolested down the right before finishing with a measured right-footer through the legs of exposed keeper, Zac MacMath.
    And then, in the 81st minute yet another Union turnover added emphasis to an emotional night, when Stefan Ishizaki forced a turnover out of the usually sure-footed Brian Carroll, allowing Donovan to collect and turn to goal.
    He again found Keane out wide, on the left this time, who once more unselfishly set up his teammate with a squared return ball into the middle, which Donovan settled and capped the night with a measured left-footer past the keeper, before subbing off to a raucous reception from his home fans.
    Philadelphia would find scant solace in a late consolation penalty kick, from another national team reject, Mo Edu in the 88th minute after Raul Mendiola barged over Zach Pfeffer in the LA box.
    Bruce Arena’s charges picked up their second win of the week, climbing from last place in the West up to sixth, with a few matches still in hand. John Hackworth’s side, on the other hand, remain rooted to the lower levels of their conference, floundering to a second-straight loss, having dropped five of their last six and won just one of their last twelve matches, or, as Danny Cruz put it, unacceptable, and something must change.
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    San Jose 3 – Houston 0
    Sunday’s night cap pitted two teams with a shared history, as the reborn Earthquakes hosted the former Earthquakes, now known as the Dynamo, at quaint little Buck Shaw Stadium.
    With both sides depleted due to injury and international duty, a pair of early saves from San Jose’s Jon Busch was all that separated them, until a mistake from Houston keeper, Tally Hall, proved decisive.
    David Horst cut out an Earthquakes ball, touching back towards his keeper, but when Hall picked up what could have easily been booted away, a back-pass was called and an indirect free-kick awarded to the home side.
    Khari Stephenson would make the visitors pay for that momentary lapse, smashing a low, right-footed shot through the crowd to the left-side of goal after Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi touched it back to him above the right-post.
    Another silly error proved equally costly in the 58th minute, when Corey Ashe barged into Steven Lenhart in the box, allowing Stephenson to notch his second of the night from the penalty spot, right-footing low to the keeper’s right after Hall dove the opposite direction.
    And once more, in the 70th minute, a mental error gifted San Jose a third, when Hall raced out of his area for a long Shaun Francis ball, only to realize that without the use of his hands, his misread of the bounce would allow Atiba Harris to win the challenge, knocking the header over Hall.
    His initial attempt struck the base of the right-post, but he was first to the follow up, right-footing into the empty net.
    San Jose, who were without talismanic striker, Chris Wondolowski (he was watching from the stands with child in arms, as he prepares for the World Cup), have struggled mightily for goals – scoring just ten through their first ten matches. Buoyed by the returns to fitness of Yannick Djalo and Lenhart, Mark Watson’s side, after riding those early bailouts from Busch, made the Dynamo pay for their errors en route to a second win in their last three matches.
    Dominic Kinnear’s Houston, who once more could not fill their entire substitute’s bench, fall to a second loss of the week and third in their last four.
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    CanCon
    The extended look at the Canadian performances from this round of MLS action will be posted tomorrow, featuring another combative outing from Will Johnson, Tesho Akindele’s first MLS goal, and Doneil Henry’s latest struggles.
    Overheard
    Will Johnson’s line from last week may have broke this segment for good, but it shall try and live up to that quote of the season material.
    TFC’s Ryan Nelsen was not best pleased by referee Baldomero Toledo’s performance, taking swipes at both the official and the head of refereeing, Peter Walton, post-match, “If they gave Steven a yellow, nobody would have blinked an eyelid, nobody would have worried about it, but because [the referee] has set a precedent throughout his refereeing career that he always likes to influence games, he decided to give a red for what was really a yellow card.”
    Continuing, “In all honesty, there’s not one person who has seen the replay that said that was a penalty…. when you’re down to 10 men, in the 84th minute, you have to be 100 percent certain that it’s a penalty: 100 percent certain. The referee will watch the replay and he will say to himself, ‘it’s not a penalty.’ I’m looking forward to hearing the excuse from Peter Walton, why it was called and all that. I’d like to hear his excuse about it which will be quite funny.”
    Jay DeMerit was similarly miffed regarding him concession, but was a touch more measured in his criticism, opting for the introspective route, "It's devastating. Not only for myself, but to see guys put in the type of performance that they did. Guys put themselves on the line for 90 minutes and for that to be taken away from us is disappointing. As players, all we can do is play hard and play committed and work hard for our teammates, and I thought all of us did that tonight.”
    Adding, when questioned about the changing nature of the game and defending in particular, "That is the worry. And I'm too old to start changing my game and play less committed … it is hard and that's the thing that's really eating me inside, is that if I have to change my game, then I'm going to be in trouble and that's sad.*I've been around this game for a long time. When you play hard and you play with your heart on your sleeve and get punished for that, again, it's disappointing."
    Then there was Dwayne De Rosario, no stranger to making a statement, who released this tweet congratulating his old teammate, Landon Donovan, on his accomplishment.
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Congrats to <a href="https://twitter.com/LAGalaxy">@LAGalaxy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23LandonDonovan&src=hash">#LandonDonovan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MLS">@MLS</a> all time leading goal scorer with 135. Perfect timing my friend!</p>— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) <a href="
    ">May 26, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    Whether it was the record, or the two fingered salute (one, if one prefers) at Klinsy, is unclear.
    And finally, it’s old new by now, but Brad Evans’ response to being left off the roster for the World Cup deserves to be mentioned:
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>You got off easy this time <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano">@Cristiano</a></p>— Brad Evans (@brad_evans3) <a href="
    ">May 23, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    See It Live
    Plenty of little gems throughout the weekend to look out for when catching up on the action:
    Bradley Wright-Phillips’ early turn on Pa Modou Kah before hitting the post was a thing of beauty.
    Or keep an eye out for how Diego Valeri just manages to get his arm out of the way of Max Urruti’s winner at the very last second.
    There was Erik Hurtado double-ankle-breaker on Ossie Alonso and Djimi Traore, as well as Stefan Frei’s brain-cramp and Gershon Koffie’s long-range half-volley.
    Harrison Shipp had a tough afternoon, landing very awkwardly from an aerial dual with Tony Tchani in Columbus, before preventing a third Crew goal with a goal-line face-block of a Dominic Oduro header.
    Not to mention, New England rookie, Steve Neumann’s win-preserving goal-line block – leaving DC to curse his name.
    Some cracking penalty kicks, in Dom Dwyer’s perfectly placed effort, Gonzalo Pineda’s cheeky finish, and Dillon Powers, well, powering one straight down the middle.
    And the glorious passing session of Federico Higuain, the first was impressive, but he does that all the time, the second one was unbelievable.
    To cap it all off, a pair of hilarious fouls with Will Johnson virtually piggybacking on Thierry Henry to slow down the Frenchman, while Tony Beltran had both arms similarly wrapped around Fabian Castillo to draw a yellow card of his own in Salt Lake.
    Controversy
    Plenty of contentious decisions this weekend:
    Be they penalty kicks - Doneil Henry’s for barging into Igor Juliao; Jay DeMerit for winning a header; Sanna Nyassi’s ‘shove’ on Edson Buddle; and Corey Ashe for a similar incident with Steven Lenhart.
    Red cards – Steven Caldwell’s high boot; Eddie Johnson’s stomp.
    Non-calls – such as when Diego Fagundez’ shove on Chris Korb made space for Patrick Mullins’ opener – or offside flags – either those that should have gone up (such as for Tesho Akindele’s off-side strike midweek) or those that shouldn’t have (that denied Issey Nakajima-Farran a goal for Montreal on his debut)
    Upcoming Fixtures
    A further pair of midweek fixtures – one on Tuesday and another on Wednesday, as well as the opening leg of the Voyageurs’ Cup Final on the docket before a full slate of nine matches on the weekend.
    Tuesday: Kansas City-New York. Wednesday: Chivas-Portland. Saturday: Seattle-Salt Lake; Toronto-Columbus; Montreal-New England; DC-Kansas City; Dallas-San Jose; Chivas-Philadelphia. Sunday: Chicago-Los Angeles; Colorado-Houston; Portland-Vancouver.
    All videos and 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
    Michael Mccoll
    After a short break to recover from the Canadian Championship penalty heartbreak, the AFTN Soccer Podcast is back.
    Episode 65 is a Vancouver Whitecaps v Seattle Sounders postgame show.
    We bring you all the chat and locker room audio from the exciting and controversial Cascadia Cup clash at BC Place with our special guest Har Journalist.
    Dodgy penalty? Daylight robbery? Call it what you like. We do but the Caps players and management have to be a little more guarded. We hear from coach Carl Robinson, goalscorers Erik Hurtado and Gershon Koffie and a despondent captain, and penalty conceder, Jay DeMerit.
    On the flip side of the coin, we also head into the Seattle dressing room and hear from coach Sigi Schmid, US reject Brad Evans and well travelled Cascadia Cup veteran Kenny Cooper.
    Have a listen!
    You can listen to this week's podcast on iTunes HERE.
    Or download it for your later listening delight HERE.
    We also have an iPhone app, so you can now add our podcast to your phone as an app. Visit the podcast's mobile site HERE and then at the bottom of the screen just click the "Quick Launch" icon and the podcast will be added to your home screen and appear as an app.
    And if that's not enough, we've joined Stitcher Radio Network. Download the app and listen to the AFTN podcast on your device, along with over 15,000 shows HERE.
    Or after all that, you could just listen on the player below!
    Aaron Campbell
    From the moment the first rumours of Brazilian striker Camilo Sanvezzo's transfer from Vancouver Whitecaps to Mexican side Queretaro FC surfaced, one name was mentioned as being the main man responsible for the controversial transfer - Camilo's agent, Lucas Teixeira.
    Teixeira is Director of International Relations with the FootballBrazil company and agency, and he manages the careers of professional soccer players, including former Whitecaps striker, and 2013 MLS Golden Boot winner, Camilo Sanvezzo.
    Talking exclusively to AFTN's Aaron Campbell, Lucas spoke directly from his office in Praia Grande on the São Paulo coastline to shed some light on how the controversial transfer played out and to address the rumours of Camilo's possible return to Vancouver and to MLS.
    AFTN: When the picture of Camilo giving a thumbs up in a Querétaro FC jersey surfaced online this offseason, it infuriated Vancouver Whitecaps supporters. Knowing how the whole situation played out now, would you and Camilo do anything different if you could do it again?
    Lucas Teixeira: It is important to note that in this moment (of the photo) that Camilo is not already under contract. His contract with the Whitecaps had ended on 31/12/2013.
    His picture doing the medical examination was an "accident" because I would make an official statement stating that Camilo did not play any more for the Vancouver Whitecaps and explaining the reasons. The picture was taken by one ESPN reporter and published, but nothing was "official". It was told that it was my strategy to pressure the Whitecaps to negotiate the contract for Camilo. This is not true.
    But no, I would not do anything differently because nothing was done wrong. At that time, under the law of FIFA and the TAS, Camilo was free to sign with any club.
    AFTN: What did you see in Camilo's MLS contract that led you to believe it wasn't a valid contract?
    LT: The contract Camilo had, had a start date and end date, and Camilo worked with great honour in that period, always doing his best for the Whitecaps.
    His contract had an OPTION of renewal UNILATERAL. What must be clear is that option is not an obligation, and moreover, it is obvious that such a clause was an expectation and not a condition, nor an obligation. That itself, FIFA and the TAS recognized that in numerous cases that the unilateral option is inconsistent with the principles of contractual freedom and equality (equilíbrio) protected by FIFA.
    If for any reason Camilo had a bad season in the league the Caps simply could dispense of him with a simple notification. But we notified the Caps several times, seeking a dialogue, even personally in the team office. But not at any time did the club have the same desire for a dialogue.
    Only after our arrival in Queretaro and the publication of the photo of Camilo with the shirt of Queretaro was there an attempt at dialogue, but in this moment we already had the endorsement of our lawyer (Gislaine Nunes, who among others represent the Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Rogério Ceni, Paulo Henrique Ganso etc...) that Camilo was free to sign a contract at any club, and we had already given the word to Queretaro, so it was late.
    AFTN: What salary amount was Camilo asking for from the Whitecaps?
    LT: I do not talk about values, but what I can say is that we did not request a value outside of the normal. I remember that I saw a photomontage of Camilo with the shirt of Queretaro and a mountain of money with him, clearly accusing the athlete of being a mercenary.
    Well what few people know is that when we were in Mexico with the contract signed verbally with Queretaro FC, we received a greater proposal financially to return to the Whitecaps, but Camilo thanked him and kept his word with Queretaro and signed the contract the next day.
    As much as many people think otherwise, Camilo has a very strong word, yes is yes, no is no and end of history. He is like his father who is a very honourable character. The whole Sanvezzo family are amazing people.
    The problem for Camilo in Vancouver was not so much financial, but with the treatment given to him as a professional.
    AFTN: What is your opinion on how the Whitecaps organization handled the whole contract situation?
    LT: I'll go back to say, the whole problem was not the contract (because I cannot criticize a contract with a private company, that would be unethical) but the lack of dialogue of the Whitecaps with a professional who gave three years on the team always doing his best.
    Camilo arrived in 2011 for a trial period, and proved his value and when he tried to get a dialogue going in countless ways, he didn't have success. Even personally where he waited many hours to be received in the club's office, not being received and the club did not get a line of dialogue going with the president, or other person of directorship.
    AFTN: Peter Schaad reported in a TSN blog that Camilo is desperate to return to the Whitecaps. Is there any truth to this report?
    LT: I don't know Mr. Peter Schaad, and I have nothing against him, even though he made a post on his Twitter account questioning my ability to work, when he wrote on 18th May: "A "Good" agent would leave open all possibilities, instead of defending his job."

    I have nothing against him but it was an extremely unfortunate statement to say that Camilo is desperate to return to the Whitecaps. There does not exist despair in any way. Even with Queretaro having gone through financial difficulties this season, there does not exist despair. The Queretaro team has a very competent and honest directive, which through its president Adolfo Rios, everything is being solved.
    Camilo played the Clausura tournament, giving his maximum. He suffered an injury when he arrived in Mexico, but once he recovered took the field and as always, did his best.
    No hypothesis exists where there is despair by Camilo, his family or his staff to return to the Caps. Camilo has a deep affection for the Vancouver Whitecaps and their fans, but now he plays for Querétaro FC and is focused on doing his best on and off the field, securing his place in the team and in the hearts of fans de los Gallos Blancos!
    On the day that Mr Peter Schaad published this bullshit, Camilo (who is on vacation) was fishing in his hometown, so I do not think he's desperate as was said.
    AFTN: Carl Robinson came out and stated that Camilo is one of five players on a short list of players they are looking to bring in this summer. Have yourself or Querétaro FC been contacted by anyone in the Whitecaps organization?
    LT: One thing about Coach Carl Robinson, he and Mr. Lino Di Cuollo [MLS vice president of player personnel] were the only ones who attempted a dialogue since Camilo's contract finished with the Whitecaps. This showed that both have extreme professional sense.
    I do not know the list of possible signings of Vancouver, nor if Camilo is on that list, but if there is interest in Camilo the only way is negotiating with Queretaro, and so far there has not been any contact between the clubs.
    AFTN: The statement you released said that Camilo will not be returning to the Whitecaps because he has a 3 year contract with Querétaro. How are people supposed to believe that when according to MLS, he had a current valid contract with the Whitecaps?
    LT: I return to the answer of the first question, the contract with the Whitecaps would have ended in 31/12/2013. Ask any club that our company works with in the world if at any point any player represented by FootballBrazil did not respect and comply with a contract... Then yes, the contract of Camilo had been fully honoured.
    Camilo and myself signed the contract with Queretaro FC. We tried to negotiate in a number of ways, but as we did not succeed, we moved to the club that made the best offer.
    An interesting detail is that the Queretaro F.C. did not make the best financial offer! We had a great club in South Korea, which had a better financial offer, but by the project and the work of the president of Queretaro, Camilo chose to stay in Mexico.
    AFTN: There are rumours circulating that the only way Camilo could be accepted back by the Whitecaps organization is by not having you as his agent. What are your thoughts on this?
    LT: I do not worry about this. I have been working with Camilo many years, and I'm sure he knows the potential of my work (Malta, South Korea, Vancouver, Mexico) and if at any time he is not satisfied with my work, and does not want me any more as its agent, ok no problem. Business is business, but friendship follows...
    AFTN: When Camilo tweeted out a thank you to all the Vancouver supporters after signing in Querétaro, were you guys surprised with all the angry replies by Whitecaps supporters?
    LT: Football is passion, I'm even a fan of a Brazilian team that has one of the world's most fanatical fans (S.C. Corinthians Paulista), so I understand that a few fans have it exceeded, but I believe that the vast majority of Caps fans, have a great affection for Camilo Sanvezzo.
    In my case, it reached the absurd. I received messages with people saying that I and my family would be killed (I remember that my wife was very scared at the time). I also received messages with words discriminatory and even of a racist nature, but I just erased, because I know that was limited to at most a few fans. I know of many people in Canada (Vancouver) and I know people who are kind, extremely polite, and peaceful.
    AFTN: Finally, is there anything you would like to say to all the Whitecaps supporters that feel betrayed by this whole situation?
    LT: A person sent me a tweet wondering how he was going to tell his young little daughter that her main idol had left the team. This question struck me and I tried to contact this father, with the thought of sending a signed shirt of Camilo from Brazil, but just not getting contact.
    Like this father and his daughter, many fans were saddened by the departure of Camilo because football is passion, but it is also the job of Camilo, and that is what the fans have to understand.
    Camilo has great affection by fans of Vancouver, but he also has a family, has a newborn daughter, wife, bills to pay, and you must seek what is best professionally for him and your family.
    And after numerous attempts at dialogue with the Whitecaps, Querétaro made a good offer, not only financially but with a respect to the principle of equality and with all the support of the board, and today I can say that Camilo is passionate for Queretaro and the fans of the club.
    I ask you Aaron as an example for the Caps fans, and I ask your answer honestly. You love your job, but suddenly the Washington Post (for example) makes you a job offer that will be best for you and your family, and your former employer does not want to at least talk to you and try to get an agreement that is good for both, what would you do?
    What anyone would do? We will be honest!
    For the fans of Vancouver, I have to say that the institution of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, is greater than all. Is greater than Camilo, than Lucas Teixeira, higher than Bob Lenarduzzi or Peter Schaad, Camilo wrote your story on the team well, as others will write, and I'm sure that the team will have a great season reaching the playoffs and even fighting for the title! GO CAPS!!!
    **********
    [ED - So there you have it. We would like to thank Lucas for taking the time to chat with us after we reached out to him and give some background into why and how the whole Camilo transfer debacle played out. And never say never, Camilo could still be back in Caps colours one day. Whether that is a good or bad thing will long be debated. We also want to thank Stefan Eriksson (@the_pnguin on Twitter) for the big role he played in helping this interview happen.]
    ********************
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    Michael Mccoll
    There's something special about every game between Cascadian rivals but add in a dose of controversy and things get even better.
    Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders served up another Cascadia Cup cracker in their 2-2 draw and AFTN photographer Tom Ewasiuk was there capturing the game for us. Here's a selection of his photos from before, during and after the match.
    You can find his full gallery from the game on Dropbox HERE.

    A Cascadia Cup holders tifo display

    Caps' starting line-up v Seattle

    Kekuta Manneh nearly gets Caps off to a dream start

    As does Koffie who curls inches wide

    And then crashes one off the Seattle bar with Stefan Frei nowhere

    Then from nothing, Chad Barrett easily outjumps NRC to head home

    But Erik Hurtado weaves some magic in the box and rifles the Caps level

    Three goals in three games for the bleached bombshell

    The second half starts off with a stramash as Caps protect their coach

    Stefan Frei is desperate not to conceed a throw in. He succeeds!

    And allows Gershon Koffie to loop home a 35 yard empty net stunner

    Stefan Frei. More like Stefan Why?

    Either way, Gersh doesn't care how he got his first of the season

    The drama continues as Gonzalo Pinedo chips in the controversial penalty leveller.
    What a game!

    **********
    ** Tom goes by the name Residual Image on Twitter. Give him a follow. **

    Aaron Campbell
    "Caps Countdown" is our Vancouver Whitecaps player rankings with a twist. The starting eleven is ranked from eleven to one, from worst to first. Who was the 'man of the match' and who, if anyone, had a game to forget in the first Cascadia Cup clash of the season, the 2-2 draw with Seattle Sounders? Aaron Campbell makes his selections. Do you agree?
    STARTING XI:
    11 - Sebastian Fernandez
    Was quiet most of the game. Struggled a bit playing off Pedro Morales, and always seemed to be playing behind Morales' pace.
    10 - Kekuta Manneh
    Had a few chances early in the game. Has to work on the his passing in the final third of the pitch.
    9 - Jordan Harvey
    Quiet most if the game but overall played an ok game. Would take a quiet, ok game for Harvey every week.
    8 - Andy O'Brien
    Also played a quiet, but solid game. Covered Reo-Coker well when he was up the pitch attacking.
    7 - David Ousted
    Wasn't credited with a save during the game but did well in his positioning. Didn't have a chance on either goal. Came out well to challenge Martins in 83rd minute making him only have an angle to hit the post.
    6 - Jay DeMerit
    I have been hard on DeMerit all season long. Thought he had a good game. Was strong in the box. Got a bullshit penalty called in the box on him to set up the 2-2 draw goal.
    5 - Nigel Reo-Coker
    If this is indeed his final game in a Whitecaps jersey (which seems unlikely as there is simply no other RB cover), he went out attacking. Loved his jump into the attacking third of the pitch.
    4 - Matias Laba
    So strong in the middle of the field. Little concerned he is one yellow away from a one game suspension. But you expect him to miss 1-2 games a season from that. Fair trade off with his style of play.
    3 - Pedro Morales
    Had some quiet moments on the pitch. His cross field passing accuracy is one of the best skill levels in MLS. Great chip over top to Hurtado on opening Whitecaps goal.
    2 - Erik Hurtado
    You can see him oozing with confidence now on the pitch. Attacking at right time. Great build up on his goal. Goal of the week candidate in my opinion.
    1 - Gershon Koffie

    Was all over the pitch. Best game of the season from Koffie. Had chances for 2-4 goals. Great awareness on his goal to just get a quick shot on the net. Looks more comfy in the attack when he knows Laba is covering his part of the defensive midfield.
    SUPER SUBS:
    Unusually only two subs from Carl Robinson in this one.
    2 - Russell Teibert
    Couldn't gain a lot of traction by coming into the game in the 79th minute. Does look a lot more comfy on the wing then Manneh does.
    1 - Nico Mezquida
    Came in for a struggling Fernandez. Was an improvement on the wing for those final 19 minutes.

    Steve Pandher
    Match report from Vancouver Whitecaps' 2-2 draw with Seattle Sounders at BC Place on Saturday afternoon and post game reaction from both locker rooms.
    Report:
    A contentious call near the end of the match proved to be the difference as the Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders drew their first Cascadian Cup match of the season 2-2 at BC Place on Saturday afternoon.
    Erik Hurtado continued his hot scoring streak and Gershon Koffie scored his first of the season for the Caps, while Chad Barrett and Gonzalo Pineda replied for the visitors.
    There was very little rust on the Caps to start the match and they were a side that were attacking the Sounders for the first ten minutes of the match. They came close on a number of chances including Stefan Frei’s stop on Kekuta Manneh and Gershon Koffie’s strike that struck the crossbar and bounced off the line.
    The Sounders were able to settle down the match and come up with a couple of opportunities on goal but for most of the first half both teams alternated in carrying play.
    With less than ten minutes to go until the break the visitors opened the scoring as former TFC striker Chad Barrett put one past David Ousted. After a couple of failed attempts Kenny Cooper was able to send a ball from the right of the box and Barrett rose unchallenged to head home into the far corner.
    The lead didn’t last long for the Sounders with Vancouver replying only three minutes later as Erik Hurtado scored his third goal in as many games. It was Pedro Morales who sent nice lob into the path of Hurtado and after turning out a couple of defenders, he fired a shot in a small space between Frei and the bar to send the game even into the half.
    While the first fifteen minutes of the second half didn’t provide any chances for either team there was an incident along the sidelines when Gonzalo Pineda slapped the ball out of Carl Robinson’s hands. The two rivals came together around the half line mark in a tense scrum but fortunately for both teams no one was sent off, or even booked in the altercation.
    A mistake by Frei in the 66th minute would give the Whitecaps the lead as Gershon Koffie scored his first of the season into an empty net. Trying to avoid giving up a corner the keeper came way out of his net and booted the ball towards the other half. Koffie was able to intercept the clearing attempt and found the vacated net from around 35-40 yards.
    The home side was within ten minutes from claiming the full three points when Gonzalo Pineda converted a much disputed penalty call. While defending a cross into the box Jay DeMerit seemed to get his head on the ball but the referee deemed the captain had fouled Cam Weaver and awarded a penalty.
    Just minutes later the Sounders almost took the lead when Obefami Martins broke in and sent his shot off the post. Then in added time Koffie had a chance to pick up his second as he found himself alone in the box but his attempt went over the bar which would ensure a sharing of points between the rivals.
    Despite the feeling that they were robbed of points the Whitecaps will continue their attempt to defend the Cascadia Cup as they travel down the I-5 to face the Portland Timbers next Sunday.
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    David Ousted; Nigel Reo-Coker, Andy O'Brien, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Gershon Koffie, Matías Laba, Sebastian Fernandez (Nicolás Mezquida 72nd min), Pedro Morales, Kekuta Manneh (Russell Teibert 80th min); Erik Hurtado
    Substitutes not used
    Paolo Tornaghi, Johnny Leveron, Carlyle Mitchell, Darren Mattocks, Omar Salgado
    Seattle Sounders
    Stefan Frei; Jalil Anibaba, Djimi Traore (Brad Evans 57th min), Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez; Marco Pappa, Osvaldo Alonso, Gonzalo Pineda, Chad Barrett (Cam Weaver 80th min); Kenny Cooper (Michael Azira 72nd min), Obafemi Martins
    Substitutes not used
    Marcus Hahnemann, Andy Rose, Tristan Bowen, Dylan Remick
    Reaction:
    VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
    HEAD COACH CARL ROBINSON
    Thoughts on the match:
    "Yeah, very frustrating if I’m honest. The boys were fantastic from the first minute. I thought the first half we were absolutely phenomenal. We could have been ahead, weren’t ahead. They scored on their second chance, and then we fought back, but it was a very entertaining game."
    Thoughts on the penalty:
    "I saw my captain jump for the ball in his penalty box and head the ball away."
    "I can only concentrate on what I can do. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do nothing about what’s going on today. I think you could all see it today. 20 odd thousand see it, so as much as I’d like to say certain things, I’ll talk about my team and I’ll continue to do that."
    Thoughts on the atmosphere and rivalry:
    "Listen it’s great. I said to the guys before the game that you want to play in big games. I want to test myself against the best managers, and Sigi [schmid] is certainly one of them. These occasions don’t come around too often. It’s the same obviously when we play Portland and things like that. It’s a special occasion, so don’t let the game pass you by, and we didn’t. It’s important for the growth of football here in Vancouver, and North America that that continues because it’s all about rivalries and if you get intense rivalries, and players wanting to win, and managers wanting to win. I think you saw that from both sets of players today, and certainly both managers."
    "I think the guys who haven’t played in a Seattle-Vancouver game before certainly got it today because both sets of supporters were excellent."
    Thoughts on Koffie:
    "It was probably his best performance. He’s been excellent the last three or four games for me. I keep saying to him that he needs to keep scoring goals. He’s a midfield player. Not just his goal, but I think he hit the bar in the first couple of minutes, and then could have nicked it in the end with two more chances. It was an all-around performance from him today, and he should be proud of himself."
    Thoughts on not scoring on chances:
    "It’d concern me more if we weren’t getting chances. Obviously we’re getting chances. We got to work at that, or do something about it. I’ve openly said we’re looking at trying to bring in players to help this group, and I’ll continue to do that, but the player has to be the right player or players, and if they are, then we’ll move forward with that. But the guys in there, I said I’m delighted with them today, and I’m proud of them. Erik Hurtado again, another fantastic goal and performance and we’re just moving in the right direction slowly."
    Thought’s on Erik Hurtado’s performance, goal and growing confidence:
    "People ask me about what’s the difference in Erik from last three weeks ago 'til now and he’s a different player. Well I say no, he’s not a different player, he’s the same player, but his confidence has obviously grown. I think the supporters are finally seeing what he can do. I’ve seen that in glimpses last year while I was here as an assistant, and I wanted to give him that chance. I think players want their managers to have faith in them, and I certainly have faith in Erik at the moment. He’s doing himself a lot of good.”
    Thoughts on match up with Seattle:
    "They’re a good team. I’ve said that before the game they’re a good team, but so are we. Slowly we’re becoming a very good team. Two different types of teams, they’re very physical. They like to counter-attack. We like to counter-attack, but we like to try and keep the ball on the deck. We don’t have a big center-forward, as everyone likes to keep telling me, but we’ve got players who like to get down the sides and little give and goes, and things like that. So it was a contrast of two teams’ styles I think today, but I’m proud they matched the physicality because you know they are always going to be there, Seattle, and we’ve got to make sure we start to get there this year, and continue to get there and become a seasoned team."
    MIDFIELDER GERSHON KOFFIE
    Thoughts on his performance:
    "The manager told me I did well on my performance, and I could have got more than one goal. I guess we will take it to the next game and see what happens."
    Playing after the yellow card:
    "When you get booked early you have to be careful about what you do, and you can’t create any fouls, so the manager told me I had a yellow card, so I should be careful."
    DEFENDER NIGEL REO-COKER
    Thoughts on the game:
    "It was unlucky today, but nonetheless I thought it was a great team performance, I thought the first 30 minutes were fantastic. It’s the best we’ve been all season, the tempo, the passing, the movement. Another day it could’ve been three or four nil for us and game done, but that’s football and I thought it was unlucky for us today."
    On the physical play:
    "It was a good physical challenge for us, a good physical test and I thought we rose to the occasion. We did very well, we showed we’ve grown in character we’re not a team of soft touch anymore."
    STRIKER ERIK HURTADO
    Thoughts on the match:
    "Really proud of the boys, we went down came back, just unfortunate."
    Thoughts on his own play:
    "Just getting the opportunity, and making the best of it right now."
    On using the game to prepare for Portland:
    "It was a disappointing result, but nowhere near disappointing performance. We played great, the fans helped us out, and we’ve just got to take the performance, and push that forward through this week of training and take that into the Portland game. I feel confident that our team will be confident on the road."
    On his goal:
    "Just linked up with Pedro, and Seba, really well and I had the space, saw Alonso coming towards me, so I acted like I was going to cross it and made them bite, and then chopped it again and just roofed it."
    On his growing confidence:
    "I’m getting the opportunity to play, and I’m getting the opportunity to hold players off. Andy O’Brien has been telling me a lot how to hold defenders off, and how to position myself before I get the ball, so that has a lot to do with it. I’ve just got to keep taking on what he’s telling me, and add that into my game."
    SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
    HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
    On his feelings regarding the end result:
    "Obviously, we always want to get more, but we’re happy to walk away with at least a point. Especially when you look at the players we’re missing in total and losing Marshall right before the game with an illness and losing Djimi Traore as well made it a little difficult. We had to make some unusual changes and substitutions. I thought we did well, we were unlucky on Oba’s shot. There we could’ve maybe pulled off the win and I wasn’t happy with the goals we gave up, obviously."
    On Stefan Frei’s performance:
    "I mean, the goal’s on him and on our defenders for not stepping in on that one. He made a save at the time when it was 1-1 where he came up with a big save to his left, he made a big save later, but that’s something that obviously can’t happen."
    On the Whitecaps' first goal:
    "The guy gets into the box, with a chance maybe to stop him earlier, engage the player outside the box but then once he gets in the box and we have two players around him, so we’ve got a double, we’ve got to stay on our feet there. So we leave our feet, he cuts, and we tackle our own player. That’s something that I think, you stay on your feet, and you have a better chance of doing well there. Also, the timing of it, coming four or five minutes after our goal, that’s something that we’ve got to be a little more resolute at that, but it’s coming. We showed character, we showed our character to come back, and we showed our character to almost come away with three if Oba doesn’t hit the post there.”
    On the penalty call:
    "It was hard because I really didn’t watch the replay, cause I was busy trying to organize our team at that point, so I haven’t seen the replay. Some people said it was a penalty, some people said it was soft, I don’t know. But, you’ve got to be willing to put yourself in a position, which Cam Weaver did and he ended up calling the PK."
    DEFENDER BRAD EVANS
    On how it felt to be with Sounders FC again after USMNT camp:
    "Great. You know, put things in the past, and fortunate to get a result on the road. I thought the guys battled hard, maybe if we eliminate one or two mistakes, but happy with the boys, with the 2-2."
    On how he wanted to handle coming back after being cut:
    "Initially, your feelings are 'I want to put this in the past, run around for 90 minutes and get after it.' Maybe sometimes that’s not the smartest thing, so I took the smart approach, told him [schmid] I felt good, I was mentally ready to go, I was into the game, I felt good out there. It was almost as though I just went away for conditioning camp for a week and then came back. I feel strong, I feel healthy, I feel fit. Overall, we spoke about it last night and this morning, there was never a worry about it."
    MIDFIELDER CHAD BARRETT
    Thoughts on the match:
    "Felt good to get the goal. I’d be glad to get away with three points, but we’ll take the point right now. We made some mistakes to give them some goals and they capitalized on it. Good teams will do that. At least we got a point out of it, but it’s a little bittersweet."
    On his goal following Vancouver’s early onslaught:
    "Sometimes, you’ve got to be a firefighter and just douse the fire. They came out wanting it, you could tell they were really going. I don’t think I touched the ball for the first 10 minutes and that’s frustrating. You just want to make sure that you make some good saves, Stefan made some good saves, we had some good blocks. Luckily, they missed a couple shots. We came back, and we were able to score the goal, and then we gave it right back to them. It’s frustrating when we give up our goals and how we give up our goals. If we can change that and become a shutdown team, that’d be good."

    Guest
    There's a reason Toledoed is a term used in MLS circles.
    Referee Baldomero Toledo has a bad habit of making himself part of the conversation. He is, without a doubt, universally loathed by fans of pretty much every MLS team. He seems to want to make game changing calls.
    He made a game changing call last night that may have denied TFC two points. The penalty call against Doneil Henry was seen by about 95 percent of people watching as being nothing short of bizarre.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Although there were a couple voices that thought Henry could have avoided the contact, it's hard to see how. His reputation may have played a role in the call. Either way, it's a shame that we have to talk about the referee.
    And, as much as we talk about it, there is nothing that can change the call. It's done. Thanks to Bradley Orr's stoppage time equalizer the final result was one that most TFC fans would have taken going in.
    As for the rest of the game, TFC remains a frustrating team to watch and a difficult team to interpret. The amount of possession they yield gives the appearance of a club holding on for dear life, but the truth is they don't actually allow many goals.
    Is that by design? Or is it pure luck? A bit of both, perhaps.
    They are absolutely set up to counter. To a point you can understand why. Jermain Defoe is an exceptional poacher and he makes the Reds dangerous when they do go forward.
    However, it seems absurd to think this team can keep getting results with a third of the ball. Surely they need to inch the possession up a bit. I think most people would be more comfortable if they were countering with 45 percent. That would seem sustainable.
    Then again, they did get a point on the road against the (admittedly undermanned) defending champions. At some point we're all going to need to wrap our head around the fact this team isn't ever going to be pretty to watch and that we're always going to feel disaster is around the corner.
    Part of that is the tactics and part of that is the PTSD.
    So no point dwelling on the how. Take the point and move on.
    We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 60 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
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    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
    Guest

    Toronto FC denies rumours

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Toronto FC has shot down the Giovanni Piccolomo rumours.
    Apparently the Corinthians player was only here on a training stint "for a couple days," according to a club spokesperson via e-mail.
    With about $150,000 of cap room available now that Julio Cesar is returning to QPR it would appear that TFC will have room for one additional discovery signing.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    This post was made during the site's blogging marathon. We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 40 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
    There are four ways to donate.
    1) You can send an EMT to CSNDonation@gmail.com. (Make password BloodyBigDeal)
    2) You can make a PayPal donation to dgrollins@gmail.com
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    4) You can mail me a cheque. Email me at DuaneGRollins@gmail.com for address.
    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
    Guest

    Ryan Nelsen: hot seat free

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It's a common belief that Ryan Nelsen is "on the hot seat."
    It stands to reason. TFC has spent a lot of money on big name talent and they will expect big results. With the consensus being that TFC is under performing (which, based on a 7th overall points per game rate at moment might be a bit harsh), many are going so far as to suggest that his job is hanging by a game by game basis.
    Some of the opinion is probably based on wishful thinking. Many TFC fans do not care for Nelsen's rope-a-dope tactics and believe that a more experienced manager would get more out of them.
    That's possible. Tactically his inexperience has shown. But, the opinion of you or I hardly matters.
    The opinions that matters are Tim Leiweke's and Tim Bezbatchenko. We have very little to go off of on the latter, but on the former we can point to his experience in LA.
    Is there anything in the Beckham experience that suggests that Leiweke will interfere to put a big name manager in?
    The answer is no.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    In LA, Leiweke leaned on his GM of Alexi Lalas (a former player) way beyond the point where it was clear that it wasn't working out. He also did nothing to interfere with Frank Yallop's time as manager, even though things were going terribly.
    It was only after two years of failure and with immense pressure from the Beckham group that he made a change. It helped that Bruce Arena was available.
    So, basically, this idea that Nelsen could be fired at any moment is baseless. Not without a player revolt that simply isn't there. They all love them some Nellie.
    Bottom line: Nelsen isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
    This post was made during the site's blogging marathon. We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 33 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
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    3) You can make a cash donation to me in person (I will be at BMO Field on Wednesday -- email me for my phone number to arrange a meet up)
    4) You can mail me a cheque. Email me at DuaneGRollins@gmail.com for address.
    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
    Guest
    Toronto FC is in Kansas City this evening for a rare Friday night match versus Sporting KC and, for the first time in a long time, it is probably not unreasonable to expect a result.
    There has been heartbreak and drama in the recent past but, since the emergence of Peter Vermes’ team as one of the top sides in MLS over the past three seasons, writing off the points available at the home of the current MLS Cup holders has never failed to be the wrong assumption. While the Reds did score a surprise win over SKC in their home opener at the Rogers Centre last year you have to go all the way back to 2009, back when Sporting were still called the Wizards and played in a converted minor league baseball stadium, for the last time TFC picked up points from a visit to Kansas City.
    This time, however, there is reason for optimism.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Partially that’s down to the rebuilt Reds’ already impressive road record. The season opening win in Seattle is looking better and better in retrospect as Seattle continues to top the overall table and the win over Columbus came when the Crew still held a perfect record. For the first time in a long time, this Toronto team has shown that they have the capability of competing on the road against the league’s better teams.
    For their part, Sporting find themselves sliding into a pre-World Cup slump. While Toronto FC lost Michael Bradley – and are now seemingly permanently without Julio Cesar – Sporting saw both Graham Zusi and Matt Besler called-up for the American national team as expected.
    The absence of Besler has contributed to an absolute crisis in the centre of defence for KC. In their last match, a loss in Chicago, they were down to one recognized centre back and elected to arrange their regular fullbacks, Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic, as right and left centre backs in a three man backline. That was with highly rated rookie Erik Palmer-Brown between them but his red card means that he’ll be suspended for the match against Toronto. Should Aurelien Collin, still listed as questionable due to a hamstring strain, not be available Vermes will have to be extremely creative in how he organizes his defence.
    Still, it’s unlikely that Vermes has ever struck anyone as anything less than competitive and, after two straight losses for Sporting, he’ll certainly have the players he does field highly motivated. There’s no way TFC fans should expect an easy match. The best way to protect a makeshift defence is to play the match in the other team’s end denying them time, space, and the ball so expect KC’s all-energy, high-pressing game to be in overdrive from the opening whistle.
    Selection issues for Toronto head coach Ryan Nelsen exist right down the spine of his side.
    Virtually no one connected with Toronto FC has failed to notice that Gilberto, one of the major DP signings trumpeted in the off-season, has so far failed to score in Toronto red. It’s an unfortunate statistic because Gilberto’s overall play has looked exceptionally positive. With the recently acquired Luke Moore grabbing a tap-in goal late in injury time last weekend versus New York there have already been, unsurprisingly, suggestions that he should start beside Jermain Defoe. It’s a tricky situation for Nelsen because every time he names Gilberto to the starting line-up the pressure increases, but dropping him might be seen as an admission that he lacks confidence in the Brazilian’s ability to start converting his chances.
    In central midfield another new acquisition, Collen Warner, may have to wait for his first start for TFC due to Bradley Orr’s unexpectedly strong showing sitting in-front of the defence versus New York. Dropping Orr would feel strange but he was only playing due to a lack of available options and the role he filled is precisely the one Warner was brought in for.
    Finally, Toronto have their own dilemma at centre back. Rookie Nick Hagglund had a solid, mistake free performance against New York and, for the second time with him starting in central defence, the Reds managed to keep a clean sheet. It’s likely that it was enough to keep the spot and leave Doneil Henry stuck on the bench for at least one more game.
    That said, if Nelsen really wants to see a competition between the Hagglund and Henry for the other spot beside captain Steven Caldwell, only rotating after a poor performance might not be the best way to push each player to continue improving. As with criticism of the situation with Joe Bendik and Sebastian Frei in goal last season, it’s only really a competition if both players are getting opportunities to improve on each other’s performance.
    Guest
    We're blinded by goals. A lack of goals makes us believe that an offensive player isn't contributing. All other aspects of that player's attacking game are ignored.
    The same thing goes the other way. Bradley Wright-Phillips gets a hat trick and suddenly people are talking about him as a MVP candidate. That he's getting goals based on the strong performance of those around him is ignored.
    Goals are so rare in the sport that they simply cannot be relied upon to evaluate a player's performance. There just isn't enough data and there is too much luck involved.
    That's why I created the (very simple) metric of S+KP -- shots plus key passes.
    By its very definition a shot in soccer is a scoring chance. They're rare enough on there own and it's been demonstrated in past that a team requires about nine shots on goal to generate a goal (the 9:1 ratio is really the original advanced stat in soccer and, although a bit too simple, the basic reasoning behind it remains. You can't score without first generating a shot).
    Key passes are defined as a pass that leads directly to a scoring attempt by another player.
    Thus, S+KP is a measure of who is producing the most scoring chances. A S+KP ranking may not reflect the goal or assist table, but it's likely a better indicator of overall offensive contribution.
    Even if a player with a high S+KP ranking isn't scoring it's exceptionally likely that he will eventually get just a little more luck and the goals will come.
    So, who is tops in MLS so far in S+KPs? Find out below the jump.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    1. Clint Dempsey (Sea) - 6.6
    2. Landon Donovan (LAG) - 5.9
    3. Federico Higuain (CBS) - 5.7
    4. Diego Valeri (PDX) - 5.5
    4. Thierry Henry (NYRB) - 5.5
    6. Padro Morales (Van) - 5.2
    7. Fabian Espinola (DCU) - 5.0
    7. Javier Morales (RSL) - 5.0
    9. Giles Barnes (Hou) - 4.6
    9. Joao Plata (RSL) - 4.6
    For those wondering, both Marco Di Vaio and Jermain Defoe have not played enough to qualify for the list. Di Vaio would rank second if he qualified with a 6.0. Defoe would not make the list, falling even behind his teammate Gilberto (4.0 to 4.3)
    The most timely observation from this list is Donovan. The current spin in the US is that Klinsmann was right to exclude him from the World Cup squad based on his form.
    As we said off the top, goals blind us.
    As long as Donovan is producing the chances we can look at his past history and say with near authority that he will get his goals and that his lack of goals so far are almost certainly an indication of bad luck.
    Which is good luck for Germany, Portugal and Ghana.
    This post was made during the site's blogging marathon. We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 33 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
    There are four ways to donate.
    1) You can send an EMT to CSNDonation@gmail.com. (Make password BloodyBigDeal)
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    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
    Guest

    Floro's plan in his words

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    There is no more depressing time to follow the the Canadian men then in the month before a World Cup. The excitement that surrounds the roster announcements and final prep is just a reminder that we, once again, aren't invited to the dance.
    It's even more painful this time as we are so far down the rankings that we don't even offer a useful pre-tournament friendly for anyone. There will be no high profile friendlies for Canadian fans to watch this time around.
    Actually, there will be no friendlies for Canadians to watch, period, as what we do have scheduled isn't on television.
    This must be the bottom that we are starting from, right?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Actually, according to Benito Floro, it might be. He told reporters yesterday that these two friendlies against Bulgaria and Moldova represent the end of his first cycle of rebuilding.
    "We've planned in three stages," he said. "The first is finishing now with this camp."
    Floro said that the second phase of the plan is to prepare for the Gold Cup. Now that the Gold Cup is also acting as a qualifier for the 2016 Copa Americas, Canada has an additional reason to be prepared for that tournament.
    However, Floro stressed that the addition of the Copa to the schedule dies not change their timelines.
    "We're always thinking about doing a good job at the Gold Cup and trying to get to the finals," he said.
    Although the idea of Canada in the Gold Cup final a year from now may seem absurd, it's refreshing to see actual performance goals after a year of simply trying to "play well."
    Getting to the Copa would be an important accomplishment heading into Canada's third stage of World Cup qualifying, says Floro.
    "If there's the possibility to appear and qualify for the new American Cup it will be better for us because we could play a lot of official games which is better for us to improve our level."
    But, first up is Moldova. And, hopefully a goal.
    This post was made during the site's 48-hour blogging marathon. We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 25 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
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    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
    Guest
    There is no doubt that I can come off as a bit of a zealot when it comes to LTPD.
    It comes naturally here in the Canadian soccer world to those of us that have been involved in the fight for reform over the past decade or so. The old boys network is strong and removing it from power has been difficult (with the heavy lifting, it must be stressed, done mostly by others. I'm just the peanut gallery).
    That old boys network is still out there lurking. In many cases it is desperate to regain a foothold in the youth systems of this country. The reason, more often than not, is because they financially profited off of that system.
    It was a system that was primarily about numbers. Children were seen as cheques to be cashed, not as athletes to be developed. Thus, the focus was always on the easy and obvious -- games.
    Rent a pitch, hire a ref, make sure the balls are blown up and let the kids run around for 90 minutes (or 60 if you wanted to squeeze more games -- and cash more cheques -- in).
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The tough stuff -- developing skills -- was left to chance under this model. That was harder and cost more money (good coaching costs money. Volunteer coaching brings the orange slices for half-time).
    That system, insofar as it was a system, has directly lead to today. Canada sits in 110th in the FIFA rankings and lacks a significant pro infrastructure (which is directly traceable to the profit based youth system set-up as it failed to encourage the development of a development pathway in which a competitive, professional senior team is the logical top of any club's development pyramid).
    Regardless of what is replacing the old "system" we can say with absolute certainty that the old ways have failed us. Spectacularly.
    We must change. That is clear.
    Does this mean that we should move blindly forward under the new ways? Of course not.
    LTPD is a generic term that represents a philosophy that seeks to put an emphasis on skill development and on age appropriate (and development aware) stepping stones. It seeks to move away from the throw it at the wall and hope approach of the past.
    It seeks to put the needs of the child first.
    But, that doesn't mean the actual plans that are put in place shouldn't constantly be tested and tweaked. In fact, a true proponent of LTPD should demand that they are because LTPD is also about the need to be thoughtful about development.
    Opponents of the new direction try to frame proponents as having an agenda. They're right. That agenda is to produce talented players that go on to obtain scholarships, pro contracts and national team caps.
    As for what the agenda is of those trying to protect a system that so clearly failed...
    This post was made during the site's 48-hour blogging marathon. We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 25 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
    There are four ways to donate.
    1) You can send an EMT to CSNDonation@gmail.com. (Make password BloodyBigDeal)
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    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
    Guest
    Things may be bleak for the Canadian national team, but we're not Moldova bad.
    Nope. Sure, Bulgaria is above our level, but not tiny little former Soviet republics sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine.
    Moldova is only ranked 99th in the world on the latest FIFA list and...CRAP!
    So, Canada's ranked below Moldova. It's really come to this.
    At least Benito Floro thinks it's a chance to prove Canada's 110th place ranking is not accurate.
    The coach's thoughts on the upcoming friendlies between Bulgaria and Moldova:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    "This camp is only for players in Europe with two or three players from MLS or from Canada," he said. "We need to play against Bulgaria with good, experienced players because it will be a difficult game.
    "Bulgaria is a very good national team. It plays well but at least we have a good lineup and I trust in our players because the training was very good and they have a good mentality for playing this game.
    "We realize it is very difficult because the level of Bulgaria is better than our level. For us, the most important question is to play well and play as if it was an official game."
    However, things were different when it comes to Moldova.
    "Moldova will be another situation but we need to win because it is very important for us to improve our psychology and mentality. For us, there are two games that are very important."
    So, there you have it. Expectations of a result. This is a good thing after the year that has just passed.
    This post was made during the site's 48-hour blogging marathon. We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 25 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
    There are four ways to donate.
    1) You can send an EMT to CSNDonation@gmail.com. (Make password BloodyBigDeal)
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    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
    Guest

    Fraser Aird: A Canuck, we swear

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    According to Benito Floro Canadian fans should not read too much into the fact that Fraser Aird wasn't called up to the most recent Canada camp.
    It was widely reported in Scotland that the Rangers teenager was planning to apply to FIFA to play for his native Canada rather than his heritage and playing home of Scotland.
    For gun-shy Canucks, the exclusion of Aird from the most recent camp was evidence that we've lost yet another dual national. After all this is the country that players leave, not the one they come to.
    However, Floro assured reporters today that it was simply an administrative decision.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    "Players could only attend one camp (U20s or senior camp). In this case, we chose (to bring) Keven Aleman. It is the reason, there is not another."
    So, we can expect Aird to be part of the u20 set-up, as he was during the most recent camp.
    Is he worth the fuss? That's hard to say, but it's not like Canada has prospects to burn. Aird may be playing in the third tier of the Scottish league (second next year), but at least he's playing.
    He has 45 first team appearances and eight goals for the *Division 3, demoted** Rangers. He has yet to make an appearance for Canada and until he does most Canadian fans will chose to pretend he never will.
    *Reference to 'Newco' removed at the request of the Rangers Supporters Club of Toronto. I simply meant to stress that Aird broke in after the club shed players. I really do not care at all about Old Firm partisanship, so please stop Tweeting me about it.
    ** Reference to Post-administration removed at the urging of Celtic fans***
    *** Yes, really****
    **** I now support Partick Thistle F.C
    This post was made during the site's 48-hour blogging marathon. We are attempting to raise funds to keep the site running through to the end of 2015 (and hopefully beyond).
    We are 25 percent of the way to our goal of $2,400.
    There are four ways to donate.
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    3) You can make a cash donation to me in person (I will be at BMO Field on Wednesday -- email me for my phone number to arrange a meet up)
    4) You can mail me a cheque. Email me at DuaneGRollins@gmail.com for address.
    Thanks to all that have contributed so far and thanks to those who are considering a contribution.
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