Jay Nolly will start his first game in MLS since 2007, when he goes between the sticks for the Vancouver Whitecaps for Saturday’s season opener against Toronto FC.Like a lot of players on expansion clubs — no matter what the league — Nolly told media Friday at Empire Field that the Whitecaps can exceed the low expectations placed upon them by the pundits. After all, in MLS, there is a history of expansion teams walking into a league with a low salary cap and high roster turnovers and winning. Chicago won it all in an expansion season. The Seattle Sounders have been to the playoffs each of their first two years in the league, and have two U.S. Open Cups.Nolly believes the Whitecaps will benefit from consistency.“We’ve brought, 10, 11, 15 guys from last year along,” said Nolly.

ussell Teibert and his teammates on the Canadian U-20 will look to the recent success of our U-17 program for inspiration.Teibert will leave the Vancouver Whitecaps Sunday, the day after they open the MLS season against Toronto FC, to head to Florida for the national U-20 camp. The Canadian team will then head to Guatemala for the CONCACAF qualifiers for the U-20 World Cup.

Russell Teibert’s signing wasn’t a surprise. But his designation as a Generation Adidas prospect does represent a historic moment for Canadian soccer fans.Both Toronto FC and the Whitecaps signed trialists on Thursday, filling out their rosters ahead of the MLS opener. But Teibert was the biggest news of the lot.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are taking a page out of the Winnipeg Jets’ book.The Whitecaps are urging their fans to turn Empire Stadium into a sea of white seats for Saturday’s MLS opener against Toronto FC, similar to the “Whiteout” campaigns the Jets ran during their playoff runs before the NHL franchise moved to Phoenix. The Coyotes have also tried the Whiteout campaign, but it’s hard to pull off with all those pesky empty seats messing up your plans.