Alderson promoted to Vancouver’s senior roster, gets Generation Adidas tag 17 Nov 2011 With the announcement that reigning Canadian U-17 player of the year Bryce Alderson has been promoted from the Whitecaps Residency to the MLS roster, the club has given its most exciting teen prospect the chance to step up — and also helped silence the critics who noted the lack of Canadians on the first team through the 2011 season.
Hassli’s wonder strike doesn’t take MLS Goal of the Year 16 Nov 2011 Vancouver Whitecap Eric Hassli’s wonder strike against the Seattle Sounders didn’t win the Goal of the Year honour. Instead, rookie Darlington Nagbe got the award for his volley-and-shoot effort against Sporting Kansas City.
Hassli finishes third in MLS Newcomer of the Year balloting 16 Nov 2011 Vancouver’s Eric Hassli, who is likely to win the Goal of the Year for his stunning volley against Seattle, and who scored 10 times this year, finished third in voting, behind Rosales and New York Red Bull Luke Rodgers.
Ex-TFC defender Dunivant becomes one of league’s best with Galaxy 14 Nov 2011 His teammate, David Beckham, was named MLS Comeback Player of the Year on Monday; but you could make an argument that it should have been Dunivant, not Becks, who should have got that nod. At 30, Dunivant had his best-ever season in Los Angeles, playing in 33 of 34 games with one of the stingiest defences in North American soccer.
All four Canadian pro teams represented on U18 roster 12 Nov 2011 All four of Canada’s MLS and Division-2 professional sides are represented on the roster of the U-18 developmental squad.
Hart ponders “subtle” defensive shuffle for key World Cup qualifier 10 Nov 2011 In training sessions ahead of Friday’s match (which will be streamed at sportsnet.ca begnning at 7 p.m. ET), Hart has moved Mike Klukowski from the left side to a centre back slot, and moved Adam Straith out from the centre to the right side.
MLS to unveil unbalanced 2012 schedule with “rivalry focus” 10 Nov 2011 Garber wouldn’t say exactly what the new format will be, but it will have a “rivalry” focus. So, expect to see more Cascadia games for the Whitecaps. More Colorado vs. Real Salt Lake. More Chivas vs. Los Angeles Galaxy. And Toronto and Montreal could face each other more than twice next season.
Gonzalez’s Defender of the Year nod highlights Toronto FC’s draft-day mistake 9 Nov 2011 The scene: The 2009 MLS Superdraft. With the second pick, Toronto FC chose midfielder Sam Cronin, passing up on University of Maryland defender Omar Gonzalez, who the Los Angeles Galaxy took with the third pick. On Wednesday, Gonzalez became the youngest player, at 23, to ever be named MLS Defender of the Year.
TFC draws the Galaxy in CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final 8 Nov 2011 Toronto FC will face the Los Angeles Galaxy in its CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final. The two teams were matched together during Tuesday’s quarter-final draw at CONCACAF headquarters in New York.
Sapong easily wins MLS Rookie of the Year vote 8 Nov 2011 Major League Soccer announced that SKC striker C.J. Sapong has been named the league’s Rookie of the Year for 2011. Sapong played in all 34 regular-season games, no small feat for a first-year player right out of the NCAA. He scored five times and added five assists.