MLS officiating crackdown already taking its toll 27 Mar 2011 Before the kickoff of the season, MLS headquarters instructed its officials to crack down on fouls in the box and to make absolutely certain that a player was in an offside position before raising the flag. More penalties, more cards, less offside calls — the recipe to boost scoring. We are clearly seeing the effect of the mandate. Fans will likely have to get used to seeing the flag stay down more often than not.
Canada names U-20 squad: Morgan, Saler not on the list 27 Mar 2011 Canada has announced its roster for the U-20 CONCACAF championships, which kick off two days from now in Guatemala. “We are ready to challenge for a FIFA U-20 World Cup spot,” said U-20 coach Valerio Gazzola. “The players are upbeat and ready to play.”
10-man Whitecaps lose on controversial Ruiz goal 27 Mar 2011 The Vancouver Whitecaps gave it their best shot to maintain their perfect season here yesterday against the Philadelphia Union and their boisterous Sons of Ben fan club —which cheers its heroes and jeers the opposition nonstop the entire game. They really did. But in the end the Caps simply couldn’t overcome a red card to striker Eric Hassli — his second yellow-card infraction of the day — forcing them to play a man down the final 35 minutes. The Union applied consistent pressure from there, finally converting an opportunity goal from Carlos Ruiz in the 79th minute to squeeze out a 1-0 win that might’ve been a different story otherwise.
Martina’s magic helps TFC give Portland a chilly reception 26 Mar 2011 Perhaps all Toronto FC needed was to be back at BMO Field. A week after a disappointing loss in the season opener in Vancouver, a much-improved TFC side won its home opener by a 2-0 score over the Portland Timbers. Striker Javier Martina led the way with his first two career MLS goals, but perhaps even more important than Toronto's scoring was the lack of a goal from the other side. The Reds' back line stood up against a persistent Timbers attack and kept the clean sheet, just a week after allowing four goals to the Whitecaps.
Harmse returns to Whitecaps 26 Mar 2011 Kevin Harmse’s career has come full circle. The South Africa-born, Coquitlam B.C.-raised midfielder and defender has signed with the Whitecaps, after spending camp with the club. He was in the team’s dressing room after the 4-2 opening day win over Toronto FC. “Kevin is a physical player with MLS experience,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson in a release. …
Obstacle removed: Salgado cleared to play for Whitecaps 25 Mar 2011 Omar Salgado won’t have to wait until his 18th birthday to play in his first MLS game. The Vancouver Whitecaps have been successful in their efforts to get the No. 1 pick in the 2011 Superdraft cleared to play. Salgado is currently with the U.S. U-20 team as it prepares for the CONCACAF qualifiers in Guatemala, so he won’t be able to help the Whitecaps this Saturday in Philadelphia, where the club has a bit of a roster crisis because of international call-ups.
FC Edmonton left out in the cold by NCC schedulemaker 23 Mar 2011 The needs of television have outweighed the needs of Canada’s fledgling professional team. The Canadian Soccer Association and Rogers Sportsnet unveiled the broadcast schedule for the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, and the news was awful for FC Edmonton’s front office.
Two Canadian keepers up for Save of the Week 23 Mar 2011 This week, both Canadian keepers are nominated for MLS Save of the Week. Sutton made a couple of fantastic stops on attempts from Seattle’s Fredy Montero in a 1-0 win, but the best was a reflex stop with his arm as Montero tried to get one upstairs from only a couple of yards out. Onstad, who is old enough to recall a time when players wore cotton jerseys, made a diving stop off a redirected Columbus Crew corner, as D.C. United won its opener by a 3-1 count.
Canadian Matt Lam ready to return to JEF United, to “help fans escape the chaos” of earthquake 23 Mar 2011 Matt Lam had just returned home from a training session when the earthquake struck. Even though Chiba, a suburb of Tokyo, was nearly 400 kilometres from the epicentre of the 9.0 temblor that triggered the tsunami that has claimed thousands of lives, the Canadian midfielder — and his mother, who was visiting at the time — they understood the gravity of the situation. “The whole building rocked back and forth,” said Lam, who is back in Edmonton, training on his own, after his club, JEF United, decided to send players home after the quake. “Even though we were 350, 400 kilometres from the epicentre, we could really feel the shake.”
Bravo! Mexican star named MLS player of the week 22 Mar 2011 Omar Bravo won the hearts and minds of soccer reporters across the continent, capturing the first Player of the Week award of the MLS season. Bravo, Sporting Kansas City’s Mexican Designated Player, scored twice as his new club travelled to Los Angeles and edged Chivas USA 3-2. As Bravo once starred for Chivas Guadalajara, the irony was too good to pass up.