Kyle Porter is the top Canadian story from Walt Disney World classic

Kyle Porter

Both Canadian teams were upstaged by a Canadian trialist in the final day of group-stage play at the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic.

Both the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC were overshadowed by Kyle Porter, who went on trial with D.C. United as soon as he finished a two-game stint with the national team. The ex-FC Edmonton man scored on a thunderbolt in the 85th minute to earn DCU a 1-1 draw with the Impact.

Andrea Pisanu, on loan from Bologna, gave the Impact a first-half lead with an audacious overhead kick — the kind of goal that, if it happened in the regular-season, would be an automatic for MLS Goal of the Year consideration.

But, with five minutes left to go, Porter smashed a half-volley from the top of the box into the Impact goal after Hassoun Camara’s poor attempt at a headed clearance gave the ball right back the DCU. But Porter still had a lot to do, delicately controlling a bobbling ball at the top of the box before smashing the ball into goal.

Ironically, Porter trained with the Impact in 2011 — the club’s final NASL season — after leaving the Whitecaps. But any hope to join Montreal faded when the Impact were notified that it would have to give Porter back to the ‘Caps in 2012. Why? When the Impact would join MLS in 2012, Porter’s MLS rights would be retained by Vancouver.

So, Porter went to FC Edmonton and scored 12 times over two NASL season. He was offered a contract by the Eddies ahead of the 2013 that has now been withdrawn, as the deadline for Porter to sign there has passed.

Porter played for FC Edmonton coach and interim national-team boss Colin Miller in Canada’s two recent friendlies, a loss to Denmark and a draw with the United States.

While Porter showed well for those who believe that more NASL players deserve chances to make the jump to MLS, Toronto FC defender Gale Agbossoumonde did not as the Reds lost 3-0 to the Philadelphia Union. The former Carolina RailHawks centre back, who came to TFC in a weighted lottery, showed why anyone who had a close look at NASL last year felt that the big American defender would indeed be a project player for the Reds.

Agbossoumonde endured some tough days as part of the RailHawks’ NASL-worst backline last year, and he was exposed twice in the first half; Antoine Hoppenot’s early opening goal was made all too easy by Agbossoumonde’s decision to lay off rather than challenge the shooter. The French forward was able to step inside of “The Boss” — another big defensive no-no — and slotted home.

The second goal, from Roger Torres, came after Torres was able to step around The Boss in the box even though the big TFC defender was holding the proper position. Agbossoumonde was caught not moving his feet, and helped make Torres look like Lionel Messi.

Union trialist Matt Kassel finished off the rout with a long-distance blast.

TFC will likely start the season with vets Danny Califf and Darren O’Dea the first choices in the middle of the defence, which will give time for The Boss to learn and adapt to MLS. But, if reserve matches are still few and far between for the Reds, it might be a good idea for the club to consider getting Agboussomonde to a place where he can get the significant minutes he needs. Ironically, the best place for The Boss to be playing this year is in Carolina.

Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault, who teamed with Porter on the Canadian national team for its most recent matches, arrived in Florida as a trialist for TFC and played 16 minutes plus stoppage time of the second half. The Canadian had previously told The 11 that he was mulling over the chance to trial with an MLS club.

Here are links to today’s matches, archived on YouTube:
Impact-DCU:

TFC-Union: