The Vancouver Whitecaps got to the playoffs in Carl Robinson’s first season as head coach. But, to do better than another first-round playoff exit in 2015, the team needs more scoring and defensive depth. And the team needs to address its needs while only being able to guesstimate what the salary cap will be after a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed...

“I was just trying to connect with it,” Heinemann said following the game. “It was obviously just an empty net so I was just trying to connect with it and put it on frame.”

Latching onto a loose ball after Andy O'Brien and Johnny Leveron both moved toward Robbie Keane in the third minute, the U.S. international powered a laser of a shot into the top left side of David Ousted's goal in what would turn out to be game winner.

Trinidad and Tobago coach Stephen Hart has called up Carlyle Mitchell to the national side for the Gold Cup. And that means the Whitecaps’ central defender will leave the club after this weekend’s road date at D.C. United.

“Not to make excuses, but maybe Andy doesn't get injured if we aren't playing on grass laid on turf. They have to play in these conditions as well, but it was just one of those weird games where they scored early, but we came back and gained total control. Then Andy goes down with an injury and the game changes from there."

“I think Andy got picked,” Knighton said. “Camara is going to make that 99 per cent of the time – it’s unfortunate, because without the block Andy had 20 seconds before that, sprinting 40 yards and sliding in and knocking it out for a corner – it was fantastic.

On the game-tying play, in the 84th minute, the substitute appeared to bring a long ball from Will Johnson down with his hands – match officials were asked by a pool reporter what they saw on the play, and responded that from their view Valencia brought the ball down with his chest.

“I feel like on the road we’ve been a little bit too open. At times we’ve played quite well but our results haven’t been as good as I would have liked on the road so I felt we should become more difficult to play against,” Rennie opined. “I think the players did their jobs tonight. They made the game more compact and we weren’t as open and easy to play against.”

Of the four times the Whitecaps have beaten in FC Edmonton in Amway Canadian Championship action over the past two years, Wednesday’s win was the most comprehensive.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are happy with where they stand going into Wednesday’s second leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal against FC Edmonton, but know they must maintain readiness from the first whistle.