We also changed the way we do the list in week four. Why? We have headaches when it comes to four players.

But, I did want to take the chance to catch up on a couple of things: The elimination of Canada’s U-17s from the U-17 World Cup picture and the second instalment of The 11’s Quintessentially Canadian Power Rankings.

The result now leaves TFC with 23 points with five games left to play. With Houston’s win over Philadelphia Saturday night, the Reds are officially (as in, mathematically) eliminated from playoff contention. If somehow lightning struck five times in a row, and the Reds won their last five, they’d get to 38 points. The Philadelphia Union, which held fifth place at the time of this article, have 39 points.

"We had four two-versus-ones and at this level you've got to take them. If we took one of them I think we would've won the game comfortably," TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen said.

“It was OK because for us this was a training game,” said Floro. “The only difference between this and training is that the opponent is a national team with a good defensive structure. They made it difficult to develop our attack. But it’s a good test for us.”

“Marcus Haber has said there was strong contact inside the box and I genuinely believe it’s a penalty kick. The big fella is very honest unlike the player on Thursday night,” Miller said in his post-game press conference referring to Mexico’s Marco Fabian. “He’s an honest player and he hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s been fouled inside the box, in my opinion, and I think it is a penalty kick and I said to the referee also after the game that I thought it was a penalty kick.”

“It would be easy for me to say he’s made a foolish mistake, but I will leave it at that,” said Miller. The coach said Canadian supporters need to remember that Cavallini is “still a young boy” and shouldn’t be vilified for saying no.

There are five Canadian players making US$35,125 this season, while eight more are on the books for base salaries of $46,500 each.

"It's not a jinx, not a hoax or anything like that. We need personalities to go and clear the ball or win the ball," Nelsen said. "Strong personalities in the back. Every successful team in the world has had one or two defenders that the ball seems to go like a magnet to their head since they want to win it so much."

But, if you’re lamenting lost points, you need to take a step back and look at the game as whole. If not for TFC keeper Joe Bendik, who put in a performance that’s worthy of Player of the Week votes, the Union would have won this match by three or four goals.