The hopes for a 401-Derby Eastern Conference Final are still very much alive. The spirits of Macdonald and Cartier are strong.

It went like this: You could put the entire team in a sack, then have someone punch it. No matter which player took the punch, “you’d be right.”

This time it was a late first-half free kick effort which proved to be the eventual equalizer in a 1-1 away draw against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday.

In a match that featured the eruption of Mount Schallibaum, the expulsion of Alessandro Nesta and a controversial officiating decision that led to a Kansas City goal, the Montreal Impact did what its done since the beginning of the season. The team found a way to win, its 2-1 victory placing it atop the MLS Eastern Conference ladder.

Completely dominated in the opening half, Montreal gave up the first goal only five minutes after play got underway.

With the MLS season moved up to its earliest start ever, forgive us if we don’t feel 100 per cent totally prepared for First Kick. Judging by the way many MLS teams finished preseason, with tentative matches and still looking at trialists with a week to go before the games count in the standings, a lot of coaches aren’t quite ready for the early start, either.

So, Bernardez won the coach/GM vote handily, and he won the player vote. Yet, he’s not the Defender of the Year.

Chris Wondolowski was the first man in MLS to score on the Vancouver Whitecaps this season — and it’s one of the reasons he was selected the league’s Player of the Month for April.

After starting unbeaten in four, the Vancouver Whitecaps are now winless in just as many after a 3-1 loss to Sporting KC at BC Place Wednesday evening.

Canadian midfielder Will Johnson will play in the MLS Western Conference Final; but his Real Salt Lake had to survive a furious charge from the Seattle Sounders.