Crepeau was brilliant. Vitoria was troubling — not showing Canadian soccer supporters signs that he could become a starter when Canada faces Mexico in a pair of World Cup qualifiers in late March. In fact, Vitoria’s flat-footed play was, in many cases, the unfortunate catalyst for Crepeau’s brilliance.

With his brace on Friday night against Belize, Tosaint Ricketts now has 12 goal in 43 appearances for Canada. That puts him at 0.28 goals per appearance, slightly better than De Ro’s standard. But, more interestingly, Ricketts has seven career goals in World Cup qualifiers; De Rosario had nine in his career.

Issey Nakajima-Farran’s soccer career has taken him around the world. England. Japan. Australia. In 2014, he made the decision to come back to Canada — and to make Toronto his home. But, less than two months after he signed with the Reds, he was traded to Montreal — and he’s wondering if coming to MLS was the right choice, after all...

The second issue of Plastic Pitch, out today, features a 16-page section on Canada's bid for the World Cup.

If MLS wants to attract talent from abroad to boost the league, it must eventually understand that strictly following North American practises — such as trading a player just a few weeks after he’s been offered a contract — don’t sit well in the global soccer marketplace. MLS must compete for talent with leagues that regularly pay for their players’ accommodations and transportation, and who guarantee a player will be settled for the length of his contract.

The inclusion of the Montreal Impact defender was the most notable item on national team coach Benito Floro’s roster for friendlies against the Czech Republic (Nov. 15) and Slovenia (Nov. 19).

Canadian national team coach Miller had nothing but praise for Bekker, saying the TFC midfielder’s service was excellent, and that Canada could have won the game 4-1 or 4-2.

Stephen Hart offered no surprises in naming the Canadian men's naional-team roster for Sept. 7 and 11 World Cup qualifiers against Panama.

Of the 22 men named to the roster, only two — teenager Samuel Piette and veteran Issey Nakajima-Farran, who plays in Australia — would be considered eyebrow-raisers.

Don’t expect to see national men’s coach Stephen Hart experiment with his roster for Canada’s June 3 friendly against the United States and the subsequent World Cup qualifiers. Hart said, at the senior level, there simply aren’t many players from which to choose.