The question is, did Osorio have time to pull out of his challenge? It’s one of those situations that’s actually muddied by the use of instant replay. By slowing it down in replay, it looks as if Osorio has more time to pull out of the challenge than he actually did — and the play looks more malicious in nature when it slows down.

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.

A 2-1 triumph over the Red Bulls was more than just three points for Vancouver; it was a statement to the fans back in British Columbia that this team wasn’t going to roll over.

Hainault’s goal was the highlight of a day filled with MLS playoffs incidents that would turn the heads of Canadian soccer fans.

A midfielder and a goalkeeper split the MLS Player of the Week Award. Except that they’re the same guy. Confused? Don’t be. Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Mike Magee won the award after the votes from the North American Soccer Reporters were counted.

There’s something about Canada that brings out the best in Jamie Smith. The Colorado Rapids’ midfielder scored the only goal as the MLS Cup champs beat the Whitecaps 1-0 in Vancouver Saturday in the teams’ final tuneup before the season kicks off.

As the Colorado Rapids gathered on a platform placed at the centre of BMO Field, jumping up and down, surrounded by sky-blue confetti, holding the MLS Cup aloft, FC Dallas midfielder Dax McCarty stood on the field, staring at the celebration. The rest of his FC Dallas teammates, losers of a 2-1 decision after extra time in Toronto, had left the field. But McCarty stood and stared at the Rapids’ celebration. Wondering what could have been. Wondering what would have happened if a ball off the foot of Colorado sub Macoumba Kandji hadn’t taken a strange deflection off defender FC Dallas George John in the 108th minute and looped past the goal line. What could have happened in penalty kicks had John’s last-gasp effort at redemption, from point blank range, not been stopped by the outstretched hand of Rapids’ keeper Matt Pickens.

Colorado Rapids coach Gary Smith wants MLS MVP David Ferreira to read the following quote. That was obvious at Saturday’s post-practice press conference at Toronto’s BMO Field, ahead of Sunday’s MLS Cup. “I think he’s feeling the pressure a little bit,” the Rapids coach deadpanned after being asked how his team planned to stop FC Dallas’ elite playmaker. “Everyone is …