“I think today we lost because of me,” he said after the match. “I had to block the cross and then I didn’t and they got their first goal. And the first goal makes everything different.”

“The sad thing about not going to the World Cup is the fact that we don’t get five extra games now — including two CONCACAF games and then the three guaranteed (at the World Cup),” said Dasovic

One halftime change altered the course of the game. It sent Real Salt Lake off the rails, and gave the Vancouver Whitecaps a major advantage.

Vancouver acquired Nguyen through a weighted lottery. As the last-place team in the league in 2011, Vancouver had the best odds to get him. But coach Martin Rennie and the rest of the team brass understood that, if they won the rights to Nguyen, they would not be able to participate in another weighted lottery in 2012. Once you get a guy, you are out.

Hainault, who was not invited to the Canadian national team camp for next week’s two upcoming World Cup qualifiers against St. Kitts and Nevis, scored the opening goal as the Dynamo beat Sporting Kansas City 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Cody Arnoux saga is close to a resolution. The Vancouver Whitecaps released the former Everton prospect on Friday, paving the way for Arnoux to make his MLS debut. He will likely come to the league via a weighted lottery.