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.

"These are players who have been in these situations. Not to slag off young players, but you only know what it's like when you're in the positions and Danny has been in these positions for years," O'Dea said. "It's a bit of experience and mental toughness and we lacked a bit of that last year."

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.

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.