Canadian U-23 coach Tony Fonseca has made four cuts — and is going with a very young lineup for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament, which begins Thursday night in Nashville.

Canadian striker Randy Edwini-Bonsu had to do some wheeling and dealing with his German club in order to get clearance to play for Canada’s U-23 team in the upcoming Olympic qualifiers, which begin Thursday in Nashville.

It was an ugly game that no one will want to keep on his or her PVR. But, there will be nights like this, when the opponent plays a tight, compact midfield that’s designed more to disrupt than create.

On Friday, the NASL expansion side announced that it had signed ex-Whitecaps Blake Wagner and Wes Knight. Wagner and Knight will join two other former Whitecaps, Kevin Harmse and Greg Janicki — who were the first two signings the Scorpions ever made.

But, as you look at TV numbers and attendance figures — as an economist, not as a sports fan — you’d find it harder and harder to distinguish between the MLS business model and the NHL’s business model.

But the team’s staff is planning to place flyers and posters around Vancouver’s downtown core, promoting FC Edmonton and taking some jabs at the Whitecaps.

Alhassan got 12 of the 18 first-place votes from the membership of the North American Soccer Reporters.

Last week, NASL confirmed that 14 of its 2011 alumni were on MLS rosters heading into opening weekend. Now, Emory is added to that list.

After Saturday's 2-0 MLS-opening loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps at B.C. Place, Montreal coach Jesse Marsch declared that one game does not a season make.

But, a cynic would question the “all-Canadian” nature of the Impact-Whitecaps match. After all, between the starting lineups of both teams, there was only one player who would be eligible for a Canada call-up; Impact midfielder Patrice Bernier.