An extension to Canadian Soccer News’ MLS Week in Review, this article provides a closer look at the performances of the Canadian players who saw the pitch this week.

Kyle Porter and Will Johnson claim the top two spots this week, while the third will be left unmanned, rather than shoehorning in some undeserving soul.

That’s not to belittle the contributions of the other candidates, more a recognition that none did anything to particularly distinguish themselves from the pack this week.

Find out what Porter and Johnson did to deserve recognition, as well as who else earned their keep this week. ...

Our weekly, sometimes offbeat, look at the best and worst of the week's MLS action. We took your suggestions on board and either embedded videos of our best/worst selections or included links. So what did week 12 of the 2013 season throw up for us?


Games This Week:

Ten games played this week. Montreal had yet another bye week, Toronto lost again and Vancouver got a draw that felt like a loss and leaves them looking up still at most of the rest of the west.
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The twelfth round of MLS took place this holiday weekend and what a weekend it was; a lone midweek fixture followed by nine matches through Saturday and Sunday culminating in 29 goals – three own-goals and one from the spot, the return of the red card – five plus a second yellow to Chicago’s Well Thompson, resulting in three draws and four away wins, including a pair of 1-4 results.

The regular goal-scorers – Jack McInerney, Tim Cahill, Will Johnson, Dominic Oduro, Diego Fagundez, and Seattle’s trio of Eddie Johnson, Lamar Neagle, and Obafemi Martins - keep on scoring, while some old familiar faces contributed unexpectedly – Ned Grabavoy with a brace and Nathan Sturgis – and a handful of firsts for players just rounding into form – Kyle Porter, Joao Plata, Martin Chavez, and Robbie Findley (who should have had more, but wastefulness is what it is).
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[Updated 9.30pm with post game reaction from both dressing rooms]

Report:

May was highlighted to be a month of firsts for Vancouver Whitecaps. The goals were clear. To achieve their first win over LA Galaxy, to win their first ever Voyageurs Cup and to beat one of their Cascadian rivals in MLS action for the first time.

Despite two wonderstrikes from Camilo Sanvezzo and Gershon Koffie, Vancouver are still searching for that elusive derby win, with Portland coming away with a share of the spoils thanks to a Will Johnson penalty and a controversial late equaliser for the ten man Timbers by Jose Valencia.
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KEY PLAYERS

Attacking

The Whitecaps gave Camilo the midweek match against Montreal off which makes him one of the most rested attackers available for selection. He may start on the left side but expect the Brazilian to slide into the middle at certain points of the match. So far this season Camilo leads the team in shots and shots on target despite playing limited minutes as he has averaged about 45 minutes per appearance.

Having been more of a role player with RSL everyone expected Will Johnson ...

Kind of pointless perhaps doing our weekly look at the best and worst of the week's MLS action so late and after the next week has begun, but we'd all but finished it and just couldn't get the time to watch the last two games!

We made it in the end and got this far, so we may as well run the piece and if anyone else is interested apart from me for the stats, then great! So what did week 11 of the 2013 season throw up for us?
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Women’s soccer is hot right now. With the Canadian men…struggling…the CSA has put almost all of its attention on the women and is riding the bronze medal win for all it is worth.

The direct result of that push is the sold out June 2 “re-match” against the Americans at BMO Field. We should not discount the importance of selling out a stadium, something neither TFC nor the Canadian men have managed over the last 12-months.

The glow of the Rings is strong and the women are attracting all kinds of fans that couldn’t spell soccer last June. Keeping these fans is going to be a challenge, but with a World Cup coming in two summers (and an almost forgotten u20 World Cup next summer – side note: You might want to get around to naming the damn sites soon CSA) there will be plenty of ways to keep fans engaged.

Winning will help, which is tricky. John Herdman quite rightfully is using 2013 as a experimental season and there is as much chance the 21,000 fans leave BMO Field scratching their heads after a 4-0 shellacking as there is of a rambunctious celebration – the Americans are really much better than Canada now and, well, always. Sorry.

The excitement around women’s soccer has lead to some loud whispers coming out of both Toronto and Vancouver about possible expansion bids in the new NWSL. As I wrote yesterday at The Equalizer, there appears to be something to the rumours.
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Fan 1: "How was the first leg of the Voyageurs Cup final?"

Fan 2: "It was pretty stale mate"

Vancouver and Montreal played out a goalless draw tonight in a Voyageurs Cup final first leg lacking excitement and action, along with goals.

The Whitecaps turned Stade Saputo into a car park, parking an entire fleet of buses on the way to being outpossessed two to one in a tight defensive display that left the Impact devoid of ideas and unable to break down a resolute Caps side.

It's hard to knock it. It may not have been pretty to watch, but it was a clinical performance that got the job done and saw Vancouver come away from Montreal still very much in with a chance of lifting their first ever Voyageurs Cup trophy.
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KEY PLAYERS

Attacking

After struggling to score in MLS, Darren Mattocks was finally able to get his second of the season late in the game against the Galaxy. Despite being an insurance tally for him the goal should be a confidence boost for the 2012 second overall pick. Another motivation going into this match is how Montreal passed on selecting Mattocks with the first pick of that draft.

Whether he starts or comes off the bench for the Impact, Marco Di Vaio has been one of the most consistent scorers in MLS this season. Despite being 36 the former Serie A striker has had no trouble in being able to handle the normally younger and more athletic MLS defenders. Since arriving last season Di Vaio has scored eleven times in 26 appearances for Montreal earning his Designated Player status.
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A final match before a much expected break for Les Bleus.

Game day (once more) in Montréal and we talk Whitecaps with the Vancouver Province's Marc Weber who's been covering that team for the past few seasons.

Marc Tougas (PC) and Patrick Leduc (RDS/La Presse) discuss all things Impact.

We also go to Philly with Jonathan Tannenwald (Philly.com) to have a look at the MLS players that could (or not) join the USMNT in the short or mid-term, including Montreal's keeper Troy Perkins.
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As an extension to Canadian Soccer News’ MLS Week in Review, further details regarding the performances of the Canadian players who saw the pitch in MLS this week.

Russell Teibert, Maxim Tissot, and a combined third to Doneil Henry and Nana Attakora claim the top three spots, with Dwayne De Rosario and Will Johnson earning special mention for their goals this round.

It was busy week in MLS, midweek matches and a full slate of weekend fixtures, meant many players – Canadians included – had double duty this round.

Find out what they did to deserve recognition, as well as who else earned their keep this weekend. ...