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.
The top three spots this round go to Will Johnson – for capping a triumphant return to his former stomping grounds with an insurance penalty kick; Russell Teibert – for a lively outing in his return to the Vancouver starting lineup; and Tesho Akindele – for putting in the work that has made him a mainstay in Dallas’ lineup of late, in this his rookie season.
Find out what they did to deserve recognition and who else earned their keep this week.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Will Johnson
Johnson continued his ironman run for Portland in their 1-3 win at Salt Lake on Saturday night, making his fifteenth-straight appearance for the Timbers this season.
Paired with Diego Chara at the base of the midfield, Johnson helped to provide the solid platform from which the Timbers front four could launch their flowing attacks. Sitting back to shore up Portland’s, at times, leaky defense, Johnson regularly tracked deep into his own box, once winning a dangerous header, nodding out for a corner (though a goal-kick was mistakenly awarded).
Upon his return to the club with whom he spent five seasons, viewers were offered a softer glimpse of the tenacious midfielder, who dropped his usual combative, barking nature to console former teammate, Tony Beltran, when he was sent off for a second yellow:
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The Toronto-born midfielder showed no mercy however, when given a chance to seal the result with a penalty kick in the 73rd minute, after a sliding Chris Schuler handled Darlington Nagbe’s cutback.
Johnson would eye Jeff Attinella to the keeper’s right, sending his right-footed effort in the opposite direction:
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It was his fourth goal of the season, three of which have come in their last five matches, coinciding with their current surge up the table.
Johnson was impervious on the ball, misplacing just a single pass, and busy off it, making ten recoveries, four clearances, and an interception.
The win was his first in Salt Lake, coming in the third attempt in the league, though he was injured for the initial return and was forced off early in a US Open Cup clash.
Post-match he commented on winning at his former club, “It feels good. Not as much because coming back here and beating these guys in this stadium where we’ve had such trouble, but we’re desperate. We needed to win tonight, and so [it’s] fortunate that it was here and that we’ve turned things around a little bit in this stadium, that feels good. But more than anything, we’re desperate, we needed those three points, and it doesn’t matter who we beat.”
Adding, when asked about the turn of events that saw two Portland curses ended at once (winning in Salt Lake and being awarded a penalty kick), “I am hesitant to do anything crazy here. We beat Salt Lake and got a PK, the world might end tonight; I’m not sure. That’s how I felt.”
Russell Teibert
Teibert returned to Vancouver’s starting eleven for the first time in five matches in their 3-3 draw at Philadelphia - it was his eighth start and eleventh appearance of the season for the Whitecaps.
Stationed on the left-side of the midfield, Teibert was very active all night with his tireless running, providing an outlet for the passing of Pedro Morales on several occasions and inserting himself into many of Vancouver’s lightning quick attacks.
When playing on that side, Teibert has been allowed to get forward regularly, more so than when tasked with a defensive midfield role or on the right; a skill he evidenced after just three minutes, when Morales played a quick free-kick down the left-flank, only for the Canadian’s cross to be cut out.
It was from a similar play that he factored the Whitecaps opening goal. Putting himself into a pocket of space to collect a ball from Morales and slotting a lovely pass down the right for Nigel Reo-Coker, whose cross picked out Erik Hurtado for a header in the 18th minute:
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The assist was his first of the season, having racked up nine in 2013 – it was also his first point of the campaign.
From that left-side, he constantly tested Ray Gaddis, the Philadelphia right-back, once forcing a turnover that led to a Morales shot, and later taking a stinger on the knee from his opponent that led to Gaddis seeing a yellow card.
The Niagara Falls, Ontario-native was very good in possession, misplaying only a three passes, losing possession just once, and adding four clearances, three recoveries, and two interceptions, while winning a trio of tackles.
Tesho Akindele
Akindele made a fifth-straight start for Dallas in their 3-2 win over Colorado on Saturday night, helping to snap their eight-game winless streak – it was his fifth start and eighth appearance of the season.
As the roaming forward, alongside the more central-minded Blas Perez, Akindele was all over the pitch, popping up wherever he could best cause the Rapids trouble, while also dropping off to provide defensive cover when possible.
His first look of the evening came from a neat turn at the top of the box, collecting a pass and moving past Drew Moor to open space for a shot – Moor recovered to deflect his effort over the bar:
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He then showed another of his skills, exhibiting some strong holdup play to link up with Fabian Castillo down the right, who found him with a return ball at the near-post, but Akindele could not wrap his foot around the skipping ball, sending his left-footed touch over the bar:
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If there is one facet of his game that the Calgary, Alberta-native must work on, it is his finishing – chances like that don’t come that often and they must be finished. That said, he does do a lot of work to craft those looks, which is half the battle.
Doneil Henry
Henry made his second-straight start for Toronto in their 1-0 win over San Jose – it was his sixth start and seventh appearance of the season.
With San Jose lacking in offensive creativity – Yannick Djalo was a late scratch – Henry’s primary task was keeping a lid on the physical frames of Alan Gordon and Steven Lenhart.
It was Lenhart with whom Henry was most often matched, engaging in a running battle with the troublesome forward – it was a clash of titans to be sure.
Henry would pick up a yellow card in the 17th minute, for handling a ball after Lenhart’s bump allowed a skipping pass to get past the defender – it was his third booking of the season:
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He gave his opponent a healthy shove afterwards, not giving an inch to the combative Lenhart.
The Brampton, Ontario-native was a force at the back, as usual, racking up thirteen clearances, seven recoveries, four interceptions, and a block, winning two fouls and committing three.
Henry also featured in Toronto’s midweek match in Montreal, falling 1-0 to the Impact on the night and losing out on the Voyageurs Cup via an aggregate score of 2-1.
Kyle Bekker
Bekker, who also featured heavily midweek, was set for a break, but a late injury to Gilberto forced him into the starting lineup for TFC on Saturday – it was his eighth start of the season, with all nine of his appearances coming in their last nine matches.
Paired centrally with Collen Warner, Bekker was again very tidy on the ball in close quarters, though many of his longer passes tended to drift astray.
His best look at goal of the match came in the 28th minute when a ball fell to him atop the Earthquakes box, but the Oakville, Ontario-native could not make great contact, slicing his effort, which took a deflection and went out for a corner kick.
Perhaps tired from the midweek exertions, Bekker was not as involved as usual, often deferring to the rambunctious and fresh Warner, who ran the middle of the pitch that afternoon. The recent addition even took up free-kick duty, Bekker’s responsibility, for the most part.
Jonathan Osorio
Osorio also started TFC’s win over San Jose, making his second-straight start for the side – it was his seventh start of the season.
From the left-side of the midfield, Osorio sought to cut into the middle, getting on the ball to help spur the Toronto attack. It was he who picked out Nick Hagglund wide on the right with some good vision for that acrobatic crack that dribbled wide of the post.
Like Bekker, Osorio also ran himself into the ground in Montreal – hitting the shot that beat Evan Bush, only to strike the post, moments before the Impact ran up the other end to clinch the title. And heavy legs betrayed him when, like Luke Moore, he was slow to react to a Jermain Defoe shot that was spilled tantalizingly by Jon Busch.
Still, the Toronto, Ontario-native put in a solid shift, contributing defensively, compiling six clearances, four recoveries, and winning a pair of tackles and two fouls.
Rob Friend
Friend saw action for the first time in four matches for LA in their 1-1 draw against local rivals, Chivas USA, on Sunday – it was his fourth substitute’s appearance of the season.
Friend had been unavailable as he struggled with a virus, which he just overcame this week, “I'm feeling good this week, so hopefully I can get a good run of training this week and just get stronger. That's all I'm concerned with at the moment.”
Bruce Arena noted of Friend’s play, “[He’s been] a little bit hot and cold. I don't think he's been at his best lately, but I think he's getting back into form.”
Replacing Samuel in the 69th minute, the Rosetown, Saskatchewan-native wasted no time getting involved in the fray as the Galaxy chased a winner.
He showed good strength to get on the end of a long Dan Gargan throw, out leaping and out-positioning both Carlos Bocanegra and Tony Lochhead to flick a header over the bar:
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And then showed some excellent link up skill to chest a Juninho chip into the path of Chandler Hoffman, who dragged his injury time shot wide of the far-post:
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A lovely example of body control from the big man, though he was a little too slow of foot to get on the end of a Juninho stinger that was spilled by Dan Kennedy.
The Rest
Ashtone Morgan, Dwayne De Rosario, and Kyle Porter were unused substitutes on the bench for their respective sides. One has to feel for Porter, who was one of DC’s most reliable assets last season, but has found himself marginalized as Ben Olsen opts to rely on experienced and proven MLS talent. Look for him to see more time as the CONCACAF Champions League picks up and DC juggles a busy schedule.
Patrice Bernier was one of four Canadian on the pitch for the Impact as they won the Voyageurs Cup – Karl Ouimette, Wandrille Lefevre, and Maxim Tissot (a late sub) were the others.
Post-match, Bernier commented on how the two wins (over New England in the league and Toronto in the Cup) can help spur a change of momentum for Montreal’s faltering season, “It’s good for the team moral and good for the spirit of the club Last year, we were on a high and we just seemed unstoppable. This year the season is a bit more difficult; we battled through. It hasn’t been an easy championship, so now we have to take this momentum and build on it. We are more confident now and it’s how you finish at the end of the season that tells a lot about you. There`s still a lot more soccer to be played this year.”
The Impact released video of his pre-match hype-speech:
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All video and quotes courtesy of MLSsoccer.com
Each week James takes a look at the contributions of Canadians in the league and the league as a whole.
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