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When Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson last week compared his new playmaker Pedro Morales to Major League Soccer standouts Diego Valeri and Federico Higuain, he was setting a very high standard for the clubs new Designated Player. Robbie Gould Jersey . On Saturday, in just 25 minutes of action as a second half substitute, the Chilean midfielder showed exactly why his new manager has such high hopes. On a day when almost everything went right for Vancouver, Morales short but extremely influential performance capped a wonderful afternoon for the Whitecaps as they opened the 2014 season with a 4-1 win against the New York Red Bulls at BC Place. Robinson was quick to dampen expectations for his new look team following the victory, but the rookie head coach couldnt have asked for a better start to his managerial career as his side showed the attacking qualities he wants to be the trademark of his club. "Well be free-spirited and exciting," Robinson said in the buildup to the season opener. "I want players who can lift me to my feet." On Saturday, he certainly got that, as the Whitecaps turned on the style in the second half. Of course its far too early to draw any conclusion about how Vancouver will fare this season based on one result against a New York side that looked poor, but the initial signs are extremely encouraging. Morales started the match on the bench after a hectic travel schedule and only a couple of training sessions with his new team, but it didnt take long for the Whitecaps fans to get a glimpse of the fantastic technical ability their new signing possesses. There were a few fancy touches as well as a superb through ball for Kenny Millers second goal of the game, and then Morales scored himself in the closing stages to complete the rout. It was an impressive debut. It wasnt just Morales. There were quality performances throughout the team. Young Uruguayan Sebastian Fernandez played on the left side of the three attacking midfielders in the Whitecaps 4-2-3-1 formation and was influential throughout. He took his goal beautifully and was a creative spark, but he also worked very hard defensively. Darren Mattocks had one of his best games as a Whitecap. He didnt score, but the Jamaican international finally showed he is capable of playing the lone striker role. He has a point to prove after a disappointing 2013 season, but if his attitude is right, he has all the qualities needed to be a success. Veteran forward Kenny Miller scored twice, the second a lovely chip over the goalkeeper. Like Mattocks, Miller is playing for his future in Vancouver. The Scottish striker wants to stay with the club when his current contract expires this summer. While he wont grab the headlines for his goal-scoring performances, one of the biggest off-season upgrades for the Whitecaps has been the signing of Designated Player Matias Laba from Toronto FC. Described by Robinson as "a destroyer," the young Argentine was superb in breaking up play, protecting the back four and starting moves with excellent vision and distribution. Hes a player who will make the jobs of those around him much easier. Central defenders Jay DeMerit and Andy OBrien will benefit greatly from Labas presence, as will his midfield partner Nigel Reo-Coker who will now be able to get forward more. We saw near the end of the game what Reo-Coker is capable of when he has license to attack, assisting on the goal scored by Morales. Another big strength for the Whitecaps this season will be the depth within the squad. Along with Morales, Saturdays substitutes included attacking options Kekuta Manneh, Erik Hurtado and Nicolas Mezquida, midfielder Gershon Koffie and Honduran international defender Johnny Leveron. "Its important to start off on the right foot," said Robinson. "Its important that I keep pushing them to those standards. We did well, but there are still 33 more games to go." Now as the Whitecaps begin preparing for their first road game of the new season at Chivas USA in California next weekend, Robinson has some interesting decisions ahead. He will want to get Morales into the starting lineup as soon as possible, but after Saturdays performance, it will be difficult to leave anyone out. Vancouver Whitecaps at Chivas USA on Sunday, March 16 is live on CTV BC 2. Kickoff is 4pm PT. Kyle Fuller Jersey For Sale . -- An accomplished veteran in open-wheel racing, Alex Tagliani probably could find a full-time ride in the IndyCar series if he wanted it badly enough. Gale Sayers Jersey For Sale . He leaves as a potential first overall pick, and one of the most dynamic, breath-taking players in college football history. TORONTO -- Randy Carlyle really liked how the Toronto Maple Leafs started against the San Jose Sharks. In a game he saw as a measuring stick, they got three shots on net in the first two minutes and looked like they could hang with one of the top teams in the NHL. Then Frazer McLaren took exception to Andrew Desjardins hit on Jerred Smithson and things fell apart. McLarens penalty was the first of many costly ones as the Leafs lost to the Sharks 4-2 Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre, their fifth straight defeat. "Disciplines a huge part," said Leafs winger Mason Raymond, who scored a goal and committed two penalties. "Youre killing penalties, youre not playing offence and youre playing in your own zone, so were kind of shooting ourselves in the foot there." Taking ill-timed penalties is often a recipe for failure, and thats especially the case against a high-powered team like the Sharks (19-3-5), who entered the game second in the league in goals per game. But more so than giving them the man advantage, the Leafs (14-11-3) stunted their own flow by going to the box. McLarens penalty came not long after the Leafs got the games first three shots in the first 1:21 and controlled much of the play. Even though the Sharks didnt score on the ensuing power play, they didnt give the puck up much for the rest of the period. Former Leafs forward Mike Brown opened the scoring for the Sharks midway through the period when he tipped a shot from defenceman Jason Demers five-hole past James Reimer. "It kind of bounced around a little bit and just squeezed through," said Reimer, who made 37 saves. "I wasnt able to close my legs quick enough. Thats just the way she goes." The lasting effect of San Joses seemingly never-ending possession was the Leafs trying desperately to catch up. When Jay McClement took a hooking penalty and then Raymond was called for tripping 33 seconds later, the Sharks wasted little time before captain Joe Thornton scored on the five-on-three power play to take the lead. "Go down five-on-three, and that took the momentum totally for the period in their favour," Carlyle said, making reference in part to a 17:17 shot drought the Leafs went through. "When you give a hockey team like that momentum, they can skate, theyre big, there was no real surprise on what they were going to do. They did it. And it took us till the second period before we got our things going." The Leafs got things going in part because of San Joses lack of discipline. Raymond scored a power-play goal off the rush 2:44 in, and Phil Kessel was the beneficiary of Logan Coutures high-sticking minor later when he scored on the power play. Matt Forte Jersey. Centre Tyler Bozak, who fed Kessel for his 200th career goal and 15th of the season, left the game for good after with what Carlyle called an upper-body injury. The Leafs were already without centre Nazem Kadri, who missed the game with a death in his family. Carlyle didnt know the severity of Bozaks injury but acknowledged that it hurt against the Sharks. "For half the game, almost, we were short," he said. "We had three centres. Were taxing a lot of people here right now." For part of the second period, the Sharks were getting taxed thanks to the Leafs turning the tide. "I think we maybe got a bit lackadaisical at the start of the second period for about 10 minutes and they really gave it to us," Thornton said." The 10-minute mark it kind of switched. We had a timeout and we kind of flipped it back on them." Naturally it was another penalty that caused the reversal. The Sharks had started to get more attack time, and when Raymond took a high-sticking penalty, it gave San Jose the spark it needed. Again, the Sharks didnt have a power-play goal to show for their efforts, but they had enough attack time to put the Leafs on their heels. At no point was that more evident than on the shift that led to Mark Stuarts game-winner. Torontos fourth line of McLaren, Smithson and Colton Orr were caught on the ice for 1:48. The Leafs had chances to clear it, including Morgan Rielly failing to ice the puck, but when they didnt, Stuart skated in and scored his third of the season. "Theyre tired and theyre fourth line so, no disrespect, but you can maybe try things that you ordinarily wouldnt do," Stuart said. "I think we had a lot of good looks on that shift. We were able to get a good bounce and capitalize on it." Having the fourth line and a 19-year-old defenceman on the ice for almost two minutes wasnt what the Leafs wanted, but they got some chances to tie it in the third. Ultimately it wasnt enough, and Couture iced it with an empty-net goal at 18:36 of the final period. "I thought we worked hard out there, I thought the effort and the compete level was there," winger James van Riemsdyk said. "(We made) a couple mistakes. Theyre a good hockey team, theyre going to capitalize on their chances." NOTES -- The Leafs held a pre-game moment of silence for Toronto police constable John Zivcic, who died in a car accident Saturday. ... Cody Franson missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. Carlyle had called him a game-time decision, but the defenceman did not take part in warm-ups. cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
