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It is only in Cup competition you can really call a win a disappointment. On a night heavily skewing in Toronto FCs favour, a 2-1 victory over a virtual Vancouver Whitecaps reserve team hardly flatters. The first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship was an opportunity for Toronto to take control of the tie. Mission failed. Vancouver Whitecaps manager Carl Robinson elected to rest his regulars looking ahead to Saturdays game against the Columbus Crew. Even with 29-year-old Nigel Reo-Coker in the lineup, the average age of the Whitecaps starting XI was 21.6, including 17-year-old Canadian goalkeeper Marco Carducci. It was a glimpse of the future for Vancouver. The kids were alright. Toronto FC was less convincing. Toronto, with the week off until the return leg next Wednesday in Vancouver, had the luxury to play a regular starting XI. With only two changes from last weekends loss to New England, Toronto FC began the night heavy favourites. Instead, heavy legs, heavy touches, and heavy lifting were needed to see the game out. The Whitecaps grew in confidence and the manager played his cards right. Robinson, seeing weakness in TFC and his team grow into the match brought on attacking players Kekuta Manneh and Sebastian Fernandez late, pushing for an away goal. Although Vancouver conceded in the 89th minute en route, they found the precious goal in time added on and head home next week as favourite to advance. Manneh scored the goal. Not the prettiest, but a timely and much needed strike in aggregate competition. Toronto FC substitute Dwayne De Rosario was lucky to stay on the field after landing a forearm to the face of the goal scorer amongst a pile of flailing arms as Vancouver tried to get the ball back to midfield as soon as possible. Manneh and De Rosario saw yellow before the game died out and the final whistle blew. The script never seems to be straightforward for Toronto FC. They have seldom been the dominant side in any match thus far this season. Team commitment, work rate and shape remain solid, but interplay, build up, and execution in the final third continue to be issues. It takes time for a team of new faces to come together. With the World Cup break rapidly approaching, time is ticking for the team to click. Here are my five thoughts from Toronto FCs 2-1 victory: 1) Two is not enough - Toronto FC dictated proceedings all night long, rendering Vancouver reliant on the counter-attack. The build-up remained consistent and decent until reaching the final third. In and around the opposing 18-yard box, the team remains a mess, with the exception of Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley. Good thing the big money players are coming through because the rest of the team needs to be much better in dangerous areas. The final ball is often erratic. And when the ball is on a platter, the finishing goes awry. There isnt just one culprit. They are too easily letting defenders off the hook. Its all sloppy, too direct and too easy to mark. Part of the issue is the team playing too narrow. Justin Morrow and Mark Bloom rarely get involved in the attack to overlap in to dangerous areas. The bulk of the attacking play comes down the middle, with even the outside midfielders coming far too inside. More than two goals should have been had against a team of inexperienced kids. Now Toronto has to go out west and get a result. The pressure will be on the Whitecaps to get a goal, which may put Toronto back in their comfort zone playing on the counter. 2) Oh, Gilberto - More of the good and bad on display by Gilberto. Hes not doing himself or the club any favours dispelling the notion he wasnt worth the club giving up Matias Laba. The ups and downs in his game are so pronounced he may as well be called Two-Face. For a player who predicted a 25-goal season, the polish in front of goal is simply not there. Some nice interplay between Defoe and Issey Nakajima-Farran in the 21st minute broke Toronto FC free down the left flank. The Canadian Internationals cross was on point, finding Gilberto wide open on the far post at the six-yard box. The Brazilian headed wide; a brutal miss by any standard. Its now been seven games without a goal for the striker. The good: the work rate remains a plus and glimpses of his ability surface from time to time. Gilberto dropped deep into space to gain possession and played a crafty ball behind the back line, springing Defoe on his goal. More of this kind of positive play will ease the critics. They will ultimately not be silenced until he starts scoring goals. Designated Players must be impactful. Thus far, the returns are subpar. With an injured Bright Dike and De Rosario struggling to find form, a productive Gilberto is essential for sustained team success. 3) Defoe does it again - Defoe looked much sharper in his second game back returning from a nagging hamstring injury. His quickness and superior movement was on full display in the win. Defoe was cool in front of goal, composed as ever beating Carducci for his 28th minute opener, his fourth wearing red. Defoe played provider on Bradleys 89th minute winner, drawing two defenders to him before playing a diagonal ball finding Bradley in space. Whenever he gets the ball in and around the box, he is a threat and has the ability to create on his own. Thats why its so important for the Englishman to be more involved. There were stretches in the game where he faded out of the match when Toronto FC was too sloppy in possession. He needs the ball played to his feet and his teammates to do better moving off the ball, finding space. Defoes touch is sublime and distribution is spot on. As long as Defoe stays fit, Toronto FC will remain a threat in every match they play. Hes far too dangerous. 4) Hail Cesar - Toronto FC goalkeeper Julio Cesar was named to the Brazilian squad for this summers World Cup in his home country. Cesars inclusion doesnt surprise with a resume second to none and showing good form since his arrival in Toronto. He has fit in with the team exceptionally well, on and off the field. Last years starting goalkeeper, Joe Bendik, will be called upon as stand-in upon Cesars World Cup absence. Bendik got his first start Wednesday and picked up where he left off last season with strong play. Bendik came to the rescue in the 44th minute, making a big save on Russell Teibert who found space inside the Toronto FC 18-yard box. It was instinctive stuff, with Bendik reading the play, coming off his line and staying big. Doneil Henry helped out Bendik seconds later, clearing Nicolas Mezquidas effort off the goalline. Bendik came up big again in the 75th minute with a pair of timely saves on Omar Saldado. The goal conceded was a mess with the defending all over the place. The blame hardly falls on the goalkeeper. There was enough on display Wednesday to alleviate any worry about a significant dip in goalkeeping when Cesar is gone. But theres no question who remains the number one. 5) Not your average Joe - Linesman Joe Fletcher manned the west-side touchline for the match. Much bigger games lay ahead for the Niagara Falls native in the not-so distant future. The 37-year old will be running the touchline at this summers World Cup, just over a month away. The assistant referee will link up with an American duo to form one of the 25 officiating crews in Brazil. The last Canadian official to participate at a World Cup was Hector Vergara who was part of the 2002, 2006, and 2010 competitions. Wishing Joe the best of luck and safe travels this summer. Next up for Toronto FC is the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal tie in Vancouver against the Whitecaps, Wednesday May 14 at BC Place. Charley Taylor Jersey .com) - American Madison Keys grabbed a first- round victory on Sunday in a rainy start to the Apia International Sydney tournament. Sammy Baugh Jersey . The underachieving franchise finished 17th in the 19-team league with a 6-17-11 record this season. "Our soccer team is absolutely in complete disarray," said Leiweke, drawing laughs during an Empire Club luncheon speech about the future of MLSE teams and plans to improve them. http://www.cheapredskinsjerseysauthentic.com/. - Buffalo Bills running back C. Art Monk Jersey . Bale has had a successful debut season in Spain, and Ancelotti appears ready to reward him with a starting role on Saturday. Ancelotti says "Gareth had some problems at the beginning (of the season) but when he found good physical condition he scored a lot of goals, he had a good impact on the team. Bryce Love Jersey . The Austrian ski federation said Morgenstern was "conscious and well responsive" and his condition would be monitored in the intensive care unit of a Salzburg hospital for the next 72 hours. The federation said it was "way too early" to judge Morgensterns chances of competing in Sochi, and that an update on his condition was not expected before Monday.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- For a team that once appeared almost invincible at home -- and dominated the NHL for two full months -- the Anaheim Ducks suddenly have slipped into mediocrity. By contrast, the Columbus Blue Jackets have become one of the leagues hottest teams. Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves, Nick Foligno scored twice in the third period and the inspired Blue Jackets also got goals from Ryan Johansen and R.J. Umberger in a 4-2 victory over the Ducks on Monday night. "We are really playing to our identity right now," Umberger said. "We are working hard. We are a gritty team. We let our forecheck do the work for us. We dont score too many pretty goals. Were just kind of a team that grinds it out. We got rewarded with some rebounds and some deflections tonight. And we get big saves from Bob when we need them." The Blue Jackets are 11-0-3 since Jan. 6, a stretch that began with a franchise-record, eight-game winning streak. Bobrovsky, last seasons Vezina Trophy winner, is 10-2-0 with a 2.17 goals-against average in his last 12 starts after missing 14 games because of a groin strain. "Theyre playing good hockey," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. "I mean, if you watch the game tape, every time they touch the puck in their zone they chip it out and they go skate onto it. That was a solid road game they played. Right now were playing teams that are fighting for that last playoff spot, and those are things weve got to notice and take into account." Getzlaf and Mathieu Perreault scored for Anaheim. Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots. The Ducks, who started 22-0-2 on home ice and enjoyed a comfortable lead atop the overall standings about two weeks ago, are 4-5-0 since Jan. 15 and have lost three of four on their five-game homestand. But they still lead Chicago by three points for the leagues best total with two games left before the Olympic break. "If we were a .500 hockey club, this would be the norm. But its not," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It all boils down to will and want, and they wanted it a lot more than us. You could see it on the loose pucks. They were getting them and we werent. And anytime there was a 1-on-1 confrontation, I didnt see us winning the battles. Thats a pure indicator, to me, that we didnt have a sense of urgency." The Ducks host the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks on Wednesday night, less than three weeks after Chicago ended Anaheims phenomenal 18-1 surge with a 4-2 win at United Center. "Its never good to see Chicago because theyre a great team, but its probably great that Chicagos coming in," Boudreau said.dddddddddddd "Thats maybe what we need, because if we dont play up to our best level against a team like that, then were going to get our butts kicked." Bobrovskys best save came at 5:25 of the second period, when he flicked out his right leg at the last instant to thwart Andrew Cogliano at the end of a 2-on-1 rush with Corey Perry. The Ducks got on the board at 5:45 of the third when Perreault converted a centring pass from Patrick Maroon at the edge of the crease to trim Columbus lead to 2-1. "We havent had a lot of emotion lately. Were just going through the motions," Perreault said. "Weve been winning so much that we kind of got into a lull right now. We have to find a way to get out of it." Foligno got that goal back with 11:12 remaining, popping the puck over Andersens shoulder after the Ducks goalie stopped Umbergers wide-angle shot from the right corner. The other assist went to Artem Anisimov. Foligno added his 15th goal with 6:53 to play, converting a rebound with 17 seconds left on a 5-on-3 advantage after Saku Koivu and defenceman Hampus Lindholm were sent off simultaneously for high-sticking and cross-checking. Johansen won all six faceoffs he took in the first period and opened the scoring at the 11:10 mark with his team-high 23rd goal, sending a one-timer between Perrys legs and over Andersens glove from 25 feet out after Nathan Horton set him up in the left circle. "Its frustrating, as far as the start of the game. We werent ready to play," Getzlaf said. "They came out and played hard and did their thing. Their goaltender played well early, and we just didnt respond. We kind of showed 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there, but we didnt play a complete game. Were not focused. Were not playing the way we can and doing the things we do well." Umberger made it 2-0 at 16:43 of the second with his 15th of the season, after Ducks defenceman Bryan Allen was sent off for tripping him. Former Anaheim defenceman James Wisniewski got the puck at the top of the left circle from Mark Letestu and took a slap shot that ricocheted into the net off Umbergers right skate. NOTES: Andersen came in 7-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average at home. ... Anaheim is 4 for 26 on the power play since scoring six times in 11 opportunities against Vancouver on Jan. 15. ... D Sami Vatanen played his first game with the Ducks since Jan. 17. He spent the past 1 1/2 weeks with Norfolk of the AHL, but was recalled Monday when D Mark Fistric was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. 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