When Canada dominated the USA …
The USA carries a 14-game unbeaten streak into Sunday’s game against Canada in Toronto (TV: NBC Sports Network, Univision Deportes, 7 pm ET). It hasn’t lost to Canada in a full international in more than 27 years, but there was a time, in the days of the NASL, when Canada dominated its North American rival.

There was no Gold Cup. There was only World Cup qualifying into which Concacaf divided teams by region.

For three straight World Cup cycles, Canada, not the USA, moved on with Mexico to the final round of qualifying. The low point came three days before Christmas in 1976 when the USA and Canada met in a playoff in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Few Americans got much playing time in the NASL. Their big star was Juli Veee, then playing in Belgian First Division with Lierse. He had fled Communist Hungary, settled in Southern California in 1969, played a little soccer but needed more gainful employment, so he worked at Spahn Ranch, famous as the hideout of Charlie Manson and his family.

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Following a final training session on Saturday 2 June, Canada will suit up for the international match on Sunday 3 June. After the Sunday match, Canada then plays two matches in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Cuba away on 8 June in Havana and Honduras at home on 12 June in Toronto. Tickets to Canada’s 2012 home matches are available via ticketmaster.ca or by phone at 1.855.570.7500, with full information available on CanadaSoccer.com. Group discounts are available via marketing@soccercan.ca or 613.237.7678.

As part of the Centennial celebrations, Canada will wear a special Umbro retro blue kit, only to be worn on 3 June by the men’s national team and then on 30 June by the women’s national team (a Women’s International Friendly match against USA in Sandy, UT). Limited quantities of the Centennial jersey – as well as an anthem jacket and Centennial cap from New Era – are available for sale at canadasoccer.com.

The Umbro blue kit pays tribute to the first Canada-USA match in Canada on 27 June 1925, a Men’s International Friendly match at Alexandra Park in Montréal, QC. Canada won that match 1:0 with a goal by Ed MacLaine. Team captain on the day was 40-year old Geordie Campbell, who many years later was remembered as “one of the greatest fullbacks ever to play in this country.”

While Canada and USA have faced each other more than 30 times, there has been only one previous meeting in Toronto, ON – Canada’s first-ever FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match on 22 June 1957. Canada won that match 5:1 at Varsity Stadium, with a pair of goals by future captain Art Hughes. Ten of Canada’s starting XI on the day have since become honoured members of The Soccer Hall of Fame, including Norm McLeod, Brian Philley and Gogie Stewart (who also scored on the day).

Canada and USA have faced each other 13 times in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and four times in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The most recent meeting was 7 June 2011 at last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, a 2:0 victory for USA at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. The previous match was the contentious 21 June 2007 semi-final also at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, ending 2:1 in USA’s favour after an apparent Atiba Hutchinson goal was called off by the officials.

While Canada opens its next round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Cuba and Honduras on 8 and 12 June, USA will face Antigua and Barbuda (home) and Guatemala (away) on those same dates in the CONCACAF 3rd Round for Brazil 2014. Canada’s other group opponent is Panama (for a home-and-away series in September) while USA’s other opponent is Jamaica (also for a home-and-away series in September).

From the three groups of four teams in the 2012 CONCACAF 3rd Round for 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, the top-two teams from each group will advance to the 2013 CONCACAF Final Round. All CONCACAF 3rd Round matches are played in June (8 and 12), September (7 and 11) and October (12 and 16).

From the goal out, Canada’s current squad features goalkeepers Milan Borjan, Lars Hirschfeld and Kenny Stamatopoulos, defenders David Edgar, André Hainault, Dejan Jaković, Ante Jazić, Mike Klukowski, Nik Ledgerwood, Kevin McKenna, and Ashtone Morgan, and midfielders/forwards Julian de Guzman, Dwayne De Rosario, Iain Hume, Atiba Hutchinson, Simeon Jackson, Will Johnson, Issey Nakajima-Farran, Olivier Occean, Pedro Pacheco, Samuel Piette and Tosaint Ricketts.

Sinclair now has 14 goals in just 12 appearances this calendar season, the third-highest single-season total of her career. Her 134 career goals rank third all time behind Mia Hamm (retired, 158) and Abby Wambach (active, 135 as of Sunday night). As for goalkeeper Erin McLeod, it was the 22nd clean sheet of her career. In nine international matches this season, Canada’s record is nine wins and three losses.

The event on 30 May was the first Canadian match staged at Stade Moncton 2010 Stadium, one of the venues for the upcoming 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. The match also allowed the Canadian Soccer Association to share its 100th anniversary with the soccer community in Atlantic Canada. With 7,514 fans in attendance, the Canada-China PR match set a new attendance record for an international soccer match in the province of New Brunswick.

Before kick off, special congratulations were reserved for Candace Chapman and Karina LeBlanc, both of whom made their 100th appearance for Canada earlier this year. Chapman reached the milestone on 27 January 2012 while LeBlanc reached the milestone on 24 March 2012. Chapman and LeBlanc were the ninth and 10th players to reach the milestone for Canada.

Canada will participate in the London 2012 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament from 25 July to 9 August. This will mark Canada’s second participation in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, following a quarter-final finish at Beijing 2008. Following the match in Moncton, the Canadian team will head to Sandy, Utah, for an away Women’s International Friendly match on 30 June against the USA.

“It’s a big relief:” TFC finally gets its first MLS win of 2012
The streak is over. Toronto FC finally got on the board for the 2012 MLS campaign, winning a 1-0 result over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at BMO Field that ended the Reds’ record stretch of nine consecutive losses to begin the season.

“After nine games and zero points, each game that you play in the league without points isn’t nice,” said TFC head coach Aron Winter. “It’s a big relief.”

The Reds couldn’t win without some extra drama for the 18,227 in attendance at BMO Field. Despite outshooting and outplaying the Union for much of the game, TFC couldn’t find the back of the net, raising the possibility that Toronto would have to settle for a disappointing draw or another last-minute heartbreaker of a defeat.

In the 88th minute, however, Nick Soolsma saved the day. After Philadelphia’s Michael Lahoud stumbled while trying to take the ball out of his team’s box, Soolsma pounced and eventually stripped the ball away. Soolsma then kept it alive on the left side of the box and eventually found room to cross in front to Danny Koevermans. The striker’s first attempt was blocked but goalkeeper Chris Konopka couldn’t hold on, allowing Koevermans to bury the rebound for his third goal of the season.

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Then two substitutes combined to allow the Whitecaps to escape JELD-WEN Field with a 1-1 draw with the Timbers. Trailing 1-0 with just six minutes left in the second half, Eric Hassli was able to get his head to a long Martin Bonjour free kick. He nodded the ball over to Darren Mattocks, who chested the ball down and then hammered home the first MLS goal of his career.

Hassli and Mattocks injected some life into a Whitecaps team that, for the first 60 minutes of the match, managed just one shot on goal towards Timbers keeper Troy Perkins — that was a Sebsastien Le Toux effort that deflected off Timber Hanyer Mosquera and forced the keeper into a good diving save.

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Wind, referee’s whistle condemn Impact to defeat in Colorado
Maybe the next time a referee prepares to send off an opposing player, the Montreal Impact should ask the official to put the red card back in his pocket. For the second week in a row, the Impact gave up a game-winning goal to an opponent that was down a man. Last week, it was at home to the New York Red Bulls. On Saturday, it was on the road to Colorado, as Jaime Castrillon got a controversial late marker to give the 10-man Rapids a 3-2 win.

“Controversial” is an understatement.

Make no mistake. Castrillon’s goal was one of the weirdest you will ever see. But it should never, ever have counted. Why? It came after referee Mark Kadlecik blew the whistle and indicated that the ball was out of play. Even though Castrillon nodded the ball into an open goal after the referee had blown the play dead, the goal was allowed to stand.

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FC Edmonton ready for another physical tilt with San Antonio
FC Edmonton doesn’t yet have an idea of what kind of team the San Antonio Scorpions will send to Clarke Stadium for Sunday’s NASL tilt. But the Eddies do expect another tight, physical match. Last week, in a game that saw some meaty tackles and a few pushing and shoving matches, San Antonio triumphed 2-0 in the cozy confines of Heroes Stadium, on a tiny pitch that’s 14 yards narrower than the surface at Clarke.

But that San Antonio team might bear no resemblance to the team that Scorpions coach Tim Hankinson brings to Edmonton this weekend. Why? The Scorpions host a U.S. Open Cup match against the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday night. And, for such a big game, Hankinson wouldn’t be blamed for resting big guns — like striker Pablo Campos, Canadian midfielder Kevin Harmse or defender Aaron Pitchkolan — on Sunday in order to keep them fresh for the Dynamo.

But FC Edmonton players don’t care who will be on the pitch. They expect the Scorpions to play the same way they do at home: Defend deep and play for the counter.

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MLS salaries: The winners, the losers, the bargains
Today, the MLS Players Union released its updated list of salaries for 2012. Let’s take a look at the winners and losers…

WINNERS:
• Richard Eckersley, Toronto FC — Guaranteed 2012 compensation: $390,000

Eckersley is a classic example of the type of athlete who is popular in Toronto. A journeyman kinda guy who works exceptionally hard. He fits the archetype of a Dan Gargan, John McDonald, Matt Bonner, James Reimer — working-class guys who blow up in a Toronto market that eats superstars alive but worships the depth-chart players. Even though his positional play needs a lot of work, and that his hard work often has to make up for mental errors on the field, he makes almost four times what Chance Myers makes in Sporting Kansas City. He makes more than twice as much as Young-Pyo Lee makes in Vancouver.

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Portland 1 Vancouver 1

Colorado 3 Montreal 2

Aron Winter- Head Coach & Technical Director, Toronto FC
How good does that feel?
It felt very good, like last Wednesday against Vancouver, a little bit of relief. First of all you can see that overall through the whole game we can see one goal is not enough as we had opportunity to score more but I am happy.

As you have said, it shouldn’t have been as dramatic to get the win. Were you on the sideline there at the 85th minute saying, ‘what do we need to do here to get the win’ ?
I had a very good feeling, the boys also, from the first minute when we started the game. The way we were playing, how we came through the final third of the opponent and also how we played with possession. I was not afraid but nine game and no points where you create a lot of opportunities and you don’t score you are at least hoping that you can get a point.

Talk about the goal itself, it was great play from Soolsma tearing the ball away from Lahoud?
Yes, it was a great opportunity but I think this situation was a lot more difficult that the situation we had in the first half in the first 20 minutes.

A month ago you said you were confident TFC were going to make the playoffs, do you stand by that statement?
Yes, always! But the first thing we need to do is take it game by game and get the points. The most important thing is that after those very good games you play the confidence is growing from everybody. Now we are getting a break everybody can relax, train well, and we can prepare ourselves very well for the next game against Kansas City, that is very important. But we will be taking it game by game.

You said yesterday you didn’t mind taking a break, but having won two games in a row is it not an opportune time for a break?
Yes, this is a great time, great time for everyone to push a little bit back.

Julian De Guzman- Midfielder, Toronto FC
How did the team get it done today?
We had great concentration in our own final third, like Wednesday, zero goals against helping us get our 3 points in this game. We knew that we would get our chances it was only a matter of concentrating to finally get that goal we kept fighting for. We kept believing in ourselves, great team performance and the Vancouver game definitely helped boost our confidence and helped us get our three points today.

After dominating so much, especially in the first 15 minutes where it could have easily been 3-0, they come back and hit the bar, did you think ‘uh-oh’ we have let them hang around and we are going to lose it or best tie it?
That has been the story of our season, we go into games and have periods of domination and out of nothing the opponents create a goal and that is one thing that we discussed at half time. We were dominating and did not want them to have any space, they did create a couple chances in the second half but that was a turning point as we kept our ground, discipline, made it difficult for them to penetrate. We created a few more chances and finally finished one of them. That is a thing going into the second part of the season after the break, is being clinical in front of goal, scoring our chances and keep disciplined at the back keeping the opponents to zero, get more points and keep improving on our season.

Milos Kocic- Goalkeeper, Toronto FC
How good does that feel, Milos?
Very good, very good! I felt this coming after the Vancouver game as we were very up for it, I felt positive after that and I really felt victory is coming this week. You could see in the first 20 minutes we absolutely destroyed them, were all over them. We just have to score the goals in those situations because they will turn against you later. But I’m very happy for the guys!

Did you have any feelings for the goalie on the other end, he played pretty well and made some big saves?
Yes, you know I was thinking exactly that, I told him after the game he had a great game and it was sad it had to happen like that. Danny was right in front of him and it is very difficult too catch a clean ball in that situation. I do feel for him, he had a great game, and it is unfortunate. But we have been unfortunate so many times so I can’t feel too bad for him because I am so happy that we won!

Peter Nowak- Head Coach, Philadelphia Union
What did you think of the game?
I am extremely disappointed with our performance; we had a couple of good games and today was the complete opposite. We took three steps forward and now three steps back.

Is there a difference out there that lead to the goal or what do you think was the theme of the game?
There was a stretch between the 55th and 65th minute where we made a couple changes and the game actually went in our favour and then we had a couple good chances. We lost the ball in the midfield and had a few chances to clear it and I don’t know what happened at the end but we couldn’t clear the ball. The goal was not the crucial play, I have to congratulate coach Winter because they wanted it more as they played better. They compete for every ball, they chase every ball and that is what the teams are doing in our league.

Was it tough for Chris to give up that goal knowing how well he had played?
Of course, he helped us in crucial situations in the first half and also the second half. We have to make sure if we have the chances, we take them and don’t out our keeper in this position. I feel bad for him as well.

Danny Mwanga- Forward, Philadelphia Union
What are your thoughts on the result?
We knew we needed to be focused from the get-go and today the first half wasn’t good enough. In the second half we tried to step it up a little bit and at some points we were unlucky not to get the goal as we were a bit unfortunate. We need to keep our head up and try and learn from this game.

What did Peter (coach) say to you guys at half time?
It was simple, we all know each other and to have a good look at each other’s eyes and that it just wasn’t good enough. He told us we could definitely play better than what we showed in the first half.

Chris Konopka- Goalkeeper, Philadelphia Union
What did you think about the result out there?
It’s frustrating, we come in here and I know the first half wasn’t really going our way but at the end of the day we let a goal in the 88th minute and when it gets that deep into the game you just try to find a way to get the result.

Can you take us through what happened on the goal?
Soolsma came down my right hand side and put in a near post cross, Koevermans ran in on front of me so I just made myself big, he hit it and it came off my leg, it could probably have bounced anywhere but it bounced right back to him and he was able to get the rebound and put it in the goal. It’s frustrating on that too, coming up with a big save and the rebound could have went anywhere but it bounced right back to his foot and he was able to pop it in.

How did you feel stepping in when both the other goalies went down?
It was just another game for me, I felt comfortable stepping in, just like how Chase (other GK) felt comfortable stepping in last week. I felt today I did alright, but at the same time we didn’t get the result.

How does it feel to come up big on a number of occasions and be helpless to your team to not be able to score at the other end?
Honestly, you look at the team as a whole and as a whole we didn’t play well today. It’s frustrating for all of us as this is a very tough place to play. Toronto has been digging and digging and with their record of 1-9 doesn’t really represent how they have been playing because they are a very good team and we knew that but it just wasn’t clicking for us all over the field. We just couldn’t put the final pieces together but hopefully we get right back on track as this is a long season.

The two teams played at South Surrey Athletic Park, and the game was as much as a goodwill mission as it was a preparation for coach John Herdman’s Canada squad ahead of their friendly against China next week in Moncton. Autographs were signed, players stayed well after the final whistle. And, admission to the game was free — a gesture to the city that has become the home of the women’s program, and showed its passion during the Olympic qualifiers.

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Corradi and Di Vaio could lead oldest attack in MLS
If coach Jesse Marsch decides to start both Bernardo Corradi and soon-to-arrive Designated Player Marco Di Vaio at the top of the Montreal Impact’s formation, the combined age of the two Italians will be… 71.

That’s asking a lot when the MLS schedule gets hectic in July, when there’s two games a week, often played in temperatures in excess of 30 C. It’s the heat and the travel that often gets to many European transplants. Heck, I remember how often new recruits to Toronto FC would comment about the first time they’d play a summer road game in Houston, almost not believing that you could play soccer in those kind of conditions.

As has been rumoured for weeks, the Impact confirmed Thursday that Di Vaio, who has scored 142 career goals in Serie A, will become the first Designated Player in the club’s history. Di Vaio is 35, and is leaving Bologna, where he scored a decent 10 goals and added seven assists in 37 games.

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Simpson undergoes surgery: BSC Young Boys releases statement
BSC Young Boys released a statement on Thursday on the status of Canadian national-team midfielder Josh Simpson, who broke his tibia, fibula and ankle in Wednesday’s Swiss League finale.

Simpson set up Young Boys’ first goal of the match in a 2-1 win over FC Basel, before being stretchered off before halftime. According to the match report on the Swiss League’s official site, Simpson is believed to miss at least the next eight months of action, ruling him out of the next round of World Cup qualifying for Canadian national coach Stephen Hart.

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Aron Winter- Technical Director & Head Coach, Toronto FC
Obviously that’s a huge relief for you
Yes, finally a moment for relief. It’s very nice, I think that if you watch the whole game that we were the better team, we earned the win and it’s always nice when you win. For me it is the second time winning the cup in Canada but to win also the final is great.

Did your team need this win?
I think that two games before, against Montreal, we also won. But it is always important when you get a good result, a tie or a victory, it gives you more confidence. I think especially now with the Canadian Cup and the Canadian final is yours and if you watch the whole game, the way we played together and the way that we want to win the cup it was great.

Talk about the hour mark in the game and the sending off of Julien de Guzman and Sebastian Le Toux
It turned at that point, we were playing with a man less but I think before the situation that we were dominating and controlling the game and we were better in that moment. What happened exactly at that moment I don’t know.

Milos Kocic- Goalkeeper, Toronto FC
How does it feel after tonight’s game?
Great, we are in it. We played very well and we only conceded one goal in the whole tournament. We proved that we can actually do something positive this year.

Talk about the connection that seemed to be there between the back line and the midfield
Yeah, we looked good and we looked like a team. We worked for each other and fought. When Richard (Eckersley) came in he did a great job. I think everybody, subs and all the guys together, unfortunately Julien (de Guzman) got a red card but I think as a team we looked much better. We earned this trophy.

Reggie Lambe- Forward, Toronto FC
How important was the win tonight?
We just needed a win to get our confidence back up. We need to play on Saturday as we did today and we should be able to get a win.

Martin Rennie- Head Coach, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Give your thoughts on the match
First of all, congratulations to Toronto on winning the trophy, it was a big moment for them. For us, we are obviously disappointed on how the game went. It is always hard to lose a cup final especially if you don’t feel you necessarily played at the level you would hope and like. A number of key incidents didn’t go our way tonight as the finals are often close games and if you get a chance here or there, you have to take them. It’s disappointing for us and now we have to dust ourselves off and start looking forward to making a run at the playoffs.

What was your perspective of the red card incident?
I was literally two yards away from it so no one can have a better view than I had. de Guzman came across and threw someone on the ground, then hit someone, I’d say punched him in the face and from that incident we gained nothing. That to me was a huge turning point and moment in the game. I think there is more pressure on the ref because he is from Toronto and I am very surprised that the CSA would appoint a referee from Toronto and I think that puts him under extreme pressure.

Do you think the ref favoured Toronto?
I never said that.

Can you clarify what you said?
I said he is from Toronto. With a final between Toronto and Vancouver, surely there is enough officials within Canada that is not from Toronto.

Are you disappointed with your team’s apparent lack of ability to get scoring chances over the two legs?
Credit to TFC but I think we didn’t necessarily move the ball as quickly as we wanted to. If you don’t move it fast it is hard to create openings and opportunities. Alain Rochat (#4) has a header from 6 yards out and if that goes in, it makes a huge difference to the game. Those are the instances in a cup final that you have to make the most of and we didn’t. Ultimately, that cost us the game.

John Thornington- Midfielder, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
How is the team feeling after this result?
Heart wrenching, we set ourselves up to win the championship, you don’t get many chances to do that, and this just wasn’t good enough.

What went wrong tonight?
I would have to watch it again to say but credit to TFC, they won the final and played better over the two legs. Hugely disappointing because I think we have the team that is capable to win this but this is the way finals go. We’ve got to get over this real quick and got a rivalry game Saturday.

Reggie Lambe scored the winning goal in the 84th minute from the top of the box. Substitute Nick Soolsma advanced the ball to Lambe who then fired it through a Vancouver defender’s legs for his second goal of the Championship.

After no goals were scored in the first half, both Toronto and Vancouver were reduced to 10 men after ejections to both teams in the 57th and 58th minutes. Toronto FC’s Julian de Guzman was shown a direct red card while Sébastien Le Toux was shown his second yellow card of the match, hence also a red card and ejection from the match.

Moments after Lambe’s goal, Vancouver’s Martín Bonjour had an opportunity with a free kick from just outside the box, but his kick was just high and over the crossbar.
For the championship final, Toronto FC’s starting XI featured Milos Kočić in goal, Jeremy Hall at right back, Adrian Cann and Doneil Henry at centre back, Ashtone Morgan at left back, Julian de Guzman, Torsten Frings and Joao Plata at midfield, and Ryan Johnson, Eric Avila and Reggie Lambe up front.

In the second half after both teams had already been reduced to 10 men, coach Aron Winter replaced Avila with Richard Eckersley (60′), Plata with Nick Soolsma (78′), and goal-scorer Lambe with Terry Dunfield (84′).

Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s starting XI featured Joe Cannon in goal, Young-Pyo Lee at right back, Alain Rochat and Jay DeMerit at centre back, Martín Bonjour at left back, Jun Marques Davidson, John Thorrington and Gershon Koffie at midfield, and Camilo Sanvezzo, Eric Hassli and Sébastien Le Toux up front.

In the second half, coach Martin Rennie replaced Rochat with Jordan Harvey (65′), Sanvezzo for Darren Mattocks (66′), and Thorrington for Chiumiento (73′).

The 2012 Amway Canadian Championship ran four consecutive Wednesday nights from 2-23 May. Now in its fifth season, the Championship featured Vancouver Whitecaps FC, FC Edmonton, Toronto FC and Impact Montréal. Previous champions were Toronto FC from 2009 to 2011 and Impact Montréal in 2008. Throughout the competition, fans have been able to follow the Amway Canadian Championship via live television broadcasts (Sportsnet and TVA Sports), an in-match Twitter stream @CanadaSoccerEN, and extensive post-match coverage via CanadaSoccer.com/championship, Facebook, Flickr.com/CanadaSoccer and YouTube.com/CanadaSoccerTV.

Canada’s 2012 champion will now compete in 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League with 23 other teams from the region. As always, CONCACAF Champions League will qualify one team for the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup. Already qualified for this year’s CONCACAF Champions League season are Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo from USA, Tigres UANL, Santos Laguna, Monterrey and Chivas-Guadalajara from Mexico, AD Isidro Metapán, CD FAS and Aguila from El Salvador, LD Alajuelense and CS Herediano from Costa Rica, CSD Municipal and Club Xelajú MC from Guatemala, CD Olimpia and CD Marathón from Honduras, Real Estelí FC from Nicaragua, Chorillo FC and a yet-to-be-determined club from Panama, and three yet-to-be-determined clubs from the Caribbean.