Off Topic » Whitecaps squad escaped the first leg of their Amway

TORONTO -- Toronto FC left with the win. But Vancouver coach Carl Robinson walked out with a smile. A baby-faced Whitecaps squad escaped the first leg of their Amway Canadian Championship semifinal Wednesday down by just one goal after a 2-1 loss to a star-studded Toronto FC outfit. "Im delighted with them. Im really really proud of the boys in there today," said Robinson. According to the Whitecaps, the average age of their starting 11 was 21.7 years, with an average of 22.1 for the matchday 18. Toronto, meanwhile, rolled out its big guns in U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley and the strike force of Brazils Gilberto and Englands Jermain Defoe. Standing in their way was 17-year-old Canadian goalie Marco Carducci, whose US$36,504 annual salary is probably what Bradley ($6.5 million) and Defoe ($6.18 million) find in their couch. Up 1-0 after Defoes first-half strike, Bradley added what seemed like an insurance goal in the 89th minute, driving down the right and then, after a nifty 1-2 with Defoe, beating Carducci with a right-footed shot. The Whitecaps responded with a stoppage-time goal from substitute Kekuta Manneh, a valuable away goal that may pay dividends if the total goals series finished tied. The second leg is next Wednesday in Vancouver. "I think the tie is wide open," said Robinson. "I think both teams wanted to win this tie and end it tonight," said Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen. "But its not (done). Its up for grabs for both teams." Nelsen said he would make changes for the return leg, but declined to elaborate. Robinson said he would give his young players another opportunity "because I think they deserve it." The defending champion Montreal Impact meanwhile lost their opening semifinal leg 2-1 against FC Edmonton in Alberta later Wednesday. Nelsen, whose club had lost its last three MLS outings, called it an awkward game against a young opposition squad looking to prove itself to its coach. "Boy they were up for it," he said. "It was one of those games where ... you could have easily lost. Theyre a good team, theyre good young players." He lamented his team was unable to get the second goal earlier, allowing Vancouver to retain its confidence. And when Toronto did score again, it was quickly followed by a Whitecaps goal that "left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth." Toronto GM Tim Bezbatchenko certainly looked grim as he left his perch atop the stadium. Vancouver lived dangerously, carved open at times by a Toronto side that more often than not was unable to punish the visitors. But the Whitecaps, who grew into the game, had stretches when they strung passes together and came close to scoring before the late strike. Toronto should have led by several goals after 45 minutes on a windy night at BMO Field before an announced crowd of 22,591 despite a good number of empty seats. But it failed to take advantage of some early stage fright from the visitors, putting only three of eight shots on target in the first half, and needed a pair of defensive stops late in the half to avoid going in tied 1-1. Toronto outshot Vancouver 14-13 over 90 minutes but the visitors had a 6-4 edge in shots on target. Perhaps the big winner on the night was Canadian soccer, with eight homegrown starters and signs of hope for the future. "I just (Canadian coach) Benito (Floro) in the corridor and he must be excited as well, because it was a very competitive game today," said Robinson, a former Welsh international. "Thats the talent that Canadian football has." Said Nelsen: "Vancouver has a fantastic academy ... I think were probably a couple of years behind them in producing a steady influx of good young Canadian players." With a league game in Columbus on Saturday, Robinson gave veterans like centre backs Jay DeMerit and Andy OBrien the night off and dipped deep into his touring party of 26 as he blooded a bevy of young talent. Under Robinson, the Whitecaps are a young side. But he went "younger than young" Wednesday. In addition to Carducci, the Whitecaps starting 11 included Canadian midfielders Bryce Alderson (20 years old), Marco Bustos (18), Kianz Froese (18) and Russell Teibert (21), who came in the game with 46 MLS appearances under his belt. Robinson gave the captains armband to Teibert, calling him "our face of our residency program." "I was impressed with them, especially their midfielders," said Toronto goalie Joe Bendik. At 17 years 225 days, Carducci becomes the 12th youngest player -- and second youngest keeper -- to play for the Whitecaps. The youngest was forward Guido Titotto who debuted at 16 years 38 days in 1987. "Were talking about a future Canadian (international) goalkeeper. Hes absolutely fantastic," Robinson said of Carducci, who has already represented Canada at the FUFA U-17 World Cup Carducci called it a "dream" night. "Its a positive result for us," he said. "It showed us very well." Toronto, which has a bye this weekend, played a more conventional lineup with Bendik making his first start of the season in place of Julio Cesar -- named to the Brazilian World Cup squad earlier in the day. Other than Bendik, it was the lineup TFC might have used had it played an MLS game on the night. The only starters missing were Brazilian midfielder Jackson and injured Canadian midfielder Jonathan Osorio (charley horse). Vancouver started five Canadians compared to Torontos three (defender Doneil Henry and midfielders Kyle Bekker and Issey Nakajima-Farran). That tied Vancouvers record for the tournament. Nelsen had to make a late change before kickoff, replacing rookie Nick Hagglund with fullback Mark Bloom because of a flu bug that has been going through the team. Bendik, who had 33 starts last season, had long stretches of inactivity but made the tough saves when needed. "Thats the sign of a good keeper," said Nelsen, who called Bendiks play "brilliant." Gilberto, whose goal drought continues, headed woefully wide in the 21st minute. But he played provider in the 28th minute, carving open the Vancouver defence with a nice pass to put Defoe in all alone with plenty of time to beat Carducci. While Gilberto did not score, he exuded danger whenever he got near the ball and showed a good eye in finding his teammates. And it was a typical Defoe performance with the elusive striker disappearing for stretches then turning up in places where he could do damage. Bradley, meanwhile, made some surging runs and played surgical defence. Montreal captured the inaugural Canadian championship in 2008 and won it again last year. Toronto claimed the trophy during the four interim years. Vancouver has finished runner-up the last five years. The winner hoists the Voyageurs Cup, donated by the Voyageurs Canadian supporters group, and earns a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League, a 24-team competition featuring clubs from North and Central America and the Caribbean. The CONCACAF Champions League winner advances to the FIFA Club World Cup. Gary Zimmerman Jersey . The 27-year-old forward has informed the Leafs that he will be unable to play in Monday nights home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Von Miller Jersey . Both had to wait out a rain interruption lasting nearly five hours before taking comprehensive third-round victories to join Carling Bassett-Seguso (1983, 1986), Patricia Hy-Boulais (1996-97) and Daniel Nestor (1999) as Canadians who made it into the second week of a major. http://www.officialdenverbroncosfootball.com/authentic-billy-turner-jersey-womens . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately. Peyton Manning Jersey . Earnshaw, 31, most recently spent time on loan in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv from Welsh club Cardiff City, which plays in Englands second-tier League Championship. Earnshaw began his career with Cardiff Citys youth program and turned professional in 1998. Andy Janovich Jersey . -- The Vancouver Whitecaps remained unbeaten with a scoreless draw at the New England Revolution on Saturday.WINNIPEG -- For more than 56 minutes it looked like Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec was going to make his pre-season debut with a shutout over the Edmonton Oilers. But then a 3-0 lead turned into a 3-2 nail biter in less than half a minute and became a teaching moment. "Its about the details," said Pavelec after Winnipeg held on for the win Tuesday. "Weve got a few young guys. Its good for them. Its a good experience for them that we have to be ready every shift. Weve got to be focused all 60 minutes. You can see it today, it can cost you the game." It was a little sloppy but the Jets (1-1-1) brought a bit more of their A-team than the Oilers (1-1-1) and it showed, particularly in the second period. Michael Frolik, on the power play, and Carl Klingberg scored for the Jets with Eric Tangradi assisting on both. It looked like the game was all but over when tough guy Anthony Peluso added another for Winnipeg at 15:35 in the third. The Jets were still patting themselves on the back when Mitchell Moroz put the Oilers on the board less than a minute later with an assist from Philip Larson. Then Larson banged in his own less than half a minute later but despite some serious pressure the Oilers couldnt even it up. Frolik, one of two NHL veterans the Jets added in the off-season to bring some depth to their offence, said its always nice to get that first goal. "Every goal feels nice and youve got . . . that monkey off your back," he said. But, like Pavelec, he said the game was a good reminder of what not to do when the team let its focus fade in the third. "We have to learn from it." The Oilers played formeer Dallas Stars netminder Richard Bachman and he was one of the positives Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins took out of the game.dddddddddddd "He had an excellent game," he said of Bachman, signed as a free agent this summer. "We know hes a good goalie but that was a surprising performance for me. We thought he held us in there, especially in the second period when I think they outchanced us two to one." The Jets were minus their top scoring line of Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd but Dustin Byfuglien and Evander Kane both played. Kane missed the final minutes with stomach cramps but coach Claude Noel said he seems OK. Except for the end of the third, the more experienced Jets brought a lot more traffic to the Edmonton net than the Oilers managed to bring to the other end of the ice. "Thats kind of the danger but kind of the good as well of the exhibition games," said Eakins. "There can be a mismatch in the lineup and your team can hang in there with them and you want to see how hard your guys will push against those players." Winnipegs next game is Thursday against new division rival Minnesota. The Jets have yet to make deep cuts from their camp roster, trimming only 10 players last week. Eakins was applauded by Winnipeg fans who remember his time with the AHLs Manitoba Moose, where he finished his playing career before turning to coaching. He even played a couple of games with the old Winnipeg Jets just before they relocated to Phoenix. "Its nice," he said. "This is a city where Ive spent a lot of time . . . and Ive always got a soft spot in my heart for Winnipeg." 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