Darren Mattocks News

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 club's new Designated Player.

Hell of an opening weekend to MLS. You don't have to be an MLS apologist to like some of the end-to-end action that transpired in Vancouver, Portland and DC among other places.

Pedro Morales celebrates a goal in Vancouver's 4-1 rout of New York Red Bulls Saturday.

Seattle earned three points with the winning goal in the 94th minute, while down the road Portland salvaged a draw at home with a goal in the 93rd minute only seconds after Real Salt Lake preserved a 1-0 win at the LA Galaxy when , one of six players who made their Seattle debuts, scored in the 94th minute to give the Sounders a 1-0 win over ... (more)

Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Fernandez, from left to right, Russell Teibert and Kenny Miller celebrate Miller's penalty kick goal against the New York Red Bulls during the first half in Vancouver on Saturday.

To a kid from the Seattle suburbs - Federal Way, to be precise - Westwood was a sun-splashed Eden.

Around this time last year, the Vancouver Whitecaps displayed considerable bravado as they aspired to place among the top teams in MLS.

Uruguayan midfielder Nicolas Mezquida is part of a growing Latin contingent with the 2014 Whitecaps.

With new head coach Carl Robinson at the helm, the Vancouver Whitecaps will look to get back into the MLS Western Conference playoff picture.

PORTLAND, OREGON Uruguayan midfielder Sebastian Fernandez scored his first goal of the preseason as Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Portland Timbers played to a hard-fought 1-1 draw Saturday at Providence Park.

Vancouver striker/winger Erik Hurtado has scored a goal and added an assist during preseason play in 2014.

The Earthquakes lost 2-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps in their second game of the Rose City Invitational on Wednesday at Portland, Ore.

The Portland Timbers Alvas Powell heads the ball against the Houston Dynamo in Tucson, Ariz.

Instead, it was one the team hope is easily forgotten with their play on the field when the Major League Soccer season kicks off on March 8. It began as Vancouver went through an extended search for a new head coach after the club relieved Martin Rennie of his duties.

Fullback Jordan Harvey scored twice for the Blue and White and both striker Darren Mattocks and midfielder Russell Teibert had multi-point performances.

Starting tomorrow the Portland Timbers will host their third annual preseason tournament, welcoming the San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Portmore United to town for six games over the course of seven days.