Forennews » omething I would love to experience.Toronto (11-14-

VANCOUVER -- Pedro Morales converted a penalty in the first half Wednesday as the Vancouver Whitecaps snapped an ugly 450-minute scoring drought with a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. Morales stepped up to the spot and beat Jon Busch low to the San Jose goalkeepers right in the 39th minute after Whitecaps defender Kendall Waston was fouled by Earthquakes counterpart Victor Bernardez in the area off a Vancouver free kick. Waston then headed home a Morales corner in the 56th minute for his first goal with the Whitecaps since joining the club last month to give Vancouver some breathing room. Morales goal snapped a scoreless streak of exactly seven and half hours -- or five full matches -- for the Whitecaps (8-6-13), who had been shut out in four straight games, and five of their last six. Vancouvers last goal before Wednesday came off the boot of Darren Mattocks, coincidentally in the 39th minute, of the Whitecaps 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Aug. 10. Morales -- who now has eight goals on the season, including six from the penalty spot -- snapped a six-game scoring slump of his own as Vancouver leapfrogged the Portland Timbers into the fifth and final playoff spot in Major League Soccers Western Conference. Both teams have seven games remaining on the schedule, including a critical game in Portland on Sept. 20. Vancouver entered Wednesday with just two wins in its last fourteen games and a recent stretch of 0-2-2 forced the club out of the top-5 in the West. Coming off a hard-fought 3-3 road tie against the Timbers on Sunday and having given up 14 goals in its last five games, San Jose (6-11-9) was just what the Whitecaps needed to shake their scoring woes and get back in the win column. Vancouver head coach Carl Robinson again opted for a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond midfield, the same setup that failed to find a way through in Saturdays 0-0 home draw against D.C. United. Mattocks, who started that one but picked up an ankle injury, was replaced in the lineup by Erik Hurtado up top alongside Sebastian Fernandez. The Whitecaps had the bulk of possession before the breakthrough, with San Jose failing to even direct a shot towards David Ousted in the Vancouver goal in the opening 45 minutes. Waston had a chance to open the scoring in the 13th minute but sent a free header just over the bar off a corner kick as a season-low crowd of 17,183 at B.C. Place Stadium groaned in disapproval. Fernandez and Russel Teibert then tried their luck from distance minutes apart midway through the half before Hurtado snatched at a loose ball in the 29th that forced an alert save from Busch. After the Whitecaps grabbed the lead late in the first half from the spot, Fernandez almost doubled the Vancouver lead in the 47th minute, but his shot whipped wide of Buschs goal. The Earthquakes entered Wednesday winless in their last six (0-2-4) and finally got a shot on target when captain Chris Wondolowski directed a header at Ousted off a corner in the 55th. But those positive vibes wouldnt last as Waston -- who missed that golden chance in the first half and another on Saturday -- finally opened his account with the Whitecaps off a Morales corner with a powerful header in the 56th that went through the legs of San Joses Cordell Cato at the near post and past Busch. The big defender pumped his fists and was mobbed by teammates before dropping to his knees in celebration. Morales almost bagged his second in the 73rd, but Busch got his fingers to a shot that was headed to the bottom corner, before Hurtado sent a shot just wide moments later that would have snapped a personal scoring drought that stretches back to June 7. Morales thought he had his second of the night in the 86th minute after scoring on a breakaway, but the referee judged that he controlled the ball with an arm. The loss leaves San Jose 10 points back of Vancouver and eight adrift of Portland in the chase for the final playoff spot in the West, but the Earthquakes do have a game in hand. Notes: Ousted has back-to-back clean sheets to give him nine on the season. ... Morales assist on Wastons goal was his 10th of 2014 to set a Whitecaps single-season record. ... Former Vancouver striker Carl Valentine was inducted into the Whitecaps Ring of Honour prior to the game. ... Vancouver defender Steven Beitashour returned to the starting lineup after missing out on Saturday with a hip problem. ... The Whitecaps will play their third game in eight days on Saturday when they travel to take on FC Dallas. ... San Jose hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday, also their third game in eight days. Custom New Orleans Saints Jerseys . In a series of tweets, it is explained by the Department of Player Safety that Niederreiter makes full body contact with Burrows and although there is head contact, he does not "pick" the head in the course of making the hit. Archie Manning Jersey . -- A 25-year-old freelance journalist from British Columbia was formally charged on Thursday with a felony, five days after she was arrested in the United States over allegations she threatened to kill her hockey player boyfriend. http://www.shoptheofficialsaints.com/Elite-Rickey-Jackson-Saints-Jersey/ . He, the 25-year-old Toronto backup net-minder and Manitoba native, would be making just his fourth start in the past 16 games against the Jets the following evening. It was the word of opportunity for Reimer, who has fallen into the role of backup, outmatched in recent weeks by Jonathan Bernier, his Quebec counterpart. Bobby Hebert Jersey . Still, Inter moved one point ahead of Parma in the race for fifth place and the final Europa League spot. Udinese remained 14th, 11 points above the relegation zone. Inter was beaten 2-1 by Atalanta at home on Sunday and has won only seven of 16 matches at the San Siro this season, as the squad seems to still be searching for its identity under new owner Erick Thohir and first-year manager Walter Mazzarri. Sam Mills Jersey . - Andre Drummond had his best night on the boards.TORONTO - Unable to do his talking on the pitch, a frustrated Jermain Defoe did some venting Thursday.The Toronto FC star said he may have to undergo an operation because of the persistent groin injury that has kept him out of 10 of the last 14 games. And the 32-year-old England striker says he is upset that some have questioned both his commitment to the club and whether he is really injured.There are a few fans that have said certain things and Im like well thats a bit harsh, but obviously I would never retaliate, he told reporters. But at the same time, I think if you do want someone to stay at a football club, at least support them. At least show them that you want them to be here.Defoe, sounding more hurt than angry during his 11-minute conversation with reporters, repeated he has never come out and said publicly that he wants to leave a club. But he has stopped short of saying he will be back in Toronto next season.At the end of the day, I dont know what the future holds, he said. But what I would say is that I was desperate to get into the playoffs. Its something I would love to experience.Toronto (11-14-8) was eliminated from playoff contention last weekend and will watch the post-season from the sidelines for the eight straight year. Defoe leads Toronto with 11 goals in 19 games but has not scored since July 16. He has played just 387 minutes, over five six games, since then.Head coach Greg Vanney said he has not heard that Defoe is unhappy or wants to move on.But he said his star striker, after a season to experience the unique nature of MLSs travel and schedule, now has to make up his mind.Because theres a lot on the line, the club has done a lot for him, and he needs to be all-in, Vanney said. If hes not all-in, then we have to come up with a solution and we need to find another solution for the club.Defoes future has been up in the air since Toronto turned down a club-record transfer bid at the end of the summer window. The new transfer window opens in January.Defoe said such speculation is normal in Europe during the transfer window, when clubs regularly go after players.I can understand fans would be frustrated. Because as a fan I think Id be a little bit frustrated, not with the player but with the situation where potentially, maybe a player could be leaving, a player thats not been here that long. So yeah I can understand that but at the same time I think what people need to realize is I never once came out publicly and said I want to leave the club.Theres players that come out and say Yeah, I want to leave, that hand in transfer requests. But I just get on with the football. I just let my football do the talking, then whatever happens happens.Defoe did not help himself after the transfer window closed Sept. 1, limiting himself to a pair of tweets from England, where his injury was being treated, before meeting the media in Toronto on Sept. 24.Vanney agreed that the information void did not help cap speculation.He could definitely have helped himself if he had would have jumped out publicly immediately saying Hang on a second, I want to be here. Theres nothing to this other than I need to get right. I clearly think that would have helped himself for sure.The transfer window, coupled with Defoes injury and rumours from England led to a perfeect storm of events that is easy for people to draw a conclusion that hes not engaged or not wanting to be here, said Vanney.dddddddddddd I can say just personally, from his mouth to ours, Ive never heard that he doesnt want to be here.Asked if he had been unfairly characterized this year, Defoe replied 100 per cent.Throughout my career, Ive never been criticized with my commitment because I love football, he said. I always say Im part of the old school, where I came from and how my parents brought me up. Not just my mom, my grandparents and everyone.And then you read things. Obviously social media is powerful and I see things from the fans. I try not to read it. But Im only human and obviously I want to read things. And you want people to like you. You want the fans to realize that you love playing for the club and you love football. But I suppose people over here dont really know me as well as the people back home.Its just sometimes I read it and I say to myself Are they talking about me? They must be getting the wrong person. Its part and parcel, I suppose, of playing football. I take it on the chin, Im professional. As long as I know in my heart that Im committed, then I suppose the rest doesnt really bother me.Vanney will presumably hear Defoes intentions for 2015 at end-of-season player meetings.Candidly Im not really sure what to expect, he said when asked whether he expects Defoe to be in training camp. I know he plays the game, he wants to be successful, I know he wants to score goals.What Im not sure is now that hes spent a year in the league, what are his true feeling about this league and the decision that hes made and does want to really see this out? And is this really where he wants to really push his career. These are all conversations that were going to have once this season closes. I have not had those conversations with him.I think its a dialogue. And I think by and large we want people who want to be here for more than one year, for more than two years, that can really help us pull this group together and win. That takes a big commitment. We would like to have him back if Jermain is ready to play and is healthy and his minds in the right place and he believes in the project, which is for us to be successful.Vanney knows that the club is much better with a healthy Defoe. Toronto went 6-0-2 this year when Defoe scored.He is a fantastic player when all things are right for him, so if we can get that guy back, Ill take him, he said.Defoe will miss out on Saturdays season finale in New England because of his groin injury and plans to see a specialist in Germany. A sports hernia operation may be in the cards.Its something that I need fixing, because its stopping me from what I really want to do in games, he said. The main thing for me is shooting. At the minute, Im shooting with pain.Defoe said it came to a head two games ago against the New York Red Bulls, the last time he played.I really struggled, he said. In the second half, it wasnt really Jermain Defoe. I couldnt really turn sharp, I couldnt really hit any shots. I was just trying to adapt my game, basically just to be on the pitch, just trying to help the team. But in a way, not helping myself because I couldnt perform how I normally do.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '