THE FORMATIONS: The New York Red Bulls showed up in Vancouver without some of their key players - Thierry Henry and Jamison Olave, to be specific. Andrew Luck Jersey . Head coach Mike Petke chose to line up his team in a 1-4-4-2 formation, with Peguy Luyindula partnering Tim Cahill up front. The Red Bulls played a flat four across midfield, with Lloyd Sam on the right, Jonny Steele on the left, and Eric Alexander partnering Dax McCarty in the middle. This decision proved to be a fatal one for New York, as Vancouver dominated the game in midfield, especially in the second half. At the back, two former Toronto FC players were in the fullback positions for the Red Bulls - Rickard Eckersley on the right and Bobby Convey on the left. Ibrahim Sekagya and Armando defended centrally, with Luis Robles in goal. The Vancouver Whitecaps lined up in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation, in Carl Robinsons first game as a head coach. Darren Mattocks led the line, with Sebastian Fernandez, Kenny Miller and Russell Teibert lining up from left to right in the attacking midfield three. The impressive Matias Laba partnered Nigel Reo-Coker as defensive midfielders. At the back, Steven Beitashour and Jordan Harvey flanked Jay DeMerit and Andy OBrien, with David Ousted in goal. THE GAME: The Vancouver Whitecaps got the 2014 MLS season off to the perfect start, claiming a 4-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls at BC Place on Saturday. The game started slowly for Vancouver, which can be put down to it being the first game of the new season under a new coach. Players are always a little tense when the season kicks off, and it can take some time to get into the flow of the game - especially when playing alongside new teammates. Once Vancouver settled into the game, though, the midfield partnership of Matias Laba and Nigel Reo-Coker began to dictate the game. Laba showed all of the qualities that tempted Robinson to bring him to the club via a trade with Toronto FC; he broke up countless Red Bull attacks, was composed on the ball and precise in his distribution. The defensive solidity of the two midfielders meant that it was a reasonably comfortable game for the back four. In fact, had it not been for a mistake from David Ousted, the Whitecaps would have kept a clean sheet. The first goal came in the 34th minute, as Kenny Miller converted a penalty kick after Richard Eckersley was adjudged to have handled a Matias Laba strike inside the penalty area. The referee initially waved play on, but his assistant spotted the infraction and raised his flag immediately; replays showed that it was the correct call. The second Whitecaps goal came five minutes into the second half. Some excellent link play from Darren Mattocks allowed Vancouver to catch New York on the counter attack. Mattocks received a clearance just inside Vancouvers half, set the ball back and spun left to get behind the Red Bulls back four. When he received the return pass, he fed the ball to Sebastian Fernandez - who had made a fantastic run to join the counter attack. Fernandez dropped his shoulder to wrong-foot Richard Eckersley, and once the Uruguayan had a half a yard of space, he unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top right corner. It gave the Whitecaps some breathing room, which they used to tear apart New York. When Pedro Morales entered the game in the 64th minute, he delivered a mouth-watering performance over the final 25 minutes. It was a master class from the Chilean designated player, and it left Whitecaps fans craving more. Morales set up Vancouvers third goal with some exquisite control and a perfectly weighted through-ball to spring Kenny Miller (who clinically dispatched his second goal of the game), and then scored the Whitecaps fourth, firing home a centering pass from Reo-Coker. When substitute Bradley Wright-Phillips flicked home a cross just in front of the fingertips of Ousted in the 90th minute, it took the shine off of an otherwise impressive Vancouver performance. THE TURNING POINT: Sebastian Fernandez put in an outstanding performance on his debut for Vancouver, and it was his goal that swung the momentum in the Whitecaps favour. The strike itself was first class, and the buildup play from Darren Mattocks was crucial. Mattocks has a point to prove this season and his performance on Saturday was one of many bright spots for Vancouver. His link play throughout the game was excellent, and it allowed the Whitecaps to dominate the game in midfield because they retained possession when the ball went forward. THE POSITIVES: Vancouver showed real attacking prowess, and their new players - Steven Beitashour, Sebastian Fernandez, Matias Laba, Pedro Morales and Nicolas Mezquida - have added genuine quality to Robinsons squad. Morales, in particular, looks like a great addition. Tactically, Robinsons formation trumped Petkes, as Vancouver outnumbered New York in the middle of the park and used that to dictate the tempo of the game. Strong contributions from Kenny Miller and Darren Mattocks in attacking roles also helped the Whitecaps stay in control of the game. THE NEGATIVES: New York was flat - literally and figuratively. The midfield duo of McCarty and Alexander never managed to assert themselves in the game, apart from the opening 15 minutes or so. Had New York played a diamond midfield, rather than a flat four, they would have had more depth to their game, both offensively and defensively. This would have allowed them to tighten up in the middle of the pitch, where Vancouver controlled the game, and also to ask more questions of the Whitecaps defensively - it was a reasonably David Ousted will be kicking himself for conceding a late goal. Mistakes happen, but Robinson will need to ensure that this was a one-off, and not an indication of a developing trend. A similar slip up in preseason by Ousted means that everyone will now be watching that much closer. THE STAR MAN: There were plenty of excellent performances on Saturday; Darren Mattocks and Kenny Miller did very well, as did Matias Laba and the back four. I gave the Man of the Match award to Sebastian Fernandez on Saturday for his overall performance as much as for his fantastic goal. But it is hard to ignore the contributions of Pedro Morales. He was only on the pitch for 25 minutes, but if that short period of time is any indication, Morales is going to be a star for the Vancouver Whitecaps. Jack Doyle Jersey .com) - Nathan MacKinnon scored the winning goal in the shootout as the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. Ahmad Thomas Jersey . Kuper, a fifth-round pick in Denvers 2006 draft, started 79 games at guard over eight seasons. He dislocated his left ankle in the last game of the 2011 regular season, and though he started another seven games after that, he never returned to his previous level. WASHINGTON, DC—After more than 30 years spent hiding in the Los Angeles underground as wanted criminals, the members of the crack commando unit Alpha Team, commonly known as the A-Team, were cleared of all charges brought against them by the U.S. military, an army official announced Monday. Above: The A-Team circa 1984. In 1972, we arrested the members of the A-Team for a crime they swore they didnt commit, Gen. Stephen Lupo said. They broke out of our maximum-security stockade, and from that moment forth, I thought of nothing but their recapture. However, a recent audit of their file has revealed that the arrest of the Alpha Force members was made in error. The U.S. military deeply regrets the mistake. According to Lupo, the A-Team members exoneration will occur before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces on Aug. 24. Just hours after Lupos announcement was made, Cpt. H.M. Howlin Mad Murdock, the A-Teams pilot, resurfaced to speak with journalist Amy Allen, who often reported on the mercenaries charitable acts. For decades, weve been forced to live in the shadows, Murdock said. Somehow, we always found a way to help people who had nowhere else to turn, but we operated under the constant threat of recapture. Finally, the nightmare is over. Added Murdock: Owooohh, Im a little doggie! Ow ow owooohhhh! Murdock and the surviving members of the team—the classically handsome Lt. Templeton Arthur Face Peck and the Mohawk-sporting mechanic, Sgt. Bosco B.A. Baracus—said their joy over the announcement was tempered only by regret that their de-facto leader, Col. John Hannibal Smith, was not alive tto see their names cleared. Hale Hentges Jersey. . Somewhere up there, Hannibal is smiling down on us—maybe disguised as a giant crocodile or a wealthy diamond merchant, Peck said. He loved it when a plan come together. More than any of us, he would have enjoyed seeing the look on [Col. Roderick] Deckers face when our innocence was announced, Peck continued. Decker hated Hannibal ever since they served together back in Nam. Decker never could stand his cocky attitude. Smith was gunned down in front of a Las Vegas casino in 1994. The A-Team members said that, although they presume the armys offer of freedom is legitimate, they have taken precautions. We formed a backup plan in case things turn out to be on the jazz, Peck said, using the teams code phrase for a troublesome situation. Murdocks gonna perch a helicopter on top of the courtroom. B.A. found a broken Howitzer in a junkyard, got it working again, and got it mounted in our van. We also have a whole team of troubled teens B.A. befriended and taught valuable lessons. They placed explosives throughout the courtroom and along our subterranean escape route. If need be, theyll blow that courtroom apart. Peck admitted that their escape plan might be too crazy to work, acknowledging the possibility that he will be punched in the face during the escape. He also noted that stacks of cardboard boxes might break the falls of the military personnel thrown into the air by the A-Teams explosives. Just to be safe, I romanced a beautiful court stenographer and convinced her to smuggle some smoke bombs in with her, Peck said. All in a days work. 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