performance deserved. C

The Whitecaps extended their unbeaten run in Major League Soccer to five matches, but Saturdays 2-2 tie at home to Seattle Sounders finished in controversial fashion, denying Vancouver the three points their performance deserved. Cheap Air Max 97 Australia . The penalty call by referee Ismail Elfath on Jay DeMerit late in the game was baffling, and it took the shine off an entertaining Cascadia Cup battle in which the Whitecaps created numerous chances with their impressive attacking style of play Credit to Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson for keeping his cool post-game. Had he launched a scathing attack on the referee, no one would have questioned him. But in public, Robinson reacted with dignity and humour rather than spending his time complaining about the officiating. It was a refreshing approach. Maybe Robinson just didnt want to lose any more money - earlier in the day, he lost a bet with Chilean midfielder Pedro Morales over which team would win the Champions League final and the coach will now have to take the whole squad out for dinner! As my colleague, Jason deVos said after the match, if that was a penalty, he would have been sent off four or five times in every game of his career! The decision let the Sounders back into a match in which they had rarely threatened, but they could have won it late in the game when Obafemi Martins went close, as could the Whitecaps, who had two or three excellent chances after Seattle had tied things up. Cascadia Cup matches very rarely disappoint. The atmosphere, the drama, the fast moving play were all evident on Saturday in front of the Whitecaps sixth successive sell-out in MLS this season. The performance shows just how far the Caps have come in a short space of time, considering how easily they were out-battled by the Sounders in a couple of early preseason meetings. Carl Robinson has created an identity for this team, and very quickly they have become one of the most entertaining in MLS to watch. The youthful exuberance was on show once again on Saturday with the pace and trickery of Kekuta Manneh and Sebastain Fernandez causing the Sounders problems, and Erik Hurtados new-found confidence in front of goal a joy to watch. Hurtados superbly taken goal tied things up just three minutes after a well-placed header from Chad Barrett had given Seattle a surprise first half lead. Hurtado is certainly enjoying his football now. Saturday was the first time in his pro career that he has made consecutive starts. He scored in both of them, and with the goal against Toronto thrown in as well, it is three goals in three matches in all competitions for the man who has certainly taken the chance that has been provided to him following the hamstring injury to Darren Mattocks and the departure of Kenny Miller. Carl Robinson told me before the match that the difference with Hurtado now is that he isnt trying to over-think things. He certainly gave Seattles defenders plenty to think about when he turned them inside out on the goal. Gershon Koffie played his best match of the season - one of his best as a Whitecap. At only 22 years old, he has so much potential. He took his goal really well to give the team a 2-1 lead, capitalizing on a mistake by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei but his all-round play was superb. Koffie and Matias Laba have been developing a good relationship in the Whitecaps midfield, and it is starting to pay off. Koffie was an attacking threat throughout and could have had more than the one goal. Once again, there were many positives for the Whitecaps to take away from the game, but the next step will be to win against the top Western Conference teams on a regular basis, especially at home. Caps president Bob Lenarduzzi said at half-time on our MLS on TSN broadcast that in his short time as head coach, Robinson has "done everything the club has asked of him and then some." The former Wales international is moulding a young, entertaining team playing a brand of football that people are excited to watch. The Caps could have won the game in the first 20 minutes. They were quick out of the blocks, but couldnt find a finishing touch. It has been a familiar theme over the last few games. Lots of chances are being created, but sometimes the killer instinct is missing in front of goal. Robinson has made no secret of his desire to add a top striker to his squad when the transfer window opens in July (a return for Camilo?) and that with all of the chances coming the Caps way, that would be a mouthwatering prospect. Next up is another Cascadia clash on the road at Portland Timbers next Sunday (live on TSN2 at 9pm et/6pm pt). Its another great chance for the Whitecaps to test themselves against a team that will be challenging them for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Air Force 1 Australia .  Rooneys latest piece of football genius lost in the furore which now stalks David Moyes, and the man who gave the Manchester United striker his start as a 16-year old at Goodison Park back in 2002. Cheap New Balance Australia .Y. - Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby captured his second career Art Ross trophy on Sunday after leading the NHL in scoring this season.NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira has provided consistent power for weeks. The rest of the New York Yankees joined in Saturday. Teixeira hit a two-run homer, Zoilo Almonte connected in his first start of the season and New York went deep five times for a 7-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was the second time since 2011 that five Yankees players homered in one game. "It was nice to see," manager Joe Girardi said. "Our team is built for this park." Brett Gardner and Alfonso Soriano also homered off a struggling Edinson Volquez to back five scoreless innings from David Phelps (1-0). Brian McCann added a two-run drive in the eighth against reliever Vin Mazzaro as New York won for only the second time in eight home games. Coming off consecutive road shutouts against the crosstown rival Mets, the Yankees took their third straight following a four-game slide. "We had a very good game overall," Soriano said. "Thats what we expect." Starling Marte homered and had three hits in his return to the starting lineup for the Pirates, winless at Yankee Stadium since Harvey Haddix pitched them to a 5-2 victory in Game 5 of the 1960 World Series. Volquez (1-4) gave up six hits -- four homers -- and no walks in 6 1-3 innings, dropping to 0-4 in his last five starts. Teixeira connected on a 1-2 pitch following Derek Jeters single in the first for his eighth home run in his last 17 games. It was the 350th of his career, tying Chili Davis for sixth place among switch-hitters. Almonte sent Volquezs first pitch of the third into the raised bleachers in right-centre for his second major league homer. Called up from the minors Tuesday, Almonte was a late addition to the lineup when centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was scratched with flu-like symptoms. Gardner homered leading off the sixth and Soriano did the same in the seventh. "They are great hitters and I made a lot of mistakes," Volquez said. "You cannot make a lot of mistakes in this ballpark." After a rainout Friday night, 47,353 fans turned out on a beautiful afternoon for the Pirates first visit to the current Yankee Stadium. They went 0-6 in interleague games at the old place, swept in a June 2005 series and again two years later. Phelps pitched out of early trouble to earn his first win as a starter since July 4, 2013, at Minnesota. After beginning the season in the bullpen, the right-hander was making his third staart since replacing injured Michael Pineda in the rotation. Discount Vans Australia. "At the end of the day it was five zeros and Ill take that," he said. "You dont want to grind every time out, but its one thing that Ive kind of done this year. I havent really had my best stuff yet." Phelps got some help from the overaggressive Pirates, who ran into three outs on the bases. "We were pushing guys out there," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Those are the chances you want to take when youre not getting those big hits with runners in scoring position, try to push yourself across the plate or get yourself in scoring position." Dellin Betances tossed two innings in relief before Adam Warren and Matt Daley finished up. Phelps is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in his last three starts at Yankee Stadium. "He made pitches when he had to," Girardi said. "There were some good plays." Pirates bopper Pedro Alvarez, who grew up a few miles from Yankee Stadium, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his first game against the Yankees. He left about a dozen tickets for family and friends and was expecting his father to be in the crowd. Two calls were overturned on replay challenges, one in favour of each team. Both plays involved tags by Jeter at second base. "We won with the home run today, which were capable of doing," Teixeira said. "We have to score a little bit more and I think the last few games our pitching has really picked us up. So its good to see us break out today." NOTES: Marte (lower back tightness) made his first start in a week. ... 1B Ike Davis, traded by the Mets last month, went 0 for 3 with a walk and three strikeouts in his return to New York. ... Girardi said he would be "kind of shocked" if LHP CC Sabathia (right knee) is able to return after only 15 days on the disabled list. "We dont know when hes coming back," Girardi said. ... Pineda (shoulder muscle) is scheduled to throw 25 pitches on the side Sunday. ... Ichiro Suzuki (back) entered in RF in the ninth and is likely to play in the traditional doubleheader Sunday -- the first single-admission twinbill at Yankee Stadium since 2004. ... RHP Hiroki Kuroda chose to start the opener Sunday against Pirates RHP Charlie Morton. LHP Vidal Nuno will pitch the second game against RHP Gerrit Cole, who spurned the Yankees to attend UCLA after they drafted him out of high school. ' ' '