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Once again, the Vancouver Whitecaps did it the hard way. For the second time in five days, Martin Rennies team started slowly at home and had to dig deep to overturn an early deficit, but they finished the night by jumping into the Western Conference playoff places. This time it wasnt as big a mountain to climb. A few days earlier they were down 2-0 inside the opening 20 minutes against New England but on Wednesday there was just a one goal deficit. It was a worrying start for the Whitecaps against a Chivas USA side that arrived at BC Place winless in its last eight matches and sitting on the foot of the Western Conference. Tristan Bowens early strike gave Chivas the lead and in the opening quarter of the match, the visitors looked comfortable in possession and were dominating in midfield. The Whitecaps were unable to play through the middle of the pitch and took some time to put a "Plan B" into action. When Vancouver started to use the full width of the pitch and get the full backs to push further forward, they started to have much more success. The leadership of veterans Kenny Miller and Nigel Reo Coker was key to the transformation. At one stoppage in play when the Caps were trailing, both senior players took on the responsibility of making sure the message got through to their teammates about how they needed to change their approach. It is those leadership qualities and the drive and determination of two players who have played at the top level in Europe that helped lift the whole eleven. The goals didnt come immediately, but as the half progressed the Whitecaps grew into the game. Starting slow is something that must be addressed if this team is to make the playoffs this year. They have now conceded then first goal four games in a row. The good thing is, they are confident going forward right now, but its unlikely the goals will continue to flow at this pace. When the Whitecaps are playing well, getting the fullbacks forward is a key part of their success. It happened on Saturday with Jordan Harvey starting and finishing a move, and Harvey was again on hand to score the game-tying goal against Chivas in first half stoppage time. Its been quite a run for the left back of late. After scoring just two goals in his previous 133 career MLS appearances, he has now found the net three times in the last four games. A big impact for a player who couldnt get into the starting lineup during the first nine games of the season. Its also no coincidence that the Whitecaps recent run of goal-scoring has come at a time when Camilo has found his form. At the moment, hes likely playing as well as he ever has during his time in Vancouver. He now has eight league goals and 11 in all competitions this season. The three pronged attack with Camilo flanked by Miller and Russell Teibert continues to combine well and Teibert is revelling in his role, with two more assists against Chivas taking his total to six for the season. It will change the dynamic of the Caps attacking play when the 20-year-old from Niagara Falls is called up to Canadas Gold Cup squad, but the chance to represent his country is a much deserved reward for a player whose form has made him an integral part of the Whitecaps team. Vancouvers biggest concern remains the lack of a settled defence. There has been no MLS clean sheet since the opening day win over Toronto FC, but they are starting to get healthy at the back once again. Brad Rusin hopes to be available by the time the Caps return to action on Washington DC, and Andy OBrien also hopes to be able to play a part in at least two of the three games the Whitecaps have that week - Kansas City away and Seattle at home follow the trip to the US capital. Over the last few days, Vancouver needed to make home advantage count and they did. Back-to-back wins for the first time since the opening day of the season leaves them in a much more positive position in a crowded Western Conference playoff race. The seven goals scored in two home matches has provided plenty of entertainment for the home fans, and its certainly rarely dull watching the Whitecaps of late. Now the big question is whether they can be defensively sound on a consistent basis. That is likely to be the key in ensuring the Whitecaps stay firmly in the playoff race as the summer progresses. Soccer Jerseys China . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. https://www.soccerjerseyschina.us/ .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. Replica Soccer Jerseys . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys China .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. TORONTO -- The NHL has gotten almost everything it hoped for so far at the World Cup of Hockey.In holding the first World Cup since 2004, the league and players wanted a festival of hockey that showcased the its best players. Two losses and an early exit by the United States isnt what anyone wanted for the sake of interest, but the 23-and-under Team North America put on a show and captured the attention of fans, coaches and players around the tournament.Team North America and the U.S. are out, with Canada and Russia meeting in one semifinal Saturday night and Sweden and Team Europe in the other Sunday afternoon. The quality of play has already been Olympic-level high and should only get better with at least four and potentially five games left.The winners here have been the fans, North America coach Todd McLellan said. Theyve watched some really good hockey in September and that doesnt happen very often.The NHL was panned initially for the North American and European all-star teams, but the youngsters speed, skill and scoring won so many people over that merchandise bearing the NA logo was almost entirely sold out at Air Canada Centre. Europe won people over by winning, beating the U.S. and the Czech Republic to advance.Two-time Olympic champion Canada has rolled, going 3-0 and outscoring opponents 14-3 along the way, and Sweden has leaned heavily on goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. North Americas games against Russia and Sweden were two of the most exciting end-to-end games in recent international history.Commissioner Gary Bettman is proud of how the NHL and NHLPA revived the World Cup in world-class fashion.Its been sensational. Its exactly what we expected, Bettman said. We wanted this to feel like and be a major event. We predicted that the competition would be better than any international tournament to date, that it would have a big-event feel.The World Cup achieved big-event status in Toronto, with a mostly full arena and buzz around the city. The same cant be said on U.S. TV, as ESPN reported that approximately 770,000 people watched Canada beat Team USA on Tuesday night, the most watched game so far.Executive vice president of programming and scheduling Burke Magnus called the Americans disappointing showing a lost opportunity.Thats the beauty of live sports, Magnus said by phone Thursday. Thats what makes sort of the unscripted nature of what we do so much fun. We obviously were counting on them to get out of pool play, but they werent able to do it. But this is the best players in the world.Canada looks like it still has the best collection of players in the world, even without North Americas Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, who orchestrated a magic show on ice. Even the most grizzled old-schooll fundamental hockey people had to appreciate the way McDavid, MacKinnon, 2016 top pick Auston Matthews and Co.dddddddddddd. played.McDavid said North America definitely turned heads. Canada coach Mike Babcock called it a great way to showcase the NHL of the future.The North American kids have been a home run for the NHL, Babcock said. This North American team is a pump in the arm for hockey. Its fantastic.Here are some other things we learned in round-robin play at the World Cup of Hockey:U.S. CANT SCORE: In two games before being eliminated, the U.S. scored a total of one goal. Even with Patrick Kane, Joe Pavelski and Zach Parise on the roster, the Americans failed to generate scoring chances and general manager Dean Lombardi and coach John Tortorella had to answer for why they chose size and physicality at the expense of more skill.From the staff right on through, (we) did not get the job done, Tortorella said. You need to accept that and we need to take the medicine.3 AND OH CANADA: The Sidney Crosby-led Canadians looked so good in their first game that American Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Modano tweeted to cancel the rest of the tournament and give them the trophy. Goalie Carey Price is on, and Canada looks unstoppable as usual.We feel like we can improve, said Crosby, who has won 22 consecutive games with Canada. I think its just probably just consistency in every area, just making sure that were sharp, that we make the plays we need to make.HOW SWEDE IT IS: Lundqvist stopped 81 of 85 shots in two games and is the top reason Sweden can win this. Ten years after leading the Swedes to gold at the 2006 Olympics, the King has one last crack at another international title.Hes been our MVP, forward Carl Hagelin said. I didnt expect anything else from that guy.A MIGHTY CONTINENT: Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia, Austria and France all likely wouldve been three and out at this tournament, but with players from those eight countries, Team Europe showed it can hang with the big boys. Its the World Cups Cinderella in the Final Four after creating its own September madness, and coach Ralph Krueger beamed about Europes underdog spirit.FROM RUSSIA WITH GOALS: Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and the Russians used quick-strike offense to set up a rivalry showdown with Canada. A win on Canadian ice would go a long way toward moving past the home-ice failure in Sochi.Its going to be like Russia when we play Olympic Games, Ovechkin said. Everybody going to be crazy. Atmospheres going to be unbelievable.---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . ' ' '