SoccerTrio of Canadians feature in MLS Final Four

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Johnson, who at 22 is the youngest of a trio of Canadians involved in the MLS Conference finals, is coming home in more ways than one.

The Toronto-born midfielder was originally signed by the Chicago Fire as a raw 17-year-old but left after only one season to try his luck in Europe.

Now he’s a key cog in the Real Salt Lake engine room aiming to become the second team in as many years to reach the MLS Cup from the eighth and final playoff position.

New York scraped into the post season 12 months ago and defied logic by riding the wave all the way the championship decider.

While Robbie Findley and Yura Movsisyan have captured many of the RSL headlines in 2009, Johnson has enjoyed something of a breakout year in his own right.

The Canadian international missed only four of the 30 regular season games – in order to represent his country at the Gold Cup – providing a goal and three assists in the process.

When given the chance to get forward, Johnson managed 22 shots on goal, a total bettered only by the aforementioned Findley and Movsisyan.

Adaptation

Johnson’s ability to adapt has served him well. Originally seen as a striker, and deployed as such playing for Canada at two FIFA U-20 World Cups, he’s maturing into a versatile midfielder who can operate on either flank as well as down the middle.

Johnson’s return from Europe has proved timely. He joined RSL in August 2008 and helped the franchise make the playoffs for the first time after three fruitless seasons.

He probably doesn’t want to be reminded of how it ended.

On a night when the ball just wouldn’t go in, Johnson was one of several Salt Lake players to be denied by the woodwork as the Red Bulls clung – for dear life – to a first-half breakaway goal and, ultimately, emerged as Western Conference champions.

Johnson will be hoping lightning doesn’t strike twice.

The fact RSL is one of only two 2008 semifinalists to have made it to the Final Four this time round is a clear sign of stability and progress within the organization. Chicago is the other, and one is about to fall just short for the second straight year.

Should Johnson and Salt Lake survive, there may be a couple more Canucks waiting for him at the MLS Cup final.

Happy haven

Houston has been a haven for happy Canadians in recent years. Dwayne De Rosario, Adrian Serioux and Pat Onstad have all enjoyed success with the Dynamo and while DeRo and Serioux have both come home, Onstad continues to keep the pipe and slippers at bay.

For a man approaching his 42nd birthday, Onstad really should be thinking about getting a proper job, but look at his stats.

For the umpteenth year he conceded less than a goal a game in the regular season and followed that with back-to-back shutouts to see off the expansion upstarts from Seattle.

Onstad, of course, has been this way before. He’s won three MLS Cups and would like nothing more than to end the season in style before sitting down with league bosses to try and settle a new Collective Bargaining Agreement on behalf of the players’ union.

A new addition to the solid Dynamo defence in 2009 has been Andrew Hainault. The 23-year-old from Hudson, Que., is experiencing the MLS playoffs for the first time following his return to North America after four years playing in the Czech Republic.

Hainault, like Johnson, has shown versatility within Major League Soccer. In recent months he’s been principally employed at right back but has also played left back for Houston and was regarded as a central defender during his time in Europe.

As for the Conference finals themselves, it’s hard to bet against the hosts. Chicago will start as favourites but Salt Lake’s back-to-back wins over defending champions Columbus will do wonders for their confidence.

The Dynamo couldn’t score home or away against the L.A. Galaxy in 2009, and Bruce Arena’s team will have the crowd on their side.

If Landon Donovan and David Beckham get into their stride it will be even tougher for Houston but Brian Ching and Stuart Holden are also more than capable of scoring important goals.

From a marketing perspective, the league probably needs Beckham to be part of the MLS Cup showpiece.

And I’ve got a sneaking suspicion Will Johnson will be marking him in Seattle.

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