Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Houston Dynamo: Defense Wins Game

Before another packed house at Empire Field, the Vancouver Whitecaps picked up their fourth victory of what has proven to be a troubled inaugural MLS season. With a goal by substitute winger Shea Salinas, his first as a Whitecap, the team improved its record to 4-13-9.

It was a solid performance and the win was a big lift for the team, but the bigger story lies under the surface, and it's one that should give Whitecaps fans hope moving forward.

After enduring some deservedly harsh criticism after the Portland game last week, the Whitecaps back line, including goalkeeper Joe Cannon, put in a solid shift to blank the Dynamo's vaunted strike force.

It is a soccer truism that defense wins games, and for much of the season the Whitecaps defense was not doing its job too well. Whether it was due to injuries (captain Jay DeMerit and Alain Rochat, notably) or a combination of youth and fatigue (Michael Boxall and Greg Janicki), the Whitecaps were hard presse...

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