VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Whitecaps know they have to be more ruthless in front of the goal. Abel Aguilar Colombia Jersey . They nearly ran the Seattle Sounders out of B.C. Place Stadium in the opening 30 minutes last weekend with their attacking style, but couldnt capitalize on a number of clear-cut chances and settled for a 2-2 draw. Creating those opportunities is one thing, but the Whitecaps understand they must be better finishers in order to climb up the Major League Soccer standings. "We have to continue to try to take our chances," said Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit. "Over the past couple weeks weve really created a lot of them, now the final step in that is to put a few more in the net." The Whitecaps (4-2-5) will be looking to do just that on Sunday when they travel south to Oregon to take on the rival Portland Timbers (3-3-7). You can see all the action on TSN beginning at 9pm et/6pm pt. "Its part and parcel of our DNA as a team now to start on the front foot, be a forward-thinking team and try and go for the throat," said Whitecaps assistant coach Martyn Pert. "Weve got the surprise element at the moment because people are looking at us and probably werent tipping us to play that offensively. "(Head coach Carl Robinsons) philosophy is to be on the front foot and play attacking football. Youre going to create chances." But burying those chances has been a problem. Vancouver could have had at least four goals in a 1-0 road victory over the Columbus Crew on May 10, and also wasted a number of opportunities in the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal four days later against Toronto FC. Then last week, the Whitecaps could have easily been up 3-0 on the Sounders after half an hour, but they were betrayed by their final touch on numerous occasions. "Weve just got to focus on doing what weve been doing," said Whitecaps striker Erik Hurtado, who has three goals in three games in all competitions. "Were attacking ... we just have to finish our chances more often." Vancouver currently occupies the fifth and final playoff spot in the West, a point up on Portland with two games in hand. The L.A. Galaxy, meanwhile, are two points back, but have a game in hand themselves and are also in action Sunday. Looking up in the standings, the Whitecaps are also just a single point behind both the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas, with games in hand on both clubs. "Theres a good team spirit, and I dont use the term loosely because there is a general feel-good factor about the place," said Whitecaps defender Andy OBrien. "The chances that weve created, and with a little bit of luck the results could have been a little bit different. But taking everything into consideration were pleased with how weve done so far." Sunday will also mark the second game for both Vancouver and Portland in the Cascadia Cup, a mini-tournament played between the Whitecaps, Timbers and Sounders for bragging rights in the Pacific Northwest. The team with the most points in games between the three clubs is crowned champion, something that Vancouver has accomplished four times, including last season. "Weve got to start well. We know to expect a battle against Portland, especially at their ground," said DeMerit. "Theyre a big, physical team. They like to get the ball down and play as well so were going to have to stay up and not give their good players time and space because they can hurt you." While the Whitecaps have not lost in MLS competition in their last five (2-0-3), the Timbers enter the derby clash unbeaten in six (3-0-3), including back-to-back road victories. "Were looking forward to Vancouver, we know with a win there we can jump them in the table," Timbers head coach Caleb Porter told the clubs official website. "And with our fans behind us, the boys will be flying." Portland, which will be playing its third game in eight days, got two goals from six-foot-four striker Fanendo Adi in a 2-0 midweek victory over Chivas USA, his first two with the club. "Hes a big, athletic guy. He gives a different element for them," said DeMerit. "Most of the guys that play up front for them are tricky guys or guys that have a bit of flair. "Were going to have to battle him, stick with his pace and make him play." The atmosphere inside B.C. Place last week against Seattle was electric and OBrien said the Whitecaps expect the same in Portland. "Its one of the beauties of where we located that we get that because coming from Europe thats part and parcel of the game," said OBrien, a veteran of the English Premier League. "I must admit the abuse that you get from away supporters is not as bad as in Europe, but its certainly one of the fixtures that you look for when theyre released because you know theyre going to be great games." DeMerit said it will be crucial for the Whitecaps to continue to play the attacking, aggressive style that made them successful through 11 games this season if theyre going to pick up their second road win of the campaign. "(The Timbers) will make it hard for us, especially in the beginning with the crowd on their side," he said. "Its up to us to make sure we battle that back but still try to stay expressive on our end and not sit back and give them the ball. "Weve got to make sure we continue to stay at a high tempo both offensively and defensively to give ourselves the best chance." Notes: The Whitecaps have never beaten the Timbers in MLS play, including three draws last season. ... Vancouver plays at the Philadelphia Union on June 7 before MLS goes on its World Cup break. The Whitecaps dont play at home again until June 25 against the Montreal Impact. Frank Fabra Colombia Jersey . - Quarterback Brady Quinn says he has been released by the Miami Dolphins. Cristian Zapata Jersey . He was signed to help with depth to the receiving corps because of the loss of Shamawd Chambers to the 6-game injured list. http://www.nationalcolombiafootball.com/carlos-sanchez-moreno-colombia-jersey/ . A little more than one year after missing a last-second tip-in that would have given the Wolverines a share of the Big Ten regular-season title, the 6-foot-8 forward scored on a layup with 7.PINEHURST, N.C. – No one expected Phil Mickelson to win last years British Open championship. Its not the style of course or game that has favoured the lefthander. Yet win he did. By contrast, everyone is expecting Mickelson to win this week, in the championship he wants to win more than any other and has broken his heart six times. Golf fair? Golf understandable? Not when it involves Lefty. Here at Pinehurst, Mickelson will try one more time to not only break through and win the tournament he wants most, but also to join that exclusive club of career grand slam winners that has just five members. "Its a career goal of mine to win all four majors," Mickelson admitted. "I feel like the five players that have done that, have separated themselves from the other players throughout all time. It shows that they have a complete game. If Im able to do that, I feel that I would look upon my own career differently." It wasnt that long ago that Mickelson had no majors and everyone wondered if hed ever get his first. And certainly last year, very few were predicting hed win the Open Championship. Now hes on the edge of greatness, but that edge is a wide chasm he must get across. For the first time since 2003, Mickelson comes into the Open without a victory. Worse than that, he hasnt even managed a top-10 finish. Still, he remains relatively optimistic. "I feel as good about my game today as I have all year," he stated. "Its not saying a lot, because I havent played well all year, but last week was a good week for me. I started to slowly put it together." Last week was a tie for 11th spot at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, and a far cry from what he wants here. The weak link in his game this year has clearly been his putting. Hes ranked 103rd in Strokes Gained –Putting. A year ago, he finished the year in sixth. Things have gone so poorly on the greens that this week, Mickelson has decided to change things up after conferring with putting coach Dave Stockton. "The greens here are quick," Mickelson stated, "and so Im actually going to go back to the claw grip this week in an effort to have a little bit lighter grip pressure and create a softer roll so that I get some of the hit out of it. I was running them way by last week and by taking my bottom hand off the putter, it eliminates some that hit. Carlos Bacca Jersey. " Of course it wouldnt be a major if Phil wasnt taking some sort of risk. Two drivers. No drivers. Phrankenwood. Driver when he should hit three-wood. Sometimes the moves pay off, other times he slaps his head and scolds himself. And he waits for another year, another chance. After six silver medals, Mickelson says he tries not to look at what might be possible, what it would be like to raise the trophy he wants more than any other on Sunday evening. He knows the disappointment too well. But he is, after all, only human. "I try not to, because I dont want to get ahead of myself," he said. "But its only natural that its going to. Occasionally Ill catch myself, but I really try not to, because I really just want to focus on what I need to do to get ready for Thursday. If I can do that, hopefully Ill give myself a chance on the weekend. But when I jump ahead, that never really works out good, at least in the past . . . six times." This will be Mickelsons 24th attempt at winning the U.S. Open and he believes it may be his best. Of course he said something like that last year, too. And the year before. If nothing else, Phil is the eternal optimist. But this course might just prove him right. Pinehurst No. 2 is tailored to a game such as Phils – or at least Phils when hes on. He proved that back in 1999 although the last time around, in 2005, he was a non-factor in a tie for 33rd. "This place is awesome," he gushed. "It is just a wonderful site. This is the first -- well I really believe that this week is testing a players entire game. Because it forces you to make decisions, make good decisions, to choose the right club off the tee, hit solid iron shots into the green, and utilize your short game to save strokes. Theres no luck involved with the hack-it-out rough that sometimes we have around the greens. Its just a wonderful test that is, I think, the best test Ive seen to identify the best player." Whether Mickelson can be the best player this week is the question a lot of people are asking. Its also a question hes asking himself. And one hes hoping he can finally answer. ' ' '