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Ninety minutes doesnt make a season. Just ask last seasons Supporters Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, who were resoundingly defeated last weekend by a rampant Vancouver Whitecaps in a match which produced two contenders for MLS Goal of the Week from Sebastian Fernandez and Pedro Morales. Another of those contenders was a slice of set piece magic from FC Dallas playmaker, Mauro Diaz, which after the final whistle blew, ended up the difference-maker as the Montreal Impact kicked their season off on the wrong side of a five-goal thriller after taking a deserved lead at Toyota Stadium last Saturday night. This for a club which has built its foundation on taking the lead and parking the bus since the time Jose Mourinho was working as a translator for Sir Bobby Robson at Barcelona. Conceding goals in threes, though, was a recurring theme in the preseason for the Impact. For those who believe preseason matches dont really matter, lets not bother having them and, while were at it, please scrap all those preseason tournaments. There was no connection whatsoever with the Columbus Crew putting four past the 2013 MLS Cup champion Sporting KC in the final of the Disney Pro Soccer Classic and taking all that confidence and Orlando momentum into D.C. to start their season last Saturday with a 3-0 rout of United. Growing a cohesive defensive unit and mindset was a significant ingredient as the Impacts training camp progressed. With that in mind, it was rather baffling that in his first match as gaffer, Frank Klopas strayed from that blueprint and morphed into the Tinkerman. Pre-game, I dont suspect that anybody would have predicted that such an unacquainted defence would have taken the pitch in Dallas. Having not played a minute in preseason, it was hardly surprising that Jeb Brovsky didnt display his usual reliable, risk-averse self. And when will the Impact finally realize the liability that is Hassoun Camara in a central role? As its only in adversity or defeat that one learns, the Impact head across the state with plenty learned in Dallas to be applied when the Impact return to the scene of that playoff crime in Houston on Saturday night. As geography plays a significant part in growing rivalries across planet futbol, whod have thought MLSs 19th franchise would have developed a bitter rivalry with a club they dont even share the same time zone with? The origins for which we must thank Dominic Kinnear and Jesse Marsch. The Dynamos head coach for first leaving him unprotected in the Expansion Draft and the Impacts original head coach for having the fortitude to rise to the rostrum at the Impacts downtown offices back on November 23, 2011 and, with his first selection, utter those infamous words, "Brian Ching." Whether Quebec native and Canadian international defender Andre Hainault was the real target is still the stuff of debate, but what is certain is that these two clubs dont much care for each other with last years Halloween Eve playoff horrors merely the icing on the cake. After embarrassing the Dynamo in sticking five past them late last summer at Saputo Stadium, Houston avenged that by first beating the Impact in the return encounter in early October and twisted the knife during the first round of the playoffs. Houston boasts one of the best home records in all of Major League Soccer these recent seasons and it is going to take a supreme team effort for the Impact to get anything from the match. Having spent the entire week down in Texas will have allowed them for the perfect preparation. No club wants to start its season 0-2 and the Impact will not want any additional pressures heading into their Olympic Stadium home opener March 22 against the Seattle Sounders. Nor will Klopas want to be explaining himself as he makes his Montreal bow. Houston has not been kind to the ex-Fire head coach, where he sports a solitary win from seven matches. Klopas will want a repeat performance from Justin Mapp, who was scintillating in Dallas. New DP Hernan Bernadello will have to last the 90 minutes. Splendid early on orchestrating the attacks, the 27-year old Argentine physically and mentally tired as the game wore on. How refreshing it would have been for Impact management and faithful alike that Andrew Wenger finally displayed the type of football through the 90 minutes we all know he is capable of? A well taken goal, following expert delivery from Felipe on the flank, was thoroughly deserved. The 2012 SuperDraft first-overall pick will be brimming with confidence when he hits the pitch Saturday night. It is vital he utilizes that additional injection of adrenaline in a positive manner. Individually and as a team, the Impact cannot allow any tension get to them. Greater concentration and discipline were the key messages to emerge from the time training in Texas. The Impact didnt gain any points in Dallas, but after a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes of football, they certainly gained many new admirers back in La Belle Province as they tuned into the action as an appetizer to the Habs late night west coast encounter. Sanna Nyassi, who was the Impacts best player to emerge from training camp and scored last weeks opener, will be missed. Klopas will tinker with his starting XI. You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter . Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. . Not because it was right, but because referees werent allowed to determine it was wrong. http://www.celticsteamproshop.com/Cheap ... cs-Jersey/. Colton Sissons also scored for Milwaukee (19-12-8), which went ahead with a two-goal third period. Wade MacLeod and Greg McKegg replied for Toronto (23-12-4). . -- Cordell Cato scored his first goal of the season and the San Jose Earthquakes survived a full half playing a man down to beat FC Dallas 2-1 Saturday night. . - David Tomasek had two goals in regulation time and was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Belleville Bulls upset the Oshawa Generals 6-5 on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. SAN ANTONIO -- Tony Parker and Tim Duncan provided the San Antonio Spurs with the physical and emotional lift they needed on the second night of back-to-back games. Parker scored 25 points and Duncan had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and San Antonio never trailed, cruising past the Dallas Mavericks 112-90 Wednesday night. Both teams were on the second night of a back-to-back, with San Antonio winning in overtime at Memphis and the Mavericks topping the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas. Parker got off to a hot start despite playing 40 minutes Tuesday night, and finished 10 for 15 from the field with seven assists in 29 minutes. "When I woke up this morning, obviously everything hurts and you feel like youre 45 years old and think about Man, I should not play in the summer, " Parker said. "But it worked out. We played great. We had good energy." The Spurs turned to Marco Belinelli with super sub Manu Ginobili unable to play after straining his left hamstring against the Grizzlies. After starting 11 consecutive games, Belinelli had 17 points, going 3 for 5 on 3-pointers as a reserve. Kawhi Leonard added 12 points and Patty Mills scored 11 for San Antonio (28-8), which recaptured the Western Conferences best record ahead of Oklahoma City (27-8). Monta Ellis had 21 points and Vince Carter added 14. No other player scored in double figures as the Mavericks (20-16) lost their seventh straight to the Spurs. Dirk Nowitzki was limited to eight points, shooting 3 for 14 and making his only two free throw attempts while engaged in a physical battle with Boris Diaw. "(Boris) did all the little things out there and did an excellent job on Dirk," Duncan said. "He gave us a chance to get some space in the game and control Dirk without having to double team him and that was a big advantage for us." Duncan also provided a huge lift, going 5 for 8 from the field and picking up 10 defensive rebounds and blocking two shots. He also helped lift his teammates spirits. From encouraging and joking with teammates during timeouts to teasing the Spurs commentators, Duncan was in high spirits and it reflected in the teams energy. The Spurs ouutrebounded the Mavericks 55-32.dddddddddddd "The rebounding killed us all night long," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "We were down 36-18 at halftime and thats just not good enough." Duncan grabbed five rebounds and Leonard had four in the first 7 minutes of the game, as San Antonio took advantage of Dallas undersized lineup. Duncan, Leonard and Boris Diaw had 11 points and 12 rebounds to open the game. The lack of rebounding was made worse by the Mavericks woeful shooting. They were 6 for 24 in the first 10 minutes while falling behind 23-12. With Shawn Marion missing the game due to a bruised right shoulder he hurt against the Lakers, Parker had a series of jumpers over Wayne Ellington to open the second half. He scored eight of the Spurs 10 points as they took a 55-42 lead 3 minutes into the third quarter. "He made a bunch of shots," Carlisle said. "He really diced up whoever was guarding him. Our team didnt do a good job. The third quarter was a demolition." Belinelli had five consecutive points, including his first 3-pointer, in putting San Antonio up 76-59 with 1:20 left in the third quarter. He missed a free throw following the 3 after being fouled by Carter. He scored seven consecutive points to give San Antonio a 93-68 lead with 8 minutes remaining. "I was happy to sit in the fourth quarter tonight," Parker said. "Especially after last night, playing 40 minutes; it was a long time. So I was happy this time." NOTES: Ginobili was a late scratch, missing his second game of the season, but first due to injury. ... Spurs television analyst Sean Elliott fell off his stool after Duncan playfully gave him a two-handed slap in the back during pregame warm-ups. Elliott, preparing for the teams local pre-game show, groaned loudly and laughed as Duncan sprinted off smiling as he tossed in a layup. Duncan returned to torment his former teammate during a timeout, crumpling and tossing Elliotts notes and water bottle at him. ... Former San Antonio centre DeJuan Blair received mostly boos when he was introduced in Dallas starting lineup, but there was a smattering of applause. ' ' '