Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains provide the apt backdrop for the Whitecaps’ MLS opener against Toronto last weekend (AP Photo).

Was that the most story-line filled opening weekend in MLS history? Have crowds ever been bigger or more enthusiastic? Does that tell us something more about MLS in general?

I argue that it does in today’s column.

Still, MLS is by no means perfect.

For instance, MLS officials have yet to be convinced holding MLS Cup at the home stadium of the regular season champion would work economically in every market: Were getting there.

We’re really getting focused in many ways on some of the traditions in the sport,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Sunday in Carson. “I can imagine it’s pretty soon where we’ll be moving away from a neutral site, but we’re not there yet: A. We’ve got some markets that we’d like to bring the cup to; and B. I’m not sure every market could handle it.”

Garber did confirm Sunday the league in in negotiations to have MLS Cup in Carson this year, however.

Galaxy 1 New England Revolution 1

A shot too far: Grasping New England goalkeeper Matt Reis is unable to stop Juninho’s 39th minute blast that tied the game as Galaxy forward Chad Barrett looks on(AP Photos).

*Reporter Phil Collin has the game story.

*Bottom line for the Galaxy: Two valuable home points lost.

*Bottom line for New England: A valuable away point gained for a team with limited expectations given that three regulars were missing and the revamped team saw only three players begin this game who started last year’s corresponding fixture.

“We didn’t really give them a lot of places to go, particularly in the second half.” said Revs Coach Steve Nicol. “We obviously wanted to do a little more attacking than we did. But that will come. We got a bit of confidence from today.”

*Notable: Joseph’s goal was the second-fastest to open a season in New England history.

Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena wasn’t impressed with the quality of the defending on the play:

“We did a poor job. The ball came back to Perovic. I don’t think we put him under any kind of pressure. He plays the ball back in and we should have been pushing out of the goal. We are well aware of the player that is going to get at the end of crosses. It’s Joseph. There is no secret there. We just did a poor job on the entire play, a poor job giving the ball away maybe 30 seconds before that that resulted in a corner kick. We didn’t do well in the opening minutes of the game and it cost us three points.”

Highlights:

*Same old problems: Leonardo (critical mistakes), Mike Magee (ineffectual at forward), Chad Barrett (simply must learn how to finish).

*Showed promise: Paulo Cardozo, who came on as a 63rd minute sub. And Arena’s thought were pretty much along the same lines as mine:

“He still has a way to go. He is a good little player. I think that tactically he has to have a little bit better understanding of how to play with us, but certainly he is a player with a very good first touch. He is a good passer of the ball. We have to get him to expand his dimensions in terms of his passing and movement off the ball.”

*Notable: David Beckham had 27 crosses for the Galaxy tonight, 51% of the total crosses in the match.

Landon Donovan had this to say after the game:

Galaxy XI: Josh Saunders, Todd Dunivant, Leonardo, A.J. DeLaGarza, Sean Franklin, Landon Donovan, Juninho, Chris Birchall, David Beckham, Mike Magee (Paolo Cardozo 63), Chad Barrett (Juan Pablo Angel 63)

Revs XI: Matt Reis, Chris Tierney, A.J. Soares, Franco Coria, Darrius Barnes, Zak Boggs, Pat Phelan, Shalrie Joseph, Stephen McCarthy, Marko Perovic (Kenny Mansally 22), Zack Schilawski (Sainey Nyassi 74)

New England was missing Kevin Alston (L hamstring strain), Ousmane Dabo (R quad strain) and Didier Domi (R knee swelling).

No Angel: I was this much onside Juan Pablo Angel was insisting after his goal in the second minute of stoppage time got called back. He was wrong.

Next for the Galaxy: at Real Salt Lake, 6 p.m. Saturday

Final: Galaxy 1 New England Revolution 1

Full-blooded: New England Revolution forward Zack Schilawski, middle, battles Los Angeles Galaxy defender Leonardo, left, and midfielder Chris Birchall for the ball during the first half (AP Photo).

It was pretty much all Galaxy for the last 20-25 minutes of the game, but with New England content on packing their half of the field and obviously happy with a point on the road, the increasingly waterlogged field made it difficult for the Galaxy to get any clear-cut chances.

The Galaxy thought they had the winner in the second minute of stoppage time. But replays showed Juan Pablo Angel was clearly offside as Beckham crossed the ball and despite the vocal disagreement from the ACB and Riot Squad it was a good decision even if three disallowed goals in one game is difficult to stomach.

More later (and the rain is now coming down in sheets as the game ends).

Updated

Juan Pablo Angel and Paolo Cardozo have come on in the 63rd minute to make their Galaxy debuts in place of Chad Barrett and Mike Magee. Angel got a huge roar from this larger than expected crowd; full credit to them for hanging around because the rain is still coming down and it’s getting colder.

Updated

The second spectacular Juninho goal in as many games has brought the Galaxy level in the 39th minute. A period of sustained Galaxy pressure should have resulted a routine clearance by Revs’ defender A.J. Soares, but he gave it straight to a lurking Juninho on the outside of the 18-yard box who had plenty of time to absolutely smash it into the net, giving Reis no chance. It’s the third straight regular season game that Juninho has scored.

Updated

The Galaxy just had a second goal disallowed within seven minutes. Offside was the call after Mike McGee put the ball in the back of the net in the 23rd minute from close range.

Updated

The Galaxy just had a 16th minute goal by Juninho called back because of an alleged foul on goalkeeper Matt Reis by Mike Magee. The referee is saying that’s why Reis dropped the Beckham cross before it fell in front of Juninho from just five yards out, I guess.

But a colleague who just caught the replay, says McGee didn’t touch him.

Updated

Two early goals in two days here in Carson.

An unmarked Joseph just opened the scoring after just 2:32 off a Marko Perovic corner. Leonardo was closest observed a colleague.

At least the Galaxy held out longer than Chivas USA did last night, which let in a goal at the 1:42 mark,

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If you are here in Carson wearing a free blue poncho, sitting in the torrential rain that’s coming down sideways, I salute you.

Because it’s blustery and chilly even in the covered press box, a steaming cup of coffee by my side.

I can’t remember worse weather on a Galaxy opening day although other old-timers say the rain was worse at MLS Cup in 1996 in Boston.

It looks like Omar Gonzalez and Donovan Ricketts have all volunteered to make the halftime pot of tea and will stay warm in the locker room. Juan Pablo Angel is on the bench.

It is in fact the exact same starting lineup for the Galaxy that won 1-0 in Seattle Tuesday; the only change on the bench is Angel for Migel Lopez.

Here’s Arena’s lineup: Saunders; Franklin, DeLaGarza, Leonardo, Dunivant; Birchall, Beckham, Juninho, Donovan; Barrett, Magee

Subs: Perk, Hejduk, Stephens, Kirovski, Cardozo, Angel, Jordan.

The Revolution have former Galaxy goalkeeper Matt Reis in between the posts; Shalrie Joseph is in midfield after missing the corresponding fixture last year.

Here’s the Revs’ XI:Matt Reis-Darrius Barnes, Franco Coria, A.J. Soares, Chris Tierney-Zak Boggs, Shalrie Joseph, Stephen McCarthy, Pat Phelen-Marko Perovic, Zach Schilawski.

Just for fun, here’s the starting Galaxy lineup against the Revolution in last year’s Galaxy home opener: Donovan Ricketts, Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, Leonardo, Todd Dunivant, Mike Magee, Dema Kovalenko, Juninho, Eddie Lewis, Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan.

There are only three players on the field for New England who played in last year’s game against the Galaxy in Carson just so you get an idea of the changes the Revs have seen: Preston Burpo, Kevin Alston, Cory Gibbs, Emmanuel Osei, Seth Sinovic, Sainey Naissi, Pat Phelan, Joseph Niouky, Chris Tierney, Kheli Dube, Zack Schilawski.

The game is live on Galavision.

Hit refresh for updates throughout the game.

“It’s 57 (degrees),” the reporter next to me just said, “Blank this blank.”

We’re not used to this weather in Southern California.

So come on down for what should be a wild season opener against the New England Revolution at 5 p.m. at Home Depot Center in the South Bay.

Full disclosure: the rain has been absolutely torrential all day here in Torrance and I see no let up in sight.

And no, I don’t know where the Galaxy came up with thousands of ponchos in Southern California on short notice.