[HOMEGROWN WATCH] The Vancouver Whitecaps' Nizar Khalfan is the only homegrown player to have played in every game his MLS team has played in, but he hardly fits the notion of a "homegrown" player.

Khalfan was 18 when he debuted for Tanzania five years ago and had spent two seasons playing for Mtibwa Sugar FC and Moro United in Tanzania sandwiched between a season for Al Tadamon in Kuwait before moving to Canada.

The Whitecaps' claim to Khalfan as a homegrown player stems from their trip to Tanzania in 2009 when they traveled there in preseason and played the Taifa Stars, the national team.

Vancouver signed Khalfan and he played two seasons for the Whitecaps, first in the USL-1 and the second in the D-2 Pro League.

Khalfan has mostly been used off the bench, but his versatility makes him a valuable option in central midfield or the outside for Coach Teitur Thordarson.

FUTURE PROSPECTS. Young homegrown signings Victor Pineda and Danny Armstrong started for Chicago and Colorado, respectively, in the Fire's 2-1 win over the Rapids in last week's lone MLS Reserve League game.

Several academy players made appearances: Peter Beasley, Manny Guzman and Brady Wahl for the Fire and Oscar Montez, Ricardo Perez and James Rogers for Colorado.

2011 HOMEGROWN PLAYERS
GP-G PLAYER TEAM
8-0 *Nizar Khalfan (Vancouver)
6-2 *Juan Agudelo (New York)
5-0 *Andy Najar (D.C. United)
4-0 Ruben Luna (FC Dallas)
4-0 #Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
3-0 *Ethan White (D.C. United)
3-0 Russell Teibert (Vancouver)
2-0 Oscar Cordon (Toronto FC)
1-0 Tristan Bowen (Chivas USA)
1-0 Keith Makubuya (Toronto FC)
1-0 Ashtone Morgan (Toronto FC)
1-0 Alex Dixon (Houston)
#Starter in Week 7.
*Sub in Week 7.