Masato Kudo offered polite, measured answers through an interpreter after his first MLS start Saturday.

Even when something was lost in translation — Does he feel 100 per cent yet after missing so much of pre-season? — he smiled and promised he would give 100 per cent next game and perform better.

Humility is good. So was Kudo’s performance in the Whitecaps’ 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo at B.C. Place.

He drew the dubious winning penalty, but it was his movement that had everyone talking, especially in the first half-hour before the Caps faded.

The regret will be that Kudo didn’t score on his one golden chance, but he got into great areas a handful of times, and the Caps’ combinations and one lighting counter-attack in the first half constituted the best attacking soccer they’ve played through four games (2-2-0).

“It’s a dream playing with him,” said Caps’ winger Kekuta Manneh, who combined with Octavio Rivero and Fraser Aird to set up Kudo’s big chance, and also whipped in the back-post cross that led to the penalty.

“His movement is incredible. It creates space for us, creates space for himself. He definitely brings something different, and we need that. I think we’re going to be successful when he’s on the field.”

Caps’ coach Carl Robinson used Kudo sparingly through the first three games as the Japanese striker made up for time missed with an ailment.

Against the Dynamo, Robinson was without striker Blas Perez, who is with Panama for FIFA World Cup qualifiers. So he paired Kudo and Rivero up front in a 4-4-2 formation, with Manneh and Cristian Techera wide and Pedro Morales alongside Matias Laba in central midfield.

Techera, a very smart player, also had some chemistry with Kudo in the first half. The two combined on a slick move to almost set up Rivero in the 11th minute.

Five minutes later, Kudo had his big chance saved by Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis.

“I wish was able to stay calm and make a better decision,” said Kudo, “but overall I’m glad for the team.

“My teammates started to trust me and pass the ball to me. I’d like to play better matches in the future.”

Based on his scoring record in Japan — 92 goals in 260 games for Kashiwa Reysol — the hope is that Kudo can be a double-digits guy in MLS.

He’s showed off his finishing ability in practice, although you’ll forgive fans for wanting to see it in an MLS game — a few times over — before getting too excited.

This team’s been needing a lethal finisher since Camilo left.

Rivero, who scored in five of his first six MLS games last season, has scored once in his last 14, and the Caps are still looking for their first goal from open play this season.

Kudo, 25 and signed on a free transfer this off-season, said he “prioritized to have fun for the first game.”

Getting to watch most of the first three games, and now having played Houston, he said the physicality of the centre-backs in MLS compared to Japan is the biggest difference.

“I want to focus on not fighting against them, but be clever about it and have good teamwork,” he said.

His cleverness already showed Saturday. That’s a start.

mweber@postmedia.com

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Whitecaps players lead Canada's U20s to victory

Whitecaps players Marco Bustos of Winnipeg and Kadin Chung of Port Coquitlam scored for Canada’s U20s in a friendly win over England’s U20s in Doncaster on Sunday.

Chung, a 17-year-old fullback, is signed to Whitecaps FC2 and was Canada’s U17 player of the year. He opened the scoring in the 14th minute.

Bustos, 19, is signed to the Caps’ first team. His left-footed curler made it 2-0 Canada in the 68th minute.

Whitecaps FC2 midfielder Alphonso Davies, 15, also started for Canada. England’s squad included Manchester United stud Marcus Rashford, who has five goals for United this season.

— Marc Weber