Author Archives: Ridge Mahoney

[MLS] The first MLS playoff game at Qwest Field produced everything it had to, except a goal. Houston, playing its fourth game in 12 days amid a raucous atmosphere generated by nearly 36,000 fans, matched the hometown Sounders in grit and spirit to emerge with a 0-0 tie Thursday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal. The teams will have a long rest period before playing the second leg at Robertson Stadium Nov. 8.

[MLS PLAYOFF PREDICTION] The Eastern Conference semifinals get underway Saturday with a “crossover” Western team, Real Salt Lake, hosting the defending champion Columbus Crew, which didn’t fare well the last time it visited Rio Tinto Stadium.

[MLS PLAYOFF PREDICTION] After five seasons of knocking heads as neighbors in Home Depot Center, the Southern California teams square off for the first time in the playoffs.

[MLS PLAYOFF PREDICTION] For the fifth straight year, the Chicago Fire and the New England Revs meet in the playoffs with both teams missing key players because of injuries.

[MLS PREDICTION] All the strategies and matchups and tactical nuances for the first leg of the Western Conference semifinal series between Seattle and Houston Thursday at Qwest Field might be tweaked somewhat if the conditions come up wet and windy. Whatever the weather, a seething atmosphere generated by a crowd of 36,000 should make for a memorable spectacle.

[MLS] In a season rife with memorable scenes from Qwest Field, a tiny tableaux just after the final whistle Saturday set off the last regular-season game just about right. Minority investor and extremely funny guy Drew Carey, swathed in a scarf, roamed across the field, and spotted majority investor and entertainment entrepreneur Joe Roth similarly attired and beaming just as broadly. Without a word or gesture, the two men, with combined ages solidly into three figures, joyfully and shamelessly jumped in unison to slam their bellies together.

[MLS] Quick turnarounds are nothing new to the Houston Dynamo. In the case of MLS, success begats more chances to succeed, which means more games compressed into a shorter time frame. Yet being compelled to play in the madhouse known as Qwest Field just a few days after toughing out a 3-2 road win against Chivas USA might even stretch the battle-hardened Dynamo, which played nearly 50 domestic and international games last year and has incurred another heavy load this season.

[MLS] The playoffs start Thursday when Seattle hosts Houston, and continue Saturday with Columbus traveling to Real Salt Lake and Chicago heading to New England. Chivas USA and Los Angeles kick off their two-game Home Depot Center derby Sunday. Forget the final standings. Here’s an initial, gut-reactive ranking of the eight MLS playoff qualifiers and their relative chances of winning the title. …

2009 MLS PLAYOFFS:
Television Schedule

UNDER-17 WORLD CUP:
Short-handed Spain edges USA
U.S. Player Ratings

[MLS PREDICTIONS] The tightest playoff race in league history concludes with seven games over the weekend, with every one having some bearing on how the seven slots behind Supporters’ Shield winner Columbus will be filled. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney predicts weekend results that will create a four-way tie for the final two playoff berths and the following outcome …

[MLS] In miserable conditions, a horrid own goal became a thing of beauty that propelled Chicago into the playoffs and left six other teams scrambling for two berths to be decided this weekend.

WEEKEND ACTION:
Men’s College Scoreboard
Women’s College Scoreboard

[MLS] Six teams take the field on the final weekend of MLS league play with playoff hopes, and only two can get in. The suspense, and the probabilities, could be lessened if Toronto FC and Colorado win their games. Colorado would clinch if it beat Real Salt Lake Saturday, and a Toronto win at New York would all but mathematically make it a Toronto-Dallas contest for the eighth spot.

[MLS] You might think you have the MLS playoff mosaic sorted out, yet there’s one piece that doesn’t quite fit the standard procedure. Chicago holds second place in the Eastern Conference, and needs just a point Thursday in its final game to clinch that spot (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, 8 pm ET) and the home-field advantage in the conference semifinals that comes with it. If Chicago wins or ties, it finishes second in the East, end of story.

[MLS PREDICTION] The final Thursday night game of the regular season emanates from Toyota Park, where the Fire – despite sitting no lower than second in the Eastern Conference for much of the season – must get at least a tie to assure a playoff spot.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Houston got the help it needed to advance to the knockout phase of the Concacaf Champions League but didn’t keep up its end of the bargain. Despite a goal from goalie Tally Hall just before halftime, Houston lost its Group A finale to Salvadoran club Isidro Metapan, 3-2, on Wednesday and finished third behind Pachuca and Arabe Unido. Those two teams advance to the CCL quarterfinals to be played next February.

BREAKING NEWS:
Onyewu sidelined six months

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Maybe Emilio Renteria just needed a change of scenery. He’s squandered a few opportunities in MLS play since joining the Crew on loan, but just two minutes after entering the match as a substitute against the Puerto Rico Islanders, the Venezuelan striker banged home a rebound for the goal that provided Columbus with a 1-1 tie and a spot in the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals.

[MLS] The fate of the 2009 MLS playoffs is rooted in a pair of quartets. There are four teams in contention to win the Western Conference or snag second place, and there four other teams – three of them from the Eastern Conference — locked together on points dueling for one, or two, or three playoff spots.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] It came out of Mexico with a valuable point yet not until Thursday will D.C. United know whether a 1-1 tie at Toluca is enough to push it into the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals.

[MLS] Four Western Conference teams have qualified for the playoffs, and which ones will earn the top two seeds is anybody’s guess. Tied at the top with 45 points are Los Angeles, Houston and Chivas USA and Seattle follows at 44.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] D.C. United’s trip to Mexico for the deciding game of group play in the Concacaf Champions League could not have come at a more inopportune time. It will host Kansas City with a potential MLS playoff berth on the line Saturday. Houston and Columbus are also bidding to advance to the Concacaf quarterfinals but at least they have the security of having wrapped up MLS playoff berths. For a look at this week’s Concacaf deciders …

[MLS] Seven teams remained in contention to claim three playoff spots still up for grabs as MLS headed into the 32nd and final week of regular-season play. Five teams have clinched playoff berths, and only three teams have been eliminated.

[MLS BY THE NUMBERS] After starting slowly, the Seattle Sounders have gotten hot on the road. They clinched a playoff berth with a 3-2 victory at Kansas City on Saturday, their fourth away win in their last six games. For more on the playoff race …