Author Archives: Ridge Mahoney

The New York Red Bulls could have made a statement playing the league’s best team lacking the league leader in assists; unfortunately, the message that came across was, “We’re not ready.” New York took a slap in the face Thursday night, losing, 3-1 to the Crew in Columbus. Sigi Schmid‘s boys got yet another jolt of confidence as they steadily rectifies missing the playoffs the past three seasons.

The busy, crowded schedule of the Houston Dynamo just got busier, and more crowded. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, an MLS match Saturday at Robertson Stadium against San Jose has been postponed to Oct. 15. Houston was supposed to play Luis Angel Firpo in its Concacaf Champions League opener on Wednesday, but that match was also postponed and is not yet rescheduled.

Given its long injury list and daunting domestic and international schedule, D.C. United lacks sufficient troops to battle on two fronts. That was evident on Tuesday night when it fell to Saprissa of Costa Rica, 2-0, in the opening game of the group stage of the Concacaf Champions League. The defeat left MLS clubs with four losses and one tie in five games in the new regional championship.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Hurricane Ike has put off Houston’s entry into the Concacaf Champions League but there’s no such reprieve for D.C. United. Injuries have crippled the MLS club recently, but it has also thrown points away, as it did on Saturday when a late goal allowed FC Dallas to escape RFK Stadium with a 2-2 tie. United will need to be focused when it hosts Costa Rican power Saprissa in the opening group game of the Concacaf Champions League.

[MLS] Three of the goals came very late in the match, yet in dispatching Chivas USA, 4-0, Thursday night at Gillette Stadium the Revs reminded everyone that potential MVP Shalrie Joseph isn’t their only player worthy of seasonal honors and terrible results last week were probably an aberration. Steve Ralston, playing as a second forward in tandem with Taylor Twellman, scored one goal and assisted on two others. Twellman, Khano Smith and Jeff Larentowicz each notched a goal apiece as New England rang up its biggest win of the season after losing by the same score to Joe Public FC in the CONCACAF Champions’ League and Columbus in MLS play.

[USA-TRINIDAD & TOBAGO REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 3-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday. …

When the USA takes on Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Galavision) at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., all eyes will be on Eddie Johnson whether or not he takes the field. If there’s one Concacaf team against which Johnson seems most capable of clearing out his funk, it’s T&T. In two of the last three meetings between the nations – the Gold Cup last year and in a World Cup qualifier three years ago – Johnson has scored.

[MLS] To the list of young players signed recently by MLS to new contracts can be added FC Dallas defender Drew Moor, but not Kenny Cooper. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reveals who else got new deals with the league.

[MLS] Colorado and FC Dallas, two of the three Western Conference teams to shake up their organizations with coaching changes this season, are just noses apart in the race to reach the playoffs after Thursday night’s 1-0 Rapids victory at Pizza Hut Park.

[U.S. OPEN CUP] Nothing has come easy for D.C. United this season, so its loud, boisterous celebrations after defeating Charleston in the U.S. Open Cup were entirely genuine.

[MLS] The Revs may be the deepest team MLS but one of their more valuable role players won’t play again this season.

Needing goals and wins to advance in the Concacaf Champions League, New England and Chivas USA – both shorthanded because of injuries and other causes – came up short. Way short.

Players and coaches come and go but the offseason exploitation of David Beckham isn’t likely to abate just because Bruce Arena has effectively replaced former head coach Ruud Gullit and ex-president/general manager Alexi Lalas..

For New England and Chivas USA, their tasks in the second legs of the CONCACAF Champions’ League preliminary round on Tuesday couldn’t be more clear: win, or be embarrassed. New England hosts Joe Public FC at Gillette Stadium (8 pm ET, Fox Soccer Channel) and Chivas USA plays Tauro FC at Home Depot Center (10 p.m. ET, Galavision, FSC). Both teams face opposition from leagues rated well below MLS and neither was able to pull out a tie in the away legs last week.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] The USL-1’s Puerto Rico Islanders accomplished what MLS teams failed to do on three occasions — get a result at Costa Rican club Alajuelense. Their 1-1 tie in Alajuela on Wednesday night and the Montreal Impact’s 1-0 win over Nicaragua’s Real Esteli before a sellout crowd of 13,034 fans left the two USL First Division sides unbeaten in Concacaf Champions League qualifying a night after both MLS teams, Chivas USA and New England, lost.

Both MLS teams will have to make up deficits in the home legs of their CONCACAF Champions’ League preliminary series after losing on the road Tuesday night. New England fell, 2-1, to Joe Public FC in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, and Chivas USA lost, 2-0, in Panama to Tauro FC. The second legs will be played next Tuesday at Gillette Stadium and Home Depot Center, respectively.