Category: Soccer America Daily

[MLS WRAP] Chicago boosted its playoff chances with a win in Columbus. Denilson scored his first MLS goal in FC Dallas’ 2-0 win over woeful Toronto, whose league record scoreless run hit the 732-minute mark. Nate Jaqua hit a hat trick for Houston in its 4-3 win over Real Salt Lake. And in another barn-burner, D.C. United downed New England, 4-2, to add to its first-place lead over the Revs in the East as Luciano Emilio upped his league-leading scoring tally to 18 goals. Los Angeles ended an eight-game winless streak with a 3-1 win over Colorado. Chivas USA remains unbeaten at home after a 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls.

[MLS PREVIEW] Having been scored upon by ex-Galaxy forward Robbie Findley in a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake last week, might LA be victimized by Herculez Gomez or Ugo Ihemelu this week?

[MLS PREVIEW] The class of the Eastern Conference goes head-to-head for the last time in the regular season with D.C. holding the upper hand by virtue of tying the Revs, 1-1, at RFK May 3 and beating them, 3-0, at Gillette Stadium Aug. 5.

After VfL Wolfsburg lost to Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath blamed the train service provided by the Deutsche Bahn, which turned a 60-minute journey into a three-hour trip. “I have to congratulate Hertha for its main sponsor,” said Magath. While Hertha is sponsored by the Deutsche Bahn, Wolfsburg is bankrolled by Volkswagen.

[MLS PREVIEW] New York’s attack has dazzled at times this season while its inconsistent defense has struggled, so a solid showing at both ends of the field in beating Chicago, 1-0, last week gives it an ideal starting point to test Chivas USA’s impressive home record.

Former Belgium national team coach Guy Thys once said, “Soccer is a very cruel game.” Thursday night, Chivas USA and D.C. proved it can also be farcical and embarrassing as well as enthralling. D.C. jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a Luciano Emilio‘s thunderbolt and follow-up of a Brad Guzan bobble, then conceded a goal drilled off an opponent by its goalkeeper and a deflected equalizer to end up tied, 2-2.

[MLS PREVIEW] The regional rivals Columbus and Chicago, separated by a five-hour drive and just two points in the standings, meet for the only time this season at Crew Stadium.

[MLS PREVIEW] The Dynamo can ill afford another slip-up at home, and its clash with Real salt Lake has banana peel written all over it.

[MLS PREVIEW] How can a dire situation get even worse? In the case of Toronto, to a league-record scoreless streak (642 minutes) drought tack on an injury to its best striker.

[MLS TV PREVIEW] Since day one of the preseason, the theme of Chivas USA’s 2007 season has been maintaining the progress it achieved in 2006 despite a coaching change and the departure of two Mexican star attackers. In the third year of its existence Chivas USA is butting up against the top tier of MLS, and can crack through the barrier separating it from the elite teams this week when it plays D.C. United (Thursday) and Red Bull New York (Sunday) at the Home Depot Center, where it has posted the league’s best home record (7-0-1). Critics of MLS wondering how the league can showcase itself without David Beckham should tune in to this national telecast on Thursday night.

Kansas City Wizards midfielder Kerry Zavagnin, who last played for the USA in the 4-1 loss to Germany on March 22, 2006, has been called in to the U.S. roster for Sunday’s friendly against Brazil to replace Pablo Mastroeni, who is ill.