Tag: mls

[TV PREVIEW] Should the league’s best team be wary an opponent at the opposite end of the totem pole? As usual in MLS, the answer is yes. RSL has but four wins, but three of them have come in the last six games and that stretch includes a 1-0 victory over Western Conference leader Houston. For its first win of the season, after starting out with five losses and six ties, RSL beat United, 2-1, June 23 with a pair of goals by rookie Robbie Findley. (RSL still has six ties and would surely celebrate getting one at RFK.)

Shawn Hunter, a former NHL, NBA and, most recently Anschutz Entertainment Group executive, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Chivas USA. Last week, Javier Leon left his post as Chivas USA CEO and GM.

[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.

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.

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] 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 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.

[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.

[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.

The international transfer window has closed, yet MLS teams may still sign and trade players prior to the Sept. 15 deadline, and several teams are doing just that. Sometimes teams are just adding depth, and sometimes they’re looking for that missing piece to make it all fit together. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney looks at reinforcements in Chicago, New York and New England.

D.C. handed Dallas its worst loss ever at Pizza Hut Park; New York edged Chicago in a battle of DPs; Kansas City came out of Houston with a point; Columbus and Colorado tied to remain deadlocked in the final playoffs spot; and Real Salt Lake dropped the Galaxy deeper into the Western Conference cellar. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reviews last weekend’s MLS action …

[MLS GAME PREVIEWS]. Interconference play takes center stage this weekend, with the hottest action taking place in Texas: FC Dallas hosts D.C. United, and Kansas City travels to Houston. Might we see a preview of MLS Cup 2007?

In his five MLS matches, Cuauhtemoc Blanco has scored two goals and assisted on four others. On Saturday, he leads the Fire against the New York Red Bulls.

Real Salt Lake goes for a second straight win at last-place (!) Los Angeles. Both teams have managed only three wins this season.

Columbus and Colorado are tied for the eighth and final playoff spot with 27 points and both have eight games to play.

A month or so ago, Kansas City had its sights set on the Eastern Conference lead. Now its playoff chances are by no means secure. Real Salt Lake (3-11-6) sent the Wizards (9-9-5) tumbling to the .500 level with goals by two of its recently signed Argentines and its resident Jamaican, yet relied a team effort to frustrate KC with hustle and pressure, plus some tidy possession play, for much of the game.

Matias Mantilla, Fabian Espindola and Andy Williams (from 50 yards!) delivered the knockout punches in the 3-1 win that dealt KC its fourth loss in the last five games. Eddie Johnson scored with 21 minutes remaining for his 13th of the season but by then his team trailed by two.

[VIDEO] MLS fined Chivas USA defender Alex Zotinca $1,250 and suspended him for three games for delivering a head-butt during a melee sparked after his teammate, Jesse Marsch, kicked David Beckham in the ribs during a Aug. 23 game against the Galaxy.

Great saves. Astonishing goal-line clearances. Fierce tackles. Penalty-kick appeals denied. An own goal scored, another narrowly averted. Brazen goalkeeper “gamesmanship” during the penalty-kick shootout going unpunished, as usual. An unbelievable stoppage-time equalizer, on a bicycle kick, by an American.

Pachuca prevailed on penalties, 4-3, following 120 minutes that would be hailed as thrilling, dramatic, and riveting anywhere in the world. But David Beckham left the game in the 33rd minute with a knee strain and Landon Donovan failed to convert from the penalty spot.