Ekpo, Nigeria win silver in Beijing

BEIJING -- When he stood on the medal platform at the Bird's Nest Saturday afternoon, Emmanuel Ekpo admitted he had mixed emotions. The Columbus Crew midfielder was about to receive a silver medal as Nigeria finished second in the Olympic men's soccer tournament.

"Actually, I would say it was a thing of joy," he said. "On the other hand, I would say I wasn't so happy. I was in it for the gold medal. We should have won the gold medal."

But Ekpo did bring home a precious medal, the lone MLS player to do so. The Nigerians eliminated the United States in the third and final game of the opening round, getting past Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals and Belgium in the semis, before losing 1-0 to Argentina in the gold medal match.

"That's still OK for me," he said of a silver medal.

In fact, the final whistle by referee Viktor Kassai of Hungary turned out to be Ekpo's most memorable moment of the Olympics.

"When I heard the final whistle and I knew it was all gone," he said. "I couldn't get the gold medal anymore. I was thinking we are not getting the gold medal today. I am not going to hang a gold medal."

Like many of his Nigerian teammates, Ekpo realized the gold medal game was a game they let get away. The Argentineans became only the fourth team to win back-to-back men's soccer titles as they ended the Nigerians' quest of becoming the first African country to win two gold medals. Nigeria won it at the Atlanta Summer Games in 1996.

"The game wasn't that bad," he said. "We played well. We had most of the chances. It's just that we couldn't convert our chances. It was unfortunate for us."

The 20-year-old Ekpo came on as a second-half substitute for the sixth consecutive time in the tournament, replacing Isaac Promise in the 70th minute. He played 88 minutes the entire Olympics.

The Nigerians tried to duplicate their miracle comeback against the Argentina in the 1996 gold medal match in Athens, Ga. In that match, Nigeria turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory in the final minutes.

But not this time.

"It was evenly contested," Ekpo said of the game. "We had a better chance of winning the game, but we didn't convert our chances. In the second half we outplayed them. We had to apply the pressure. There was nothing to lose. We just couldn't get the goal."

The gold medal match, played in front of 89,103 spectators at the National Stadium, certainly wasn't one of the most memorable soccer finals in recent times. Both teams lost energy, especially in the second half and there could have been more scoring chances.

The midday start in temperatures that soared to 108 degrees on the field obviously had something to do with it.

Because FIFA wanted to play the game at National Stadium, it had to settle on a noon local starting time before the final day of track and field events here (all other matches were played at night). That coincided with field temperatures of 105 degrees. Soccer's world governing body allowed water breaks in the 30th and 70th minutes as a precautionary measure, which is virtually unprecedented at the international level.

"It was quite hot," Ekpo said. "But back in Nigeria it is even hotter than here. ... The humidity was quite high [and] affected us in the second half."

Ekpo claimed the heat did not affect him that much. He said he had much more important matters on his mind.

"I knew I was coming in the second half," he said. "I knew I had a big task ahead because we were a goal down. I wasn't thinking about the weather. I didn't think the weather should affect me at that time. I just wanted to get the equalizer."

Which Nigeria failed to do. Ekpo did not take any shots, playing more of a link midfielder, helping to pass the ball in and around the penalty area.

While the African side could not find away to put the ball past Argentinean goalkeeper Sergio Romero, the South Americans did on the other end of the field as midfielder Angel Di Maria solved goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin in the 58th minute off a pass from the great Lionel Messi.

Messi did not have the best of games, especially for his standards and expectations. But he was wise enough to realize there were other ways to contribute.

"We knew coming in that we may never have this experience again, so we are lucky that everything went well and we got what we wanted," Messi said.

"This is a great day for the people of Argentina, and for the development of the game there," coach Sergio Batista said.

Messi almost didn't play in the tournament. His Spanish club team, Barcelona, won a court ruling that would have allowed it to pull back Messi. But when push came to shove, the La Liga side let the man known as "The Flea" to remain in China. It worked out well for Argentina and will allow Messi to return to Spain a contented man with motivation to perform brilliance for his club.

"People said a lot of things that annoyed me before I came to China, everyone knows that," Messi told FIFA.com. "That's what makes this medal so special."

Compared to some of his earlier performances in the tournament, Messi wasn't anywhere close to his brilliant and lethal self as Nigeria did its best to contain him. So, the FC Barcelona superstar went to Plan B -- he passed. His most important one was to Di Maria, who raced in on the left side on goalkeeper Vanzekin, chipping him from 18 yards.

Di Maria admitted that he first thought of firing away, but changed his strategy when he saw the 'keeper come out of the net. "Luckily, it went in," he said.

Lucky for Di Maria and Argentina, unlucky for Ekpo and his teammates.

Because Nigeria bounced around the country, playing its early matches in Tianjin, Shanghai and Beijing, the team wasn't settled enough to see the capital city (even on game days there the team was focused on the game). Since Ekpo is returning to Nigeria with the team on Tuesday, he will spend the next few days playing tourist and not soccer.

He said a Chinese friend was going to take him to some of the usual tourist spots -- The Great Wall, for example -- and some other places.

Then it's back to Nigeria for a few days before Ekpo returns to Columbus on Sept. 1 or 2.

He doesn't know the player will receive a bonus for earning a silver medal.

"I believe there will be something for us," he said.

The key word is believe because many African countries -- Nigeria included -- have a history of promising players bonuses, only to fail to put their money where their mouth is.

Regardless, they can't take Expo's silver medal away.


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Evans showing goal-scoring touch

COLUMBUS -- That there is a goal scorer's mentality lurking inside of Brad Evans is no coincidence.

The second-year Columbus Crew center midfielder has a goal in each of the past two games and four for the season to help his squad into a first-place tie in the Eastern Conference with New England heading into Saturday's match at FC Dallas.

He has scored on the counterattack and with driving headers that would make a forward proud. In fact, that's where he played for the University of California-Irvine, netting 31 career goals.

When Evans gets around the box, he knows what to do.

"I've been there before through college. I scored a few goals," he said.

Crew coach Sigi Schmid drafted him last year but wasn't sure what role Evans would fill.

"I had him with the [U.S.] under-20 team and saw him quite a bit in college," said Schmid, whose son Kyle is senior defender for UC Irvine while another son, Kurt, is now an assistant for the Anteaters. "I felt at that time in the draft when he was still available, he was a good athlete. I didn't know what position he was going to play because he was a forward in college and in the under-20s I played him at center back a little bit and outside back. Eventually I figured he would end up somewhere in the midfield."

Evans recalls playing one game at center back for the U-20s, "I also played right back at the under-20 championships. I think I even played left back at one time. It's good. It puts you on the field but you like to find your niche. Center mid is where I'll be playing."

In many respects, Evans is still finding his way through the pro game after an aborted first year. He appeared in four matches but missed the final 16 games because of a strained left hip flexor.

"I look at this as my rookie year because I was healthy for about two months total," Evans said. "I'm looking at this as a fresh start and blessed to be healthy right now. You're healthy all through college, you get a shot and you're all excited. You come in and things happen. You work hard to get back. I didn't touch a ball until January. I'm super happy to be healthy."

His offensive skills are one reason the Crew is third in league scoring with 34 goals. Finding openings has been important for Evans and the other midfielders, said forward Alejandro Moreno.

"The way we play I'm going to be up high with a lot of mobility, working side-to-side. In order for us to create some spaces there has to be some second runs from either Guillermo (Barros Schelotto) or the midfielders and we've been getting that," Moreno said. "As you see when we get that from Brad or Brian Carroll they're usually open at the top of the box with late runs. If we get good balls into them they've got a good chance to score. They're taking advantage of the opportunities."

Evans notched his first score in the second half at San Jose on May 10 on the end of a counterattack. The goal proved to be decisive in a 3-2 win.

"He always scored goals in college. He's had that capability. He's good in the air. He strikes the ball well," Schmid said. "I'm not surprised by his scoring. He and (Adam) Moffat and Carroll and the outside midfielders have given us goals. That's important to the offense.

"With Guillermo dropping off the front line a little bit and the outside forwards really getting into the attack, the defensive attention is on those four guys and sometimes the fifth guy is coming in. We've talked a lot about not getting in in advance of the play, coming in late. It's a lot harder for the defense to pick you up if you're running toward the box late. If you're there early they can sort it out."

Goal No. 2 for Evans ignited the Crew to rally from a 2-0 deficit at Los Angeles on June 21 into a 3-3 tie. Against FC Dallas on Aug. 16, his header off a Schelotto free kick in the 65th minute earned the Crew three points in a 2-1 victory. Last week he drilled another header for the third goal in a 3-0 win against Real Salt Lake.

He's not guaranteeing a continuation of his goal streak Saturday in Pizza Hut Park but, "If the service is there hopefully I'll be there. You always hope for goals but if they don't come, no problem, there's next week," he said. "I think I've found my niche in the middle. I guess it's a little knack for scoring and for me to get some points."


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Confident Crew lead Eastern Conference

FRISCO, Texas -- Forgive the Columbus Crew if they are feeling a little confident these days. After all, the Black-and-Gold dispatched FC Dallas 2-1 for the second time in two weeks, giving them 40 points on the season, which places them atop the MLS Eastern Conference standings.

On Saturday night, the Crew trailed 1-0 after a 35th minute goal by Jeff Cunningham put FCD ahead. But by the 40th minute, Columbus had drawn ahead 2-1 thanks to scores by Alejandro Moreno and Eddie Gaven.

Following the win, which was the Crew's fourth in their last five matches, head coach Sigi Schmid was clearly pleased with his side's performance.

"I thought we showed a lot of character in the first half going down 1-0 and basically responding right away with two goals," Schmid said. "But that's been the character of our team all season. The second half wasn't the most artistic. It was one of those where we had to hang on. It didn't seem like we got any breaks on the calls but our guys held tough. Sometimes when you're not playing your best, you've got to find different ways to win. Overall, I'm just proud of our team and our character."

The star for Columbus was clearly playmaking midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who assisted on both goals. The Argentine now leads MLS with 16 assists and also holds the single-season franchise record in that category for the Crew.

"[Schelotto] is somebody who can be considered for MVP of the league this year," Schmid said. "The guys know he can make special plays and get the ball into them in the right positions. He's been doing it for us all season. The key thing is to get him into spots where he can make a difference and we've been able to do that on a pretty consistent basis this year."

In the second half, FCD put considerable pressure on the Columbus back line but the Crew's rearguard held tough and didn't give up the game-tying goal to the Hoops.

"[The defense] has played well all year," Schmid said. "I think [Hesmer] is one of the top goalkeepers in this league. Chad Marshall, I think has got to be a candidate for defender of the year. For sure, he is the automatic winner of comeback of the year because he played just 12 games last year with the concussion. Andy Iro stepped in today for Danny O'Rourke and had a solid game. We've never lost a game when Gino [Padula] started for us. Getting him back on the field helps us because he's smart positionally and is solid. Frankie [Hejduk] is always buzzing and continues to give you that."

Schmid also heaped considerable praise on Gaven, who scored his first goal of the year in the 40th minute, a tally that proved to be the game-winner for the Black-and-Gold.

"It was definitely a good game for him," Schmid said. "Last week, he picked up his first assist and today, he comes up with the goal. It was great because we actually moved him to the other side of the field. We thought maybe we could get a little luck with Robbie [Rogers] on the other side and he just made a great run off the ball. He does so many other little things for our team, which don't get seen but are very important to maintain the rhythm."

The Columbus players were clearly enjoying the win, which was their league-leading 12th of the season, after the game but will soon have to turn their focus to next Saturday's match against New England at Crew Stadium.

"We're taking it game-to-game this year," said defender Frankie Hejduk. "We're not looking ahead to any other game. The game that we just played we dwell on for a few hours whether it be good or bad and then it's on to prepare for the next game at hand. I think in the past, we've looked too far ahead and we're not doing that this year."

Crew midfielder Brian Carroll agreed. "We've had good results here in a row, but the next one is the most important," he said. "New England is right behind us and it seems like the East just gets closer and closer with each passing week."


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One touch per minute

Revs drop Champions League opener

Trinidad & Tobago champions Joe Public FC upset Eastern Conference leaders New England Revolution with a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round tie Tuesday evening at Marvin Lee Stadium in Tunapuna, Trinidad.

It could have been much worse for the Revs as Joe Public wasted several chances before Gregory Richardson scored six minutes after halftime. Substitute Jamal Gay added a second for the Trinidadians. Mauricio Castro scored from the penalty spot to give the Revs a second-leg lifeline after Carlyle Mitchell hauled Shalrie Joseph down in the penalty area.

With the second leg ahead next Tuesday, the Revs are well positioned to advance after netting a precious away goal and dominating the T&T Pro League champions in the final 20 minutes.

Revolution head coach Steve Nicol lost Khano Smith to Bermuda national team duty. Mauricio Castro earned a recall in his place. With Chris Albright unavailable, the Revs opted for a four-man backline with Jeff Larentowicz dropping into central defense alongside Michael Parkhurst. Taylor Twellman led the line with Steve Ralston tucked in behind as the Revs lined up in a 4-4-1-1 formation.

Joe Public went for an attacking 4-4-2 formation designed exploit the team's speed. Gregory Richardson and Roen Nelson were the focal points in attack, while experienced midfielders Dale Saunders and Arnold Dwarika ran the show in midfield. Former Colorado defender Keyeno Thomas started centrally, while former Kansas City striker Gary Glasgow settled for a place on the bench.

The home side started on the front foot, running at the Revolution defense and exploiting its speed advantage. Nelson and Richardson continually turned the corner and got to the byeline against the slow to react Revs defenders.

But the recurring theme for the Trinidadian club was the lack of a finishing touch. Richardson skipped around Chris Tierney and pulled back for Nelson only for the Jamaican to wastefully push his effort wide. Nelson then sent another effort well wide as Joe Public attempted to push the tempo in the early stages.

Gradually, the Revolution entered into the game. Assuming some semblance of possession, New England tried to settled the pace. Those hopes were dealt a blow when Steve Ralston limped off with a back injury after just 25 minutes. Wells Thompson announced his arrival in Ralston's place by picking up a yellow card one minute later.

Chances started to arrive for the visitors in search of a vital away goal. Kerry Baptiste had to hack away a Sainey Nyassi cross before Castro could apply the final touch.

Twellman then drew a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Joe Public goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa awkwardly parried over Larentowicz's rising drive.

Perhaps the best chance of the opening stanza fell to the wasteful Nelson four minutes before the break after a sublime diagonal ball from Baptiste sent him through, but Nelson's effort once again went wide.

The goal that should have came in the first half finally arrived six minutes into the second stanza. The buildup was worthy of Richardson's tap-in, starting in midfield with a long, diagonal pass from Dale Saunders. Nelson's knockdown played Baptiste through into the corner, and the cross found Richardson in acres of space to finish a chance even the Trinidadians couldn't conspire to miss.

It should have been two after 65 minutes when Nelson managed to turn another sumptuous Baptiste cross wide from six yards.

That would be Nelson's last chance for profligacy in front of goal and given substitute Gay's immediate impact, it's a wonder Nelson lasted as long as he did. Baptiste again roasted Tierney down the right flank. A carbon copy cross received a carbon copy finish from Gay.

Joe Public was in dreamland with a two-goal lead, but those dreams were shattered four minutes after the goal when Twellman played through Joseph. Joseph surged into the penalty area. Mitchell hacked Joseph down with a crude challenge. Castro stepped up to take the resulting penalty and sent Figueroa the wrong way to give Revs a much-needed goal.

Incredibly, the Revs could have even grabbed an equalizer to cap their strength over the last quarter of the match. Substitute Joe Germanese got in behind the Joe Public defense and dragged back in front of goal, but the cross missed Twellman's run heading to goal.


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Fire fully loaded for Dynamo

In a small-field scrimmage Friday, Brian McBride put his head on a looping ball in front of the goal and sent it past the goalkeeper for the first score of the game.

Apparently, McBride is now fully prepared to help the Fire in their last nine games of the Major League Soccer regular season.

While in the midst of a very crowded scene for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, the Fire play two-time defending champion the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium on Sunday. The Fire (10-6-5, 35 points) stand two points behind New England and Columbus in the Eastern Conference standings.

But they enjoy the league's best road record at 6-2-3, which includes consecutive road wins at Los Angeles and New England. They are 2-0-1 in their last three road games and have lost just once in their last nine games.

In preparation for the Dynamo, the Fire are also at near full strength with the return of Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Gonzalo Segares and Marco Pappa from national team duty.

However, Blanco and Segares are expected to be called back for World Cup qualifiers Sept. 6 and 10. Pappa's status with Guatemala is less clear, though he played well as a reserve against the U.S.

Also, McBride has completed two full weeks of training, including the past week when the weather was near perfect, to prepare for the final two months of the season.

It seems all systems are go for the Fire.

"We have had a good week of training," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "We took two days off after the L.A. game, and the reserves played in the (exhibition) game against Veracruz, which was good for those guys, and now we get back at it this week."

While the Fire are hot, the Dynamo are about as strong as a team can be, despite coming off a surprise loss at New York last week. The Dynamo are 8-5-8 (32 points) and stand five points above the crowd in the mostly disappointing Western Conference. Prior to the New York game, the Dynamo had a league-best four-game winning streak.

"It is important from the standpoint that points are important right now," Hamlett said. "We are close to the two teams ahead of us. It is a big game from that standpoint. Every point is precious. This is a great opportunity for us."

The Fire are still getting accustomed to their new look, which is really only new at one position. McBride, the former English Premier League star who has returned home, is certain to hold down the forward spot for the Fire the rest of the season and looked like he was fully adjusted to the switch in practice Friday.

"We knew it was going to take some time for him to get used to our guys, and the other way around," Hamlett said. "He does all the little things we thought he would do."

"I'm enjoying the training, and trying to get to know all the guys," said McBride, who did not look like a 36-year-old as he ran through the two-hour session. "I'm getting a good understanding of the team."

McBride played the second half in his first game back against D.C. United, then played the entire game against Los Angeles last week. Thanks to the Sunday game schedule, he has had a full week to prepare for this conflict.

The Fire are relatively healthy. Defender Daniel Woolard is just now getting back into running after suffering a knee sprain, and forward Patrick Nyarko is also fighting a knee sprain that came almost immediately after he returned from a concussion a few weeks ago.

But other than that, Hamlett had a full squad to work with and a full squad to choose from for this game. "That's why you have a 28-man roster," Hamlett said. "This is a chance for everybody to step up."


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Crew breeding competitive environment

COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Crew had completed an intense training session earlier this week that included a short-field competition among three groups of players.

Midfielder Danny O'Rourke stretched, showered, then prepared for an interview at the team's Obetz training center, but his mind was still on what had transpired about 30 minutes earlier.

"Everybody wanted to win out there. Practice is over, our team ended up losing and I'm still (ticked) off about it," he said. "If we can breed that practice every day, that competitiveness will translate into games and hopefully make us a successful team."

By any measure, the Crew are having a renaissance year as they sit near the top of the Eastern Conference and the overall MLS table. A win Saturday at home against Real Salt Lake would enable the Crew to equal its point total (37) in 30 games last season.

They have already surpassed the 33 points Sigi Schmid had in 2006 in his first season as coach. The 38 points the Crew had the previous year when they started a string of three consecutive non-playoff seasons should be a distant memory soon, too.

Yes, the times are changing - for the better.

"This year has been awesome, obviously, because we've been winning. Our chemistry has always been great in the locker room. We have great guys and everybody gets along. There's no hot heads or egos," said defender Jed Zayner, who was a rookie in 2006. "It took a couple of years to build that. We've put the people in the right position and now we fight for each other and fight to win."

The key, said midfielder Pat Noonan, is to make sure that fighting spirit is a positive trait and not one that will divide the locker room because players have their own agendas. In five seasons with New England he saw the Revolution make the MLS Cup a fall rite of passage.

"It's about having the coach that can get the right players and being in the right atmosphere. It's not easy to do at the professional level and (New England coach) Steve Nicol did a great job getting guys that enjoyed playing together and worked hard," he said.

Although Noonan has been with the team less than two weeks he witnessed another in a string of comebacks this season for the Crew in his first outing, a 2-1 against FC Dallas last Saturday.

"We came back last week against Dallas and got a good victory. These guys look like they work hard on and off the field," he said. "Sigi's got a good group of young guys that work hard and get along on and off the field. It goes a long way because when you got guys that want to play for each other and win for each other it makes things a lot easier."

Schmid has added players with international success such as forward Guillermo Barros Schelotto and MLS Cup winners in forward Alejandro Moreno, defender Ezra Hendrickson and midfielder Brian Carroll.

"There's a good group of guys here who have been involved in some successful teams and when you have that experience mixed in with some good results you build a little bit of confidence and maybe that has helped us play a little better each game," said Carroll, a member of D.C. United's 2004 championship team. "It feels like a good team. We need to continue to improve and work for each other and let the results take care of themselves and not worry about the past."

Schmid said a culture of winning has finally been discovered by Columbus.

"The mentality is much better. You always want to create competitive training sessions. That's the most important thing to create as you try to improve the team," he said. "Very few teams in this league have won 50 percent of their games. I think it's us and New England. From that standpoint I'm very proud of what we've done. As you go through the experience of winning, as you go through the experience of being behind and winning the game, that's something you can do to help your confidence."

Yet, he knows better than anyone that now is not the time to be satisfied. As well as the Crew have played through two-thirds of the season, they have clinched nothing.

"What this team needs to do is win games that are big games or there's something on the line whether that's an Open Cup game or, 'Today's game puts us in first place.' That's the next thing we need to get confidence in but we've made huge strides," he said.

With winning comes more pressure from the fans and within the team to make this a special season for a club that has never played for the MLS Cup.

"Expectations have to be based in reality and we have the reality now that our expectations are reasonable and are expectations are to win every time we step on the field," Schmid said. "Our expectations are to make it to the playoffs and our expectations are to compete for other postseason awards and the MLS title."


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Conrad's equalizer forces KC-FCD tie

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Jimmy Conrad's goal two minutes into stoppage time gave the Kansas City Wizards a last-gasp 1-1 draw against 10-man FC Dallas on Saturday evening at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

FC Dallas took an early lead on Andre Rocha's goal, then nearly held out for the remainder of the game, even playing a man down for the final 27-plus minutes after Pablo Ricchetti was shown a second yellow card.

FC Dallas took the lead after just seven minutes. Rocha received a 25-yard cross from midfielder Dax McCarty, then beat Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman with a stunning long-range blast from all of 30 yards away. Rocha's shot sailed high then dipped and knuckled before sailing into the goal just under the crossbar for his first goal in MLS.

The Wizards narrowly dodged going down 2-0, as FC Dallas combined a long run down the sideline with a cross, for a shot by forward Jeff Cunningham that was smothered by Hartman.

In the 22nd minute, the Wizards nearly hit for the equalizer. From a free kick just outside the right corner of the area, the ball was played square. Wizards defender Jack Jewsbury raced in and hammered a first-time shot from 20 yards that FC Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala deflected wide.

After the early goal, FC Dallas seemed to sit back, soaking up any pressure on the tight confines at CommunityAmerica Ballpark and taking advantage of their overall team speed to create opportunities.

The Wizards consistently had chances; they simply weren't finishing the opportunities they created. For the night, they outshot FC Dallas 21-9, but both teams each put six shots on target. But the Wizards didn't have a shot on target after the opening half-hour until the final minute of the game.

The game took a big turn in the 62nd minute when Ricchetti was sent off after a tackle on Davy Arnaud. Ricchetti earlier was issued a yellow card for a deliberate handball in the 46th minute.

After a flurry of Wizards shots, Claudio Lopez found himself with the ball and an open shot from about 18 yards out in the 70th minute. But while his shot on the run beat Sala in the FC goal, it was wide of the near post. It was the most dangerous offensive attack for the Wizards to that point in the half.

In the final minute of regulation, Arnaud forced another save out of Sala, and the Wizards kept the pressure on with a flurry of corner kicks.

Then, deep into time added on, Carlos Marinelli flicked the ball to Jack Jewsbury right at the edge of the area. As he was getting knocked to the ground, Jewsbury slid it forward to Josh Wolff in the right side of the area. Wolff sent a low ball into the goalmouth where Conrad came sliding in, and ahead of two FCD defenders he side-footed the ball over Sala into the net for the stunning equalizer.


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Lewis looks to help reeling Galaxy

CARSON, Calif. -- After spending nine years playing in England, U.S. international Eddie Lewis has returned to MLS, signing last week with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Lewis is expected to make his club debut this weekend against New England, and his presence on the field will be a more than welcome addition.

Lewis's debut was postponed a week when he took a vicious hit in the U.S. World Cup qualifier against Guatemala last Wednesday that required stitches above his right eye. All tests have come back OK, and Lewis is ready to begin his LA career.

"It's a bit tender, but it could have been worse," said Lewis. "I got the stitches out Wednesday. I've been scanned and I've trained and all the rest. Like I said, it's still a bit tender, but I should be fine."

Lewis joins the Galaxy at a time when the club is reeling. While his ability to provide service from the left flank will immediately take pressure off of David Beckham on the opposite side of the field, it's the other aspects to Lewis' game that could prove to be more important.

"Adding Eddie is going to help a lot," said Landon Donovan. "His service is good. He's a good professional. He shows up every day and trains hard; he's a good finisher, he works hard. He's everything you want in a player. He's an ideal left-sided player and now we finally have one."

It would almost seem unrealistic to expect Lewis to be able to have an immediate impact. He is still getting to know his new teammates and is trying to settle into the southern California lifestyle. The Galaxy themselves are in a state of transition right now as well, though Lewis already has a familiarity with new head coach Bruce Arena from their days with the U.S. national team.

"In some ways I think I feel like I'm trying to settle in with a lot of the guys and see how they play. At the same time, the team is going through the same process," said Lewis. "Bruce is moving things around and changing not only the way we play but the shape of the team.

"It's probably a little bit tricky, but at the same time, the focus for me is to really try and take on what Bruce is asking and start to get to know some of the movements of the strikers and midfielders and build a relationship with the left back."

Lewis is likely to be the only new signing under Arena this season. He'll certainly be the biggest name to land in Los Angeles before season's end. That can be a lot of pressure, considering the Galaxy are looking for a dramatic turnaround and a return to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Still, Arena thinks he has the man that can help get his team into the postseason.

"He's an experienced player. (He's) a player that knows how to play on the left side of the field, which is sometimes a rare commodity. (He's) a player that knows how to play on both sides of the ball," said Arena. "I think he's a real good addition to the team."


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Hoops' strike pair looks for cohesion

FRISCO, Texas -- Some things just take time. That was the thinking when, earlier this month, FC Dallas traded for veteran striker Jeff Cunningham and looked to pair him up top alongside Kenny Cooper.

In their first game together, a 2-1 loss at Columbus on August 16, the FCD duo combined well at times and it was Cunningham who gave the Hoops an early 1-0 lead with the 100th goal of his league tenure in the first half.

However, in the game and a half since (the second half of the Columbus match and last week's Kansas City game), the pairing has often looks out of sync with one another and been largely inconsistent. That's exactly how FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman would characterize their play thus far.

"I think any time you have coordination between two players, it's got to be two players on the same page," Hyndman said. "Sometimes they're on the same page and sometimes they're off the same page. But before Jeff got here, you could say the same thing. So, it's a combination of not just combining but coordinating with each other. One guy checks for the ball and the other runs off. When you get the ball, you look for the other guy to combine. Right now, we're not doing that. There are so many things that I would like to work on but that may be something that we need to backpedal a little bit on and get that coordination a little bit more."

Both players realize that cohesion will come as they play together more.

"Jeff is a great player," Cooper said. "Like I've said before, his statistics speak for themselves. He's scored a lot of goals in this league. I've had a couple of weeks with him and he is a great person. I really enjoy being around him in the locker room and enjoy being on the field with him. I have a lot of confidence because he's a great player and someone I enjoy being out on the field with. I think that the more time we spend together, hopefully, the more dangerous we will become."

Cunningham knows he, too, will get to know Cooper better -- who is currently second in MLS with 13 goals.

"My thing is that as an attacking player, it's very difficult to create," he said. "I'm not necessarily saying defending is easy but I think it's much easier to disrupt plays than it is to create opportunities. That cohesion is going to take time but Kenny is a goal scorer and he knows how to create space and create goals for himself. So, I have no doubt that he will continue to score goals and possibly win the (Golden Boot) this year."

Before they were teammates, both strikers were familiar with each other but Cooper and Cunningham admit they have noticed new things about one another over the last few weeks.

"On the personal side, I have noticed that he's a great guy who works hard in training," Cooper said. "I've only known him before from playing against him. I always considered him a dangerous player. I've gotten to know him more personally and have enjoyed being his teammate."

Said Cunningham: "(I have noticed) his technical ability. He's not a typical big man. He's very good with his feet and his movement is very good. His work rate and the effort he puts in is amazing, especially for a young player to have that kind of professionalism at such a young age is amazing."

Since Cooper is perpetually one of the last players to leave the training field, for Cunningham, that means joining his strike partner for extra finishing work long after many of their teammates have retired to the locker room.

"I'm forced to have to keep up," Cunningham said. "For him to have that work ethic, it's contagious to a veteran like myself looking at him and looking to stay at him to continue to improve. It's only going to affect the entire team in a very positive way and will help our team improve if everyone is pushing to better their play."

During halftime of a reserve game on Wednesday between FCD and Houston, Cooper took his newest teammate over to meet his father, Kenny Sr., who played professionally in England and also in the NASL. The three enjoyed a spirited conversation for some time and it left a strong impression on Cunningham.

"He is very knowledgeable about the game and seems like he is a very strong, disciplined person," Cunningham said. "As a result, I can see where Kenny gets his work ethic and his character from. The apple doesn't fall very far from the tree. He's a good family and good support system. That's what is going to help him the further he advances in his professional career."


Highly motivated Hoops break out
Cunningham scores goal No. 100
Italian leagues set for strike

Resurgent Quakes alive in playoff race

CARSON, Calif. -- While on the surface being shutout on the road might not appear to be an impressive result, Saturday night's scoreless draw between the San Jose Earthquakes and Chivas USA is a major statement about how far the Earthquakes have come as a team this season.

For most of the year the Earthquakes have languished in last place in what was quickly appearing to be a disastrous first season. However, with the recent acquisitions of Darren Huckerby, Arturo Alvarez and Scott Sealy, the Earthquakes have strung together a six-match unbeaten streak, quietly gaining points on the rest of the Western Conference. And while they still sit at the bottom of the conference standings, they are only three points off from a playoff spot.

Saturday's draw showed another side of the Earthquakes, as well. It showed their ability to grind out a match against a difficult road opponent.

"For long spells we were not at our best but what I liked about our unit tonight is that we didn't crumble and we actually came back in the end," said coach Frank Yallop. "You didn't see the best from us tonight but you saw a team that fought and scrapped to the end and a point for us is great to get here. All in all it was a good result and we move on." Goalkeeper Joe Cannon also saw the importance of earning the hard-fought road point. "We've turned a corner as a team," Cannon said.

Cannon was a major reason why the Earthquakes got out of The Home Depot Center with a draw, making a couple of difficult saves that preserved the shutout.

The Earthquakes were forced to make an early adjustment when Ramiro Corrales left the match in the 14th minute with a sprained left knee. With Corrales out, the Earthquakes offense struggled to find much rhythm. However, the Earthquakes put pressure on Chivas USA late in the match and nearly scored a late goal were it not for a superb save by Zach Thornton on a Ronnie O'Brien shot in the 85th minute.

"We gave their players too much freedom," said O'Brien. "We had a couple of chances but not enough."

With the Earthquakes heading into the final stretch of the regular season, they have their sights set on one thing: the MLS Cup Playoffs.

"We're two games off second place and we have six games left at home," said Yallop. "We feel great. What you've got to do is grind results out. It's really in our hand if we can pull ourselves together."

Added O'Brien: "Our goal is the playoffs. The expansion tag doesn't wash with us anymore. Realistically the playoffs are within reach now and it comes down to us."

One thing that the Earthquakes have in their favor is that six of their last nine matches will be played at home, including three in a row beginning next Saturday against Kansas City.

"We have a few home games coming up and hopefully we can get a couple of wins and move up the table," said O'Brien.


Earthquakes flex defensive muscles
Earthquakes shake, rattle Revolution
Hope still alive

Versatile Harrington key to K.C. hopes

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- For the Kansas City Wizards, Michael Harrington could be one of the biggest X-factors by season's end.

The versatility of the second-year player showed with his switch to right midfield from left back, which has allowed Wizards boss Curt Onalfo to reunite the dynamic Davy Arnaud with newly acquired Josh Wolff up front. Harrington's speed and crossing ability provides the Wizards attack with another legitimate threat.

But few expected what unraveled in last Saturday's match with the Colorado Rapids -- it was an event that brought to light another quality of the 22-year-old. After challenging for a head ball in the Wizards penalty area, Harrington fell almost horizontally as his head hit the ground followed quickly by his shoulder, which took the force of his 170-lb. frame.

"Right away, I knew that something wasn't right," said Harrington. "I couldn't really even move it all that well after that. But somehow I ended up scoring a couple minutes later."

Having apparently survived without a broken clavicle, Harrington continued to play, though laboring very visibly. And then he lifted his team who had labored through the first half by scoring the equalizer in the 44th minute when he put in the rebound of a Sasha Victorine shot.

A dose of pain pills and a tight wrapping at halftime enabled Harrington to push aside the intense pain until he was taken out in the 70th minute. But he had pushed through the obstacle to triumph personally in a situation with which he was not familiar.

Fortunately for Harrington, he will be back on the field this Saturday when the Wizards play host FC Dallas in a crucial match at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, the injury just a separated shoulder that held him out of training until Thursday.

"I thought it was going to be something that was going to actually put me out of some games for a while," said Harrington. "I've never really had any serious injuries that kept me out -- knock on wood. I've got to be smart with it and not go into any stupid challenges."

Harrington's reaction was an example to his Onalfo's call for all of his players to win their individual battles, to defeat the opposing player he is matched up with on the field.

"Michael's a warrior," said Onalfo. "Probably his biggest strength is his fitness, so it's just a matter of us helping him technically and tactically. [The incident] is a tribute to how hard of a worker he is."

When the parts of Harrington's makeup are put together, it is clear he is becoming a well-rounded player; the refining of those abilities is what is now needed to truly make Harrington a player that each team looks at as one they need to mark out of a game, another type of X-factor.

By switching Harrington to right midfield, Onalfo has enabled Harrington to add a spark to the Wizards attack.

"We think he can be a threat offensively. Three games in, he's scored one goal. It's proven to work," said Onalfo.

"I've done well with [scoring from the midfield]," said Harrington. "I don't necessarily consider myself a goal scorer; I'm more of an assist man. I've found a way to score some goals. Hopefully, I can keep that going."

A year ago, Harrington allied three goals and four assists while playing in both the midfield and in the back. The excitement of being a larger part of the attack is palpable in Harrington's voice.

"I feel like I can flow with the game more, use my speed, and combine with [forwards] like Davy and Josh," said Harrington. "Those are guys who really like to combine and play a good brand of soccer. It's really fun to play with those guys."

But not all has gone the North Carolina product's way in recent days. Instead of being named to the U.S. team that recently competed in the Beijing Olympics, Harrington was named only an alternate.

"I was very disappointed that I wasn't on that team. I felt like I should have been. But that's the coach's decision," he said. "I felt like I played well enough during the season here to warrant at least being on the team, if not starting."

The Olympics gone, Harrington's international focus turns to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but just being called up for the full national team would be a "lifelong dream." And it seems to be in reach for the well-equipped Harrington, but some might call his ambitions a bit lofty. No worry, he is well aware of the growth needed in his play.

"I can play a multitude of positions -- left back, midfield. I feel like I could go in there and do well. But I'm not quite there yet. I have some improving to do, a lot of work ahead of me. But, here, in the near future, I hope to be there in the World Cup in 2010," said Harrington.

Harrington said getting more experience and learning how to play quicker is a large part of the improvement.

"I'm still making that transition [to the pros]. It's only my second year in the league," he said. "From this year to last year, I can already tell a big difference in how I feel about my game, how confident I am. It's fun going out on the field and saying, 'Hey, I'm one of the best players on the field right now. I'm going to make my influence on the game.'

"A couple of years from now, hopefully, I can continue to get more and more confident, learn, and just get better. If I can do that, I don't think I'm far off from that team."

The bigger the knockdown, the more the bleached-blond Harrington gets up. That's good news for the Wizards who will need their right midfielder to be a difference maker in the last third of the season as they surmount obstacles and push for the playoffs and beyond.


Wizards look to keep battling
HARRINGTON BACKS POULTER

Solo, Lloyd lead U.S. women to gold

BEIJING -- How appropriate that goalkeeper Hope Solo and midfielder Carli Lloyd stood side-by-side together on the medal podium at Beijing Workers' Stadium Thursday night, because in the months leading up to the Olympics they stood beside each other during some tough times.

Both players -- pretty decent friends -- endured the rather forgettable Women's World Cups in China last September.

Of course, Solo made the biggest headlines in the biggest controversy in U.S. women's history. She returned home in disgrace, ostracized by her teammates for controversial remarks she made after her benching in the Women's World Cup semifinal. Solo was even not allowed to fly home with the team.

After a promising buildup in 2007, Lloyd wound up a dud in the Cup and was taken out of the starting lineup for the knockout rounds.

Both players completed rather remarkable personal comebacks Thursday night, playing a vital role for the USA as they captured their third Olympic women's soccer gold medal.

Solo was outstanding, helping to hold off a relentless Brazilian attack that came at the U.S. in waves after Lloyd scored from 19 yards out six minutes into extra time en route to a 1-0 victory.

"We were standing on the podium together," Lloyd said. "We experienced the World Cup together. Even though it wasn't planned, we both went through tough times there. We just looked at each other. ... We're still kind of in shock right now."

Last Sept. 27 an angry Solo vented her frustration about the benching. Then-coach Greg Ryan surprisingly had replaced her with veteran Briana Scurry as the U.S. suffered its worst defeat in history, losing 4-0 to Brazil. "There is no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves," Solo said at the time.

On Thursday night she did. Solo did not think she was vindicated, although half the world probably did.

"I don't even think about that, whatever I said last year," she said. "I am just enjoying this moment right now. I feel great. I just won a gold medal."

While she has been accepted by the team now, it was tough when Solo returned for the post-WWC tour. Lloyd, however, was there for her friend.

"I told her a number of times she was by far the best goalkeeper in the world," she said. "That game today, she played unbelievable. If it wasn't for her, there would be two goals definitely in the back of the net."

Solo admitted that she was waiting to play Brazil when it really counted. The USA defeated the Brazilians in three friendlies this summer by 1-0 scores.

"We thought about that game all the time," she said. "We've seen Brazil three times since that last match, but it wasn't the same. On the world stage is when teams really come to play so it sat with us a little bit."

The USA have won three of the four women's soccer gold medals, including 1996 and 2004, taking the silver in 2000.

When the final whistle sounded, the U.S. team celebrated, hugging each other and dancing around the Workers' Stadium field with U.S. flags. "I was floating out there," Solo said. "I haven't shed a tear. It seems unreal."

An ecstatic Solo walked onto the field wearing a pair of oversized, fake gold medals around her neck, waving to the crowd while on the cellphone to her brother.

"I couldn't even hear him," Solo said. "He was screaming."

Eventually, she would receive the real McCoy from FIFA president Sepp Blatter, which Solo wore when she exited the stadium.

The win climaxed a tournament in which the USA weren't given much of a chance of winning, especially after losing their leading goalscorer, Abby Wambach, to a broken leg last month. They lost their opening match 2-0 to Norway, surrendering two goals in the opening four minutes. The U.S. slowly picked up steam, winning five consecutive matches.

"After the first game, I didn't know that a gold medal would be possible," Lloyd said.

They rebounded to defeat Japan 1-0 and New Zealand 4-0, to win the first-round group and avoid world champion Germany and Brazil until the final. They outlasted archrival Canada 2-1 in extra time in the quarterfinals, and downed Japan in the semifinals Monday night, 4-2.

"We got better with each game," Solo said.

Solo made seven saves, but none was more important than the one she made on two-time FIFA Player of the Year Marta, blocking her six-yard attempt with her right forearm in the 72nd minute.

"I was ready to get up and [celebrate]," Brazil coach Jorge Barcellos said.

"I can't even recall the saves or how it happened, but all I know is that I was playing with a different energy tonight and it just felt so good," Solo said.

The USA looked tentative and nervous, particularly in the early going, playing as though they were trying not to make a mistake. In a word, their passing was horrible. Their passes went to no one, nowhere, to a Brazilian, and on many occasions, out of bounds.

The Brazilians dominated the match, although the USA, who were better fit, did get stronger as the game progressed.

As it turned out, Lloyd did not have a particularly strong game, especially in the first half. Many of her passes were off-target or intercepted. It wasn't until late in the second half she started to make a difference.

"This team had a different feeling," Lloyd said. "You usually have the nerves going, anxiety right up until the whistle blows. something felt different. I was excited. I knew we had nothing to lose. We definitely were medaling. We didn't know what medal. I just knew if I work hard things will happen. Things will fall into place."

But not for everyone. For the second time in this tournament, a Brazilian soccer team fell in the knockout round. The men were eliminated by archrival Argentina in the semis Tuesday night. And then, of course, Thursday night's match. Neither the Brazilian men or women have won an Olympic gold medal.

Amy Rodriguez set up the winning goal. Breaking free of two Brazilians on her back, the Southern California striker waited for a streaking Lloyd before sending her the ball. Lloyd broke in and sent a 19-yard bullet to the right of goalkeeper Barbara before a crowd of 51,612.

"I had to keep it low and strike it hard," Lloyd said. "Never in my wildest dreams did I thought I would score the goal that would give us the Olympic gold."

When the U.S. won in Athens, Greece in 2004, it was the last hurrah for the likes of U.S. soccer legends Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain. It was an older team.

This team, a much younger one, won an important tournament for the first time without Mia and company.

"I think it was once in a lifetime thing," Lloyd said of the 2004 gold medal. "This is another once in a lifetime thing."


Messi Thanks Barcelona For Olympic Chance
Olympic slate no treat for U.S.A.
Ekpo draws pride from Olympic success

Philly fans get MLS soccer fix in D.C.

WASHINGTON -- In two years, the trip will be much easier.

Even though 2010 will be here relatively soon, it's still much too long for the soccer fanatics in the Philadelphia area to wait before attending Major League Soccer games.

About 250 Philadelphia-area fans traveled to Washington, D.C., to watch D.C. United play the Colorado Rapids at RFK Stadium. It wasn't just the on-field action they were interested in, either. It was also the entire MLS experience.

The more than 4,500 "Founding Members," who already hold MLS Philadelphia seat deposits for the 2010 season at the 18,500-seat stadium to be built along the historic Chester waterfront, received VIP treatment. The fans enjoyed a pregame barbecue and tailgate in the stadium parking lost hosted by the Philadelphia ownership group.

The enthusiastic Philadelphia fans also enjoyed the game from several sections.

Especially the Sons of Ben.

This supporters group, which had about 1,600 members when the expansion team was awarded at the end of February, now features more than 3,200. Over 100 made the trip on Saturday.

Bryan James, the club's co-founder and president, remains in awe of what lies ahead.

"I've said it before and it's still true," James said. "This is a dream come true for me. To know the franchise will be here in two years is a dream."

The Screaming Eagles, D.C. United's fan supporters group, could clearly be heard from the beginning of the game to the very end. But the Sons of Ben did its best to be heard, too.

Even at the tailgate, Sons of Ben chants resonated throughout the parking lot. It continued throughout the game.

"Who are they?" one D.C. United fan asked.

"We'll drown them out," another fan said.

With such a large following, this was a glimpse into what the Sons of Ben will be able to accomplish when the 2010 season gets underway.

Ironically, James was a fan of D.C. United when MLS made its debut in 1996. Not anymore.

"We're all Philly fans now," James said. "We may have fans of D.C. United or the [New York] Red Bulls or other teams but not now. This is our team and it's a dream come true. I think the members of our fan club understand soccer and understand the league. Now, we'll all be rooting for our team. We'll know the great rivalries and what to look for."

The Philadelphia-area fans will be looking to cheer for their very own team. They won't have to take a bus ride down I-95, unless it's for a Philadelphia road game at D.C. United.

This is likely the first of many fan initiatives between now and 2010.

"I hope so," said one fan from south Jersey, who lives in the D.C. area. "I have family in the Philadelphia area and I've heard how much excitement has been generated by the MLS team. I'm definitely going to go the new stadium and cheer for the new team. I love soccer and that's why I go to the games here. To travel and see games at a brand new stadium will be unbelievable."

Believe it. About 250 Philadelphia fans making the trek on a Saturday night toward the end of summer is definitely enough proof.


United Warns Ticketless Fans To Steer Clear Of Moscow
Philly chat sessions planned

Little-used Warren proves worth for Revs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Not often is the the biggest story about the backup goalkeeper.

But New England Revolution 'keeper Doug Warren hasn't started a game in 90 games and the last time he started, he beat D.C. United 2-1 at home in 2005.

Considering the Revs beat United 2-1 again on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium and Warren was again between the posts, the Revolution players and coaches were quick to praise Warren's ability to take over for the injured Matt Reis.

"(Warren) looked confident," Revs head coach Steve Nicol said. "He had a couple of things he had to make decisions about and when he had to make decisions, he made the right one, which is half the battle with goalkeepers. It is great they can make fantastic saves, but if they can make good decisions on a regular basis, it makes it look easier than it actually is."

Warren didn't have a whole lot to do and saw Jaime Moreno chip him in the second half, but Revs defender Jay Heaps said Warren's presence helped the defense figure things out to minimize dangerous chances.

"Dougie did a great job of stepping in," Heaps said. "There was a lot of pressure on him and I thought he did great. He was communicating well. He was in a great position."

Warren credited the players in front of him for making it easy for him to step into the lineup.

"It makes it easy when the guys in front of you are doing their jobs, and are doing it well," Warren said. "I don't think I was in many positions to make gutsy decisions because the guys in front of me made it easy. Overall, we won, so that's all that really matters."

The positive momentum started with a Taylor Twellman goal. Steve Ralston sprung Khano Smith down the left, and the cross deflected off Adam Cristman through United's Marc Burch and right to Twellman six yards from goal.

"I was a big Cam Neely fan growing up," Twellman said. "He always tried to get in front of the net. Khano and Adam did a great job getting the ball in front of the net."

Jeff Larentowicz added a second goal shortly after halftime with a swerving drive that eluded Louis Crayton.

Insteda of pushing on and consolidating, the Revs let the game slip after that and Moreno drew one back for United.

"We were in control up until the 60th minute and then we lost our way a little bit and they put us under pressure," Nicol said. "We lost a goal from our own bad play, we should have just stopped the ball up the other end of the field and cleared it and we didn't.

"We tried to be too clever in the wrong area, lost the ball and then Jaime (Moreno) scored a great goal. If that falls to anybody else it is not a goal -- it was a fantastic goal from him. It was difficult after that. All of a sudden, they're one goal in it. You're stuck between going forward too early and back too far and that is what happened after they scored."

Collecting three points tends to calm those misgivings. Revolution captain Steve Ralston said his team did a nice job of holding the ball and keeping their composure after a 4-0 loss in San Jose last weekend.

"We kept possession well," Ralston said. "I thought our forwards kept the ball well. It made it a lot easier for all of us. We were able to get up the field and keep possession. We needed to make the final pass a little bit better. We could have had more opportunities."


Premier League Replay: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
New formation comes easy to Revs
Terry & Essien Delighted After ‘Rollicking’

Real Salt Lake go back to drawing board

COLUMBUS -- It's back to the drawing board for Real Salt Lake after a second consecutive road loss.

The Columbus Crew took a 2-0 lead in the opening 25 minutes and never looked back for a 3-0 win that avenged a 2-0 loss to RSL in Rice-Eccles Stadium on July 12.

"We've got to take a couple of steps back quickly and sort things out defensively," RSL coach Jason Kreis said.

In the first match, the Crew were never able to gather themselves in the midfield because of constant pressure. In the rematch, Columbus had its way, going through the middle of the park and finding gaps behind the defense.

"This is another game where defensively I don't think we were quite there. We didn't have the energy or the commitment level that I've seen out of this group for a long time," Kreis said. "We started off that game like we had already played 45 minutes before the whistle blew. I was really disappointed in our guy's commitment level in the first half and against a team like Columbus, which is a very good team right now, they punished us."

RSL fell to 1-8-1 on the road and where it has been outscored 20-7.

"Every team goes through some tough times so this is it for us," captain Kyle Beckerman said. "We have to somehow get it together and find a result whatever way it comes. Pretty. Ugly. It doesn't matter. We've got to stick together and have to come out of it."

His words are foreboding since RSL plays four of the next six on the road.

"For a while I was saying our team was playing at a higher level on the road but with these last two road games it's hard to feel that way just because of the number of chances were giving away," said Kreis, alluding to the 4-3 loss at Houston on Aug. 16. "It's not even the number of goals were allowing. That game tonight could have been six or seven."

The Crew opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Guillermo Barros Schelotto was fouled to the left of the penalty area by defender Robbie Russell. Schelotto, 25 yards from goal, sent an arcing cross to the far post where defender Chad Marshall headed the ball past Nick Rimando.

Just 10 minutes later, Eddie Gaven got free in the right side of the box, cut back and was taken down by defender Nat Borchers. Schelotto calmly deposited his fourth penalty in as many tries this season.

"They had two set pieces. They really got us on our heels from the start," Beckerman said. "We never really seemed to get going and that set the tone for the game and we couldn't get out of it.

"They came out with good intensity that we didn't match. In the beginning they pushed us in, didn't let us out. It seemed to work to their advantage. They kept us in their half then the two set piece goals. Chad Marshall has been known to score off set pieces. He's very dangerous. He got a sniff tonight and put it away. On the PK, Eddie Gaven is a shifty player. He's a gifted player."

Real Salt Lake had five midfielders and only Kenny Deuchar up top but weren't able to contain the third-highest scoring team in the league. Brad Evans scored the third goal in the 55th minute after Gaven sent a service from the right flank.

"I thought we worked on (the formation) enough during the week but it seemed like some guys didn't know what they were supposed to do so it definitely hurt us because we weren't able to keep possession," Beckerman said. "We weren't able to get behind them. We expected to do better with that. It was more that we didn't keep the ball and we gave it away very cheaply and it hurt us."

He thought going into the match that his team was ready.

"We felt pretty confident coming in. We almost came back on Houston last week. We felt we scored some good goals. We can't really put our finger on it," he said. "Columbus had a good mentality to come at us and get on us right from the beginning and see if they could get an early goal, which they did. We were chasing the game after that."


Champions poor on the road
Di Stefano: Spain Can Do It
Quakes seek to end road woes
Dube, Revs steal share of MLS lead

Chivas USA, Quakes settle for draw

CARSON, Calif. -- Chivas USA and the San Jose Earthquakes split the points in a scoreless draw Saturday at The Home Depot Center that saw the home team create a number of chances that were left unfinished.

Though many players on both sides were changed from the last time the two teams met, the teams played a near mirror image of their earlier clash. Both matches were played without any goals on the scoreboard for most of the game.

In the previous meeting on July 5 at The Home Depot Center, Ante Razov managed to strike in the 88th minute via a stunning free kick goal to give Chivas USA a 1-0 win.

With the Western Conference standings so tight, both Chivas USA and San Jose had a chance to make a playoff push, but the points needed to be gained immediately to pull one team or the other out of the conference cellar.

Both clubs have been heading in opposite directions coming into the match. While the Earthquakes had been unbeaten in their last five matches, Chivas USA had not won a game in their last five tries. Chivas USA's last win came against the Earthquakes on July 5.

With the result the Earthquakes remain in last place in the Western Conference with nine matches remaining. However, only five points separate them from second-place Real Salt Lake. Chivas USA, meanwhile, moved into a tie for fourth place.

In the first half of play, both teams seemed a bit tentative, perhaps unwilling to risk a loss. The best chance for Chivas USA came on a free kick in the 30th minute. Razov took it, looking to repeat his wonder goal of the previous game, but his bending ball missed the near post.

Sacha Kljestan, in his first Chivas appearance since returning from Olympic and national team duty, took a threatening shot on goal in the 45th minute. Joe Cannon was able to make the save, sending the teams into the halftime break scoreless.

Several Chivas USA players had chances to be the hero for the team in the second half.

Razov hit a low shot in the 52nd minute that trickled wide of the goal. Chivas USA were enjoying the majority of the possession and creating chances, but the Quakes were able to close down the final shot to deny a goal. Jason Hernandez was especially active for the Quakes on defense, denying chances for his former Chivas USA teammates.

Chivas USA fans cheered wildly in the 73rd minute, thinking their team had scored, but Alecko Eskandarian was offside when he beat Joe Cannon with a low shot to the far post.

The Chivas USA defense was then pressed into service, as goalkeeper Zach Thornton helped turn back a flurry of Quakes chances.

Perhaps remembering the goal scored in the final moments of their earlier clash, both teams pressed hard as time wound down. They traded opportunities for the game-winner.

Razov picked off a poor backpass in the 89th minute and was into the box immediately, looking to strike. But a defender toe-poked the ball away just in time.

The Quakes then had a chance late in stoppage time. Chivas USA cleared a corner, but a throw-in deep in Chivas USA's half led to a charge in the box by Huckerby. Thornton saved his low shot, keeping the clean sheet for his team.


Good start for Karlsruhe
Dynamo settle for draw with Chivas
Earthquakes flex defensive muscles
Terry & Essien Delighted After ‘Rollicking’

Crew topple Real Salt Lake in style

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Scoring three goals was nice, as was the most emphatic victory in more than two months, but the way the Columbus Crew got their 3-0 win against Real Salt Lake was just as pleasing to winning coach Sigi Schmid.

The Crew were able to penetrate the five-man Colorado midfield to create numerous opportunities to get a penalty kick and two assists from Guillermo Barros Schelotto and goals from defender Chad Marshall and midfielder Brad Evans.

"We're happy we got the shutout. That was important to us. We scored two good goals on set pieces but they were set up because people were getting behind their defense. It's one of those things we really tried to concentrate on this week in practice," Schmid said. "We tried to concentrate on our spacing and getting behind the defense and by getting behind the defense it caused them to foul us and those fouls set up the set pieces."

The Crew took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute thanks once again to the crossing ability of Schelotto. Schelotto drew a foul from defender Robbie Russell 25 yards to the left of goal. From the free kick, he sent an arcing ball to the far post aimed at the 6-4 Marshall, who got behind Kenny Deuchar and headed it past goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

"We practice this because we know Chad is very good with head balls," Schelotto said.

Marshall has a career-high three goals after scoring four in the previous four seasons.

"I know he's looking for me in the box," Marshall said. "He served a great ball. I saw it was going to the far post so I faked inside and went back. It was perfect ball. It was a pretty easy finish."

Schelotto netted his fifth goal after Eddie Gaven got free in the right side of the box, cut back and was taken down by defender Nat Borchers. From the spot, Schelotto laced a shot from the spot to the lower right corner, giving Rimando no chance to make a save. Schelotto is 4-for-4 penalties this season.

"The secret is to be relaxed when you take the ball," said Schelotto.

The match was in contrast to the 2-0 loss Real Salt Lake administered on the artificial turf of Rice-Eccles Stadium on July 12.

"When we were at Salt Lake they threw everything they had at us from the get-go. I guess it's our turn to throw everything we had at them from the get-go," Evans said. "We turned them around early and had a few chances to finish them. The last time it was different on turf, no excuses. This time we knew what we had to do: Keep the ball, spray it out wide and keep it to zero and finish our chances. We did that."

It was Schelotto again in the 55th minute with a leading pass down the right flank to Gaven. After several dribbles, Gaven sent a cross to the penalty spot for Evans who netted with a crisp header for his fourth goal of the year and second in as many games. The assist was the MLS-best 14th for Schelotto.

"The third goal was as well played a goal as you could get," Schmid said. "It was a ball from Guillermo to Eddie but Eddie made a run to get behind. Eddie's cross was right in the box. That's the way you draw it up on the board."

Goalkeeper Will Hesmer got his fifth shutout and didn't have to make a save until stopping Andy Williams in the 71st minute. Hesmer also made a diving stop to his right by Russell in the 76th.

"After the 3-0 lead, I took Guillermo out because he took a knock on his ankle," Schmid said. "He always wants to play 90 minutes but I felt there was an opportunity for another whack they way they were playing and then we dropped off a little too much. We defended too much, we gave them too much space. We made Hesmer earn the shutout."

The Crew's second consecutive win -- and largest margin since a 3-0 win at Kansas City on June 14 -- moves them into a first-place tie with New England in the East Conference and the overall standings.

"We're playing better. We believe in ourselves," said Schmid. "Our spacing in the first half was really good. We were aggressive. If we continue to play that way, that's good but it was set up because of good defending. They didn't get the opportunity to play a lot of balls over the top and when they did Danny O'Rourke and Chad Marshall were up to the challenge."


Crew looking for consistency in back
Bundesliga: top for goals

Davino injury puts Moor in spotlight

FRISCO, Texas -- In his four seasons in MLS, FC Dallas defender Drew Moor has shown his versatility. The Dallas native has played both as a fullback and a center back, whether in a three-back alignment or in a back four.

With FCD captain Duilio Davino out with a toe fracture and Adrian Serioux continuing at right back, Moor has moved into central defense for the last two games, where he has been paired with Aaron Pitchkolan. In those matches, the Hoops have kept one clean sheet and allowed just two goals. It's a pairing that will continue this weekend as Davino is still out.

"I think he's a solid defender in this league and a great leader," said FCD head Schellas Hyndman. "Losing Duilio, he has really stepped in. All we wanted to do was get Drew (Moor) into a central position. I think he's a better center back than he is a flank back. I think Drew brings more of those leadership qualities. Part of leadership is communication and I think he does a good job of that. He communicates well with everyone and they feel more comfortable back there. I think in many ways, Drew is part of the reason we have found some success back there."

Moor wouldn't call being in the middle more comfortable, but he did characterize that spot as being a more natural one.

"I wouldn't say it's necessarily a comfort thing, I think I feel that's a little bit more my spot," he said. "I think in terms of comfort, I'm pretty comfortable at right back because I have played there for a year and a half now. Center back comes to me a little bit easier because it's easier to keep things in front and it's easier with the ball. I'll step in wherever (Hyndman) feels most comfortable with me."

Moor admits that playing inside with Pitchkolan is something he enjoys, especially considering that they both joined FCD in 2005 and have played together ever since.

"I think he plays a lot like me," Moor said of Pitchkolan. "We communicate a lot. It's all about recognizing when to step, when to stay and when to pass guys on. He and I have a feel for each other. I think a lot of that has to do with us being here for three and half years now and playing together all this time. We've been on the field together a lot. He's very versatile and that helps me and our partnership."

Pitchkolan has also noticed how much Moor has meant to the FCD backline, no matter where he plays.

"Obviously, we've known each other for a while after coming out the same year. It's been 3-1/2 years that we've been playing together. When you've been playing with someone for that long, you know their tendencies and understand each other. I think that helps a lot," he said. "I think he's shown versatility. He played left back in college and has played right back and center back here. I think he's comfortable in all those positions."

FCD holding midfielder Pablo Ricchetti has also taken notice of the solid play behind him.

"I don't know where he prefers to play but I think he can play well at right back as well as at center back," Ricchetti said. "We've done very well in our last few games. I think that's what is important, that we are working well together on defense. It doesn't matter who plays where, we are doing good work. Things are going well and hopefully we can keep it at that level or maybe raise it a little bit to benefit the team."

After starting the year playing on the right side in the 3-5-2, Moor admits he is better suited to play in the 4-4-2 that Hyndman has finally put in place.

"With the personnel that we have on this team right now, I think the 4-4-2 is better," he said. "You get the width with both midfielder and outside back. Defensively, you have an extra guy in the back. I think it's just something that this team responds to a little bit better."

The year has been an eventful one for Moor. Besides the coaching change at FCD and the switch in formations, he has also played for the U.S. national team on three occasions, most recently in a World Cup qualifier at Barbados on June 22.

"It (this year) has definitely been a little bit of a rollercoaster ride but something that I think has helped me grow in confidence," he said. "I've gotten call-ups which have been great. I've gained valuable experience at the international level and want to hopefully continue to be called in. I just want to continue doing well here for FC Dallas.

"I think Schellas (Hyndman) has come in, done a great job and the players have responded to him so well. I think we're starting to bring the best out of each other," Moor continued. "I know I'm definitely excited about the last 10 games of the season and then going into the postseason. I just want to continue to work hard and hopefully get some call-ups as well."


Hyndman finds positives in loss
Season Over For Arteta

Improved Crew eye benchmark

COLUMBUS -- On the list of ways to improve the team and make the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2004, two items were crossed off after the last match and another big one looms for the Columbus Crew on Saturday when they play host to Real Salt Lake.

A 2-1 win against FC Dallas gave the first-place Crew their 10th win of the season and sixth in Crew Stadium, surpassing both totals of last season.

"We want to keep winning at home. We have one more win than we had last year (at home). I don't think that's enough," midfielder Robbie Rogers said of the 6-2-2 record.

With an overall record of 10-6-4, the Crew have 10 games to equal last season's unflattering total of 37 points in 30 games. Don't think for a moment that's not a big deal.

"Of course, we have those (numbers) in the back of our heads," midfielder Brad Evans said. "The most important thing is winning. We'll take it one half at a time, score the goals we need to score and we'll do the job. We're getting closer to our point total with 10 games left so our goal is to eclipse that. The wins will come; we'll ride this wave and see what happens."

Coach Sigi Schmid broached the subject during his postgame press conference on Saturday and judging from comments from the players it was a hot topic in the locker room prior to the match.

"We have 34 points now. If we win the next game it's very important, we have the same points as last season with nine games left," defender Gino Padula.

Schmid said the Crew's place in the Eastern Conference standings is not relevant at the moment. With New England hosting D.C on Wednesday and Chicago at Los Angeles the following night, the Crew could enter their next match in third place.

"I'm not focused on first, second or third. I'm just focused on the points. What we talked about before the game is that by the end of next Saturday (vs. RSL) we want to have 37 points. We want to have the same amount of points in 30 games last year then we can start adding some things on that," Schmid said. "That's our goal. If that puts us in first place, great. That's a great place to be and a reflection of what this team has done and what has worked for us. We want to get more points and more points."

The Crew understand they are getting closer and closer to having enough points to qualify for the postseason.

"I think everybody who breaks 40 should get in," Rogers said. "The East is very strong and everyone's starting to make the final push. If you get 41, 42 you should be all right but I don't want to say that and jinx it."

Said Padula: "If we get to maybe, 43 points in the next in four games we're in the playoffs."

"I want that little asterisk next to the Columbus that says 'clinched a playoff spot,'" Schmid said. "Whether that happens when we're in first place, second place or third place doesn't matter to me as long as that asterisk gets next to our name as soon as possible.

"There are only four teams that have a winning record, maybe five. ... To be one of the few teams to have a winning record, you have to remember, MLS is set up for everybody to go .500. That's the real prognosis of the league. They'd like to see everybody .500. When you're above .500 that means you're doing something right."

Such as rallying again for a good result. In the previous two home matches they fell behind 2-0 but forged draws. FC Dallas went up on the 100th career goal by former Crew striker Jeff Cunningham in the 35th minute before Guillermo Barros Schelotto set up goals by midfielder Brian Carroll and Evans in the 62nd and 65th minutes for the win, despite being outplayed in the opening half.

"The difference between this year and last year is they can have a bad moment like that -- as I said to Robert (assistant coach Warzycha) when we were sitting there, if we get in (at halftime) only down 1-0 that's good," said Schmid. "We didn't get annihilated the first half even though we played poorly and we had the character to come back and get three points.

"Every time you play the game you've got to figure out a way to win. You have to figure out how to win when you're not playing well. You've got to figure out how to win when you're playing well and when you're dominating games. At Houston two weeks ago I thought we were the better team and got nothing. At Colorado we probably got outplayed a bit and got something."


Arminia Bielefeld: home form the key to survival
Champions poor on the road
Stoic Moreno providing Crew big lift

Serioux answering Hyndman's call

FRISCO, Texas -- Before an August 3 match at Toronto FC, FC Dallas defender Adrian Serioux had never before played right back. Not in his formative years growing up in the Toronto area, nor during his two-year stint in England, or while a member of the 2006 MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo.

But that didn't stop FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman from inserting the Canadian international into that spot. So far, Serioux has delivered results.

"Adrian (Serioux) is one of those lucky/unlucky athletes," Hyndman said. "He's so versatile that he gets moved around a lot. That's the unfortunate thing about Adrian but it's also a fortunate thing because his game has improved throughout his career because he's been moved around and has been forced to use his left foot."

So far this year, Serioux has also played at left back and center back, as well as a defensive midfielder. But he admits playing on the right side feels more natural since he is right-footed.

"I don't think it's really a matter of me being comfortable," he said. "My right foot is my dominant leg and whatever dominant foot you have is the side that you're preferred on. Being on the right side, it's not much different from being on the left. But that still allows me to go forward, the freedom to overlap and get involved in the attack. It's still a comfortable position along the backline and something I will have to deal with."

This season, Serioux has started and played in 16 matches for FCD. He also has contributed two assists but none was bigger than when in a 2-1 loss at Columbus on August 16, he assisted on Jeff Cunningham's 100th goal of his MLS career.

"It was just an opportunity where I felt like I could take on one guy and the space just opened up," Serioux said. "I feel grateful for Jeff to get his 100th goal. I know he's been waiting for it. I'll take it in stride. I'm still waiting for my check but it's a great accomplishment for him and I'm happy for him."

Serioux was joking about the check from Cunningham but admits playing right back is still a very new experience.

"I've never played right back," he said. "So, it's a totally new position. It's all new to me now but I'm one of those guys who have to pretty much adapt to playing multiple positions. Not a lot of guys are thrown into multiple positions and can adapt. So, I feel privileged and it's an advantage for me to be able to do that."

Other than the extensive action he has seen with FCD, Serioux has also been called in to the Canadian national team on a number of occasions this year, something he labels ass very rewarding, especially considering that he missed much of 2007 with a knee injury.

"From last year, with the injuries and stuff like that, it was difficult for me after missing the Gold Cup," he said. "It has been a rollercoaster for everyone but that's part of our job. People come in, people go and there are changes happening every so often and we have to just take it in stride, adapt to it as quickly as possible and not let it affect us when it comes to game time."

His latest action came last Wednesday in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica that was played in his hometown at BMO Field.

"It was actually great," Serioux said. "Usually, when we play in Canada with the national team, it feels like we're at home but away. In Toronto, we had a great base of Canadian support there and it was a great atmosphere."

Serioux said he and his teammates are more comfortable playing in the 4-4-2 that Hyndman has installed compared to the 3-5-2 that was employed by Steve Morrow earlier in the year.

"It's just an extra man that the offense has to work through," he said. "There's less risk as far as when you make a mistake that could be costly. Playing with four in the back, most guys are comfortable with that because that's how they grew up playing. You don't usually play three in the back there, so it's one of those things that you just adapt to. It's just one of those things that you feel comfortable in and with everyone right now."


Season Over For Arteta
Ricchetti finds role with rolling Hoops

McCarty bringing Olympic experience home

FRISCO, Texas -- The result might not have been as hoped for and the stay shorter than planned, but third-year FC Dallas midfielder Dax McCarty is ready to bring his U.S. Olympic team experience to his club for the homestretch of the Major League Soccer season.

In China, McCarty saw action in one match. His last league appearance came July 19, which was his first start since April 24. But following surgery for a sports hernia which forced him out of action in May and June, McCarty said his time with the U.S. Olympic team has helped him feel sharper on the field.

"I think being able to be over there with the trainers 24/7 and being able to get treatment really did wonders for my back and groin," McCarty said. "I feel really good. I'm definitely hoping that this keeps up and that I can get to 100 percent because I haven't felt that way in a really long time. It feels good to finally train without any little problems here and there."

FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman is glad to have his young midfielder back in the fold.

"We're very glad to have Dax back and glad that he has the experience of going to the Olympics," Hyndman said. "It's a lifetime dream for him but we're also happy to have him back. He looks sharper. He looks healthier and there's a spot for him on this team."

If McCarty is to return to the starting 11, he would do so either at the attacking midfield spot, which is currently held by rookie Eric Avila or wide on the right, where Andre Rocha has played and struggled for the second half of the season.

"I think it's one of those two (spots)," Hyndman said. "Part of this environment is competition and players don't like it. They would rather know that they're starting all the time. All of a sudden, there's a new striker in town in Jeff Cunningham and somebody is going to be off. When we get Dax back and he's healthy, somebody could also be off."

While Hyndman had expressed a preference to play a 4-4-2 system before McCarty had left, the Hoops were still mainly playing a 3-5-2. But since going to China, the 4-4-2 has been settled on, and McCarty is looking to establish his place in the team.

"I'm comfortable anywhere in the midfield and I think Schellas knows that. Everyone knows that I'm a pretty versatile guy. I think my best position is in the middle of the field, where I can get forward and defend," McCarty said.

"A more attacking role is something I would relish and have no problem with. I feel like my qualities going forward are good enough to play that spot. But I'm a two-way midfielder. I like to defend and help out in there. If I'm playing out wide or in the middle, it doesn't really matter to me. I just want to be on the field. It's going to be a fight to get my spot back and I have no problem with that. I just want us to win and hopefully I can be part of it."

But that doesn't mean he wouldn't bring plenty to the right flank.

"I feel like my services are good from out wide," McCarty said. "It's definitely a position that I'm comfortable with and have played before with other coaches. Schellas knows what I can do, how effective I can be out wide and how effective I can be in the middle."

However, McCarty realizes that he can't just start training again and reclaim his starting spot right away. That is something he knows will take time.

"You can never just come in and walk right back into the lineup," he said. "There's a little bit of a time period where you have to prove yourself all over again. I'm just looking to do that and the main thing is that our team is winning. If our team is winning, then I'm happy."

After returning last week, McCarty told Hyndman he could play some at Columbus, but the FCD coach decided to rest him instead.

"I'm starting to get my legs back," McCarty said. "Traveling that far and long definitely takes its toll on you. I told Schellas that if he needed me for Columbus, I would be ready but he gave me a little bit of a rest. I'm obviously looking to come back, contribute and help the team any way that I can. I feel as close to 100 percent as I have in a long time and that's really important for me. I feel like I really got over the hump in China in terms of my injuries. I'm really starting to feel good. It's just a matter of working hard in training and hopefully getting some minutes here and there to contribute and help the team for a playoff spot."

Since McCarty left in late July, FCD has traded Arturo Alvarez, Juan Toja left for Europe while Jeff Cunningham and Victor Sikora both joined the team.

"It's crazy how things happen," he said. "Arturo and Toja both left and I think that was what they wanted. At the same time, it's good for us because we got some new players in here that can get the job done. It's a little bit different team but the mentality is the same and everyone is on the same page. We're obviously looking to make the playoffs and go from there."

After being left off the original U.S. Olympic roster, McCarty learned on July 24 he would be going to the Beijing Games after close friend Nathan Sturgis of Real Salt Lake was unable to play due to injury.

"It was a little bit bittersweet," he admitted. "He (Sturgis) is a good friend and I would never wish injury on anyone. It was an honor to be called in. Even though I would have liked to have been named to the initial roster, it's still a fantastic feeling and something that I took in stride. I just wanted to try my best and give the team whatever they needed by being a role player. I think we did well as a team and I tried to contribute any way that I could."

The only time that he saw with the U.S. was in what proved to be their final match, a 2-1 loss to Nigeria on Aug. 13 that sealed the USA's elimination. McCarty said he was disappointed not to see more time.

"When you get to that level, every player is good and expects to play. I was no different. I definitely wanted to play more but wanted to be a good teammate and not complain or put my head down. If I got my number called, I just wanted to be ready, McCarty said. "Luckily, I stayed positive and got a couple minutes against Nigeria. I definitely wanted us to win that game and it was a tough result going out. I definitely wanted to play more but I was happy with just being there."

Like many who have been there, McCarty called getting to walk in the Opening Ceremonies as one of the most memorable parts of his Olympic experience.

"That was probably the most unforgettable part," he said. "I'll never forget that. It's kind of cool because we didn't really know that we would be going. Then at the last second, it kind of opened up for us and we ended up being able to go. That's an experience that I will keep with me forever and be able to tell everyone about. It's definitely something special."

McCarty's experience also included getting to meet his share of famous people.

"I met President Bush and got a picture with him," he said. "I'm a little biased with Dwight Howard since I'm from Orlando and he plays for the Magic. So, I got to talk to him for a bit and a picture with him. I saw Dirk Nowitzki because Germany was right next to us. So, I talked to him, told him I played for FC Dallas and got a picture with him. I also talked to Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer and Dwyane Wade. They were all really nice guys. That was a cool experience."

While the final result might have been a disappointment, it truly was a once-in-a-lifetime happening.

"It was definitely the experience of a lifetime," he said. "Not many people can say they were a part of something that special and that big. It was fantastic. We had a great team and everyone on the team got along. It was a great group of guys and a pleasure to be part of it."


Hyndman still left searching
No Olympics for Kaka