WFC: Barcelona influenced his game, says NBA star Bryant

WASHINGTON — NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant is a massive FC Barcelona fan and on Sunday afternoon, he went as far as crediting the defending European champions for influencing his basketball game. "Growing up in Italy, I’ve always been a huge soccer fan, so it’s very easy for me to identify with the sport," Bryant said at an event hosted by an international airline for which he serves as global ambassador. "When I first saw Barça play, they play with so much creativity, passion and enthusiasm, it was so easy to follow it. They inspired me and the way I play." WATCH: Bryant on Barça The weekend for Bryant has had a distinctive

Ream thanks Bob Bradley for US opportunity

LONDON -- New York Red Bulls center back Tim Ream was given his chance to play for the US national team just months after leaving Saint Louis University when former head coach Bob Bradley featured the young defender in a 1-0 win over South Africa in Cape Town on November 17, 2010. In fact, Ream earned all six of his US caps under Bradley. On Friday, he paid tribute to the faith show in him by the departing US manager. "I will echo what a lot of the other guys have said like Charlie Davies and Jay DeMerit over the last 24 hours, who both thanked him, and I would like to thank him too," Ream told MLSsoccer.com while here in London for the Emirates Cup. "I loved him as a coach. He continued to bring me in and wanted me to develop. I thank him for that." Ream’s inclusion into the US squad against South Africa topped off an incredible first campaign in MLS that saw him narrowly miss out on Rookie of the Year honors. His second season has been equally impressive, as the center back earned himself a place in the first eleven for the MLS All-Stars in their match against Manchester United on Wednesday. "I pinch myself everyday," Ream said of his blossoming career. "It is something that you always dreamed would happen. But it is not something that I always thought would happen for sure. One minute you're playing Manchester United and then next you are going to play Arsenal. It’s crazy."  No doubt Ream’s meteoric rise is in part due to his own hard work, but may also be partly down to the chance given to him by Bradley to perform on the international stage. After starting the game against South Africa at center back, Ream was ever present for the US during their early slate of games in 2011. Ream is certainly grateful for the chance to show what he can do on the biggest stage of all. "He [Bradley] gave me an opportunity and that is something I will always remember," Ream said. As for new manager Jürgen Klinsmann, Ream is desperate to feature in his plans and wants to impress the German coach whenever he gets the chance to. "Again you start with a clean slate," Ream said. "Everyone starts with a clean slate. Now it is up to everyone to perform to the best of their abilities to hopefully catch his eye and impress and get in his team."

American Exports: Bedoya to Rangers deal still on hold

AMSTERDAM — Contrary to a Scottish report from earlier this week, MLSsoccer.com has learned that Rangers have not made a follow-up transfer bid for prospective January free transfer Alejandro Bedoya and have put the onus for initiating any August sale talks on current employers Örebro. Last week, the 24-year-old agreed to a pre-deal to join the Ibrox crew when his ÖSK deal expires this winter, work permit approval pending. A report Tuesday on STV cited Rangers coach Ian Durrant in claiming that the club had come back with a transfer bid to acquire the US international a little early — even though the direct quote used did not support that premise. However, Bedoya's agent has confirmed that there was no follow-up transfer offer from the Scottish champs. "There has been no additional bid," Bedoya's rep, Lyle Yorks, told MLSsoccer.com. "If Örebro decide they have interest in some sort of compensation, they're free to approach Rangers." According to a Scotland's

The Throw-In: USSF must be careful in naming next coach

Thursday, July 28, 2011, will be a day US soccer fans will remember for some time. Especially those who have been on the "Fire Bob" bandwagon for the last several years. In a surprise move, the US Soccer Federation announced in a terse press release that Bob Bradley has been "relieved of his duties" as head coach of the US men’s national team. No other details have been provided yet, but you can be sure the second-guessing will echo into the next several weeks. The first question fans are going to ask is, of course, "Why now and not last summer?" After all, even US Soccer President Sunil Gulati seemed to suggest last June in South Africa that the US team’s performance had not been good enough. "Disappointment" was the word Gulati used after last summer’s World Cup exit, echoing the sentiment of many US fans. Despite winning their group for the first time ever, the US didn’t do so in very convincing fashion and many believe the run to the Round of 16 — where they lost to Ghana — should have been longer. But the USSF didn't make a change after returning from South Africa, despite re-entering into negotiations with Jürgen Klinsmann, who had also backed out of those same talks following the 2006 World Cup. Bradley was still their man, in spite of the protests of many fans. And though Bradley coached the team to a 5-5-4 record in his second tenure, the team simply never seemed to kick its ugly habits: conceding goals first, lacking urgency and an inability to string together two straight 90-minute performances. The accomplishments of Bradley's first term were no longer enough — they needed to progress. Winning back the CONCACAF Gold Cup was a must. Obviously, the US didn’t. And capitulating in the final to Mexico after taking a 2-0 lead seemed to be the period at the end of the sentence. I won’t go so far as to say firing Bradley was the right move. In many ways, I still feel he is the best man for the job given the current circumstances. But if a move had to made, there couldn’t be any further delay before World Cup qualifying begins next fall. Say what you will about the USSF’s stubborn support of the Bradley regime — and really, you cannot fault the man himself for doing what he could with what he had at his disposal — you have to be pleased that the time to make the change is now, when there actually is time to rebuild the program. The biggest push between cycles is over. The Gold Cup is really the only focus for the national team between World Cups, and that ship has sailed. With Thomas Rongen out as Under-20 coach and an influx of young talent pushing into the senior pool, it was either time to commit fully to the next two years or make an immediate change. And Gulati chose to make a move. What comes next is an even more important choice for Gulati, perhaps the most important he has ever made. The US are not about to become a superpower on the international scene, and they won’t be a favorite to win a World Cup for a while. But they are more on the verge of becoming a major player internationally than at any point in their history. That surprise 2002 World Cup quarterfinal run was a taste of what happens when talent, potential and timing all come together. The ’09 Confederations Cup was even more of a teaser, a sampling of how far the national-team set-up has come since the triumph of just making the World Cup in 1990. Now, more Americans are playing top-flight professional soccer than ever before, in MLS, in Europe and Mexico. And the American talent pipeline has matured. It is now on the doorstep of even greater things. What it needs now is the right leadership to steward it to the next level. Is an internationally accomplished voice with extensive knowledge of the US set-up — a guy like Klinsmann — the right choice for USSF to get it there? Maybe. Is a candidate from within still the logical choice? Sigi Schmid? Jason Kreis? Peter Nowak? Also possible. Or maybe there’s a wild-card candidate out there who will surprise us all. But now is the time where Gulati & Co. must make a very careful choice. Who they settle on will not only will have to figure out how to get the best out of the current talent and encourage the countless kids who now grow up dreaming of playing in a World Cup, but also send a message to the millions of American fans who are now invested in the fate of the US national team: The US is going to keep progressing.

WFC: América satisfied with performance vs. Juventus

NEW YORK — Despite falling to Juventus 1-0 in a Herbalife World Football Challenge match at Citi Field on Tuesday night, Club América showed why they’ve earned their reputation as one of Mexico’s top teams, dominating much of the run of play in a close contest against the Italian giants. WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS It took a sublime effort from Cristian Pasquato near the halftime whistle — and after a 36-minute rain and lightning storm delay — to give the

WFC: Union's Michael Farfan relishing chance to shine

PHILADELPHIA — As he stood in the mixed zone doing interviews following the Philadelphia Union’s 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Saturday, Michael Farfan felt a push from behind. It was from smiling team manager Peter Nowak, who, after seeing what Farfan had just done, was almost certainly giving his player a love tap. Playing against some of the most creative players in the world, Farfan showed that he has some tricks up his sleeve, too, scoring the club’s only goal with a cheeky chip over Madrid ‘keeper Tomás Mejías in the 80th minute. Michael Farfan's golazo "I saw he was a little off his line, so I decided to try to chip it," said Farfan, a rookie midfielder out of the University of North Carolina. "It felt great. They’re probably one of the best teams in the world, so it was exciting for all of us." The tricky play may have been surprising to some of the 57,305 fans that were probably expecting to see more fireworks from Cristiano Ronaldo than from a Union reserve player. But it wasn’t at all surprising to the one player on the field that knows him best. "As soon as he picked his head up, I knew what he was doing," said Union left back Gabriel Farfan, who’s seen his twin brother take that shot in countless games growing up. "It was great to see the ball go in. I’m beyond excited for him. He came in and made a difference in the game." While Gabriel has been a fixture in the starting lineup of late — having taken over, at least temporarily, for departed left back Jordan Harvey — Michael has seen his playing time slip, in large part due to the club’s midfield depth. The UNC product has not started since playing a full 90 (and earning his first career assist) vs. Real Salt Lake on June 11 — and in that six-game span, he’s played a total of just 79 minutes off the bench. Michael, like other youngsters on the squad, can only hope that his performances in the team’s last two friendlies — he played the entire second half vs. Real Madrid and against Everton FC last Wednesday — will help get back into the regular rotation. "It’s a good thing," he said. "Everyone should play with confidence; that’s when you play your best. I think this will help me going forward." But if nothing else, he’ll always have the memory of his brilliant goal on one of the biggest stages he’s ever played on. Real Madrid will probably remember it, too. "It was fantastic," Union defender Danny Califf said. "It was dirty. Just dirty."

MLS All-Stars confident of avoiding repeat of last year

NEW YORK — The words were measured and respectful, but the message was clear from the MLS All-Stars: They fully intend to avoid a repeat of last year and beat Manchester United on Wednesday night (8:30 pm ET; ESPN2/TeleFutura/TSN). The All-Stars are set to carry the reputation of the league in their midweek match against the reigning English Premier League champions, and Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe, who will manage the All-Stars this year, has a 2-0 record against United from his tenure as assistant coach at Manchester City. Backe has no plans to blemish that perfect mark. WATCH: Press conference archive "I'm very confident," Backe told media at a press conference in New York City on Monday. "I don’t want to lose." Last year, the All-Stars dropped a 5-2 result to United at Reliant Stadium in Houston with the Red Devils putting in a dominating performance. Backe admitted it "is always a challenge to face United" and that he expects them to take the game very seriously—something that United coach Sir Alex Ferguson later confirmed. And so, too, will the MLS All-Stars, who already feel the weight of the league on their shoulders. "We have a lot of good, young talent on this team," LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham said. "These players are good players. It’s not just about the big European talent coming over. There’s a lot of young talent in this league. … I think we have a chance on Wednesday." The MLS All-Stars convened at Red Bull Arena on Monday morning for a training session and will practice again on Tuesday to go over their technical play and set pieces. Backe said that playing one of the top teams in the world will be a challenge and while the MLS All-Stars won’t be favored, Backe said they will put on a show and do the league proud. "It’d be nice to pick up a result," Backe said. "I think if we have a good day, we have the possibility to get a good result."

Earthquakes seething over controversial red card, PK

When you’re winless for six weeks, frustration comes easy to a professional soccer team. Add in a dubious red card that leads directly to a 4-0 defeat, and things really get combustible. WATCH: Full Match Highlights That’s how the San Jose Earthquakes’ trip to Rio Tinto Stadium ended Saturday night. After an hour of bending but not breaking — thanks most of all to more strong work from goalkeeper Jon Busch — the Quakes’ hopes of pulling out a point or three went up in flames with one toot from the whistle of referee David Gantar. Gantar ruled Quakes defender Bobby Burling knocked down Real Salt Lake forward Álvaro Saborío inside the penalty box in the 60th minute even though replays appeared to show little contact between the two players. Burling was given straight red. Saborío was given a penalty, which he converted to break open what had been a scoreless tie. Salt Lake were given a chance to pump home three more goals in rapid succession against 10-man San Jose. The Quakes, already on a 0-2-5 streak since their last victory on June 11, were given to seething. "It’s up to the referee to make sure it is a penalty kick," Quakes coach Frank Yallop said. "That changed the game — red card, penalty, goal. You’re screwed after that. ... It all hinges on one play, and that’s frustrating for us." Chris Wondolowski, who wore the captain's armband for San Jose on Saturday night, argued forcefully with Gantar and an assistant referee just after the call, to no avail. A few minutes later, Busch was caught by television cameras yelling an expletive while also making a rude hand gesture at someone — presumably Gantar — off screen. To cap the night, as he was leaving the pitch after the final whistle, Busch had a brief tête-a-tête with RSL coach Jason Kreis. Busch waved a finger to drive home his point to Kreis, who immediately charged after San Jose’s keeper and had to be restrained by another RSL employee. "I asked [Kreis] what he wanted to do for dinner afterwards," Busch claimed later. "I wanted pizza, he wanted steak." That was one of few moments of levity on the evening for San Jose (5-7-9), who ran fresh out of center backs. Ike Opara has been hurt for weeks, Jason Hernandez was a last-second scratch due to injury, Nana Attakora went out in the 54th minute after an apparent right ankle problem and Burling obviously hit the showers early. Brad Ring, normally a holding midfielder, and Chris Leitch, a right back by trade, finished up in the middle of Yallop’s defense. "Never have I been this frustrated and there’s nothing I can do, which makes it even more frustrating," Ring said on Twitter. "I’m in shock, head spinning, furious." The Quakes were not shy about calling Saborío out for what they considered a bald-faced dive. Burling and Busch both said they expected Gantar to show the Costa Rican international yellow for simulation. "The guy actually could have shot before he fell down, if he wanted to, because he cut back against two defenders," Busch said. "Neither Bobby nor Brad touched him at all. Whatsoever." Said new Quakes midfielder Jacob Peterson, also via Twitter: "Diving ruins the game. Has to be punished harshly. [T]he only way to get rid of it is suspending guys. [For] such a good player it’s a disgrace." It was highly unlikely that the Quakes were going to be able to snatch a road victory Saturday, given that three of their best options at forward — Simon Dawkins, Steven Lenhart and Alan Gordon — were unavailable and San Jose, playing for the third time in eight days, were facing a rested Salt Lake team coming off a two-week break. That didn’t dissipate the feelings engendered by the controversial call, however. "I felt tonight like we were unjustly done," Busch said. "As it went on, especially when we’re defending corner kicks, guys are getting shoved all over the place. Wondo got shoved twice, with two hands, and one time [RSL defender Jámison] Olave gets a good header. "You just get frustrated because the referee needs to see that stuff. And he’s not seeing it. And that’s what makes you frustrated, because everyone else can see a clear push or clear foul, and the guy who needs to see it doesn’t."

WFC: Juventus will become important again, says Buffon

TORONTO — Gianluigi Buffon has been through the good and the bad with Juventus. At 33 years old, the stellar goalkeeper is set to embark with the club on another cycle, one that he hopes will take them back to the top of Serie A where they were in 2002 and 2003. The process is beginning under a new manager, former Juventus star Antonio Conte, with Saturday’s World Football Challenge match against Sporting Clube de Portugal at BMO Field. (7 pm ET, ESPN Deportes)

Starting XI: Top 11 questions for Week 19 in MLS

The countdown of the 11 most intriguing questions facing MLS clubs, players and coaches heading into the weekend slate of matches: 11) Can the Sounders move past that 7-0 pasting from Manchester United in time for next week’s dicey trip to Panama? The Rave Green have been as hot as any team in the league, but their collective confidence may have taken a hit when Wednesday’s friendly careened out of control in the final stages. But as it turns out, Seattle have this weekend off because Philadelphia’s league visit was rescheduled to allow the Union to take part in the World Football Challenge — a blessing, given next week’s CONCACAF Champions League qualifier against Panamanian club San Francisco. Sigi Schmid really earns his paycheck at times like this. 10) Will Chicago avoid a similar fate? Saturday’s tilt at Soldier Field is still just a friendly, but the Fire will be keen to keep pace with Manchester United for all 90 minutes. Maybe some old-fashioned Midwestern heat will slow down the Red Devils, whose display of superlative talent in Seattle made a mockery of the term "preseason form." 9) What benefits can MLS clubs reap from their international friendlies? Summer visits from top European clubs aren’t a favorite of every MLS coach — see Bruce Arena’s comments from earlier this week — and results like the Seattle-Man. United match can pose problems. But regardless of the score lines, competing against the world’s best gives reserves and youngsters a valuable experience that can help them further down the line, especially if they’re called off the bench to provide depth in league play. 8) Who will make the most of the All-Star break? We won’t name any names here, but quite a few MLS squads have looked simply knackered lately. Yet league dynamics require them to push through the heat and fatigue, as August has often proved a pivotal period in terms of momentum and playoff positioning. So while many elite players are facing off against English champions Manchester United, their colleagues will be catching their breath at home, looking to regenerate for the stretch run. 7) How will the Rapids overcome the loss of Conor Casey? Sounders fans still lamenting the loss of Steve Zakuani might call it karmic retribution, but Colorado have every reason to be frustrated by the long-term loss of their talismanic target man to a blown Achilles on CenturyLink Field’s temporary grass surface last weekend. The Rapids rebounded with that impressive 4-1 pounding of the Red Bulls on Wednesday — highlighted by breakout star Sanna Nyassi's hat trick — but Casey’s absence may show its effects further down the line. Caleb Folan should get ample chances to show his worth, starting with the Revolution’s visit on Saturday, but the big Irishman has struggled to duplicate Casey’s goal-scoring prowess and hold-up play all year. 6) Can Aron Winter really make the 4-3-3 work in Toronto? Based on evidence to date, the answer is no. But the formation is almost sacred in Dutch coaching lore and Winter has essentially turned over his roster in midseason in search of the right pieces. He says he saw positive signs in the 1-0 loss to Dallas, and a trip to steamy Kansas City offers the next test. New DPs Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans will need to be lively to blunt Sporting’s speed and movement. 5) Who will triumph in Saturday’s battle of grinders at Crew Stadium? They’re not quite mirror images, but Columbus and Portland share plenty of similarities: size, spirit, emphasis on set pieces and hard-nosed coaches preaching a dogged, physical style. Expect blood and thunder when they meet on Saturday, which will make for a battle of attrition given the heat wave that will keep the heat index in the high 90s, even for an 8 pm kickoff. 4) Cunningham Watch: Does Moreno’s record fall this weekend? There probably won’t be news helicopters hovering overhead or breathless TV reporters milling around outside Crew Stadium to provide live updates, but there are nonetheless plenty of MLS observers anxiously waiting to see if, and when, Jeff Cunningham will break Jaime Moreno’s all-time league scoring record. Last week the Jamaican-born former US international graciously ceded the spotlight to Crew legend Brian McBride on his induction into the club’s Circle of Honor, but Cunningham is due for his own moment in the sun — as is the Columbus attack, which has scored just one goal in the past four matches. 3) Has the Vancouver fiasco placed a valuable chip on RSL’s shoulder? Real Salt Lake are certified members of the MLS elite, but coach Jason Kreis and his club seem to prefer adversity. Just as he did during his own playing career, Kreis loves to use perceived slights to motivate his squad, so the weekend rainout in Vancouver — where RSL suspected that Monday’s friendly with Manchester City was a higher priority for the Whitecaps than their league clash with Real — may serve him well in the long run. Expect Salt Lake to be fresh and fired up for San Jose’s visit on Saturday. 2) How will Houston reload? The Dynamo shook things up with their big trade with the Timbers this week, and they’re clearly making room for a significant signing. Houston have managed to clamber within reach of the Eastern Conference leaders despite uncharacteristic inconsistency and a woeful road record, and Dominic Kinnear will be looking for signs of renewal in this weekend’s visit to Chivas USA. 1) What’s the next chapter in the RBNY drama? New York fans tend to be both demanding and long-suffering, and now they’re practically in open revolt after Wednesday’s clanger in Colorado. The Red Bulls have shown so much promise this season, but they’ve obviously been underachieving for months and troubling questions are being asked about their team spirit. Saturday’s home clash with in-form FC Dallas now looms as a statement game.

Real Salt Lake hires Vasquez to lead academy program

LEHI, Utah — Real Salt Lake on Thursday named Martin Vasquez as their head coach and director of soccer operations for the club's RSL-Arizona academy program. Vasquez will also serve as director of soccer for Grande Sports World and Grande Sports Academy in Casa Grande, Ariz., where the RSL academy program is based. Interestingly, Vasquez is the former head coach of Chivas USA, where former RSL academy head Greg Vanney now serves as an assistant coach. Vasquez comes on board after an extensive search following the departure of Vanney. "Real Salt Lake is excited to add a coach of Martin’s caliber to our youth program," RSL's general manager Garth Lagerwey said in a statement. "We looking forward to working with him to prepare our academy players for the next level." Vasquez played in both Major League Soccer and the Mexican Primera División and also suited up for both the Mexican and United States national teams during his playing career. "It is a great honor and a dream come true to be able to make a positive impact on the young men at the Real Salt Lake-Arizona academy, who we hope to develop into great players for Real Salt Lake, Grande Sports World and universities around the country," said the 47-year-old Vasquez. "I am looking forward to achieving great things both on and off the field with the academy players." Mike Muñoz, who has served as head of the program in Vanney’s absence, should be able to help Vasquez get up to speed with the program. Muñoz was a player at Chivas in 2005-06 while Vasquez served as an assistant coach.   On another note, the club announced on Wednesday that it has signed speedy striker Chris Agorsor, formerly with the Philadelphia Union. Agorsor has been on trial with the team for the better part of the month and was one player who had stuck around amid a revolving door of trialists over that stretch.   "He has some potential, and we hope he pans out," Lagerwey told the

Nyarko admits he's pulling for draw vs. Manchester United

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — Chicago Fire winger Patrick Nyarko should be congratulated for his honesty. While every Fire fan may be dreaming of a win against Manchester United when the two teams meet in the World Football Challenge on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes), the Ghanaian is pulling for a draw. "I want to say I want to beat Manchester United but at the same time I hate to see them lose ever," he told MLSsoccer.com. "Hopefully I can play a great game and maybe it ends in a tie or something, that’d be ideal." Why would Nyarko go public with his desire for a tie? He is the self-described biggest United fan on the Fire roster and his love for the English giants runs so deep that he’s conflicted about how he wants Saturday’s match to turn out. "It’s Manchester United, the team I’ve supported since I was a kid," Nyarko said. "I’m a real diehard fan of Man. U and I watch every game they play. It’s amazing thinking five years back, I didn’t see myself here and I definitely didn’t see myself playing against Manchester United. I’m going to go out there cherish it, make the most of it and play my game. Hopefully I can have a great game." Not that playing a great game will be easy. United are one of the best teams in the world and, despite the fact that they’re only in preseason, they already appear to be clicking, steamrolling the New England Revolution 4-1 in WFC match last week. The Revs were chasing United all over the field in that match; something Nyarko is ruing having to do on Saturday. "One thing’s for sure, the chasing is not going to be fun," he said. "We’re going to chase them around the field and it’s not going to be fun. They’re a great passing team, [they have] great movement, they’re a great soccer team. It doesn’t matter where they are, preseason or wherever. I saw them against New England just knocking the ball around and their movement of the ball, the precision of their passing, all of their technical stuff is unbelievable." Manchester United play the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday night (10 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer) before traveling to Chicago and then closing out their US summer tour with the AT&T MLS All-Star Game and a match against FC Barcelona on July 30. "It’s more about going out there and having fun playing against some of your heroes," Nyarko added. "Our main goal is to try to make it hard as a possible for them and hopefully they have a bad day and we take advantage of it."

WFC: Onyewu joins new club Sporting for trip to Toronto

US defender Oguchi Onyewu could make his first start for his new European side at the Herbalife World Football Challenge after he was included in Sporting Clube de Portugal’s 25-man roster that will travel to face Juventus FC on Saturday in Toronto (7 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes). Onyewu, who made his debut with the

Gringo Report: Corona, Gomez both have strong weekends

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — With the Apertura 2011 starting on Friday, it was an important weekend of action for Americans South of the Border as they seek to consolidate starting spots for the big kickoff. Joe Benny Corona (above) impressed for the

Goats' Kennedy keeps his roll going against Red Bulls

CARSON, Calif – Take one look at Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and you can see that he’s been a man on a mission this year. That mission? To backstop Chivas USA into a contender. Throughout the season Kennedy has been forced to make numerous big saves to keep the Rojiblancos in matches, and Saturday’s tilt against the New York Red Bulls was no different. Kennedy made four saves to help his side to their fifth shutout of the year, securing a 0-0 draw which helped the club extend their four-game unbeaten streak. WATCH; Full Match Highlights "[Kennedy] was very good again, his confidence continues to grow week after week, he continues to make such crucial plays for us," said head coach Robin Fraser. "The fact of the matter is that we want to play so well that our goalkeeper isn’t the first player that we talk about, but having said that he has been very good and very solid." Kennedy’s finest effort came in the 25th minute of play when Red Bulls attacker Joel Lindpere broke a through the left side of the Rojiblancos’ defense and forced a diving stop. During the second half, as New York continued to push for the go-ahead goal, Kennedy was again forced to make stops. First he kept Juan Agudelo’s header out of the net in the 67th minute, then he stymied several RBNY forays into the box with superior positioning and command of the area. "I’ve finally got a good run of games and I feel like I’m seeing the game well. I think that me and the defenders are gelling," said Kennedy. "We’re on the same page and when I can read what my defenders are going to do then it’s easier for me to cut down angles and make plays." Kennedy’s confidence has not just produced saves, but a willingness to be vocal and organize a Chivas USA backline that remains a work in progress. Dealing with such a young and impressionable defense has at times forced Kennedy and veteran defender Heath Pearce to dish out a little wisdom on the fly at times. One such moment came against New York when rookie defender Zarek Valentin did not make a defensive stop, resulting in a RBNY shot. Kennedy ran up and had a few words for his rookie defender. Following the match, Valentin admitted that he had never seen that side of Kennedy, but when asked about his powwow, Kennedy couldn’t help but laugh. "We’ve given up late points in the past and I was making sure that we didn’t do that again," said a chuckling and self-assured Kennedy. For this weekend, mission accomplished.

WFC: América looking to stay on track vs. Man. City

SAN FRANCISCO — When Carlos Reinoso took the reins of Club América in late January of this year, he did so with one purpose in mind: to reinstall the high-flying attack synonymous with the club. It’s an ideology he has preached — and has kept preaching — since Day 1. "We’ve got to be an offensive team, aggressive," the coach said after training at Kezar Stadium on Friday ahead of a World Football Challenge match against Manchester City on Saturday (8 pm ET, TeleFutura). "We’ve got to be a team that pressures the opposition on their half of the field." During the Apertura 2010 tournament, under the direction of former Mexico national team coach Miguel Lapuente,

FC Dallas get Hernandez back for DC tilt

FRISCO, Texas — After missing FC Dallas’ previous two games due to a lingering knee issue, Daniel Hernandez will be ready for Saturday’s showdown against D.C. United (9 pm ET, watch LIVE online ). "Right now I feel good and good to go," said Hernandez after participating in Friday’s hour-long training session on the Pizza Hut Park field. "I’m available, so it will be what coach [Schellas Hyndman] decides to do." With Andrew Jacobson questionable for the match after suffering a hamstring injury in a 2-0 loss at Real Salt Lake last weekend, Hernandez’s return becomes all the more vital for FCD’s midfield line. The veteran, who communicates with his teammates in both English and Spanish and has an understanding of the game that comes only with experience, will provide a calming presence at defensive mid, something FCD will definitely need as they take on a new-look DC team. In FC Dallas’ first match of 2011 against D.C. United, the Western Conference side needed some late-game heroics from goalkeeper Kevin Hartman on a point-blank shot from Fred to leave RFK Stadium with a draw. But DC are a different and more dangerous team now with their recent addition of attacking midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. "I think he was their missing piece," said Hyndman. "[He’s] somebody that can really penetrate through the center and open up the opportunities for the flanks." DC are unbeaten in their past four games and are coming off a 1-0 win away win against the New York Red Bulls, a match in which De Rosario scored the game-winner against his former team. "I think DC are playing their best soccer right now," said Hyndman. "They are starting to play with a lot of confidence and they got through that injury phase. They have a very good strike force. Josh Wolff, [Charlie] Davies up front, then you got [Chris] Pontius, [Andy] Najar — they’ve got a very good strike force and now they add De Rosario." On Saturday, the onus of stopping De Rosario & Co. will likely fall on Hernandez, who sits in front of the FCD defense and patrols the field. While DC, who currenly sit in sixth place in the East, have numbers that don’t exactly jump out, Hernandez and his teammates aren’t fooled. "It’s one of those teams that they are better than what their record is and they have a really good team," said Hernandez. "It’s just going to be a really tough test for us because they are coming in with a little confidence and obviously playing better." If FC Dallas can control DC, the team will have the necessary momentum heading into their away matches at Toronto, New York and a big tilt against Salvadoran side Alianza FC in CONCACAF Champions League play.

What a difference a year makes for new and improved DC

WASHINGTON — What a difference a year makes. After picking up three points last weekend over rivals New York, D.C. United matched their point total from all of last season, 22, at just the halfway point of 2011. "It feels great," defender Dejan Jakovic said of the improvement. "Obviously, last year was miserable. Coming off a big win [against New York], we’re moving in the right direction, right where we want to be." WATCH: Davies buries Najar rebound As is typical for any team coming off a poor season, plenty of changes were made to DC’s roster, with the overall aim to simply improve the team’s talent. Forwards Charlie Davies, Joe Ngwenya and Josh Wolff were added, US youth international Perry Kitchen fell to them in the SuperDraft, and Ethan White was signed to a Home Grown contract. All have played their part in the rebuild, with rookies Kitchen and White playing significant minutes in defense, and Wolff and Davies leading a rejuvenated offense that has already surpassed their 2010 goal total as well. Club great Ben Olsen, who took over in August of last year and was named head coach as part of the offseason changes, has shown to be the right person for the job. Everything he was known for as a player — his high work rate, fiery personality and leadership style — translates into his coaching. "He’s a guy that will get into when you need to get into and he’s also a guy that respects you as a person and demands that respect as a coach," midfielder Chris Pontius said. "Everything’s gone pretty smooth with him this year." However, Olsen deflected credit away from himself and onto the fact that the roster is much improved. "I don’t think it’s anything necessarily that I’m doing," Olsen quipped. "We’re just a better group of players," Olsen said. While the new additions are making their mark, holdovers from last year are contributing as well. After a slow start to the season, last year’s Rookie of the Year, Andy Najar, continues to electrify on the right flank, while another Academy product, goalkeeper Bill Hamid, is growing and improving each game. But perhaps most important is the health of Pontius, who leads the team in minutes played and is one of two DC players to appear in every game. Last year, a hamstring injury limited him even when on the field. After recovering from offseason surgery, he’s back to terrorizing opposing defenders on the left wing. "It helps us a ton," midfielder Clyde Simms said of having a healthy Pontius. "I think he keeps teams on their toes, looks to take guys on, and get forward every time he gets the ball. That’s something we’ve lacked." Things may be better so far, but Olsen & Co. know that work remains if they hope to reach their goal of qualifying for the playoffs. Their two latest additions, Dwayne De Rosario and Brandon McDonald, will have their say as the second half of the season begins this weekend on the road against FC Dallas.

Postcard from Europe: Ex-US int'l Hill ready for new path

AMSTERDAM — Kamani Hill has been a second-team player for four years now and he's had enough of it. Having agreed to a contract buy-out with Vitória Guimarães last week, the oft-forgotten US international is ready to change the script on his career. The 25-year-old attacker from Berkeley, Calif., was unable to make a first-team dent in two years with the

Seattle, Schmid continue to emphasize US Open Cup

TUKWILA, Wash. — In the past two seasons, there were those around the league who downplayed Seattle’s back-to-back Lamar Hunt US Open Cups. Long considered by some teams a secondary competition, many MLS outfits used the Open Cup to get minutes for reserves and didn’t appear too disappointed when they crashed out. According to Seattle coach Sigi Schmid, that attitude is changing. "I think so, definitely, because winning the US Open Cup brings with it qualification into the [CONCACAF] Champions League," Schmid said. "I think everyone’s emphasis on the Open Cup has become increased and I think teams are showing that in their bidding process." Since year one, Seattle have placed a strong emphasis on the competition. However, with more MLS teams gunning for the CCL berth, this might be the most competitive Open Cup in recent memory. With that in mind, what sort of lineup will LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena bring to Seattle for Wednesday night’s quarterfinal? It’s difficult to imagine a global icon like David Beckham playing at tiny Starfire Sports Stadium, but not impossible. LA only have a friendly against Real Madrid on the weekend, which opens up the possibility of a full-strength lineup of Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Juan Pablo Angel. Arena’s historically cagey about even revealing his travel squad, so Schmid has forged forward in his preparations without that knowledge. "We have to do what we’re going to do," Schmid said. "We played on Sunday and we have a game again on Saturday, so we have to keep both of those things in perspective." These two teams faced off in 2010’s USOC, with Seattle riding Nate Jaqua’s brace to a 2-0 victory. After that loss at Starfire, Arena said that USOC games "don’t make sense" and blasted the match as essentially "a reserve game". In any case, Seattle comes into the match with the same motivation to succeed due to their desire to re-enter the CCL. Berths are available to the MLS teams who finish in the top two in the MLS Cup playoffs, win the Supporters’ Shield, or win the US Open Cup. (Canadian teams are exempt from these qualification routes – they must qualify by winning the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.) With a handful of teams—including Seattle—breathing down the Galaxy's neck for the Supporters’ Shield, maybe the Open Cup will become more important to LA as well. 

USOC matchup looms large for Red Bulls' reserves

With a dejecting 1-0 home loss to D.C. United on Saturday night now in the rearview mirror, the New York Red Bulls will look for an ideal bounce back in the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup against the Chicago Fire on Tuesday. And the match is an opportunity for the Red Bulls’ younger players to make a statement at Toyota Park. "I think all the younger guys, all the guys who haven’t played as much this year, are looking forward to it," left back Teddy Schneider told MLSsoccer.com. "It’s something we all want to be a part of and are looking forward to. Hopefully we come away from there with the win." Schneider made his professional debut two weeks ago, starting at left back in the 2-1 Open Cup win over FC New York. He showed well along the left side with good, solid positioning and made some smart runs off the ball. Schneider admitted to some nerves before his first ever game of significance for the Red Bulls. "I was a little nervous before the game for sure," Schneider said. "But then I settled down when the game started and it was just about playing the game. I don’t think I will be as nervous for this game." But the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup are still s a big deal for Schneider and his teammates, and he says he is just "excited to be a part of something this big" with the club. With three wins, the Red Bulls would win the tournament and book an automatic berth in the CONCACAF Champions League, a nice accomplishment and the first significant silverware for the franchise. Head coach Hans Backe said after Saturday’s loss that the Fire game will feature largely reserve players, which means that Schneider will be called on to play a large role if the team is to progress. Monday in training at Montclair State University, the squad worked on the game plan and formation for the match in Chicago. "We’ve spent a lot of time today working on our shape, on how we will defend," Schneider said. "Chicago is a fast team, they will use their pace to try and get behind us. We need to be aware of that so we can come out of this with a win and get into the semifinals."

Chicago rue conceding set-piece goals in loss to Galaxy

Before this weekend, the Chicago Fire hadn’t lost a game or given up a set-piece goal under interim head coach Frank Klopas. They did both on Saturday, conceding twice on set plays en route to a crushing 2-1 defeat at the league leading LA Galaxy. "We’re desperate, we needed a point more than they did," Fire winger Patrick Nyarko told MLSsoccer.com by phone after the match. "I thought we came out with the right intentions to go out and win the game and I thought we played pretty well, just gave up two bad set-piece goals and here we are with a loss." WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS "It’s real disappointing," Nyarko added. "Everyone is really disappointed because we put everything into it and executed the game plan. We just didn’t finish out the game, lost concentration on a couple plays and got beaten." After frustrating LA in the first half with some effective conservative play, the Fire opened things up after the break. Chicago started the second half strongly, controlling the play and generating several dangerous chances. But the Fire lost the momentum in the 58th, when defender Gonzalo Segares let Galaxy forward Landon Donovan beat him to a David Beckham free kick at the back post for a headed goal. Chicago answered Donovan’s goal four minutes later, equalizing with a well-worked goal that forward Cristian Nazarit finished strongly. But the Fire didn’t make the deadlock last long, conceding in the 65th minute, again on a set piece. This time, Beckham did it himself, curling a low corner kick through the legs of three players — including Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson — and into the back of the net for a bizarre goal. Though they hadn’t given up any dead-ball goals under Klopas before Saturday, conceding on set pieces is somewhat familiar for the Fire, who gave up seven set-play goals in their first 11 games. "It was just losses in concentration," Nyarko said of the goals. "[Beckham’s] probably the best set-piece taker in the world and I think that we shut down for a couple of those and they punished us. "I think we got comfortable with the fact that we haven’t conceded a set piece goal in a while. And against a good team with a good player like Beckham, we cannot afford to do that." Despite their difficulties on set plays, Chicago would have left LA with a point if they had put away their opportunities. The Fire, who have struggled with their finishing all season, missed a golden chance in the 72nd minute, when wide-open attacker Marco Pappa hit a Nyarko pass over the bar from 12 yards out. Though Pappa’s chance was the Fire’s last real opportunity of the match, Chicago still found a way to go out with a bang. The Fire bench erupted after LA midfielder Chris Birchall brought Nyarko down with a harsh challenge in stoppage time, sending players and coaches onto the field and leading to substitute defender Josip Mikulic’s ejection. Mikulic, who was not in the game at the time of the incident, will be suspended for the July 16 home match against Portland. The Fire won’t have a lot of time to stew about the tackle or Mikulic’s ejection, though. They play again next Tuesday, July 12, hosting what will be a reserve-laden New York Red Bulls squad in the US Open Cup quarterfinals at Toyota Park — a game for which Nyarko, who had to be subbed off after the challenge, said he should be available.  "We have to take it a game at a time," Nyarko said. "As much as this is disappointment, we have a quick turnaround and a win on Tuesday would bring our spirits back."

Real Madrid name Ronaldo, Kaká to powerful WFC squad

The stars will descend upon America when Spanish power Real Madrid come stateside to participate in this summer’s World Football Challenge. On Thursday, the 2010-11 La Liga runners-up and Champions League semifinalists unveiled a loaded roster highlighted by La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, Spanish national-teamers Iker Casillas, Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos, defensive stalwarts Ricardo Carvalho and Pepe, as well as former Golden Ball and World Player of the Year winner Kaká.

Chivas USA look to avoid letdown against Sporting

CARSON, Calif. — Chivas USA's season has been a total seesaw of results: letdowns after impressive victories, and wins when they find themselves struggling. After a big 2-0 midweek win against the San Jose Earthquakes to snap a four-game winless streak, the Rojiblancos, needless to say, are hoping to retain their good form. Led by a strong defense and energetic midfield to get the much needed win at home on Wednesday, Chivas USA now travel to Livestrong Sporting Park to take on a motivated Sporting Kansas City side (7:30 pm ET, Galavision). The match is the third in eight days for head coach Robin Fraser's side, who believe that the win over San Jose can serve as a catalyst for a run of good results. "[Sporting are] a tough team who are on a bit of a hot streak right now," midfielder Nick LaBrocca (pictured above) told MLSsoccer.com. "They're going to be feeling good about themselves because of their new home, so it'll be a tough game, but hopefully an exciting one." "Exciting" benefits the fast-paced game of LaBrocca, but the Rojiblancos will be eager to slow the game down and shut down Sporting stars Graham Zusi and Teal Bunbury. Throughout the season, Chivas USA have struggled playing in shootouts against other teams. When the Rojiblancos head east, the goal will be to not just stop the chances Sporting genrates, but to prevent the chances before they happen. "We're at our best when, instead of putting out a fire, we avoid fires all together," said defender Heath Pearce. "We did a good job of killing things at the root of everything against San Jose and now we face a team that we can beat. Our confidence is high and hopefully we can use that momentum to get a result." Chivas USA will be keenly aware that the crowd at Livestrong Sporting Park will be against them, but the energetic LaBrocca is confident of the Rojiblancos’ abilities under pressure. "We are a very stubborn team and when things aren't going our way, we're just going to keep pounding it out until we get our way," quipped LaBrocca.

Schellas XI: Talking first team to 10 wins

FRISCO, Texas — In our weekly series starring Schellas Hyndman, the FC Dallas head coach addresses 11 topics in brevity including the win over the Columbus Crew, being the first team to 10 wins, Ricardo Villar’s improvement and David Ferreira’s road to recovery. I. FC Dallas improved to 10-4-4 last Saturday night with their third straight victory, a 2-0 win over the visiting Columbus Crew at a sold-out Pizza Hut Park. "I thought it was a good performance by FC Dallas from the beginning of the game to the end of the game. One of the harder things to do is a commitment to keep focus throughout the 90 minutes." II. Brek Shea scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season and the in-form Jackson tallied his fourth goal in four games across all competitions on a highlight-worthy chip shot from 18 yards out. "Jackson has come to life since his trip to Brazil, since his marriage. I’ve got a few other guys telling me that they are thinking about getting married." III-IV. Another Brazilian, Ricardo Villar, received significant minutes for the first time in 2011 after registering a goal and an assist in the third-round Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game. "We never ever questioned his ability on the ball. We never questioned his intelligence. There was just an adjustment to the league — the speed of play and the physical part of it." "It was a reward on his USOC performance but, at the same time, it was adjusting into what we want him to do." V-VI. With the help of Shea, Villar, Jackson and another superb performance from goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, FC Dallas became the first MLS side to reach 10 wins in the 2011 season. "Somebody brought it to my attention and I didn’t even think about it, but once I heard about it I liked it." "The fact that we’re the first team that has 10 wins — you know, last year what did we have, a total of 12 wins? To be the first one there that’s great. I’d like to be the first one to 15." VII. FC Dallas now face a stiff challenge as they play six of their next nine games on the road, starting Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium against Real Salt Lake. "We spent a half-hour today talking about the month of July. The eight games — I got it on the calendar and on our board." VIII-IX. In late July, FCD travel to Toronto, New York and then El Salvador to play Alianza FC as they begin their quest to enter the group phase of the CONCACAF Champions League. "That’s three very important games all in the span of a week. To make it more clear — three different games in three different countries — that’s a lot of traveling and you’re also dealing with the El Salvadoran culture." X-XI. Even with the team consistently earning three points, FC Dallas continue to be without their MVP David Ferreira as he recovers from a broken ankle suffered in late April. "He had a meeting this morning with the doctor to give him a lit bit of progress. ‘Can we get you out of the boot? If we can’t get you out of the boot at what point in time can we get you to do something — some type of activity?’" "When he got hurt, the initial conversation with me was that he would be out for about three months. He’s just getting out of the boot now."

Banged-up DC United finally on the mend

WASHINGTON — For a team that seems to face a spate of never-ending injury problems, things have been looking up lately for D.C. United. Hitting the halfway point of their season on Saturday, DC continue to manage minutes and training levels in an effort to keep players healthy. During Wednesday’s training session, several regulars were given a lighter load, with a reserve-heavy side going through the motions. A few injured players were back, meanwhile, and are all slowly creeping towards full fitness. "We’re not all the way there, but we’re getting closer to having a lot more options," assistant coach Chad Ashton said. "It makes training a lot more competitive and it’s good to have bodies and options on the weekend." DC were able to use Sunday’s reserve match — a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Union — to give a number of players coming off injuries a chance to go 90 minutes. Striker Joseph Ngwenya (MCL sprain) was able to play and scored twice, and midfielder Kurt Morsink and defender Marc Burch also saw valuable minutes. Burch, at one time the team’s starting left back, hasn’t played in a league outing since April 29, struggling with a hamstring injury. He played 45 minutes in the reserve game and is inching closer to full fitness. Center back Dejan Jakovic, who picked up a hamstring injury while away on international duty at the beginning of June, could also make his return in a couple of weeks. "Dejan’s back running, getting some touches in here and there," Ashton said. While DC only have the league to focus on in the summer months of the season, that will help keep players fresh and healthy during the trying stretch. "The more you start to string games back-to-back-to-back, not only are guys getting tired, they’re becoming more prone to injuries on the weekend," Ashton  said. "To have more options and be able to rotate three or four guys on the weekend is a big advantage." It’s not all good news, however. Oft-injured defender Jed Zayner picked up a knee injury last week in training that required surgery on Friday, and he’s now scheduled to miss another six weeks. Branko Boskovic remains on the long-term injury shelf as he continues his recovery from an ACL tear, while Santino Quaranta and Devon McTavish are also out indefinitely with concussions. During Sunday’s reserve game, defender Brandon Barklage suffered a concussion of his own and is now out as well.

Fit-again Rodgers returns to training for New York

UPPER MONTCLAIR, N.J. — After missing the Red Bulls’ last three league games and their US Open Cup win last week due to a heel injury, forward Luke Rodgers was on the training ground with the first team on Tuesday preparing for Wednesday night’s match against Toronto FC (8 pm ET, watch LIVE online). It was the first time in three weeks that the Englishman has been able to train with the team and Rodgers, the team’s second leading scorer, looked fit, showing no real hesitation in possession games and tactical training. "[It’s] just been a nightmare, an absolute nightmare really, that’s all I can say about it," Rodgers told MLSsoccer.com of his prolonged absence. "If you have a hamstring injury, you can do something about it, get treatment. With a heel injury, what can you do? Just rest. It’s a pain, a real pain." Rodgers’ hard-charging ways have prompted Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe to call the striker "a pain" for defenders. The Red Bulls are hoping that a healthy Rodgers can help put more pressure on opposing backlines and open up the field for the rest of the team, including fellow forward Thierry Henry. "That’s the kind of guy you want around," Henry said of his strike partner. "He moves around, he gets in [the opponent’s] face." After training on Tuesday at Montclair State University, Rodgers took anti-inflammatory shots to help manage the pain. Backe maintains that Rodgers is "ready to get involved," but the forward is a tad bit more reserved than his coach in giving a prognosis. "I’m not sure yet," Rodgers said. "Have to wait and see how I respond but today wasn’t bad. It’s been a nightmare and I just hope it’s over, really. I hope that I am ready to go at it and give it a go for Toronto and go out there and help us get three points." Cup Dream A team that had Supporters' Shield ambitions in the preseason seems to be more focused on another piece of silverware. New York endured a rough stretch in May and June when the team lost five regulars to the Gold Cup and others to injuries, and the Red Bulls aren’t expecting to find themselves atop the table at the end of the season. That means that they won’t press the panic button just yet. "It would be nice to get a win, of course, but I don’t think we need to pressure the guys," Backe said. "I want to be No. 1 in December." And the MLS Cup now seems to be the Red Bulls ultimate goal. "The only thing that matters here is the playoffs," Henry said. "That’s the beauty of it. Three Points Over the course of their last 11 games during that tough stretch in May and June, New York have won just once, churning out eight draws in the process. The vultures aren’t circling overhead yet; the Red Bulls sit just three points outside the top of the Eastern Conference. But a win is needed, if only for this team’s psyche. "Draws are not getting us too far, we need to start winning and start finishing games," midfielder Teemu Tainio told MLSsoccer.com. "Every home game is a must-win game. Draws don’t do us any good anymore." The pressure is there for two wins this week as New York hosts both Toronto and D.C. United at Red Bull Arena "We all know we need a win – a win right now is massive," Rodgers said. "A lot of draws. We know we need a win, no one needs to tell us that."

Best XI: The top American players in MLS

Monday NY Gaffer: Four-game road swing finally over

This week’s Monday Gaffer looks at yet another tie, Saturday night’s 2-2 draw against San Jose. The splitting of the points on the road ends New York’s four-game road trip through Portland, Seattle, Chicago and finally, this past weekend in Northern California. Fit to be Tied – It’s better than losses, but the Red Bulls seem to be racking up nothing but ties. Eight times in the last 11 games, New York has earned a draw. The good news is that the vast majority of these results came on the road and with a number of regulars away with their national teams for the Gold Cup. Although Rafa Márquez will miss at least two more weeks due to his hamstring injury, the Red Bulls should see Thierry Henry (flu) and Luke Rodgers (plantar fasciitis) return to the field this Wednesday against Toronto. "We have to be realistic," assistant head coach Jan Halvorsen said. "We played four games on the road. As long as we get points." Bulls Get Tripped Up – Head coach Hans Backe calls them "individual mistakes" and the Red Bulls succumbed to them twice against San Jose. In the first half, goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul did well to corral a corner kick in the area, only to drop the service, allowing Khari Stephenson to equalize. Then in the second half, Steven Lenhart split the centerback duo of Carlos Mendes and Tim Ream to powerfully head home a cross into the area, leaving Coundoul no chance to stop the effort. The Red Bulls have been victimized by lapses of concentration and after dominating the first half, midfielder Dax McCarty said the team should have had a halftime lead. "I don’t think San Jose could come close to us," McCarty said. But for the individual mistakes, New York could have had three points. McCarty’s Debut – Acquired last Monday in a trade that sent Dwayne De Rosario to D.C. United, McCarty played an inspired first game for his new club. Having already played a critical role in FC Dallas advancing to the MLS Cup final last year, McCarty is a young player in his prime who can provide a good presence on the field, capable of winning balls and starting the counterattack.  "I think it’s going to be a great fit for myself," McCarty said. "Hopefully I can prove to the fans and the coaches and my teammates that I deserve to be here and I can help them win." It’s Over – After four straight league away games, the team now returns to the confines of Red Bull Arena for matches this week against Toronto FC and D.C. United. With the chance to play before the atmosphere of the South Ward and defend their home turf, six points has to be on the minds of New York. This was a tough road trip for the Red Bulls mentally, physically and emotionally and now they can set things right at home and begin making a push for the top of the Eastern Conference. "I think all the players look forward to that," Halvorsen said. With a near full roster available again, there are no excuses this week for the Red Bulls.

Sounders still trying to break through against Galaxy

TUKWILA, Wash. - Injury-free Seattle hopes to finally break through against the LA Galaxy Monday night (10:30 pm ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com). Winners of three straight, the surging Sounders are set to try to reverse the historical tide of the series. Landon Donovan and Co. own a perfect 5-0-0 record over Seattle in the past two seasons. That includes a 1-0 Galaxy victory to start the 2011 season, a game that left goalkeeper Kasey Keller frustrated.  "We know we should have gotten something out of that game in the first game of the season," Keller said. Seattle’s confidence is high coming into the return leg, with the three-game winning streak under their belt and the expected return of striker Fredy Montero. Montero’s return is bolstered by the recent play of Mauro Rosales, who has started Seattle’s past five matches. On the opposite side of the ledger, David Beckham’s likely exclusion weakens the Galaxy lineup as the English midfielder deals with a stress fracture of his spine. Even with those factors in Seattle’s favor, Keller knows LA always present a difficult challenge. "They have the most points in the league, and they had the most points in the league last year, and so you have to give them a lot of credit because of that," Keller said. "They’ve consistently been winning more games than anybody else. We know we’ve got a tough task." The futility against the Galaxy weighs heavily on Keller and the Sounders franchise as Seattle-LA games have always been heated affairs. In the first meeting at then-Qwest Field, James Riley was sent off after an altercation with Mike Magee. In 2010, the Galaxy’s 4-0 shellacking of the Sounders induced management to offer season-ticket holders a refund for the price of that match. In the 2010 MLS Playoffs, Los Angeles strangled the life out of the Sounders attack to advance by a 3-1 aggregate score in the Western Conference semifinals.   While Schmid concedes that "It’s a rivalry that’s greatly in their favor right now," Keller hopes this Independence Day match will be the one that turns the tide. "This is a big game now," Keller said. "We’re obviously disappointed with the way we’ve played against them the last three or four times so we’re going to go down there and try to make that right."

Despite goal vs. Chivas, Oduro disappointed with himself

It was the same song with a different tune for the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.  Chicago tied their fourth game in a row, drawing Chivas USA 1-1 at the Home Depot Center. The Fire have now tied seven of their last eight league matches, compiling a total of 12 draws this year, which are two short of the MLS single-season record with 16 games left on their schedule. Unlike last week, when the Fire tied New York 1-1 at Toyota Park, Chicago took the early lead on Saturday. Attacker Dominic Oduro put the Fire ahead in the 26th minute, collecting a ball on the left wing before racing behind the Chivas defense and into the box, where he beat goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to the far post from a tight angle. WATCH: Full Highlights: CHV 1, CHI 1 But Oduro, who is now tied for the team lead in goals with five, also missed a pair of golden opportunities, botching two one-on-one chances with Kennedy that — if finished — could’ve given the Fire all three points. "I want to say that I’m really disappointed in myself," Oduro told MLSsoccer.com after the match. "I created a lot of chances and I probably could’ve done more in terms of putting balls in the back of the net." Oduro’s first miss came after eight minutes. Midfielder Baggio Husidic slipped the Ghanaian winger behind the Chivas back four on the right side, but Oduro couldn’t get his chip over Kennedy, who parried the ball away. He had another golden opportunity three minutes from halftime. Winger Patrick Nyarko played Oduro behind the back four on the left wing but, yet again, he couldn’t beat Kennedy, sending a rushed right-footer directly at the Chivas keeper.  "I think the goalie cut off the angle for me a little bit," Oduro said. "I just have to put the ball on frame, hopefully it goes in, but he made some great saves. He did a great job and I should’ve done a better job. … Again, he had some great saves so kudos to him, but I think I just need to work on some little stuff and that’s what I’m going to keep doing." Oduro’s misses came back to haunt the Fire in the 46th minute, when Chivas midfielder Nick LaBrocca equalized for the Goats. LaBrocca received a ball in the final third, turned and smashed a 25-yard half-volley, driving his left-footer off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net. Chicago didn’t close down LaBrocca on the play, allowing the veteran center midfielder all the time and space he needed to line up his strike. The Fire, who were playing their fourth match in 10 days on Saturday, return to Chicago fed up with drawing games. "We’re really frustrated right now," Oduro said. "I think we are doing so well defensively and offensively and right now we just want to win games. ... We’re not losing, but a win would be really nice."

Chivas USA's Fraser hails impact of catalyst LaBrocca

CARSON, Calif. — Chivas USA have been seeking a catalyst to help the club emerge from its recent doldrums. During the Rojiblancos’ 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire on Saturday night, it was energetic midfielder Nick LaBrocca, who made the difference in bringing an end to the team’s three-game losing streak. LaBrocca was the engine for the Goats, consistently creating opportunities in attack throughout the match for himself and his teammates. His shot that struck the crossbar in the early stages was a precursor to Chivas USA’s lone goal less than a minute into the second half also on a long-distance shot. LaBrocca's laser from 20 yards out deflected off the crossbar and into the net for the 1-1 tie. The goal was his fourth of a season which has seen him make a steady rise into All-Star consideration. WATCH: Full Highlights: CHV 1, CHI 1 Following the match, Chivas head coach Robin Fraser admitted that the LaBrocca has carried his club this season. "Nick is such a talented player with a great soccer mind and when you put that together with a great engine and is a big part of when we play well, a part of our attack," Fraser told reporters after the match. "He’s very good at finding dangerous positions for himself and, obviously, he’s technically very good around the goal." After struggling to deal with Chicago’s pace during the first half, particularly the bursts of speed from goal scorer Dominic Oduro, it was up to the Rojiblancos’ energy guy to motivate his club. LaBrocca was able ignite his squad with the goal to open the second half, which clearly boosted Chivas. Following the comeback strike, Chivas USA appeared far more confident in front of net and appeared the more dangerous side in search of the potential go-ahead goal.  "We needed a high energy start and it was big for us to get that self-belief that we could take it to another level," LaBrocca said after the match. "But unfortunately, we were unable to get the winner." Although the Rojiblancos are still sitting on 18 points, the club has three home games left in the month of July to get back into the playoff chase. Chivas USA and LaBrocca will be forced to get right back to work with a short week and a date against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday. For the spirited No. 10, Chivas USA remain a club that is not too far off from contending, especially based on their comeback on Saturday night. "Hopefully this is a good sign for us to turn the table a little bit and fix those final pieces that need some polishing," LaBrocca said after Saturday night’s draw. "I think all we need is a little hot streak and we’re right back in it and then no one will want to play us because we are a strong team. But we are still growing as a team and there are still things that we can get better at."

Burling's moment under the lights spoiled by Lindpere

STANFORD, Calif. — Growing up in Colorado, San Jose Earthquakes center back Bobby Burling always looked forward to his family’s tradition of watching the Rapids play on Fourth of July weekend and sticking around for the postgame fireworks show. He probably never imagined the kind of fireworks he’d provide in San Jose’s 2-2 tie with the New York Red Bulls before a franchise-record 41,028 at Stanford Stadium on Saturday. WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS First, Burling was victimized by Joel Lindpere’s 85th-minute drive from just outside the penalty box, when his attempted clearance instead led to the ball zipping past goalkeeper Jon Busch for a late Red Bulls equalizer. Then, adding insult to injury, the fifth-year man earned a second yellow card in injury time, resulting in his first ejection in 55 career MLS appearances. "[We’re] disappointed to concede a late goal, but I guess the nature of a deflected shot is always hard to take," Quakes coach Frank Yallop said. "Jon’s going to save the shot and then it goes off Bobby’s head and goes in." Busch felt he had a good bead on the ball, but with the Quakes defense under siege — Busch had made superlative stops on Dane Richards and Lindpere in the previous 30 seconds — it was hard to fault Burling for trying to steer a third attempt wide of the net. Burling was gone by the time media members arrived in the Earthquakes locker room, but it was obviously not the way the 26-year-old wanted to finish a week that began with a vote of confidence; San Jose management felt comfortable enough with Burling’s body of work to sell off fellow center back Brandon McDonald to D.C. United on Monday in exchange for allocation money. "I thought that he actually had a really good game, just a couple of unlucky instances," Quakes star Chris Wondolowski said of Burling. "That’s one of the reasons why I don’t play defense: You mess up, and it costs [you] a goal. I mess up on offense, it’s alright. "It’s not even a mess-up. It’s just one of those things where it’s an unfortunate bounce for them. You can’t blame him." Steven Lenhart, whose 68th-minute goal had put San Jose (5-5-6) in position to take a second comeback win in less than a month, said that Burling has to stay the course despite the unwanted outcome. "Those things happen," Lenhart said. "You don’t dwell on them. You don’t change your game because of them. I think you have to go for that ball every time. ... We’re definitely going to miss him." Burling took his first card in the 80th minute after using a rough-and-tumble shoulder block to dispossess New York forward Juan Agudelo. He was sent off for making a lunging stab at the ball as the Quakes attempted to break out on the counterattack from a 91st-minute Red Bulls corner kick. New York midfielder Teemu Tainio just beat Burling to the ball, short-circuiting what could have been a promising break with numbers for the Quakes. Burling, who shot up immediately after referee Edvin Jurisevic blew his whistle, looked to have been impeded by New York defender Roy Miller just before the showdown with Tainio. That didn’t move Jurisevic, however, who swiftly showed Burling the gate. "I thought Bobby Burling was getting pulled back and we were on a three-on-one break," Yallop said. "It seemed a weird call for me." With McDonald gone and Ike Opara still injured, Yallop’s first two choices as a replacement are right back Chris Leitch and holding midfielder Brad Ring. The coach said he wouldn’t decide until San Jose reconvenes on Monday.