On Fire: Chicago back in USOC final

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — The Chicago Fire are finally back in a US Open Cup final. The so-called "Kings of the Cup" beat the USL-Pro Richmond Kickers 2-1 in Tuesday night’s Open Cup semifinal at Toyota Park, advancing to their sixth USOC title game and their first since 2006. Here are three other storylines from the match: Oduro on fire Forward Dominic Oduro has scored some good goals in his recent hot streak, but none have been anywhere near as pretty as his beautiful strike Tuesday night. Oduro put the Fire up 2-0 in the 61st minute, running onto forward Patrick Nyarko’s through ball on the left wing before cutting in on his right foot and curling a gorgeously shaped shot into the right upper 90 from 20 yards out. It was his third goal in as many games. "I don’t even know who passed me the ball," Oduro said with a laugh. "But it was a great ball on the sideline. I took the defender on and he just committed himself on one side I took it to the other side, saw the net and tried to whip the ball in and it went in." The goal also made quite the impression on Chicago interim head coach Frank Klopas, who has been working with Oduro on finishing all season long.    "It was a fantastic goal," Klopas said. "I thought it was a world class goal. He just bent it upper 90, it was just fantastic. He’s been really super for us and I know that he’s going to continue to develop and get better and score more goals. He’s been fantastic."   Grazzini injured, expects to be back for San Jose Midfielder Sebastián Grazzini came off at halftime of Tuesday’s game with an injured hamstring. The Argentine playmaker, who set up and scored the Fire’s first half penalty kick, told reporters after the match that he should be back in plenty of time for Chicago’s next game, a Sept. 10 league clash at San Jose. "I had a little bit of a knock on my ankle from the last match so tonight I overcompensated with my other leg and the last play of the first half I felt it tighten up a little," Grazzini said through a translator. "But I have 10 days to recuperate so I think I will be okay." Grazzini has been great since signing with the Fire in mid-July, scoring three goals and providing two assists in seven games across all competitions. Confidence at a new high Tuesday’s win was the third in a row across all competitions for the surging Fire, who find themselves believing a little bit more with every victory. Chicago are now unbeaten in their last five games, a stretch that’s put them in the Open Cup final and just five points out of the playoffs. "I think our confidence is high," Nyarko said. "After the first win, we rode that confidence to the second one, then we rode that confidence to the third one. Now we know we can win games however close or not close they are. Every guy, no matter who is hurt and who replaces them, has the same form of confidence to jump right in and help the team progress.  I think we need to feed off of this and carry it into the remainder of the games."

DC United's trust in Willis' big-game mentality pays off

WASHINGTON — On August 13, with Bill Hamid serving a red-card suspension, D.C. United's third-string ‘keeper Joe Willis recorded a shutout in a 4-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in his MLS debut. Eight days later, Willis took a hard-luck 1-0 loss on Aug. 21 against Sporting Kansas City. The performances proved that Willis can hack it in MLS. But if it weren’t for ties to DC assistant coach Chad Ashton, Willis may have never made his way to the nation’s capital at all. Willis’ collegiate playing career began at the University of Denver in 2006 — Ashton’s last season in charge of the program before taking an assistant job with DC in early 2007. It was that year as a freshman that the coach first caught a glimpse of Willis’ game-day mentality. SAVE: Willis parries Zusi blast "There are certain guys who rise to the occasion when the big lights come on and he’s that guy, and you have to see it happen to really trust it," Ashton said. Ashton’s inside information on Willis meant that the young goalkeeper was going to be watched closely by DC. The two kept in touch sporadically after Ashton left the Pioneers, and briefly spoke in January at the MLS Combine. "I talked to [Ashton] before the draft started and he just said, ‘All the best,’" Willis said. "Towards the end of the draft, I saw that he was calling and I was confused at first. ... I talked to him and he said, 'We just traded for the pick.'" In the third round, United swapped a few picks with the LA Galaxy to add the 23-year-old in order to add depth to their stable of ‘keepers. "Going into the draft, we knew that he could be a guy that most people weren’t aware of, and the opportunity came where we could make a little move to move up and pick him up," Ashton said. Willis then arrived in DC, earned a roster spot in the preseason, and after spending more than half a season at third on the depth chart, made his first start against Vancouver. According to Ashton, fellow coaches Ben Olsen and Pat Onstad were slightly nervous going into Willis’ debut. The former Pioneers coach, however, was confident in his former player. And Willis delivered. "I’m not surprised by either performance," Ashton said of Willis’ two starts. "In both games, I thought he did a fantastic job." Following Willis’ performances, Olsen paid credit to Ashton for locating the late-round addition. "Joe’s all Chad," Olsen said last week. "I can’t take any credit for him." With Hamid healthy and no longer facing suspension, Willis will return to the bench for the time being — although he did start Monday morning’s reserve match in Toronto. But in two league games, he’s showed potential to be a reliable backup, and certainly proved the ability to rise to the occasion.

Full list of MLS players called for September FIFA dates

Call-ups for Sept. 2 and 6 FIFA dates: 51 total players representing 17 different countries from 17 MLS clubs. The vast majority of players called are from CONCACAF teams, some playing friendlies and some just starting the qualification process for the 2014 World Cup. There are also MLS players heading across the Atlantic to represent four different African squads, and the LA Galaxy’s Robbie Keane heading to Ireland to captain the Boys in Green in Euro 2012 qualifying. RBNY will lose the most with six players leaving for the international dates, while San Jose were the only club not to see anyone from their squad called in. In what shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, the US called up the most MLS players — 11 in total — followed by Canada and Jamaica with seven. Of the non-CONCACAF contingent, Gambia lead the way with three MLSers called in, including Vancouver Whitecaps Designated Player Mustapha Jarju. Chicago Fire Marco Pappa (Guatemala) Chivas USA Ante Jazic (Canada) Michael Umaña (Costa Rica)

Freak Pearce injury sums up frustrating night for Chivas

CARSON, Calif. — Chivas USA have been anchored by Heath Pearce throughout their entire season. In one moment on Saturday night, the Rojiblancos had their leader in the back taken from them, encapsulating one of their most frustrating games of the season in a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake. In the 59th minute, with the team up a man and pressing for an equalizer, Pearce went down and forced a substitution that caused Chivas to play with a makeshift back line for the rest of the match. The "freak" injury, as Pearce described, was a devastating one for a defender who had up until then had played every minute for the Rojiblancos this season and just recently been called up for US national-team duty. "It wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary," he explained after the match. "I wasn’t running hard, I wasn’t sprinting hard, I remember cutting gently to my left and I just felt a pop in my [right] hamstring. Trainers say it is swelling and they think it is a tear." WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS "Hopefully, I can get an MRI and be able to assess how bad it is," he continued. "I hope that it’s nothing and that it’s a minor strain, but [team trainers] seem confident otherwise so we’ll get an MRI and speak more specifically soon." Losing Pearce was a microcosm of Chivas USA’s struggles throughout the night. Whether it was a defensive miscue in just the 10th minute by Ante Jazic that led to the decisive goal or the fact that the Goats failed to equalize despite playing with a man advantage for more than an hour, it was a night of what could go wrong, went wrong. Time and time again, the Goats were able to control possession — particularly in the first half — but they couldn’t translate that into quality chances, leading to a great deal of frustration from head coach Robin Fraser. "We moved the ball well in the first half, very quickly and very urgently and put ourselves into great serving positions," said Fraser. "We pretty much had them in pressure the rest of the first half, so to come out in the second half without enough energy was not enough."  As Chivas USA look to put the result behind them, their focus falls to their injured leader, who they hope to have on the field once again when they face D.C. United on Sept. 10. "We have almost two weeks, and we know that muscle injuries can heal in that time," said Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy. "We’ll keep our fingers crossed for Heath and we hope that he’ll be alright.

FCD Notebook: Jacobson improving, makes trip to KC

While it was a chaotic, lightning-filled 24 hours north of the border for FC Dallas at midweek, Andrew Jacobson’s allergic reaction to peanuts and ensuing visit to the hospital topped the unpredictable climate. Following his pregame routine of eating energy bars, Jacobson grabbed one before FC Dallas headed onto the pitch at BMO Field on Thursday morning for the replay of their CONCACAF Champions League game. But this bar was filled with peanuts. "I ate like a chocolate bar in the locker room," he told MLSsoccer.com over the phone on Friday afternoon. "I eat them all the time before games, but I guess in Canada, they’re different." Jacobson — who has known about his peanut allergy his whole life — was quickly taken to the hospital after developing a violent reaction. As FC Dallas traveled to Toronto Pearson International Airport after the game to make their afternoon flight to Dallas and connection to Kansas City, Jacobson remained at the hospital unsure if he would be on the team’s flight until a stroke of fortune went FCD’s way. "I went to the hospital and one of the doctors was affiliated with Toronto, so he gave me a lot of attention," said Jacobson, who completed a pool workout with the first team in Kansas City and worked out in the hotel weight room Friday. Not all was lost on Jacobson’s trip however. He started and played 45 minutes at center back in Wednesday’s originally scheduled game before it was canceled due to inclement weather. "I really enjoyed it," he admitted of the central defense spot. "It’s definitely a different pace; you play a lot different. It helped having Kevin [Hartman] behind me, Ugo [Ihemelu] next to me, and Daniel [Hernandez] in front of me. They helped me out a lot." Jacobson added that he is available and looks forward to get on the pitch at Livestrong Sporting Park in FCD’s first visit to the new stadium on Saturday (8:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online). Castillo returns from Colombia "changed" When Fabián Castillo returned to FC Dallas earlier this month following his six-week tenure with the Colombian national team at the U-20 World Cup, he noticed a little wear and tear in his club mates. "My teammates are a little tired with all the games, but we have to work hard to obtain the championships," he said of FC Dallas’ quadruple pursuit of the US Open Cup, Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup and CONCACAF Champions League trophy. Castillo — who said he has a full tank and is ready to help his team in any way — brings a different element to the FC Dallas attack: speed and unpredictability. Head coach Schellas Hyndman said it would take two weeks for him to readjust to the system but, regardless, Castillo comes back somewhat a different player. "In my case, I come back better and a little more changed," he said of his time with the Colombian Under-20s. "I want to leave it all on the field." Castillo played for nearly an hour on Thursday morning against Toronto FC after coming on as a substitute in the home loss to Seattle last weekend. He added that while he was away, he regularly communicated with forward Maykel Galindo to see how the team was doing. "The team is doing things well," he added. "Right now, we have to work hard."

ALERT: Hurricane prompts MLS to make schedule changes

NEW YORK — Citing general public safety concerns, Major League Soccer has made the following schedule changes because of the potential impact of Hurricane Irene:

FCD survive weather, allergies to escape Toronto with win

If it wasn’t lightning storms and pouring rain washing out FC Dallas’ hopes of pulling out a result at BMO Field, it was a last-minute allergic reaction to one of their key players. But somehow FCD survived a freakish trip to Toronto, riding a goal from newly acquired backup defender Jack Stewart to beat TFC, 1-0, on Thursday to stand alone atop Group C in the CONCACAF Champions League play, with six points through two matches. It was the thankful ending to a bizarre 24 hours for Dallas, who saw a 1-0 halftime lead over Toronto wiped out by vicious weather on Wednesday night. CONCACAF elected to abandon the match and, by tournament rules, replay it in its entirety on Thursday morning. As FC Dallas re-took BMO Field on Thursday for their rare weekday-morning match, starting center back Andrew Jacobson approached head coach Schellas Hyndman and informed him of allergic reaction he was having from some locker-room snacks. "A.J. came up just as we are getting ready to walk out to the field for the game and said, ‘I’ve been into some cans over there and I didn’t realize that it had peanuts in there and I’m allergic to peanuts,’" Hyndman explained to MLSsoccer.com by phone after the match. "His body was shutting down so we had to take him to the hospital." Jacobson remained at the hospital for the duration of the game and it was uncertain whether he would join the team on their flight back to Dallas and connection to Kansas City. Stewart — less than a week after arriving on loan from NSC Minnesota Stars of the NASL — was also unaware of the situation that was developing right before kickoff as FC Dallas had only 10 players on the field. "I didn’t know what was going on," Stewart admitted to MLSsoccer.com. "They just told me to go in there and I was like, 'This is going to be interesting.’" That was only the beginning for FCD. Captain Daniel Hernandez uncharacteristically missed a 45th-minute penalty kick wide left and Dallas had to survive a late, desperate assault from the home side as a couple hundred fans watched on. But just a minute after Hernandez’s miss, Stewart answered by flicking a near-post cross from Ugo Ihemelu past Reds goalkeeper Milos Kocic. "A better script would have been you would have known you were starting," said Stewart of his fairytale beginning with FC Dallas, "but at the end of the day, I did what I was brought in here to do, and that was to give cover to guys and then try to work my way into the lineup." Hyndman had come to expect the worst Thursday morning after all of the situations that went against FCD over the previous 12 hours. And while the penalty kick proved him right, Stewart’s performance was well timed. "Just before we took the penalty kick, I said, ‘It’s going to be typical for us to miss it because so many things have been going wrong,’" Hyndman said. "It’s hard to score a goal when you are sitting on the bench and I thought [Stewart] did a really good job flicking that ball in."

Schellas XI: FC Dallas confronting a defensive dilemma

FRISCO, Texas — In our weekly series featuring Schellas Hyndman, the FC Dallas head coach addresses 11 topics in brief including the long-term benefits of George John’s possible transfer, new defender Jack Stewart, the back four and the team's recent struggles in league play. I-II. The popular topic of the week around FC Dallas is the possible transfer of center back George John to English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers. "I think when you look at a player's mind and he wants to be someplace else, it’s hard to say we’re not going to make this change. If he wants to be somewhere else, then we have to support him. This is his dream." III. FC Dallas would receive a significant financial return from the EPL side and, in turn, likely bolster the squad. "We’ll be able to keep these players that we have next year, and then we might even be able to add more players because there will be more financial opportunities for us to make the team even better." IV. The idea of losing John — a starter in 49 league games over the past two seasons — was not an easy decision for FC Dallas to grasp. "Ownership and everyone else probably are making the right decision for the future of our club so that we can compete, but this was not an easy decision for everyone to make." V-VI. The next question for Hyndman and FC Dallas: Who steps up on the back line? "We brought in Jack Stewart, who came out of Notre Dame, played — I think — a year, maybe a year-and-a-half at Real Salt Lake, [was] playing in Minnesota [Stars of NASL], but we don’t know what he can do." VII. Not knowing Stewart’s capabilities, the FCD coaching staff may rely on the proven players in their system. "The other person that could step up in that position could be Zach Loyd, and then the other person is Andrew Jacobson." VIII. Hyndman added that Jacobson might be the best aerial player on the team. As for Loyd, he has the rest of this week to recover from a hamstring injury suffered last Saturday night. "It’s going to be a little tough for [Loyd]. We hope he’ll be prepared for the Kansas City trip." IX. In the meantime, don’t expect to see Jackson at Loyd’s right back position. "Even though Jackson is very versatile, I think we see his value as an attacking player." X-XI. FC Dallas will need their back line healthy, especially given the fact that they have one point from their last three league games. "It’s got to be something that we got to address. We’ve felt like we deserved more but the reality is we only got one [point]. "We’ve had some calls go against us and I do believe the calls will even out at some point in time. The ones that go against us will probably go for us at some point in time."

USLers hoping to get noticed in friendly with Union

Brian Ackley was frustrated with his situation at the Czech Republic club FK Pribram and decided he needed to return to the United States. JT Noone (pictured above) was upset when he was one of the last players to be waived by the Philadelphia Union shortly before the 2011 season began. These days, Ackley and Noone have a new home with the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Professional Division, one they hope will serve as a gateway to Major League Soccer. And both will get a chance to impress at least one MLS team when the Philadelphia Union visit Skyline Sports Complex for an exhibition against their affiliate Islanders on Wednesday (7 pm ET). "For me, I’m always trying to get to the next level," Ackley told MLSsoccer.com. "I just enjoy the game so much." Ackley, a big target forward who played for the University of Indiana from 2005-08, trialed with a few different European clubs before inking a deal with Pribram in late 2010. But he said things quickly soured when a new coach came in and the president of the club was dealing with a health problem. "It added up and I wasn’t ready to live there anymore," he said. So Ackley, a North Carolina native, returned to his home country, where he hooked up with another Union affiliate – Reading United A.C. of the USL Premier Development League – before joining Harrisburg earlier this month when Reading’s season ended. While at Reading, the 24-year-old striker was called up for two Union Reserve League games but admitted they were "two of the worst games of his career." He’s hoping to show a little better Wednesday night. "I’m hoping to rewrite the past and get noticed," Ackley said. "I’d love to get that opportunity." Philly coaches are already familiar with Noone, who was signed by the Union midway through their inaugural season last year. Noone, who played his college ball at Philly’s Temple University, never made his official MLS debut but still very much enjoyed his few months with the club. "I really liked the team and the area because I went to school there," said Noone, who remains in close contact with Union players Danny Mwanga and Stefani Miglioranzi. "I was really familiar with everything and liked the city a lot. I still have good friends on the team." Luckily for him, Noone is also quite familiar with the City Islanders. A Harrisburg native, the 23-year-old midfielder played for the USL Pro Club all of this season and parts of last season, even while he was training with the Union. Naturally, he’d love to return to the Union, or any other MLS team. But he’s also happy to be playing professional soccer in his hometown, especially during weeks like this one when the Islanders host the Union on Wednesday before taking on the Rochester Rhinos in the National Division Final on Friday. "For now, I’m just concentrating on playing where I’m at it," Noone said. "I’ll evaluate everything else at the end of the season."

DC Notebook: Davies, DeRo rested for Portland match

In Sunday's 1-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City, two names were surprisingly absent from the D.C. United starting lineup. Charlie Davies didn’t make the 18 and Dwayne De Rosario was on the bench during Sunday night’s crucial matchup as head coach Olsen was looking to keep the pair fresh for the stretch run — although De Rosario came on at halftime and played 45 minutes. "He’s not 22 anymore," Olsen said of De Rosario after Sunday’s game. "He’s been putting us on his back for a couple weeks and I wanted to be smart with him, and I think he did a good job in the second half when he came in." Since coming to DC in June, De Rosario has played significant minutes. In the eight games prior to Sunday, he’s been on the field for all but six possible minutes, hence the need for rest. Davies, who has battled nagging injuries throughout his return to playing soccer on a full-time basis, was left out of the 18 altogether. He’s had knee and hamstring issues but was given a chance to rest ahead of DC’s home game against the Portland Timbers this Saturday. Willis gets second start WATCH: Kamara beats Willis With starting goalkeeper Bill Hamid sidelined with a hamstring injury picked up against the Chicago Fire, rookie Joe Willis earned his second-ever MLS start in Sunday’s losing effort. A little more than a week after an impressive debut in DC’s 4-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, the third-round draft pick once again earned the nod with Steve Cronin on the bench. He felt much more at ease before his second pro game. "After the first [game], I got the nerves out of my system and had a lot of confidence going into this game and it felt good," Willis said. The 23-year-old admitted that there was little he could do about Kei Kamara’s first-half goal, a blistering strike from just outside the top of the box. "He hit it well," Willis said. "I’d like to watch video of it and see how my positioning was, but it was a good shot." Aside from that, Willis was in good form on the night, making a couple of saves to keep the deficit at 1-0, including a second-half shot from Graham Zusi. A native of St. Louis, Willis said that a number of friends and relatives made the more than four-hour drive to watch him play his second game in MLS.

Wondolowski positive despite trying times for him, SJ

The San Jose Earthquakes’ lineup cards have been jumbled beyond all recognition over the course of this season, scrambled by injuries, red cards, visa paperwork and a family crisis. Throughout it all, however, there was one constant presence in the Quakes’ attack: 2010 Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski. Saturday, even that pillar crumbled. As coach Frank Yallop searched desperately for an equalizing goal in what would eventually become a 2-0 loss to the LA Galaxy, he decided for only the second time all season to pull his leading scorer before the final whistle. Wondolowski, who has eight goals this year but hasn’t scored in his last 467 minutes of play, departed in the 71st minute as part of a double substitution. HIGHLIGHTS: LA 2, SJ 0 Wondolowski’s first early exit — on May 14 against Columbus — only came about after San Jose defender Brandon McDonald was ejected in the 80th minute. That prompted Yallop to insert center back Ike Opara in Wondolowski’s place. This one, however, was a like-for-like move, with new acquisition Edmundo Zura and Simon Dawkins coming on to replace Wondolowski and Khari Stephenson, normally a central midfielder pushed into front-line duty with Alan Gordon (surgeries to repair abdominal and hip muscles) and Steven Lenhart (indefinite personal leave of absence) still unavailable. "A little bit, yeah," Wondolowski told MLSsoccer.com when asked if he was surprised by the removal. "I know I’m healthy. I’m going to go out there and try to work as hard as I can. But he’s the head coach, and I’ll stick by every decision he makes. And that was the decision." It’s been tough sledding for Wondolowski since he reached the high point of his year, making the US national team roster for this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup competition. The tournament represented Wondolowski’s first major action with the USMNT, and he worked his way onto the pitch in all three of the team’s pool-play games. But Wondolowski, who powered his meteoric rise primarily on the basis of his clinical finishing, missed a reaction shot from four yards out against Panama in the US’s first-ever Gold Cup group-play defeat. Since returning, Wondolowski’s normally lethal touch has been dormant for long stretches. Outside of a brace on July 20 against Vancouver, Wondolowski is scoreless in nine of 10 Quakes matches held after the Gold Cup. That includes Saturday, where Wondolowski’s best chance came in the 37th minute. San Jose right back Steven Beitashour drove down the sideline and collected a long, searching pass from Bobby Burling. Beitashour cut into the penalty box and slid a square pass to the onrushing Wondolowski, but his left-footed attempt from 17 yards squirted out at a nearly 90-degree angle, eventually rolling over the touch line. "It took a little bit of a bounce, but no matter what it does, I need to do a lot better than kicking it out for a throw-in," Wondolowski said. "If I get chances, I need to bury them." Yallop has mentioned multiple times that the Quakes can’t leave all their offensive burdens on Wondolowski. For his part, Wondolowski said he isn’t suffering from any self-doubt. "I’m just trying to go out there and do whatever I can to try to get the win," Wondolowski said. "If it means playing defense and trying to tackle for 90 minutes and win every 50-50 ball, I’ll try to do that. I still have full confidence in my ability. I’m not going to change."

Pumas win in the past, FCD expect "intensity" from Seattle

FRISCO, Texas — Some reward for FC Dallas. It seems as if every time they get a big win in CONCACAF Champions League play, a hungry Western Conference opponent awaits them the following weekend. Two weeks ago, FCD had to follow up their win over Alianza FC in a CCL group play-in match with a trip to Western Conference leaders LA Galaxy in what was, at the time, branded the most important match in FC Dallas history. Now, the second-place Dallas side must refocus their efforts from the historic away win against Pumas UNAM on Wednesday and hold the fort down at Pizza Hut Park against the third-place Seattle Sounders Saturday night (9 pm ET, watch LIVE online). The Sounders also celebrated three points in CCL play this week and are in Dallas before traveling south to play Monterrey in Round 2 of CONCACAF action. "I wish they would have went to Central America before they came here," joked head coach Schellas Hyndman. "They’re one point behind us. This is a huge game. It’s a home game for us and we found a way to beat them on their field." Seattle have not won in "The Oven" in two games and FCD will have to be at their best to make it three. The Sounders crushed Guatemalan side Communicaciones 4-1 in their Champions League match at CenturyLink Field on Tuesday despite playing down a man through much of the second half, a win that will boost their already-soaring confidence. "Knowing their coach Sigi Schmid," continued Hyndman, "he will have them motivated and inspired that this is the most important game of the season. I would expect a lot of intensity and it should be a nice game to watch." FC Dallas’ personnel will change against Seattle, as center back George John is suspended after his two yellow cards and subsequent ejection last weekend against the Philadelphia Union. Hyndman offered that "we’ll have something in place" in regards to the open center-back position, but it's likely rookie Bobby Warshaw will man the spot after doing the same for John in Houston earlier this year. This will mark the fifth time in six weeks FCD have faced a weekend turnaround after a midweek fixture, and fatigue — both mental and physical — could be a factor. "I think it’s again getting to the player mentality," acknowledged Hyndman, "that they’re committed and focused for this game." Helping the team focus is a job for the veterans, notably Dallas' star defensive midfielder and goalkeeper. "We got great leadership from Daniel Hernandez and Kevin Hartman talking about how important this game coming up is compared to this past game that is over," Hyndman said. "We’re going to just to try to stay focused on that."

Every home point crucial for Dynamo as RSL come to town

HOUSTON — With just four of their last nine games at home, the Houston Dynamo understand what is riding on every game they play in the friendly confines of Robertson Stadium. Currently sitting in fourth place in an Eastern Conference race where four teams are within three points of each other, every point counts from here on out. And with no wins on the road this season, the opportunity to get points at home is magnified. Their next chance comes Saturday against one a tough opponent in Real Salt Lake (8:30 pm, watch LIVE online). "We’re not winning on the road so we have to win at home," defender Andre Hainault said after training on Friday. "With the heat, crowd and momentum we’ve had of late, it’s a big one for us tomorrow." Houston have played well over the last two months, getting a result in eight of their last nine matches. During that stretch, the Dynamo are undefeated at home, winning three of four including an impressive 3-1 result against the Seattle Sounders July 30. RSL present a similar challenge to Seattle being an experienced club that have given Houston trouble in the past. "They’ve got two center backs who like to mix it up and are physically imposing guys and then you have a guy like Kyle Beckerman who isn’t afraid to get stuck in," Brian Ching said. "They’re so good because they’re a good passing team with a little bit of bite to them." Midfielder Adam Moffat will miss the game due to a red-card suspension after drawing two yellow cards in Wednesday’s match against New England. While Moffat is out, Colin Clark’s prospects look to be improving. The winger took part in Friday’s training and will be upgraded from questionable to probable on the latest injury report, but whether the left-footed midfielder can return to the starting lineup is open to question. With the lineup in flux and a tough challenge ahead in RSL, Houston are looking to capitalize on their home-field opportunities from here on. "We have to pay attention [to the playoff standings] and I hope it’s been like that the last month or so," Hainault said. "You don’t want to leave it to the last few games of the season, we want to get that playoff spot early and right now we’re in a good spot and right in the thick of things where points are crucial and that includes tomorrow."

DC United's goal is clear: Win consecutive games

WASHINGTON — Even in the face of recent improvement, one thing has continued to elude D.C. United this year. "We still haven’t won back-to-back games," Canadian defender Dejan Jakovic noted. "We need to start doing that if we want to move up in the standings, but other than that we’re gelling at the right time." WATCH: ESPN2 previews CHI-DC It’s been more than two years since the club achieved victories in consecutive games, dating back to June 2009. After last weekend’s 4-0 win over Vancouver, they’ll have another attempt to get over the hump on Thursday night against Chicago at Toyota Park (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes). Currently in last place in the Eastern Conference, the Fire have already tied 14 games this season, while only winning two on the year. However, manager Ben Olsen knows his side can’t overlook their longtime East foes. "Chicago had a very good game last week, unlucky to not get out of [New York] with a win," he said. "It’s a better group — they have a couple additions and have a lot of pace up top now that has made them a more dangerous team. Their record is the way it is not because they’re losing games but because they’re tying a lot of games — that’s a dangerous thing." A handful of former Fire players will feature for DC in the nationally televised match — reserve midfielder Stephen King and defender Daniel Woolard both had stints with Chicago earlier in their careers. It’s also a return for forward Josh Wolff, whose stellar MLS career began with Chicago in their inaugural year in 1998. "It’s nice to go back there for me where it began," he said. "Great team, great coaches, great city, great fans." DC rookie right back Perry Kitchen also has ties to the area. He grew up in Indianapolis, but made a three-hour commute each way in order to play for top youth side Chicago Magic. But it’s not just the players with local ties for whom the match will carry special meaning. With only three players listed on DC’s injury report — Branko Boskovic, Joe Willis and Jed Zayner are all injured and unavailable — the increased competition guarantees more is at stake for every player who takes the field at Toyota Park. "I’m not afraid to make changes even after we do well to make sure we’re putting what we think the best 11 to get a result in Chicago," Olsen said.

Schellas XI: FC Dallas set to head south of the border

FRISCO, Texas — In our weekly series featuring Schellas Hyndman, the FC Dallas head coach addresses 11 topics in brief including Kevin Hartman’s latest record, the CONCACAF Champions League and Mexican powerhouse Pumas UNAM. I. First off, in a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union at PPL Park last Saturday, goalkeeper Kevin Hartman became the all-time leader in career MLS starts with 373. "The new record is fantastic for Kevin. He is on top of his game and he continues to make our defense look good." II. Hartman made two saves on Danny Mwanga and Keon Daniel as the game neared stoppage time to seal the draw in FC Dallas’ first visit to PPL Park. "In regard to his probably extended-time save when Mwanga went through and hit the shot, reflex save — those are difference-makers." III. Fast-forward three days and FC Dallas are currently in Mexico City before their CONCACAF Champions League group play match against Pumas UNAM, a team about which FC Dallas are still learning. "We didn’t have much on them. We just know that they are the one of the best teams in Mexico." IV-V. FC Dallas collected video of each of their Group C opponents and prepared to sit down and discuss Pumas tactics in the 24 hours leading up to the game.   "The division has been broken down so we will have an opportunity to see them on the video and what we want is just some tendencies: what they do on their free kicks, how they hold their strikers to the ball and then how they defend corner kicks and free kicks." VI. The team will have to prepare for the CCL without new forward Maicon Santos, after he was ruled ineligible. "Unfortunately Maicon fell into the category of being on the roster for Toronto as [Eric Avila] is on the roster for Dallas, so neither will be competing." VII. However, slotting into Santos' space will be Fabián Castillo, who is meeting the team in Mexico City following his stint with the Colombian Under-20s in the World Cup. "We’ve missed him for six weeks and we need more and more depth on our team as people are starting to get tired." VIII. Even with Hyndman calling Wednesday’s showdown one of the biggest matches in FC Dallas history, there is the need to rest players for future fixtures. "We’re also trying to get some other players on the field, so we are hoping that we can find ways to relieve players' stress and body strength." IX. The mission is simple for Hyndman and company: Become the first MLS team to win on Mexican soil in the league's 25th attempt. "We hope to get ourselves into a situation where we can find success." X. While center back George John won’t be available for Saturday’s home game against the Seattle Sounders due to a red-card suspension, he will hold the backline down against Pumas. "We’d like him to be able to go the full 90 [Wednesday] and the full 90 on Saturday. At the end of the day we don’t have enough depth in our defense." XI. With John available, FC Dallas will be ready to go against arguably the best team in the regional club tournament. "You’re never glad about meeting the strongest competition in the first game and on the road. But you know we have to play them at some time, so let’s go down there after two good results with Alianza."

Fantasy Forecast: Who to start and who to sit in Week 23

Three Eastern Conference clubs dominate the Fantasy Forecast in a busy week for Major League Soccer. New England, Houston, Kansas City, Portland, Chicago and D.C. United play twice this week. Five other MLS clubs have midweek Champions League games: Seattle, LA, FC Dallas, Colorado and Toronto. So let’s get to the picks. Start 'em Jimmy Nielsen, GK, Sporting Kansas City: One of three squads with a pair of home games, SKC entertain Portland and D.C. United. A shutout against Portland is more likely, but look for SKC’s defense to hold in at least one of these matches. Matt Besler, D, Sporting Kansas City: The capable defender plays twice this week. His long throw-ins make him an assist threat in every match, and Besler has two helpers in 21 starts. Peter Vermes’ team is formidable at home, racking up a 4-1-4 record since opening Livestrong Sporting Park. Seth Sinovic, D, Sporting Kansas City: The former New England player has found a home in KC’s back line. For the same reasons list above, Sinovic is a good option for a potential shutout, with the added bonus of being a good value in most fantasy league formats.  Marco Pappa, MF, Chicago Fire: Before the MLS transfer window closed, the rumor mill had connected Pappa’s name with Dutch club FC Twente. The 23-year-old Guatemalan has a chance to put up big numbers as his club entertains D.C. United and Toronto this week. Despite the Fire’s poor 2011 campaign, Pappa remains the team’s best fantasy option, posting over three shots per match.   Dwayne De Rosario, MF, D.C. United: For the third week in a row, DeRo finds himself on the Fantasy Forecast. He’s on a tear right now, having quarterbacked the United offense to four goals against Vancouver. Five goals and two assists in the past three games — some players would love to post those numbers for the entire season. De Rosario’s talent and focus have been undeniable in recent weeks. Chris Pontius, F, D.C. United: Two of those goals against the Whitecaps went to Pontius, who snatched Player of the Week honors away from De Rosario. The 24-year-old has been making great strides under coach Ben Olsen and has already posted a career high with seven goals. With DC playing twice this week, Pontius is a good bet to extend that record. Dominic Oduro, F, Chicago Fire: Putting your eggs in the last-place team’s basket is a risky proposition, but I really liked the Oduro-Patrick Nyarko forward pairing last weekend. No other team in the league can match that speed, with the more goal-dangerous Oduro a better threat to score. Chicago have scored four times in the past two matches — maybe the Eastern Conference cellar dwellers can get back on track this week. Sit 'em Troy Perkins, GK, Portland Timbers: The Timbers have posted only five shutouts in 23 matches this season. Portland travel to Kansas City for a difficult midweek match before an unpredictable rivalry game at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Both matches could be high-scoring affairs, making Perkins someone to avoid this week.  Gonzalo Segares, D, Chicago Fire: While the Forecast likes Chicago offensively, there are still some definite issues on the defensive end. The veteran Costa Rican is solid, but the inexperience along the back line doesn’t inspire confidence. Kevin Alston, D, New England Revolution: With six goals allowed in the past two matches, the New England back line also needs some work. Even a workhorse like Alston isn’t a great option this week, despite New England’s pair of home games against Houston and the New York Red Bulls.  Rajko Lekic, F, New England Revolution: The Danish striker attempted to play through a broken big toe on his right foot last week, but ultimately thought better of it. Lekic will be out for two to four weeks. Accountability: Julius James gave the Crew a big boost with a goal in a 3-1 win, while De Rosario provided two assists. Eric Hassli was held off the score sheet despite three shots, while Álvaro Saborío posted five shots against a resolute Toronto FC defense.  Mauro Rosales was quiet for Seattle while Marvin Chávez hit the post, leading to Brek Shea’s goal in a 2-2 draw against Philadelphia.

CCL Group Preview: Colorado, Santos top threats in Grp. B

Happiness is a warm reception in Philadelphia for Adu

CHESTER, Pa. – In his first MLS game since 2007, Freddy Adu didn’t score a goal, notch an assist or do anything jaw-dropping. But for a 22-year-old who’s been through so much on and off the field, Saturday’s game at PPL Park still marked a near-perfect Philadelphia Union debut. "There’s nothing better," Adu said following Philly’s 2-2 draw with FC Dallas, "than being a professional athlete in America, man." WATCH: Full Match Highlights The fans that packed PPL Park to capacity for Saturday’s showdown against one of the best teams in the Western Conference certainly reciprocated the same kind of love, shaking the stadium with applause when Adu was announced as a starter. Adu had said during his introductory press conference that coming out of the tunnel would be secondary to winning the game; but the attacker certainly felt plenty of emotions pumping through his blood right before kickoff. "It was awesome," Adu said. "It brought back a lot of memories when I first came into the league with DC. Philly fans are great, man." Once the game began, Adu was able to hold his emotions in check, putting in a workmanlike 62 minutes and helping the Union earn a well-deserved point against a strong Dallas squad. Adu didn’t have too many touches overall but that, many of his teammates said after the game, was probably to be expected. "I think he’s still trying to find his feet and place on the team," said defender Danny Califf, who knows Adu from their US national team days. "There were flashes of him that were really good and really encouraging. But I think it’s tough to judge him on one training and one game. I think he was really excited and he really wanted to make an impression. It’s tough sometimes to play when you feel like you have to do something extraordinary." Adu agreed with that assessment, saying it was good to get the first game out of the way. "When you have one training session with the team before you play, it’s hard," Adu said. "But I’ve got to get on the same page obviously and we have to move on from this. We’ve got a great team, man. Once we all get on the same page, I think we’re going to be very difficult to beat." Playing in an attacking role, Adu showed his set-piece ability with some solid corner kicks and free kicks. He emerged as more of a threat in the second half when he opened up the field with some long, seeing-eye through-balls from the left side. "Before, back in my teenage years – which was like a couple of years ago – I was always sort of trying to force things," Adu said. "Today, I just wanted to sort of let the game come to me a little bit. And it did. And I was more dangerous, more active in the second half." Perhaps the most important thing for Adu, though, was not what he did on the field but simply the fact that he was

Emotional, grateful Adu returns to MLS a changed man

CHESTER, Pa. — Seven years ago, amidst unprecedented hype and unbearable expectations, a 14-year-old boy was introduced to the world, billed by many as the savior of American soccer. On Friday, amidst considerably less fanfare and far more reasonable expectations, a 22-year-old man was reintroduced to Major League Soccer, hardened by a circuitous path of unfulfilled promise and bearing this simple message:

Armchair Analyst: Adu's arrival means change for Philly

Freddy Adu’s reunion with Peter Nowak will be the talk of the weekend. He may debut on Saturday against FC Dallas or he may not, but either way, the next several weeks will be all about figuring out the tactics and spacing of getting him on the field. 1. The big decision Is Adu an enganche like Javier Morales, playing attacking midfielder at the point of a diamond behind two true strikers? Or is he a creative, withdrawn, playmaking forward who drops deep behind a lone frontrunner, much like Fredy Montero or Thierry Henry? If it’s the first, then things won’t change that much for the Union, who’ve played mostly in a 4-4-2 this year and have had Veljko Paunovic, Roger Torres and Kyle Nakazawa taking turns in the playmaker role. If it’s the second, it could mean a permanent shift to the wing for Sébastien Le Toux (something he won’t be particularly happy about) and a Union attack that looks much more like FC Dallas than, say, Real Salt Lake. Nowak will have to make this decision quickly since the playoffs are approaching. 2. Is Roger Torres heading back to Colombia? The young playmaker, on loan from Deportivo Cali, has improved quite a bit in his year-and-a-half in MLS, but he’s not quite starter material yet. With Adu in town there’ll be fewer minutes to spread around in the attacking third, something that doesn’t bode well for development potential. He could also be quite an enticing trade chip. The Union need back-line depth, and any number of teams would conceivably offer that up for a playmaker with potential. 3. Mwanga and McInerney must be ready When Carlos Ruiz was sold to Mexican second-division side Veracruz, that left Danny Mwanga and Jack McInerney as the only two pure forwards on the roster. With Adu’s addition — presumably he’ll be taking up the cap space created by Ruiz’s move — that doesn’t change, and probably doesn't leave room for another center-forward addition. That mean the youngsters (Mwanga’s 20, McInerney 19) have to start producing more than they have been if the Union are to remain in the Eastern Conference hunt. 4. Is Adu all grown up? The Adu that showed up for the Gold Cup this summer still had the effervescent smile and slick moves, but he also seemed to ooze a certain amount of perspective that comes from three years of eating European-spiced humble pie. The entitled kid of 2004 was replaced by a fairly grizzled vet who was happy to be there and play whatever role was available. So that’s a bit of off-the-field growing up. On the field, he looked to have grown up a bit as well. And not just physically, where his improved strength on the ball showed in setting up Landon Donovan’s goal against Mexico in the Gold Cup final. But mentally, Adu looked like he was finally able to combine with teammates and do the work off the ball. He’s not fully there yet, but the static 1-on-1 play that characterized his game as a teenager was largely replaced by good runs, one-touch combinations and general cleverness in the attacking third (it was his combination with Steve Cherundolo that won the corner leading to Michael Bradley's opener against El Tri). In other words, Adu looked like a grown-up soccer player, not just a kid who’d dominated at age groups through superior skills. If that’s what the Union are getting, then signing Adu is a steal regardless of how long it takes to adjust their formation. And Philly may become more than the talk of the weekend — they could very well become 2011’s talk of the playoffs.

Eight standout MLS academy players headed to college

A new season of college soccer is right around the corner, and as MLS academies continue to grow, college programs are benefiting more from the talent coming through the league's youth system. A number of top college recruits are affiliated with MLS clubs across the US, and with most preseason camps across the country opening on Wednesday, there were plenty of academy players looking to integrate themselves before the new season starts in two weeks. With that, here are eight players to watch this coming year (MLS academy teams listed in parentheses): F Sean Okoli, Wake Forest (Seattle Sounders FC) A forward/winger who scored 13 goals in 22 games for Seattle’s U-18 side, Okoli is going to be a big addition to Wake Forest’s offense this year as they look to recover from a disappointing 2011. "He's a player with tremendous potential," Wake Forest coach Jay Vidovich said in a press release. "He has soft feet and the pace to stretch other teams, and also [knows] how to combine with other players." D Boyd Okuwonu, North Carolina (FC Dallas) FC Dallas’ youth program continues to groom exciting young prospects, and Okuwonu was part of the US U-18 side that competed at the recent Milk Cup. A versatile and athletic defender, Okuwonu can player either in the middle or on the right side of the back line. He’ll compete to start right off the bat. MF Wil Trapp, Akron (Columbus Crew) One of the Crew’s best prospects at the moment, Trapp (above right) is a central midfielder with good technique, athleticism and an innate ability to read the game. He’ll look to play a big part in Akron’s rebuilding project. "I think he's going to excel at Akron and he’s a guy we’re certainly keeping an eye on," Crew GM Brian Bliss told MLSsoccer.com earlier in the year. D Jack Coleman, Indiana (FC Dallas) The defender and captain of FC Dallas’ U-18 team that came up just short in the Developement Academy Finals should thrive under Todd Yeagley in his freshman year at Indiana. A tough and tenacious defender, he’ll continue to improve at the next level. D/MF Tyler Rudy, Georgetown (D.C. United) Another versatile talent, Rudy will stay local and play at nearby Georgetown after a successful stint with DC’s Academy. Rudy, who can play in central midfield or as an outside back, held his own in a reserve match with DC earlier in the year. GK Keith Cardona, Maryland (New York Red Bulls) With the departure of Zac MacMath to MLS after last fall, Maryland is in need of a new starting goalkeeper, and Red Bulls Academy product Cardona will fight for that chance. A good shot-stopper with a large 6-foot-4 frame, he’ll need to stay healthy in order to take the next step. "Keith is a terrific young goalkeeper with tremendous potential," head coach Sasho Cirovski said in a press release. "He has all of the qualities necessary to have a big impact in our program." D DeAndre Yedlin, Akron (Seattle Sounders FC) The heir apparent to Houston’s Kofi Sarkodie at right back, Yedlin is another exciting Seattle prospect heading to a big-time program. He’ll join forces at Akron with Caleb Porter, who spotted Yedlin at a US U-18 camp (Porter is an assistant with the U-18s). MF Sean Davis, Duke (New York Red Bulls) A workhorse for New York’s U-18s team last year, Davis is a former US Residency player from Bradenton, Fla., who is part of a loaded recruiting class for Duke. He’ll help the Blue Devils replace the Crew’s Cole Grossman.

Playoffs well within reach for improved DC United squad

WASHINGTON — A year ago at this time, it would have been foolish to suggest a playoff push for D.C. United. But thanks to the combination of head coach Ben Olsen, an offseason rebuilding project, and a more talented group of players, DC have improved dramatically and are right in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference. After Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Toronto, United are two points outside of a playoff spot, and at times, look capable of making a push towards securing their first postseason berth since 2007. "We have our moments," assistant coach Chad Ashton said. "You can look back, especially at this last game. They are some real positives — we worked our tails off for 85 minutes being down a man." The margin in the East is razor-thin, with DC only trailing first-place Columbus by seven points with two games in hand. However, Ashton and the rest of the coaching staff know that there is still plenty to work on, citing costly moments in the Toronto match that ultimately cost DC the full three points. "We made some bad mistakes," said Ashton. "Taking a red card in the first five minutes — you’re not going to win too many games when you do that. Marking on set pieces on the third goal — not good enough. We gave away two points in that game by blowing two or three plays." Those moments have, for whatever reason, plagued United at home more so than on the road this season. Through 21 games, DC have picked up only 12 points of a possible 33 at home, while collecting an impressive 15 of 30 away from RFK Stadium. "We’ve got to take care of business at home," defender Dejan Jakovic said. "It’s crucial — the standings in the East are so close." The recent addition of Dwayne De Rosario has given new life to the offense as well. The Canadian international has scored the team’s last six goals in league matches, and he looks capable of carrying DC towards a postseason berth. However, even with the playoffs a real possibility, United are not getting carried away, and won’t overlook this Saturday’s matchup against Vancouver (7:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online). "It’s cliché, but you’ve got to take each one of these [games] as they come," forward Josh Wolff said. "The playoffs are there [within reach]."

Seattle's depth to be tested in busy 18-day stretch

TUKWILA, Wash. — With the race for the Supporters’ Shield heading toward the home stretch and the CONCACAF Champions League group stage looming, Sounders FC have a dilemma creeping up. While Mauro Rosales, James Riley, Osvaldo Alonso, Kasey Keller, and Fredy Montero don’t have to worry about their place in the first XI, the same can’t be said for the other six starters. Despite early-season injures, Seattle’s depth has shone through during an impressive past couple months. And now Brad Evans, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, and O’Brian White — all starters at the beginning of the year — are due back from injury soon, meaning a spot on the team sheet will be at a premium. "It’s got to be like that," said midfielder Erik Friberg, who has established himself as a starter in central midfield alongside Alonso in Evans’ absence. "There should be a couple of guys in every position that want to compete." That will be necessary as Seattle embark upon a six-match run in 18 days, starting this Saturday against Chivas USA. The success in the preliminary round of the Champions League will be reflected in the frequent flier accounts of the players, with three games in Central America added. "We have so many games right now, so we need a lot of players," Friberg said. "But I want to have my spot," he added, laughing. Lamar Neagle, who has played well in limited minutes, sees his path to the starting XI blocked by World Cup veteran Álvaro Fernández. Neagle, who scored the winning goal against Kansas City over the weekend, has started six matches in all competitions but is often used as a substitute in league games. "We’re a deep team, so our reserve team has some of the starters from the beginning of the season," Neagle said. "It’s tough, but it’s making us all better." Neagle mentioned that since Seattle’s tactical setup has been stable, it’s easy for different players to step in without the team missing a beat. "It’s good. We need to be that because beginning with the game against Chivas, we have six difficult games in 18 days," said head coach Sigi Schmid. "Having to play those amount of games, if we can go 17-18 players deep where we can make changes in our starting lineup and not impact our quality of play, that makes it a good thing for us." The Sounders’ depth is reflected in their record in the Reserve League. Heading into Tuesday’s match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle held an unblemished 7-0-0 record. 

On Fire: Chicago burned out after bad loss to 'Caps

Facing a must-win situation against the worst team in the league, the Chicago Fire turned in a clunker on Sunday, getting embarrassed by the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-2 at Empire Field. The Fire were a nightmare defensively, making several huge mistakes that led to Vancouver goals. Here are three other storylines from Sunday night that you might have missed. Burned out For a team that desperately needed a win, the Fire looked incredibly lethargic. Chicago gave up a goal just 35 seconds after the opening kickoff and, despite equalizing in the 23rd minute, never quite rebounded. They went down 2-1 in the 24th before falling two behind just three minutes into the second half. Chicago were playing on short rest, sure, but they said that the quick turnaround — Chicago tied Philadelphia 1-1 on Wednesday night — didn’t hinder them physically. "I think we came out flat both at the start of the game and in the second half," captain Logan Pause said. "We managed to dig back by evening it up in the first half, but then a minute later give up the goal." The extent of the Fire’s exhaustion is far more concerning because it seems to be stemming from issues that transcend the actual play on the pitch. "[We’re] probably more mentally fatigued that we’re in last place," Pause added when asked if the team was tired from Wednesday. "I think that physically that stuff can add up, but that’s no excuse today." Klopas explains substitutions Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas made a pair of somewhat puzzling substitutions with his team down 3-1 in the 56th minute. He chose to remove attacking midfielders Marco Pappa and Sebastián Grazzini for forwards Orr Barouch and Cristian Nazarit when he could’ve subbed off the more defensive-minded Daniel Paladini instead. The changes, which moved the Fire from a 4-5-1 to a 4-4-2 and dropped Dominic Oduro from striker to winger, left Chicago without an attacking center mid for the final 35 minutes — something they could have used as they attempted to come back from their two-goal deficit. "[I made the changes] because we were losing," Klopas said. "We put more forwards on and brought Oduro out wide to push the game and create space. I felt that [Grazzini and Pappa] were tired, [and that] they didn’t create enough opportunities." Barouch the lone bright spot Although he only played 35 minutes, rookie forward Orr Barouch was the Fire’s best player Sunday night, scoring a goal and playing with purpose after coming on 10 minutes into the second half. The 19-year-old striker found the back of the net in the 80th minute when he ran onto a long ball, dribbled into the right side of the box and fired a shot across the face of goal and inside the far post. The goal was the second of the season for Barouch, who would have added another goal Sunday if it weren’t for a fantastic save by Whitecaps ‘keeper Jay Nolly in the 72nd minute. The on-loan forward has had a promising season, leading the Reserve League in scoring and netting twice in last month’s US Open Cup quarterfinal win over the New York Red Bulls.

Newest hero Gordon may already be lost to Earthquakes

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It’s sadly representative of the San Jose Earthquakes’ luck this season that new acquisition Alan Gordon would score his first goal with the team just two days before a doctor’s appointment that could lead to surgery with a month-long recovery time. Winless in their last 10 matches, the Quakes (5-8-10) need offense from anyplace they can find it. And Gordon, who now has five goals this season in 738 minutes between Toronto FC and San Jose, could be a huge boon, as proven by his sharply snapped header in the 67th minute of the Quakes’ 1-1 tie against Portland on Saturday. WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS But the seventh-year veteran has been playing hurt since arriving in San Jose on July 14, and he’s scheduled Monday to receive a second opinion regarding an injury that the Quakes have been describing as a strained right quadriceps. Gordon said it wasn’t a thigh problem at all, but a double-abdominal hernia he suffered three months ago, a situation he feels was "misdiagnosed" by Toronto FC’s medical staff. The target man could go under the knife as early as Tuesday, although a team spokesman stressed that no firm decision has been made yet between rest, rehabilitation or surgery. "That’s just been our season in a nutshell, right there," Quakes forward Chris Wondolowski said. "Get a glimpse, dude does well and then an injury or something happens that puts him on the shelf for a while. I don’t even know what it is, but I don’t think we’ve put the same lineup down all year in back-to-back games. It’s tough." Gordon was brought in to provide depth behind target man Steven Lenhart, and possibly serve as a replacement if Lenhart, who is out of contract after this year, does not return to San Jose. And with Lenhart away on an indefinite family leave of absence, the door is wide open for Gordon to make a mark with the Quakes. He took enough advantage to tally a point-saving goal for the Quakes, cutting inside of Portland center back Eric Brunner to reach Steven Beitashour’s looping pass and whipping a 14-yard header to the back post past Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins. The goal broke San Jose’s scoreless streak at 283 minutes, just shy of their season-high but still eighth on the list of MLS’ longest droughts this year. "I tried to play through it as long as I can, just to get us through this rough patch, but it’s something that needs to be fixed so I can be 100 percent and help this club," Gordon said. "It was pretty painful out there, but I did the best I could." It’s painful for the Quakes, as well, not having Gordon at full strength exactly when they most need him. "We made the trade with Toronto, and he played 90 minutes [against Houston on July 9] and seemed fine," Quakes coach Frank Yallop said. "And obviously you can’t talk to the player, you just get the all clear from their side. And then when we were getting him in, it seemed like he was worse than he [originally] seemed." Gordon said he was disappointed he can’t contribute more to the Quakes after spending so long trying to play through pain. "I have a double hernia, and all the tests I went through at TFC, they were telling me nothing was wrong," Gordon said. "As soon as I came here, it’s a clear case. ... I could have had this taken care of a long time ago. It’s frustrating coming into a club that you want to play for, but I’m not in a position to." Gordon put a three-to-five week timetable on his recovery if surgery is required, with "three being optimistic." "I’m going to try to get back as fast as possible," Gordon said. "I don’t want to miss any more games than I have [already] this year, and I want to get back on the field and continue to play for this club."

Recap: Rapids stay hot with big 2-0 win over Columbus

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A spectacular goal from Brian Mullan — his first ever for the Colorado Rapids — and another Omar Cummings and Sanna Nyassi combination proved enough for the home team to record a 2-0 victory over the visiting Columbus Crew on Friday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Man of the Match Mullan picked up the ball from a Wells Thompson pass outside the penalty area in the 55th minute and crushed it with his right foot high into the upper-90 of William Hesmer’s net. Just after the hour, he tried to do it again from a similar position but the ball sailed over the bar. Meanwhile, Nyassi and Cummings had been combining well all night long, the Jamaican trying time and time again to put Nyassi in behind the defense as he had done in last week’s game against Philadelphia. The Rapids had to wait until the 79th minute for the duo’s efforts to finally pay off, as it was Nyassi this time who played in Cummings. The Jamaican coolly finished from inside the penalty area for his first goal in four months. The Rapids did enjoy the bulk of the possession during the game but the Crew also found themselves with some of the best chances of the match. Andrés Mendoza twice found himself in a great position to score, once in the second half when Matt Pickens pulled off an excellent save in the 74th minute. The best early chance of the game came in the 18th minute when the Peruvian striker failed to turn in a close range flick from a Robbie Rogers cross after a sweet build-up from the Crew. Apart from that, though, the Crew failed to produce much danger, especially in the second half where they looked to be running out of gas as the Rapids killed the game off. Both teams suffered unfortunate injuries during the game. The Crew lost pivotal midfielder Eddie Gaven very early in the game as he went off in the seventh minute following a challenge on Jeff Larentowicz. Anthony Wallace, making a first Rapids appearance in several games as a late substitute, survived only about a minute before he had to go off with an injury in a season plagued by knocks. The Rapids (9-6-10, 37 points), who now have won four of their last six games, will next play the San Jose Earthquakes on the road on August 13. Columbus (9-7-7, 34 points) will host the New England Revolution the same day. Scoring Summary: COL - Brian Mullan 1 (Wells Thompson 2) 55 COL - Omar Cummings 3 (Sanna Nyassi 2) 79 Misconduct Summary: CLB -- Dejan Rusmir (Caution; Persistent infringement) 52 Lineups: COLORADO RAPIDS -- Matt Pickens; Drew Moor, Tyrone Marshall, Marvell Wynne, Kosuke Kimura (Anthony Wallace 87, Scott Palguta 89); Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni (Joseph Nane, 83), Brian Mullan, Wells Thompson; Sanna Nyassi, Omar Cummings

Jarju to miss Whitecaps' Sunday evening clash with Fire

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Whitecaps square up against the Chicago Fire on Sunday at Empire Field (7 pm ET, Galavisión), but they’re going to have to do it without recently signed Designated Player Mustapha Jarju. The forward has received a call-up to play for Gambia in an international friendly with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Aug. 10 as his country prepares for September’s qualifying match for the African Cup of Nations against Namibia. "It’s a bit difficult," Jarju told MLSsoccer.com after practice on Friday. "I tried everything to play Sunday’s game and then after to go back. But they couldn’t find a flight. If I stayed, then I would arrive in Banjul [Gambia’s capital] on Wednesday, the day of the game. They didn’t want to take that risk, and yesterday I talked with the coach about it, and it was decided he would let me go and then I will play against D.C. [United when I return]." With only two MLS matches under his belt, the timing isn’t ideal for a player trying to become more familiar with a new country, a new team and a new league. "Everybody loves to play for their nation," Jarju said. "I love my country, but I love playing for the Whitecaps. I want to be present. Any player wants to be settled before playing for the national team, but I don’t have a choice; I need to play for my national team." Jarju misses his chance As for the rest of the team, their focus now turns to the Chicago Fire, currently languishing in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 19 points. Last time the teams met, they played to a 0-0 draw at Toyota Park in May. "It was kind of a boring game," said starting goalkeeper Joe Cannon. "I think they had a couple of early chances they squandered — they hit the post and then went over [the net with a close shot]. "In the second, we had a nice breakaway with Eric [Hassli], and our whole city thought he would put the game away, but he hit it at the goalie. It was a game of very few chances, so they’re going to come in and probably do the same thing. Both teams need three points, it’s going to be a dogfight." For midfielder John Thorrington, it’s a clash with a club where he played six seasons. He’s back training with the full team for certain drills now after a series of injuries, and is also going through specialized treatment with newly hired physiotherapist consultant Rick Celebrini. "It’s a very different team from when I was there," Thorrington said about his former club. "It’s a lot of new blood. They’ve brought in [Sebastián Grazzini] and then [Pável] Pardo, who we’ve seen for Mexico many times. For me, on your home field especially, you evaluate teams, you analyze them, but you really just have to go out and play and impose yourselves on the visitors, and that’s what I think we’ll try to do." Thorrington looks close to a return in training, but said, "It’s totally up to the coaches, but we have to be wary of the injury cycle I’ve been on. But now I’m in a position where they’re more and more confident each day in my body holding up, and that’s the key. It’s up to the coaches now and I’ll push the guys who are playing and compete for my spot." Practice Notes • Captain Jay DeMerit told reporters on Friday that it’s "not very likely" he’ll play on Sunday as he continues his recovery from a series of groin injuries. • When informed by one reporter that he hasn’t scored a goal yet for the Whitecaps, Jarju replied, "Next week when I go up against DC, I’ll start scoring, OK? That’s a promise!"

Former Philadelphia players prepare to face off in NASL

As the Philadelphia Union take on the Houston Dynamo this Saturday at PPL Park (8 pm ET, watch LIVE online), a handful of former Union players will be playing in a game of their own more than 1,000 miles away. The talent level isn’t the same, and the stadium doesn’t seat nearly as many fans — but such is life in the second-tier North American Soccer League where ex-Unioners Brad Knighton (above), Nick Zimmerman, Eduardo Coudet, Toni Stahl and Cristian Arrieta all currently make their living. On Saturday, for the second time this season, Knighton and Zimmerman’s Carolina RailHawks take on a Fort Lauderdale Strikers squad that includes Coudet, Stahl and Arrieta — although Coudet, one of the NASL’s leading goal-scorers, will miss the contest at Fort Lauderdale's Lockhart Stadium because of a suspension. "We were a good family in Philly," Knighton told MLSsoccer.com. "It’s crazy all of us are playing on the same field against each other." All five players came to the NASL after being waived by the Union at different points in the preseason, and all have enjoyed varying degrees of success. No one, though, has performed as well as Knighton, who is arguably the best goalkeeper in the NASL, leading the league in goals-against average (0.84) and shutouts (6) while helping the first-place Railhawks to a blistering 14-2-2 record. Knighton hopes to take the same path as ex-RailHawk standouts Daniel Paladini (Chicago Fire), Josh Gardner (Columbus Crew) and Tom Heinemann (Columbus Crew), whose NASL success vaulted them back into MLS this year. "Everything’s been good," Knighton said. "Getting released when I did, I didn’t have much of a chance to find another team in MLS. I was given an opportunity by Carolina coach Martin Rennie, and I can’t thank him enough. I needed games under my belt and I needed to develop. Hopefully it will lead to better things next year." Knighton admits that he was taken a bit by surprise that he was not in the Union plans for 2011 after earning two shutouts in eight starts last season and acting as a stabilizer in net after Chris Seitz was benched. But the Union coaches decided to wipe the slate clean in the offseason, signing veteran Faryd Mondragón to start and drafting Zac MacMath to back him up. That left no room for Knighton, who felt like he was ready to be an MLS starter after backing up Matt Reis for three years in New England and then Seitz for most of the 2010 campaign in Philly. "The writing was on the wall that there wasn’t a place for me there," said Knighton, who still watches most Union games and stays in touch with the Union’s largest supporters’ group, the Sons of Ben. "I was surprised to see that because I put a good string of games together. But I’m happy where I’m at right now. You can get knocked down but you can bounce back." Knighton has certainly bounced back. The North Carolina native, who went to college at UNC Wilmington, is now playing near many of his and his wife's family members, is living with his good friend Zimmerman (who he urged the Railhawks to sign) and is the leader on a powerhouse team that he legitimately believes could be in the middle of the MLS table. "It’s crazy how things work out," said Knighton, two days before the Union reunion in Fort Lauderdale. "In the offseason, I was considering going back to school and nixing the whole soccer thing and finishing my degree. But a couple of people were telling me that I could still play and make a name for myself. I’m glad I did that."

MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week: Week 20

The LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo registered three of the most important results from the weekend and their standout players were recognized for their efforts with a total of seven players from the three squads elected to the latest edition of the Team of the Week. Also on this week's squad is one of Toronto's Designated Players, two revelation wingers from Portland and Columbus and the MLS Player of the Week.

WFC: Adriano slams Brazilian nat'l team, praises Barcelona

MIAMI — FC Barcelona’s South American contingent is set to rejoin the club on August 8, but one player went out of his way to get a head start. After failing to see a minute of action for Brazil in a disastrous Copa América tournament, which saw the eternal favorites eliminated in the quarterfinals, fullback Adriano decided to join Barcelona a week earlier and get a jump on his preseason. "I cut short my vacation because I didn’t play in the Copa América and I wanted to be with the team," Adriano said after his first preseason practice on Tuesday morning at the University of Miami’s Cobb Field. "This week that I can gain here is going to be important for me. And although I’ve stopped playing for two weeks, the truth is that I’m fine because I worked hard with the national team even though I didn’t play [in the Copa América]. I think I get here in good shape. "I’m going little by little but I hope to be available even earlier for the manager." The 26-year-old, who last played in Miami with the Brazil Under-23 national team that ousted the USA in the Gold Cup semis back in 2003, was critical of his national team and their Copa América elimination at the hands of Paraguay in a penalty-kick shootout. He says he saw the warning signs well before the start of the South American tournament for national teams. "The team wasn’t doing well before the Copa América," Adriano said. "We played two friendlies and we tied them [0-0 tie vs. the Netherlands and 1-0 win vs. Romania in Ronaldo's farewell]. There was more pressure after the friendlies. But now we need to start getting things to work. … We wanted to get to the final but we were eliminated." Adriano’s words will not do anything to help the cause of Brazilian manager Mario Menezes, who has been on the job for a year generally collecting unconvincing results. But the picture is a rosy one with Adriano's club team. A player who can feature at either right back or left back for the

FCD Notebook: Luna shines, team passes July test

FRISCO, Texas — When FC Dallas’ starting lineup took the field on Sunday against Chivas USA, the importance of Wednesday’s return leg of the CONCACAF Champions League play-in match against Alianza FC was blatantly noticeable. Head coach Schellas Hyndman gave key players such as captain Daniel Hernandez and Jackson the opportunity to rest, citing fatigue and recoveries from injuries as his reasoning. While Jackson entered the match in the second half, it was the supporting cast that put their stamp on the match — especially reserve forward Ruben Luna. In the 26th minute, the Home Grown product tracked down a Brek Shea cross and rolled a clean pass to Marvin Chávez, who blasted the ball for his fourth goal of the season. It marked Luna’s first career assist. WATCH: Luna assists Chávez for goal "I’m so excited," Luna told a flurry of reporters after the game. "I’m motivated and I think the team’s been playing awesome. They all push me to get better and I’m so happy to be apart of this team with such character." Hyndman was duly impressed as well. "I thought Ruben Luna had a really good game, holding the ball, laying balls off, [and] creating some opportunities for himself," said the 2010 Coach of the Year. Hyndman said his decision to start Luna for the second time this season came mere hours before kickoff. "The reason of going with Ruben was I know that he was fresh and I knew that the heat would not be as much of an issue for him as it would be for Jackson or Chávez being the lone striker," said Hyndman. EIGHT-GAME JULY IN THE BOOKS There was much talk throughout July as to how FC Dallas would handle the constant travel for games and three straight weeks of midweek matches. But the second-place team in the Western Conference passed it all with flying colors, their lone blip on the radar last month coming in a 2-0 loss at Real Salt Lake. "When you look at the whole month of July, we are 5-1-2," acknowledged Hyndman. "I think any coach in the league would take a 5-1-2 record in the month of July and, again, we always talk about talent isn’t everything. Talent will win you games, but talent plus teamwork will win, and I thought that’s what we’ve had this month." TWO EXTRA DAYS IN EL SALVADOR FC Dallas were stranded in El Salvador last week following their CCL preliminary first leg last week thanks to a miscommunication with the airline that had them scheduled to fly back Saturday morning and not Friday. But things seemed to work out OK, noted Kevin Hartman. "I think a lot of times we get things right and we don’t really have to struggle with our schedule very often," said goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, "and that’s a lot of credit to [director of team administration] Bobby Hammond.  ... So we decided to stay down at the Princess Hilton in San Salvador, which is actually really, really, really nice."