MLS

American Exports: Pelosi begins career with Liverpool

2011-11-17T15:14:00.001-08:00

AMSTERDAM — Marc Pelosi officially began his career at Liverpool on Wednesday night by dressing for the reserve side's 5-1 UEFA NextGen defeat at Sporting CP. The US Under-17 standout, who recently inked a three-year deal with the Reds, did not see the field in a group match of a tourney that is essentially an U-19 Champions League. Despite the defeat, Liverpool became the fifth team through to the knockouts, joining Group 2 winners Sporting, Ajax, Barcelona and Tottenham. According to the

Taylor's first season in Houston ending on a high note

2011-11-16T15:11:00.001-08:00

HOUSTON – It has been an interesting first season in Major League Soccer for Jermaine Taylor. The Jamaican international popped up on Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear’s radar this time last year at the Caribbean Cup, and since arriving in Houston, Taylor’s fortunes have fluctuated. He’s spent much of the year observing from the bench – 10 starts and 925 minutes played during the regular season – while filling in when needed across on the back line. So it was fitting that his biggest moment of the year came in a relief performance in the Eastern Conference final, a 2-0 victory against Sporting Kansas City. Come Sunday's MLS Cup final, Taylor could be in line to start. WATCH: Taylor gets onto Moffat cross "He came on against Kansas City and shut Kei [Kamara] down, who was doing alright at the time," Bobby Boswell said. "He’s got experience and if he gets the call, he’s a guy who’s going to be ready. He’s waited for his opportunity just like a lot of other guys, and now if he gets it, I’m sure he’ll do great with it." For a while, though, opportunities were few and far between. After earning a starting spot out of training camp at center back next to Boswell and starting the season opener, Taylor was injured while away with Jamaica on international duty. By the time he got back to full health, André Hainault had taken the spot next to Boswell. "At the time the team was doing well and as a player you don’t want to be the guy that goes in and things start going wrong," Taylor said. Once healthy, Taylor saw his time on the field ebb and flow and showed off his versatility, stepping in and providing quality minutes at all four back line positions. In particular, the time he’s played on the flanks has highlighted his speed and attacking ability as well as a willingness to commit himself on both sides of the ball. "I have two feet so why not use both of them," Taylor said with a chuckle. "I know I can fit in any of the spots around the back, and I just want to do what the coach needs from me." When it mattered most, Taylor did exactly what Kinnear asked of him on the left side against Sporting, providing a calming presence defensively and pushing up on set pieces. "He plays with that relaxed swagger," Boswell said. "He’s a great player. He’s an international player who’s experienced and is not afraid to impose his opinion and will on anyone. He’s a strong guy and is fast. He’s everything you want in a defender." Now, Taylor’s number could be called Sunday to duplicate that performance and help counterbalance the loss of Brad Davis. If it is, he’ll face a familiar foe in US and MLS star Landon Donovan "I’m comfortable at left back, and if I get the chance, I’ve played against Landon Donovan before and I know he’s a tough, cool opponent," Taylor said. "But I think I can match him up, and I have confidence in everyone around me to get the job done."

Q&A: Chivas GM Jose Domene talks Angel, stadium

2011-11-15T15:19:00.001-08:00

CARSON, Calif. – The offseason is just barely under way, but Chivas USA have hit the ground running as they look to improve in 2012. And if the Rojiblancos are to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009, General Manger Jose Domene will have a lot to do with it. Domene joined Chivas’ front office in December 2010 as interim GM, but became full time in late March. He recently sat down with MLSsoccer.com to discuss player moves, the team's stadium search and his goals for next season. MLSsoccer.com: First and foremost, what is the status of Juan Pablo Ángel for the 2012 season? Domene: It's a decision that is both the club's and Juan Pablo's. We've talked about it, but we need to sit down when we stop training and we're going to see where he's at and where he fits here. He's a great player, we all know that. He did great things for the club and we would love to have him back, but it's going to be a mutual decision. It's not us forcing him to come back or him forcing us to not bring him back. It's not like that. We just have to sit down and do what's best for Juan Pablo and what's best for Chivas. It's not about money whether he stays or goes. MLSsoccer.com: You've been vocal on Twitter saying that the club is actively searching for players, how is that search going? Domene: We are not only in the international market, but in the national market. We're scouting and we want to bring in people because this is our first full offseason and we want to get a head start. Right now, we've got the winter transfer window - the big window is in the summer - but you can take advantage right now of looking for players that may help you in their environment. We've visited seven countries so far and seen two-dozen games already, and we'll continue to do that until the leagues stop for the winter. And then when they resume, we'll do it again. Hopefully, we'll bring in as much talent as possible and develop as much talent as possible because we have a good core to build a balanced and winning team next season. MLSsoccer.com: The club still have until the end of the calendar year to use their number one slot in the allocation order. Are Chivas planning a move? Domene: Everybody said a lot about the allocation order, but we're here for the long run and we're not going to pick someone that doesn't make sense just because we're number one. It's not about just picking a guy because we have to pick one, it's about picking the right guy. If someone is not the right guy for us, then we won't use it. It's as simple as that. It's not just about bringing in the guy that's coming back. So if it makes sense then we'll use the selection either this year or next year. It just has to make sense. We're not going to bring in players for the sake of bringing players. We want winners. MLSsoccer.com: What is the mood of the team ownership on how the season went this year? Domene: The mood is that in order to finish a project, you've got to let the project keep its route. We were definitely disappointed because we didn't play as bad as our standings and points reflected, but I think that we lost a lot of games because of small mistakes and we left a lot of points on the table. We do understand that what we did was not enough because this is not what we want. We want to make the playoffs and we're working hard towards making the playoffs. We've got to work hard during the off-season to work on individual mistakes, but at the same time, we need extra help in terms of bringing in new talent so that we can go to the next level. The next level is not the playoffs, it's to fight for a championship. MLSsoccer.com: A pair of local cities, Pomona and Santa Ana, have publicly admitted discussions with the team about a new stadium. How are those talks progressing? Domene: We're still looking. We haven't signed anything with any city. We're happy at the Home Depot Center, where they treat us very well, but at the end of the day, it makes sense for us to have our own stadium. We're going to move to some place that makes sense for the club and Chivas USA. We're still searching and looking. We have had conversations with those cities, but not just those two.

Houston's Kinnear: Davis not available for MLS Cup

2011-11-14T15:11:00.001-08:00

HOUSTON – What many already expected has now been confirmed: Houston midfielder and MLS MVP finalist Brad Davis will not take part in MLS Cup. Addressing the media after training on Monday, Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear confirmed that Davis’ diagnosis means he will be a spectator on Nov. 20 at the Home Depot Center. "Unavailable," Kinnear said. "Out, right quad strain." Davis suffered the injury while making a cut at midfield a few minutes before halftime of Houston’s 2-0 Eastern Conference Championship victory against Sporting Kansas City. After the game, Davis told MLSsoccer.com that he would miss MLS Cup, although official word had yet to come down. With Kinnear’s statement, though, Davis’ early prognosis was confirmed. Last week LA Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter expressed his skepticism about Davis' potential absence when he stated that he would only believe the news when he didn't see the left-footed playmaker on the Home Depot Center field this Sunday. Davis’ absence leaves a huge hole for the Dynamo to fill, but, fortunately, Kinnear has a few of options to pick from. Against Kansas City, Houston's manager moved Corey Ashe from left back to left midfield and inserted Jermaine Taylor in place of the diminutive defender with great results. Adam Moffat assumed the dead-ball duties from Davis and set up the game-winner with his first and only free kick of the night. Colin Clark, a natural left midfielder who has played on the right most of the season for the Dynamo, is also a logical candidate to fill in for Davis and has looked good on the left flank this season when given the opportunity. Other options could include moving Danny Cruz from right to left or the more unlikely scenario of inserting first-year player Alex Dixon.

Vancouver's Soehn pleased with club's rookie class

2011-11-13T15:16:00.001-08:00

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Realistically, a draft can't properly be evaluated until years after it's completed. But so far, Vancouver Whitecaps director of soccer operations Tommy Soehn likes what he sees from his class of 2011. The club selected Omar Salgado, Michael Nanchoff, Jeb Brovsky and Bilal Duckett in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, before adding Michael Boxall, Joe Anderson and Santiago Bedoya in the Supplemental Draft. From that group, Brovsky and Boxall stand out as being the most MLS-ready. Brovsky showed his versatility throughout the season, playing as a central midfielder, wide midfielder and, eventually, settled into a right fullback position as the season came to its conclusion. The Colorado native was 11th on the team in time played, participating in 1,509 minutes of action, and quietly went about whatever role was asked of him. Boxall, selected first in the Supplemental Draft by the club, was a steady contributor in the heart of defense, playing much more than Soehn said the club had initially planned. While the the interim coach has stated the New Zealand international suffered from fatigue at times as the season wore along, it's clear to see the hulking 23-year-old seems a savvy pickup, as he also cracked the team's top 10 in minutes played. Ultimately, though, it's not about what the players have done so far — it's about what they can bring in the future. "Guys develop at different stages," Soehn told MLSsoccer.com by phone this week. "The Brovskys and the Boxalls did get a lot of time, but you're going to see a lot of guys you didn't see much of this season [next year]. Even with Nanchoff, he went through some injuries this year, but there's a lot of talent there. I think you're going to see him develop into a solid MLS player." Salgado, the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, hasn't made the immediate impact of some of his peers selected back in January, but Soehn says patience will pay dividends with the 18-year-old. "With Omar Salgado I think we've got a gem there," Soehn said. "You want to take your time to grow that talent." The El Paso, Texas, native is currently participating in a training camp with the US U-23 team in Germany as they prepare for qualifying for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. "[International experiences] are fantastic, especially for someone his age," Soehn said. "Having gone through a full season now of training, probably the most demanding year he's ever been through in terms of a training environment, he's going to use his experiences from the year to now show what he's made of on the international front. "These kinds of experiences for young guys are just so welcoming, they grow so much."

Int'l roundup: Purdy, El Salvador advance in CONCACAF

2011-11-12T15:14:00.001-08:00

Second stage qualifying in CONCACAF for the 2014 World Cup got underway in full force on Friday night, and El Salvador came out the big winners. Portland Timbers defender Steve Purdy put in a full shift in the back line as

Jakovic returns to action for DC United in reserve game

2011-11-11T15:16:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON – D.C. United’s season may have ended at the end of October, but having two Reserve League matches left to play finally gave defender Dejan Jakovic a chance to return to the field. Jakovic was a second-half substitute and played 30 minutes in the first of those two reserve fixtures, a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls on Thursday. "It feels great, I’ve been training with the team for two weeks," he told MLSsoccer.com. "My fitness is pretty much back – it felt good to come out and play with the team." Hamstring issues dogged Jakovic throughout the 2011 season. He picked up his first at the beginning of June in an international friendly with Canada that knocked him out of the summer’s Gold Cup, and he finally returned from that injury at the end of July. But five games later, he picked up a second hamstring injury, less serious than the first, though he couldn’t heal in time to help D.C. make the playoff push down the stretch. In all, he managed just 15 appearances on the year. "It was definitely disappointing, and at the time to have the first one and the second one, and to not be able to help my team in the last couple of games, really sucked," he said. Thursday's Reserve League appearance gave Jakovic a chance to continue building his fitness and be prepared for next year. He'll get another chance on Nov. 15 in D.C. United's Reserve League finale at Columbus on Nov. 15. That's a prospect that excites the 26-year-old. "I think we have a great young team," he said. "We showed that we can play with anybody when we were healthy. I don’t know what’s going to happen, if the team’s going to change, but I’m happy with the group of guys we have right now." This latest injury did cost Jakovic a shot at playing in the latest round of World Cup qualifiers with Canada, who play St. Kitts and Nevis on Friday in the Caribbean and back in Toronto again on Nov. 15. Jakovic said he’ll be keeping an eye on the qualifiers, and thinks advancing to the next round won’t be too difficult (Canada need one point from the remaining two games). "I will be watching," he said. "I am a little disappointed [not to play] but obviously, I am just coming back from injury. I’m not too worried about it – knock on wood."

Howard expects his back line to be busy against France

2011-11-10T15:12:00.001-08:00

PARIS — US national team netminder Tim Howard is expecting his defense to be on its toes during Friday's friendly with France (3 pm ET, ESPN2, Univisión, live chat on MLSsoccer.com). The Everton custodian says he will do his best to direct the back-liners in the most efficient manner for limiting chances to the French side, knowing he'll need plenty of help against their attack-minded hosts. "The biggest challenge tomorrow is to stay organized and tight at the back and press the ball," Howard told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday. "Obviously, if we can cut them out before they get shots off or make runs, the better off we'll be. After that, you've got to start making that money, making some saves." Despite the prospect of facing a highly skilled

Quaranta comeback a surprising boost for DC United

2011-11-09T15:14:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON — For a couple months in 2011, it looked like D.C. United midfielder Santino Quaranta had played his last game of the season. After suffering a concussion picked up in training, the veteran was addled with the lingering effects of post-concussion syndrome, and could do very little to figure out how to get better. "That was a tough period for me because I didn't know what was going on, and all of a sudden, you start to turn a corner one day," he told MLSsoccer.com. "I can't explain it, it's hard." That turn came in August, and Quaranta returned to the starting lineup on Aug. 6 after nearly three months on the shelf. But because of the nature of the game he returned in — a hectic 3-3 draw against Toronto FC where goalkeeper Bill Hamid picked up a red card in the game's first 10 minutes — Quaranta slugged his way through a full game and was able to jump right back into the swing of things. "I was out for so many months and then came back and played 100 minutes that game," he said. "I didn't really think about it and I was just getting back into it. That game was good for me because you start to forget about it." That grueling game against Toronto turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Quaranta's fitness was brought all the way back in one fell swoop, and he went on to make 11 more appearances on the season, filling in for Chris Pontius after the third-year midfielder broke his ankle in September. Concussion problems aside, the season was always going to be a unique and interesting one for Quaranta playing under longtime teammate-turned-head coach Ben Olsen. Quaranta thinks his former teammate can do big things on the sidelines. "He has a base of being a good guy that people respect and if he treats you fairly, which he does, the guys respond to it," Quaranta said. "It's a recipe for a winning coach in the long run. If you look at guys that have success, they can look you in the eye and be honest with you. And he's that type of guy." With the offseason now here, Quaranta is one of many D.C. players with an option for 2011. Now that he's healthy, he has a chance to think about what lies ahead. "I feel good," he said. "I'll sit down with [the technical staff] and figure out where we go from here."

Galaxy's Arena happy with CCL draw against Toronto

2011-11-08T15:18:00.001-08:00

CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy know what stands between them and an MLS Cup title, and now they know the beginning of a path that could lead to international glory. The Galaxy were matched up with Toronto FC in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal draw on Tuesday and will play a home-and-away series against their MLS brethren in March. And while it was never going to be easy, there was one upside to drawing the Reds. "Whoever we were going to draw wasn’t going to be an easy game," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena told MLSsoccer.com. "At least it’s a club we’re somewhat familiar with in Toronto, as opposed to a Salvadoran club." The Galaxy won Group A and advanced to the knockout round by virtue of a 4-2-0 record against Morelia, Alajuelense and Motagua. Since they couldn’t play group runners-up Morelia in the quarterfinals, they had three potential opponents – Toronto FC, Seattle Sounders and El Salvador's Isidro Metapán. In Toronto FC, the Galaxy will face a club that overcame difficulties to advance out of Group C. Toronto won their first game, defeating Tauro FC in Panama by 2-1, but dropped matches to FC Dallas (1-0 at home) and Pumas UNAM (4-0 in Mexico City). The Reds then beat Tauro FC and tied Pumas at home before stunning FC Dallas with a 3-0 victory at Pizza Hut Park to claim the second spot in the group. "Both teams are on a level playing field," Arena said. "We know their team, there’s going to be changes to both teams in the offseason and it’s going to be what it is – playing in Toronto in March. They’re going to be a very difficult opponent. There’s no question about that." The first leg will be played in Toronto between March 6-8 with the return leg taking place at the Home Depot Center between March 13-15. Despite having competitive games before the start of the MLS regular season, the Galaxy won’t change their preseason around much, if at all, to accommodate for the series. "I don’t think this competition changes a whole lot with what we’re doing," Arena said. "MLS season next year, if I’m not mistaken, starts March 17 so we’re not that far off." Still, the Galaxy’s focus is not quite yet on preseason camp in January and February. There is, after all, the matter of trying to win the third MLS Cup title in club history. "We’re going to get through this game the next couple of weeks and start zeroing in after that how we’re going to work the preseason," Arena said. "We have a postseason tour in a couple of weeks. We have a lot of things we have to get accomplished. I think we’re going to put our preseason on the back burner."

As Atlas rumors swirl, Márquez "not ruling out anything"

2011-11-07T15:13:00.001-08:00

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Reports in the Mexican press are linking New York Red Bulls midfielder/defender Rafa Márquez with a move back to the team of his boyhood, Guadalajara-based Club Atlas, although the Mexican international says there has been no official approach as yet. "I would like to help Atlas get out of this situation it is in, but there has not been a formal approach," Márquez said in a press conference on Monday to promote his charity here. "I am ready to listen to see what they propose and what the possibilities are. First, they have to get in contact. I’m not ruling out anything." For their part, the Red Bulls expect their Designated Player to return to the team next season. "He has two-and-a-half more year[s] on his contract," New York head coach Hans Backe said after last week’s Western Conference Semifinals second leg that saw the Red Bulls eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs. "Now I think he got [a two-game] suspension. But he will be in the team for next year." Márquez received a red card in the first leg of the Red Bulls’ Western semi against the LA Galaxy for his role in a postgame fracas. The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee subsequently handed the former Barcelona star a two-match ban, which will carry over into the 2012 regular season. He was then left out of the Mexican national team squad for Friday’s friendly against Serbia, although Márquez says he is unaware that it was punishment for his behavior against the Galaxy. The 32-year-old made his professional debut for Atlas back in 1996 and has regularly professed his desire to end his playing career with the club. Cash-strapped Atlas are also confident that "El Kaiser de Michoacán" will return. "I am sure that he will arrive," Atlas vice president Víctor Flores Cosío told Mexican daily

Galaxy Notebook: Short rest ahead of RSL matchup

2011-11-06T15:09:00.001-08:00

CARSON, Calif. – In a typical season, teams participating in the Western Conference Championship would have a full week to prepare for the match and recover from the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. However, the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake are faced with unique circumstances this year. The Galaxy will have exactly two full days off between games while RSL will have three ahead of Sunday’s clash (9 pm ET; ESPN, ESPN Deportes, TSN2, live chat on MLSsoccer.com). At least all four teams left standing in the postseason are dealing with the same situation. WATCH: Galaxy discuss facing RSL "The challenges for all the teams now left in the competition are fatigue, injury ... but it’s difficult. It’s a lot of games in a short period of time and a lot of travel," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "MLS … fully understood some of the issues surrounding the schedule of the MLS Cup this year, and certainly with World Cup qualifiers and with European qualification next week, it took precedence over our league schedule." Since the first weekend of September, MLS has stepped aside for international fixture dates. With European Championship qualifying games and World Cup qualifying already underway around the world, FIFA set aside weekends in order to get games in. In the past, MLS has played through such dates but this year the league has followed suit with most of the rest of the globe, as most leagues across the world typically do not schedule games on such dates. Even though it puts stress on his club, Arena did not disagree with the postseason setup. "It’s very important that we do that. We actually had a game scheduled [during an international weekend] – Salt Lake, in Salt Lake the third game of the season this year – and you can’t do that," Arena said. "During international fixture dates, official competitions, I think the league has to shut down." Ultimate carrot That MLS Cup 2011 will be played at the Home Depot Center is nothing new – that particular announcement came out months ago. However, an MLS Cup at the HDC now carries a bit of a different meaning. Instead of coming up with scenarios and waiting for weeks and months to see if the Galaxy actually had a chance of making the match, the situation is now quite simple: Win, and MLS Cup will indeed be a home match. Players thus have the ultimate carrot dangling before them. "It’s a huge incentive, the fact that we have the chance to play in front of our fans," Galaxy defender Sean Franklin said. "It would be big for our team and our organization to play in the final since we’re hosting. It’s all the more to go out and just win, not just for ourselves but for our fans who have watched us the whole season." Revenge no factor Now that RSL and the Galaxy are set to have their rematch of MLS Cup 2009, is it time for LA to exact some revenge? "That’s in the past," Franklin said. "It’s a new year, kind of the same teams but all that’s in the past." Losing in MLS Cup was disappointing, but the match saw a pair of Galaxy players leave with injury, adding to the difficulty of the game. Early in the second half, Omar Gonzalez and Donovan Ricketts collided with one another as Robbie Findley scampered into the penalty area. Both players eventually left the match. Gonzalez has stored that somewhere in the recesses of his memory bank. "That was something that happened in the past," he said. "Of course it is on our minds, but we can’t think about it as revenge. It’s a whole new year. We’ve been working on getting better and better since 2009 and we’ve got new players on our team and everyone is focused and just ready to win."

American Exports: Howard, Toffees continue rough patch

2011-11-05T16:20:00.001-07:00

AMSTERDAM — It was a somewhat rough Saturday for American Exports, with Tim Howard and Everton extending their skid with a 2-1 loss at Newcastle. Not at his best on this day, the US netminder managed but two saves as the Toffees lost for the fifth time in their last six EPL matches. Elsewhere, Brad Guzan acted as back-up custodian for eighth place Aston Villa's 3-2 win over Norwich City. Down a flight in the Championship, Robbie Findley put two first half chances wide and was robbed of a goal midway through the second as Nottingham Forest fell 3-0 at Portsmouth. The result dropped the Reds to 20th place. Making his first start of the season, Conor Doyle saw his best crack at goal over 65 minutes denied by a fine save in Derby County's 3-2 loss at Peterborough. After going ahead by two just past the half hour, the Rams would eventually fall on a stoppage time own goal to slip to seventh. In nearby Scotland, all three Americans patrolled the park to help Rangers move 12 points up in the league penthouse with a 3-1 defeat of visiting Dundee United. Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu each pitched in solid 90-minute efforts, while Alejandro Bedoya emerged for the final quarter hour of action. Turning to the Bundesliga, Fabian Johnson switched from midfield to right back for the final 20 minutes and Daniel Williams went into the ref's book during his 22 minutes as Hoffenheim hosted a 1-1 draw with Kaiserslautern. Timothy Chandler and FC Nürnberg suffered a galling 2-1 home loss to Freiburg on a stoppage time penalty kick.

Califf, Union need time to grasp sudden postseason exit

2011-11-04T16:14:00.001-07:00

Danny Califf doesn’t want to think about next season. Not yet. Sure, the future may be bright for the Philadelphia Union. But in the wake of Thursday night’s crushing playoff loss to the Houston Dynamo, the veteran defender wasn’t in the mood to look ahead. "Tonight’s more about reflection and disappointment," Califf said following Philly’s Eastern Conference semifinal series loss. "Each one of us put so much into the season, and I’m not ready to do anything aside from thinking about what happened tonight and take the next few days to reflect on that. It’s going to be probably a solid week before I think about what’s going on next year." When he does start to think about next year, though, he’ll probably become reinvigorated. Despite their early exit from the postseason, the Union were able to follow a tough expansion season with a run to this year’s MLS Cup playoffs. And if they continue to harness their young talent, they could be poised for even bigger things in Year No. 3. "We’re young, and our young guys are getting a lot of good experience," Califf said. "I think we’ve done a lot this year to build a good foundation, and I think that’s only going to benefit us going forward." HIGHLIGHTS: HOU v PHI Following Thursday’s season-ending loss, Union manager Peter Nowak also tried to keep things in perspective. He told his players how proud he was of their accomplishments and reminded them about the good things that could lie ahead. "I told them in the locker room that maybe it wasn’t our year," Nowak said. "Maybe we still have work in front of us to make sure this will happen soon. But I think there are a lot of things to be proud of during the season – how they developed as a group, how they came together. Of course, things need to be corrected and we’re going to have a whole preseason to do it." Certainly, it will take a little bit of time for the 2012 season to completely come into focus. But while Califf and the rest of the players have the luxury of taking some time off, Nowak and the coaching staff will soon begin to determine what their offseason priorities are. Then, they’ll go to work. "We’re going to have a very hard look at what we have and what we need, and try to do the same types of tings we did last [offseason] to help us move forward – not just being in the top eight of MLS but higher," Nowak said. "That’s the goal for next year."

LA, NY preaching caution ahead of West showdown

2011-11-03T16:14:00.001-07:00

CARSON, Calif. – Matches between the LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls have typically garnered a little more glitz than other MLS rivalries. When Thierry Henry and Rafa Márquez joined the Red Bulls in 2010, the hype machine revved into an even higher gear for the bicoastal battle. It won’t be any different heading into Thursday’s Western Conference Semifinal second leg at the Home Depot Center (11 pm ET, ESPN2/TSN2, live chat on MLSsoccer.com), and with a trip to the Conference Championship on the line, the game certainly has a potential to live up to its billing. Then again, maybe not. "It’s like any game in the playoffs," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena told reporters on Wednesday. "The teams are ready – you just have to make sure you bring it on game day." The Galaxy currently lead the series 1-0, but just how that will affect the two teams at the start of the game is anybody’s guess. New York certainly need to score a goal if they want to keep their postseason alive. But conceding one might be disastrous as well. "It’s a long time, 90 minutes," New York coach Hans Backe said at training on Wednesday. "It’s probably most important at the beginning to have a clean sheet and not go 1-0 down." A win by two or more goals will see the Red Bulls through to a Monday date at Rio Tinto Stadium against Real Salt Lake. A one-goal New York edge after 90 minutes would send the match to extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shootout. And the Red Bulls won’t be picky about which of those scenarios plays out. "I don’t care so much if we score in the 88th minute or something like that and go to extra time but I think the key thing is not going down early in the game," Backe said. "We need to stay in the game at least 60, 70 minutes." That the match is at the HDC – where the Galaxy have not lost a single match in 2011 – puts pressure on LA to see the job through. "We’re obviously the favorites – we’re at home and one-nil up," Galaxy forward Robbie Keane said. "Going into the game, people expect it but you have to respect who you play against. By no means is it going to be an easy game. They have quality players and are a tough team. We just have to be careful." The prospect of handing LA their first home loss of the season is daunting, but perhaps no less daunting than the hurdles New York have faced all season. If anything, it’s just another in a string of challenges that the Red Bulls have overcome. "We have definitely raised our game when we have had our back against the wall," Backe said. "Probably when we had seven games to go we had to win four, five of them just to get in the playoffs. We don’t perhaps get used to it but we have players with a lot of experience being involved in these types of games and that has probably helped us."

Physical Dynamo ready for another rough go vs. Union

2011-11-02T16:12:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – While the New York Red Bulls and LA Galaxy got the headlines Sunday night for their postgame melee, the real physical match took place just a few miles southwest of Red Bull Arena. The Houston Dynamo and Philadelphia Union played a 2-1 game that saw six yellow cards, three of which were borderline reds. Brian Ching told the

Seattle's Keller calls for better effort in 2nd leg vs. RSL

2011-11-01T16:12:00.001-07:00

TUKWILA, Wash. — Going into the second leg of their Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday (10 pm ET, ESPN2/Deportes, live chat on MLSsoccer.com), the Seattle Sounders will have a mountain to climb to advance past Real Salt Lake to the next round. And, already down 3-0, where to start? According to goalkeeper and captain Kasey Keller, step one is simple: effort. Once the game in Utah, started going against the Sounders, Keller thought the field players weren’t doing everything they could to defend. Specifically, the game tape showed that players weren’t making the defensive runs needed to cut down on Real Salt Lake’s opportunities. "There are a whole lot of factors involved and we could talk here for a long, long time, but we didn't come in for the fight," Keller said. "In the first 10 to 15 minutes, if you look back at the tape, you thought, ‘Maybe this is going to be OK.’ Then as it got a little bit more physical and a little bit harder, we just didn't compete all the way around. "In the playoffs, you think that'd be first and foremost in your frame of mind in an away game, where whatever happens I'm going to run hard and tackle, and it wasn't there," added Keller. Keller was at a loss to explain the lack of urgency. In single-game elimination scenarios, Seattle have been excellent this year, including four consecutive wins in the US Open Cup. In the CONCACAF Champions League, an overtime goal from Nate Jaqua in the preliminary round started another run of four consecutive victories, including an away win at Monterrey. With those games in mind, Keller wondered if the thought of the return leg sapped some of the urgency from the team. "We didn't step up and perform in a do-or-die manner," Keller said. "That's probably the thing that's the most disappointing for everybody." But despite the setback, the Sounders players have said they can make up the difference. Erik Friberg, who earned his first 30 minutes of playoff action in relief of Lamar Neagle, acknowledges the tough task. The Swedish midfielder cites Seattle’s league-best 56 goals scored in the regular season as a reason Seattle might pull of a shocking comeback. "Of course we’re really disappointed with the game we played, but now it’s just ‘score goals,’" Friberg said. "I think we have a good chance to do that. We scored a lot of goals at home all year, so it’s a chance."

Armchair Analyst: Which teams played the right cards?

2011-10-31T16:29:00.001-07:00

It was a pretty bad weekend for the home teams in the first leg of the Conference Semifinals. The notable exception was Real Salt Lake, who dominated the Sounders on Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead into Seattle on Wednesday. We’ll start there for some quickshot tactical analysis of what went right and what went wrong in each of the weekend’s contests: Real Salt Lake 3, Seattle Sounders 0 The Opta numbers break it down pretty well, with RSL showing a clear advantage in total possession and completion percentage. But the reasons behind those numbers are what tell the story. RSL were able to push Seattle into playing more vertically than the Sounders generally want to, forcing the back four into long-distance passing and generally neutralizing Osvaldo Alonso. Sigi Schmid said it was one of the worst games Alonso’s had in the defensive midfielder’s three years in MLS, and it’s hard to disagree. WATCH: Wingert tees up Saborio While that made for a stretched and disorganized Seattle side that couldn’t string passes together until the last 15 minutes (at which point RSL began to play more conservatively in an effort to protect their 2-0 lead), it also created lanes for RSL to exploit when moving forward. The positioning of Will Johnson in particular provided a dilemma for right back James Riley. Johnson stayed very deep on the night, leaving room in the left-center channel for playmaker Javier Morales to use (and use it he did – that’s where the first goal came from). Alonso frequently followed Morales with and without the ball, which left Riley to choose between pushing up and harassing the Canadian international, and thus vacating the flank for a counterattack, or staying back and letting Johnson act as a safety-valve when Real had possession. It ended up being the latter more often than not, and Johnson’s ability to switch play and keep the ball moving is one of the underrated reasons his side bossed the game. Philadelphia Union 1, Houston Dynamo 2 It seems unlikely Peter Nowak will trot out the five-man back line that played the first 45 minutes on Sunday. It also seems highly unlikely – or it should be, anyway – that he’ll go with the dual d-mid formation that’s been more hindrance than help for his team this year. WATCH: Hainault puts Dynamo up 1-0 The choice to defend deep was a baffling one for several reasons, the biggest being that you’re almost certain to concede set pieces if you play that game. Against a team with Brad Davis whipping balls into Brian Ching, Andre Hainault, Bobby Boswell and Geoff Cameron, that’s suicide. The 4-1-3-2 should be the order of the day. Figuring out who to play alongside (or just underneath) Sébastien Le Toux is the biggest decision, but it’s clear that the Frenchman should be used as a true No. 9, pushing the Dynamo back four. Defensively, the Union have two mandates: Stop giving up set pieces and stop giving Davis chances to cross the ball. The midfielder had 10 on the day, and Philly were lucky only one turned into a goal. On the Houston side, it couldn’t have gone much better, with the one blemish being Cameron’s ill-advised, poorly timed challenge that freed Justin Mapp up to start the sequence leading to the first goal. Otherwise, Cory Ashe did a very good job of staying wide to neutralize Sheannon Williams on the overlap, while Hainault and Danny Cruz did well to take the space down the right side, largely eliminating Gabe Farfan’s overlapping threat. New York Red Bulls 0, LA Galaxy 1 Over the past several years, one of the more reliable predictors of playoff success is choosing whichever team has played fewer games to advance. Teams with extended US Open Cup or CONCACAF Champions League runs simply haven’t had the legs to compete come the postseason. WATCH: Magee beats the trap That fed into LA’s plan in New York, a game in which they pressed for the first 30 minutes then spend the rest of the game conserving energy while looking for a counterattack. Obviously the pressure paid off – Mike Magee’s 18th-minute goal came at a point in the game when the Galaxy had RBNY scrambling to put out fires all over the pitch – and the decision to counter would have paid as well, had Robbie Keane or Landon Donovan been able to finish open chances in the box. LA will take the 1-0, of course, but Hans Backe and RBNY have some serious decisions to make. The Galaxy were able to neutralize Thierry Henry by leaving Juninho deep (a role likely given to Chris Birchall for the second leg since the Brazilian is suspended), putting the Frenchman in a situation where, when he received the ball, he was almost always moving away from his own net. As it turns out, Henry’s best pass of the night was a blind, overhead kick into space for Luke Rodgers. Not exactly textbook attacking soccer, that. Colorado Rapids 0, Sporting KC 2 The Rapids were spent by September and have been holding on by a thread. Factor in the injuries they suffered, the red card, and Sporting’s young legs and good health, and the 2-0 result was probably, in retrospect, predictable. WATCH: Zusi puts Bunbury through It actually obscures the fact that Colorado played fairly well through the first 45 minutes, giving few chances to counter and daring KC to beat them by stringing together passes in the attacking zone. On the few times Sporting attempted the latter, Jeff Larentowicz was usually there to clean up the threat. Of course, it was a turnover and counterattack that gave Sporting the lead just a few minutes into the second half. So the good form didn’t last nearly long enough. The real problem, though, occurred when Graham Zusi stepped into the red zone just between the defense and midfield. It’s well understood by now that anything within 30 yards means Zusi can have a rip on goal, so when Larentowicz stepped up to snuff out that option, it gave the enganche the lane to slip Teal Bunbury through and draw a red card on Tyrone Marshall. In other words, Colorado made the right play; Zusi simply made a better one.

Recap: RSL take big 3-0 lead vs. Sounders in West semifinal

2011-10-30T16:26:00.001-07:00

SANDY, Utah — RSL looked nothing like a team that hadn’t won in more than a month. With Will Johnson, Kyle Beckerman, and Javier Morales all back in the starting lineup, the Claret-and-Cobalt controlled the tempo from the outset en route to a dominating 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders in the first leg of their Western Conference semifinal matchup at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night. Álvaro Saborío scored two goals and Ned Grabavoy added the third as RSL took a commanding lead heading into the return match on Wednesday night at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field (10 pm ET; ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com; live chat on MLSsoccer.com). Seattle will need to regroup after managing no shots on goal against a masterful Real Salt Lake defense. Kasey Keller kept the series from getting out of hand with eight saves. Morales contributed two assists for the home side. RSL started off strongly, with Fabián Espíndola among the standout performers in the first stanza. His strike partner Saborío just missed scoring in the eighth minute, while Keller had to dive to deny Will Johnson in the 20th. Keller once again came up big in the 24th minute, stretching to his left to deny Andy Williams when it looked like the RSL midfielder would score. Kreis was forced to use a substitute in the 31st minute, bringing on Chris Schuler for Jámison Olave (right quad strain). The move didn’t slow RSL’s tempo, as the team finally broke through in the 41st. Saborío provided the final touch to a lovely maneuver as Javier Morales and Chris Wingert advanced down RSL’s left side against Seattle's James Riley. The overlapping Wingert’s cross was headed for the net, but Saborío tapped it in on the goal line. After conferring with the assistant referee about a possible offside call against Saborío, match referee Mark Geiger ruled it a good goal.

Galaxy Notebook: LA may try to exploit absent Solli's spot

2011-10-29T15:13:00.001-07:00

CARSON, Calif. – Jan Gunnar Solli has caused a load of problems for opposing clubs this season, but the LA Galaxy won’t have to worry about New York's regular right back on Sunday in the first leg of their Western Conference Semifinal series (3 pm ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes, live chat on MLSsoccer.com). The Norwegian was sent off in New York’s 2-0 wild card win at FC Dallas on Wednesday and will have to sit out the first leg of the Red Bulls’ series against the Galaxy. A stalwart on the right side of the defense, Galaxy forwards are relishing the opportunity to not worry about him. "It’s a huge loss for them," Chad Barrett said. "They’ll have to fill the gap there on the right side with someone who hasn’t really played. They’re a team who hasn’t really shuffled in a whole lot of players and when they have, they haven’t done great like our team has." Solli was in fine form throughout 2011, playing in 31 games and notching seven assists, tying Chivas USA's Ante Jazic for most assists from a defender. Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe told reporters on Friday that he'll fill the void with Carlos Mendes. And while the Red Bulls veteran has played in 18 games this season and has logged 146 career MLS matches, there is a drop-off in terms of offensive production without Solli in the lineup. "There’s a huge gap there of course and it’s probably something we’ll look to exploit," Barrett said. Dodging Rodgers? While Solli is definitely out on Sunday, a player who the Galaxy may do well to avoid altogether is forward Luke Rodgers. The striker scored nine goals in 23 games despite being hampered with injuries through much of the latter half of the season. He already showed the Galaxy firsthand what he’s capable of, scoring a goal in a 2-0 win over LA at Red Bull Arena on Oct. 4. "Rodgers is the guy who makes their team tick, and if he’s not on the field, it’s certainly helpful for us," Galaxy captain Landon Donovan said. "My guess is they’re going to find a way to get him ready." The Englishman does well to put himself in good positions in front of the goal. "He’s a true goal-poacher," Barrett said. "He works hard and likes to stretch the field for them. Thierry Henry is the guy they like to play to into his feet. He likes to get it, he likes to combine, he’s a great playmaker and he likes to go deep for them." Rodgers gives New York a strong weapon that makes the Red Bulls frontline one of the most productive forward units in the league. With Henry’s 14 goals and Juan Agudelo’s six tallies, the Red Bulls got 29 goals from that trio alone. Still, despite those statistics, Galaxy players are not exactly picking their jaws off the ground. "Their attack [are] all great players, but it’s nothing that we haven’t seen before," Barrett said. Magee: Don't underestimate RBNY After their midseason collapse and struggle to just reach the playoffs, many observers seemingly overlooked the New York Red Bulls as true MLS Cup contenders. But at least one Galaxy player knows what happens when the Red Bulls are overlooked in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Mike Magee was on the 2008 Red Bulls side that reached the club’s one and only MLS Cup final. And while New York are the LA Galaxy’s Western Conference foe now, Magee is one of the few who does not find that situation out of the ordinary. "When I played with New York, we won the Western Conference, so it’s not too bizarre for me," he said at training on Thursday. "Every team that’s moved over to a different conference has won so we definitely have to be careful." New York were the Western Conference champions in 2008, ousting heavily favored Houston in the first round before upsetting Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium to reach MLS Cup. However, the club’s miracle run ended there as the Columbus Crew beat them in the final, which was played at the Home Depot Center. While the Galaxy have has a slew of goals before this point – winning the Supporters’ Shield, advancing out of CONCACAF Champions League group play – New York are determined for just one thing, and that will make the club a more difficult foe. "History has shown that the teams that the teams who squeak in do very well," Magee said. "I think New York in particular, they’re desperate for an MLS Cup. I know that organization and I know this is all they’re playing for." While both New York and the Galaxy have high salaries and world-renowned stars, the similarities end there. The Red Bulls tied half of their games and needed a win in the final match of the season to reach the playoffs. The Galaxy went 19-5-10 and cruised to the top spot in the Western Conference table. But if the Galaxy view the Red Bulls as anything but a worthy and difficult opponent, they will be in trouble, Magee said. "It’s a game where we can’t see them as a No. 10 seed," he said. "They’re going to come out and they’re going to play without as much pressure as us and a lot more freely. If we let our guards down, they’ll beat us."

Dynamo Notes: Players positive after recalling point at PPL

2011-10-28T15:12:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo's 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 6 could be a much-needed rallying point for visitors as they return again to face the Union in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday (5 pm ET, ESPN2/Deportes). "It’s obviously something that, as a team, we can pull from," Dynamo midfielder Adam Moffat said. "We were disappointed we [didn’t win] that game because we played well but gave up an early goal." Houston dominated possession on the night, controlling the ball for 58 percent of the match, while also outshooting the Union 16-8. Despite the offensive control, however, they still needed an 85th-minute Geoff Cameron strike to pull out a draw. That positive result sparked a two-and-a-half-month run that saw the Dynamo climb to their final spot of second in the Eastern Conference. That success and production can now serve as motivation heading into a hostile playoff environment. "One hundred percent," Cameron said when asked if can they pull from their August draw. "We had a good result the last time we played them there. Saying that, it’s a different environment now in the playoffs with more at stake. We’re going to go in there to get a point or three points." Le Toux factor It is no secret who has been the hottest Union player the last third of the season. After scoring one goal in the first five months of the season, Sébastien Le Toux rediscovered his form to the tune of 10 of his club's 17 goals since Aug. 13. Le Toux’s renaissance has corresponded with a move to a more forward position. As the Frenchman has transitioned from a role as facilitator – he notched nine assists on the year – to goal scorer, opposing defenses now have to know his whereabouts at all times. "When he’s making his runs, communication is a key thing," Cameron said. "If he’s making a run through you have to let the other guys know when he is coming through and know what to do." Health finally a positive It seems rare in 2011 that the term "happy" has been used in regards to the Dynamo’s health, but going into the playoffs that's exactly how the team is feeling. When the team trained Friday morning it was nearly all hands on deck, with the only missing head being Cam Weaver, who is out for the season due to a hip injury. "To come out and be able to go through things and count 20-plus players, it’s nice to have a healthy squad going into this important part of the season," head coach Dominic Kinnear said.

DeMerit documentary gets November theatrical release

2011-10-27T15:12:00.001-07:00

Ever since its trailer began grabbing attention on blogs and Twitter feeds this spring,

Union Notebook: Paunović a question for Houston series

2011-10-26T15:20:00.001-07:00

CHESTER, Pa. – The Philadelphia Union will take the field for their first-ever MLS playoff game on Sunday at PPL Park. Union midfielder Veljko Paunović may not be as fortunate. Paunović, a longtime pro but a first-year MLS player, could be sidelined for the Union’s playoff opener against Houston in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals (4 pm ET; ESPN2, ESPN Deportes). The 34-year-old Serbian is currently listed as doubtful on the club’s injury report with a right hamstring strain. "As of now, Veljko is training with us but not in full capacity," Union manager Peter Nowak said Wednesday from his weekly press conference. "With those kinds of injuries, you never know how it plays out. I don’t think it’s major enough to say he’s out the whole series." Before being sidelined for the Union’s loss in last Thursday’s regular-season finale to the Red Bulls, Paunović had started 12 of the club’s last 13 games, playing mainly as a withdrawn forward behind Sébastien Le Toux. If Paunović can’t go on Sunday, the Union could start the game with a five-man midfield like they did against New York last week, or partner Danny Mwanga – who is recovering from an injury himself – up top with Le Toux. Either way, Nowak believes Paunović’s absence would hurt the club. "In the stretch where we were playing good, he was an integral part of that," Nowak said. "So it’s definitely a loss in this capacity. He’s an experienced guy." The only other key player listed on the injury report for Philly is midfielder Justin Mapp (left quad strain), but Nowak said he should be fine for Sunday’s game. Mondragón feeling fine Since goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón returned to the lineup, the Union have yet to win and Mondragón has yet to record a shutout. But heading into the playoffs, Nowak is not the least bit worried about his club’s 40-year-old captain, despite the last two results of the regular season – a 1-1 tie to Toronto and a 1-0 loss to New York. "Faryd is an experienced guy," Nowak said. "The injury was just unfortunate. It’s not like he was sitting in front of the TV with a remote control and trying to flip channels [while he was hurt]. He was around us. He was part of the team, whatever we did." Nowak was also quick to point out the goals surrendered in each of the Union’s last two games were not a result of his injury or because the team had become more accustomed to rookie Zac MacMath, who had started the previous seven games in net. "I don’t think we had any problems with communication," the Union manager said. "I think he was very confident in those two games. The two goals, we should do better defensively not to put him in that position. I’m not worried." Nowak also isn’t worried how Mondragón will handle his first MLS Cup playoff contest, considering the veteran Colombian has played in numerous pressure-packed games during a two-decade career in South America and Europe. "This kind of stuff for him is not new," Nowak said.

Ralston says no contact with Revs over coach vacancy

2011-10-25T15:21:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – With Monday's stunning development that the New England Revolution and Steve Nicol had parted ways, talk immediately began of who would replace the iconic head coach. Not surprisingly, one of Nicol's longtime charges was one of the first names floated. But Steve Ralston shot down any rumors of first contact with his old team on Tuesday, adding that the reports and rumor-mongering are the extent of the Dynamo assistant coach’s knowledge of the subject. "When I came in this morning, some of the guys asked about it, but I just read it this morning and that’s all I know about it," Ralston told the media after training Tuesday. "I played there for eight years and I enjoyed my time there. But my job right now is to help this team prepare for the playoffs. "I just feel really bad for [Nicol] and that’s all I’m thinking about it right now. He’s a good man and good coach and I feel for him." The former Revolution stalwart is a logical candidate for the position. Ralston was a beloved member of the team and soccer community in New England, and a big reason they made it to four MLS Cup finals during his eight seasons with the Revolution. After retiring in 2010, Ralston replaced Portland Timbers head coach John Spencer on Houston’s staff. Since then, Ralston has worked with Dynamo head man Dominic Kinnear to not only improve the Dynamo, but work on Ralston’s nascent coaching skills. "He’s more comfortable talking with the guys one on one and on the field," Kinnear said. "Another good thing is the reserve league that gives these guys a chance to make decisions, and that’s been helpful. I think he feels more comfortable being a coach." Kinnear echoed Ralston sentiments Tuesday saying he was sad to see Nicol’s tenure end, and confirmed that New England has not contacted the club for permission to speak with Ralston, who is under contract. However, as we saw with Spencer last season, Kinnear and the Dynamo are not likely to stand in the way of a coach wanting to seek out a head coaching position. "If they were to ask us to talk to Steve, I don’t see us standing in the way," Kinnear said. Still, Ralston is focused on helping the Dynamo prepare for a run to the MLS Cup and, hopefully, a victory – something that eluded him during his playing days. So while the rumor mill has already started, Ralston is content to leave any talk of his Houston departure right there. "I loved my time [in New England] and I love being here," Ralston said. "That was my past but this is my job now, to do whatever I can to help these guys. I would like to win the MLS Cup and that’s my job here."

Jewsbury honored by 'mates as Player of the Year

2011-10-24T15:16:00.001-07:00

PORTLAND, Ore. — Jack Jewsbury has become an instant fan favorite in the Rose City, and on Sunday, his teammates officially agreed. A day after the Timbers finished their inaugural MLS season with a 1-1 draw at Real Salt Lake, "Captain Jack" was honored at the team's end-of-season banquet as Portland's player of the year as voted upon by his teammates. Jewsbury praised the support of the club and his fellow players in his acceptance speech. "First, I want to say thank you to all of my teammates," said Jewsbury. "To be given this from them is truly something special. Obviously we fell short of some of our goals, but I think at the end of the day, this group has something truly to be proud of and something that we're looking forward to the future with this club." In helping the Timbers stay in the thick of the playoff race until the final game of the season, Jewsbury posted career highs in points (22), goals (seven) and assists (eight). He was the only player in MLS this season to post multiple four-game streaks of earning points in consecutive games. The nine-year veteran, who was acquired from Sporting Kansas City in an offseason trade, earned his first MLS All-Star selection and was one of the top vote getters by fans at the midfield position. "When I first got traded here, I'll be honest, I was a little nervous," Jewsbury said. "I had been somewhere for eight years in Kansas City, and it felt comfortable. And to be somewhere different for me and my family was hard. They made everything as easy as could be for us and a smooth transition and I truly appreciate that and I'm sure my wife would say the same." Also receiving team awards on Sunday were forward Kenny Cooper (Golden Boot), goalkeeper Troy Perkins (Supporters' Player of the Year), midfielder Kalif Alhassan (Young Player of the Year) and reserve goalkeeper Jake Gleeson (MLS W.O.R.K.S./Timbers Humanitarian of the Year). Cooper, the team's signature preseason signing after two seasons in Germany's Bundesliga, and four with FC Dallas, led the Timbers with eight goals on the season. Perkins, who spent his previous five seasons with D.C. United, recorded a career-high nine shutouts. "It's a wall of energy behind you that you can really feed on," Perkins said of playing in front of the infamous Timbers Army. "I love playing at home and getting the other goalkeeper in there first because dealing with that Timbers Army is probably the most imposing thing in the league. To have them on your side, it just builds your confidence. When they applaud you for the effort and the work, it really makes you feel special." Among other awards, rookie midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe's juggling goal Jul. 2 against Kansas City was voted as the team's best Play of the Year.

Same old mistakes haunt Chivas USA in season finale

2011-10-23T15:18:00.001-07:00

CARSON, Calif. — The first year of Robin Fraser's building project at Chivas USA came to an end on Saturday night as the Rojiblancos fell 3-1 to the Seattle Sounders in the home finale. WATCH: Full Match Highlights As has been the case throughout the season, Chivas began the match strong with several early chances. But in the end, it was once again defensive miscues at important times that cost the club a result. For a team that ended the season with one win in their last 11 matches, it was disappointing way to close the year. "We possessed the ball great in the first half, but we weren't too dangerous with it," said goalkeeper Dan Kennedy. "Come the second half, we made two changes to the lineup and in a ten minute span... there were two poor turnovers and a lack of urgency to react to those turnovers. And a team like Seattle, with the weapons that they have, will bury them "Going into tonight, the focus was a little bit of pride and to give the supporters something to cheer about, so it's disappointing." Although the Rojiblancos finish the year at just 8-14-12, they also hold the distinction of having been in nearly all their games. The defeat to Seattle marked just the second time all season that they had been defeated by a margin greater than one goal. The match itself was not without positives as the Rojiblancos look ahead to greater things in 2012. One such highlight was Victor Estupiñán scoring the lone Chivas goal, the first of his fledgling career. The Ecuadorian has been in and out of the game day roster throughout the season, but after coming on for Juan Pablo Ángel in the second half, he had an immediate impact and offered hope for more production next season. "I thought his energy was good," said Fraser after the match. "He made a lot of good runs out of midfield and he gets on the end of a service and creates a goal. I thought for him, it was certainly a bright spot. Victor has worked extremely hard especially at the last stage of the season. "He's really turned the corner in terms of maturing as a young professional. He still has a long way to go, but his attitude has gone a long way in terms of getting into the 18, getting into the game and making the most of his opportunity."

Spencer: Timbers must collect every last point we can

2011-10-22T15:17:00.001-07:00

While the Portland Timbers’ playoff hopes may have come crashing down with New York’s 1-0 victory Thursday over Philadelphia, head coach John Spencer still insists the motivation for his team’s season finale against Real Salt Lake on Saturday (9 pm ET; watch LIVE online) remains the same. "We felt that Philly had a good chance to get a win against the Red Bulls, but it wasn’t to be," Spencer said in a Friday morning conference call. "I think for a first season, for us, it’s been a good season. We’ve got one more game against Real Salt Lake and we want to go out and get a win and end the season with as many points as we possibly can get." The Timbers needed New York to lose or draw against Philadelphia for their match at RSL to have postseason meaning. But by the time the Timbers landed in Salt Lake City – having followed the game online as they traveled from Washington, D.C., where they tied Wednesday against D.C. United – the Timbers knew their chance to become only the second MLS expansion team since 1998 to qualify for the playoffs was over. "You can’t fault our effort," Spencer said. "You can’t fault our effort throughout the season. For a first-year team to get 41 points with a possibility to get 44, I think has been a good season. A little bit [short] of a great season, not getting into the playoffs." Spencer said the team still practiced Friday morning as if it were just another game, a brand of professionalism the first-time head coach has preached all season. "We could look at the last game as, ‘You know what? It’s our last game. There’s nothing riding on it,’" he said. "But there is. It’s three points riding on it. For us, we’re going to go out and try to win the game. We’ll be putting the strongest 11 that I feel that is capable of winning the game." Portland will be missing forward Darlington Nagbe, who also missed the game against United with a calf injury, as well as midfielder Sal Zizzo, who injured his knee in the Timbers’ 2-0 loss Oct. 14 to Houston. There will be a lot on the line for Real Salt Lake, as well. A win will ensure they retain the third position in the Western Conference, which guarantees them a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament if RSL, the LA Galaxy or the Seattle Sounders advance to the MLS Cup final. But the seeming disparity in the stakes for the two sides won’t deter Spencer. "You put on a Timbers uniform, you go out and you try to win the game," Spencer said.

DC want to extend De Rosario's contract

2011-10-21T15:09:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON – While one game remains in D.C. United's 2011 campaign, big decisions lay ahead for the franchise's looming offseason. The future of midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and forward Charlie Davies are two of the biggest decisions confronting D.C.'s front office. De Rosario has one year left – a club-held option – on his current contract, although United plan on trying to offer him a longer deal. "We'll sit down in the coming weeks with Dwayne and his representative and our goal is to negotiate an extension," general manager Dave Kasper told reporters at training on Friday. Since joining D.C. at the end of June, De Rosario has scored 13 goals and added seven assists. The Canadian international remains focused on Saturday's final game against Sporting Kansas City, but admitted to the importance of securing something more permanent. "It's huge," De Rosario said. "That's what I always wanted, especially as a family guy, I have to do what's right not only for me, but for my family as well. When you talk about contract negotiations, all of these things you have to take and bear in mind. The main focus right now is finishing the season out on a good note and then we'll deal with all that stuff after." D.C. also plan on making a decision about Davies. His loan from French club Sochaux expires at the end of the calendar year, and the club has an option to purchase the contract for a fee reported to be somewhere north of $1 million. United can also try to negotiate a lower fee or another year-long loan. Davies has 11 goals in 28 appearances on the year. "We need to sit down internally, and with Charlie and discuss his future," Kasper said.

De Rosario: Missing playoffs again "tough to swallow"

2011-10-20T15:07:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON — For most of the second half, it was quite clear that D.C. United midfielder Dwayne De Rosario wasn’t operating at 100 percent. With pain in his right shin, he labored through the final 45 but still managed to score in D.C.’s 1-1 draw with Portland. "I’ve actually been kicked in the same spot about three games in a row now, and at halftime I didn’t think I would be able to make it," he said after the game. "Sometimes you just have to suck it up and play for your team and that’s what I tried to do." But it wasn’t enough. The result eliminated United from playoff contention, and De Rosario took that consequence personally. "Another year for me that I’m not going to make the playoffs," he said. "It’s tough to swallow, to be honest." The Canadian international has won four MLS Cups in his career: two with San Jose in 2001 and 2003, and two with Houston in 2006 and 2007. But he has now missed out on the postseason three years in a row. He spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons with Toronto FC, both years failing to reach the postseason. He started this season again with Toronto then was traded to New York in April before being acquired by D.C. in June. "It was disheartening," De Rosario, whose career-high 15th goal pushed him into the lead in the Golden Boot race. "But it isn’t [disheartening] in the sense that we showed some fight. It was another learning opportunity for a lot of us. We’re happy that the supporters stuck with us through the whole game, which means a lot to us as players." Kitchen at D-mid Right back, center back, holding midfield. For Perry Kitchen, it doesn’t matter where he plays, just as long as he’s on the field. On Wednesday night, with the club in a do-or-die situation, head coach Ben Olsen entrusted the 19-year-old with the starting spot at defensive midfield in place of Clyde Simms. "I think I was put in there to just try to keep the game connected, I know it got a little crazy at the end with everybody pushing numbers forward," Kitchen said after the game. His performance drew rave reviews from Olsen. "It’s exciting to have him in this organization," he said. "He’s a big-time player and he’s got a huge heart. It’s really nice to see him play."

DC need to bounce back after painful Chicago collapse

2011-10-18T15:16:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON – Very little has gone right for D.C. United in the month of October. Including Saturday’s last-minute defeat at the hands of the Chicago Fire, United have lost all three games this month and four straight overall. The slump has them firmly on the outside looking in on the MLS Cup playoff picture. Despite all that, D.C. remain alive and upbeat. They are quickly putting the Chicago game out of sight and out of mind as they prepare for a must-win match on Wednesday against Portland (8 pm ET, watch LIVE online). WATCH: D.C. 1, CHI 2 "We had to get over [the Chicago loss] pretty quickly because we have an important game," midfielder Clyde Simms told MLSsoccer.com. "There’s nothing you can do about that now. It’s in the past. We’re just looking forward to tomorrow night, taking care of business against Portland." Added head coach Ben Olsen: "We’re fine. [The players] have short memories." During the recent stretch, D.C. have kept games close and haven’t been shut out. And while they haven’t had too much trouble hitting the back of the net, there wasn’t one particular issue causing losses. "I think we’ve had different problems in different games," Simms said. "In Philadelphia it was the ball over the top. In Vancouver it wasn’t getting pressure out wide to crosses. It’s been various things and we’ve had a little bit of bad luck." "We’ve just got to look forward," he said. "We feel like we’ve done a pretty good job of learning from mistakes this season. We’ve just got to keep pushing." Regardless of the performances in October up to this point, D.C. remain confident. They would still qualify for the playoffs with two wins this week combined with a New York loss to Philadelphia on Thursday, provided Portland cooperates by losing one of their two games or drawing both. And for the time being, looking forward to that is what fuels United. That's more productive than dwelling on the struggles of the recent past. "We have some very experienced players on this team and guys that have gotten a lot of time this season," Simms said. "We’re definitely confident as a team and we know we can do it."

Vote for AT&T Goal of the Week, Wk. 31

2011-10-17T15:11:00.001-07:00

Cast your ballot today for your favorite goal of Week 31! The winner is determined by the total number of votes cast online and via text and is announced on Fridays. Vote online or text goal code to 22442. Voting runs from noon ET on Mondays until 11:59 pm PT on Thursdays.

Recap: 64K watch Keller shine in storybook Sounders win

2011-10-16T15:09:00.001-07:00

SEATTLE — On a night in desperate need of a storybook ending, the Seattle Sounders were more than happy to oblige. A massive crowd of 64,140 — the third largest standalone crowd in MLS history — at CenturyLink Field came to pay tribute to the Sounders’ retiring goalkeeper Kasey Keller and were treated to a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. WATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Seattle 2, San Jose 1 The home side overcame a plucky San Jose side and a 24th-minute strike from Chris Wondolowski, getting goals Sammy Ochoa and Fredy Montero in the 82nd minute and 87th minute, respectively. With his 15th goal on the season, Wondolowski, the 2010 Golden Boot winner, drew level with D.C. United’s Dwayne De Rosario for the lead in this year’s scoring race. As if following a script, the comeback would not have been possible if not for the heroics of Keller. The 41-year-old goalkeeper made seven saves, none of which were bigger than a multi-save sequence in the 65th minute. Early on, though, it seemed as if it would be a bittersweet evening for the Sounders and their fans. The Quakes, eliminated from playoff contention several weeks ago, pushed the tempo and created several chances for themselves. Wondolowski gave the Earthquakes the lead in the 24th minute when he ran in alone, collecting Rafael Baca’s perfect through pass and beating Keller with a well-placed shot in the lower left corner. After the goal, the Quakes continued to push for more, only to be thwarted by Keller. The Sounders keeper dove to his right to deny Wondolowski on a low skillful header in the 43rd minute. And Wondolowski looked to have a second on a freekick in the 61st minute, but the goal was called back for the freekick’s being taken too quickly. Meanwhile, the Sounders still could not find the energy needed to get back in the game. They failed to create many full chances or even half chances until a few events saw the momentum shift. First, talismanic midfielder Mauro Rosales came on in the 64th minute to make his first appearance in nearly a month, and then Keller pulled off his series of acrobatic saves in the 65th. After Patrick Ianni’s poor pass, Keller was forced to come well off his line in order to beat the Quakes’ Khari Stephenson to the ball. Wondolowski then pounced on the loose ball and fired a shot from the left side which Keller staved off with a diving save. He then made a final block on Simon Dawkins’ follow-up before the defense finally cleared the danger. WATCH: Keller postmatch ceremonies The Sounders took advantage of their sudden ascendency and hit paydirt in the 82nd minute when Rosales, who suffered a sprained MCL against D.C. United on Sept. 17, found substitute Sammy Ochoa with a long through ball. The summer acquisition forward beat Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch to record his first goal since joining the Sounders. Five minutes later, when most expected the match to end in a draw, the Sounders snagged the lead through Fredy Montero’s 12th goal of the season. Lamar Neagle found Montero, who barely beat the offside trap, and Colombian attacker calmly beat the defenseless Busch. The result does nothing to change the standings, as Seattle remain in second place in the Western Conference, four points behind LA. They host Monterrey on Oct. 18 in CONCACAF Champions League action. San Jose welcome Dallas on Oct. 22 in their final match of the season. Scoring Summary: SJ -- Chris Wondolowski 15 (Rafael Baca 3) 24 SEA -- Sammy Ochoa 1 (Mauro Rosales 13) 82 SEA -- Fredy Montero 12 (Lamar Neagle 2, Brad Evans 4) 87 Lineups: San Jose Earthquakes -- Jon Busch, Steven Beitashour, Bobby Burling, Jason Hernandez, Justin Morrow, Simon Dawkins, Sam Cronin, Brad Ring, Rafael Baca, Chris Wondolowski, Khari Stephenson.

Recap: Houston take a big step with 2-0 win at Portland

2011-10-15T15:12:00.001-07:00

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Houston Dynamo climbed a rung up the playoff ladder with a rough and tumble 2-0 road win Friday against the Portland Timbers. In the process, they dealt a major blow to Portland, who had been nipping at Houston’s heels in the postseason race. The Dynamo jumped over New York, Columbus and Sporting KC into the second place in the East with 46 points from 33 games. Portland, meanwhile, remain on the outside looking in with 40 points from their 32 contests. With rain falling throughout the Timbers’ home finale in front of 20,323 fans at JELD-WEN Field, there was clearly no love lost between the two teams as they combined for 30 fouls and two yellow cards. After a back-and-forth first half hour, Houston got on the board first in the 36th minute. A Lovel Palmer tackle on Carlo Costly at the right corner of the penalty area gave the Dynamo a free kick, and as they have all season, the men in orange were able to capitalize. Defender Andre Hainault got a touch on Brad Davis’ service, nodding past Portland goalkeeper Troy Perkins. The Timbers cried foul, as midfielder Sal Zizzo – who had been dispossessed in the lead-up to Palmer’s foul – was off receiving treatment when the goal was scored. The raw play continued in the second half as Houston midfielder Danny Cruz went hard into Timbers defender Mike Chabala, sending him sprawling to the turf. The play drew a yellow and Chabala had to gather himself on the sidelines briefly before coming back in. Houston put home the capper in the 59th minute in spectacular fashion when Cruz drove a left-footed blast from 30-yards out into the top corner of the goal. Portland’s desperate attempts to claw back into it went by the board when a Palmer cross to Eric Brunner deflected off Costly and nearly trickeled in before it was secured by a diving Tally Hall in the 64th minute. Minutes later, a clean Kenny Cooper header was pushed wide. Then, at the death, a David Horst header banged off the goalpost right before the final whistle blew. Portland (11-14-7) do possess a game in hand over Houston and Colorado. They’ll play at D.C. United on October 19 before concluding the season at Real Salt Lake on October 22. Houston (11-9-13) wrap up their season on October 23 at home against the LA Galaxy. Scoring Summary: HOU -- Andre Hainault 1 (Brad Davis 15) 36 HOU -- Danny Cruz 2 (Luiz Camargo 2) 59 Houston Dynamo -- Tally Hall, Andre Hainault, Bobby Boswell, Geoff Cameron, Corey Ashe, Danny Cruz, Adam Moffat, Luiz Camargo (Je-Vaughn Watson 77), Brad Davis (Colin Clark 74), Calen Carr (Will Bruin 81), Carlo Costly.

Goalkeeping spot still a question for Philadelphia

2011-10-14T15:08:00.001-07:00

CHESTER, Pa. – The Philadelphia Union can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a draw vs. Toronto FC on Saturday at PPL Park (4 pm ET, TSN, MatchDay Live). That much they know. Who will be in goal still seems to be a mystery. During a conference call on Friday, Union manager Peter Nowak dodged questions about who his starting goalkeeper would be for Saturday’s regular-season home finale. Captain Faryd Mondragón started the first 25 games of the season before breaking his finger, opening the door for rookie Zac MacMath, who’s been unbeaten in seven starts to help Philadelphia (11-7-14, 47 points) climb into first place in the Eastern Conference. Nowak said Mondragón has been training all week and is 100 percent healthy but would not commit to the 40-year-old all star, perhaps in part because of how well MacMath has performed since being called into duty. "There are a lot of factors," Nowak said. "The most important thing for me is we bring the same kind of motivation, concentration and energy to the game like we have the past several weeks. And if not, we’ll have a difficult time." No matter who patrols the net, Nowak seemed wary about a Toronto squad that will come into PPL Park looking to play the role of spoiler. For the Union manager, it hardly mattered that the Reds (6-13-13) have long been eliminated from the playoff race and that the last time these two teams met – in Toronto – the Union coasted to a 6-2 victory. "I think they are much better," Nowak said. "Defensively, they are very sound. They basically play with three center backs and five across the line in the backline. And they have very dangerous strikers, as well. "They have nothing to lose. Teams that don’t have anything to lose are the most dangerous. So we have to be really careful." The Union may still have a chance to earn a playoff berth over the weekend regardless of their result against TFC. If there is a winner between the Portland Timbers and Houston Dynamo and the New York Red Bulls lose to Sporting KC, Philadelphia are in. But for their final regular-season game at PPL Park, the Union would naturally prefer to keep their unbeaten streak alive and secure a spot in the postseason with their home fans looking on. "We want to give our fans a great show in the last regular-season home game," Union midfielder Brian Carroll said. "If we do that and are concentrated and focused, then hopefully we can get the maximum points. That’s our number one goal going into this game. "We want to take care of our own destiny and keep everything in our own control."

Dynamo ready for rough reception in Portland crunch clash

2011-10-13T15:25:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – Friday night’s match against the Portland Timbers could be the one that rubber-stamps Houston into the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in six years (10:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online). With a Dynamo win and a D.C. United draw or loss against the Chicago Fire on Saturday, the Orange men will move one step closer to clinching a playoff spot. To do that, Houston will have to beat a Timbers team they know a lot about after playing twice already – in preseason and on Aug. 14 in a 2-1 Houston home victory – with familiar faces on both sides. But there is one unfamiliar factor to deal with: the effects of Portland’s JELD-WEN Field that offers a raucous crowd and a small field prone to set-piece glory. "We haven’t been there, but from what everyone says, it’s better than most, if not the best, in the league," said head coach Dominic Kinnear. "I always say that’s the type of environment players want to play in ... it motivates you whether you’re home or away." The smaller field puts set-piece execution, both offensively and defensively, at a premium. Portland are exceptionally dangerous from set pieces and pose a number of problems with their service and tall targets; something they have in common with Houston. The Dynamo have one of the best ball strikers in MLS with Brad Davis and a number of tall targets of their own to take advantage of a field small enough that most set pieces are a potential scoring opportunity. "They score a lot of goals off set pieces," Davis said, "and knowing [Portland coach John] Spencer, he’s going to be aware of the guys we have on set pieces and he’ll go over them and put an emphasis on not giving those up and we’ll be aware of it for the same reasons. I think there’s going to be a few chances in that area and hopefully it’s us that are going to get on the end of them." With the chance to take a firm grip on a potential playoff spot, the only wild card thrown into the equation for Houston is the hostile settings of JELD-WEN Field. "As a player, these are the games you live for," Davis said. "It’s going to be loud, there’s a lot of emotion ... because the season rides on [this game] for both sides. It’ll be a playoff atmosphere, and if you can’t get up for this, I don’t think you should be in this sport."

On-the-mend Mwanga nearly back for surging Union

2011-10-12T15:12:00.001-07:00

CHESTER, Pa. – In their past four games, the Philadelphia Union have earned eight points, scored seven goals and climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference table. Perhaps even more impressive, they’ve managed to do so without the services of one of their top offensive weapons – Danny Mwanga. Mwanga, a dynamic second-year striker, hasn’t played since Sept. 17 because of a right hip flexor strain. WATCH: Mwanga has a go "Obviously I’m glad the team is doing well but, at the same time, it’s tough because you want to be out there," Mwanga told MLSsoccer.com. "You want to be a part of it. But I know I still have a couple of games and then we’ll hopefully make the playoffs. So I’m working hard to be fit by then and be able to help my team." Mwanga, the top overall pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, said he pulled his hip flexor in practice a couple of days after playing 27 minutes as a second-half sub in the Union’s 1-0 win over Columbus on Sept. 17. He then didn’t make the 18-man roster in games against Sporting Kansas City (Sept. 23), D.C. United (Sept. 29) and Chivas USA (Oct. 2). Against Seattle this past Saturday, the striker was included on the travel roster but didn’t get into the game in Philly’s pivotal 2-0 win. There is good news for Union fans, though: this week and last, Mwanga says he’s been training at close to full strength. "It’s finally getting better," he said. "I’m almost at 100 percent." Mwanga has battled a few minor injuries throughout his two-year career but he’s never been out of commission for this long. And even though the Union (11-7-14) have been proficient in the offensive third in recent weeks – with the red-hot Sébastien Le Toux leading the charge – they could certainly use Mwanga’s goal-scoring abilities as they look to clinch a playoff berth with a win over Toronto FC at PPL Park on Saturday (4 pm ET, watch LIVE online). And, of course, Mwanga – who’s scored five goals this season but has none since June 25 – hopes to be back on the field for what he expects to be a memorable day in Chester. "I think it’s going to be wonderful," he said. "It’s our last game at home and I think the environment will be really nice. Toronto made a few changes on their team and they’re going to come out trying to prove something against us. I think it’s going to be a really good game."

Dynamo's mission simple as they know they're in control

2011-10-11T15:15:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo’s path to the playoffs is clear: Win and get in. Heading into the final weeks of the season, the Orange know a points total of 49 assures them of a playoff spot. To get there, Houston – who currently sit on 43 points and 10th in the current playoff standings – their fate is in their own hands. "I think it’s good," said midfielder Brad Davis of Houston's position. "When stuff’s out of your hands, it’s unsettling. If we go out and perform or don’t perform, we know it’s on us." Those two wins will have to come against a team right behind them in the standings, the Portland Timbers, and the Supporters’ Shield-winning LA Galaxy. Houston beat the Timbers 2-1 at home Aug. 14, but it will be a different Portland team this time out. John Spencer’s side is 4-2-2 since that loss and has proved a tough team to deal with at JELD-WEN Field. "We have a game in Portland that will be a playoff atmosphere," Davis said. "I think our playoffs start then in an amazing atmosphere on the road. I think we’re going to see what our team is made of. Then we have a game with LA where we don’t know what’s going to happen ... but that really doesn’t matter because we need to get maximum points out of these games to put ourselves in a good spot." While the Dynamo control their own fate, they will have an eye on the teams around them. With three teams — D.C. United, Portland and Chicago – having games in hand on Houston, the Dynamo know what happens around them will affect them. Not just in regards to making the playoffs but where they are seeded. "It’s always tough when you watch a game like Philly play Seattle and we don’t need [the Union] to get a result," said defender Bobby Boswell. "You watch to know what happens, but six points in these next two games will be huge. If you don’t get results, then you’re going to be a team that’s watching and depending on other teams." Their attention will surely be on what teams around them are doing, but, Houston know their first order of business is to win games. Without winning their remaining fixtures, the fate of their season will uncomfortably be left up to what other teams are doing. "We are where we are and we have the chance to get six points and get into the playoffs," Davis said. "That’s what we’re working for these past weeks and the training sessions have been some of the most intense that we’ve had since I’ve been around. I’d rather know it’s in our hands and that we have that chance."

Referee Week: Revisiting Davies' drawn penalty vs. LA

2011-10-10T15:05:00.001-07:00

Recap: Philadelphia blow past Seattle for big 2-0 win

2011-10-09T15:13:00.001-07:00

A strong second-half performance and goals from Freddy Adu and Brian Carroll pushed the Philadelphia Union past the Seattle Sounders for a 2-0 win at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Saturday night. The Union won for the second time in the past three games thanks largely to a defense that stifled the potent Seattle attack and some opportunistic finishing. It marks Philly's third win in their last five games and pushed them to the top of the Eastern Conference with two games left in the season. The night started slow, with both teams looking sloppy in midfield and largely unable to generate quality chances. The best look of the first half fell to Sounders midfielder Brad Evans in the 35th minute after he latched onto a pull-back from Lamar Neagle, but Evans skied his shot over Zac MacMath's net. Things opened up in the second half, however, with both sides threatening to score early. The best chance again came through Evans, who found room at the top of the box and tried a cheeky chip of MacMath. The 'keeper was beaten, but the woodwork came to the rescue and kept it scoreless. Philly came right back down the other end of the field and conjured up a great chance thank to some clever work from Justin Mapp. The erstwhile winger found himself central, spun away from a defender and charged in on Kasey Keller's net. Mapp laid it off to Sébastien Le Toux, in the area, but the Frenchman scuffed his shot making for an easy save by Keller. Minutes later, however, Philly would finally find the opener courtesy of the mercurial Adu. The play started with a quick switch from Sheanon Williams, who found Gabriel Farfan in acres of space down the left-hand side. The winger managed to beat defender James Riley along the endline, then pulled it back to Adu, who was waiting at the corner of the six-yard box. Adu made no mistake, smashing a left-footed blast into the roof of the net past a helpless Keller. 10 minutes later the Union were at it again. After enduring wave after wave of Sounders attacks, Le Toux got loose on a counter and was off to the races. Carroll went with him, and was rewarded for his hustle when Le Toux slipped a pass through the retreating Seattle defense to put the d-mid in on Keller. Carroll finished clinically, firing low and hard to the back post for his first goal of the season. The Sounders, who were playing without a host of attackers including MVP candidates Fredy Montero (yellow-card accumulation) and Mauro Rosales (injury), were further hamstrung when stalwart defender Jeff Parke went off with a concussion at halftime. Though the effort was there throughout the squad, the legs largely weren't from the side that won the US Open Cup earlier in the week. Philly (11-7-14, 47 points) move two points above Sporting KC into the Eastern Conference driver's seat. They next take the field on Saturday, Oct 15, when they host Toronto FC. Seattle (16-7-9, 57 points) stay second in the West, but are eliminated from the Supporters' Shield race. With the result, the LA Galaxy clinched their second straight Shield. The Sounders are next in action on Oct. 15 when they host San Jose. A win or a draw will clinch second place in the West. Scoring Summary: PHI -- Freddy Adu 2 (Gabriel Farfan 2) 60 PHI -- Brian Carroll 1 (Sebastien Le Toux 9) 70 Misconduct Summary: SEA -- Lamar Neagle (caution; Reckless Foul) 63 Lineup: Philadelphia Union -- Zac MacMath, Sheanon Williams, Carlos Valdes, Danny Califf, Gabriel Farfan, Michael Farfan, Brian Carroll, Justin Mapp (Jack McInerney 86), Freddy Adu (Amobi Okugo 75), Sebastien Le Toux, Veljko Paunovic (Stefani Miglioranzi 89).

Júnior Lopes making the adjustment to life at Chivas USA

2011-10-08T15:08:00.001-07:00

CARSON, Calif. – Since joining Chivas USA from Romanian club FC Universitatea Craiova on Aug. 12, center back David Júnior Lopes has become a staple in the Goats defense. Five of his first six appearances have been starts. But that’s not to say that there haven’t been bumps along the road as the 6-foot-4 Júnior Lopes has adjusted to life in MLS. "I knew it'd be a complicated transition from Europe, but it's been easier than I expected and overall, I'm very happy and I hope that I can stay for a while," he told MLSsoccer.com. "The first three games were very important for me because I had a lot of doubts and I questioned my soccer and what I could do. Those two games were important for me in defining what kind of player that I wanted to be." What Júnior Lopes has become is a hard-nosed defender, using his imposing size to overpower opponents. But his penchant for physical play has gotten him into some trouble during his short time with Chivas USA. In his first appearance, the 29-year-old was lucky not to surrender a penalty kick after appearing to bring down a Sounders player late in the match. Two matches later, the Brazilian was red-carded for a tackle on Chris Pontius that left the D.C. United winger with a broken right leg. Since returning from his suspension, however, Júnior Lopes has shown signs of quality. "It's a matter of him getting fit and his legs under him and certainly integrating him into back four and he's been very proactive about that," Chivas USA head coach Robin Fraser said of the 29-year-old Brazilian Júnior Lopes admits that returning to match fitness has been the biggest issue since arriving at Chivas. After Universitatea Craiova were excluded from the Romanian top flight due to a legal dispute in July, he returned home. "I had been off for a while on vacation in Brazil, so it took me awhile to get into game shape and out of the funk that I was in," said Júnior Lopes. "I had those negative moments, but working out those kinks was important because I had so much time off." Now at full match fitness and with Chivas out of postseason contention, Júnior Lopes has set his sights on locking down a spot for 2012. "I hope to come back," he added. "I want to finish my career in MLS. I feel like I have a lot of good years left and I feel like I can help Chivas USA."

On playoff threshold, Union look to step over vs. Seattle

2011-10-07T15:12:00.001-07:00

CHESTER, Pa. – The last time the Philadelphia Union played in Seattle, they were an expansion team looking for their first win in franchise history. More than a year-and-a-half later, the Union will make their second trip to Seattle with another achievement in plain sight: making the playoffs for the first time. "We’re standing in front of the door," Union manager Peter Nowak said. "The door is open. We just need to make the necessary step to walk through the door." The Union (10-7-14, 44 points) cannot officially a clinch a playoff berth when they play the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on Saturday (10 pm ET, watch LIVE online), but a win would vault them ahead of Sporting Kansas City and into first in the Eastern Conference. Even a tie would leave the second-place Union in very good playoff position, since none of their other East rivals will be in action Saturday. Of course, getting a result on the road against one of the league’s premier teams will not be easy – even if the Sounders (16-6-9, 57 points) have already clinched a playoff berth and are coming off the emotional high of winning the US Open Cup on Tuesday. "It’s going to be a challenging game; it always is over there," Nowak said. "And they still have a chance to win the Supporters’ Shield." Seattle will be without their leading scorer Freddy Montero (16 goals across all competitions), who is suspended for the game due to yellow card accumulation. Philadelphia, meanwhile, come into the game with their leading scorer – Sébastien Le Toux – playing at his absolute best. And Le Toux, who was named the MLS Player of the Month for September after scoring seven goals in six games, is excited to return to Seattle, where he spent three years before the Union scooped him up in the 2009 Expansion Draft. "It’s always special for me go back there," the Frenchman said. "I have lots of good memories there. I’m glad about where they are right now and I wish them the best." But, of course, Le Toux wants to leave his old stomping grounds with a victory. And, he says, he and his teammates are ready to deal with the noise at CenturyLink, which typically gives the Sounders a tremendous homefield advantage. "When you speak, you have to be very close to each other to understand and hear each other," Le Toux said. "It’s a great place to play, even for the opposing team. I just want to play well and do my best on the field." Nowak didn’t seem too concerned about playing at such a hostile road venue, either. "We were there last year, so it’s nothing different," the Union manager said. "Most of the stadiums this time before the playoffs are all packed with people yelling and screaming. It’s not going to chance our approach to Seattle, regardless of the 30,000 fans. It’s good to play in this kind of environment at this stage."

Schellas XI: Recent woes frustrating for FC Dallas

2011-10-06T15:17:00.001-07:00

FRISCO, Texas – In our weekly series featuring Schellas Hyndman, the FC Dallas head coach addresses 11 topics in brevity, including the team’s current losing streak, the departure of Brek Shea and Marvin Chávez for the FIFA international dates and the successes from earlier in 2011. I-II. First, just days after the team’s fourth straight shutout loss, the FCD manager addressed the team’s current state of mind. "I think the team is just anxious and I think they’re frustrated. The results haven’t gone our way and [the players are] disappointed, but that’s what we would expect. I would be really concerned if they were just happy-go-lucky right now." III. The team held its first full training session this week since before ex-Toronto FC forward Maicon Santos arrived two months ago, giving the Brazilian the opportunity to better mesh with teammates. "In his mind, he has been doing the things that we want him to do. So we’re just [giving him] a little bit of clarity right now and then coordinating him with the other players." IV-V. Missing from the training equation, however, were US international Brek Shea and Honduras’ Chávez, who are in Miami ahead of the international friendly between the two national teams on Oct. 8. Hyndman expected their return to FC Dallas before Wednesday’s Oct. 12 game at the Chicago Fire. "We understand that they both will be [unavailable], but there are always potential glitches in the plan depending on the injuries in the first game and how the coach will have to make some adjustments." VI-VII. While Shea and Chávez train with their respective national teams, FC Dallas have a four-day break to get their minds away from the game. "We hope that they can just relax, spend time with their family, get away from soccer, and get their energy back – that’s why we’re giving them the time off. "This time off will give some the opportunity to get their legs back and recover a little bit from their injuries." VIII-IX. Even with the four-game losing streak, FC Dallas can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win at Toyota Park next week. "We’ve done very well to put ourselves in the position we are, but we don’t want give teams the chance to catch us or bypass us, so we have to be focused on winning and getting points." X. Given all of the team’s success earlier in the season, when FCD were the first to reach 10 wins, their recent struggles haven’t been lethal to their priority of reaching the playoffs. "The reality is we are where we are because we’ve had a fantastic training in preparation and results to give us the 46 points." XI. With three games remaining to try and clinch a playoff berth for the second consecutive year, the FCD coaching staff does not want to overwhelm the players. "The thing we have to be concerned with is putting so much pressure on the players so that they don’t perform. We need to finish the season off on a good note and compete for that playoff spot and then feel good about being in the playoffs."

Umaña's switch on back line feels right for Chivas USA

2011-10-05T15:16:00.001-07:00

CARSON, Calif. – Michael Umaña has been the consummate professional for Chivas USA this season, playing every role that has been asked of him. Now with the Rojiblancos' season nearing an end, he's been asked to play another. Umaña has moved to right back as the club deals with inconsistent play along that flank. The move was a new challenge for Umaña, who had played the position only sparingly during his career, but one in which he's been able to excel. "It's not my natural position being on the right side, but it's a technical decision and I need to play that role," he said. "I've been there a few times this year and although it's new, I'm always trying to do my best." The defender's consistent play has led to his continued inclusion in Costa Rica's national team. After being a squad regular under former coaches Ricardo La Volpe and Ronald González, new manager Jorge Luis Pinto called up Umaña for the Ticos' high profile match against Brazil on Oct. 7. Umaña is not the only member of Chivas USA heading on international duty as Alejandro Moreno (Venezuela) and Ante Jazic (Canada) will each be playing in World Cup qualifiers for their respective nations. Although all three are veterans of the international game, Umaña admits that the transition from club to country is a challenging one. "It's hard especially when you have to travel and switch from one coach to another, but the adjustment to different ideas is part of the process," Umaña said. After Umaña returns from his time with

This or That: Beckham's free kick or Henry's golazo?

2011-10-04T15:07:00.001-07:00

DC Notebook: Two straight road defeats rare

2011-10-03T15:10:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON – For the first time since March, D.C. United finished two consecutive road games with nothing to show for it. After losing 3-2 at Philadelphia on Thursday, D.C. couldn’t hold a 1-0 halftime lead against the Columbus Crew on Sunday, coughing up two second half goals to lose a second straight on the road. "It’s definitely a tough situation for us to handle, but since the games are so important, one after another, you kind of have to forget about it and move onto the next," forward Charlie Davies said after the match. Strong road form had been a common trait all season for DC, as every previous two-game swing had yielded a point – at the very least. The similarities between these two losses stung a bit as well. "The feeling’s not too much different than Thursday," head coach Ben Olsen said. "It’s not fun to lose these games. I thought overall it was a good effort, but we took those two plays off and you can’t do that down the stretch." Moving on from the loss, D.C. will be under pressure to come away with maximum points from their remaining four games. The final three are all at home, and D.C.’s playoff fate will be determined by that stretch. But with a week and a half before the next game, this loss might linger for a bit longer than usual. "We have a little while till Vancouver so we’re probably going to sulk for a little while, but we need to regroup and erase this stuff from our memories and get ready for Vancouver," Davies said. De Rosario, Hamid depart for international duty While most of the team will get the next couple of days off, D.C. will send Dwayne De Rosario and Bill Hamid off on international duty this week. De Rosario is taking part in Canada’s World Cup qualification effort, with a game on Friday and Tuesday, while Hamid received his third call up with the US team for a pair of friendlies during that same stretch. However, both could be with their respective national teams the night before United play at Vancouver on Wednesday, October 12. Olsen was cautiously optimistic about Hamid returning in time for United's tilt with the 'Caps. "[US coach] Jürgen [Klinsmann] has been very cooperative with our needs while still balancing what he needs," he said last week. "We’ll talk with him and I’m sure something will be figured out." But while Hamid could be back to face the Whitecaps, De Rosario likely wouldn’t be available because Canada plays in Toronto on Tuesday. "If that plays out, that’s pretty much a long shot," Olsen said of De Rosario’s chances to play. "Especially if he sees minutes in [the Tuesday] game, that’s just setting him up for injury. It’s a long way away and we’ve had some talks with him and the federation and we’ll do what’s best for Dwayne."

Recap: Sporting rescue big point in 1-1 tie at San Jose

2011-10-02T15:21:00.001-07:00

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Chris Wondolowski and Teal Bunbury provided late fireworks Saturday night as the San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting Kansas City fought to a 1-1 draw. Wondolowski broke open what had been a dreary match in the 85th minute by burying a left-footed volley at the far post off a long cross from Steven Beitashour. Bunbury responded in the 86th minute for Kansas City, running onto a bouncing lead pass from C.J. Sapong and hammering it past San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch. Kansas City (11-9-12) moved two points clear of second-place Philadelphia in the MLS Eastern Conference standings, although the Union have four games remaining to Kansas City’s two. San Jose (6-11-14) failed to win for the 17th time in 18 matches and fell near mathematic elimination from the 10-team playoff chase. Wondolowski, the leading scorer in MLS last season, now has 12 goals on the year, two behind league leader Dwayne De Rosario of D.C. United. Wondolowski also moved past former Quakes star Landon Donovan into sole possession of second place on the club’s all-time goal-scoring list with 33. Bunbury now has eight goals for Kansas City, and Sapong five assists. San Jose held the majority of possession on the evening, especially in the first half, but didn’t record a shot on goal until the 67th minute. Wondolowski’s strike came as a bit of a happy surprise for the capacity Buck Shaw Stadium crowd of 10,525 — a fifth straight sellout for San Jose — which had seen Sporting Kansas City increase their pressure after intermission. It was a team-high sixth assist for Beitashour. But Sapong took a quick restart, held off one San Jose defender and dribbled past two others to create space, then fed the ball to Bunbury, who went far post from eight yards for the equalizer. The Quakes were credited with 15 first-half shots, but not one forced a save from Sporting goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. Kansas City’s defenders, content to sit behind the ball, blocked eight long-range attempts by the Quakes. Meanwhile, Sporting came alive at the half-hour mark and had almost all of the best scoring chances after that point. Omar Bravo, set free by Jeferson’s through ball in the 30th minute, chipped skillfully over the charging Busch, only to see Beitashour swoop into the box to make a leaping goal-line clearance with his right foot. Four minutes later, ex-Quake Kei Kamara fed a low cross to Bravo at the near post, but the Designated Player couldn’t get a touch on the ball, which skittered across the goalmouth. A glorious chance fell to Kansas City in the 58th minute. The Quakes couldn’t clear effectively after Beitashour blocked Bravo’s initial shot, and the ball fell to Bravo just eight yards from goal, but he pushed it wide to the far post. Bunbury nearly cashed in after San Jose allowed a Nielsen kick to bound through their back line in the 62nd minute. Busch dropped low to make his toughest save of the night. Kamara’s 71st-minute free header off a Sporting corner trickled wide of the back post. Sporting captain Davy Arnaud set a new franchise record by making his 238th regular-season appearance for the club, breaking a tie with current Kansas City assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin. Jeferson, Kansas City’s mid-season Designated Player addition, returned to the starting lineup, replacing Graham Zusi, who came in on the brink of suspension for yellow-card accumulation with a critical Eastern Conference clash against New York coming up next for Sporting. Bunbury also started up top over rookie Sapong. For the Quakes, center back Jason Hernandez was brought on after missing three games due to a left quadriceps strain, and Sam Cronin was inserted at central midfield, pushing Rafael Baca wide right. Sporting's newest signing, Peterson Joseph, made his MLS debut as an 82nd-minute substitute. San Jose return to action next weekend at New England, while Sporting get two weeks off before hosting the Red Bulls on Oct. 15. Scoring Summary: SJ -- Chris Wondolowski 12 (Steven Beitashour 6, Simon Dawkins 2) 85 KC -- Teal Bunbury 8 (C.J. Sapong 5) 86 Misconduct Summary: KC -- Omar Bravo (caution; Reckless Foul) 24 SJ -- Khari Stephenson (caution; Reckless Foul) 28 Lineups: Sporting KC -- Jimmy Nielsen, Chance Myers, Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin, Seth Sinovic, Kei Kamara (C.J. Sapong 72), Davy Arnaud, Jeferson (Graham Zusi 87), Julio Cesar, Omar Bravo (Peterson Joseph 82), Teal Bunbury.

Whitecaps get first training session in at BC Place

2011-10-01T15:18:00.001-07:00

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Whitecaps got a taste of their new home Friday, as they practiced under the roof at the new BC Place Stadium for the first time. "First impressions, when you go up to the stadium, it’s amazing to look at," captain Jay DeMerit told MLSsoccer.com. "When you get inside the stadium, it looks like it will be an up close, personal atmosphere, which you need for a good soccer game. "You can see the screen, the technology – it's state of the art." The practice was a chance to get a feel for the much-vaunted Polytan turf, which is meant to more closely imitate real grass, and it seems the verdict has been positive from the players so far. "My knees feel a little better today, so I’m pretty excited about that," goalkeeper Joe Cannon said. "As far as the diving goes, I think it’s new turf, so you’re going to have to wait a couple of days to see what the real differences are and how it’s going to settle. "It did [feel softer], so I was pretty happy about that," the 36-year-old continued. "The ball was sticking a little bit, which is very common with brand new turf." Initially, interim head coach Tom Soehn had told reporters that the team wouldn’t have a chance to get a practice session in before the game, but players were relieved to get some time on the field before a competitive match. "It gets us a feel for the turf and the stadium, where we’re going to change," Soehn said. "Just having a pre-run of what we’re going to go through as we get ready for a game." The stadium is designed to capture the sound of fans, and the retractable roof means fans get the benefit of protection on soggy days but the opportunity to experience outdoor matches at the height of summer. Fans will also be treated to the second-largest video board in any stadium in the world. Goalkeepers Cannon and Jay Nolly actually attempted to hit the board at practice today to see whether that would be a problem, but Nolly was the only one who managed to do it, smacking the ball off the screen. The Whitecaps have a history at BC Place, having played part of the final season of the original North American Soccer League there when the previous incarnation of the stadium opened in 1983. "Twenty eight years ago, we were opening up BC Place against the Seattle Sounders in front of 60,000-plus people," club president Bob Lenarduzzi said by phone on Friday. "If someone had suggested to me that we would be re-opening BC Place 20 years later, I might have suggested that would be farfetched. But to actually be a part of opening a new state-of-the-art building when I was a part of it as a player in ’83, it’s very special."

Dawkins finally gets career going with San Jose

2011-09-30T15:22:00.001-07:00

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Of all the numbers Simon Dawkins has put up in his first MLS season – which has seen him notch four goals and an assist – the one that matters most is 1,421. That’s how many minutes Dawkins has logged in 22 appearances. And while it’s not quite to the level of ironman Jon Busch – the Quakes 'keeper who’s played all 2,700 minutes this year – or even Chris Wondolowski, who leads San Jose field players with 2,312 minutes, it’s still a huge deal for a 23-year-old who had his professional career derailed by a spate of injuries stretching over several seasons. "It’s been a good season, thanks to Frank [Yallop, San Jose’s coach], he’s played me a lot," Dawkins told MLSsoccer.com. "I haven’t had the chance to [play extensively] for a good four years because of injuries. It’s finally good to get my career going. I’m just happy to finally get games." WATCH: Dawkins pings the upright The Quakes, who were able to get Dawkins in March on a season-long loan from club partner Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League, have been happy as well, particularly with Dawkins’ offensive capabilities. His ballskills are some of the best on the club, and his ability to play off of target man Steven Lenhart was one of the big reasons both players flourished in the first half of this year. Dawkins, who is expected to make his sixth consecutive start Saturday against Sporting Kansas City (10:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online), has gone the full 90 minutes in three of San Jose’s last four matches and clocked 83 minutes in the other. He’s had to do so on the left wing, having been moved from a more central position earlier this month to accommodate the ascendancy of fellow MLS rookie Rafael Baca. "I think that Simon is a very good footballer, so he finds his space, he finds his positions," Yallop told MLSsoccer.com. "He can score goals from that spot. He can do well there. He’s been dangerous. That’s the thing that you want from the wide positions and your front players: Are they dangerous and do they have good movement? And I think he’s shown both." Left wing is not totally unknown territory to Dawkins - he played there on youth sides - but he’s been brushing up his game by watching tape of Manchester City’s Samir Nasri, another right-footed central midfielder by nature who moved wide left during his time at Arsenal. "I just saw a few videos of him playing out there to see what I can do, get a feeling for the game out there," Dawkins said. "He plays it really well." Keeping Dawkins is high on the Quakes’ list of offseason desires, although the situation is made more complicated by the fact that he’s under contract with Tottenham through June 2013. Dawkins said that he’s happy to return for another season in San Jose but still eyes his ultimate prize: a spot on the senior roster with Spurs, the organization that originally signed him as a teenager. "That’s somewhere where I’d like to play," Dawkins said. "And if it does happen, it’d be a dream come true. But if it doesn’t, there’s other teams around the world."

4-4-2 devotee Kinnear has been mixing it up in 2011

2011-09-29T15:12:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – When the Houston Dynamo take the field on the average MLS match day, there is normally little guesswork needed in regards to what formation Dominic Kinnear will use. The veteran head coach has been a devotee of the traditional 4-4-2 for most of his coaching career. However, with teams around the league going away from the standard 4-4-2, Kinnear & Co. have widened their repertoire to combat the changes. "We’re mostly a 4-4-2 team, as most people know," Kinnear said this week, "but sometimes, it’s not a bad idea to try and match up with some teams." Opponents such as Sporting Kansas City (who often play three forwards) and FC Dallas (who stack their midfield) have seen success this year playing what many feel is a more attacking formation. The change does not always pay off, as Toronto FC – who have moved away from the 4-4-2 under first-year coach Aaron Winter – have found out. Houston have varied their formation and seen success, both against both Kansas City in a 1-1 home draw on July 16, and at Dallas last weekend in a 1-0 win. With teams switching to formations that give them an advantage in certain parts of the field, the Dynamo know they have to adapt. "When you play against a 4-3-3, you can be outnumbered in midfield and you don’t want to concede that territory," Kinnear said. "You certainly don’t want to do that for the better part of the game, so if you can match that up, it makes that battle more competitive." While changing the formation may be more about matching the other team’s personnel, there is also an effect on Houston’s attack. Built to run out of the 4-4-2 with target forwards and wing play, Houston players are forced to pick up the tactics involved in playing with different personnel groupings. The switch often means players have to change up the way they attack the game. "For me, when we play the 4-5-1, I don’t see the ball as much and my job is more about cutting and movements off the ball," said veteran forward Brian Ching. "Sometimes it’s a move to play to our strengths to use a different formation. ... We do that to get the best out of our personnel and based on the matchups we’re playing against." With the results from the formation shifts positive, Kinnear & Co. understand the importance of being able to adapt. While the changes can offer different styles, don’t expect a change in overall philosophy anytime soon. "I’d imagine we’re a 4-4-2 team on most days," Kinnear said. But it's nice to have options.

Philadelphia's Adu looking forward to DC homecoming

2011-09-28T15:50:00.001-07:00

CHESTER, Pa. – It’s become something of a common sports cliché for athletes to state that each game is as meaningful as the next. For Philadelphia Union midfielder Freddy Adu, however, it’s fair to say that Thursday’s nationally televised showdown against D.C. United at PPL Park (8 pm ET, ESPN2) holds a little bit of extra meaning. It will mark the first time, after all, that Adu plays against the team that gave him his first professional contract. "Definitely there is some emotion there," said Adu, who signed with D.C. as a 14-year-old phenom in 2004. "I had an amazing three years with D.C. United. I grew up watching D.C. United and supporting D.C. United and then playing for D.C. United. Even with the national team, when I go back [to Washington], the fans always show me great support. So it will definitely be emotional for me." Of course, much has changed since Adu left D.C. in 2006 and spent the next four years club-hopping around MLS and Europe. The only United players remaining from the Adu era are defender Devon McTavish and midfielder Clyde Simms. One of the guys Adu used to compete with for playing time on the wing, Ben Olsen, is still there, too – except he now wears a suit to games as the club's head coach. But there is at least one thing Adu doesn’t expect to change: the way his hometown team approaches the game. "It’s D.C. United – they always come to play," Adu said. "That’s how it’s always been. We expect a tough game. This is a big game for both teams." Thursday’s contest certainly is a big one as both the Union (9-7-13) and United (9-8-11) are right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race with the regular season winding down. But playoff implications aside, the game also pits two East Coast teams that have developed a fierce, natural rivalry since the Union came into the league last year. It’s a rivalry Adu has never seen firsthand, but one that he is eager to embrace. "Since I haven’t experienced it before, I couldn’t tell you [what it will be like]," Adu said. "But I do expect it to be a battle, kind of like when I was with D.C. and we used to play against New York. That was always a battle, and this is going to be the same thing."

Houston's late show "comes down to determination"

2011-09-27T15:16:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo like to leave it late. So far this season, their ability to come up with late magic to get results has helped them rise to the summit of the Eastern Conference. With Geoff Cameron’s 87th-minute winner Saturday against FC Dallas the latest example, the Dynamo have had a knack of being able to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. In fact, Houston have scored a goal in the final 11 minutes to get a result 10 times this year, with five of those late goals earning wins. WATCH HIGHLIGHTS: DAL 0, HOU 1 But where does their late-game confidence come from? "[The late] success just means we’re playing until the last whistle," said team captain Brian Ching. "It shows the mentality of our team and the fact that we’re coming out and seeing games through." Seeing games through is something on the Dynamo concentrate. Houston are a team with key veterans, such as Ching, Eddie Robinson and Brad Davis, who have all seen success in Major League Soccer. They know how important it is to have that killer instinct late in games. Having been through the wars, the Dynamo veterans know what it takes to not only score late but kill off a result. Those players, along with head coach Dominic Kinnear and his staff, have fostered an environment on the team where each player knows what is expected of him. "It comes down to determination for 90 minutes and that’s been there all year," Davis said. "Saturday was a good example. Against Dallas, they were tired, having played a game that Wednesday before, and our guys, we were there and mentally we were stronger. It’s great to see and that’s the biggest thing for us to believe we can go out and get a win." That determination and willingness is a big reason why the Dynamo have been able to come up with so much late-game magic. While the work ethic is commendable, Kinnear pointed out that much of their success toward the end of matches comes out of necessity. With the club needing results, Houston are willing to push numbers forward late in games to try and score goals. Whether it is out of necessity, hard work or confidence, the Dynamo are a team that have been able to pull things out late this year. Their willingness to work for a full 90 minutes is a trait they will count on, to take them where they want to go. "It’s not just a confidence of, ‘Oh we’re going to score late here,’ but it’s a mentality to keep going and keep pushing to have that ability to score," Davis said. "To win a championship, you have to have that and play ‘til the final whistle, and that’s what we try to do."

King the quiet supporting star for DC in win over RSL

2011-09-26T15:18:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON – Dwayne De Rosario wasn’t the only D.C. United player to shine in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake. His mammoth performance overshadowed a number of other excellent shifts on the field at RFK – Josh Wolff, Perry Kitchen, and Andy Najar were among those to leave their mark on the match. Next to MLS Player of the Week De Rosario, however, United’s other standout on the night might have been midfielder Stephen King. "He had probably the best game I’ve seen him play," head coach Ben Olsen said of the fourth-year midfielder. "He broke up a lot of plays, he played at certain spots that were tight and gave us good possession." HIGHLIGHTS: DeRo, United batter RSL 4-1 Playing 90 minutes for just the fourth time in 2011, paired in central midfielder with Clyde Simms, King was all over the field, disrupting Real Salt Lake’s passing game in the final third and even getting forward into RSL’s box on a few occasions. Throughout the evening, King’s distribution was nearly flawless, as he completed 24 of 30 passes, according to Opta. One of his forays forward in the first half led to De Rosario’s second goal of the game, as King chased down a through ball that opened space up for De Rosario to curl home a layoff from Josh Wolff. "I felt great," King said after the game. "I think we as a team made the guy next to us play better just by working extra hard and playing as a group, and making sure if one guy messes up, the other guy is there to bail you out." While getting goals and assists aren’t exactly in King’s normal repertoire – he scored his first goal in a D.C. uniform against Vancouver earlier in the year – he just missed notching one early in the second half, sending a long-distance shot whizzing just over the RSL crossbar. All in all, it was a satisfying performance on the field for the University of Maryland product, who was making only his seventh start of the season. There may be more coming, however — when he does start, United are undefeated (3-0-4). King was pleased not only for himself, but also for the whole group. "After the game on Wednesday [against Chivas], we just wanted to come in here focused and do whatever it takes to win the game – a full 90 minutes, everyone with total concentration," he said. "We did that tonight and we’re happy with the result."

Wondo ties Donovan in Quakes lore, but it's not enough

2011-09-25T15:11:00.001-07:00

By coolly slotting his 18th-minute rebound strike Saturday against the Colorado Rapids, Chris Wondolowski moved into a tie with Landon Donovan for second place on the San Jose Earthquakes’ all-time scoring list with 32 goals apiece. The celebration was muted, however, by the fact that Wondolowski felt like he should have gone right past Donovan in one fell swoop -- and that the fact he was unable to do so contributed to the Quakes’ failing to close out what would have been a glorious road victory. Instead, Colorado got a 71st-minute tally from Drew Moor and a 1-1 draw, extending the Quakes’ winless streak to three straight matches and leaving them eight points out of playoff position with only four matches remaining. WATCH: Full Match Highlights "Right now it’s a little bit bittersweet," Wondolowski said. "I really wish I could have gotten another one." Wondolowski and the Quakes as a whole didn’t lack for chances in the first hour-plus of the match. Despite playing for the third time in eight days with only minimal lineup changes -- and doing so at mile-high altitude -- San Jose neutralized Colorado’s speed up front and dominated the 2010 MLS champions for long stretches. "I think that the result was probably fair in the end, but I felt for a good 55 or 60 minutes, we should have scored more than one goal," San Jose coach Frank Yallop said. "The game hinged on our inability to score the second goal." No one was hit harder by his miss than Wondolowski, of whom so much is asked by San Jose. Without a true target forward, the Quakes have kept their offense afloat behind the unlikely pairing of Wondolowski and midfielder Khari Stephenson, playing out of his comfort zone up top. One or the other has scored in each of San Jose’s last five matches, a stretch that includes the Quakes’ only win since mid-June. Saturday, the pair clicked again; Wondolowski got San Jose on the scoreboard by splitting Colorado’s center backs and jumping on a loose rebound left when Stephenson uncorked a skipping shot from 40 yards out that Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens couldn’t punch safely away. "I think it’s a great achievement," said Quakes defender Steven Beitashour, a San Jose native. "(I was) watching (Donovan) the whole time, now I’m watching Wondo tie him and surpass him." Did he think Wondolowski was going to pass Donovan tonight? "I was hoping so," Beitashour said. Wondolowski was as well, and the 2010 Golden Boot winner used a terrifically timed run to smash open Colorado’s offside trap in the 36th minute. Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura kept Wondolowski onside and Simon Dawkins delivered a great looping pass to put him one-on-one against Pickens. Wondolowski trapped the ball, waited for a bounce and tried to go near post. Pickens outwaited his foe and blocked the shot off his chest. "Matt Pickens did a good job," Wondolowski said. "I hit a pretty bad shot and he made a pretty big save. I had it right where I wanted it. Hindsight being 20/20, I probably wish I would have gone back post." Wondolowski was not alone in being unable to put the Quakes safely ahead. Dawkins’ first-half stoppage-time blast from the top of the box was deflected by Kimura, who looked like he might have done most of that blocking with his arm. Dawkins had another attempt parried by Pickens in the 59th minute, and Stephenson rolled a shot across the goalmouth three minutes later, only to watch it graze the far post on its way across the end line. It the second time in this compressed three-game stretch where San Jose took an early lead and failed to capitalize with a victory. San Jose’s record when scoring first slipped to 5-3-4 this year, one spot short of dead last in MLS. "Another night they would go in," Yallop said, before amending his statement. "Or another season, I would say."

Seattle weighing options to replace Rosales vs. 'Caps

2011-09-24T15:17:00.001-07:00

When the Sounders take the field on Saturday evening at Vancouver (10:30 pm ET; TSN, watch LIVE online ), it will be their first league game without Mauro Rosales in the starting lineup since May 28. In the 15 games in between, Seattle have posted a 9-2-4 record. When one factors in the club’s continued success in the CONCACAF Champions League and the US Open Cup, it’s difficult to understate the importance of Rosales and his 12 assists. The MVP candidate suffered a sprained MCL in the dying moments of last week’s match against D.C. United. While he has jogged in a straight line the past couple days, the Argentine veteran still considers himself three weeks away from taking the field again. All of this leaves Seattle with a gaping hole in the right midfield where their No. 10 used to stand. Lamar Neagle, who finds himself second-choice in the pecking order on the left behind Uruguayan Álvaro Fernández, would be an obvious choice to switch sides against Vancouver. Brad Evans has also played right midfield in his Seattle career, while Erik Friberg has played wide early in the season and is likely close to returning from his hip flexor injury. Mike Fucito (ankle) trained this week while James Riley (concussion) rode a bike. Riley is listed on the injury report as questionable. The Sounders sealed a spot in the playoffs with the 1-1 tie between Sporting Kansas City and the Philadelphia Union on Friday night, and a win at Vancouver would go a long way as the club continues to challenge the LA Galaxy for the Supporters Shield. But against a Whitecaps team with so many weapons, victory won’t be easy, especially with the Canadian side fired up for their final game at Empire Field. "I think when you get into the environment of Empire Stadium and it’s their last game there and you hear the crowd and feel the emotion, that’ll get it going for our guys," said Seattle coach Sigi Schmid. "There’s maybe less verbiage that’s exchanged between us and Vancouver than there is between us and Portland, so maybe it’s going to take the stadium environment to really put the kicker on it." And there’s the small matter of the Cascadia Cup to keep in mind as Seattle attempt to win their fifth consecutive road game in all competitions. The Cup is presented to the team with the best record between historical regional rivals Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver. Seattle took the bus north Friday morning, planning to practice later that afternoon in advance of Saturday’s 7:30 pm PT kickoff. It’s a one-way bus trip – the Sounders will leave directly from Vancouver to Guatemala for their Sept. 27 CCL date with Comunicaciones. In an attempt to reduce the strain of the travel, the club will charter flights in both directions.

Dynamo eager to pounce on weary Texas rivals in Dallas

2011-09-23T15:17:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo are no strangers to dealing with a schedule cramped by international play. After all, between 2007 and 2009 the Dynamo were fixtures in the SuperLiga and CONCACAF Champions League/Champions' Cup, to go along with US Open Cup and MLS play. Now, however, the shoe is on the other foot against FC Dallas on Saturday (4 pm ET, TeleFutura). "They’ve played a lot of games and we know what that feels like," Houston striker Brian Ching said. "Hopefully for us, their game Wednesday took a little out of them, but they’re a good team and we have to be ready on Saturday." Wednesday’s game was a particularly taxing one for Dallas. The 2-0 Champions League loss to Pumas UNAM saw Houston's in-state rivals play 50-plus minutes with just 10 men. And with Pumas putting Dallas through their paces midweek and FCD playing 13 games since Aug. 1, it could be a case where the hosts are ripe for the picking. "They’ve played a lot of games recently ... we need to go there and take advantage of that," midfielder Brad Davis said. Ching followed the same line of thinking, adding that pressuring a potentially tired Dallas squad will go a long way to a victory come Saturday. "The harder we can make the game on them the better our chances," Ching said. "They’ve struggled as of late and hopefully we can help continue their woes." Form matters While the Dynamo are focused on the present, there is nothing wrong with casting an eye towards the future. With the club’s playoff chances looking better, there is a feeling amongst the team that getting on a roll going into the postseason is important. "If we play well and get into the playoffs, now is a good time to get on a hot streak," Davis said. "We’re coming off a good game against San Jose and we’ll be looking to continue that against Dallas and get on a run." Ramping up the intensity With the season heading into the home stretch, attention to detail and the intensity at Dynamo trainings have ramped up. While the environment can look tense to an outsider, for Houston, it is a necessary turn. "I think practices have been intense but that’s not always the worse thing," Davis said. "We’re trying to fire on all cylinders and are pushing each other to get the best out of one another to try and make a good push here."

Conrad, revamped Chivas academy eye significant progress

2011-09-22T15:13:00.001-07:00

CARSON, Calif. — Chivas USA’s youth academy is undergoing a major restructuring project and has added some big names to aid in the development. The recently retired Jimmy Conrad has joined the club's academy following the recent merger with the New York Cosmos West program. The longtime MLS defender has taken up an active role alongside the club's new director of youth development, Teddy Chronopoulos. Conrad and Chronopoulos will now oversee a youth program based on a coaching curriculum written by head coach Robin Fraser and assistant coach Greg Vanney. Conrad has put an emphasis on recruiting and the business aspects of the game, but he admits the transition from the field hasn’t always been an easy one. "It’s not what I envisioned when I stopped playing, but it's challenging," Conrad recently told MLSsoccer.com. "We took over a club, Cosmos West, who already had some things in place along with a number of people that we trust. The curriculum that Greg and Robin put together is very sound and it’s been proven. Now we just need to get it started, which is the hardest part." Similar to youth programs in Europe, the new Chivas USA youth system will preach a uniform playing style that will be consistent from the U-9 level all the way to the senior team. Doing the actual instruction will be a pair of former MLSers, Mike Muñoz and Dan Calichmann, who will join the coaching staff at the U-16 and U-18 levels, respectively. Meanwhile, Vanney and Conrad will serve as liaisons between the first team and the youth program to ensure that when a young player is ready for an opportunity, he’ll get his chance either as a reserve or with the senior team. "We're trying to make it so by the time they're 12 to 15, they should know the basis of how we want to play," said Conrad. "If we ever want to put them in a drill then they know what we're asking. That will take some time, but that's what we're asking." The emphasis on youth development is nothing new for the organization as the strategy of focusing on the academy has been a hallmark of Chivas de Guadalajara for a number of years. Since Fraser’s hiring at the start of the season, youth development has been a major pillar of the organization’s new philosophy. Fraser has already shown a willingness to give former youth products a chance. For example, midfielder Jorge Flores has seen considerable time for Chivas USA this season. "It goes with the strategy that we’re going to build from youth rather than going to market," club GM José Domene told MLSsoccer.com "That doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop going to market, but our strategy is to start to build from the youth, and that’s where we will get our base and the base as a team." The task ahead for the new-look academy will be challenging as it will need to compete for talent with both the revitalized LA Galaxy academy and Mexican clubs eager to acquire American standouts. But with a curriculum in place and a number of high-profile members leading the fight, those at Chivas USA are confident they have a base from which to build success. "Players can come from anywhere in Los Angeles," said Vanney. "The great thing about our system now and before is it’s not about how much money that you have, it’s do we believe that you can be professional. We want to get you in and give you our resources to help you take those steps. "It’s exciting," Vanney added. "It’s our job to make sure that every possible pro-potential player has an opportunity to try and get in our academy and develop." Adam Serrano covers Chivas USA for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at adam.m.serrano@gmail.com Follow @adamserrano

Postcard from Europe: Taylor toughing it out in Germany

2011-09-21T15:16:00.001-07:00

AMSTERDAM — Since leaving Chivas USA in 2007, SC Paderborn 07 attacker Matt Taylor has logged plenty of miles in western Germany trying to establish a career for himself in one of the world's most competitive soccer countries. Now at his fourth stop abroad, the 29-year-old may have finally found the club to match his ambitions and playing attitude. Down as low as the fourth flight only 11 years ago, second-division Paderborn are also trying to blaze paths. Led by manager Roger Schmidt, they go after tasks in a very American way. To put it politely, the team is expected to play in a manner that will draw groans from opponents spotting the

Quaranta, Hamid return from injury to bolster United

2011-09-20T15:22:00.001-07:00

D.C. United’s pesky injury bug appears to be nearing an end. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid and midfielder Santino Quaranta are set to make a return to the starting lineup against Chivas USA on Wednesday at RFK Stadium (7:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online) after missing Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders. Quaranta, who was scratched from the lineup against Seattle with a left quadriceps spasm, trained all last week in the lead-up to the game but was eventually held out from the 18-man roster. "It was a mutual decision not to play," Quaranta said. "I feel better – I think that it was the right decision at the time." The same can be said for Hamid, who was on the bench in the loss to Seattle with a hamstring problem that flared up in United’s Sept. 10 matchup with the Goats at the Home Depot Center. It can’t be said, however, for center back Dejan Jakovic, who continues to struggle with his second hamstring injury of the season. "Dejan might have a ways to go, still not sure, still hoping for the best for him," DC head coach Ben Olsen said. Added Jakovic: "I don’t want to force anything – it’s not 100 percent. I want to come back fully ready to go." Jakovic injured his left hamstring while on international duty with Canada in June and was sidelined for two months. The two injuries are unrelated. Rookie Ethan White is likely to start in Jakovic's place once again. Jakovic traveled with the team on their recent road trip to LA and Seattle in hopes of making his return. "I was training while we were in LA right before the Chivas game, and I kind of tweaked it again, that was the problem," Jakovic said. "I was supposed to probably play in the Seattle game, that’s why I went… I’m doing everything [in training], sprinting slowly, so we’ll see how it goes." After suffering the setback, Jakovic didn’t make the roster in the loss to the Sounders, and he is expected to miss Wednesday’s match. Jakovic could make a return on Saturday as DC host Real Salt Lake.

Rost takes step toward redemption in RBNY win vs. FCD

2011-09-19T15:16:00.001-07:00

UPPER MONTCLAIR, N.J. – It was, by all accounts, a gritty win for the Red Bulls, who escaped from Pizza Hut Park on Saturday night with a 1-0 win over FC Dallas. The shutout was the first for New York since July 16 and the first-ever victory in MLS for goalkeeper Frank Rost. "I was happy we won the game," Rost said after the win. "For each player, it was a good feeling after the match. You could see on the face of the players that a lot of [pressure] fall down. I hope we can take this good feeling [into] the next match." Rost, a former German international who signed as a Designated Player in mid-July, had been bothered by a quadriceps injury for the past month, and his performances prior to Saturday had left him with much to prove. FC Dallas gave him the chance, holding a significant edge in shots and possession, but Rost solidified the backline with his veteran savvy and control of the area. WATCH: DAL 0, NY 1 "He played great," head coach Hans Backe said. "You see how he dealt with all the crosses, the corners, the free kicks. He’s big there, really, really big there and tough. His kicking was phenomenal compared to his injury." The performance helped silence – for now – many critics who questioned the rationale behind the Red Bulls signing a goalkeeper so late in the season, let alone to a DP contract. Backe justified the move by saying that Rost would prove his value in organization and his ability to help arrange the backline, especially after a stretch in May and June where the team’s defense repeatedly broke down. On Saturday night, a vocal Rost did just that as the Red Bulls effectively limited a potent FC Dallas. It was the first win by New York in more than two months and a crucial three points, keeping RBNY in the playoff hunt. "He’s very loud in the goal, very, very loud," Backe said. "Communicates with the back four, get them in the right position to do their job. He was massive this game." But for Rost, it was never about proving anything to himself or even his critics. He can point to a two-decade career in the Bundesliga and four caps with the national team to defend his résumé. He has played in the UEFA Champions League and remains the only goalkeeper to twice hoist the Emirates Cup, which the Red Bulls won this past August. And fan criticism means little to Rost. "I played 20 years in a high level and I want to bring the same performance here," he said. "I’m not interested in other guys talking. If they talk, they talk. I’m a good goalkeeper. I did this for 20 years in the highest level in Germany. What do you want?"

American Exports: Boca shines in Rangers' Old Derby win

2011-09-18T15:16:00.001-07:00

AMSTERDAM — It was a heavy and entertaining card for American Exports on Sunday, with Rangers newcomer Carlos Bocanegra ending up among the stars in his first Old Firm derby, a 4-2 rally win over arch rival Celtic at Ibrox. With fellow US international Maurice Edu also pitching in 90 fine minutes, the Light Blues won their sixth straight SPL game to move four points clear at the top. The home side trailed at the break, but won the day thanks to second half strikes from Nikica Jelavić, Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith. Next door in England's Premier League, Brad Friedel needed just one save to beat his old employers as dominating Tottenham scored a 4-0 White Hart Lane victory over Liverpool. The former USMNT hero now has consecutive clean sheet wins and Spurs are up to 11th. Clint Dempsey notched an assist and went close to scoring himself four times in Fulham's 2-2 draw with Manchester City. The winless Cottagers fought back from two down at the break to deal the visitors their first tie of the season. Dempsey helped get the home rally started, with Bobby Zamora curling home the American's entry pass on 55 minutes. His best attempt on goal of the day came shortly after, when City netminder Joe Hart had to be on his toes to turn Deuce's rocket header over the bar. Over in Serie A, Michael Bradley made his Chievo debut with 18 solid minutes in a 2-1 loss at Parma. Heading to the Eredivisie, Jozy Altidore put in 57 strong minutes as AZ Alkmaar climbed into a first place tie by topping host RKC Waalwijk 2-0. In Jupiler League action, Sacha Kljestan and Anderlecht knocked defending champs Gent off the summit with a 1-0 away decision. The victory vaulted

American Exports: Howard leads Everton to first home win

2011-09-17T15:12:00.001-07:00

AMSTERDAM - Everton keeper Tim Howard ably guarded the gate on Saturday afternoon, backstopping the hosts to a 3-1 victory over regional rivals Wigan. The result lifted the Toffees up to seventh place in the English Premier League standings after they bagged their first EPL home win of the season in three tries. Elsewhere in the EPL, Aston Villa No. 2 goalkeeper Brad Guzan watched on as the home side posted a 1-1 share with Newcastle. One level down in the Championship, Robbie Findley returned from injury with an active 30 minutes or relief work, but it wasn't enough as Nottingham Forest suffered an embarrassing 2-1 home defeat to Derby County's 10-man rally. Saturday's Bundesliga action saw Timothy Chandler go the distance at right back in FC Nürnberg's 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen. Now unbeaten in three,

Fire Notebook: Chicago look inward against Chivas

2011-09-16T15:16:00.001-07:00

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – The Chicago Fire are focusing on one thing ahead of Saturday’s crucial league match against Chivas USA at Toyota Park: themselves. The match (8:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online ) is a must-win for the 15th place Fire, who sit seven points behind D.C. United for the 10th and final playoff spot with just seven games left on their schedule. Chicago are conscious of stopping Chivas’ playmakers, but they’re more concentrated on dictating the play – something they failed to do in last Saturday’s 2-0 loss at San Jose. "At this stage we’re just concerned about ourselves," Fire captain Logan Pause said after Chicago’s 1-0 friendly loss to Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara on Wednesday. "We want to impose our will on the game and be strong with what we’re trying to do. With it being at home with seven games left and a lot of teams to catch, that’s the only way we can think about it." Fire defender Cory Gibbs echoed Pause’s sentiments, telling reporters that Chicago needs to press Chivas USA from the opening whistle on Saturday afternoon. "We need to push the game, we need to start out from minute one," Gibbs said after the Guadalajara friendly. "[Wednesday’s exhibition] was good preparation for us in terms of team building and staying sharp going into Saturday’s game. We’re ready." Notes: Forward Dominic Oduro, who missed Wednesday’s friendly and is listed as questionable on the injury report with an ankle injury, told MLSsoccer.com Wednesday night that he’ll be ready to go on Saturday. Chicago will be without a starting defender Saturday due to suspension for the second straight game. Right back Dan Gargan will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation one week after left back Gonzalo Segares was suspended for the same reason. Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas might’ve showed who he plans to start in defense on Saturday in Wednesday’s friendly, when he started Jalil Anibaba at right back, Gibbs and Josip Mikulic at center back and Segares on the left.

Three for Thursday: Yanks have their say in Europe

2011-09-15T15:19:00.001-07:00

There’s something special about those midweek European nights. Whether it’s an early play-in round in the Europa Cup, or an April semifinal in the Champions League, the cross-border clashes seem to bring the best out of teams all over the continent. And there’ve been no few Yanks who’ve gotten their taste. Currently, the Europa League is littered with American Exports, with the likes of Jozy Altidore at AZ Alkmaar, Brad Friedel at Tottenham Hotspur, Sacha Kljestan at Anderlecht and several more from nearly all parts of the continent. While they’re doing their thing now, let’s look back at three of the more memorable European runs that have featured Americans: 3) Frankie Hejduk and Bayer Leverkusen, 1999-2000: The most memorable part of Hejduk’s time in Europe came with the "Neverkusen" sides from the turn of the century. Year after year they’d compete for the Bundesliga title or European honors, and year after year they’d come up just short. Hejduk’s best run with Bayer came in the 1999-2000 season when the fullback was a key part of their Champions League Group A efforts. True to form, Bayer came close, but couldn’t advance to the knock-out rounds, finishing third behind Lazio and Dynamo Kiev based on total goals. They then went on to lose to Udinese in the Europa League on the away goals rule. 2) DaMarcus Beasley and PSV Eindhoven, 2004-2005: Beasley’s first year in Europe was his best, as he and PSV thundered all the way to the semifinals of the Champions League before bowing out to AC Milan on the away goals rule. The American winger, playing under the tutelage of Guus Hiddink, excelled domestically but made his real mark in European competition. He led PSV with four goals in 12 Champions League appearances that year, and to this day remains the only American to have played in a Champions League semifinal. That Eindhoven side are also the most recent Dutch team to make it to the Champions League semis. 1) Clint Dempsey and Fulham, 2009-2010: Dempsey is clearly on his way to "Legendary Hero" status at Craven Cottage. He’s Fulham’s all-time leading Premiership scorer, including a goal late in the 2006/07 season against Liverpool that saved the Cottagers from relegation. But what he'll always be remembered for is his audacious chipped goal against Juventus in the 2009/10 Europa League round of 16, completing a spectacular comeback against the Italian giants. It's a goal that the Guardian newspaper called "the most famous goal in Fulham's history," and Fulham rode that wave of momentum all the way to the final. There they succumbed to Atletico Madrid, 2-1 after extra time, but to this day Dempsey remains the only American to play in a European final.

RSL's Beckerman proving to be perfect fit for new US

2011-09-14T15:18:00.001-07:00

If you are wondering the reason for Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman’s resurgence with the US national team, you’ll likely come to two conclusions: First, he’s playing as well as any midfielder in the US pool right now; and second, Jurgen Klinsmann’s vision for the squad relies on a dedicated holding midfielder shielding the back line and acting as a tactical fulcrum. "I think Kyle Beckerman right now is in top form," said Martin Vasquez, who heads the list of potential Klinsmann assistants. "Kyle Beckerman has come a long way. He’s a very mature player, very consistent. He’s a leader on the field and off the field." For RSL head coach Jason Kreis, Beckerman has been crucial this season at the club level, especially in the absence of playmaker Javier Morales. In addition to his normal defensive and organizational duties, Beckerman has become a bit of a

Talking Tactics: United counterattacks, United wins

2011-09-13T15:22:00.001-07:00

Most soccer fans share a conflicted relationship with counterattacking soccer. On one hand, a doctrine of defend-and-counter smacks of tacit capitulation, a concession to limited options as the "weaker team." On the other hand, counterattacking plans executed with verve and precision can be a lovely and intoxicating thing, a strategic choice that fosters a fast game where chances spill out freely on either side. And who could have a problem with that? One school of thought is that "good" teams attack, sounding the bugles and charging forward proactively rather than biding time in a reactive crouch. (In fact, some New York Red Bulls players are saying that very thing about their own struggles at the moment.) But quality teams with brimming stockpiles of talent can and have spun counterattacks into an effective element of their offensive plan. Look at José Mourinho with Inter Milan two seasons back. Some of the best players in the world demonstrated the title-winning power of sitting deep, absorbing pressure and then punishing the hapless on lightning-strike counterattacks. Of course, Inter didn’t always sit deep. Rather, it was a tool in the tactical belt, always at the hip, ready to be switched on for appropriate situations. That’s also what we saw in one eye-opening MLS result in Week 26. In this past Saturday’s 3-0 win at the Home Depot Center, visiting D.C. United ambushed (figuratively and literally) a vulnerable Chivas USA defense with a swashbuckling counterattack serving as the tip of the spear. Highlights: CHV 0, DC 3 Counterattacking soccer isn’t just tactics; it takes the right kind of players – actually, let’s make that the right kind of "attitudes" – to make the engine hum. United have several like that, none better than Dwayne De Rosario. The desire to drive forward aggressively is De Rosario’s hard-wired, default position on the field. On Saturday, he consistently collected the ball in midfield with a stubborn single-mindedness: a hell-bent desire to crash immediately forward. This was clear on the first goal. DeRo’s aggressive mindset lay the foundation for Charlie Davies’ eventual piece-of-cake finish. The Canadian star scooped up a fortuitous ball bouncing around midfield and didn’t hesitate for a nanosecond. It’s all about seizing the initiative. That might sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many players fail to fully exploit these begging situations. Too many managers value possession, constantly reminding their players that the bad guys can’t score when the good guys have the ball. So they win the ball but frequently forfeit the initiative when "possession" rather than "aggression" is prioritized. In this case, De Rosario’s surge forward immediately created a 4-on-3 advantage. Chris Pontius, to DeRo’s right, similarly recognized the moment and sped forward. De Rosario held the ball just long enough to draw defenders centrally, and then precisely fed Pontius, who delivered the killer cross. On the second goal, United similarly launched forward. This time, though, Chivas USA were able to retreat in equal numbers. But they just couldn’t get organized quickly enough to deal with the speed of the visitors’ transition. That critical element, speed, opened space for Pontius at the top of the penalty area as Chivas defenders scrambled to deal with Andy Najar’s cross. That, in turn, left Davies open on the left. Pontius to Davies, 2-0. De Rosario’s quick burst from midfield was critical in United’s third goal, too. So was Pontius’ speed, as United’s young attacker simply outran Chivas USA defender Ben Zemankski to a ball played into space. United’s bright night — Pontius’ injury notwithstanding — proves (yet again) that teams capable of striking on the counter aren’t necessarily "defensive" teams. For instance, another United, the one from across the pond in Manchester, have always been effective on the break. And no one cites Sir Alex Ferguson’s side when discussing defensive soccer. Closer to home, manager Ben Olsen’s starting lineup last weekend reflected similar sentiment. The deployment of primarily attacking types such as Davies, De Rosario, Najar, Pontius and Santino Quaranta in a starting lineup cannot be called defensive. On Saturday, at least, it could only be called effective.

Nowak wants to see mental strength from struggling Union

2011-09-12T15:14:00.001-07:00

CHESTER, Pa. – In the past five days, the Philadelphia Union have enjoyed their second highest-scoring output of the season as well as one of their more complete defensive efforts. And yet, despite those positives, the Union’s winless streak extended to eight games as they came away with back-to-back draws against New England and Portland. This current stretch represents the longest winless skid in franchise history. The most league games they went without winning last year, in their inaugural season, was six. "It’s about mental strength," Union manager Peter Nowak said. "How will you overcome this? How will you keep going? There are a lot of things we need to talk about. We need to show players, in some capacity, that we need to do better." WATCH: PHI 0, POR 0 Nowak talked a lot about his team’s mental state following Saturday’s scoreless draw with Portland because he was pleased with the team’s physical performance, especially on the defensive end where they earned their first shutout since July 17 against New England – which, not coincidentally, was the last time they won. The Union manager also had mostly good things to say after the Union came from behind to tie the Revs 4-4 last Wednesday, despite the obvious defensive lapses. "As I said from the beginning of the season, when we’re trying too hard, sometimes we miss points here and there," Nowak said Saturday, adding that he thought his team deserved the three points vs. Portland. "I applaud the effort from the guys. After a tough game Wednesday, you could see some of them get tired at the end of the game. This was a tough stretch for us with three games in one week but we’ve just got to move forward." For Nowak, the current winless skid is not about his team’s talent or effort. It’s more about how they’ve been responding to mistakes or bad luck. Instead of getting more determined to make up for what happened, the manager said, they often rue the missed opportunities and let that affect their play moving forward. As an example, Nowak pointed to one particular moment early in Saturday’s game against Portland when Sébastien Le Toux missed a goal by just a couple of inches. "Sometimes the ball doesn’t go your way and you miss by a couple of inches," Nowak said. "I think if we score in the first half from Seba, then I think it’s a very easy game. I think it’s the mental part. If we don’t score the first one, it’s like, ‘Here we go again.’ I think we have to overcome those obstacles and keep going and keep creating chances. "At some point, we’re going to score the first goal and then it’s going to be easy for all of us."

Davies, Pontius respond when DC see given opportunity

2011-09-11T15:19:00.001-07:00

Prior to Saturday’s already pivotal clash against Chivas USA, favorable results earlier in the day gave D.C. United an even bigger chance to gain ground in the MLS playoff race. With that at stake, DC responded in earnest, as a Charlie Davies hat trick, including two goals in the first 15 minutes, powered them to a 3-0 win on the road. Head coach Ben Olsen’s decision to start Chris Pontius up top next to Davies — the first time the duo had started together there all season — paid dividends, as Pontius set up Davies on all three goals. "You saw the balls that he was able to get me in front of goal where he gave me a goal-scoring situation and I was able to convert on all three," Davies told MLSsoccer.com by phone after the match. "The chemistry was great; we worked really well together." WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS The hat-trick hero also benefited from DC’s lengthy time off — 20 days without a game — heading into Saturday’s match. "I needed this break that we had where I could clear my mind mentally and really refocus, get my body back to 100 percent," Davies said. "This past week, I’ve trained the best I had all year, so I felt ready to make an impact on this game and help my team out." The win moved DC into a wild card spot in the playoff standings, past Chivas USA, one point ahead of the New York Red Bulls, and just a point behind the Houston Dynamo. But almost as important on the night was getting Davies back on track, as he scored for the first time since June 25. "The most encouraging thing was not really his goals but the work ethic and the positive nature of his runs, how he created those chances," midfielder Santino Quaranta told MLSsoccer.com. "You’ve got to give Chris a lot of credit as well." After setting up Davies to complete the hat trick in the game’s 66th minute, Pontius’ night ended on a sour note just two minutes later. The attacker slid into a challenge with Chivas defender David Júnior Lopes, and the two collided awkwardly. Players on the field waived frantically to get medical staff on the field, and Pontius had to be stretchered off, where he was taken to the hospital almost immediately for X-rays on his right ankle. It was a serious concern on an otherwise outstanding night for DC, who responded when they were given an opportunity to make some noise in the playoff picture. "We knew it was big with the other results tonight," Quaranta said. "[We] came in with a good mentality, good attitude, everybody did their part and our counterattack was fantastic."

As pressure mounts, Goats need to cure offensive ills

2011-09-10T15:24:00.001-07:00

CARSON, CALIF.— Chivas USA are approaching their most important part of the season and are still dealing with an old problem. Just where will the goals come from? The Goats will face off against D.C. United on Saturday (10:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online) in their first of two matches in 11 days against the club, with both teams battling for the 10th and final playoff berth, the series will likely decide their playoff fortunes. However, for the Rojiblancos to earn a victory against D.C—and qualify for the playoffs – the Goats must begin finding the back of the net with regularity. Scoring issues have been a problem throughout the season for the Goats, who have been shutout 10 times this season. Although Chivas USA scored more than two goals twice during the month of August, they were shut out three times, including their last two matches against Portland and Real Salt Lake. The task of providing a scoring punch during the playoff stretch will likely fall squarely on the shoulders of forward Juan Pablo Ángel, who has scored once in two appearances for Chivas USA since moving from the LA Galaxy. After a whirlwind move, Ángel has admitted that building a partnership with Justin Braun, Alejandro Moreno or Marcos Mondaini will take time, but he is optimistic that one can develop. "Building a partnership takes time," Ángel said. "Everything has been extremely quick for me, just adjusting to the way that the team plays and them adjusting to the way that I do things on the field. Also, I’m trying to get used to the partnership that I’m playing with Alejandro [Moreno] since I haven’t had much time to work with him because he’s been out on international duty. This week I’ve been working with Marcos and Justin, everyone is different. "All of us bring different to the table and it’s about getting minutes to know each other." Eager to prove his leadership, the veteran of many MLS playoff chases with the New York Red Bulls admits that believes that the match against DC is a final of sorts for the Goats. "From now on, its playoff time for us, every game is decisive and we need to take it like that," Ángel said. "It’s going to be a final, one of those teams that are right in the hunt with us and we need to make sure we get it right. We’re playing at home then at their home and we’ve got to just make sure to win this game no matter what if we want to make the playoffs." Although the goals will be vital to Chivas’ success, they will be boosted by a number of returnees in the back. Right back Zarek Valentin (quad) and midfielder Mike Lahoud (ankle) are likely to return to action when the Rojiblancos face United after missing the last match against RSL. This will provide the Goats options in defense after losing Heath Pearce for at least three weeks due a hamstring injury. Although the questions are numerous ahead of the match with United the goal is simple: win. "We’re in a dogfight on the outside looking in now, but we know that," said Chivas head coach Robin Fraser. "We’re playing with a team that is directly competing with us for at the moment the ten spot so obviously in our minds, it’s a must win."

Starting XI: Top 11 questions heading into the MLS weekend

2011-09-09T15:14:00.001-07:00

The countdown of the 11 most intriguing questions facing MLS clubs, players and coaches heading into the weekend slate of matches: 11. Who’s ready for the final sprint? Some are coming off long breaks and others have been quite busy, but every single club in Major League Soccer is active this weekend, which marks the onset of the season’s business end. As temperatures drop and matches dwindle away, urgency increases, with almost everyone eager to secure or improve their position for the postseason. It’s full throttle from here until MLS Cup, amplifying clutch performances as well as mistakes. 10. Will those long layoffs add up to rest, or rust, for this weekend? Portland’s last MLS match was on Aug. 24, DC have been off since Aug. 21 and New York’s break dates back to Aug. 20, while other squads have had lesser but still notable amounts of down time. Fresh legs and refreshed minds are a benefit, but sloppy execution can sometimes crop up as well. 9. Is Friday’s Rapids-Galaxy clash a meeting of the present and future champs? Right from the beginning of preseason, LA have walked, talked and spent like MLS Cup favorites, and their performances have vindicated that status. Beating the current title-holders would have symbolic as well as standings value, though Colorado could reap similar rewards from a defiant display of their own bona fides at the Home Depot Center on Friday night (11 pm ET, FOX Soccer). 8. How will the "six-pointers" play out? Five of this weekend’s games feature playoff-chasing teams who would benefit almost as much from denying points to their opponents as from snaring them for themselves. That figures to ratchet up the pressure even further in the matches at Seattle, Philly, KC, San Jose and Chivas USA. 7. Who will grab the MVP race by the horns? As MLSsoccer.com’s "Climbing the Ladder" noted earlier this week, MLS Most Valuable Player nods tend to go to leading members of top teams, putting the likes of Landon Donovan, Brek Shea and, perhaps, Fredy Montero in pole positions. Other deserving candidates like Kyle Beckerman, Thierry Henry and Dwayne De Rosario may find that the best thing for their own candidacies would be a swift climb up the standings by their teams. 6. Where in the world is Charlie Davies? Given his early-season performances for D.C. United and the iconic status derived from his dazzling – and abruptly, stunningly suspended – US national-team career, it’s hard to believe how anonymous Davies has been over the past couple of months as nagging injuries and spotty contributions have kept him on the bench. DC’s postseason hopes would benefit greatly from a return to form. 5. Can Real Salt Lake strike a blow against Seattle’s Supporters’ Shield hopes? With its playoff seeding implications and likelihood of end-to-end play, RSL vs. Sounders shapes up as one of the tastiest-looking matches on this week’s docket. Given the nearly flawless footy LA are playing right now, Seattle probably need a home win to keep pace with them in the race to the Shield, while a loss could be devastating on that front. 4. Is the Union defense vulnerable to a Portland pounding? The shorthanded Philly back line and rookie goalkeeper Zac MacMath just leaked four goals at home to an eighth-place side (New England). Now it has to handle the bruising challenge posed by the Timbers’ aerial bombardment, and also remain alert to the movement of Jorge Perlaza and assorted wide players. On the other hand, the Timbers still have just one road win to their credit all year. 3. How will the Crew respond to that shellacking in Seattle? Robert Warzycha and his men have tried not to dwell on last weekend’s 6-2 whipping at CenturyLink Field, but will need to prove as much to themselves and their home fans in Saturday’s Trillium Cup meeting with Toronto, a rivalry game they’ve never lost. Perhaps the loss in the Emerald City gave Warzycha a clear picture of his team’s strengths and weaknesses before the home stretch. But now Columbus need a win. 2. Can Sporting Kansas City get serious? How ironic that a no-nonsense Jersey guy like Peter Vermes finds himself at the helm of such a wide-open, gun-and-run – and apparently naïve – Sporting side. Few MLS clubs have scored more goals than KC, just as few have allowed as many at the other end, including several in galling, last-minute fashion. Entertainment-wise, they look like a neutral’s favorite, but they might well need to grind one out when Houston visit this weekend. 1. Can the Red Bulls finally see the light at the end of the tunnel? New York have been ice-cold for weeks, as reflected by their steady slide down the standings. But they’ve had three weeks off from match play to regroup, and important veterans Luke Rodgers, Jan Gunnar Solli and Frank Rost are finally making their way back to full fitness. All that should translate into an assured victory over visiting Vancouver on Saturday as the Red Bulls try to reassert themselves in the playoff hunt.

College: Schuler's hot start leading way for North Carolina

2011-09-08T15:24:00.001-07:00

After just two games last year, a recurring shoulder problem that required surgery forced North Carolina to shut down forward Billy Schuler for the entire season. Schuler could only watch from the sidelines as the Tar Heels marched all the way to the College Cup, falling to Louisville in the semifinals. After an intense spring and summer of rehabbing and working his way back to fitness, the forward has returned with a vengeance. Schuler has four goals in UNC’s first three games of the season, all of them wins. "To be playing again after so long on the sidelines feels great," Schuler told MLSsoccer.com over the phone. "It’s been a long year, being out and finally getting back once the season started. I’m happy with the way things are going so far." UNC is a squad very much in transition. The Heels lost several starters to the pro ranks last year and have a new coach in Carlos Somoano. But Schuler’s contributions have been integral to the team’s success. Last Sunday against Louisville, he scored the game-winner in a 2-1 victory. On Friday against Oregon State, he had a brace as North Carolina romped to a 5-1 scoreline. For a team that is almost a yearly fixture in the College Cup, a lot of question marks surrounded the traditional powerhouse after Elmar Bolowich resigned in February to take over at Creighton. Somoano, a longtime Bolowich assistant, has smoothed over the transition. "Carlos has come in really strong, brought in new ideas and a new system that we’re playing," Schuler said. "It’s been great, I think we’re doing really well with our roles that everyone has and what everyone is expected to do." The new coach has seen Schuler pick up from where he left off his sophomore year. "He’s very aggressive and he continues to be," Somoano told MLSsoccer.com. "That’s what makes him a special player – he’s a relentless competitor." Despite the strong start, Somoano is tempering expectations. Not only are the team still learning his new style and system, they also lost players like Stephen McCarthy, Jalil Anibaba, Michael Farfan and Alex Dixon to MLS. But the Heels are still in good hands. Along with Schuler, UNC feature sophomore forward Robbie Lovejoy as a complementary attacker, Enzo Martinez and Kirk Urso marshal the midfield, and transfer Matt Hedges leads the back line along with US U-18s Boyd Okwuono and Jordan McCrary. "We still have a lot of growing to do, and in the meantime we’ve gotten results and won the games so far," he said. "That’s a positive, if you can get off to a good start from a results standpoint and give the guys some confidence that what we’re doing is working."

NY's Rost and Rodgers days away from full recovery

2011-09-07T15:16:00.001-07:00

UPPER MONTCLAIR, N.J. — It’s only a matter of days before the New York Red Bulls expect to finally get two of their regulars back in the starting lineup, as goalkeeper Frank Rost and forward Luke Rodgers near a return to full health. While Rodgers may even see some minutes against Vancouver on Saturday, both are targeting the Sept. 17 match at FC Dallas. Rost, who suffered a quadriceps injury following the Emirates Cup in July, took to the practice field for the second time this week. The German Designated Player has not played since being subbed out of an Aug. 6 match at Real Salt Lake. Rodgers, who has battled a heel injury since the spring, may make his first appearance since July 6 when the Whitecaps visit Red Bull Arena on Saturday. "I’d say Dallas," manager Hans Backe said regarding the timeline for Rodgers’ return. "I’d be very happy if he can play some minutes on Saturday [vs. Vancouver]." While he might give Rodgers some playing time against Vancouver, Backe is expected to once again use backup goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, who is back with the squad after representing Senegal in African Cup of Nations qualifying. "I can do everything, but the problem is [getting to] 100 percent kicking," the 38-year-old Rost said of his recovery. "The last five percent, I have to wait, be patient." Injuries have generally not been a concern for Rost, who has played at least 30 games in each of his last four seasons, all with Bundesliga club Hamburg. He has played no less than 24 matches in his previous 13 years of soccer in Germany, so missing a third straight match this weekend is something to which Rost is largely unaccustomed. "I’ve never experienced this kind of an injury," he said. "For me, the only thing is that I come back to the team, practice with the team and hopefully we win some matches." In addition to Rost and Rodgers, the other starter that Backe has to replace in the lineup is midfielder Teemu Tainio, who is still waiting to serve his red card suspension which dates back to an Aug. 20 match against the Revolution. There are a number of options to replace Tainio in the center of the field. "Stéphane [Auvray] is one of those guys," Backe said. "We also have the option of [Rafa] Márquez there, with [Carlos] Mendes as a center back." After playing for Mexico last week, Márquez flew back to New York on Tuesday evening and Backe expects to have the player for training on Thursday morning. Jan Gunnar Solli is also back from injury and he told MLSsoccer.com on Monday that he expects to be in the midfield this weekend, a change from his usual right back position. A former Norwegian international who has played nearly his entire career as a box-to-box midfielder, Solli could also make for a good fit alongside Dax McCarty in the starting XI.

Whitecaps co-owner, NBA star Nash trains with first team

2011-09-06T15:21:00.001-07:00

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Watch out, Michael Nanchoff. There was a new No. 13 at Swangard Stadium during a Whitecaps training session on Tuesday, but the face was a familiar one. Whitecaps co-owner and basketball star Steve Nash suited up with the first team to stay fit during the NBA offseason — one that could be extended due to the ongoing labor dispute in that league. "It was good, it was a lot of fun," Nash told MLSsoccer.com following Tuesday’s training session. "For me, it’s a great opportunity not just to meet the players as a fan — it’s fun to get to meet them and know them — but as an owner, it’s also fun to get the temperature of the club and how the guys’ spirits are." Nash played as a striker and midfielder in his hometown of Victoria, B.C., during his time in youth soccer before eventually deciding to focus on basketball. "Everyone knows he’s a big soccer fan and plays the game himself," captain Jay DeMerit said. "To not play for a long time and step in with this group of guys shows the quality he has." While the 37-year-old looked fit and didn’t look too out of place, he’s not ready to quit his day job just yet. "By the way I played today, they’re not going to have me come back for a while!" Nash joked with reporters. "But we should all be really excited. There’s a lot of positives — we’ve got a lot of good players, a great residency program, and on top of that, we’re moving into a new stadium. We’ve got the third-highest attendance in the league, so everyone should be really proud of the efforts this year." The former NBA Most Valuable Player also provided insight into the level of his involvement with key decisions the club has made this season, such as the two coaching changes. "I leave it up to the guys who are working on this day in and day out," Nash explained. "For me to come in and add value where I can is my benefit at this point. [The club is] in good hands — they don’t need to call on me for every decision, but I’m here as a resource [if needed]." WATCH: Nash trains with Whitecaps

Kick Off: Donovan sounds warning ahead of match vs. KC

2011-09-05T15:10:00.001-07:00

A stretch of nine matches in 30 days couldn’t start against a tougher opponent. The LA Galaxy get set to kick off the most congested part of their schedule with their first match at the new Livestrong Sporting Park against Sporting Kansas City tonight (6 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer — pregame at 5:30 p.m. ET) and LA midfielder Landon Donovan has already sounded a warning to his teammates: "You could argue they're as good as any team in the league at this time." Looks like Donovan has more belief in Kansas City than even Kansas City does. At the end of its preview for tonight’s match, the

Mondragón injury could harm Philly’s playoff hopes

2011-09-04T15:14:00.001-07:00

The Philadelphia Union came into Saturday’s game at Rio Tinto Stadium a little bit shorthanded. Then they got even more shorthanded when starting goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón – the club’s captain and only 2011 All-Star – hurt his finger and came out at halftime in a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake. Backup Zac MacMath, making his MLS debut, didn’t allow a goal in the second half, but Mondragón’s injury could be a serious detriment in Philly’s playoff chase, which took a hit with the defeat. A couple of reports indicated Mondragón broke his finger, but Union manager Peter Nowak did not offer any specifics about the injury after the game. "We’ll see," Nowak said. "I don’t know. I’m not a doctor. We’ll go back home and see what his status will be." Before Mondragón came out, the Union suffered through some defensive struggles, due in large part to the absences of defensive midfielder Brian Carroll (right foot contusion) and central back Carlos Valdés (suspension). WATCH: Mondragón denies Espíndola Back on their heels for much of the first half, Philly allowed two RSL goals through the first 26 minutes, both of which came from poor marking off corner kicks. And the damage could have even been worse if not for a brilliant save from Mondragón in the 25th minute on RSL’s Fabián Espíndola and some critical clearances from Danny Califf and Stefani Miglioranzi later in the game. The Union, which posted four shutouts through their first six games, have now surrendered two goals in each of their past three games and are winless in their last six contests. Snapping that skid will be even more difficult if Mondragón misses any more time, but the Union feel they are fortunate to have a very capable backup in MacMath, a highly-touted rookie who made three saves in the second half Saturday. "I think Zac MacMath came in and he was calm and very secure," Nowak said. "I was pleased with the game from him. We’ll see what the status is for Faryd, who is a very important piece to this team." If Mondragón is sidelined, the Union will also miss the captain’s vocal leadership, which has been a vital component to the club’s success this season. The Union, however, also say they are stocked with capable replacements in that department as well. "Faryd is our captain," said Sébastien Le Toux, who on Saturday scored his first goal from the run of play this season. "But Danny Califf, myself, Miglioranzi – we are also leaders of this team."

Grueling stretch for LA starts with trip to Kansas City

2011-09-03T15:20:00.001-07:00

CARSON, Calif. — Beginning Monday, the LA Galaxy will play nine games in a 30-day stretch. It is perhaps fitting that the club will kick off that grueling slate with what has become one of the league’s most difficult challenges. The Galaxy will visit Sporting KC on Monday (6 pm ET, Fox Soccer) in a match that was originally scheduled for Aug. 13. In their first trip to Livestrong Sporting Park, LA will face a squad that has been on a tear since June. PREVIEW: Galaxy come calling on Sporting "They’re the most confident team in the league right now, from some of their statements," Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant said. "That’s good. They’re flying high, doing well in their new stadium and feeling good about themselves." Sporting KC started out the season with a dismal 1-6-1 record but have lost just twice since then. Part of the turnaround is their new stadium, which has been the talk of the league since it opened on June 9. "They have an amazing new stadium, great atmosphere and they’ve been fantastic at home, so we’ve got to make sure we don’t underestimate them," Galaxy midfielder Mike Magee said. Playing before packed crowds always bodes well for the home side and an electric atmosphere gives the players something extra to look forward to. "There’s a little bit of excitement," Magee said. "We’ve heard some amazing things about the stadium. Always when you play in a good atmosphere it brings out the best in players." Sporting KC and the Galaxy have already met once this year. LA beat SKC 4-1 in May at the Home Depot Center, and while it may seem logical to draw comparisons from that match to Monday’s encounter, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena has all but tossed that game out the window. "That’s been completely forgotten and that has nothing to do with this game to be honest," Arena said. "What we need to do is to continue to move forward as a team and play well." Sporting have been strong at home, posting a 6-2-4 mark at their new stadium. However, their two losses came against Seattle and FC Dallas, the two sides just behind the Galaxy in the Western Conference race. In each loss, KC conceded two late goals to reverse what had looked like sure wins. The most recent defeat, last week’s 3-2 setback against Dallas, may bode well for the Galaxy as it gave LA a possible blueprint on how to attack their rivals. KC allowed a goal on a set piece and two more on crosses from the left flank. "Wide play is going to be very important in the game because they do have three forwards generally and you’d rather them play with five midfielders than three forwards," Dunivant said. "If we can get their two high guys pinned back and have us pushing on and them defending us, that’s certainly an advantage for us. If it’s the other way then we’re suddenly pinned back and things are a lot more difficult." Another factor in favor for the Galaxy is the status of their captain. Landon Donovan was originally slated to miss the match due to national team duty but he will skip the US match at Belgium on Sept. 6 in order to remain with LA. "It’s certainly a bonus," Arena said. "Landon is one of our better players and one of the better players in the league."

Fantasy Forecast: Pick carefully on a light week for MLS

2011-09-02T15:17:00.001-07:00

Just two league games scheduled in MLS. While the rest of your fantasy league heads to the lake for a little R&R, look to the Western Conference heavyweights to start making up some ground in the final weeks of the regular season. In particular, the Forecast likes RSL over Philadelphia and LA over Sporting Kansas City. Let’s get to the picks. Start 'em Nick Rimando, G, Real Salt Lake: A 10-man RSL pulled together to record a shutout last week. It was a big confidence-booster, and of the four goalkeepers going this weekend, the RSL backstop looks to be in the best form. Sean Franklin, D, LA Galaxy: The Galaxy keep rolling along, with four consecutive two-goal victories. Franklin remains a great choice as a marking back who can get forward when his team keeps possession. He can get on the scoresheet – two goals this season – while the Galaxy defense is the league’s second-best. Start Franklin with confidence. Graham Zusi, M, Sporting Kansas City: With Teal Bunbury and Kei Kamara on international duty, the SKC goal-scoring burden falls to Zusi. He’s shown himself capable of doing damage offensively with five goals and four assists in 18 starts. With Davy Arnaud and Jéferson possibly returning for SKC, they could make things difficult against LA after a poor showing in the teams’ first two meetings. Landon Donovan, M, LA Galaxy: Donovan will play with the US national team on Friday evening, but should be ready to play a role during Monday’s game at Sporting. Watch his minutes against Costa Rica before making a decision to plug him in Monday. Kyle Beckerman, M, Real Salt Lake: With Will Johnson (Canada), Álvaro Saborío (Costa Rica), Jean Alexandre (Haiti) and Arturo Alvarez (El Salvador) all on international duty, the other RSL players must to pick up the scoring slack. Beckerman, who will play 90 minutes barring injury, should get some chances to get forward against a Philly midfield lacking confidence. Veljko Paunović, M, Philadelphia Union: The 34-year-old has been one of Philly’s most dangerous scoring options since joining the team this summer: two goals in his last four games. If the Union are to break their five-match winless streak, they’ll need a little magic from Paunović. Sit 'em Matt Besler, D, Sporting Kansas City: Besler faces a tough task against the Galaxy’s attack, especially with SKC’s defensive confidence reeling. Sporting have given up late leads against Seattle and Dallas in recent weeks – and now they face MLS’ top team. Nat Borchers, D, Real Salt Lake: Borchers picked up a red card for Real Salt Lake early in their match against Chivas USA, ruling him out for this weekend’s tilt. Teal Bunbury, F, Sporting Kansas City: Like Borchers, Bunbury saw red this past weekend. He’ll have to serve that suspension when he gets back from national team duty, so now would be a good time to drop him if he’s on your roster. Kei Kamara, F, Sporting Kansas City: As mentioned previously, Kamara will miss this weekend’s match against LA on international duty. Accountability Those of you who sat Borchers last week did the right thing – the center back picked up his second red card of the season and must now sit out against RSL. The Forecast’s predictions for Portland and Chivas USA fizzled, with Portland getting rained out of their second match by Hurricane Irene and Chivas USA failing to score against RSL or Portland.

Saborío among MLSers on Costa Rica roster vs. US

2011-09-01T15:18:00.001-07:00

Four players from Major League Soccer highlight the 24-man roster for Costa Rica’s international friendly against the United States at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on Friday (11 pm ET; ESPN2, Galavisión, ESPN3.com). Real Salt Lake striker Álvaro Saborío is once again in the mix with

On Fire: Chicago back in USOC final

2011-08-31T15:23:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-30T15:26:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-29T15:13:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-28T15:18:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-27T15:23:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-26T15:15:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-25T15:13:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-24T15:17:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-23T15:21:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-22T15:16:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-21T15:18:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-20T15:24:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-19T15:12:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-18T15:23:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-17T15:14:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-16T15:18:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-15T15:21:00.001-07:00

Happiness is a warm reception in Philadelphia for Adu

2011-08-14T15:12:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-13T15:15:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-12T15:18:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-11T15:23:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-10T15:17:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-09T15:14:00.001-07:00

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.