Blanco suspended from Open Cup

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been suspended from playing in the U.S. Open Cup for six games or two years, whichever comes first, for his actions in the Chicago Fire's Open Cup loss to D.C. United July 8.

Blanco, 35, received a red card in the Open Cup game after getting involved in a late-game scuffle with United players. Upon receiving the red card, Blanco did not leave the field in a timely manner, officials said, and then reportedly head-butted a United team official trying to get him off the field.

The suspension affects only Open Cup play, sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. It does not affect Blanco's standing in Major League Soccer, unless the league decides to make a separate disciplinary action for conduct unbecoming the league.

The incident was reviewed by the USSF's Adjudication and Discipline Panel, a five-person panel that heard from the match referees, United officials and Blanco in a meeting on July 29.

Blanco cannot play in either 2009 or 2010, and possibly longer depending on the number of games Blanco's team participates in the tournament in those years. The Fire will play its next Open Cup game some time next summer after being eliminated by United this year.

Blanco was not in the starting lineup against Everton Wednesday and he is not available for selection for the team's next MLS game Saturday against Chivas USA due to yellow card accumulation.


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United youngsters finding their way

WASHINGTON -- For several weeks now, D.C. United's injury crisis has pushed the club into an unenviable cycle where more attention is paid to those absent from the gameday roster than those on it.

The continued absence of starters like Marcelo Gallardo, Santino Quaranta and Gonzalo Peralta has left head coach Tom Soehn with little choice but to turn to rookies and reserves, and the results have been unmistakable as an eight-game unbeaten streak has given way to a four-game losing skid highlighted by an underperformance in SuperLiga play.

Those struggles have certainly not flattered the United bench and after D.C.'s latest setback, a 2-0 loss to Houston last Wednesday, Soehn vowed to bring in midseason acquisitions to improve the squad.

"I think the results speak for themselves. It's four losses in a row and obviously that has something to do with it," said assistant coach Chad Ashton on Wednesday, in reference to the team's recent shorthandedness. "At the end of the day you gauge everything by results and we haven't gotten the job done. It's as simple as that."

Ashton was handling the normal post-training media duties at RFK Stadium on account of Soehn's engagement in a meeting with team president Kevin Payne and general manager Dave Kasper, the sort of conference that would suggest moves are imminent. But while fans wait on news of trialists, trades and signings, not to mention progress reports on mainstays like Gallardo, the existing group has little choice but to work with the status quo and apply itself towards steady improvement.

"We're a little bit unfocused right now, just because we have so many different lineups going on," said Brazilian midfielder Fred. "But we're working every day to get better and get that team that can win."

Beyond any potential newcomers, Soehn and his colleagues are anxious to work several sidelined players back into action over the next two weeks. Nonetheless, they remain keen to inspire the rest of their charges to pick up the slack.

"You have to approach it the right way and say, 'This is my time. They're not here. It's my time to do a good job,' and as far as the coaching staff is concerned, we don't have any other players at the moment," said Ashton. "So our job is to get the most out of what we do have and do a good job with what we have. If other guys come, they come, but now is your time to have an opportunity and you do really well with that opportunity, it doesn't matter who shows up."

The coaching staff is surely hoping that message will sink in sooner rather than later, with a home match against Kansas City this weekend kicking off an important spell in United's schedule. But the harsh reality is that the Black-and-Red reserves have yet to provide the expected relief for a tired group of starters who still face many key games ahead.

"Most of them, it's their first year. A lot of rookies, so it's tough," said midfielder Clyde Simms, one of the few constants in the D.C. lineup this summer. "I know it's easier when you're coming in and expectations aren't so high, but because we need some wins here shortly and in this stretch, at this point in the season when they're having to fill those shoes, it's a tall task. ... There's going to be mistakes made."

So United is left in an infuriatingly delicate position. The club needs timely contributions from their bench, but remains all too aware of the danger such pressure can pose to a youngster's fragile confidence.

"I think this team believes in the reserves and players that haven't gotten much time, but with that comes a loss of cohesiveness," said veteran Ben Olsen, who continues to recover from his latest ankle surgery. "You bring three, four guys into the lineup that haven't been consistent all year, it's a tough thing. They've got to do better, the reserves -- they know that -- and make a statement to Tommy and the coaching staff that they're able to be a player for this team down the line."


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Houston's Ashe finds redemption vs. Pachuca

HOUSTON -- Just shy of one year ago, in the semifinal round of the 2007 SuperLiga tournament, Houston Dynamo midfielder Corey Ashe was dismissed from the game against Pachuca.

His red card in extra time once again put the Dynamo at a man disadvantage -- which they had played under for nearly the entirety of regulation -- and the Orange faded in penalty kicks, bowing to the eventual champions in front of a disappointed and emotionally drained home crowd.

After the loss, Ashe had plenty of time to think about his miscue and was hoping for an opportunity to make amends with a rematch. Ashe got that chance to redeem himself Tuesday night when he entered this year's semifinal against Pachuca in the 62nd minute.

And he did just that, scoring an insurance goal in the Dynamo's 2-0 win that puts them into next week's SuperLiga final against either the New England Revolution or Atlante FC.

Ashe entered the game just as his team began to pick things up in the second half against its Mexican visitors. Pachuca rebounded from a slow start and peppered the Dynamo and goalkeeper Pat Onstad with several quality chances through the opening stages of the second half.

Over the last 30 minutes, Houston dominated. Defender Bobby Boswell deflected home a header by Craig Waibel in the 77th minute. And 10 minutes later, Ashe made up for what he called a silly play in last year's game by heading a perfect cross from Brian Mullan and into the net.

Ashe told some of his teammates that he wanted to make up for his miscue in last year's tournament.

Mission accomplished.

"I really felt like I let the team down and I wanted to make sure I did everything I could to help the team out tonight," said Ashe. "And tonight would be the night that I wanted to get that done. We're playing Pachuca, probably the team that is our biggest international rival and this is the semifinals with a chance to go on to the last round.

"I just felt like I really let them down in the semifinal round. I got the red card in that game against Pachuca and that put them down to nine men. And we ended up losing that game."

Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said he felt a sense of relief as Ashe's shot settled into the back of the net past stunned Pachuca 'keeper Miguel Calero.

Ashe's goal was his first of the 2008 campaign since his goal in a 3-3 draw against FC Dallas on May 28.

"The second goal was exciting," Kinnear added. "And there was even a little bit of relief at that point."

Kinnear was especially pleased with his team's play on set pieces, a part of the team's game that has the potential to improve dramatically with the addition of Nate Jaqua and Kei Kamara.

Both of those players made their first home appearances Tuesday and contributed with great play on both sides of the ball.

Boswell's goal might be considered lucky as he was in the right place at the right time to get his right foot on the ball that Waibel sent his way.

Kinnear and the rest of the men in Orange will take it.

"I thought we were going to be really good on set pieces, and as the game wore on tonight, I thought we looked better and better on set pieces," Kinnear added. "And it didn't help them that Calero had a little bit of a leg problem. And on (the first goal), he wasn't his usual aggressive self.

"Sometimes the ball just bounces your way. De Ro puts it up, Craig heads it over and he just finds Boswell. On that goal, it was good, and we were excited, but there was still a little bit of worry, because they are a good team over there."

There was still a little bit of worry because Pachuca was still moving the ball well. The Dynamo defense stepped up and kept their rivals from getting back in the game.

That, De Rosario said, was key in preserving a trip to the final of the second-year tournament.

"They all want the ball and they all come to the ball," De Rosario said of Pachuca. "It is very tough to play against teams like that because they are very confident.

"Having said that, I thought we were solid defensively, with the exception of those few minutes in the second half. But when we needed him, Pat was there to make the big saves. Offensively, I thought we created a lot of chances tonight, and you really can't ask for more against these guys."


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Boswell greeted warmly in D.C.

Major League Soccer has seen its share of strange and remarkable occurrences over its 12-year history, but few can compare to the weirdness that permeated last Wednesday's D.C. United-Houston Dynamo match in the nation's capital.

After two abortive attempts to play the game on previous dates, rain, lightning and floodlight outages led to a mid-game weather delay of nearly three hours at RFK Stadium. While both teams holed up in their locker rooms for most of that time, one player eventually emerged from one of the old baseball dugouts that hold RFK's main field entrances.

The player, who had exchanged wet cleats for running shoes during the delay, was immediately recognized by nearby fans and soon struck up a friendly conversation, then began to autograph the shirts and posters they proffered. Soon a throng of other waterlogged spectators trotted down to field level to greet him, some posing for photos, others merely offering supportive handshakes before he had to hustle back to rejoin his teammates when the refereeing crew announced that the RFK turf was finally playable again.

The scene, while heartwarming, only added to the evening's peculiarity -- because the player in question was wearing Dynamo orange, not the home side's black and red.

Then again, Bobby Boswell seems to prefer the unorthodox way of doing things.

"I didn't know that many people were out there," he said of the spur-of-the-moment cameo at the stadium he once called home. "So when I went out there and some girls I knew from before came down, it kind of opened the floodgates. Some of the other kids wanted to come down, they were just kind of goofing off, and some people had some [memorabilia] I hadn't seen in a couple years, old stuff. It's good to be back for people like that, fans that are happy to see you. It's great."

An undrafted rookie in 2005 who appeared out of nowhere to snatch the MLS Defender of the Year award a year later, Boswell won widespread affection during his three seasons with United. He broke new ground as one of the first players in the league to create his own website, reaching out to fans with a quirky yet approachable attitude, and he clearly remains well-liked in D.C. even after his decision to request a trade in the wake of a trying 2007 campaign -- notwithstanding a few jibes from hardcore supporters' groups like United's Barra Brava.

"I think with the kids, I am," said the tall defender of his lingering popularity in Washington. "The Barra, not so much. They were taking their cheap shots. But you've got to expect that. For me it's part of the game. Coming back here, it's a great thing for me and I love the city. I had a great time here."

Despite his list of honors and growing reputation, Boswell found himself paying the price for United's defensive inconsistency last year as his one-time mentor, head coach Tom Soehn, regularly rotated his central defenders down the stretch. Eager for a change of scenery, the subsequent trade to Houston in exchange for goalkeeper Zach Wells far surpassed his expectations and he's enjoyed a low-key adaptation into the fearsome Dynamo defense.

"I said at the beginning of the year when they traded for me, that the team's already a successful team. It's not like I'm coming in to show them anything," he said. "I just wanted to come in and bring the experience that I gained here, and hopefully take us further in these tournaments."

The Dynamo undoubtedly made the most of last week's unusual extended stint in D.C., winning their final SuperLiga group match last Saturday night before coming out on top in Wednesday's wild affair -- and Boswell played a central role against his old team, helping limit the United attack to just one goal over both matches and even scoring on Saturday. He's optimistic that the results can help the Orange turn a corner in what has been an underwhelming season for the defending MLS Cup champs.

"To say I wasn't motivated would be a lie," he said. "Obviously I want to come in here and do well, and just do what I can do to help the team win. ... We've worked so hard and we haven't been getting the results: all the ties and stuff, it's just not right. But hopefully, maybe, this will be the turnaround for our season."

Now the focus has turned to Tuesday's SuperLiga semifinal date with CF Pachuca, the Mexican side which edged Houston in a thrilling CONCACAF Champions Cup matchup last year. For team and player alike, the occasion represents a pivotal opportunity to move closer to an elusive piece of hardware.

"For me, the goal is definitely to beat Pachuca, a team that they played a lot last year," said Boswell, "and if I can be a catalyst to help the team get past them and get into the finals, then that's a big step for me and the team."


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Highly motivated Hoops break out

FRISCO, Texas -- The last time FC Dallas scored four goals in a league game was 60 games ago, on July 29, 2006 when the Hoops exploded for a 4-1 win against Colorado at Pizza Hut Park. FCD can now add Sunday night's 4-0 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy to that list.

FCD got a pair of goals from Kenny Cooper, who now has goals in five of his side's last six games, plus one goal each from Dominic Oduro and Abe Thompson in the first league win for the Hoops under new head coach Schellas Hyndman.

"It was obviously an outstanding performance by FC Dallas," Hyndman said. "We played a 4-4-2 structure and I thought the players worked extremely hard playing in the structure -- we worked on both sides of the ball."

The outcome was much better for the Hoops than the last time the two MLS Western Conference sides met. That was May 18 when the Galaxy handed the Hoops a 4-1 defeat, a setback that cost then-head coach Steve Morrow his job the next day.

Hyndman definitely used that result as motivation for his team on Sunday.

"The players were very focused on getting a good result after the last time playing LA here was an embarrassment," he said. "We had a lot of fans question what FC Dallas was all about. Very seldom in life do you get a chance to come back and redeem yourselves. Today, I thought they did a fantastic job of coming back and playing for their pride and their community. The players all played for each other and we did something that we haven't done very often, score first and score again."

The bottom line for the FCD coach was that his team outworked LA and that was what contributed most to the win.

"I think it was a game that we deserved to win," Hyndman said. "We worked very hard from the start to the end, got on them early and stayed on them."

Cooper agreed that Sunday's victory was key for the Hoops, who won for the first time in the month of July.

"It was a big win for us," he said. "Coming into the game, we were all aware of the last result. Coach Schellas told us before the game that very seldom in life would we get a chance to redeem ourselves and we had that opportunity today to play in front of a sold-out stadium against a very good Los Angeles Galaxy team that is playing very well."

For the FCD striker, who is tied for second in league scoring with 11 goals, the result was a testament to the hard work he and his teammates have been doing since Hyndman took the helm in mid-June.

"It feels very good to walk away with the win," Cooper said. "I thought we did the things that the coaches have asked of us. I feel that Schellas has been making a good impact on us on a daily basis. It's nice to show that in a result like today."

For much of the last few weeks, rumors have been swirling about a potential transfer to Europe for Cooper. However, the FC Dallas striker wasn't about to address those rumors and instead wanted to enjoy the win. "I don't know (if this was my last game here)," Cooper said. "I hope not. In all honesty, I'd rather keep this focused on the game. I don't want to take away from our coach's first victory and a great effort by the team. I'm proud to be part of that. I don't know what my future holds. I love being here but I want to focus on our great win today."

Hyndman was especially happy to get his first MLS win even though it took him five games to get there.

"It's wonderful," he said. "The only thing that's really sad is that both my wife and daughter aren't here. I would love for them to be part of this excitement. This has been pretty exciting."

FCD played in a 4-4-2 system for the first time since a 1-1 draw at Houston on June 26 and the shift in formations was a success.

"It was outstanding," Hyndman said. "This is what we all want to do, is win. We train very hard, want to find success and make a difference. I just felt that we had to get more people involved in the attack instead of just two. It's hard to ask players to do things when you don't show them and design it for them."


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Bojang trying to catch on with LA

CARSON, Calif. -- Anyone who saw the New England Revolution for the first time early on this season had to once again be impressed with the ability of Steve Nicol and company to uncover new talent in the form of Sainey Nyassi and Kenny Mansally. The Gambian duo wowed audiences after stepping into the lineup full-time to begin the year, and highlighted an influx of African-born talent that has been making an impact league-wide.

Not to be outdone, LA Galaxy director of soccer Paul Bravo went on a scouting trip to Africa, and has invited a trio of players to train with the Galaxy. The first arrived last week and has been training with the first team, and has brought with him quite an impressive pedigree.

His name is Mandou Bojang, and like Mansally and Nyassi, he is from The Gambia. He was also a teammate with the New England duo on the Gambian under-20 national team. Bojang is only 19, but has represented his country at the full national team level as well as the youth level. He's a tall, athletic central defender who could potentially make an impact on a team currently dead last in the league in goals conceded.

Because he's not affiliated with any club, Bojang doesn't have to sign before the August 15 transfer deadline. It gives head coach Ruud Gullit a chance to take his time and make an educated decision on whether to sign him or not.

"It's too early. You always give (trialists) at least a week," said Gullit. "It's hard to say right now (if we'll be signing him). Paul Bravo is responsible for (Bojang being here). We just have to see if he'll be a good addition to our team."

With rookie sensation Sean Franklin returning from injury last weekend, the arrival of new acquisition Eduardo Dominguez getting integrated into the squad, and Greg Vanney and Troy Roberts providing some depth, it won't be easy for Bojang to push his way into the lineup. Still, there is always room to strengthen the squad and add depth.

It's hard to argue with Bojang's credentials, and at 19, he's an exciting player simply because of the long-term ramifications. Los Angeles already has some history with African-born players -- Zimbabwe international Joseph Ngwenya began his professional career with the club.

It will probably be another week before any final decision is made, but unlike last season where LA had to try and piece together a MASH unit to cope with all their injuries, the Galaxy are looking to strengthen their roster for a playoff push.

"It's not that we're trying to upgrade. We're also thinking about what if you have injuries," said Gullit. "You have to have a back up also."


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Russell sees perfect fit in U.S. return

SALT LAKE CITY -- When Robbie Russell decided it was time to return to the United States after spending seven years playing soccer in Europe, he wasn't looking for any run-of-the mill club to join.

Russell wanted to be with a team that was forward-thinking. He wanted to be involved building a solid foundation for the future more than latching onto a win-now mentality.

With Real Salt Lake, Russell thinks he has found exactly what he was looking for.

"I really feel like this is a place where the management and coaches have a specific goal in mind," Russell said. "In my experience with clubs in Europe, that's usually the teams that do the best -- teams that have plans."

RSL acquired the U.S. midfielder from Viborg FF of the Danish Superliga last Wednesday, one week into the international transfer window. Russell spent seven seasons in Norway and Denmark after being drafted 22nd overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft.

RSL's newest acquisition arrived in Utah last week and took part in his first training session last Friday. He made his debut against Toronto FC at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Monday, coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute.

Just how many minutes Russell plays and which spot he will play from on the field remains to be seen. But there is no doubt he can work his way into the rotation, given that he already possesses many qualities head coach Jason Kreis is looking for in an RSL player.

"He's athletic, he's versatile, he'll play several positions for us," Kreis said. "It's always nice to have players like that to give you options and choices in tactics."

Versatility will make Russell a major asset in putting together different lineups. During his time in Europe, Russell played major minutes at defensive midfield and right back.

With RSL, he should add some needed depth to the midfield -- an area that had become thinner than it was when the season got underway with the trade of Carey Talley and the midseason departure of Matias Cordoba.

"Anytime you get a new player that can help your team, it's exciting," midfielder Dema Kovalenko said. "It's good for the team. The coaches definitely think he can help us. We welcome him. It's good to have him."

Russell should make an impact with his new club eventually, but it could take a week or two to shake off enough rust before he sees substantial playing time. His last competitive soccer match, in Denmark, was two months ago.

Russell is happy to fill whatever role is required of him. He said he doesn't need a certain amount of minutes to keep him happy. And he feels like he can come in and help RSL in a multitude of ways.

"I see it as a plus that I can fill multiple spots," Russell said. "Any way I can help the team, I up for it."

If he can find a niche with RSL, Russell should be anchor for several seasons to come. The former Duke University product wanted to return to from Europe once he found the right situation.

Now that he is in Utah, he aims to get his game back to an elite level that will appeal to the U.S. national team. Russell figures he has from three to six good seasons still ahead of him and he hopes his time with RSL will allow him make the most of those remaining years.

"It's a perfect time (to return)," Russell said. "It gives me a chance to try and get back on the national team. Take a nice run at some of those goals I've set for myself."


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