New TFC signing Mista shows promise in debut

Mista debuted for Toronto on Wednesday against the EPL's Bolton Wanderers. (Paul Giamou/torontofc.ca)

TORONTO – Mo Johnston’s latest answer to Toronto FC’s offensive deficiencies took to the field Wednesday looking to make an impact.

Miguel Angel Ferrer Martinez, better known as "Mista," made his much-awaited debut in Toronto’s Carlberg Cup exhibition against English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers. Despite The Reds’ loss in penalty kicks—their third-straight shootout defeat in their three-year history—TFC's second Designated Player showed glimpses of what could help lead the club to its first-ever playoff appearance.

In one half of play, the former Deportivo la Coruña striker was a central figure in the offense, taking two corner kicks and two free kicks.

TFC coach Preki said earlier this week that Mista, 31, would play 45 minutes. Before the Spaniard's time was up, however, he set up Maicon Santos with a nice crossing pass that Santos headed into the goal to level the Trotters in first half injury time.

“It’s important for him to get some minutes in games, and he getting 45 minutes did some encouraging things. Hopefully he’ll have the next couple of days in training, good training days, and we’ll see where he fits on Saturday [against FC Dallas] and next Wednesday against Motagua [in the CONCACAF Champions League],” said Preki.

Though he trained with the club during the last few weeks, Mista only received clearance for his International Transfer Certificate just days ago. But the lack of game action didn’t seem to affect the forward, as he appeared to know where to be on the field at the right time.

Forced to watch Toronto’s 2-1 loss to Philadelphia Saturday from the sidelines, Mista saw a club whose offense has gone stale of late.

Dwayne De Rosario and Chad Barrett have eight and five goals, respectively, but the team’s offense has still struggled. TFC have scored only three goals in their last six games—and three in their last five MLS games—with De Rosario goalless in his last five league games.

Mista has spent most of his career in La Liga and had his most productive seasons while with Valencia, where he scored 40 goals in 142 games.

With half the season left and TFC on the cusp of a playoff seed, Johnston and Preki hope the Spaniard—and Santos—can do what Carlos Ruiz and Pablo Vitti failed to do in previous years: provide the offense that will propel the club to the playoffs.

Signed through the end of the 2010 season, Mista played in a shadow role behind starting striker Fuad Ibrahim, but Preki denied he would consistently be a lagging striker behind the likes of a Chad Barrett.

“We’re going to talk on the training ground and we’re going to talk before the games,” said Preki. “In different games there might be a different role for him, so nothing is set for him right now.”

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Fire offer Conde a "very good" contract extension

The Fire's Wilman Conde's contract expires at the end of the season. (Getty Images)

BRIDGEVIEW Ill. — Lost amid the hype and hoopla of the Chicago Fire’s signing of Mexican striker Nery Castillo and the rumors of a second DP on the way to Toyota Park is the contract status of an important player already here: Wilman Conde.

Conde’s current deal expires at the end of this season, and the Colombian center back isn’t short on suitors. According to his agent, the 27-year-old, who was named to the 2010 MLS All-Star team this week, is garnering interest from Argentine giants River Plate along with clubs in Spain, France and Mexico.

But negotiations with the Fire are ongoing and, according to both sides, proceeding well.

“We’ve made an offer,” Klopas told MLSsoccer.com. “We feel that it’s a very good one.”

Conde’s agent, former Fire player Diego Gutierrez, agrees.

“I think the team has presented an offer that is interesting to the player,” Gutierrez told MLSsoccer.com. “Both the league and the team have made it very obvious that they want him to stay. They have made a very good offer and want to retain his services.”

Now the onus is on Conde to make a decision as to where he wants to play.

“It’s going to be a matter for the player of sitting back and thinking about what he wants to do.” Gutierrez said. “It’s about a lot of different things. It’s not just about money; it’s about what is the best decision.”

Gutierrez, who also represents former Fire player Bakary Soumare, added that there is no timetable for Conde to make a decision.

Klopas, of course, is hoping that Conde will choose to remain a member of the Fire. With the hiring of manager Carlos de los Cobos and the recent signings, there is a momentum at the club, currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, and a feeling that they could find a real rhythm in the second half of this season and beyond.

“We know how prestigious it is for any player to be a part of this organization,” Klopas said. “We feel that the players that are here understand that and respect that, so we made an offer. And now it’s up to the player. Hopefully he knows that this is a great organization and one that he wants to continue with and win championships with.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.

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Conde surprised, honored by All-Star nod

Wilman Conde was named to the 2010 MLS All-Star roster. (Getty Images)

BRIDGEVIEW Ill. – Wilman Conde couldn’t help but be a little surprised when he learned that he would be joining Fire teammate Marco Pappa in Houston for next week’s All-Star Game against Manchester United.

“I know there are a lot of defenders that have been doing a great job with their respective clubs,” Conde said on Monday. “The fact that I was one of the chosen ones … it’s a huge surprise.”

The nod is the second straight All-Star selection for the Colombian, who has started and played in every minute of all but one of the Fire's regular season games in 2010. The 27-year-old was an MLS Best XI selection last year.

Conde, a 2009 MLS Best XI selection, said that he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing off against the likes of Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov and Nani in next Wednesday’s match.

“I am really happy and it is great news for my family and me,” Conde said. “Being nominated among a lot of good MLS players is gratifying, and playing against a team like Manchester United will be an unforgettable experience.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.

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Postcard from Europe: Movsisyan aiming for trophies with Randers

Yura Movsisyan scored the second goal in a 2-0 season opening victory over Brondby (Randers FC)

AMSTERDAM – Winning MLS Cup last year seems to have awakened something in Yura Movsisyan. The former Real Salt Lake star has a hunger for trophies, and he says he's just getting started.

Seven months into his new adventure at Randers FC, Movsisyan has designs on raising more silver at the end of his first full season in Denmark's top flight.

"Why not?" Movsisyan told MLSsoccer.com. "Obviously, You've got the big ones, Copenhagen and Brøndby, but I think we've got a good team as we showed last year. An average team wouldn't go 15 to 16 games without losing. That's given us a lot of confidence. I'm shooting for the title. I don't know if anybody else is thinking that, but I am."

It's little wonder to find Movsisyan so full of kick in the Horses' strike stable. After collecting as many red cards as goals (one) over his first six games with Randers, the 23-year-old has exploded for nine in his last 10, including two in Europa League qualifying.

"For me, in the beginning, it was difficult because I couldn't get used to the country, the level, the weather," he said. "It also takes time to get used to the players. But I adapted really well and started scoring and kept going."

Movsisyan's latest strike came in Sunday's SAS Liga season opening win over the same Brøndby he identified as championship contender. The workhorse hopped off the bench to put the hosts up 2-0 by busting the offside trap to round the helpless keeper.

He's acclimatized off the field as well, growing comfy in the scenic harbor town that is Randers.

"It's quite nice here," said Movsisyan. "It's a little town, you can't really call it a big city. There's not much to do but concentrate on football. The weather is also quite nice, which helps. I'm happy."

With things going so well, the Azerbaijan-born Armenian is staying positive over his quest to one day join the US National Team and play for America at a World Cup. Transferring to play in Denmark may slow down the citizenship process he's begun a bit, but once again, Movsisyan's got his eyes fixed on the prize.

"I'm still of the same mindset," he stated. "Becoming a citizen could take a while or it could be a quick process. There's people working on it right now. It's not going to be as fast as it would have been there, but there's always ways to expedite it."

For now, though, Movsisyan's focus is squarely on Thursday's home leg of their UEFA Europa League second qualifying duel with Slovenian side Gorica. Randers lead 3-0 from the away leg and their No. 9 shirt is quite confident they will close up that bit of business.

"They're coming to our home and it'll be very, very difficult for any team to come into our house," Movsisyan said.

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Le Toux makes it two Player of the Week awards

Sebastien Le Toux captures Player of the Week and All-Star honors on the same day (Getty Images)

In the same week that Thierry Henry joined the league, another Frenchman was grabbing the accolades for his play of the field.

Another spectacular week by Philadelphia Union fan favorite Sebastien Le Toux earned the forward his second MLS Player of the Week award this season as voted by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR).

Le Toux featured prominently in two Union home victories last week. His 23rd-minute strike was the decisive goal in the Union’s first ever-win in an international match as Philadelphia defeated Celtic 1-0 last Wednesday night at PPL Park.

On Saturday afternoon it was a corner kick by Le Toux which led to Philadelphia’s first goal in the 61st minute against Toronto FC. He then converted a dramatic penalty kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give the Union a last-gasp 2-1 win and lift them just eight points adrift of the eighth and final playoff berth.

The Player of the Week award was the second honor of the day received by Le Toux, who has seven goals on the season. He was also named by MLS All-Stars head coach Bruce Arena to play in the All-Star Game on July 28 in Houston.

2010 MLS Player of the Week Winners

Week 1: Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake)

Week 2:Kenny Mansally (New England Revolution)

Week 3: Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)

Week 4: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)

Week 5: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC)

Week 6: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)

Week 7:Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

Week 8:Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake)

Week 9:Emilio Renteria (Columbus Crew)

Week 10: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC)

Week 11: Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

Week 12: Chris Pontius (D.C. United)

Week 13: Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)

Week 14: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake)

Week 15: Justin Braun (Chivas USA)

Week 16: Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)

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Fire shopping for 2nd, possibly 3rd DP

Nery Castillo was added to the Chicago roster as a DP this weekend. The club is hoping to add more. (Getty Images)

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – The Fire aren't done shopping for Designated Players.

Team technical director Frank Klopas – who announced the arrival of current DP Nery Castillo on Saturday – indicated that he’d like to bring at least one more Designated Player to Chicago before the end of the season.

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“We’re very actively looking [for a second DP],” Klopas said in a press conference following the Fire’s Saturday night SuperLiga loss to New England. “I know that from [team owner Andrew Hauptman] all the way down, we’re committed to bringing in a second – possibly even a third – DP to make this team stronger.”

But Klopas won’t bring in a DP merely to make a splash. He understands that any new acquisition – DP or not – needs to be a good fit for the Fire both on and off the field.

“There are a lot of names that pop out there,” Klopas said. “But you can’t just get excited and say, ‘this guy, that guy.’ It’s got to make sense for our organization. It’s got to make sense not only with what he does on the field, but off the field as well.”

So what does make sense for the Fire? On the field, the team is in need of a creative player who can effectively bridge the gap between the defense and the forwards. An attack-minded central midfielder would seem to do the trick.

Off the field, the Fire’s needs aren’t unique. They’ll be looking for a charismatic player able to spark fan interest, create media buzz and avoid Chicago’s numerous distractions.

“We don’t want players that just want to come here to have a great time in the city of Chicago,” Klopas said. “It is a great city. It’s great to visit. We always invite them to come. But when they put that jersey on we want guys that really understand what it means to [play for the Fire]. We want guys who really come out on the field and compete and help this organization win championships.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.

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Kick Off: All-Stars to be named, DPs grab headlines

It is being reported that Brian Ching will be among the final 12 MLS All-Stars named to face Manchester United (Getty Images)

Today MLS All-Stars manager Bruce Arena will reveal the rest of the names that will make up his 23-man roster to face Manchester United on July 28 at Reliant Stadium. Two of those players will be Commissioner’s picks and the Houston Chroniclereveals one of them.

The additional All-Star players will be officially announced on MLSsoccer.com at 1 p.m. ET.

Likely to start against Manchester United will be Galaxy World Cup players Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle, who ensured LA returned to winning ways with a win on Sunday at RFK Stadium against a D.C. United team which saw its star, Andy Najar, also hit the back of the net.

The match provided Donovan with the opportunity to address MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s statement that a Donovan transfer overseas is not in the cards.

With more than a week until the MLS All-Star Game, Manchester United are preparing for a meeting against MLS expansion side Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. The Union are coming off celebrating the 19th birthday of forward Danny Mwanga in style.

MLS fans are getting their own birthday gifts. After the announcements of Thierry Henry and Nery Castillo as DPs, another Mexican DP signing is nowsaid to be 75 percent complete.

Mexican legend Rafael Márquez was at the Home Depot Center on Sunday participating in a benefit event with Eva Longoria.

In addition to a third Mexican DP in MLS being rumored to join Kansas City, Wizards fans will be happy with an international acquisition to bolster the back line.

English soccer fans will know the name Francis Jeffers, who is also weighing an MLS offer.

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This one came out of left field: the New York Yankees tabling an offer to purchase San Jose Earthquakes partner club and Thierry Henry’s debut opponent Tottenham Hotpsur?

Another American attempt at breaking through in the EPL, this one by coach Bob Bradley, seems to have been spoiled by Martin Jol’s wife.

Arguably the most controversial moment of the weekend came in Sunday’s international exhibition between Seattle and Celtic FC when Sounders ‘keeper Terry Boss was ejected on a play which still ended in a Celtic goal. The referee himself speaks out on his decision.

Sounders manager Sigi Schmid was especially disappointed, although it proved a dream come true for the third-string ‘keeper from Tacoma.

Celtic’s goalkeeping counterpart was an American from Norman, Okla., who was defending the Scottish pipes.

One of the bigger stories of the weekend was Real Salt Lake’s 10-game undefeated streak coming to an end in Frisco. RSL manager Jason Kreis is doing a mea culpa after the 2-0 loss.

In SuperLiga action, the Houston Dynamo and Chivas USA both remained in contention for a place in the semifinals following Sunday's 1-1 tie in Group A, while the New England Revolutionare motivated by the financial incentives as they aim to win it all after qualifying from Group B.

Along with the Revs, Mexican side Puebla are the other surprise package in the group stage.

Although the Chicago Fire were eliminated from SuperLiga over the weekend, they can take consolation in their U-15/16 Development Academy title.

Former MLS top scorer Luciano Emilio is desperate to stay in MLS after parting ways with D.C. United. He goes on to mention the name of one team he would seek to join.

And the city of Atlanta is desperate for MLS, too. In an unprecedented move by an American city, there are new aggressive steps being taken by some of Atlanta’s community leaders.

Finally, from the Chilean second division, a scene from a soccer match that is the nightmare of every referee: a player attacking a ref after receiving a second yellow (SPANISH).

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