Howard expects his back line to be busy against France

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

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

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"

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

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

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

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."