This past week wasn't the best week for the Fire or most of the Eastern conference. New York got
three points and D.C. United gained six points. Both teams now have a buffer between them and
Sporting Kansas City, and they have a pretty large lead over everyone else.
Fortunately, a few teams generously came up short this week to allow the Fire to hang on to
their 4th place spot in the conference.
There are a few ways you can look at the Seattle Sounders' 2-2 tie with the Vancouver Whitecaps
on Saturday. Either you can be satisfied that, despite playing their worst game of the season, they
pulled out a point on the road against a Cascadia Cup opponent. Or you can focus on the reality
that the defense looked downright awful at times and that the team with a week of rest looked much
less energetic than the one who was playing its seventh match in 23 days.
The Vancouver Whitecaps looked poised to take all three points and earn some bragging rights on
rival Seattle, but the Sounders were bailed out by a familiar hero who delivered yet another clutch
goal.
Freddy Montero scored in the 90th minute to help give the Sounders a 2-2 tie at BC Place in
Vancouver.
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS 2 2 SOUNDERS FC Rochat 12, Camilo 82´ Johnson 47´, Montero
90´. Con otro gol espectacular del colombiano Fredy MONTERO al minuto 90, los Sounders FC lograron
salir de Vancouver con un empate ante los Whitecaps en el primer partido del Clásico Cascadia del
2012 (Cascadia Cup).
Once again, this afternoon Fredy Montero demonstrated that for however good he is in the run of
league play (and he's very good) he brings out something special in Cup competitions. We've seen it
in the CONCACAF Champions League, we've seen it in the US Open Cup, and now we've seen it two years
in a row versus the Vancouver Whitecaps in Cascadia Cup play.
Eric Hassli didn't start Wednesday night's Canadian Championship Final first leg, but the French
striker sure did finish it in style.
Hassli came off the bench to deliver a jaw-dropping equalizer in second-half stoppage time to
help the Vancouver Whitecaps salvage a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC at BC Place.
The Seattle Sounders are starting to look like the best team in Major League Soccer, and three
of the team's top stars helped lead the Sounders to a two-win week as they climbed up the Western
Conference standings.
Fredy Montero, Mauro Rosales and Osvaldo Alonso were all vital in Seattle's Week 9 victories
against the LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union, and all three earned spots on SBI's MLS Best XI.
Photo: Earl Gardner
In drawing 0-0 with the Vancouver Whitecaps at PPL Park on Saturday night, the Union earned
their first point of the season, though they will lament a series of missed opportunities to take
the all three points in a tightly contested match. All the pregame chatter focused around the
return of former Union striker Sebastien Le Toux, especially as questions about who will score the
goals for the 2012 Union remain unanswered.
All time record: 1-1-0
At PPL Park: 1-0-0
At Empire Field: 0-1-0
Goals For: 1
Goals Against: 1
Did you know...
The Union's first home win of the 2011 season came against Vancouver.
June 18, 2011: Vancouver Whitecaps 1 0 Philadelphia Union
Click here to view the embedded video.
Union
With Sheanon Williams returning to the Union, Chris Albright may return to the bench (though...
who knows). But the local lad remains a great spokesman for the Philly soccer scene. "In my mind,
this is the best soccer community in the country, hands down. I know from where I grew up playing
the devotion people in the inner city have to soccer, and it obviously spread into the suburbs.
After a first half completely bereft of ideas by either team (I commented at half that the best
hope for either team to score was an own goal) the second half perked up and resulted in the Rapids
clinching a home playoff game.
The half started on a bad note though as Vancouver scored 4 minutes in.
And moving on...
2011 MLS DEFENDER OF THE YEAR:
Best defender in MLS during the 2011 regular season.
Candidates:
Marshall was a big part of the Crew's surprising success...
Corey Gibbs Chicago Fire
Gonzalo Segares Chicago Fire
Ante Jazic Chivas USA
Heath Pearce Chivas USA
Chad Marshall Columbus Crew
Julius James Columbus Crew
Drew Moor Colorado Rapids
Marvell Wynne Colorado Rapids
Ugo Ihemelu FC Dallas
George John FC Dallas
Andre Hainault Houston Dynamo
Todd Dunivant Los Angeles Galaxy
Omar Gonzalez Los Angeles Galaxy
A.
By DAVID GUBALA
The inaugural Major League Soccer game at the newly renovated BC Place wasn't necessarily a one
to remember for the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The Portland Timbers managed to spoil Vancouver's stadium opening with a 1-0 upset thanks to a
cracker of a goal from Kenny Cooper on Sunday afternoon.
While most of the attention has been on the loss of Mauro Rosales due to the MCL tear, this
round of the Cascadia Cup is likely to be missing to other wide players for the Seattle Sounders.
The Vancouver Whitecaps will be without a key central defender as well. Estimating who Tom Soehn
will start where has driven Massey insane as well, so their side is more of an estimate than
typical.
Photo by Tom Hauck/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Hurricane Irene may have deprived MLS fans of three weekend contests, including Sunday's marquee
matchup between the Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls, but elsewhere across the league, the
games will go on.
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Almost five months ago on a sunny day at Empire Field in Vancouver, B.C., the home team
Whitecaps made quite a first impression in their debut MLS match, with striker Eric Hassli scoring
twice in a 4-2 win.
Wins have been hard to come by since then.
Entering the match, the two sides came in limping. Vancouver were on a four match losing streak and
San Jose had gone winless in six.
San Jose's Strategy Frank Yallop started with a 4-2-3-1
formation, using Wondolowski on the left side instead of as a strike partner for Lenhart. Lenhart's
job was to hold up the ball and he took quite a pummeling doing so.
When New York Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe named the game-day roster for the 2011 MLS
All-Star Team, there were destined to be players who many MLS fans felt were snubbed. It happens
every year, but this year there seemed to be more snubs than usual.
It is clear that some of Backe's selections were made with more consideration toward building a
team capable of beating Manchester United rather than rewarding the league's best players through
the first half of the season.
The Seattle Sounders have a big weekend as they head down to Portland to take on the Timbers.
This is the make or break game for the Cascadia Cup and the Sounders need the win to secure their
place as the dominant team in the Pacific Northwest. It will be a tough game as Jeld-Wen field will
be packed with fervent Timbers supports.
Ahead of a call with (now) former Philadelphia Union left back Jordan
Harvey, the Brotherly Game was able to talk to Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Tom Soehn.
tBG: What interested you enough about Harvey to acquire him, despite
already having a starting left back in Alain Rochat?
Soehn: We're in dire need of MLS experienced guys.
The Philadelphia Union has allowed an Eastern Conference-low 16 goals, and while the team is
hoping to continue that defensive toughness during the second half of the season, it will have to
do so without Jordan Harvey.
The Union traded Harvey to the Vancouver Whitecaps in exchange for allocation money on
Thursday.
The Philadelphia Union have traded starting left back Jordan Harvey to the Vancouver Whitecaps
for an undisclosed amount of allocation money.
Harvey, who has started almost every single game in Union history, was a member of the Union's
vaunted defensive back four. So far into 2011, the Union have given up only 16 goals, which puts
them as the second best defense in terms of goals against.
MLS fans were treated to four games last night instead of the usual one or two, as the schedule
makers begin to crowd in a few more league games in anticipation of international friendlies and
late-season CONCACAF Champions League matches. In a cool twist, all four had some playoff
implications as the results had a definite impact on positioning for the playoffs and may prove
critical down the stretch (although with ten teams making the playoffs that is an easy statement to
make).
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Nick Soolsma lined up his penalty kick in the 53rd minute and beat Vancouver goalkeeper Jay
Nolly to Soolsma's right for a goal.
It didn't count. Joao Plata was called for encroachment, necessitating a re-kick.
Unfazed, Soolsma went left from the spot this time in the 54th minute, and the ball got by Nolly
again.
Now This Game Was a Real "Puta" " Union City Blue
On Saturday night the Union suffered its second disturbing result in a row with a 1-0 loss to the
Vancouver Whitecaps at Empire Field. This loss follows on the heels of a disappointing 1-1 tie at
home to Real Salt Lake.
The Philly Soccer Page " Player ratings and analysis: Whitecaps 1-0 Union
To start off, we must tip our hats to Alain Rochat.
To start off, we must tip our hats to Alain Rochat. That was a well-hit winner.
Also, please note that there will be no Eric Hassli discussion in this post. If you want to know
anything about how Hassli can cure your dog of rabies with a mere shoulder check from his massive
and serene frame, just listen to the Union broadcast from Saturday.
Finally the second MLS victory has come. After 14 very long games of draws and losses, the
Vancouver Whitecaps clicked together, providing a great attacking display while also stopping the
Philadelphia Union from scoring. While the match ended 1-0 at the Empire, the Caps had
plenty of chances which could've/should've been scored.
Finally the second MLS victory has come. After 14 very long games of draws and losses, the
Vancouver Whitecaps clicked together, providing a great attacking display while also stopping the
Philadelphia Union from scoring. While the match ended 1-0 at the Empire, the Caps had
plenty of chances which could've/should've been scored.
Finally the second MLS victory has come. After 14 very long games of draws and losses, the
Vancouver Whitecaps clicked together, providing a great attacking display while also stopping the
Philadelphia Union from scoring. While the match ended 1-0 at the Empire, the Caps had
plenty of chances which could've/should've been scored.
Finally the second MLS victory has come. After 14 very long games of draws and losses, the
Vancouver Whitecaps clicked together, providing a great attacking display while also stopping the
Philadelphia Union from scoring. While the match ended 1-0 at the Empire, the Caps had
plenty of chances which could've/should've been scored.
Alain Rochat gave the Whitecaps their first win in nearly three months with a
12th minute goal which was enough to see off the Philadelphia Union last night.
Seven games in Major League Soccer last night however the big story of the night is "the dive".
Charlie Davies, who was untouched, flopped in the eighteen yard box to draw a penalty and steal two
points from Real Salt Lake. In another flop that did not impact the result of the game however was
just as bad Toronto FC's Mikael Yourassowsky went down holding his leg and withering in pain to
draw a foul against James Riley of Seattle.
The Union lost 1-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps Saturday night. It was the expansion club's first
win since the opening match of the season.
Starting Lineup
Many will question the team selection, which left Keon Daniel (goal against RSL) and Michael
Farfan (assist against RSL) sitting next to in-form Danny Mwanga on the bench.
Seattle may have just found itself on the outside looking in concerning the Cascadia Cup (which
honestly is only the 4th most important trophy this year). That draw last night was particularly
painful because the Sounders rallied from behind and put themselves up late after goals by Mauro
Rosales and Osvaldo Alonso.
Let's face it, so far into this MLS campaign the Whitecaps haven't managed to shake off the
"expansion team" feel. But no matter, it's time to be optimistic and talk about another topic! It's
the MLS All-Star team which will be facing Manchester United, and I'm hoping to see some Caps in
it. While it's pretty unlikely that any Whitecaps players are going to be voted into the team, as
fans we have to try and get some Whitecaps players on the All-star team.
Let's face it, so far into this MLS campaign the Whitecaps haven't managed to shake off the
"expansion team" feel. But no matter, it's time to be optimistic and talk about another topic! It's
the MLS All-Star team which will be facing Manchester United, and I'm hoping to see some Caps in
it. While it's pretty unlikely that any Whitecaps players are going to be voted into the team, as
fans we have to try and get some Whitecaps players on the All-star team.
Previous Updates
#1 4/11 66 players remaining
In these updates throughout the season, I'll be keeping track of which MLS players have played
every minute of every game in the regular season. That feat has been accomplished only 42 times in
15 seasons. Click here for the complete list.
TFC's defence shows its mobilityVANCOUVER WHITECAPS VS. TORONTO FCNUTRILITE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPFINAL - 1ST LEG EMPIRE FIELD - WEDNESDAY 10PM ETTV: SPORTSNET (ALL REGIONS) NUTCAN WARS Episode
II STRIKE BACK AT THE EMPIRE (FIELD) It is a dark
time for Toronto FC.
The Canadian championship final will be an all-MLS affair.
Toronto FC made quick work of FC Edmonton while Vancouver needed extra time to put away the
Montreal Impact in the final legs of their semifinal matchups Wednesday night.
Rookie Joao Plata set up Alan Gordon in the 21st minute for the lone goal in TFC's 1-0 victory
over Edmonton.
Photo by ISIPhotos.com
The first seven weeks of the 2011 MLS season have seen some real roller-coaster rides for some
teams, but for the cream of the crop, the season has been a steady rise to the top of the
standings.
For the clubs enjoying the best early goings, their successes can be linked to the strong
performances of the league's best players in the early going.
