The MLS Player's Union released its 2010 salary list today.
The two highest earners in the league: David Beckham ($6.5 million) and Landon Donovan ($2.1
million).
Others on the Galaxy:
Donovan Ricketts $160,000
Omar Gonzales $157,000
Dema Kovalendo $136,500
Clint Mathis $120,750
Izzy Sesay $107,000 (!
CRSW: "Actually raises your defences"
TORONTO FC 2 - CHIVAS USA 1There were multiple before-and-after comparisons on show at BMO Field today. You could compare the
two squads- Chivas USA: (the post-Preki) who are now a directionless and faceless squad struggling
in the league and struggling to find an identity in the wake of three years of Prekiball.
FC Dallas 1 Chivas USA 0
Former Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman continued to provide punch in Dallas today with his sixth
shutout of the year (AP Photo).
A drab game if you're a Chivas USA fan (with the season sliding ever closer to irrelevancy)
punctuated by a great goal from the opposition and in particular Brek Shea, whose maturity on
calmly and precisely placing the header in the net is a seldom seen skill among young American
players.
Sacha Kljestan is one of the key players for Chivas who needs to step up in 2010. (Getty
Images
Its a new week and a new month. Last week we started a new series that looks at the current
state of each Major League Soccer club. First we took a gander at the expansion club in
Philadelphia and then we began a look at the rest of the league starting with the Chicago Fire.
D.C. United central defender Dejan Jakovic played a full 90 minutes for Canada over the weekend
in an international friendly against Jamaica. The Canadians fell 1-0 in Kingston before a crowd of
18,000, as Jakovic continued to build upon his national team experience. The Croatian-born
centerback has become a strong contributor to Canada's fortunes since making his full international
debut against Martinique on January 30, 2008.
Did you have the Red Bulls as undefeated after two matches? Me neither. After a fantastic defensive
performance at Seattle, New York makes its second West Coast trip in as many weeks to take on a
deflated Chivas team (4p ET, MSG) that's come out of the gate flat as a pancake. The Goats followed
up a 0-1 opening day home loss to Colorado with an 0-2 "road" loss at the HDC to the Galaxy.
After a nearly 3 week break for the World Cup group stages the league kicked back in with a full
slate of games over the weekend.
dN
Sunday saw the grand opening of PPL Park in Philadelphia!!!
dN
Matches & Scores:
-Fri Jun 25
Real Salt Lake 0-0 San Jose Earthquakes
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium - Sandy UT
Attendance: 16,216
-Sat Jun 26
Columbus Crew 2-0 DC United - CC goals by Guillermo Barros Schelotto & Eric Brunner.
BY ADAM SERRANO
CARSON, Calif -- An early goal by Justin Braun was the difference as Chivas USA defeated D.C.
United at Home Depot Center on Sunday evening.
Braun struck in the 13th minute of the match when after receiving a cross in from Ante Jazic,
the burly striker brushed aside defender Dejan Jakovic and sent in a looping header that was too
much for goalkeeper Troy Perkins to handle.
The Galaxy's Omar Gonzalez and Edson Buddle and Chivas USA's Ante Jazic and Rodolfo Espinoza
pose with the SuperClásico Trophy at a press conference Friday at Home Depot Center. Those shorts
regulation club issue, Edson? (Photo courtesy Chivas USA).
Phil Collin has more on Sunday's Chivas USA-Galaxy derby (5 p.
Here's who the Galaxy decided to protect (Coach Bruce Arena apparently not wanting to take the
chance of losing Todd Dunivant again):
David Beckham - Midfielder (International Player)
Chris Birchall - Midfielder (International Player)
Edson Buddle - Forward
A.J. DeLaGarza - Defender
Landon Donovan - Forward
Todd Dunivant - Defender
Sean Franklin - Defender
Omar Gonzalez - Defender
Juninho - Midfielder (International Player)
Donovan Ricketts - Goalkeeper (International Player)
Michael Stephens - Midfielder
Note: Forward Tristan Bowen of Van Nuys was automatically protected as a member of the
Generation adidas program.
The midfielder from Kentucky had five goals and three assists for the Zips last season.
He was the 10th overall pick in today's draft.
More info on Gavin is here.
In addition, the Philadelphia Union took UCLA freshman midfielder Amobi Okugo with the sixth
pick overall and former UCLA Coach Sigi Schmid plucked Bruin forward David Estrada for his Seattle
Sounders with the 11th overall pick.
Major League Soccer standouts have not only made their stamp in the English Premier League, but at
the international level as well.
Paul Kennedy of Soccer America reports on 11 MLS players - four for Jamaica and seven for Canada -
participated in the friendly between Jamaica and Canada.
I've been under the weather the past couple of days, so unless I hear of something major going
on in the next hour or so I'm planning to skip Tuesday's column and crawl back into bed.
But here's a couple of quick updates to get your week under way:
*Chivas USA defender Ante Jazic played 90 minutes Sunday as Canada lost 1-0 to Jamaica.
The Colorado Rapids reversed club history by winning a season opener on the road Friday night
against Chivas USA, 1-0.
Forward Omar Cummings provided the game's only goal in the 56th minute on an assist from Colin
Clark. It was Cummings' 17th goal of his career, and a well-deserved strike for a player who seemed
to be involved in every attacking threat for Colorado.
The good news is that Barcelona scored what was described as a 'wonderful goal" - by Messi,
naturally - and are 1-0 up on Real Madrid at the Bernabeu at the half.
The bad news is we're not watching that game, but are instead consigned to a rather tepid
goalless affair after the first 45 minutes here in Carson.
BY ADAM SERRANO
Chivas USA received their first victory of the Martin Vasquez era with the club's 2-0 victory
over the New York Red Bulls at the Home Depot Center on Saturday afternoon. Vasquez can thank the
stellar play of Jesus Padilla for his very first MLS coaching victory.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
BY ADAM SERRANO
Chivas USA needed an infusion of energy after opening up the season with two straight losses.
Against the high-flying New York Red Bulls, the Rojiblancos got that boost of energy from
substitute Jesus Padilla, which helped Chivas USA generate enough offense to give Martin Vasquez
his first coaching victory.
The Colorado Rapids scored a measure of revenge on Tuesday night, beating the Kansas City
Wizards in U.S. Open Cup play just three days after suffering a regular season loss to the
Wizards.
Midfielder Wells Thompson scored twice to help give the Rapids a 2-1 victory over KC. Rookie
striker Teal Bunbury scored the Wizards' lone goal.
The Fire come into this match on a bit of a roll and playing their best football of the young
season. Carlos De Los Cobos seems to have found a line-up and formation that maximizes the talent
on his roster. Chivas USA enters the contest coming off of a 3-2 victory against San Jose. Despite
the three goal output last week Chivas USA has had trouble scoring goals for the better part of the
last two seasons.
BY ADAM SERRANO
Salvadorian International Osael Romero earned the first goal of his fledgling MLS career, but it
was not enough to snap Chivas USA's losing streak which was extended to six games as the
Rojiblancos fell to FC Dallas 2-1 on Saturday night.
Game time: Saturday, 10:30 p.m.
TV: Fox Soccer Channel
Philadelphia Union travels to Los Angeles to play Chivas USA in a Saturday night battle between
last place teams potentially heading in different directions.
The Union (3-7-1) come in off a big win at their new stadium to remain unbeaten in three home
games interspersed in a long road trip to start the year.
BY ADAM SERRANO
It's the Fourth of July week and tonight at the Home Depot Center, a pair of last place teams
are hoping for some fireworks to get them out of the cellar.
The Philadelphia Union have not been successful on the road having earned a 1-7-0 record so far
this season.
Braun verses Torres: Chivas USA striker Justin Braun and the Union's Roger Torres clash Saturday
in Carson (AP Photo).
Quotable:
"Our goal was to win tonight, of course, and to turn this around," said Chivas USA
Coach Martin Vasquez. "We were unlucky a couple of times. I'm happy and pleased with the effort,
but I'm disappointed with the result.
Houston Dynamo 1 Chivas USA 3
It was also Chivas USA's first win in eight games.
Justin Braun scored on two of his three shots to lead the Goats past the Dynamo, the club's
first-ever win in Houston.
Game story
Said Chivas USA Coach Martin Vasquez:
"This win is going to help us.
Winner: Uruguay's Diego Forlan. One of the most crowd-pleasing players in the
tournament, Diego Forlan in full flight - seen here speeding past Germany's Sami Khedira today -
was a thrilling sight (AP Photo).
Winner: the back and forth third-place game that saw Germany beat Uruguay 3-2
but in truth provided a riveting display that made both teams - and the viewing public -
winners.
Chivas go out despite the 1-0 win over Pachuca.
Nice direct goal though with Ante Jazic providing the service:
Phil Collin has the game story here.
Notable: Attendance was a respectable 14,817.
Chivas USA lineup: Dan Kennedy, Ante Jazic (Jorge Flores 46), Mariano Trujillo, Darío Delgado,
Carlos Borja, Osael Romero, Blair Gavin, Ben Zemanski, Rodolfo Espinoza (Gerson Mayén 72), Jesús
Padilla, Giancarlo Maldonado (Chukwudi Chijindu 55)
Real Salt Lake 1 Chivas USA 1
* Game story.
* Salt Lake City perspective.
*Chivas USA (4-9-3) are now undefeated in their last three MLS games.
Notable: Three Chivas USA players made their 2010 MLS debuts - midfielders Paulo Nagamura and
Rodolfo Espinoza, as well as forward Giancarlo Maldonado.
BY ADAM SERRANO
CARSON, Calif -- An early goal by Justin Braun was the difference as Chivas USA defeated D.C.
United at Home Depot Center on Sunday evening.
Braun struck in the 13th minute of the match when after receiving a cross in from Ante Jazic,
the burly striker brushed aside defender Dejan Jakovic and sent in a looping header that was too
much for goalkeeper Troy Perkins to handle.
The Rave Green of Seattle couldn't have played this match any better. There was great ball
movement on both wings, but the exceptional skills of Steve Zakuani really proved the difference.
His ball work on the left was instrumental in creating goals. Each of the first two of the match
were due to Zakuani's superb play.
Colorado Rapids 3 Chivas USA 0
Game story
Justin Braun, the team's top scorer, was rested tonight in case you were wondering whether
Chivas USA have completely given up. Apparently, they have.
Chivas USA: Zach Thornton, Ante Jazic, Yamith Cuesta, Michael Umaña, Mariano Trujillo, Michael
Lahoud (Justin Braun 59), Ben Zemanski, Paulo Nagamura, Rodolfo Espinoza (Sal Zizzo 58) , Jesús
Padilla (Jorge Flores 74), Alan Gordon
Chivas USA 2 New England Revolution 0
Chivas USA midfielder Paulo Nagamura shoots just wide Friday against the New England Revolution.
(AP Photo).
Chivas USA (7-12-4) had the Revs pinned down in their own half for the vast majority of the
first 45 minutes. They scored two goals.
Chivas USA 0 CD Guadalajara 0 (Chivas USA wins 4-2 on penalty kicks).
A flare provides a backdrop for CD Guadalajara goalkeeper Sergio Arias Tuesday in San Diego (AP
Photo).
It was the sort of game that made you ask, how many converts to MLS didl this performance
provide?
Chivas USA 0 Kansas City Wizards 2
Game story.
Zzzzzzzzz.
Chivas USA lineup: Zach Thornton, Mariano Trujillo, Dario Delgado, Michael Umana, Ante Jazic,
Michael Lahoud, Ben Zemanski (Sal Zizzo 62), Paulo Nagamura, Rodolfo Espinoza (Jonathan Bornstein
66), Justin Braun (Jesus Padilla 79), Alan Gordon.
