Eric Avila scored the most important goal of his young career on Saturday, blasting a long-range winner to lift FC Dallas to a 2-1 victory against Real Salt Lake. The goal broke a dead-lock in a fiercely-contested battle and gives the Hoops a good chance of knocking off the defending champions in a series that returns to Rio Tinto Stadium next week.

For the first time, I think ever, the league has released the list of players graduating from the Generation adidas program ahead of the expansion draft. Boy that was nice of them huh?

Fans in Philadelphia can relax a bit as Danny Mwanga will not be graduating this year. None of the 2010 GA rookies will be in fact.

The quick & dirty 2010 MLS preview, mostly so I can see how wrong I am at the end of the season...
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Columbus Crew
Losing Alejandro Moreno could hurt more that the Crew are expecting, but they should be good enough to win the East.
2. DC United
DCU has looked good towards the end of the preseason, but depth could be a major issue.

The busiest weekend in MLS history produced what had to be the most last-minute heroics the league has ever seen in one week.

No less than four of the eight games played on Saturday saw late goals determine the outcome. From game-winners in Philadelphia and Chicago, to equalizers in Frisco and Sandy, fans around the country were treated to some serious late-game drama.

New York fans get a taste of a new rival in Philadelphia this weekend. (Getty Images)

Week five is off and running as of last night here in Dallas. The Seattle Sounders FC came into town and really should have gotten three points, one point just doesn't give it justice. But let's give FC Dallas some credit here, they battled back and were able to get a lucky goal off a lucky call after they pressured a club that was clearly sitting back.

Jogaram na capital de Aruba, Oranjestead, amistosamente, no dia 20/05/2010, as seleções de Aruba (198º no ranking da FIFA) e a seleção da Venezuela (49º no ranking da FIFA).
Essa foi a primeira partida entre as 2 seleções na história e a primeira da Aruba desde 2008.
O árbitro desse jogo, foi: Alvaro de Avila - Antilhas Holandesas.

The New York Red Bulls are in Frisco, Texas tonight to take on streaking FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park (9pm, MSG/Direct Kick).

FC Dallas is riding a 14-match unbeaten streak, but will face a stiff test from an improving Red Bulls squad that has been boosted by the arrivals or Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez.

With MLS Cup on the horizon, with it comes the conclusion of the 2010 season and a chance to look to next year. When planning for next year, a few teams with graduating Generation adidas players may have to juggle things a little bit.

This week, MLS indicated those players would graduate from the program.

Good afternoon everyone. We're here in Orlando, Florida for the Walt Disney Soccer Classic consolation match between FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo.

This is Franco Panizo and I will be providing commentary throughout the match so please feel free to follow along here. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Super-sub Eric Avila avoided an obvious handball and added a wonder-strike in extra time to snatch a share of points with Columbus Crew, 2-2, Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Avila's strike provided solace- and perhaps even some justice- for an FC Dallas side that played a nearly perfect first half.

It may or may not have been a handball, it's hard to tell from the video replays. But it doesn't matter now, nothing is going to change the fact that Eric Avila put the ball in the net in the 93rd minute to bring the Hoops level with the Crew and secure a tie.

It was a hard fought, physical match that saw Danny O'Rourke get sent off for arguing a call late in the game, but in the end neither team was able to get the upper hand and hold on for a win.

FC Dallas delivered another late-game comeback at Pizza Hut Park, and an officiating decision was at the heart of another Dallas equalizer.

In the final minute of second-half stoppage time, referee Terry Vaughn awarded a penalty for an alleged foul on rookie Jason Yeisley, who appeared to trip over the legs of Seattle defenders Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Nelson Gonzalez.

It's a tuff job being a ref, what with all the name calling and death threats. You go out on the pitch and call the best game you can, but the odds are still pretty set on you being called blind, stupid, and having your sexual orientation questioned by at least one spectator or player. Even the best of refs takes his fair share of abuse.

This one will be even shorter than last week. Promise.

Chivas v Red Bulls: An ugly game for New York, who seriously needs to consider if its Bouna- time to Bouna- cut Bouna Condul. Can't win em' all, Red Bulls, and good fight Chivas. FINAL: Chivas 2, NY 0 ATTENDANCE: 12, 597

Philly v United: United continued to slip into oblivion, despite two goals, while Philly hushed those who pointed to a season of growing pains before nearly 35,000 people.

De Los Cobos changes things up a bit......

Fire

GK Dykstra

D Brown, Conde, Krol, Robinson

M Pause, Husidic, Banner, Mapp

F McBride, Nyarko

Subs: Johnson, John, Lowry, Martinez, Pappa, Umanzor, Watson-Siriboe

FCD

GK Hartman

D Loyd, John, Ihemelu, Benitez

M Ferreira, McCarty, Shea, Hernandez

F Cunningham, Harris

Subs: Sala, Avila, Guarda, Pearce, Davies, Leyva, Yeisley

Name2010
Guaranteed Compensation
Eric Alexander
$40,000.00Eric Avila
$108,000.00Jair Benitez
$42,000.00Marvin Chavez
$70,000.00Jeff Cunningham
$230,125.00Kyle Davies
$57,500.00
Edson Edward
$40,000.00David Ferreira
$300,000.00Bruno Guarda
$105,000.

Which players will graduate from Generation Adidas status and have to be protected in the expansion draft come November? I wrote a detailed post last year about how many minutes it takes for 1st and 2nd year players to graduate; it's been updated with the final 2009 stats and can be found here.
Class of 2006

• Jed Zayner, DC

Really surprised when he was given a 5th year.

Starting Line Ups

Fire

GK Johnson

D Kinney, Watson-Siriboe, Robinson, Krol

M Pause, Lowry, Ristic, Nyarko

F Ljungberg, Carr

Subs: Dykstra, Brown, Conde, Pappa, Bone, McBride, John

FC Dallas

GK Sala

D Pearce, Goncalves, Loyd, Benitez

M Harris, McCarty, Alexander, Chavez

F Ferreira, Rodriguez

Subs: Sharpe, Avila, Cunningham, Davies, Edward, Luna, Shea

The MLS Cup holders are in danger of being shown an early exit from the playoffs.

Substitute Eric Avila's goal on a nifty 18-yard strike in the 88th minute helped FC Dallas overcome Real Salt Lake, 2-1, at Pizza Hut Park Saturday night. Even more menacing for RSL, though, is that it will have to play the home leg next weekend without its playmaking central midfielder.

The defending MLS champions were out-coached and outplayed in today's first round matchup between the two Western Conference clubs, as FC Dallas got a late goal from Eric Avila to beat Real Salt Lake 2-1.

The match saw FC Dallas frantically try and win outright as they knew winning in Salt Lake City was something no club had done all season.

The New York Red Bulls took what their fans hope is the first step towards Toronto and the MLS Cup beating the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 in the first match of Major League Soccer's home-and-away Eastern Conference semifinal.

Estonian midfielder Joel Lindpere goal in the 55th minute was the difference between the two sides.

Posted by Tim Patterson

Not very many people saw this one coming. Great strike by Eric Avila to seal the win!

Despite being a bitter neutral, I'm still watching as much of the MLS playoffs as I can. And I'm sure the imps over at MLS HQ are getting hot and bothered right about now dreaming of a NY v. LA final. Me? Not so much. But it wouldn't be a hard case to make after the professional away wins both managed to post this weekend.

Chris Riordan is in Germany while I'm in North Carolina, but no matter where we are, the Major League Soccer Podcast comes to you. On this episode Sounder at Heart contirbutor and SB Nation editor Jeremiah Oshan joins me to look back at the four first legs that were.

In the East, Colorado could have had more than their 1-0 lead over Columbus, while New York takes the same lead out of Buck Shaw.

The first spot in the Western Conference final will be clinched tonight when Real Salt Lake faced off against FC Dallas at Rio Tinto Stadium tonight (10pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

RSL will be looking to erase a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, with FC Dallas coming in confident after Eric Avila's late goal at Pizza Hut Park.