A victory is a victory and each should be valued. At least that is what I have beentrying to tell myself on the drive home. They have been rare enough in 2011, aseason where TFC have played 26 games to reach the plateau of 4 victories.Somehow plateau does not seem like the right word. Perhaps it should be 26games to reach the doorstep of 4 victories.

Now now, who is that tourist spotted in Ávila? Oh my, it's Iker Casillas! / via HOLA

Tweet This Post

Forgive me if you already read this over at BigDSoccer.com, but I felt like pimping it here. Just hard to believe that the 2011 FC Dallas team is pretty much all of Schellas Hyndman and the current front office's doing. Only three players remain from that 2008 team that Hyndman took over.

Yup, SuperDraft picks Brek Shea, Josh Lambo, and Eric Avila are all that is left of what Hyndman had when he took over.

Toronto came into the match having scored the second fewest goals and conceded the most in MLS. However, they have been decent at home picking up 14 of 18 goals. Dallas has failed to score in the past two MLS matches.
Toronto's Strategy
Off the back of two designated player signings and several trades, the side was almost unrecognizable.

Nine banded Armadillo - habitat - the long grasses found within soccer stadia
Late, late last night I watched TFC handle a tame Real Esteli. It was one of those weird media nights. I watched the first half on television and then went onto the TFC chat to see what Asif was saying. Soon discovered that what I had been watching on tv was not live and that I was able to move through time rapidly.

David Ferreira / Photo by Harlan Bowling

FCD took on Houston Baptist in a scrimmage yesterday, and while most of the game was overshadowed by the breaking news of Heath Pearce's departure, there were still quite a few talking points from the match itself. The match ended up 4-1 in Dallas' favor.

Marvin Chavez / Photo by Harlan Bowling

Just a few days after making the trek up to Frisco to catch FCD against Houston Baptist University, I once again found myself on that familiar field 4, this time for a night scrimmage that saw FCD cruise past SMU 3-1. During the Schellas Hyndman regime, SMU has become a sort of minor league farm system for FCD recruits, so I was interested in catching this one.

Chicago Fire vs. FC Dallas 7:30 PM CST

Chicago Fire Starting XI: Sean Johnson; Jalil Anibaba, Josip Mikulic, Cory Gibbs; Bratislav Ristic, Mike Videira, Logan Pause, Marco Pappa, Gonzalo Segares; Gaston Puerari, Diego Chaves

FC Dallas Starting XI: Kevin Hartman; Jackson Gonclaves, John, Brek Shea, Zach Loyd; Marvin Chavez, Eric Alexander, Daniel Hernandez, Eric Avila; David Ferreira, Milton Rodriguez

It's been a long off-season but here we go.

By JOSE M. ROMERO

There was no stopping Chris Wondolowski for two straight games, as FC Dallas saw Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park.

Wondolowski, the 2010 MLS Golden Boot winner with 18 goals, scored the season's first two for the San Jose Earthquakes in their 2-0 win over FC Dallas, a battle of two of last season's playoff teams.

FC Dallas headed into Friday's MLS Cup Final rematch with the Colorado winless and in dire need of three points against an undefeated Rapids side. By the end of the night, Dallas reminded us how good it can be.

Reigning MLS MVP David Ferreira scored a pair of goals while the FC Dallas defense posted its first shutout of the season in an impressive 3-0 thrashing of the Rapids on Friday night at Pizza Hut Park.

Just a day after Seattle Sounders star Steve Zakuani was lost for the season with a broken leg, reigning MLS MVP David Ferreira joined the list of severely injured stars, suffering a broken ankle in FC Dallas' 2-1 win vs. Vancouver on Saturday.

Ferreira suffered the broken ankle on a challenge from Vancouver defender Jonathan Leathers.

Apologies for being a tad late on this one...my weekend got the best of me. Nonetheless, not much worth noting, considering our beloved Red Stripes fell Saturday night to the Chris Wondolowski show at Pizza Hut Park. Last year's Golden Boot winner put on a finishing clinic in the first half, netting two goals in the first 23 minutes of a 2-0 loss to the Quakes.

By DAVID MOSSE

It remains to be seen whether the current Mexico Under-17 side will supply the senior team with as much talent as the 2005 edition, which captured the U-17 World Cup in Peru behind the likes of Giovani dos Santos and Carlos Vela. Either way, the hosts are into the semifinals of the 2011 tournament following an impressive 2-1 victory over France on Monday, and striker Carlos Fierro certainly looks to have a bright future.

San Fransisco FC of Panama Starts New Season With Win

Johann de Avila scored the only goal in their win over Sporting 89.

Johann

When the Seattle Sounders travel to Panama City, Panama to face San Fransisco FC they will be on their longest travel for a competitive match of their existence. They will face a team that is not well known and that little coverage online. The Monks have two strong offensive players in Johan De Avila and Roberto "The Bomber" Brown, but beyond that are a club consistently in transition.

Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com

Toronto FC has pulled the strings on yet another trade.

The Reds maintained their wheeling-and-dealing ways by trading forward Maicon Santos to FC Dallas for midfielder Eric Avila on Tuesday, adding a potential sparkplug in the midfield while dealing away a captain for the second time this season.

There are two deadlines coming up for the roster. The first is the more well-known summer transfer window that shuts on August 14th. The second is the playoff roster eligibility deadline, or more simply the MLS trade deadline. That ends on September 15th. Both will, and should lead to roster changes for the Seattle Sounders according the General Manager and Minority Owner Adrian Hanauer in our chat today.

Dwayne right? Thought we recognized you.IN THE TUNNEL:
Days after successfully qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League group stages, Toronto travels to the nation's capital - that nation, not this one. Optimism has slowly started to creep in to TFC land as the new additions from Aron Winter's "Super Summer Transfer Blowout" have started to show their worth.

The Quakes managed to secure another point on the road last Saturday against Toronto FC in Toronto. The result marked the 13th game since the Quakes recorded a win in MLS, but the Quakes were lucky to come out of Toronto with the draw they managed. João Plata managed to slip the offside trap in the second, half thanks to a nice through ball by Ryan Johnson, and beat Jon Busch to finish, but the linesman ruled Plata to be offside.

By DAVE GUBALA

Toronto FC defeated the Columbus Crew for the very first time in franchise history in a six-goal thriller and were able to lift the Trillum Cup on Saturday night at Crew Stadium.

It was a back and forth game from the very start.

Tommy Heinemann reduced Toronto's lead to one in the 67th minute but the Crew were unable to respond as Julian de Guzman netted a third goal in the 87th minute.

Burgundy's in town
TORONTO (17th) VS. COLORADO (5th)
　
BMO FIELD - SATURDAY 1:30PM ET
TV: TSN
　
THE KICKABOUT:
Good day TFC supporters, we're The Yorkies. Tits McGee is on vacation.

Colorado Rapids have lost four straight meetings at BMO Field when playing Toronto FC and added a fifth one by losing 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.

It was the stellar Dutch striker, Danny Koevermans that piled on more misery for the Colorado Rapids. Toronto FC's Designated Player showcased an impressive second half brace, scoring six goals total in seven league appearances for the club.

By JOEY SAMUEL

Toronto FC managed to keep their chances of reaching the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals alive on Tuesday night, but only just barely.

Missing several key players, including captain Torsten Frings, TFC managed to draw Mexican power Pumas UNAM 1-1 at BMO Field.

Now this is the weather that I expect with my football. Cool, clear, crisp, fall conditions. Our beloved robins are on their way to winding up their season in "mediocre"-ith place, and Extreme Beverage is grasping at straws while the MVP-fueled antics of one Dwayne DeRosario is leading the almost impossible turn-around of DC United into that last spot.

PSP photographer Nicolae Stoian was on hand for the Philadelphia Union's home finale. Although the match ended as a 1–1 draw, the beautiful fall day featured a beauty of a goal from Sebastien Le Toux. Most importantly, the Union assured themselves a place in the playoffs for the first time in their two-year history.

The Dynamo have acquired an unknown 24-year old defensive midfielder from an unknown team for a conditional draft pick.

No seriously.

The details came from Jesus Ortiz on Twitter, but that's all we know right now. The player has apparently not been informed of the trade so that's delaying the press release.

MLSsoccer.com: As a native of the Seattle area, what has it been like watching the Sounders take off in the region?
Rowe: It's been great. The fan base is unreal. You walk through Seattle and half the people you see are in Sounders gear, it's just an amazing movement.