The regular season is over and the playoffs are the order of the day in Major League Soccer. Surprise qualifiers Real Salt Lake made themselves known in the first leg of their tie with Supporters Shield winners Columbus Crew, while all four conference semi-finals were even matches with little to separate the sides. Click to continue reading...

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Fredy Montero hopes for better success in front of goal in Houston

The Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo played a highly contentious match on Thursday evening to a 0-0 draw. A capacity crowd of 35,807 at Quest field in Seattle saw a match that contained 6 yellow cards (3 for each side) and countless missed opportunities on both sides.

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Pulsating atmosphere. A sea of green with a few flecks of orange. Deflected passes. Lots of opportunities. Awful finishing. Pat Onstad's momentary lapse of reason. Nate Jacqua bloodied and bandaged carrying on like a gladiator. Lots of fouls and yellow cards.

These were some of the more visceral images of the Seattle vs Houston match which ended in a fascinating draw but not before they proved that the shortest distance between two points is a not a straight line.

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Yes Kansas City played better yesterday than their last game against Colorado; yes they could have won to keep the slim playoff hopes alive. But NO we didn't win; no we didn't finish off a team that played almost 70 minutes a man down and missing one of their best players; no, we aren't that much better with Peter Vermes than we were with Curt Onalfo; and no Peter Vermes should NOT survive the house cleaning that should take place in KC this offseason.

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It's getting close to just saying "let's prepare for 2010". After today's result down in Houston, the Wizards playoff hopes get even more faint. Up a man for over 70 minutes, the Wizards had to fight back from a goal down to salvage a draw against the Houston Dynamo this afternoon.
KC came out and tried to push the game from the start getting into Houston's end multiple times early on. Click to continue reading...

The Houston Dynamo no longer control their own destiny in the CONCACAF Champions League after losing 1-0 to Mexico's Pachuca Wednesday night at Robertson Stadium. A Brian Mullan shot off the post was as close as the home side came to breaking through against their Mexican opponents. Houston must now win on the road in their final group stage match--something the team has never done in 10 attempts in CCL play. Click to continue reading...

The CONCACAF Champions League continued on Wednesday with three more group stage matches. The Columbus Crew visited faced Saprissa, Pachuca hosted the Houston Dynamo, and Pumas traveled to W Connection. It's about halfway through the group stage with the Columbus Crew the only MLS team in position to advance to the quarterfinals.

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Found this piece of information over at the very excellent site Du Nord. If you haven't checked out Du Nord, what the heck are you waiting for?
When I was flying home from Mexico City last Saturday we stopped off in Houston, and had to go through customs there. As we approached the main terminal there was a huge "Welcome To Houston Texas" sign. Click to continue reading...

STARTERS
When I was flying home from Mexico City last Saturday we stopped off in Houston, and had to go through customs there. As we approached the main terminal there was a huge "Welcome To Houston Texas" sign. It featured images of the city skyline and natural beauty. It also featured aspects of the area's culture. Click to continue reading...

Boy, it sure was nice watching what is basically an MLS First XI advance to the Gold Cup Final last night. But even nicer was watching Chingy and Goalden take over the attack in the second half, leading to Kenny Cooper's put it away goal. It is whetting my appetite for the second half of the season, I can tell you. Click to continue reading...

Today, an experiment in sociology. The effects of alcohol on atmosphere. We will study if the fabled TFC supporters will be as fired up for this game without the alcoholic stimulate. Hypothesis : forcing the subjects to watch the game will result in melancholy and indifference, including the realization that the calibre of play isn't worth singing over. Click to continue reading...

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The CONCACAF Gold Cup is front and center in the minds of many American soccer fans this week, but while the U.S. national team is playing on Saturday there will also be a handful of great MLS match-ups.

Like rivalries? Want to see the league's best face off? Then this is your weekend.

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The CONCACAF Gold Cup is front and center in the minds of many American soccer fans this week, but while the U.S. national team is playing on Saturday there will also be a handful of great MLS match-ups.

Like rivalries? Want to see the league's best face off? Then this is your weekend.

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And those words are: Pleasantly Surprised.

I watched this game twice, once in person (commenting from the stands on Jen's pre-game posting) and once on the MLSLive.tv stream and both times I was impressed at how the Galaxy ended up playing their game and made the Dynamo adjust to them. How unusual!

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Remember if you have any questions for the players or coaches, post here before halftime and I will do what I can.
Venue:
Home Depot Center, Carson, CA
Weather:
Clear and 68 degrees
Referees:
Head Ref: Michael Kennedy
Asst Ref: Corey Rockwell
Asst Ref: David Bragg
4th Official: Kevin Stott
Actual Lineups:
Houston Dynamo (8-2-4,28pts)
GK Pat Onstad
RB Mike Chabala
CB Geoff Cameron
CB Bobby Boswell
LB Richard Mulrooney
RM Brian Mullan
CM Brad Davis
CM Stuart Holden
LM Corey Ashe
RS Brian Ching
LS Kei Kamara
Subs
Los Angeles Galaxy (2-3-9, 15pts)
GK Donovan Ricketts
RB AJ DeLaGarza
CB Omar Gonzalez
CB Gregg Berhalter
LB Todd Dunivant
RM Chris Klein
CDM Stefani Miglioranzi
CAM Jovan Kirovski
LM Eddie Lewis
RS Alan Gordon
LS Edson Buddle
Subs
PRE-GAME:
-Patrick Beatty Click to continue reading...

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With SuperLiga set to kick off and four MLS teams participating, it is a slightly-reduced MLS schedule we find ourselves with this week as we reach the mid-point of the 2009 season.

Chicago, New England, Kansas City and Chivas USA are all taking part in the battle vs. Mexican club, leaving ten teams to do battle in MLS this weekend.

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With SuperLiga set to kick off and four MLS teams participating, it is a slightly-reduced MLS schedule we find ourselves with this week as we reach the mid-point of the 2009 season.

Chicago, New England, Kansas City and Chivas USA are all taking part in the battle vs. Mexican club, leaving ten teams to do battle in MLS this weekend.

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Houston Dynamo forward Cam Weaver has been selected as the MLS Daily Player of the Week for his two-goal, one-assist performance in Houston's pair of victories in Week 14. It was Weaver's first action as a member of the Dynamo, having been traded away from the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for Chris Wondolowski on Tuesday of last week. Click to continue reading...

To the international games or just home messing with the Xbox, that's where. Absences due to either call-ups or the sudden abundance of red cards are going to affect more than one game in MLS this weekend. I long for the day when MLS is mature enough of a league to suspend play due to the former, but I am told that is not where we are, so fortune will have to favor the deep benches. Click to continue reading...

Toronto FC: More Grizzle than Gisele

Houston Dynamo 3-0 Toronto FC

The old cliche goes that football is a game of two halves. Never more so than tonight at Fortress Robertson. Ever been out on a blind date with a chick who your mates all said was really attractive, only to find on meeting her that she was more grizzle than Gisele?

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I gave myself the better part of two days before committing this Galaxy-FCD postmortem to the foreverness of the internets because I wanted to get past the bitter taste of frustration lingering in my mouth after Saturday's excursion to Frisco. I wanted to see if that would change what I had to say.

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Chicago vying for another win during 3-game road trip
The Chicago Fire head to New York to take on the Red Bulls for the second game of a three-game road trip at 2 p.m. (CST) on Sunday at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Chicago (3-0-6, 15 points) is coming off a 2-0 victory at Toronto FC last week, while New York (2-5-3, 9 points) salvaged a 1-all draw against Houston, thanks to John Wolyniec's late heroics. Click to continue reading...

This one slid under the radar here at MLSR the other day.
NEW YORK -- The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee Wednesday fined New York Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas $750 and suspended him one additional game for an egregious offense and failure to leave the field in a timely and orderly manner after being issued a red card in the Red Bulls game on May 16 versus the Houston Dynamo. Click to continue reading...

The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee fined New York Red Cards Bulls midfielder Jorge "Rojo" Rojas $1,000 and suspended him one additional game for an egregious offense and failure to leave the field in a timely and orderly manner after being issued a red card on May 16 versus the Houston Dynamo.

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As a consequence of his actions this past weekend, Jorge Rojas has earned a really tough sentence. Here are the leagues details:

""The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee today fined New York Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas $750 and suspended him one additional game for an egregious offense and failure to leave the field in a timely and orderly manner after being issued a red card in the Red Bulls game on May 16 versus the Houston Dynamo.

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Most times a home team will come away extremely disappointed with a draw, but the Red Bulls can't be too upset with their 1-1 tie on Saturday night against the Houston Dynamo.

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Most times a home team will come away extremely disappointed with a draw, but the Red Bulls can't be too upset with their 1-1 tie on Saturday night against the Houston Dynamo.

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� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

Revenge was not a word that the New York Red Bulls players and coaches used when speaking to members of the media in advance of Wednesday's U.

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� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

Revenge was not a word that the New York Red Bulls players and coaches used when speaking to members of the media in advance of Wednesday's U.

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� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Photo by ISIphotos.com

Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio had his issues with Saturday night's match vs. Houston, and his issues with referee Baldomero Toledo, but none of those issues had to do with race and whether Toledo and other MLS referees are targeting Hispanic players.

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� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Photo by ISIphotos.com

Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio had his issues with Saturday night's match vs. Houston, and his issues with referee Baldomero Toledo, but none of those issues had to do with race and whether Toledo and other MLS referees are targeting Hispanic players.

Click to continue reading...

Today we look at the Gatorade players of the year for Colorado. Recognize any names?

GIRLS
Olivia Wagner, 2008-09, M, Alexander Dawson School
Beth West, 2007-08, M, Grandview High School
Brittney MacDonald, 2006-07, D, Mullen
Laura Engel, 2005-06, F, Greeley West
Gianna DeSaverio, 2004-05, F, Chatfield
Jordan Angeli, 2003-04, F/M/D, Green Mountain
Marianne Dalmy, 2002-03, M, Green Mountain
Fran Munnelly, 2001-02, F, Mullen
Mary McDowell, 2000-01, Wheat Ridge
Aleisha Cramer, 1999-00, M, Green Mountain
Aleisha Cramer, 1998-99, M, Green Mountain
Kelly Rheem, 1997-98, F, Araphoe

BOYS
Alex Tarnoczi, 2008-09, M, Rock Canyon High School
Morgan Sacco, 2007-08, M, Greeley Central
Miguel Rosales, 2006-07, G, Smoky Hill
Miguel Rosales, 2005-06, G, Smoky Hill
Mason Bragg, 2004-05, M/F, Liberty
David Blanchard, 2003-04, M, Chatfield
Garrett Sadusky, 2002-03, M, Columbine
Daniel Wasson, 2001-02, M, Liberty
Daniel Bills, 2000-01, Horizon
David Wagenfuhr, 1999-00, M, Rampart
Conor Casey, 1998-99, F, Denver South
Matt Duntsch, 1997-98, F, Araphoe
Brian Mullan, 1996-97, F, Regis Jesuit
Wes Hart, 1995-96, M, Columbine
Wes Hart, 1994-95, M, Columbine
George Pavlantos, 1993-94, F, Chatfield
John Stratton, 1992-93, M, Horizon
Jamey Martinez, 1991-92, M/F, Canon City
Jason Stanson, 1990-91, M, Cherry Creek
Dante Panella, 1989-90, D, Evergreen
Chad Young, 1988-89, MF, Bear Creek
Robert Lipp, 1987-88, F, Rocky Mountain
Bob Davies, 1986-87, F, Cherry Creek
Chad Ashton, 1985-86, M, Ranum

I'd also like to take this time to invite you to participate in a future installment of The Tuesday List.

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New England Revolution 0 - 2 Houston Dynamo

That's how the famous phrase goes, isn't it? I'm from England, so they don't teach us history we didn't win. Nonetheless, a fairly apt statement as El Naranja are beginning to get on a roll again. Seattle; Chivas; best be looking over your shoulders right about now, because we looked back to our imperious best again Sunday afternoon in the quiet, supporter-less surrounds of Gillette Stadium.

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In case you missed it, Dynamo win strong.
Certain things I noticed about the game, other than how nice it was to see the Orange produce a 2-0 smackdown of the Revs on plastic grass:
<>I think the Revs' best chance came in the second half after Andrew Hainault mistimed a challenge along the Revs' right flank. Click to continue reading...

Crew 0, Dynamo 2 Brad Davis(Brian Mullan) 13, Brian Ching(Nate Jaqua) 43 It's no fun to lose. I'm most disappointed that the Crew drops to 1.6 Points Per Game, the same figure as Chicago. That's a slide from 1.8 at the end of June. New England is at 1.9 PPG with two games in hand on [...] Click to continue reading...