Photo: Paul Rudderow

The U.S. women's national team won 14-0 over the Dominican Republic on Friday. Yes, the women's soccer team won by that score. Amy Rodriguez scored five goals.

At halftime, Abby Wambach told her teammates to keep scoring in the Olympic qualifier, despite being up 7-0, because goal differential can impact Olympic qualifying qualifying.

Photo: Paul Rudderow

The U.S. women's national team won 14-0 over the Dominican Republic on Friday. Yes, the women's soccer team won by that score. Amy Rodriguez scored five goals.

At halftime, Abby Wambach told her teammates to keep scoring in the Olympic qualifier, despite being up 7-0, because goal differential can impact Olympic qualifying qualifying.

Photo by Patricia Giobetti/ISIphotos.com

D.C. United's wing options got a little more intriguing on Friday.

The club acquired midfielder Danny Cruz from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a partial allocation, adding an up-and-coming player to the team's already up-and-coming nucleus.

Agudelo: One Foot Out the Door?When the New York Red Bulls' disappointing 2011 season drew to a close, both Hans Backe and Erik Solér assured fans that they had identified the team's main weaknesses and would be taking steps over the winter to address them. But with 2012 preseason training camp having opened this week, the RBNY roster is still a work in progress, with question marks hanging over the heads of several players and doubts remaining about key positions and bench depth.

Brian Nielsen Playing Soccer: A Rare SightThe bulk of the New York Red Bulls squad gathered today at Montclair State University for the first training session of the 2012 season. It was a chance for new arrivals such as Ryan Meara and Jonathan Borrajo to meet their new teammates (well most of them anyway) and begin the process of building up fitness.

Ream: West Brom Bound?Following a turbulent 2011 regular season for the New York Red Bulls, General Manager Erik Solér and Head Coach Hans Backe have played their cards very close to the vest as they look to reshape and add depth to the squad for 2012. Apart from sanctioning the departure of a half dozen fringe players and exposing highly-paid veterans such as Carlos Mendes, Bouna Coundoul and Chris Albright to this year's Re-Entry Draft (Mendes has since been snapped up by Columbus), there has been little to no action to report.

A couple weeks ago, I put up the New York Red Bulls roster prior to the beginning of the off-season. Mr. Soler and Mr. Backe have been busy since then, and over at our facebook page, members of the Viper's Nest Editorial Board have been clamoring for an updated post to sum up the salary and roster ramifications of the moves thus far.

With the expansion draft just two weeks away, Red Bulls fans are debating the merits of who to protect and who to expose. Presented below, to assist in the discussion, is the current Red Bulls roster and salaries, according to the MLS Players Union website.

Name

Player Des.

"Tick-tock, The Reds won't stop"Over the last few years MLSE has marketed their seasons with cute little taglines, often incorporating the season's numerical value within it. For example - "fOUR Season" and "Season fIVe" have been used over the last few years. Here at The Yorkies we have already branded next season as "SIXual Healing" of course, but that didn't stop the boffins on Bay Street from trying out a few of their own for TFC's sixth kick at the can.

"Tick-tock, The Reds won't stop"Over the last few years MLSE has marketed their seasons with cute little taglines, often incorporating the season's numerical value within it. For example - "fOUR Season" and "Season fIVe" have been used over the last few years. Here at The Yorkies we have already branded next season as "SIXual Healing" of course, but that didn't stop the boffins on Bay Street from trying out a few of their own for TFC's sixth kick at the can.

Leave the Fireworks to the Professionals, M'kay?Viper said it earlier, but we'd like to wish happy 4th of July to all of our readers! We hope you enjoy your time today with friends and family today, eat plenty of BBQ and, most importantly, retain all of your fingers.
There's just a bit of news to report today as the Red Bulls enjoy a day of recuperation following their mammoth four-game road trip.

If there is a Red Bull New York ghetto, Hoboken, NJ is it. The city that is notorious for an inordinate amount of colorless bars, post-college frat boys and hot-yet-bland future trophy wives is also home to Tim Ream, Austin da Luz, Carl Robinson, Juan Agudelo, Matt Kassel and Hans Backe*.

Can Backe right the ship?

The three-game winning streak of last month seems so distant now, doesn't it? For that matter, so does my last blog post, but that's neither here nor there (but apologies, nonetheless). The Red Bulls now find themselves in a precarious situation. They are no longer getting the results that seemed to come so easily earlier in the season, and the defense has been suspect to say the least.

Can Backe right the ship?

The three-game winning streak of last month seems so distant now, doesn't it? For that matter, so does my last blog post, but that's neither here nor there (but apologies, nonetheless). The Red Bulls now find themselves in a precarious situation. They are no longer getting the results that seemed to come so easily earlier in the season, and the defense has been suspect to say the least.

Photo Credit: DailyHarrison.com
Good afternoon! What a perfect day it is, here in Red Bulls Land! The sun is shining, the temperature is just right and our beloved team is back in action, @The Cathedral of Football (8:00pm ET, MSG). Today's opponent: none other than current the MLS Champion Colorado Rapids.

Canadian international forward Ali Gerba's first-half goal was the difference, as the Montreal Impact held on for a 1-0 result over the New York Red Bulls in their friendly Wednesday night at Saputo Stadium.

Gerba headed home a cross in the 37th minute for the game's only tally.

Apparently, it can buy you damn entertaining 90 minutes of soccer, though. Throughout the week, everyone in MLS was hyping this game to be the greatest game of the year, and while hype is usually unsubstantiated, this game lived up to all the buzz surrounding the league's two marquee franchises.

Apparently, it can buy you damn entertaining 90 minutes of soccer, though. Throughout the week, everyone in MLS was hyping this game to be the greatest game of the year, and while hype is usually unsubstantiated, this game lived up to all the buzz surrounding the league's two marquee franchises.

There isn't going to be very much that's pretty about today's clash between New York Red Bulls and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy are not yet last year's fluid ball-handling team and are still experiencing drop-offs in the defensive end and the offensive third. New York had the best midfield unit in the league when you combine talent with their ability to work with one another.

There isn't going to be very much that's pretty about today's clash between New York Red Bulls and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy are not yet last year's fluid ball-handling team and are still experiencing drop-offs in the defensive end and the offensive third. New York had the best midfield unit in the league when you combine talent with their ability to work with one another.

If the New York Red Bulls are going to beat the Los Angeles Galaxy this weekend, they will have to do so without standout midfielder Teemu Tainio.

The Finnish midfielder has been ruled out of Saturday's Galaxy-Red Bulls match after he was unable to fully recover from the groin injury that forced him to leave last week's 1-0 victory against Sporting Kansas City at halftime.

Luke's aeroplane celebration... yea or nay?

Take a deep breath folks; the Red Bulls took home all three points tonight... but just barely. In a win that was very much different from the two matches that preceded it, New York played an incredibly strong first half that saw Luke Rodgers get on the board once again.

Major League Soccer UK fans, followers and visitors, I'd like to welcome you to a brand new feature on this very website. Brit Watch will henceforth be a weekly contribution from MLS convert, Seattle Sounders fan Liam McGrath. Brit Watch runs down the activity of UK talent plying their trade in MLS, whether it's on the pitch or off it.

We're going to try something new at Sounder at Heart. In the past, we've posted the full post-game quote sheets and stats in the game recap. We understand that can be a bit bothersome and while some of you appreciate the info, others just find it a nuisance to skip through. Instead, we've decided to have a day-after match post where we put full highlights, the quote sheets and the stats.

In what was truly a "game of two halves," the Red Bulls dropped the final match of their preseason trip to Mexico, losing 3-2 to Chivas de Guadalajara thanks to a late second half collapse. Dane Richards and Juan Agudelo registered two fine goals that had RBNY comfortably in front before the break, but it was a different story in the second half, especially after major substitutions resulted in Carlos Mendes playing at right back and trialist Stephen Keel replacing Marquez in central defense.

"Mmm, you can really taste the Soolsma!"From our Dutch horshe's mouth came word today that Toronto FC had snapped up its first new signings of 2011. During today's media scrum, manager Aron Winter informed the press that three of the players who were on trial with the club in Turkey are now indeed fully signed-on members of the Red-Oranje Army.

Snow, snow and more snow, here in RBNY Land. The only good thing about all this white stuff is that Mr. Backe & Mr. Soler must feel right at home. But never mind the snow, let's get to some news.
This past weekend, the great Mike Petke (pictured above), now a member of the RBNY Front Office, hosted a tour of The Cathedral of Football for members of the Viking Army Supporters Club.

Chad will be firing in Southern California in 2011
Jon retaliates
Chad Barrett was traded by Toronto to the LA Galaxy today. It is not clear what Toronto has been given in return. Maybe an allocation, maybe Toronto will be paying part of Chad's salary, an echo of the Carl Robinson deal from last year.