A real wackiness is setting in on this year's Golden Boot chase in Major League Soccer. With six regular season weeks remaining, the league's top goal scorers presently are all lesser likely candidates in their own way.

If you asked supporters at their respective clubs, or fans who follow MLS action closely, for assessments of these guys individually, you'd probably get replies that fell somewhere between "just OK" and "fairly unsatisfying.

I wrote recently that the MVP chase in Major League Soccer is a slippery, elusive beast. Things tend to shift quickly in this thing, I wrote.

So, I'll try not to bust my arm patting myself on the back for this one, but, uh ... nailed it!

Two weeks ago, Dwayne De Rosario was an "also ran" at best in the MVP sweepstakes.

Things got ugly in Wednesday's Bosnian Cup match between FK Velež Mostar and H K Zrinjski Mostar in the ethnically divided town's derby match when Zrinjski fans invaded the pitch to chase visiting Velez players. The incident occurred in second half stoppage time right after Rijad Demic scored for Velez.

Ted and Chris return to discuss the week in MLS as the playoff chase heats up and the schedule has been tossed asunder by Hurricane Irene. They're joined by Jeremiah Oshan from Seattle and Tweed Thornton from Chicago to talk US Open Cup. CSRN MEDIA PLAYER

Inter Milan join Liverpool and Spurs in chase for Brazilian starlet

Sao Paulo midfielder Lucas is wanted by a host of top European teams after breaking into Brazil team

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-09-07 12:32:21 from: Talksport

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

With the postseason chase picking up steam, the Philadelphia Union will be looking for a return to their winning ways when they take on the New England Revolution at PPL Park (8 p.m., Galavision).

Zac MacMath is set to get the start in goal in place of the injured Faryd Mondragon, and the rookie will have to do his part to keep Revs' DP striker Milton Caraglio off the scoreboard in a crucial match for the Union's postseason hopes, which have dwindled a bit during the club's six-game winless stretch.

AC Milan join Liverpool in chase for Ajax teen sensation

Christian Eriksen is a long-time Reds target but Italian giants are also now keen

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-09-08 11:38:39 from: Talksport

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

We're back to discuss the week that was in MLS as the playoff chase heats up. We also cover listener e-mails and theorize about Ted's beard. On the phone this week, correspondents from Columbus, DC, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Salt Lake, San Jose, LA and Chivas USA. CSRN MEDIA PLAYER

We're back to discuss the week that was in MLS as the playoff chase heats up. We also cover listener e-mails and theorize about Ted's beard. On the phone this week, correspondents from Columbus, DC, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Salt Lake, San Jose, LA and Chivas USA. CSRN MEDIA PLAYER

By Alan Duffy

Forget all that sophisticated passing the ball around nonsense, Ben Tomlinson and Macclesfield cut to the chase from the kick off in their League Two clash with Morcambe this week.

Taking the direct route, Tomlinson netted an historic (fastest ever) goal for Macclesfield on the way to a 1-1 draw with Morecambe, with the action taking just seven seconds from kick off to goal.

By Alan Duffy

Forget all that sophisticated passing the ball around nonsense, Ben Tomlinson and Macclesfield cut to the chase from the kick off in their League Two clash with Morcambe this week.

Taking the direct route, Tomlinson netted an historic (fastest ever) goal for Macclesfield on the way to a 1-1 draw with Morecambe, with the action taking just seven seconds from kick off to goal.

By JOSE M. ROMERO

The Houston Dynamo changed their fortunes for the better in the span of a week, capping off seven days that began with a loss to Sporting Kansas City and progressed with a draw at Columbus with a 2-1, come-from-behind win over the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday night at Robertson Stadium.

By JOSE M. ROMERO

The Houston Dynamo changed their fortunes for the better in the span of a week, capping off seven days that began with a loss to Sporting Kansas City and progressed with a draw at Columbus with a 2-1, come-from-behind win over the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday night at Robertson Stadium.

The United Soccer League's (USL) PRO division Twitter account tweeted today that the Harrisburg City Islanders' goalkeeper Chase Harrison will train with the Philadelphia Union this week.

Harrison training with the team possibly signals that current back up Thorne Holder was injured during the Union's 2-1 Reserve League loss to the Columbus Crew.

The playoff chase is on, so Scott and Ted are back to cover all the stories in MLS as we march towards the MLS Cup. On the phone this week, correspondents from New England, Chicago, Houston, DC, Colorado, Seattle, Vancouver, Salt Lake, Portland and San Jose. CSRN MEDIA PLAYER

Seven points. That's the magic number, at this point, that many believe will be sufficient enough to get the Portland Timbers into the play offs. Of course, that's still dependent on other teams losing enough of the final games to ensure the possibility, but by and large the Timbers need at least 7 more points to even get that hope.

The Portland Timbers had fortunate events happen to them earlier in the day relating to the chase for the MLS playoffs, as two of the clubs chasing them failed to secure three points. The Timbers were hoping to do that at the expense of the San Jose Earthquakes, and while they started off rather well, the Timbers struggled to find their rhythm all night.

Third place LASK Linz heads west on Friday to clash with the Erste Liga's current second-place holders, needing any points possible to remain in the chase for promotion.

Wednesday's and Thursday's matches in the 2011 Torneo Apertura saw little resolved in the race for the title other than the confirmation that Boca Juniors are the team to chase. Lanús dropped points for the second round running, Godoy Cruz ... Continue reading →

Already missing multiple players due to injuries, the Union will be even thinner in Kansas City tonight. Philadelphia Union attacking midfielder Freddy Adu is unavailable for the team's game against Sporting Kansas City, according to the player's Twitter account.

Adu tweeted the following, in reference to tonight's clash between the second and third place teams in the Eastern Conference:

Good luck to the union tonight against kansas city.

The Portland Timbers play their most important match of 2011 on September 24 in New York against the Red Bulls, the team right behind them in the playoff chase. The Red Bulls will be without one of their key players, although that hasn't seemed to harm their attack too much. Meanwhile, our friends at Stumptown Footy provide a overall look at the teams chasing spot 9 and 10 in the MLS playoffs and what matches they have remaining.

Zac MacMath will have a new back up tonight, after the Philadelphia Union signed Harrisburg City Islanders goalkeeper Chase Harrison. Per team rules, the terms and transfer fee of the deal were not disclosed.

Harrison was likely signed by the Union through MLS' "extreme hardship call up" option.

South American football blog: How Julio Cesar Falcioni has got Boca juniors jumping again

For the new season, MirrorFootball is teaming up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day. Saturday is South America day, and here's Valderramarama's Ed Malyon with his take on the week's big issues in Argentina.

With the 1-1 draw against Philadelphia on Friday and the way other results went this past weekend for Sporting KC, the Wizards face a game that's become even bigger than Friday's game. The team the Wizards are tied with for second place, the Columbus Crew come to KC for a Wednesday night league game.

A new feature that I'm going to do on each MLS game day as the season begins to wind down. I'm going to look at the other MLS games that are occurring on that match day and see what the better result for Sporting KC would be in that game to assist in their chances of making the playoffs.
The only other league game tonight besides Sporting KC vs Columbus is Real Salt Lake hosting the Chicago Fire.

By Dru Boyer Welcome back to your (nearly) weekly update on America's footy heroes abroad. This week saw Timmy Howard get paired with an American sidekick, Friedel chase out the competition, and the AmeriGers on fire. POTW honors go to the two-headed goal scoring monster of Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu for their performance this [.

Bologna's highly rated midfielder Gaston Ramirez has played down talk that he is leaving the Rossoblu, amid reports Liverpool are leading the chase for his signature reports insidefutbol.com.
The 20-year-old Uruguayan international is the latest South American starlet to be linked with a move to the Barclays Premier League.