Arsenal disregards all conventional wisdom and messes with Texas. For a month, at least.
Brek Shea's season may have ended when the New York Red Bulls knocked FC Dallas out of playoff
contention last week, but the 6'3" winger will spend a month training with Arsenal after the
upcoming international friendlies in France and Slovenia (November 11 and 15).
FC Dallas 0, New York Red Bulls 2
The New York Red Bulls and Dallas FC squared off in Pizza Hut Park for the first Wild Card game of
the post season in front of 10,017 fans. FC Dallas came out strong against NY and bossed much of
the first half and NY was left with working the counter-attack.
Put it in the books folks. The regular season is over and the Seattle Sounders logged an
impressive 63 points over 34 games. In most seasons that would have put the Sounders in the top
spot. Instead the Sounders will be the number two team in the league and will face the number three
team in Real Salt Lake in a home-and-home series.
After last night's result in Philadelphia, here's the updated playoff standings and a preview of
the weekend's league matches and the best outcomes, in my opinion, for the Dynamo.
Results:
Philadelphia Union 3 - 2 DC United
Playoff Standings:
Team Points (Max Potential Points) Games Played (of 34) Points Per Game
GD x-LAG (W1) 61 (73) 30 2.
Honduras has announced its roster for the Oct. 8 friendly against the United States in Miami, a
roster that does not include a few regulars while carrying a bit of an MLS feel to it.
Sporting Kansas City's Roger Espinoza, FC Dallas' Marvin Chavez and Houston's Carlo Costly were
all summoned for the match.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Bobby Rhine, former FC Dallas player front-office figure and broadcaster, passed away Monday
evening of a heart attack at age 35.
Known as a hardworking, geniune and caring individual to those who worked with him or played
against him, Rhine's passing at such a young age has stunned the U.
Dane Richards and NY hope to get the best of Landon Donovan and the Galaxy. (Getty Images)
So far so good. That's seems to be the story of the week for Major League Soccer. A couple
quality results in the CONCACAF Champions League, an expansion club getting into the playoff mix
and a slew of decent games on tap this weekend.
Big things were expected from Eric Alexander after a strong showing down the stretch of his
rookie season led to a call up to the U.S. national team's January camp and an appearance in a
friendly against Chile.
While those big things may still unfold for the second-year midfielder, they won't be doing so
in Dallas.
photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Chivas USA has finally announced the acquisition of Juan Pablo Angel, and his arrival looks to
have come at a cheap price.
Having acquired Angel via a trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA only gave up a third
round natural 2012 Supplemental Draft pick in exchange.
The Union announced yesterday that Carlos Valdes will be eligible to play against Dallas FC
Saturday. The absurd yellow card he received against Houston was supposed to lead to a
suspension.
Michasel Orozco-Fiscal says he is happy to be back in Philly, even if it's just to train with
the US National team.
By ADAM SERRANO
Chivas USA head coach Robin Fraser has been eager to add some new blood to a team on the verge
of qualifying for the playoffs.
On Thursday, Chivas USA added veteran French midfielder Laurent Courtois, a veteran of top
leagues in France and England.
Landon Donovan, el estadounidense David Beckham y el francés Thierry Henry encabezan el plantel
del combinado de la MLS que enfrentará al Manchester United en el Juego de Estrellas.
Entre los jugadores elegidos destaca también el delantero colombiano Juan Agudelo, de los Red
Bulls de Nueva York, el arquero de ese mismo país, Faryd Mondragón, quien milita en el Union de
Filadelfia, y el delantero mexicano Omar Bravo del Sporting de Kansas City.
The Sounders are back in action this Saturday against Real Salt Lake. They'll be battling
fatigue for the full 90 at one of the hardest stadiums in MLS to get a win. Also, some are calling
this a must-win match for RSL as they attempt to arrest a spat of poor form in league play. It
would be nice to come back from the disappointing loss on Wednesday to Dallas FC with a road win,
but it will be a tough challenge for a fatigued team.
It was certainly a close one this weekend, but as Sigi Schmid said, the Sounders will take the 3
points after a tough 1-0 win in stoppage time against Sporting Kansas City. Jeff Parke was the hero
of the game with his stoppage time header and has been acknowledged by Soccer-by-Ives as their MLS
player of the week.
It's that time of the week you've all been waiting for -
Diary of an MLS Convert is back,
and the converts have, as usual, got plenty to say this week. Topics covered by supporters of
Eastern teams include MLS season ticket packages, a package received by Crew fans, sloppy
goalkeeping in New York, flying to America and stadium naming rights.
Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com
BY ADAM SERRANO
Chivas USA is preparing for life without Marcos Mondaini.
Mondani was suspended on Thursday for four matches, plus an additional $1,500 fine for a tackle
on Javier Morales that resulted in a broken ankle for the RSL playmaker.
The hard knocks and misfortune continues for the Seattle Sounders. Steve Zakuani is still in a
hospital in Colorado recovering from a broken leg and may not make it back to Seattle for the
planned tribute for him on Saturday (although I'm sure he'll catch some of the love on the T.V. or
internet).
It's a pretty sad day all around. The weather here in the Sound is rainy and gloomy which
matches my mood on this Monday morning. I'm sure I'm not the only soccer fan of the same mindset as
it was a brutal weekend for fans of the beautiful game. The league has lost two of its most
dynamic, creative players to severe injuries.
Earlier today, the Brotherly Game identified a report from the Colombian news outlet El Pais
that claimed young midfielder/forward Andres Ramiro "Manga" Escobar could be on his way to the
Philadelphia Union.
I've dug up a few more tidbits on Escobar from that article and elsewhere. Here's the most
interesting snippet from the El Pais report:
Sin entrar en precisiones, el empresario del jugador dijo que en esta negociación se manejaría
una cifra "un poco" superior a los números de la operación que llevó a Fabián Castillo
al Dallas FC, también de la MLS.
Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
By ADAM SERRANO
It's time for the Los Angeles Galaxy to make some creative decisions.
With David Beckham and Juninho suspended, it is likely that head coach Bruce Arena will need to
inject some fresh blood in the central midfield when the Galaxy face the Chicago Fire at Toyota
Park on Sunday.
BY ADAM SERRANO
The Vancouver Whitecaps roster just a got a bit more of an international flavor.
The Whitecaps signed central defender Mouloud Akloul to an MLS deal on Thursday. The French
defender signed a Division 2 deal with the Whitecaps last season before breaking his ankle, an
injury that ended his season.
By ADAM SERRANO
The Portland Timbers are after their first ever Designated Player and would like to do so sooner
rather than later.
In a radio interview with the Talk Timbers radio program on Portland radio station
95.5 The Game on Wednesday, club owner Merritt Paulson stated that the club was interested in
adding a central midfielder as a DP and hopes to have that player by the team's home opener against
the Chicago Fire.
By ADAM SERRANO
One win away.
That is how close FC Dallas came winning the franchise's first MLS Cup in 2010. Fresh off its
crushing defeat to the Colorado Rapids in the final, FCD is ready to make a return run to the
championship in 2011.
