To highlight the sheer volume of players missing from action this weekend due to international call-ups, here's a complete list of absences by game:

Chivas USA @ Toronto FC - 1 p.m. ET
TFC - Greg Sutton (Canada)
TFC - Jim Brennan (Canada)
TFC - Marvell Wynne (USA)
TFC - Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala)
TFC - Amado Guevara (Honduras)
TFC - Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica)
TFC - Julius James (Trinidad & Tobago)
TFC - Jarrod Smith (New Zealand)
TFC - Carl Robinson (Wales)
CHV - Sacha Kljestan (USA)
CHV - Shavar Thomas (Jamaica)

New England @ Columbus Crew - 7:30 p. Click to continue reading...

The full list of each team's most valuable player award from 1996-2007. Each Major League Soccer team gives out its own set of team awards at the end of each season, usually announced at the last home regular season game. Not to be confused with the leaguewide awards.

Sometimes the news articles state that the winner's fellow players voted him MVP, but I've read about the media voting as well. Click to continue reading...

I just finished the new DVD from Major League Soccer and A&E Home Video titled, Game Breakers: The Stars of Major League Soccer and I've got to tell ya, I was quite impressed.

The DVD was just released on August 26th and so – like Kramer in Seinfeld – that practically makes me the premier! Click to continue reading...

NEWS: Let's get this out of the way first because, well, we knew it was coming. Canada has asked Dynamo starters Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad to join them for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Honduras (ouch) on Sept.... Click to continue reading...

Captain Kansas City now has five goals on the year. Not bad. His latest effort, our last-minute equalizer Saturday against FC Dallas has been nominated for Sierra Mist Goal of the Week. Come on Wizards fans...go vote and get Jimmy on the end-of-the-year ballot!

Take a look at the goal here, if you don't remember it:



He is now our leading scorer with a new career-high. Click to continue reading...

In the 21st week of the MLS season, there were some several outstanding performances this week but unfortunately the week was one in which many star players were missing due to international duty, something that could easily have been prevented.

G: Louis Crayton
D: Jimmy Conrad
D: Chad Marshall
D: Richard Mulrooney
M: Andre Rocha
M: John Thorrington
M: Guillermo Barros Schelotto
M: Mike Magee
F: Luciano Emilio
F: Kei Kamara
F: Taylor Twellman

Coach: Juan Carlos Osorio somehow is turning around a New York team that had seemingly been left in the rear-view mirror by the Eastern frontrunners. Click to continue reading...

Apologies for the late blogging since I am somewhat under the weather today (and, no, that's not because of all the soccer on TV).

Still, there is a lot.

First up at noon on Fox Soccer Channel is David Beckham and England taking on the Czech Republic in London.

Then at 7 p.

Click to continue reading...

See, this is what I'm talking about. Put the fire brigade on notice because Canuckistan will be on fire August 20th. Toronto's Park Lane club is hosting the official after-party for Wednesday's World Cup qualifying game between Canada and Jamaica and it's going to be bananas. Why? Because it's hosted by Dwayne de Rosario, Julian deGuzman and Fulham's Paul Staltari. Click to continue reading...

OK, I'm not afraid to admit it, when the US lost in the Olympics to Nigeria the other day, my secret thought was:


"Man, I can't get enough of that Natalie Coughlin...."

Er, um, I mean, my OTHER secret thought was "Well thank you Petr Nowak for delivering the coaching job I always expected of you. Click to continue reading...

A couple of defensive mistakes from the New England forced them to come from behind in both regulation and extra time, but the Revs fought back both times and eventually took the match to penalty kicks. Once there the team fell behind again, but this time came back and after 8 rounds emerged victorious 6-5 to claim the SuperLiga Championship. Click to continue reading...

I love Craigslist. You can find anything on there: Jobs, apartments, true love, one night stands (ahem, apparently) and - best of all - trades. Like this one. One brave Toronoto FC fan has offered to trade one third of his reproductive equipment for Houston Dynamo's Canadian goal machine Dwayne De Rosario. Click to continue reading...

Check out this craigslist posting spotted by The Spoiler.

Some dude really wants Dwayne De Rosario to go to Toronto F.C.

Click the link to check out the full posting. This Canadian guy is quite the comedian. There's even a Daniel Day Lewis reference.

• Is Michael Bradley going to Hamburg?

Click to continue reading...

The participants in the 2008 Superliga final have been decided. The tournament's second-year final will pit the Houston Dynamo against the New England Revolution in a rematch of the last two MLS Cups - both of which were won by Houston.

The final was set on Wednesday night after the New England Revolution did away with Atlante by a score of 1-0. Click to continue reading...

Hey, hey - here we go now. Well, not just yet, some telenovela is on. "No quiero verle nunca mas!" spits the heroine. Oh, ok, it's over now. Bring on SuperLiga! Post predictions quick!
Ha, the announcers know all about the Houston/Pachuca history.
"Houston wants revenge," they say. I've picked Pachuca to win, however, so I predict a heartbreaking 2-1. Click to continue reading...

Steve Nicol coached the MLS All-Stars to victory in a back and forth affair with some great goals and the league's stars putting on what was at times an impressive display. In other words, it was exactly what you would hope for from an All-Star game.

Canadian International Dwayne De Rosario scored the game winner on a penalty kick in the 69th minute in front of a sold out crowd at BMO Field in Toronto.

Click to continue reading...

The MLS All Star team defeated English Premier club West Ham United 3-2 on Thursday in Toronto.  Dwayne De Rosario scored a penalty kick in the 69th minute after he was fouled in the box, to earn the game winner for the MLS. Chicago midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored a goal and got an assist and was named MVP of the game. Click to continue reading...

I feel as though the day after the MLS All-Star game I need to start announcing clean ups in aisle nine or something. So many stories from the game and the surrounding festivities this week. I kind of think we all underestimated just how big of an event this really truly was this year. First off, [.. Click to continue reading...

Thursday proved to be a busy day for the Dynamo at the MLS All-Star Game, beginning with sealing a deal to land forward Kei Kamara from San Jose and ending with Dwayne De Rosario scoring the game-winner in the All-Star's... Click to continue reading...

Wizards captain, Jimmy Conrad, is now all star winning captain, Jimmy Conrad. Conrad played all 90 minutes, captaining the MLS all stars tonight against West Ham United at BMO Field in Toronto. United put up a good effort against the MLS all stars. They grabbed the lead through Dean Ashton in the 26th minute. Click to continue reading...

MLS All-Star quickie: Let me get this straight. Dwayne De Rosario stars and plays 90 minutes in a 2-0 win over D.C. United on Wednesday night. Thanks to a three-hour rain delay, the match finishes past midnight on the East... Click to continue reading...

Tonight the MLS All-Star game will be played in Toronto, at the home of Toronto FC. The game will feature a lineup of All-Stars taking on West Ham United, from the English Premier League.

Game time - 6:00 pm. I'll be at Coester's, enjoying a good meal and some entertaining soccer I expect.

Click to continue reading...

¿Para que sirve la Superliga aparte de generar dolares? Pues para que equipos embalados de la MLS logren subir de nivel y darle sustos a equipos mexicanos que hacen su pretemporada de manera mas fuerte que otros.

Aquí los resultados hasta el momento:

Guadalajara 1 Houston Dynamo 0 (SuperLiga, Julio 15, 2008) De nuevo el portero Michel fue un gran factor para la victoria, Omar Arellano anoto y jugo excelente. Click to continue reading...

Edson Buddle's exemplary form this season has earned him his first MLS All-Star Game call-up in his eight-year career.

Buddle, whose start to the season was disrupted by yet another in his litany of injuries, - a broken collar bone sustained on the Galaxy's Australian tour - overcame that to record 11 goals in his last seven games, tying him for the MLS scoring lead.

Click to continue reading...

West Ham keeper Robert Green spent his offseason in Africa doing what he could to help those in need. Incredible story he wrote for the Independent. See England News section.


SuperLiga

Official match reports and video highlights etc. Click to continue reading...

Remember a couple of years ago, when Peter Nowak coached the MLS All-Star team and a bunch of DC United players were on it? Well, this year, with the final pics from the coach (Steve Nicol) and commissioner (Don Garber) released, there are none. The LA Galaxy and the New England Revolution contribute the most staff this time, with three players. Click to continue reading...

See? It pays to be a good player and a Canadian. Dynamo and Canucks stars Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad have been tabbed for next week's MLS All-Star Game in Toronto. MLS All-Star coach Steve Nicol chose Onstad, a... Click to continue reading...

The final 7 All-Stars were announced today with coach Steve Nicol selecting Juan Pablo Ángel (forward, New York Red Bulls), Jim Brennan (defender, Toronto FC), Christian Gomez (midfielder, Colorado Rapids), Pablo Mastroeni (midfielder, Colorado Rapids) and Pat Onstad (goalkeeper, Houston Dynamo).

Click to continue reading...

The seven players added to the All-Star roster are: Jim Brennan (Toronto), Juan Pablo Angel (New York), Christian Gomez (Colorado), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), Pat Onstad (Houston), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles) and Dwayne De Rosario (Houston). The first five were picked by coach Steve Nicol; the last two are commissioner's picks.

Click to continue reading...

Abdusalam Ibrahim, the young Ethiopian boy from my town of Minneapolis, made his pro debut on Saturday for Toronto. He came on at half time and did not disappoint, taking a great through ball from Amado Guevara to beat the Chicago defense, then rounded keeper Jon Busch and put the ball into an empty net. Click to continue reading...

I'm pretty sure Shoe is bad luck. It seems like every time I hear of him going to D.C. games they end up losing.

Nevertheless, we were subject to one great game and one terrible game last night, as Chivas (Mexico) downed D.C. United 2-1 in the opener and Houston walloped Atlante 4-0 in the nightcap. Click to continue reading...

CD Guadalajara 2 - DC United 1

Omar Arellano and Gonzalo Pineda scored for CD Guadalajara to get the winning started for the Mexican Primera División side last night at RFK Stadium.

Luciano Emilio slotted home in the 76th for United and DCU looked to draw even one minute later but Jaime Moreno's penalty kick was saved by goalie Luis Michael. Click to continue reading...

The Dynamo looked like a wrecking crew Saturday night as they demolished Mexican club Atlante 4-0 in the teams' SuperLiga Group A opener at Robertson Stadium. Stuart Holden scored twice in the first half, and strikers Dwayne De Rosario and... Click to continue reading...

A few notes on today's All-Star eleven:

- This is not necessarily the starting lineup. Steve Nicol can change it around. He could even switch from a 3-5-2 to a 5-4-1 if he wants. (He wouldn't do that, right?)

- Columbus' Guillermo Barros Schelotto made the list on the media ballot but drew only 9.

Click to continue reading...

The MLS All-Star Game XI (and actually another seven to round out the roster) will be picked at 8 a.m. Thursday from Toronto, site of the 4 p.m. July 24 game against East London's West Ham United of the English Premier League.

Coaches and general managers, fans, players, and media each had 25 percent of the vote to select the starting line-up.

Click to continue reading...

"TSR" is "Today's Soccer Roundup," which is what happens here when we have too much to blog and not enough. Let's go ...

U.S. Open Cup: Quarterfinals tonight ...

- Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) at New England (MLS); New Britain, Conn.
- Chicago (MLS) at D.C. United (MLS); Maryland SoccerPlex (it's so big, we're not even trying to place it in a town)
- Charleston (USL-1) at Dallas (MLS)
- Kansas City (MLS) at Seattle (USL-1)

The latter two have online video available.

Click to continue reading...