Enzo Martinez has signed with MLS. (Photo via UNC Athletics)
The Generation adidas class for 2012 is nearly complete. UNC midfielder Enzo Martinez has signed
his GA deal with the league but his former Tar Heel teammate Billy Schuler declined his offer from
the league to go to Europe.
Reports out of Sweden say that Hammarby IF (yes, Greg Berhalter's new club) is close to signing
the Tar Heel to a deal.
Women's soccer
Abby Wambach is the AP's 2011 Female Athlete of the Year. Come on, WPS. Capitalize on this!
The USWNT will face Denmark, Norway and World Champions Japan in the 2012 Algarve Cup, which
runs Feb. 29-March 7 in Portugal.
THE Val Henderson has a great article up on ESPN-W about Joanna Lohman and Lianne Sanderson
traveling to India to start a clinic and mentoring program.
By Thera Reyes, getting her first taste of Beckham and MLS in Manila
Two years ago, it would have been unheard of to have an international football team come to
Manila. Heck, football fans even recently travelled to Malaysia to watch Arsenal, Chelsea and
Liverpool for their Asian tours.
LA's defense has been on top form this season. (Getty Images)
I am moving on in my look back at my preseason positional rankings. Yesterday we looked at the
keepers, today we're diving into the folks in front of those keepers the defense.
Again these rankings are all about the starters and the depth behind them.
By CALEB SONNELAND
In a rematch from last year's Third Round Open Cup fixture, the Seattle Sounders played host to
the Los Angeles Galaxy with the hosts and defending champions trotting out to a 3-1 win and a
spot in the next round.
With a goal and an assist, Nate Jaqua led the Sounders to the victory and picked up a Man of the
Match award for his shift up top.
I couldn't watch the San Jose game until the last few minutes, so imagine my surprise when I
turned it on to see this. Mike Magee can't pick up the ball! That's a handball!! Well, not that
night.
Who would have thought that for a number of weeks keeper would be the most exciting position on
the field for the Galaxy?
We preview the Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire match on Saturday by exchanging three
questions with Josie Becker of LAG Confidential. The games kicks off at the Home Depot Center at
9:30 PM CST on Fox Soccer Channel and our question exchange kicks off below with the rest of the
exchange taking place after the break.
There's no doubt about who's ranked number one this week. Real Salt Lake thrashed the LA Galaxy
to show that they are the class of MLS at the moment.
MLS Rankings: Week 2
1. REAL SALT LAKE (2-0-0)
Last week: Beat Los Angeles, 4-1, on Saturday.
After its thumping of the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday night, it's no surprise that Real Salt
Lake maintains its stronghold on the top of the SBI MLS Power Rankings.
Aside from Salt Lake's victory, some other results stood out and had an impact on this week's
rankings.
The light of heaven shined upon us today and the Galaxy twitterverse burst forth with joy. We
have been sent our Angel.
The Galaxy announced today that they have signed Juan Pablo Angel to a multi-year contract as
the team's third DP (Becks and Landycakes being the other two). The big question now is whether our
Angel can earn his wings.
