Sometimes items from Soccer America can be a total miss but check out today's MLS Confidential on the Galaxy. For anyone out there that couldn't get how the LA Galaxy was able to squeeze in Edson Buddle to their salary cap, check this article out.

By bringing back Edson Buddle into the fold, even if he costs slightly more than the $178,488 salary he earned in 2010 before leaving for Germany, the Galaxy probably hasn't crunched its salary cap to any great extent, because of player departures as well as amassing allocation money.

Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIPhotos.com

BY ADAM SERRANO

CARSON, Calif. -- With Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Keane, the Los Angeles Galaxy boasted one of the strongest rosters in MLS.

Now with the addition of Edson Buddle, the Galaxy's attack may be the finest in league history.

Edson Buddle is back. (Getty Images)

Edson Buddle is back in a LA Galaxy uniform. The deal to bring back one of the league's all-time best goal-scorers happened today.

Buddle rejoins the Galaxy after being released from his contract with FC Ingolstadt 04 on Tuesday. Los Angeles maintained his MLS rights following his free transfer to Ingolstadt last January.

Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

For the other 18 teams in MLS, knocking the Los Angeles Galaxy off their perch atop the league just became a bit more difficult.

U.S. national team forward Edson Buddle is rejoining the Galaxy after being released from his contract with FC Ingolstadt 04 on Tuesday, sources told SBI.

Photo courtesy of Duke University

Pennsylvania native Andrew Wenger won the Hermann Trophy Friday as the best player in men's college soccer. The former Reading United and Duke University star is expected to be a top-3 pick in this month's MLS college draft. Stanford's Teresa Noyola won the women's award.

A bit earlier, I was sent a birdie email suggesting Hammarby were the ones about to sign former North Carolina forward Billy Schuler. Then minutes ago, suddenly, everybody and their mother over in Sweden started reporting this.Gregg Berhalter 1, MLS 0? Nothing from the club yet.- Greg Seltzer

This actually happened before Christmas but I haven't gotten a chance to mention it. Baggio Husidic, who's rights the Rapids acquired in the Re-Entry Draft, has decided to decline Colorado's contract offer and instead sign with Hammarby IF in Sweden. Former U.S. Nats player Gregg Berhalter was recently named manager of the AEG-owned club and this will probably be the first of multiple signings from MLS for the team.

photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

Hammarby IF head coach Gregg Berhalter won't be the only one at the club with MLS experience next season.

Hammarby signed midfielder Baggio Husidic on Friday morning, the club announced on its website. Husidic, who has spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Fire, agreed to a two-year deal with the Swedish club.

The next stage of Gregg Berhalter's career will come as coach of Hammarby, and the former defender is confident despite the pressures that come with leading one of Sweden's top teams.

Recently retired LA Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter has moved directly into coaching. But to the surprise of many, it won't be in America. He was confirmed as the new manager of Hammarby IF in the Swedish second division today -- article from the AP is here, press release from Hammarby's website is here (in Swedish).

Recently retired LA Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter has moved directly into coaching. But to the surprise of many, it won't be in America. He was confirmed as the new manager of Hammarby IF in the Swedish second division today -- article from the AP is here, press release from Hammarby's website is here (in Swedish).

STARTERS
Tigres is the winner of the Mexican Apertura Championship. Huge win! Congrats to them.
dN
Sporting Kansas City has agreed to release Omar Bravo so he can return to Mexico and play for Cruz Azul in the upcoming Clausura.
-I have no idea what this really means.

With all due respect to Abed Nadir, at Hammarby, it's now Gregg Berhalter.- Greg Seltzer

Galaxy owner Anschutz Entertainment Group is a part-owner of Swedish club Hammarby, so the news isn't as strange as it first appears. Still, Gregg Berhalter has been an assistant coach at the Galaxy for less than a year, so it's still a big step up. And it's a sign of

Today it was announced that former US national team defender Gregg Berhalter was hired to be the new head coach of Swedish club Hammarby.

The opportunity for American managers in Europe haven't been easy to come by, but a young American is ready to blaze a trail after only recently retiring as a player.

Former U.S. national team defender Gregg Berhalter has been named the new manager of Swedish club Hammarby, the club announced on Monday.

The Los Angeles Galaxy made it 3-for-3 on their Asia Pacific tour, defeating the Melbourne Victory in a penalty shootout, 4-3, after the teams played to a 2-2 draw in regulation.

The Galaxy trailed, 2-0, but Robbie Keane twice converted penalty kicks to pull the MLS Cup champions level.

Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

CARSON, Calif. -- A game of word association to quantify David Beckham's five years in Major League Soccer certainly arouses a wide range of responses depending on which part of the Beckham Era is being discussed.

Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy The Home Depot Center - Carson, CA - 8:00pm CT MLS Cup Final

All-time series: Galaxy lead 8-5-4

BROADCAST:

ESPN (ENG TV) Galavision (SPN TV) SportsTalk 790 (ENG Radio) ESPN Deportes 1180 (SPN Radio)

THE MATCHUP:

MLS Cup 2011 will match two of the most successful clubs in Major League Soccer history when the LA Galaxy take on the Houston Dynamo.

STARTERS
I'm getting goosebumps already! MLS Cup is 6 days away.
dN
Bruce Arena of the LA Galaxy has been named the MLS Coach of the Year.
-That was an easy one. No one else was even close.
dN
The New England Revolution has hired Jay "He also played basketball for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke" Heaps as their new head coach.

Omar Gonzalez has had an incredible season. Not only has he helped lead the LA Galaxy to yet another Supporters Shield, but he has also garnered the praise of players, coaches and media alike. For all of 2011 Gonzalez has been a mainstay in a lineup that has had to navigate early Open Cup stages, Champions League and of course league play.

LA has another week or so before they release their protection list. (Getty Images)

This is it the final club in our Expansion Draft protection lists the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy won this year's Supporters' Shield trophy for the best record in the league and now are 90 minutes away from winning another MLS Cup.

By Michael Lewis - NEW YORK, NY (Oct 28, 2011) US Soccer Players -- As his career dwindles own to a precious few games, Los Angeles Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter is savoring every minute and making sure every minute counts on the field. "I'm putting every last drop of energy in and the effort in these last games," Berhalter said.

What was essentially a Galaxy reserves team - seldom used players who saw action Sunday in the meaningless 3-1 loss to Houston included the likes of Dan Keat, Hector Jiminez, Jovan Kirovski, Gregg Berhalter and 16-year-old Jack McBean - rounded out the season with a game that won't linger long in the memories of most observers.

LA Galaxy (19-5-10) vs. Houston Dynamo (12-9-13)
October 23, 2011 -- Robertson Stadium, Houston TX
Attendance: 30,018

Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Adam Moffat 2 (unassisted) 27
HOU -- Bobby Boswell 5 (Adam Moffat 2) 48
HOU -- Carlo Costly 1 (Brad Davis 16) 74
LA -- Jack McBean 1 (Chad Barrett 5, Michael Stephens 1) 88

LA Galaxy -- Donovan Ricketts, Frankie Hejduk (Ryan Thomas 77), Gregg Berhalter (Sean Franklin 46), Dasan Robinson, A.

Houston Dynamo (11-9-13, 46 pts.) vs. LA Galaxy (19-4-10, 67 pts.) Robertson Stadium - Houston, TX - 6:00pm CT

The regular season finale. The final regular season game (potentially last Dynamo game ever) played at Robertson Stadium. A chance to leapfrog the Columbus Crew and the Philadelphia Union and take over 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, bypassing the wildcard round.

BY ADAM SERRANO

CARSON, Calif. --Chad Barrett scored his seventh goal of the season as the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated Chivas USA in the SuperClasico in front of 27,000 at the Home Depot Center.

Barrett broke through in the 53rd minute of play when he headed in a cross from Adam Cristman into an empty net.

Los Angeles Galaxy player/assistant coach Gregg Berhalter is dropping the player part of his title at the end of the season, retiring after 18 years. "This was not an easy decision for me to make but I feel that the timing is right for me to close this chapter of my career and begin to focus on the next stage as I look to continue my career in coaching," Berhalter said in a press statement.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Union

With losses for Chicago and DC on Wednesday night, MLSsoccer.com has released updated playoff standings. In those standings, the Union have yet to clinch a playoff spot. But the Inquirer's Marc Narducci argues that the Union have clinched:

"Major League Soccer has come out with the latest playoff possibilities and doesn't have the Union as clinching just yet.

Good time Gregg: Gregg Berhalter, seen here celebrating a Galaxy goal with David Beckham and Todd Dunivant, has played a major role on and off the field in the Galaxy's exemplary defensive record in recent years; they have conceded fewer goals during his three years with the club than any other MLS franchise (Daily Breeze file photo).

By ADAM SERRANO

One of the more decorated American defenders of all-time is hanging up his boots.

Los Angeles Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter announced his retirement on Wednesday, effective after the end of the 2011 season. Over the course of his 18-year professional career, Berhalter appeared in two World Cups for the United States while playing in professional leagues in England, Germany, Holland and the United States.

Let's hope the Galaxy enjoyed their long 10-day layoff because as you can see by the schedule with one exception from Oct. 5-15 the club will play the rest of the regular season with a game every three or four days.

Getting things started is a rare (rescheduled) Labor Day match (live at 3 p.

BY ADAM SERRANO

It wasn't always easy, but the Los Angeles Galaxy picked up their second victory in the CONCACAF Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Costa Rican side Alajuelense.

Omar Gonzalez gave the Galaxy their first goal in the 38th minute of play before Chad Barrett added the dagger in the 78th minute.

Galaxy 1 Alajuelense 0

Galaxy forward Chad Barrett enters the game in the 74th minute for Adam Cristman; it's the UCLA product's first appearance since July 4.

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Landon Donovan got a 68th minute yellow card for flinging an opponent to the ground.

It's do-or-die for the LA Galaxy. It's win or else.
It may have been that way before but now that the Galaxy picked up Robbie Keane, it's definitely that way now.
Anything less than an MLS Cup victory will be a massive failure, particularly when it looks as if the Galaxy will have home-field advantage all the way through, from the first round of the playoffs to MLS Cup itself as it's at Home Depot Center this year.

It's do-or-die for the LA Galaxy. It's win or else.
It may have been that way before but now that the Galaxy picked up Robbie Keane, it's definitely that way now.
Anything less than an MLS Cup victory will be a massive failure, particularly when it looks as if the Galaxy will have home-field advantage all the way through, from the first round of the playoffs to MLS Cup itself as it's at Home Depot Center this year.

Galaxy 0 Motagua 0

I was told Mike Magee would start in left midfield, but it looks like he's upfront with Cristman, with Landon Donovan tucked in behind the two front runners and playing wide left.

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There's no truth to the rumor that now we're done with player introductions the fans will introduce themselves to each other.

Galaxy 0 Columbus Crew 0

Given too much space, the Crew's Robbie Rogers hit a cracking 35-yard shot in the 23rd minute that Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders initially had trouble holding.

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Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter received a deserved yellow card for a scissors-like tackle on Bernardo Anor in the 16th minute, right in front of the referee.

Euphoria from last night's performance, let alone victory, has yet to disappear. The monkey for the Seattle Sounders is possibly off their back after the 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. In reading through the quotes from last night Landon Donovan sums up the match best;

It was a good atmosphere, it was a good environment.

The Los Angeles Galaxy reserves are on the board.

Rookie Paolo Cardozo set up both Gregg Berhalter and Adam Cristman, and the Galaxy held on for its first MLS Reserve League victory, a 2-1 result over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Monday.

Cristman's goal in the 73rd minute from the top of the penalty area proved to be the game-winner after Whitecaps rookie Omar Salgado sliced the Vancouver deficit in half with a goal in the 77th minute.