LAUDERHILL, Fla. The final day of the MLS Combine takes place today as MLS coaches and scouts from across the league take their final notes and make their final decisions on the players vying for one of the 38 places in the 2013 MLS Draft on Thursday.
It is a cold (by Florida standards) and cloudy morning at the Combine, meaning easier conditions for the players here to navigate as they try to make some lasting impressions in the third set of games.
The jockeying for playoff positions in the Eastern and Western Conferences will be in full force
tonight as all seven matches on the MLS schedule are between conference rivals.
First place in the West is on the line tonight when Real Salt Lake takes on San Jose. RSL is
still smarting from a disappointing mid-week loss to the LA Galaxy, while the Earthquakes will be
riding the momentum of a comeback victory against Colorado on Wednesday.
The U.S. men's national team will attempt to take a big step toward the final round of CONCACAF
World Cup qualifying when it faces Jamaica in the fourth match of the six-game semifinal round (8
p.m., beIN Sport). To get three points, though, the Americans will have to do something they have
never done in their history: Win a World Cup qualifier on Jamaican soil (0-0-4 all-time).
Real Salt Lake has made the trip to Pennsylvania for tonight's visit to PPL Park, where they
will take on a Philadelphia Union side still holding on to faint hopes of a playoff run (7:30pm,
NBC Sports).
RSL got the week off to a good start, posting a 2-0 CONCACAF Champions League victory against
Tauro FC.
The U.S. Men's National Team takes on arch-rival Mexico tonight at Estadio Azteca, and the U.S.
will be looking to become the first Americans to beat 'El Tri' on Mexican soil when the square off
in a rare friendly in Mexico City (8pm, ESPN2).
The Americans will be trying to snap a four-match winless streak against Mexico, a streak that
began with a 2-1 loss at Azteca in 2009 during World Cup qualifying.
The U.S. Women's National Team will be looking to win their third straight Olympic gold medal
today, while also exacting a measure of revenge, when they face Japan in the 2012 Olympic Final at
Wembley Stadium (2:45pm, NBC Sports).
The Americans enter today's final undefeated in five matches, having survived a thrilling 4-3
extra-time victory against Canada in the semifinals.
The Seattle Sounders will be trying to make history while Sporting Kansas City will be trying to
deliver a trophy to their fans as the two MLS powers square off in tonight's U.S. Open Cup Final
(GolTV, 9:30pm).
The Sounders will attempt to become the first team in history to win four Open Cup titles in the
tournament's 99-year history, but they will have to do so on the road at LiveStrong Sporting Park,
where Sporting KC will be trying to win the organization's first title since the 2004 U.
The U.S. Women's National Team is one step away from a Gold Medal game against Japan in a
rematch of last year's World Cup Final, but to get to that game the Americans will have to beat a
familiar foe in Canada (2:45pm, NBC Sports).
The Americans are a perfect 4-0 in Olympic play, having posted three straight shutouts.
The U.S. women's national team's quest to get back to the Olympic gold medal game for the fifth
straight time continues in at St. James' Park in Newcastle, England, as the Americans take on New
Zealand in a quarterfinal knockout game (9:30 a.m., NBC Sports Network, NBCOlympics.
Major League Soccer's quest to have a team win the CONCACAF Champions League title resumes
tonight in Costa Rica, where Real Salt Lake will take on Herediano in their first match of the
group stage (10pm, FOX Soccer Channel).
RSL has traveled to Heredia, where they will be hoping Costa Rican striker Alvaro Saborio can
lead a veteran squad in a match made all the more vital by the smaller groups in the tournament
group stage.
Tim Cahill will make his New York Red Bulls debut at Red Bull Arena Tuesday night, as the Red Bulls
host Tottenham in the Barclays New York Cup (7 p.m., ESPN2/ESPN3.com).
Cahill, who is in the starting XI, will look to replicate Thierry Henry's feat of scoring
against Tottenham in his Red Bulls debut, something he did two summers ago.
The New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union renew their I-95 rivalry today at Red Bull Arena
(2:30pm, ESPN2).
The Red Bulls are riding high off a big mid-week victory against the Chicago Fire, and they take
on an improving Union side that has won four of five matches under interim head coach John
Hackworth.
The U.S. Open Cup semifinal round takes place tonight, with four teams vying for a spot in the
finals and a chance to play for the title and a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.
In the opening Open Cup match of the night, Sporting Kansas City aims to avenge a 4-0 drubbing
at the hands of the Philadelphia Union just a few weeks ago when they take the field at PPL
Park.
The U.S. Open Cup final four will be determined tonight, with four quarterfinal games taking
place across the country.
In Philadelphia, the Union will look to continue building momentum under interim manager John
Hackworth against affiliate and upstart USL Pro club Harrisburg City Islanders.
The New York Red Bulls will put their unbeaten home record on the line tonight as they take on
arch-rival D.C. United at Red Bull Arena in a match that could see them catch D.C. for first place
in the East.
D.C. United is leading the Eastern Conference on the strength of a four-match winning streak,
but their 1-0 victory against Philadelphia showed a team that may have had some rust coming off the
long MLS break.
The must highly-anticipated match of the Euro 2012 quarterfinals is here, as England and Italy
square off in a match that should be the most exciting of the round (2:45pm, ESPN).
England comes in having finished in first place in Group D, rattling off a 2-0-1 record in the
group.
The Philadelphia Union begin life after Peter Nowak tonight as they take on arch-rival D.C.
United in their first match under interim head coach John Hackworth.
The Union parted ways with Nowak on Wednesday, saying goodbye to the only head coach they ever
had. Now the task is up to Hackworth to turn around a disappointing start to the season by molding
a young squad into the winning team expected when the season began.
The U.S. Men's National Team can take control of their World Cup Qualifying group tonight with a
win in the hostile environment in Guatemala City as the Americans take on Guatemala at Estadio
Nacional Mateo Flores.
The Americans come in off a 3-1 qualifying win against Antigua & Barbuda, a sloppy victory, but
a win that put the team closer to qualification.
The U.S. Men's National Team takes on Canada tonight in a match-up of CONCACAF rivals preparing
to begin World Cup qualifying later this week.
The Americans have dominated this series, having most recently posted a 2-0 victory over Canada
in last year's Gold Cup. The Canadians will be looking for their first victory against the USA
since 1985, and should provide a tough test at BMO Field in Toronto.
The U.S. men's national team takes on five-time World Cup champion Brazil tonight at FedEx Field
(8pm, ESPN2). The match will serve as the U.S. team's toughest test ahead of the upcoming World Cup
qualifiers against Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala.
The Americans are riding a four-match unbeaten streak, and just posted a resounding a 5-1
thrashing of Scotland on Saturday.
The U.S. Men's national team kicks off a series of five matches in three weeks with a friendly
against Scotland in Jacksonville, Florida tonight (8pm, NBC Sports Network).
The match is the start of a busy run that will culminate with the Americans opening qualifying
for the 2012 World Cup with matches against Antigua & Barbuda and Guatemala.
The Philadelphia Union take on the New York Red Bulls today in a key Eastern Conference showdown at
PPL Park (12:30pm, ESPN2).
The Red Bulls are riding a three-match winning streak, with three straight shutouts, and will
look to stifle a Union offense that has struggled to score goals all season.
The New York Red Bulls look to make it three wins in a row, but to do so they'll have to get by a
Houston Dynamo side finally at the end of its seven-game road trip to open the season (7 p.m., MLS
Live/Direct Kick).
The Red Bulls are again without Rafa Marquez, who has completed his three-game suspension but is
out with an ankle injury suffered in training, according to the Red Bulls.
The Los Angeles Galaxy will look to get their season rolling tonight against an injury-ravaged New
York Red Bulls squad (8pm, ESPN2).
The Red Bulls come into the match missing three starting defenders, as well as star striker Rafa
Marquez and midfielder Rafa Marquez. They take on a Galaxy side featuring all their top stars,
including Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Keane.
The biggest game of the year in the English Premier League kicks off this afternoon with
first-place Manchester United taking on arch-rival Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium (3pm,
ESPN).
United enters the match with a three-point lead over City, but the Citizens can jump into first
place with a victory.
The Philadelphia Union will look to keep their three-match shutout streak rolling against one of
the hottest teams in MLS as the West-leading San Jose Earthquakes visit PPL Park tonight.
The Union defense has helped the team turn around a slow start to the season and consecutive 1-0
victories have Philadelphia feeling good heading into tonight's showdown against a San Jose side
riding their own unbeaten streak.
Eastern Conference rivals New York and New England face off today at Red Bull Arena in a
match-up of teams trying to break out of recent slumps (3:30pm, NBC Sports).
The Red Bulls come in off an embarrassing 4-1 loss to D.C. United while New England comes in off
a bye week after dropping their own 2-1 decision to D.
Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls face off tonight at RFK Stadium,
with second place in the East on the line in this battle of arch-rivals.
The Red Bulls come in unbeaten in four matches, and boast MLS goal-scoring leaders Thierry Henry
and Kenny Cooper.
It is a busier Wednesday night than usual for American soccer fans, what with two MLS matches and
the CONCACAF Champions League Final on tap featuring American striker Herculez Gomez.
D.C. United plays host to the Montreal Impact (7:30pm, Direct Kick) while red-hot Sporting
Kansas City puts their perfect record on the line in Vancouver tonight against the Whitecaps (10pm,
Direct Kick).
D.C. United and the Seattle Sounders head into tonight's showdown at RFK Stadium coming off of
very different results, and it's Seattle that will be hoping not to repeat last week's
disappointment.
The Sounders come in off a 1-0 home loss to San Jose, while D.C. United come in riding high from
a 4-1 thrashing of FC Dallas.
Sporting Kansas City has started the season in perfect fashion, winning every match they've
played, but today will offer a different kind of test as they take on the LA Galaxy at Livestrong
Sporting Park (4pm, NBC Sports).
SBI will be providing live commentary on today's match, so please feel free to follow along
here.
UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea take on the MLS All-Stars tonight at the 2012 MLS All-Star
Game (8:30pm, ESPN2).
The MLS All-Stars will be trotting out a star-studded lineup featuring Thierry Henry, David
Beckham and Landon Donovan, while Chelsea's starting lineup for the match will feature standouts
such as Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry.
The U.S. men's national team takes on five-time World Cup champion Brazil tonight at FedEx Field
as a major tune-up for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala.
The match comes on the heels of a 5-1 victory over Scotland on Saturday, but the level of
competition will be taken to another level given the Brazilians' talent-laden roster.
Commentary is something that I think and talk about a lot. I host the EPL Talk podcast and whilst
that isn't live commentary, it does make you think about what you're going to comment on: goals,
incidents, opinions. There are ...
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