The inevitable African Cup of Nations championship matchup between the continent's two
powerhouses has made way for a title game involving an underdog side that is a win away from
capping off a Hollywood-worthy script.
Upstart Zambia shocked favored Ghana, 1-0, to advance to the tournament final and prevent the
Black Stars from seeking redemption for their loss in the 2010 final.
photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com
After uncertainty clouded his future with Toronto FC, Joao Plata is staying right where he
is.
One of MLS's most technically-gifted players, Plata has agreed to re-sign with Toronto FC on a
multi-year deal.
Columbus Crew technical director Brian Bliss can add U.S. Under-20 national team assistant coach
to his resume after becoming the first assistant appointed to Tab Ramos' staff on Wednesday.
Bliss will maintain his duties with the Crew while assuming the added international
responsibilities.
After losing a lot of their offensive firepower by parting ways with leading scorer and
Designated Player Andres Mendoza, the Columbus Crew took a step in finding an attacking solution
by signing Chilean midfielder Milovan Mirosevic on Wednesday.
Columbus had success with a Chilean signing a year ago, finding a stable right back in Sebastian
Miranda.
Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
A day after locking up centerback Chad Marshall for the foreseeable future, the Columbus Crew
may be on the verge of losing a key figure from its attack.
Winger Robbie Rogers is closing in on a deal with Leeds United, according to a report from
England.
The Columbus Crew underwent a successcful rebuilding period in 2011, as they parted ways with
several veterans and brought in a group of new faces that exceeded expectations last season.
One of the few familiar faces to remain was Chad Marshall, and all he did was help anchor the
stingy Crew defense for yet another season.
Lee Nguyen's wait to find out his new club is almost up.
MLS will conduct a weighted lottery for the services on Thursday afternoon, the league
announced.
The teams that have thrown their hat into the ring for the lottery are the Vancouver Whitecaps,
Toronto FC, Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas, Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles Galaxy.
Chivas USA made the biggest move in Monday's short first stage of the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft by
using its fourth overall selection to pick former Real Salt Lake midfielder Arturo Alvarez.
Two other teams made selections, as the New England Revolution used the second overall pick on
former Toronto FC fullback Danleigh Borman, and the Columbus Crew used the ninth overall pick to
add former New York Red Bulls defender Carlos Mendes.
Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Andres Mendoza may have scored 13 goals in his first full season in MLS, but that didn't stop
him from being let go by the Columbus Crew.
At times the subject of controversy due to his behavior, Mendoza was among the players whose
options were declined by Columbus on Tuesday.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
The Jay Heaps coaching era in New England is officially underway.
Heaps was introduced as New England Revolution head coach at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday,
taking over for the ousted Steve Nicol.
Heaps retired from playing for the Revolution in 2009 and was most recently a color analyst for
the team's television broadcasts.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Former U.S. men's national team head coach Bob Bradley made his managerial debut for Egypt on
Monday, and the result was not a good one.
Brazil spoiled Bradley's first game in charge of the Pharoahs, winning 2-0 in a friendly played
in Doha, Qatar.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
By DAVID GUBALA
Former Columbus Crew player David Testo broke a major barrier on Thursday, becoming the first
MLS player, past or present, to publicly announce that he is gay.
In an interview with CBC, Testo said that he regrets not having come out earlier and that the
life of a gay professional soccer player is extremely difficult.
The Colorado Rapids' hopes of defending its MLS title are still alive, and the club can thank
Omar Cummings for that.
Cummings scored his first goal in nearly three months to help lift the Rapids to a 1-0 win over
the Columbus Crew in a wild card playoff match at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Thursday night.
The Colorado Rapids will take their first step toward trying to repeat as MLS Cup champions when
they face the Columbus Crew in the second of two MLS Wild Card games this week (10pm, Direct
Kick).
The Rapids will look to take advantage of the home-field edge provided at Dick's Sporting Goods
Park against a Columbus side that will be looking for some revenge after being eliminated from the
2010 playoffs by the Rapids.
The Colorado Rapids will take their first step toward trying to repeat as MLS Cup champions when
they face the Columbus Crew in the second of two MLS Wild Card games this week (10pm, Direct
Kick).
The Rapids will look to take advantage of the home-field edge provided at Dick's Sporting Goods
Park against a Columbus side that will be looking for some revenge after being eliminated from the
2010 playoffs by the Rapids.
By AVI CREDITOR
The Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew have taken different roads to get to this point, but
ultimately they're right back where they were a year ago.
Colorado eliminated Columbus in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season en route to
capturing its first MLS Cup.
The first two games of the MLS postseason are set for Wednesday and Thursday night, with the new
wild card format meaning that for two teams it's win and advance, and for two others it's lose and
go home.
New York and Dallas open the MLS playoffs Wednesday night at Pizza Hut Park in a meeting of two
teams that had serious title aspirations entering the season.
By DAVE GUBALA
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.-- When the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew squared off on Saturday night it was
the Crew that had everything to play for and the Fire just playing out the string. You wouldn't
have known it based on how both teams came out though, as the Fire completed a strong finish to the
2011 season with another victory while the Crew stumbled their way into the post-season.
Photo by Don Feria/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Well, the New York Red Bulls sure took the drama out of this weekend.
With New York's 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union on Thursday, the 10th and final ticket to
the postseason was booked, and the Portland Timbers and Chicago Fire were eliminated from playoff
contention.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
All eyes will be on Harrison, N.J., tonight for the New York Red Bulls' critical meeting with
the Philadelphia Union.
A Red Bulls win or draw will clinch the final playoff berth for New York and eliminate the
Portland Timbers and Chicago Fire.
Photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
The MLS playoff race sure is heating up.
With just a handful of matches remaining, nine teams are still competing for six available
postseason berths. A slate of influential weekend fixtures kicks off Friday with a critical clash
in the wild-card race between the Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers.
Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Much has been made in recent weeks of the games in hand at D.C. United's disposal. But as the
club has learned, those extra matches aren't particularly helpful if you lose them.
In what coach Ben Olsen called an "unacceptable performance," United fell 2-1 Wednesday at the
Vancouver Whitecaps, dropping crucial points against the league's worst team.
Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
If you had spoken with D.C. United coach Ben Olsen this past offseason and told him centerback
Ethan White, a 20-year-old Homegrown Player, would start 19 matches his rookie year, he "probably
wouldn't have believed you.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Another opportunity for D.C. United to make up ground in the playoff race. Another loss.
Thee days after dropping a decision to the Philadelphia Union, D.C. United lost again, falling
2-1 to the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium on Saturday.
The decisive goal came in the second half on a beautiful diving header from Eddie Gaven, who
made his return for the Crew after being injured for nearly two months.
Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Saturday's showdown between the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas may be a rematch of last year's
MLS Cup, but neither team has looked anything like a title contender lately.
Dallas is 0-6-1 in its past seven matches in all competitions, while Colorado has gone 0-5-1 in
six games.
By THOMAS FLOYD
The last time D.C. United recorded back-to-back league wins, Tom Soehn was the coach, Josh Wicks
was in goal, and the attack was led by Ben Olsen, Christian Gomez, Luciano Emilio and Jaime
Moreno.
That was June 2009. Needless to say, a lot has changed for United and now-coach Olsen in the
past 27 months, but the lack of any sort of winning streak has continued.
By GARRETT DAVEY
The first time Sporting Kansas City walked off the field after a match at Livestrong Sporting
Park, back on June 9th, the club was mired in a ten-match winless streak and buried in last place
in the Eastern Conference.
On Tuesday night, with those rough early days firmly in the rearview mirror, Sporting KC
completed a 15-week climb up the standings, into sole possession of first place.
It's a big night for Major League Soccer teams both domestically and regionally. The Los Angeles
Galaxy and Colorado Rapids fighting for their CONCACAF Champions League lives, while FC Dallas
looks to take a giant step further toward advancing to the knockout stage.
In league play, Sporting Kansas City and Columbus meet in a crucial Eastern Conference battle,
while Real Salt Lake is expected to welcome playmaker Javier Morales back to the field at some
point during its match against the Chicago Fire.
Photo by Wendy Larsen/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
While the Texas derby between FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo is an intense affair in its own
right, the playoff implications surrounding Saturday's showdown have added a little more spice to
the rivalry.
When Sporting Kansas City and the Philadelphia Union square off at Livestrong Sporting Park
Friday night (8:30 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel), first place in the Eastern Conference will be up for
grabs. If the teams don't play to a draw, the winner will move into the conference's top spot.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Good luck trying to figure out the New York Red Bulls' problems.
With a full-strength starting 11 that featured two players who are each paid well more than Real
Salt Lake's entire roster combined, the Red Bulls were outclassed by their visitors from Utah on
Wednesday night, conceding three goals in the first 21 minutes before falling 3-1.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
This year's race for the MLS Golden Boot is congested, unclear and littered with a few surprise
candidates. With about a month remaining in the 2011 MLS season, there's no better time to break
down the prime contenders and see who will emerge from the pack with the most goals.
By JOEY SAMUEL
CHESTER, Pa.-- Sebastien Le Toux continued his recent hot streak with a goal, propelling the
Philadelphia Union to a 1-0 victory against the Eastern Conference leading Columbus Crew. The win
was the first in nine games for Philadelphia, which picked up valuable points in the tight MLS
playoff race.
Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Playoff seeding in both conferences could see a shake-up Saturday when Real Salt Lake and
Sporting Kansas City meet at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Thanks to a win over Houston last weekend, Kansas City currently sits one point behind Columbus
for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
For a D.C. United team that is an intriguing darkhorse contender in the wide-open Eastern
Conference, Saturday's match at the Seattle Sounders could be a telling barometer of where the club
stands.
By JOSE M. ROMERO
The Houston Dynamo was in the driver's seat at halftime, leading 1-0 over the Columbus Crew with
a man advantage after Emmanuel Ekpo was sent off for popping the Dynamo's Adam Moffat in the face
with a high elbow in the 11th minute.
The Dynamo, leading at halftime after Je-Vaughn Watson's impressive header off a service from
Jermaine Taylor in the 34th minute -- over big defender Chad Marshall, no less -- was 45 minutes
from picking up three big road points and strengthening their position in the chase for an MLS
playoff wild card spot.
By DAVE GUBALA
Toronto FC defeated the Columbus Crew for the very first time in franchise history in a six-goal
thriller and were able to lift the Trillum Cup on Saturday night at Crew Stadium.
It was a back and forth game from the very start.
Tommy Heinemann reduced Toronto's lead to one in the 67th minute but the Crew were unable to
respond as Julian de Guzman netted a third goal in the 87th minute.
Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
After a Labor Day weekend dominated by international fixtures and a schedule watered down by
Hurricane Irene the week before, MLS is finally back in full swing this weekend with a packed
slate of matches.
