With less than 20 hours before kickoff in Montevideo, Costa Rica and Uruguay are just about out of time to make modifications ahead of the decisive second leg. René Simões will be back on the touchline after his suspension in the first leg on Saturday and is looking for "fresh legs" for tomorrow's match. Click to continue reading...

Major League Soccer announced its Best XI on Monday, with no real surprises among the selections.

MVP finalists Landon Donovan, Shalrie Joseph and Jeff Cunningham headed the group, while MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton also got the nod.

Here is the MLS Best XI

GOALKEEPER- Zach Thornton

DEFENDERS- Chad Marshall, Wilman Conde, Geoff Cameron

MIDFIELDERS- Landon Donovan, Shalrie Joseph, Stuart Holden, Freddie Ljungberg, Dwayne DeRosario

FORWARDS- Jeff Cunningham, Conor Casey

What's our take?

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer announced its Best XI on Monday, with no real surprises among the selections.

MVP finalists Landon Donovan, Shalrie Joseph and Jeff Cunningham headed the group, while MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton also got the nod.

Click to continue reading...

Today Major League Soccer has announced it's Best XI for the 2009 season.

Keeper: Zach Thornton

Defenders (3): Chad Marshall, Wilman Conde, and Geoff Cameron

Midfielders (5): Dwayne De Rosario, Landon Donovan, Stuart Holden, Shalrie Joseph, and Freddie Ljungberg

Forwards (2): Conor Casey and Jeff Cunningham

Some shockers may jump out at your like Seattle's Ljungberg.

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Un gol del salvadoreño Arturo Álvarez, jugador del San Jose Earthquakes, puede valerle un premio. Se lo hizo el 3 de julio al Real Saltk Lake y está nominado como uno de los mejores del año. En total son 32 goles, uno por cada semana. El de Arturo corresponde a la semana 11.Otros nominados son Claudio "Piojo" López (Kansas City), Freddy Montero (Seattle), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy) y Jeff Click to continue reading...

I know we had one yesterday, but so much has been going on that we have another. And I meant to have it up sooner, so a few of these may be old news to some...#1 - The National Soccer Hall of Fame has unveiled this year's list of nominees, which includes the two gentleman pictured at left.#2 - Yesterday, MLS tabbed Seattle forward Fredy Montero as Newcomer of the Year and Chivas USA keeper Zach Click to continue reading...

First off, congrats to Sounders FC forward Fredy Montero on being named MLS Newcomer of the Year. I'm note sure he wasn't the second-best newcomer on his own team, but it's a nice honor for the kid (who has definitely had an up-and-down year).
Also, Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton pulled in his second award in being named MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Click to continue reading...

The Conference Championships are now� upon us, and I must say: "Could we have asked for anything more?" After all, these two games have more storylines than a Tarantino film (and they could end up being as violent).� But, before� I further� tease this week's monumental matchups, I want to� first take a look back at last week's amazing� results.

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Add another award for Zach Thornton on the season. Today the league named Thornton it's Comeback Player of the Year. At the same time the league also announced Fredy Montero as the Newcomer of the Year.

Montero was one of the league leaders in goals scored this year. His 12 goals on the season blew away any other newcomer in that category.

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Seattle Sounders forward Fredy Montero won the Newcomer of the Year award and Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton won the Comeback Player of the Year Major League Soccer announced on Monday. Thornton also won the Goalkeeper of the Year award. MLS Newcomer of the Year Winners 2009: Fredy Montero – Seattle Sounders FC 2008: Darren Huckerby – San Jose Earthquakes 2007: Luciano Emilio – DC United MLS Comeback Player of the Year Winners 2009: Zach. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

In one of the easier results to see coming, Seattle Sounders striker Fredy Montero was named MLS Newcomer of the Year. He beat out Sounders teammates Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg for the honor.

Montero scored 12 goals and added seven assists in helping lead the Sounders to the playoffs.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

In one of the easier results to see coming, Seattle Sounders striker Fredy Montero was named MLS Newcomer of the Year. He beat out Sounders teammates Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg for the honor.

Montero scored 12 goals and added seven assists in helping lead the Sounders to the playoffs.

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In my opinion, the two best teams in MLS already faced eachother during these playoffs. Forget the finals, the best matchup is/was Houston vs. Seattle.

What more can you say about Seattle and their fans? They are the pinnacle example of what every team strives for. Sure, there might be some exceptions, like a few over-zealous Sounders fans that chose to sing through the moment of silence for the Fort Hood tragedy.

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Pat Onstad deserves a medal. Keeping two own goals out. The second one was a sequence of goal line saves in the 42nd minute as Freddie Ljungberg's free kick was helped along by Ricardo Clark with Onstad backpedaling to parry it out before it crossed the goal line and then falling down to bat the ball away from Fredy Montero's opportunistic foot.

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The Houston Dynamo will look to take a step closer to a third MLS Cup title in four years today when it hosts the Sounders in Game Two of their Western Conference first-round series (3pm, Telefutura).

The Dynamo held off Seattle's dangerous attack in Game One, posting a scoreless draw in a sold-out Qwest field.

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Sunday's MLS playoff match-ups have potential. Not that they're locks to be the best MLS games of all time. There's plenty to pick and choose from, however, and it's certainly worth diving into ahead of time, as six teams will be reduced to three. Let's dive in.

Seattle Sounders at Houston Dynamo (0-0)

The entertaining first leg bodes well for the second.

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Major League Soccer is growing and improving but outsiders often criticise the league for having a lack of quality. It is a relatively fast football played in the US, with plenty of big, athletic players of the kind which is becoming so important in so many footballing countries across the world.

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There is nothing like diving. An art hated by many, appreciated by some, it's a part of football whether we like it or not. So until it's eradicated from the game, I am providing fans a new wave of classifying a dive. A fool proof system to help you identify the severity of the transgression committed when our favorite footballers decide to cheat. Click to continue reading...

I finally got to this. There shouldn't be any surprises, but the depth chart is obviously switched right now. Forward: Montero, Ljungberg, Jaqua, Levesque, Le Toux Left Wing: Zakuani, Ljungberg, Levesque, Le Toux Right Wing: Jaqua, Ljungberg, Levesque, Le Toux Center Mid: Evans, Vagenas, Alonso Defensive Mid: Alonso, Vagenas, Ianni Left Wingback: Gonzalez, Scott, Wahl Right Wingback: Riley, Evans, Ianni Centerbacks: Hurtado, [. Click to continue reading...

I finally got to this. There shouldn't be any surprises, but the depth chart is obviously switched right now.

Forward: Montero, Ljungberg, Jaqua, Levesque, Le Toux
Left Wing: Zakuani, Ljungberg, Levesque, Le Toux
Right Wing: Jaqua, Ljungberg, Levesque, Le Toux
Center Mid: Evans, Vagenas, Alonso
Defensive Mid: Alonso, Vagenas, Ianni
Left Wingback: Gonzalez, Scott, Wahl
Right Wingback: Riley, Evans, Ianni
Centerbacks: Hurtado, Marshall, Ianni, Wahl

Rotationals are the following four in order of likely appearance: Levesque, Vagenas, Le Toux and Ianni

The coaches likely see the team as 15 deep at this time.

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Fredy Montero hopes for better success in front of goal in Houston

The Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo played a highly contentious match on Thursday evening to a 0-0 draw. A capacity crowd of 35,807 at Quest field in Seattle saw a match that contained 6 yellow cards (3 for each side) and countless missed opportunities on both sides.

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So OK, let's get this one out of the way up front:
Does Onstad throw his shoulder at Montero? Obviously yes.
Does Montero drop to the ground like he just took a .50 cal round to the head? Obviously yes.
Does Onstand then do the "I'm checking to see if my face is bleeding" act like he's Chuck Wepner or something? Click to continue reading...

photo courtesy Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com

What was Pat Onstad thinking? How could he lose his cool so suddenly in the most important game in the Dynamo's season? A dangerous cross came through the penalty area, just out of his reach, and continued over the byline. Sure, replays show Fredy Montero obstructing the goalkeeper, but not in any way dangerously.

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Houston and Seattle played a classic match last night on national television. The unsporting Freddy Montero was unable to hand the physical pounding Dom Kinnear and the Houston defenders had in store for the much hyped, but little regarded (at least in Colombia) forward. Montero's solution: whine and go to ground easily.

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Well, more suffering for fans at Qwest. It's beyond a cliché to say that MLS referring is subpar, but there were two hugely controversial calls that will soon be reverberating over the interwebs. First is Onstad getting off with just a yellow. It's hard to see how that's not a red, and the Montero yellow is also mystifying.

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So let's start the discussion. Here are some of my initial thoughts from tonight:
1. The Onstad Bump: After the game, Alexi Lalas showed the smarts that made him the GM he was when he said that Onstad should have gotten a red card for that contact. "99 times out of 100, that's a straight red," ranted his Gingerness. Click to continue reading...

The Major League Soccer playoffs began on Thursday, October 29, 2009 with the Seattle Sounders FC hosting the Houston Dynamo. It was a sold-out and very loud crowd of 36,000 at Qwest Field in Seattle for the match. Here's a full recap of the match along with video highlights.

Seattle Sounders FC draw with the Houston Dynamo 0-0 Video Highlights (will be added later)

1st Half

Houston had the first great chance of the match as Stuart Holden sent a corner into the box and Andrew Hainault headed the ball just wide of goal.

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Seattle Sounders midfielder Freddy Llungberg is Major League Soccer's Player of the Month for October. He had four assists as the expansion Sounders qualified for the MLS playoffs. Llungberg was the Player of the Week for Week 31. 2009 MLS Player of the Month Awards March: Fredy Montero – Seattle Sounders FC April: Brian McBride – Chicago Fire May: Conor Casey – Colorado Rapids June: Guillermo Barros Schelotto – Columbus Crew July: Landon Donovan –. Click to continue reading...

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

With apologies to the LA SuperClasico series, there is perhaps no MLS playoff series this year more intriguing and more tough to call than the Houston Dynamo-Seattle Sounders series.

The two-time MLS Cup champion Dynamo take on the expansion Sounders in a young rivalry that showed plenty of promise during the season.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

With apologies to the LA SuperClasico series, there is perhaps no MLS playoff series this year more intriguing and more tough to call than the Houston Dynamo-Seattle Sounders series.

The two-time MLS Cup champion Dynamo take on the expansion Sounders in a young rivalry that showed plenty of promise during the season.

Click to continue reading...

The list of things to do in the nation's capital grew even longer today, as D.C. United keeper Josh Wicks underwent successful surgery to repair his dislocated shoulder that ended his 2009 campaign. Wicks injured his shoulder in a nasty fall during United's 2-1 loss to San Jose on September 27.

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The list of things to do in the nation's capital grew even longer today, as D.C. United keeper Josh Wicks underwent successful surgery to repair his dislocated shoulder that ended his 2009 campaign. Wicks injured his shoulder in a nasty fall during United's 2-1 loss to San Jose on September 27.

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Fredy Montero leads the charge for the expansion Sounders. (Getty Images)

The playoffs are finally here and tonight they kickoff with a bang up in the Pacific Northwest as the Houston Dynamo travel to Qwest Field to face the Seattle Sounders FC in a big first leg western conference semi-final series.

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After a second half of the season that was a tad weird to say the least, Dynamo get a chance to put on their Tri-umph faces and Lay It on the Line for that third title.
I think this video above truly expresses my feeling about Seattle tonight. And while the truth is I have never once flipped the toggle on an XBox, or done a 360 on top of one, I know for a fact that an Orange Ring of Death exists on those consoles, and that's what I am expecting to see over these two legs, starting tonight. Click to continue reading...

Real salt Lake forward Robbie Findley won Major League Soccer's Player of the Week award for week 32, the final week of the 2009 regular season. Findley had two of Salt Lake's three goals in their 3-0 win over Colorado. That result put RSL into the playoffs. 2009 MLS Player of the Week Winners WEEK 1: Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders FC) WEEK 2: Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC) WEEK 3: Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids) WEEK. Click to continue reading...