To highlight the sheer volume of players missing from action this weekend due to international call-ups, here's a complete list of absences by game:

Chivas USA @ Toronto FC - 1 p.m. ET
TFC - Greg Sutton (Canada)
TFC - Jim Brennan (Canada)
TFC - Marvell Wynne (USA)
TFC - Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala)
TFC - Amado Guevara (Honduras)
TFC - Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica)
TFC - Julius James (Trinidad & Tobago)
TFC - Jarrod Smith (New Zealand)
TFC - Carl Robinson (Wales)
CHV - Sacha Kljestan (USA)
CHV - Shavar Thomas (Jamaica)

New England @ Columbus Crew - 7:30 p. Click to continue reading...

Okay, I'm here at Home Depot Center for the Chivas USA-Tauro FC match and I feel like I'm in an empty stadium. Well, actually, it pretty much is an empty stadium. With classes back in session at Cal State Dominguez Hills, the attendance has been capped at 2,000.

As a colleague told me, some prestigious tournament. Click to continue reading...

This is more dinner party than soccer game. There's so few people here, you get the feeling people should introduce themselves to each other.

Attendance tonight has been capped at all of 2,000 - not that there are dozens, yet alone hundreds clamoring to get in, you understand. (The reason: something about lots of parking complaints at the sold-out Galaxy-Pachuca SuperLiga final).

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Chivas USA will host a critical match against Tauro FC tonight. Chivas USA needs to win by two goals in order to have any hopes of advancing to the CONCACAF Champions League.

Here is audio of my post-game chat with Jonathan Bornstein about the game.

Acutally, it's a bit more complicated than just winning by two. Click to continue reading...

First off, the Galaxy has just drawn 2-2 with the New England Revolution, Landon Donovan getting both goals.

Sean Franklin and Troy Roberts started in the center of defense with Eddie Lewis on the left wing, by the way.

More on that game later, but for now....

Chivas USA has Zach Thornton in goal as usual, Lawson Vaughn is at right back, Jonathan Bornstein on the left and Bobby Burling and Jim Curtin in the middle.

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I mentioned yesterday that it wouldn't take long before we hear Sacha Kljestan's name being mentioned by several European clubs for a transfer move. Today we get a report that Dutch club FC Twente is interested in the Chivas USA midfielder. He could join former England boss Steve McClaren at Twente if they can make an [. Click to continue reading...

According to Soccer by Ives, and confirmed by various sources, Dutch side FC Twente is considering making an offer to MLS for Chivas USA and United States national team midfielder Sacha Kljestan. Kljestan's play during the Olympic games opened the eyes of many european scouts. Click to continue reading...

20 lucky folk were selected for World Cup qualifying beatdowns of Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago.

Enjoy:

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan, Tim Howard.

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra, Danny Califf, Steve Cherundolo, Frankie Hejduk, Oguchi Onyewu, Michael Orozco, Heath Pearce, Marvell Wynne.

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United States Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has unveiled the 20-man roster he has called upon to lead into battle in a pair of upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. Among them are seven players from Major League Soccer, as well as two others who recently completed moves overseas.

The United States will take on Cuba on September 6th in Havana and then host Trinidad & Tobago four days later from Toyota Park in Chicago. Click to continue reading...

GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan. DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce, Frankie Hejduk, Danny Califf, Steve Cherundolo, Michael Orozco, Marvell Wynne. MIDFIELDERS: DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu, Eddie Lewis, Sacha Kljestan. FORWARDS: Brian Ching, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson. Click to continue reading...

Gareth Maher over at Setanta sports' website listed XI MLS players capable of playing in the English Premier League. The usual suspects for this type of list (Michael Parkhust, Sacha Kljestan, Taylor Twellman) were there, but listed 3rd and featured in the photo at the top were our own left back/ right mid Michael Harrington. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

With three points in the bag after last week's 1-0 road win against Guatemala, the U.S. men's national team heads into the next set of World Cup qualifiers knowing that two wins could all but lock up advancement into the Hexagonal round.

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In the 21st week of the MLS season, there were some several outstanding performances this week but unfortunately the week was one in which many star players were missing due to international duty, something that could easily have been prevented.

G: Louis Crayton
D: Jimmy Conrad
D: Chad Marshall
D: Richard Mulrooney
M: Andre Rocha
M: John Thorrington
M: Guillermo Barros Schelotto
M: Mike Magee
F: Luciano Emilio
F: Kei Kamara
F: Taylor Twellman

Coach: Juan Carlos Osorio somehow is turning around a New York team that had seemingly been left in the rear-view mirror by the Eastern frontrunners. Click to continue reading...

No goals in a rather uneventful first half that saw few clear-cut chances for either team.

Wide open Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan had the best opportunity, receiving a nice lay-off from Ante Razov, but shooting straight at goalkeeper Joe Cannon from about 12 yards with the net yawning before him.

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Chivas USA versus the new and improved Quakes in a major clash for points for two playoff desperate teams.

I ran into Sacha Kljestan's dad, Slavko, in the elevator. He looked at the Free Kick magazine, where his son is the coverboy and said, "Who is that guy?" The younger guy with him (a friend of Sacha? Click to continue reading...

United States Men's National Team coach Bob Bradley has unveiled his 18-man roster for the upcoming World Cup qualifying group game against Guatemala, which will take place in Guatemala City this coming Wednesday, August 20th. The game can be seen on ESPN2 and Galavision starting at 10 p.m. ET.
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton FC)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock)

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers)

Forwards: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC) Click to continue reading...

Everyone out there is upset that Kenny Cooper wasn't called up. Considering he's scored like 82 goals a game for FC Dallas this season, I'm upset too.

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England).

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, France), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege, Belgium), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany)

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Maurice Edu (Toronto), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Derby County, England), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado)

Forwards: Brian Ching (Houston), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Eddie Johnson (Fulham, England)

Young midfielders rule. Click to continue reading...

The Superclasico has taken on secondary importance tonight with word that Galaxy owner Anschutz Entertainment Group wants Bruce Arena as the team's next coach.

AEG President Leiweke said as much to journalists in the press box after also appearing on ESPN2 during the first half of the game.

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GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard (Everton FC), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) DEFENDERS: Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock) MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), DaMarcus Beasley [. Click to continue reading...

Here it is. Initially, don't see any big surprises. Of the Olympians, Bob Bradley chose to bring four along - Brad Guzan, Maurice Edu, Sacha Kljestan and Michael Bradley.

Also, it's not a surprise but still disappointed to see Brian Ching selected over Kenny Cooper. Knowing Bradley, he'd probably like to get Cooper in a friendly or two before calling him for a qualifier so I suppose that's why I'm not surprised. Click to continue reading...

Obviously, US men's national team coach Bob Bradley is not a frequent reader of this publication. If said 'gaffer' did was would well know that calling in Kenny Cooper to his squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers was of paramount importance and that his persistent insistence on leaving the streaking striker out of the selection was tantamount to treason. Click to continue reading...

Unless something drastic changes, there is quite a bit of talent and experience that will be absent for Chivas USA against the Galaxy on Thursday.

Now, that doesn't mean that the club will field a reserve team or anything but there are concerns over certain aspects of Chivas USA's potential lineup. Click to continue reading...

Memo to the Galaxy: U.S. Men's Olympic Coach Peter Nowak is now available.

The U.S. played with 10 men for 87 minutes, saw Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan score an 88th minute penalty and Benny Feilhaber hit the post in second half stoppage time, but it wasn't enough as Nigeria beat the U.

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Jozy Altidore meets the Nigerians

A big day in US soccer as the men's national team take on the Nigerians, the 1996 Olympic winners. A win or a draw should see them through the quarterfinals. They had a golden opportunity to seal the deal against the Netherlands but were undone by a 93rd minute equalizer by Gerald Sibon.

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Sacha Kljestan (and his magnificent hair) showing mastery of Lesson 2.

There are only five lessons at the Marcelo Balboa Camp for Hair and Soccer:

1. Rinse, Lather, Repeat and always use conditioner before big games.
2. If you're in the wall, JUMP fool!

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