AC Milan Stumble Once More at Parma

Milan manager Massimo Allegri after his side gave up the equalizer (Getty Images)

If you like your football played in driving rain and puddles on your pitches, this was the match for you.  Parma hosted AC Milan in nearly monsoon like conditions yesterday in Serie A action.  The struggling giants were the first get on the board in the second half, but a defensive lapse gave the home side the chance they needed to salvage a needed point.

The conditions really were deplorable as the two sides kicked off and struggled to find their legs in the early minutes.  Neither side seemed like they were going to create a lot of clear cut chances, but the first of the match fell to Milan on 14 minutes as Kevin Prince Boateng sent in a low shot along the soaking surface.  It was a little tricky, but Parma 'keeper Antonio Mirante handled it well without giving up a rebound.

While Milan had the ball for the better part of the first half, Parma were able to create a couple of half chances or their own.  Their best looking chance of the half came on 26 minutes when an AC Milan defender was able to get in and block Carvalho Amauri's header.

Despite the conditions, Milan nearly took the lead right before halftime.  In the 42nd minute Bojan set up just outside of the box and drove a shot at Parma's goal.  Unfortunately for Milan, the shot just barely skimmed over the crossbar and the sides went to the break still level at 0-0.

The second half belonged to Milan though.  They came out absolutely on fire, led for the most part by Stephan El Shaarawy.   In the 50th minute the young midfielder took a pass from Bojan on the left side of the box and drove a shot past a diving Mirante to finally give Milan the 1-0 lead.

Milan continued to press their advantage as the rain started to lighten up in Parma.  Just two minutes after the goal Bojan sent a cross into the center of the box, where it met the head of Kevin Prince Boateng.  Despite the fact that he was totally unmarked, Boateng sent his header wide of the mark.  He would try his luck on 58 minutes but Mirante came up big and saved his effort on target.

Finally in the 66th minute Parma made Milan pay for failing to convert those chances.  The Rossoneri conceded a free kick right outside of their box and Daniele Galloppa stepped up to take for Parma.  He hit it low, and Milan's wall broke.  The ball slid into to the unguarded Milan post to tie the match at 1-1, which would be the score at full time.

The draw keeps both teams currently mired in midtable with Milan 11th on 7 points and Parma 14th on 6.  Milan will feel like they should have left Parma with all three points though, as the goal that they ended up conceding was from a dumb foul and totally avoidable.

Dempsey Scores as Spurs Top United

Clint Dempsey tallied the match winner for Spurs (Action Images)

It's safe to say that things did not go according to script for Manchester United today as they lost at Old Trafford for the first time in the calendar year.  Ultimately a lackluster defensive effort in the first half led to their downfall to a surging Tottenham side.

In the opening minute it looked the like the match would be off to a tentative to start with both sides probing around the edges of the midfield.  However in the second minute Spurs conjured a goal seemingly out of nothing.  Jan Vertonghen took a ball from Gareth Bale and charged into the United penalty area almost totally unchallenged.  In the end he fired off a low shot that took a slight deflection off a United player and nestled in the bottom corner for a 0-1 lead.

One might think that conceding a goal so early at home might prod United into action.  That didn't happen though.  The Red Devils sniped around the edge of the Spurs area a couple times, and had a couple of half hearted shouts for penalties, but that was about it.  They continued in a lull and it cost them.  In the 32nd minute Bale took a ball from midfield and ran into the United box, drifting a lazy right footed shot toward the far post.  The 'keeper had no chance at the angle and the ball dribbled over the line to give Spurs the 0-2 advantage going into halftime.

The second half started in an absolute flurry as Sir Alex had likely given his team the blow dryer treatment at halftime.  Truth be told, he probably came across more like an army of blow dryers.  He also inserted Wayne Rooney into the match, which paid off almost immediately.  In the 51st minute Rooney sent a gorgeous cross into the six where Nani was waiting to knock it home from close range and cut the lead to 1-2.

But before United could even think about trying to pull level, Tottenham restored their 2 goal lead.  In the 52nd minute Gareth Bale once again torched the United defense getting free and sending a low blast in on Anders Lindegaard.  The United keeper saved the shot, but gave up a rebound that fell right to an onrushing Clint Dempsey who banged the shot into the open net to make it 1-3.  It was the American's first goal for Spurs.

United weren't about to lay down though, and they fought right back. In the 53rd minute Robin Van Persie slipped a through ball to Shinji Kagawa, and the former Dortmund man put it just into the lower right corner of the goal to make it 2-3.

United were never able to get the equalizer though.  Their best chance came in the 61st minute when Wayne Rooney stepped over a free kick in a dangerous situation.  He seemed to have Brad Friedel beaten on the shot, but it clanged off the post and out of danger as Spurs held on to the 2-3 win.

The win is Spurs first at Old Trafford since 1989, and was their first win over United since 2001.

League Cup: Young United Squad Hold Off Newcastle

Tom Cleverly gives United a 2-0 lead (mirror.co.uk)

This hasn't been the best week for Manchester United on the injury front, particularly on defense.  Earlier this week captain Nemanja Vidic was ruled out for 8 weeks with a knee injury, and Phil Jones was already ruled out for 8 weeks.  Couple that news with the fact that Chris Smalling is not yet fit and Jonny Evans took a knock over the weekend, and Sir Alex has some worries about his back line.

Nonetheless, the Red Devils rolled out their 2012 Capital One Cup campaign against Newcastle United Wednesday at Old Trafford.  Here were the four men in their back line: Alexander Buttner, Scott Wooton, Marnick Vermijl, and Michael Keane.  Not exactly household names.  This lineup was going up against the Newcastle attack with a combined 2 senior squad appearances.  Was Sir Alex ever worried?  Probably not really.

The good news for United was that they did have depth and experience in their midfield and front line.  Wayne Rooney returned to the XI for the first time since he suffered an nasty gash injury on his leg early in the season.  He was complimented by Javier Hernandez and a midfield featuring the likes of Anderson and English international Tom Cleverly.  It was this duo that would provide United with the fire power that they needed on this night.

The home side controlled the possession for most of the night and their young defense put in a very good shift.  It was Anderson who put United on top in the 44th minute.  Darren Fletcher, who also returned after a long absence, dished the ball to the Brazilian midfielder, who smacked the ball just off the post and in the top corner to give United the 1-0 lead going into the break.

Anderson nearly doubled his tally and the United advantage early on in the second half.  In the 47th minute Danny Welbeck played him into the area, but he put the shot over the bar, allowing Newcastle to breath a little bit.  They finally did get a second goal in the 58th minute when Tom Cleverly took a centering pass from Welbeck and knocked it into the bottom corner.  The all English International connection gave United the 2-1 lead.

After the second goal Newcastle subbed in star striker Papiss Cisse, and he looked to certain to put the young United defense to the test.  It didn't take long for him to show his quality either.  In the 62nd minute he rose and headed in a cross from fellow substitute Shane Ferguson to make it 2-1.  However, United held up to the threat of a comeback, even after Cisse clanked an overhead kick off the wood late on.  The Red Devils held on to win the match, and the League Cup draw set up a tasty matchup with Chelsea in the next round.  Chelsea bounced Wolves 6-0 at Stamford Bridge in the their third round match.

MLS Launches Annual Survey

MLSSoccer.com has launched it's annual survey, where fans are encouraged to give their feedback on the digital information products that the league puts out.  No, this isn't the place to complain about Toledo, Marufo, or why Beckham rarely gets punished, but the survey asks for ratings about many of its services, including the pay service, MLS Live, which I know a lot of my readers use.

I took the survey myself, and found it useful.  It gave me the chance to point out some things and rate the features I like and don't like,  Unfortunately, there was not a question pertaining to my opinion of Simon Borg, but nobody's perfect.

Digital entertainment and social media are valuable markets for any sport's information and content in this day and age, and I would encourage my MLS readers to take a few minutes and fill it out.  I know from interacting with you guys that you have opinions on this stuff!

You can access the survey here.

Zidane Head-Butt Immortalized

Yes folks, see and believe.  The head-butt will live forever, not just on film, but in bronze.  Of course THE head-butt refers to Zinedine Zidane's head-butt on Marco Materazzi in the end of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final.

The incident happened in the 110th minute of the match, when the French international head butted the Italian in the chest.  He was sent off, and it was to be his final match.  Italy went on to win the match, and the World Cup, 5-3 on penalties.

Zidane was given a 3 match ban for the incident, but as he retired after the match, he served 3 days working with FIFA's humanitarian arm instead.  Since his retirement, Zidane has participated in various charities and plays for the Real Madrid Veterans squad.

The statue has been erected in Paris and is....interesting to say the least!

United's Vidic Out Eight Weeks

Just as one Manchester United star is set to return to the pitch, another important player has suffered an injury setback.  Striker Wayne Rooney is due to make his return to the line up tomorrow in League Cup action, but defender and team captain Nemanja Vidic has now been ruled out for eight weeks.

The 31 year old Serbian international sat out United's match this last weekend after complaining about tightness in his right knee.  It's the same knee he injured last year in Champion's League competition that caused him to miss the final 5 months of the season.  United have said that medical evaluation after Vidic complained about the knee revealed more issues, and he has now undergone surgery.  He'll miss at least 3 Champions League games and 7 Barclay's Premier League games if this time line holds.

The injury comes at a bad time for United as defender Phil Jones is also out for a similar amount of time with a similar injury.  Also, Chris Smalling has yet to return from injury and Jonny Evans picked up an injury last weekend against Liverpool.  Things could be interesting in the next few weeks for the Red Devils.

Serie A: Cagliari Forced to Forfeit Match to Roma

Bad news for fans of Cagliari FC, as their club has been forced to forfeit this last weekend's home match to AS Roma.  The rules governing Italian Football provide for such a sanction, and today it was leveled at the Sardinian side.

The two clubs had been scheduled to play this last weekend's match behind closed doors after Cagliari's new stadium failed to meet safety standards.  The local government and the Italian FA had ordered the match go ahead without fans, but the club president encouraged Season Ticket holders to show up anyway, prompting an emergency meeting between government and club officials.  This meeting resulted in the postponement of the match and today it was announced that it would be forfeited to AS Roma.

Article 17 of the "Federcalcio" provides for this sanction, stating:

"Clubs are responsible for the fact that any acts interrupting the smooth running of a game can be punished with the loss of that match with a scoreline of 0-3 awarded."

 The added points move Roma up to fifth place, and while Cagliari does not drop for now, the 0-3 score will affect their goal difference.

Cagliari abandoned their former stadium last march, and had played the remainder of the 2011-2012 Serie A season at stadium more than 700 miles away from the city.

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Cheeky RSL Free Kick

Yes, I'm gonna be a homer here, sorry about that.  LOVED this cheeky free kick goal from Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, and ultimately Fabian Espindola.

Everton Dominate Swans, Continue Superior Start

Marouane Fellaini celebrates his goal for Everton (Reuters)

Back in my EPL season preview I predicted that Everton were going to have a pretty good year and should not be overlooked.  So far in this new league campaign they've proven me splendidly correct.  On Saturday they traveled to Whales to take on Swansea, another team that has generally started off the new season on the right foot.

That is where the favorable comparison ends though, because Everton blew the Swans off their own pitch, right from the opening whistle.  They began creating chances right off the bat in the second minute when Leighton Baines sent a free kick into the Swansea penalty area.  Victor Anichebe got his head to it and forced the save from Michel Vorm.  However, it was not the last that Swans would hear from Everton's Nigerian attacker.  

It wasn't just Anichebe though.  In the third minute Kevin Mirallas earned another save from Vorm on a close range shot, and then had a header saved as well.  After 4 minutes, Everton could have easily been up 0-2.

The Toffees continued their pressure through the first half and finally made it pay off in the 22nd minute.  Marouane Fellaini brilliantly brought down a long ball in the area and directed toward Anichebe, who slammed the volley past a stunned Vorm to make it 0-1 to Everton.  Replays showed that while Fellaini did bring the ball down with his chest, he used his forearm to help direct it to Anichebe, but it went unnoticed in the crowded penalty area and the goal stood.

Late in the first half Swansea finally began to get their feet under them in their own home stadium.  They gradually earned more possession of the ball and got a first chance on 37 minutes, when Michu missed a header after a corner kick.  They nearly equalized in the 39th when Sung Yueng Ki sliced a shot that looked certain to curl around Tim Howard and inside the far post.  Luckily for the American, it curled just wide instead.

After that wake up call Everton decided that they needed more than a one goal lead heading in to halftime.  In the 43rd minute Steven Pienaar crossed the ball into to Mirallas, whose first slap shot was parried by Vorm.  However the rebound went right back to him and he easily headed it into the empty net to make it 0-2 going to the break.

Everton continued the show early in the second half.  Mirallas hit the bar in the 53rd minute and it was immediately followed by a nice shot from Anichebe that was well saved by Vorm.  It got worse for Swansea in the 58th minute when Nathan Dyer picked up his second yellow card in just 13 minutes, leaving Swans a man down for the duration of the match.

Following the sending off Swansea were never really able to threaten Howard's goal, and Everton pushed for a third to ice the match.  They nearly got in the 73rd minute.  Fellaini headed a ball goal bound off of a corner kick that beat Vorm, but a Swans player cleared it off the line at the last second.  Fellaini did get his goal in the 82nd though, heading in a Baines free kick to make the full time score 0-3 and cap a fine performance by David Moyes' men.

MLS: RSL Hold Off Determined Timbers

Nick Rimando makes a save in the 2nd half.  (Getty Images)

There was a lot of good, a little bad, and just a tiny bit of the ugly in Real Salt Lake's 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers last night at Rio Tinto Stadium.  For the most part, it was a rather dominating performance by the Claret and Cobalt, but Portland showed strong and pulled a goal back in the second half to make the final minutes rather anxious for the sell out crowd.

The biggest question of the night was this: how would RSL manage goals without Alvaro Saborio?  The Costa Rican international injured his shoulder in the end of the CCL win at Tauro FC earlier in the week.  Coach Kreis said after the match that Sabo really wanted to play, and in fact wanted to start, but that the risk of further damaging injury was too great.  That's why he's the manager and I'm not.  Thankfully.

From the opening minutes it looked like RSL was going to put on a fine display of attacking football, despite their long trip to Panama earlier in the week.  They stroked the ball around quite a bit and looked very confident in possession.  In the 13th minute it looked like Javier Morales and Fabian Espindola were about to pull apart the Timbers defense, but the Portland men yielded a free kick outside of their own area instead.  RSL set up the kick, and Kyle Beckerman made a dummy run at it, which was probably anticipated by Portland.  Then Morales charged the ball but instead of shooting, he deftly back-heeled it to Espindola, who blasted the shot through the Portland defense and into the goal to make it 1-0 to RSL.  There's just one word for that kick: cheeky.  It was outstanding to see live as well.

Portland had their chances as well though.  They really deserve a lot of credit.  The last time they visited the RioT they just looked incompetent.  Last night they really came to play and gave the RSL defense a couple of fits.  In the 18th minute Rodney Wallace put a header on target following a corner kick, and Nick Rimando got a bit of a palm to it, but only knocked it into limbo near the line.  Will Johnson was the hero of the day though as he confidently cleared the ball away from the RSL goal.  He never looked worried.  It happened about 10 yards from me though, and I sure was worried.

Luckily for RSL, they got an insurance goal late in the half.  Portland again gave up a free kick right outside of their box, and again Morales was there to threaten with it.  There was no trickery this time though as the Argentinian hammered the kick over the defense and into the top of the net to make it 2-0 at halftime.

The second half proceeded along the lines of the first for awhile, but RSL continued to be frustrated in their search for goals from open play.  They did have a couple of good chances though.  In the 54th minute Beckerman slammed a shot that for all the world looked like it was headed in, but ended up wide of the post.  Then in 57th minute Portland's Joe Bendik earned his paycheck by absolutely stoning Espindola from short range.  Finally in the 60th Paulo Jr had a nice look but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

In the 61st minute Portland was able to make RSL pay somewhat for missing those chances.  Sal Zizzo sent a nice ball into the box from thirty plus yards that managed to fight Bright Dike.  The Portland forward then headed the ball into the top of the goal over a leaping Rimando to make it 2-1 with a half hour to go.

The Timbers did quite well looking for an equalizer, but in the end solid defense and excellent game management ruled the day for RSL.  They put in Yordany Alvarez as an extra holding type midfielder, which greatly increased RSL's ability to possess and keep the ball away from Portland.  They really didn't push up much either, limiting the Timbers' ability to counter attack.

The men in green did create two chances to fancy an equalizer though.  In the 82nd minute Frank Songo'o hit a gorgeous free kick on the RSL goal that Rimando just managed to tip over the bar (Pictured above). Then in the 85th minute another Dike header deflected off the bar and bounced away to seal all 3 points for RSL.

I think the biggest plus on the night for RSL was getting Morales and Espindola amongst the goals.  Even though they weren't from the run of play, their confidence should be boosted.  Also special credit MUST be given to Nick Rimando who made a couple of incredible saves, including the late one off the Songo'o free kick.  Also of note, Jamison Olave picked up a yellow card late on, and will miss the next match against Chivas USA due to yellow card accumulation.

MLS: Portland Let Quakes Off the Hook

Chris Wondolowski celebrates his late equalizer (Getty Images)

The San Jose Earthquakes season is starting to feel like one of those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, except that no matter what path you take, you get pretty much the same ending every time.  If you're a Quakes supporter, this is an excellent proposition.  Last night the Portland Timbers thought they had finally figures matters out, but it wasn't to be.

The first half of the match was pretty pedestrian, and it seemed that people were having more fun with Merritt Paulson's ripping of San Jose tifo via twitter than watching the match.  San Jose typically controlled possession and looked to be licking their chops going up against a 3rd string Timbers 'keeper in Joe Bendik.

While the Quakes did get some shots, it wasn't generally a severe test for Bendik.  Sam Cronin hit a shot right to the center of the goal on 11 minutes that was easily rounded up and got the Timbers shot-stopper into the feel of the match.  Other than that, the Quakes seemed to have a hard time finding the target with Chris Wondolowski starting on the bench.

One of the first real big news items in the match came in the 18th minute.  Portland were forced in to using an early substitution when designated player Kris Boyd sustained an injury.  He was replaced in the lineup by Bright Dike.  The Timbers would end up with the final say in the first half though, as one of the few meaningful Timbers attacks came up with a goal.  Rodney Wallace hit Danny Mwanga in the center of the box with a nice ball, and the former Union man slotted a finish to the lower left corner to make it 0-1 to Portland at halftime.

The Quakes didn't panic in the second half.  Lets face it, they never do.  They set out confidently in search of an equalizer, but sloppy play led to another Timbers chance on a counter attack.  In the 62nd minute Frank Songo'o dashed up the pitch and was able to make a connection with the aforementioned Mwanga on the outside of the 18.  The striker calmly set his sights on goal and blasted his second of the match past Jon Busch to make it 0-2.

At that point San Jose stopped fooling about, and both Chris Wondolowski and Alan Gordon had been inserted into the lineup.  The rally was on for the Quakes.  In the 73rd minute Gordon connected with Steven Lenhart, who promptly dished over to Wondo just inside the 18.  The league's leading scorer easily scored his 20th goal of the season to make it 1-2 with 17 minutes left.

Despite the outpouring of pressure on the Portland goal, it looked like they might survive and hold on for all three points.  Then stoppage time hit.  In the 92nd minute their defense went horribly wrong.  Hanyer Mosquera tried to flick the ball clear of his own area, but it flew right to Wondo, which meant bad news for the men from the Rose City.  He expertly headed inside a wide open back post to make it 2-2.

With three minutes of stoppage time left, San Jose went full throttle for the winner.  After all, this is well trodden territory for them.  It almost cost them this time though, as throwing men forward resulted in yet another Portland chance on the counter.  In the 95th minute Songo'o and Dike broke through to manufacture a chance for Dike at nearly point blank range, but seemingly from out of nowhere Lenhart came dashing in from behind, putting in his foot in on the Portland striker at the last second, helping to send his shot wide of the post and preserve the 2-2 score at full time.

The good news for Portland, if there is any to be had for them at this point, is that the point keeps them above Chivas USA and out of last place in the west.  Any playoff hopes are pretty much done and dusted though, as they travel to Rio Tinto to take on Real Salt Lake on Saturday.  The Quakes got a point, but Sporting Kansas City's win over New York earlier in the evening cut their Supporters Shield lead to just three points.  They travel to Seattle for a massive match Saturday night.

UCL: Late Ronaldo Strike Sinks City

Marcelo celebrates his goal against City.  (Reuters/Action Images)

I loved this match so much that I watched it twice.  I'm not sure how someone could watch this, especially the last 20 minutes, and think that football is boring.  Real Madrid dominated the first half, but failed to close the door until right at the death, giving Manchester City plenty of chances to come away with a result.

Joe Hart's goal came under frequent bombardment in the opening stanza as the Spanish Champions pushed hard to get off the mark.  Obviously frustrated by their poor start in league play, they looked ready to take it out on City.  However Hart made great saves early and often to keep Madrid at bay.  At one point Cristiano Ronaldo tricked Vincent Kompany out of his boots and fired a low shot at the City goal, but Hart hit the deck and made the save.  Later Gonzalo Higuain seemed certain to put Madrid on top when he redirected a shot on target with his head, but once again the England 'keeper was up to the task.

City had a hard time getting out of their own half though.  They created very few chances in the first half, and seemed very vulnerable to the Madrid counter when they tried to create.  Despite the heavy possession and shots edge to the home side, the match was still 0-0 at halftime which suited City manager Roberto Mancini just fine.

The action really came to life in the second half though.  The longer the score stayed 0-0, the more confident City got, and they gradually began to carve out some chances.  They were the first to hit pay dirt on 68 minutes.  Yaya Toure triggered a counter attack featuring himself and the newly subbed in Edin Dzeko.  They streamed forward and caught Madrid in a 2 on 1 situation.  As they approached the penalty area, Toure hit Dzeko with a through ball, setting him up perfectly for a clinical finish past Iker Casillas to make the match 0-1.

The City goal really sparked Real Madrid to life, and they subbed in both Luka Modric and Karim Benzema.  The fresh legs had an immediate affect on the attack as Madrid pushed for the equalizer.  It finally came in the 76th minute as Marcelo found himself in space and smacked a shot into the top corner of the goal to make it 1-1.

However just when you thought Madrid would go in search of the winner, City struck again.  The Premier League champs earned a free kick just beyond the Madrid penalty area in the 85th minute, and Aleksandar Kolarov beautifully curled the shot just inside Casllas' far post to make 1-2 to City with 5 minutes left.

The drama was just beginning though.  Just two minutes later Benezma received the ball right the top of the City 18, turned around a defender, and slotted a goal inside Hart's near post to equalize at 2-2.  Hart would then come up with a huge save on Ronaldo as the 90 expired, but formerly sad striker had the last laugh in stoppage time as he sent in a dipping shot that actually bounced right before it got to Hart and kicked up into the net to give Madrid the 3-2 lead, which was the score at full time.

EPL: Fulham Hand West Brom First Loss

This shot netted Berbatov's first Fulham goal. (Action Images)

West Brom brought their unbeaten start to the Barclay's Premier League season into Craven Cottage on Saturday, putting it on the line against a retooled Fulham squad that now features a former Premier League Golden Boot winner.  Fulham were a very confident side on their home ground though, after all, they did drop five on Norwich there on opening day.

The first five minutes of the match were all Fulham.  They passed the ball around quite confidently as their opponents were hardly able to get a touch.  Despite the probing and possession, they only got off one shot though, as Damien Duff saw his effort blocked in the third minute.  

West Brom finally managed to interrupt Fulham's planned afternoon after finally getting some possession of their own.  In minute six Peter Odemwingie cranked a shot from outside of the box, but he hit it straight at Fulham 'keeper Mark Schwarzer, who easily held on.  James Morrison was next to test the Australian international with a driven shot on 10 minutes, and Jonas Olsson tried to flick a corner kick into the bottom corner on the 11th, but Schwarzer easily handled both chances.

Things finally came good for Fulham and their steady attack in the 32nd minute.  Alexander Kacaniklic picked out new arrival Dimitar Berbatov in the center of the area, and the former Manchester United man curled a gorgeous shot into the side netting to make it 1-0.  It was Berbatov's first Fulham goal on his home debut.  Not bad.

West Brom would find themselves in further trouble six minutes later.  After losing out on a ball from from a clearance, Odemwingie inexplicably lashed out and kicked Fulham's Sascha Riether in full view of both benches and the referee.  He was given the obvious red card and sent off to take an early shower.

After the ejection West Brom tried to focus and maintain the scoreline through halftime.  It almost worked.  In the first minute of stoppage time defender Billy Jones chopped down Kacaniklic in the area to concede a penalty kick.  Berbatov easily scored the spot kick to bag his brace and hand his club a 2-0 lead at the break.

 

Fulham pretty much controlled the second half up a man, but West Brom defended reasonably well and 'keeper Ben Foster made several classy saves.  They nearly got a goal of their own in the 67th minute as well.  Chelsea loan product Romelu Lukaku got on the end of a nice counter attack and sent a low shot at the far post, but once again Shwarzer managed to save it.  It might have managed to change the complexion of the match some, but in the end it was West Brom's last gasp.

 

Fulham finally secured all three points in the 89th minute.  Hugo Rodallega headed a ball off the crossbar that rebounded heavily out to Steve Sidwell.  The midfielder smacked a perfect volley into the back of the net to make it 3-0 to Fulham on full time.

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Bend it Like Henry

There were a number of outstanding goals around world football this weekend, but this one was my favorite.  Check it out as Thierry Henry punishes the Crew's Matt Lampson for cheating to his near post on the corner with this fantastic strike.  Henry 's two goals powered the Red Bulls to a 3-1 over Columbus.

La Liga: Malaga Beat Levante In Style.

Malaga's Javier Saviola tallied a goal and an assist Saturday morning. (Reuters)

La Liga matchday kicked off in style Saturday as Malaga hosted Levante in front of 22,000 fans on a warm Spanish afternoon.  The home side, newly minted in the Champion's League group stage, looked to continue their unbeaten start to the season against a Levante squad that faces Europa league action later on in the month.

The home supporters were anxious to see Malaga's newest arrival, Javier Saviola, who signed for the club as the transfer window drew to a close a couple of weeks back.  They weren't disappointed either, as Saviola contributed mightily to a rather dominating victory.

The opening minutes were rather subdued from both sides, as temperatures hovered around 86 degrees at kickoff.  However it was clear right away that Malaga were going to have the better of the run of play.  In the 8th minute Joaquin woke up the Levante 'keeper, rifling a shot right at him for the day's first chance.

Shouts of discontent from the home players and supporters arose in the 18th minute though, as Malaga were denied a penalty appeal.  Levante's Sergio Ballesteros came up behind Saviola in the box and appeared to clip him, sending the attacker to the ground.  The referee wasn't buying though, and play continued.

Saviola left little up to the referee in the 27th minute though.  Isco found him streaking into the middle of the box and hit him with a wonderful through ball.  The Levante defense had a split second chance to cut it out, but the defender couldn't get a foot to it, leaving Saviola with an easy chance, which he promptly slotted to give Malaga the 1-0 lead.

The Malaga crowd was again asking for a penalty on 36 minutes when Sergio Sanchez went to the floor in the Levante area.  This time the referee not only denied the appeal, but showed Sanchez the yellow card for diving.  That card would come back to haunt him, but Malaga still held the 1-0 lead at halftime.

The lead didn't last long though as Levante managed an equalizer right after the break.  In the 46th minute Michel saddled up on the end of a clearance and streaked up the pitch toward the Malaga goal.  He hammered his shot from just outside of the area sending the ball into the upper netting to level the match at 1-1.

Unfortunately for the visitors, the rest of the match's chances presented themselves to Malaga.  In the 59th minute Saviola took center stage again, hitting Joaquin with another gorgeous through ball that was clinically finished to restore Malaga's lead at 2-1.

Some hope almost emerged for Levante late on as Sergio Sanchez was hit with his second yellow card of the match on 87 minutes.  However, they were unable to muster an attack and Malaga iced the match in stoppage time.  In the 93rd minute Francisco Portillo got on the end of a cross from Duda and volleyed it home from close range to make the full time score 3-1. 

Galaxy Drop Rapids, Move into Third Place Out West

Colorado's Jeff Larentowicz in dismay after LA's second goal.  (Getty Images)

This has not been a good year for the Colorado Rapids.  Last night was not a good night for the Colorado Rapids.  They came into the Home Depot Center hoping to build off of an impressive home performance against Portland earlier in the week, but could rarely get the right foot forward against the surging LA Galaxy.

According to the Altitude TV commentators, part of Colorado's game plan was to try and withstand the opening 15 minute assault of the Galaxy.  It almost worked.  Mike Magee cranked a shot in the 13th minute that was handled well by Matt Pickens, and things seemed to be going well for the Rapids.  However, in the 15th minute Landon Donovan hit Robbie Keane with a nice through ball and the Irishman easily slotted home the first goal of the match to make it 1-0.

After that opening goal, the defending champs took their foot off the gas some and sat back to see what the Rapids had to offer.  It wasn't much.  In the 18th minute Andre Akpan tried his luck but missed the target.  Then in the 26th Martin Rivero tried to pick out Jaime Castrillon with a ball across the six, but Josh Saunders hit the deck and picked it off.  It was the closest Colorado would get in the first half.

The Galaxy didn't do much to add a spark either.  They just sat back and conserved energy since the Rapids really weren't testing them.  Magee drove another shot at Pickens in the 41st minute, but again the Colorado 'keeper was up to the task and the half ended 1-0 to LA.

The second half didn't feature much excitement either, however the Rapids did try to spark some more shots on goal.  Omar Cummings had entered the game and actually generated some shots.  He forced a save out of Saunders on 49 minutes and had another blocked in the 52nd.  It was honestly as good as he has looked in recent weeks, though many Rapids fans would tell you that that's not saying much.

The Galaxy finally stepped up and iced the match in the 58th minute.  New signing Christian Wilhelmsson worked around a couple of Colorado defenders and sent a rolling strike in at Matt Pickens.  The normally steady Colorado shot stopper hit the ground and got a hand to it, only to have it seemingly roll THROUGH his hand and trickle into the net to make it 2-0 to the Galaxy.

That was pretty much it as far as action goes in a game that wasn't really impressive for either side.  Conor Casey did take an absolute rip at the target from inside the box in the 79th minute, but a sliding LA defender blocked what was the Rapids best look at goal and the match ended 2-0.

The win continued LA's surge up the Western Conference as they move past RSL into 3rd place on 46 points.  RSL also have 46, but the Galaxy have the superior goal difference.  The Rapids hold steady in 7th place on 29 points, one ahead of both Portland and Chivas USA.

League Championship: Palace Blank Charlton at The Valley

Kagisho Dikgacoi scored the winner for Crystal Palace (PFA)

Crystal Palace took a nice win away from The Valley today as they bested Charlton Athletic in a hotly contested South London Derby.  It was Palace's first League win as visitors to Charlton since 1989.

There were quite a few good chances for both sides in the first half, and the first fell to Palace.  In the 6th minute Wilfried Zaha played a nice little ball to Palace's Kagisho Dikgacoi in space, but the midfielder sent his shot just over the bar to the relief of the home fans.

However Zaha continued to be a pain for the Charlton defense in the 11th minute.  He slipped his marker and got a shot off of a rebound from Glenn Murray's effort.  It looked to be headed for the back of the net as the Charlton 'keeper was beaten, but Charlton had a defender well stationed, and he managed to clear the ball off of the line to keep the match even.

Charlton had some chances as well, and they looked to have taken the lead on 32 minutes.  Lawrie Wilson sent a delightful free kick into the Palace area and Bradley Wright-Phillps headed the ball into the net to seemingly make it 1-0.  However, we was judged to have been offside and the goal was ruled out.  On first glance at the replay it looked have been the correct call, however one of the Palace defenders had fallen down, and looked to be playing Wright-Phillips on.

The teams emerged from the locker rooms still level at 0-0 after halftime, but Palace looked to be keen to take the lead, which they did in the 52nd minute.  Damien Delaney headed a Palace corner kick back toward the back of the box to a waiting Dikgacoi.  The South African international calmly chested the ball onto his feet and deposited a brilliant volley into the net to make it 0-1 to Crystal Palace.  It really was an impressive finish.

After the Palace goal Charlton started to throw men forward in search of an equalizer and got a couple of really good looks.  On 83 minutes Wilson dropped a ball to Ricardo Fuller unmarked in the box, however the Jamaican smacked his shot wide.  They also had a really good look late in stoppage time.  They brought 'keeper Ben Hamer up on a corner kick, and he slipped in behind Palace unnoticed.  He actually rose and got his head to the ball, ripping it on goal.  However Owen Garvan cleared the ball away from the line and Palace preserved the 0-1 win.

The win lifts Crystal Palace out of the bottom 3 to 14th.  Newly promoted Charlton sits on 18th early in the season.

DC United Hopes Take Hit as DeRo Out For Season

Dwayne De Rosario suffered a major knee injury on international duty.

DC United's playoff hopes took a huge hit this week as captain Dwayne De Rosario suffered a major knee injury on international duty with Canada.  The reigning MVP suffered the injury during Tuesday's 2-0 loss to Panama.  United are currently ruling him out 10-12 weeks, which means he will miss the rest of the regular season.  They're hoping that he might be able to return for the playoffs if they're able to make a deep run.

This is a big blow to DC, who sit one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with seven matches left.  DeRo has seven goals and twelves assists on the season, landing him second in MLS in the assist category.

DC coach Ben Olsen said: 

 “DeRo is our captain, a great player and impossible to replace.  With that said, we have talented players that will step up in his absence and this injury will not be an excuse to fall short of goals we set for ourselves as a team at the beginning of the season.”

DeRo recently scored his 100th MLS goal and also became Canada's all time leading scorer.  DC host the New England Revolution Saturday in their first test without their captain.

Hillsborough Report Blames Police in Disaster

Earlier this week the Hillsborough Independent Panel released their report on the 1989 disaster that lead to the deaths of 96 Liverpool supporters.  The panel, headed by James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, reviewed thousands of secret documents from over 80 different organizations related to the disaster.  These documents had been available to families of the 96 at Liverpool Cathedral, and are now being made public along with the findings.

At the heart of the matter is the question over how much, if any, responsibility was to be borne by the local police in the incident.  Police herded over 2,000 Liverpool fans into overflowing standing room only sections in Sheffield, England, on April 15, 1989.  Ninety-Six fans were trampled or suffocated to death as the emergency unfolded at an FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. 

According to the panel, Police tried to coverup their culpability by blaming Liverpool fans. The report also confirms that potentially life saving medical attention was denied to some of the injured fans.  This has resulted in several public apologies in the UK, including high profile ones from the Football Association and British Prime Minister David Cameron.  Also, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson have called for football fans throughout England to end the tasteless taunting chants about the both the Hillsborough disaster and the Munich Air Disaster, which killed members of Manchester United's team and staff and on February 6, 1958.

An inquest in 1991 ruled the deaths accidental, but families of the 96 are hoping that the findings of this panel will result in some legal action being taken.  No individual or organization has been held fully accountable. Prime Minster Cameron has said the report will be handed over to Attorney General Dominic Grieve, and that the Court will have the final say as to whether charges will be brought at this time.

More information about the report and it's findings can be found here, on the official UK site.

England Salvage Point From Scare at Wembley

England Captain Steven Gerrard attempts a tackle at Wembley (Getty Images)

Well pretty much everything that was impressive for England in their away win at Moldova turned out to be less than impressive as the Three Lions took on Ukraine today at Wembley.  Their finishing and poise in front of goal was largely absent against a Ukrainian side that was obviously superior to the group England faced in Moldova on last week.

Despite that aspect, England nearly took the lead on 10 minutes.  Jermaine Defoe sliced into the penalty are and deposited the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was ruled out.  The referee's whistle sounded, ringing up Defoe for a foul on a Ukraine defender and the score remained 0-0.  There didn't look to be much in it, but call it karma for Ukraine's fortunes against England in Euro 2012.

Ukraine were more than up for the match and flexed their offensive muscles a few times the first half.  Early on Oleg Gusiev seemed to have Joe Hart totally beaten, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain saved the day, deflecting the shot off the post.  However in the 39th minute Yevhen Konoplianka avoided Gerrard about 25 yards out and got just enough room to squeeze out a shot that found it's way in the top corner of Hart's goal to make it 0-1.

The visitors' goal highlighted an almost comical performance in front of goal by England.  In the 35th minute Gerrard sent a nice ball into the box that Defoe headed over to Manchester United's Tom Cleverly, who for some reason smacked the ball right into the 'keeper from close range.  He really should have scored.  Then in the 44th minute Frank Lampard picked Cleverly out alone in the box, but this time he totally missed the target, screwing his shot wide of the post to keep it 0-1 going into the half. 

England came out in the second half looking better and seemed to put Ukraine back on their heels a little bit.  Gerrard tried to send a ball into the box off of a wonderful free kick chance, but the Ukrainians were able to clear it harmlessly.  In the 71st minute Glen Johnson nearly equalized, but saw his low driven shot just blocked outside of the post.

The Three Lions finally got their big break in the 86th minute.  Ukraine defender Yevhen Khacheridi was whistled for a handball in the box, conceding a penalty kick.  Frank Lampard stepped up to take the shot and was as automatic as ever, slotting home the goal to even the match at 1-1.

However any hope that the English had of putting in a late winner was dashed in the 88th minute.  Gerrard was shown his second yellow card of the night for a tackle on Denys Garmash and earned his marching orders.  After the red card the Three Lions just looked to hold on, which they did, preserving the 1-1 score through to the full time whistle.

The win puts England joint top of their qualifying group, tied with Montenegro on 4 pts.  Montenegro had beaten San Marino 6-0 earlier in the day.  The next round sees the Three Lions hosting San Marino on October 12 and visiting former Euro 2012 cohosts Poland on October 16.  Steven Gerrard will miss the San Marino match due to today's sending off.

Rapids Ship Wells Thompson to Chicago

Colorado have granted Wells Thompson's request for a trade (Getty Images)

Early yesterday MLSSoccer.com reported that Colorado Rapids midfielder Wells Thompson was unhappy with his scant amount of playing time and had requested a trade.  As it turns out, the Rapids were able to fulfill his request in rather quick fashion.  Late last night they announced they had traded him to the Chicago Fire for a conditional draft pick.

Thompson had been somewhat of a mainstay under former Colorado coach Gary Smith, with whom he won MLS Cup in 2010.  He started 24 matches in 2011 under Smith, but his time had diminished to just five starts in 2012 under new head man Oscar Pareja, who has been busy trying to install a new philosophy and system at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, admittedly to mixed results.

Whether Thompson actually gets the playing time he seeks in Chicago is probably debatable at this point.  True, the Fire have been somewhat depleted after the transfer of Marco Pappa, but it's hard to see Thompson really cracking their XI anytime in the near future.

Chicago coach Frank Klopas had this to say about his new player:

“We’ve talked to him, we brought him in, he knows the position he’s in. You’ve got to come in with an attitude that you want to be a guy that starting the next game in the way you train, and when you get opportunity to play, making an impact and making those decisions harder for the coaches.”

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Lionel Messi vs. Paraguay

You've probably already seen this goal, and if you have, it's worth watching again. If you haven't, well, it's Messi, so you should probably check it out.

USA Underwhelms In Loss at Jamaica: Thoughts

There was a lot of celebration for the home side in Kingston last night.

The search for words continues today, nearly 24 hours after one of the USA's more horrible displays in recent years.  Which do you care for: boring, horrid, atrocious, disinterested, overconfident, or maybe another adjective?  These were all used multiple times in various posts on blogs, match reports, and social media ramblings about last night's performance.  They are all true in their own right.

Was it really THAT bad?  Can we stop and state, that outside of two great set piece displays by the Jamaicans, we probably come out with a point?  Clarence Goodson even noted last night that outside of the free kicks, Jamaica really only threatened from distance, and didn't spend a whole lot of time behind the USA defense.

The problem with that statement is, the set pieces are what mattered in the end.  RSL's Kyle Beckerman gave up the first on a silly foul, and Stoke's Maurice Edu gave up the second.  Both were in horrible positions and were just begging to be taken advantage of.  In the case of the first goal, insult to injury was added to the RSL captain as the low strike deflected off his leg when he jumped and into his own net.  It wasn't an own goal, but it didn't matter.  Was it a freak goal? Sure, but it counted.  

In the end, the bigger problem for the USA was a total lack of creativity in the midfield.  You had Beckerman, Edu, and Jermaine Jones, all of whom are pretty much the same type defensive mid player.  None of the three were effective passing the ball, and as much as it pains me to say it, Beckerman just got torched a few times by Jamaica's Rodolph Austin.  It wasn't a pretty performance.  With the USA minus both Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley, there was pretty zero creativity and service to the forwards up front.  Dempsey had the early goal, and it was all she wrote.  

So where does the USA go from here?  The game against Jamaica Tuesday at Columbus Crew Stadium is pretty much a must win for the Stars and Stripes.  Jamaica is obviously superior in the midfield, and that has to be addressed.  I liked a possible solution presented on ESPNFC, where the USA goes with more of a 4-4-2, possible giving the defensive midfield some more cover.  The article also suggested starting Brek Shea out wide to try and help with the attacking aspect.  Would it work?  I don't know, but something has to be done or the USA is going to be on the outside looking in at the 2014 World Cup.

A lot of credit has to go to Jamaica though.  This was not a case of the USA just making mistakes.  Jamaica outplayed the USA and deserved the result in every way.  Tuesday is going to be tough.

England Cruise to Qualifying Win at Moldova

Frank Lampard heads home his second goal of the match.

England could probably not have asked for a better start to their 2014 World Cup Qualifying campaign.  The Three Lions headed to Moldova, where they easily sailed to a 0-5 win over their obviously overmatched hosts.

England took control of the match from the opening whistle, and their first scoring chance arrived after Moldova conceded a penalty kick for a handball in the box.  The defender didn't know much about it, as it was really ball to hand, but England didn't care a bit.  Frank Lampard stepped up and drilled the PK into the bottom corner to give the Three Lions the 0-1 lead on four minutes.

England kept up massive pressure on the Moldova goal and Jermaine Defoe had a couple of great chances to double the lead.  In the 9th minute the ball dropped to him right in front of goal, but he tapped his shot wide of the near post.  Then in the 11th Steven Gerrard hit him with a nice through ball, but a diving save by the Moldova 'keeper denied the Spurs' striker.

Moldova did try to come to life a little bit midway through the first half.  In the 26th minute Alexandru Gatcan had a nice look, but John Terry stepped in to block the shot.  A minute later Artur Patras forced a bit of a clumsy save from Joe Hart, but it would be about as close as Moldova would get all night.

England finally added a second goal in the 29th minute.  Liverpool man Glen Johnson found Lampard lurking at the back of the six with a spot on cross, and Lamps easily headed it inside the far post to give England the 0-2 lead.  They weren't finished for the half though, as Defoe collected a through ball from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and tapped home an easy finish on 32 minutes to make it 0-3 heading into the interval.

The second half was not played to the tempo of the first as England took their foot of the gas a bit.  Moldova never really threatened though.  In the 74th minute the Three Lions cruised up the pitch on a counter attack, and set up some nice one touch passing in the Moldova box.  The ball finally fell to James Milner who slotted home his first international goal to make it 0-4.  Leighton Baines would add another goal off of a deflected free kick in the 84th minute to make the final score 0-5 to the Three Lions.  It was the Everton defender's first England goal as well.

For the most part, it was exactly the kind of performance fans were looking for from England.  The side wasn't tentative at all, and really came out and bossed the game against a lower quality opponent.  Moldova clearly didn't have the defense to stop England or the offense to test them, and the right result was achieved without much trouble.  Next up England host the Ukraine at Wembley on Tuesday.

Houston's Heartbreak Hotel for RSL.

RSL's Yordany Alvarez battles in Houston. (Getty Images)

What is there to say to the RSL faithful tonight?  To be like the Miami Heat's "Good Effort" kid seems to ring a little hollow.  One thing is for sure, that was an absolutely brutal way to lose.  Dropping on a PK in stoppage time is hard enough, but when you do it after not only saving a PK earlier, but being denied a possible winner in the late stages, it's even worse.

RSL had the better of the ball through most of the match, especially in the first half, but good chances were hard to come by as the absence of Alvaro Saborio was keenly felt.  Fabian Espindola did have a couple of nice looks, forcing a good save out of Tally Hall in the 11th minute   Ricardo Clark also made what was likely a goal saving tackle in on the speedy RSL forward in minute 31, and the half ended  scoreless.

Things picked up a bit in the second half, and the Dynamo looked likely to take the lead in the 75th minute when Chris Schuler brought Will Bruin down in the box to concede a PK.   The usually trustworthy Brad Davis stepped up to take it, but Nick Rimando made the save to keep the game scoreless.

RSL then had their two best chances of the match.  In the 79th minute Nat Borchers looked certain to score, putting a bouncing header to Tally Hall's far post on a set piece, however the Houston 'keeper made a fantastic save to keep the Dynamo in it.  Then in the 89th minute Ned Grabavoy got one on one with Hall, but once again the Houston 'keeper came up big and stopped the shot cold.

The Dynamo got their magic in stoppage time, as the only big defensive mistake of the night came back to haunt the Claret and Cobalt.  Mac Kandji lost the RSL defense and slipped unmarked into the penalty area.  Nick Rimando came out to try and claim the incoming ball, but bowled over Kandji from behind, conceding a second penalty to the Dynamo.  This time Colin Clark absolutely smashed the ball past Rimando into the back of the net to give the Dynamo a 1-0 win at full time.

In my match preview I noted that Houston was very likely to get a goal, even through late dramatics.  Therefore RSL would need two to win.  However, the Dynamo seemed to be unconcerned about the RSL attack without Sabo, and they took the only chance they needed to get the win.

The defense has cleaned itself up for the most part.  The problem is this, when you don't score any goals, you have no chance at winning and you have to play perfectly to earn the draw.  The perfect match wasn't going to happen against Houston in their building.

Someone at forward needs to be a threat for RSL.  The last time a striker besides Saborio scored for the Claret and Cobalt was June 16th when Fabi dropped two on Chivas USA.  Since that match, RSL is 4-8-2, picking up only 14 of 42 possible points.  That's barely a point per game, and nowhere near good enough to compete in MLS.  The power outage is staggering.  We need to give the defense and Nick Rimando some breathing room by scoring more goals, and 3 out of our 5 forwards seem incapable of scoring.  One of them, the ONLY one who is a proven scorer in MLS, never gets off the bench.

Without more balls going into the opposing net, it's tough to see RSL making a deep playoff run. If RSL falls into the 4 or 5 slot, and even manages to win that first match, how do we feel about stopping San Jose's machine if we can't score?  It's gotta change.

Tonight, the credit goes to the Dynamo for sticking to their plan and their guns.

Preview: Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake

Houston celebrates their win over RSL last August in Houston

The fact that Real Salt Lake has a serious aversion to winning in Texas is not lost on most RSL fans.  The Claret and Cobalt have failed to win in 20 visits to the Lone Star state, and that is where they find themselves Thursday night against the Houston Dynamo in brand new BBVA Compass Stadium.

The news doesn't get a lot better for RSL if you just read the tail of the tape preview.  Captain Kyle Beckerman will be missing from the lineup as well as Alvaro Saborio and Will Johnson, all away on international duty.  Apparently MLS can't get it through their head to give ALL the clubs the FIFA date off, especially as this is a World Cup Qualifying week.  Nick Rimando was also called in to the US National team, but will be Houston to play the match tomorrow night.  Also, BBVA Compass has been a fortress for the Dynamo since it's opening, as it's been hard for any team to get a result there, let alone a win.

It's not all bad though.   Houston comes into the match winless in their last four, and suffered a nasty defeat at the hands of the Chicago Fire last weekend.  They've dropped from the top of the table in the East to fourth, now looking over their shoulder in the playoff race.  They'll also have international absences of their own.  Oscar Boniek Garcia will be with Honduras, Andre Hainault will be wearing Canadian colors, and both Jermaine Taylor and Je-Vaughn Watson have been called into the Jamaica squad that will face the USA.

Boniek Garcia in particular has been a constant threat for the Dynamo since his signing earlier in the summer, so that will be one less attacking option for the Dynamo.  However RSL will still have to deal with the ever present form of Brad Davis and his lethal service, probably the best left foot in MLS.  Also RSL will have to defend Will Bruin, who has 11 goals on the season for the Dynamo.

A big part of playing against, and having success against, Houston is to defend the set piece well.  The Dynamo have 11 goals from set pieces this year, trailing only San Jose with 15.  The cultured left foot of Brad Davis is a huge part of that, and it concerns me as RSL has given up some pretty cheap goals on set pieces this year, though they've been much better of late.  It will be of paramount importance to limit the chances that the Dynamo get to to punish them in this area.

The big hit Houston takes from the international week is on their back line, and I think RSL can possibly exploit that.  They'll be missing two of their top defenders in Taylor and Hainault, and of course they no longer have Geoff Cameron to be a rock in their defense as he's off to Stoke City.  Keeping that in mind, the Dynamo have allowed 8 goals in their four game winless streak.  Even minus Saborio, the speed and ability of Fabian Espindola and Paulo Jr should be able to cause Houston some problems at the back and create some quality chances on goal.

As for RSL's defense, it looks like the line will probably be Beltran/Watson-Siriboe/Borchers/Wingert across the back.  Watson Siriboe has been stellar filling in for Olave, and we'll probably need his height defending those Davis free kicks.  Plus, that guy is going to get on the score sheet from a set piece of his own, sooner rather than later.  RSL has posted three straight clean sheets across all competitions and we'll need that effort to take three points form BBVA Compass Stadium.

On the injury front, Houston will have MF Adam Moffat listed as doubtful with a adductor strain and FW Calen Carr as questionable with knee swelling.  For RSL, Jamison Olave is still listed as doubtful, while Kenny Mansally is questionable.  Chris Schuler, who was in the 18 against DC, is listed as probable.  

The Claret and Cobalt have a number of guys who are on suspension notice for their next yellow card: chief among them Espindola and Javier Morales.  Olave and Saborio are as well, but they won't see action.  Calen Carr is the only player in that boat for the Dynamo.

The referee tomorrow night is Ismail Elfath.  Everybody hold your breath.  In 5 MLS matches he's given out 4 reds and 3 pks.  He averages 22.6 fouls per game and 2.2 yellows.  The 4th official is the infamous Jasen Anno.  

So what's going to go down in the Texas heat Thursday night?  I don't think we'll see the same effort/formation that we saw for the point in Philly.  The chance for three is there but SOMEBODY has to step up and score goals, because Sabo won't be there to help us out.  I think we'll get one.  However, Houston has a knack for drama at home, and I see them getting one as well.  I'll call it a 1-1 draw.  I honestly think we'll need two to win, so hopefully somebody can step up to shoulder the load.

Sydney FC Sign Del Piero in Coup For A-League

Juventus Legend Alessandro Del Piero has signed with Sydney FC

Today marks one of the biggest signings in the Hyundai A-League.  The Australian top flight has pulled a major coup by signing former Juventus main-stay Alessandro Del Piero to 2 year deal.  He will wear number 10 for the side, which begins it's domestic league campaign next month.

The move has been rumored for much of the summer, but competition for his signature emerged from England as both Southampton and Liverpool had been said to have presented offers to the 37 year old.  However, in the end, the lure of of Australia sealed the deal for Del Piero.

 "This is a very big moment for me because I want to continue my career in a new part of the world where I can make a major contribution and help grow the game I love."

A-League fans should enjoy watching the stylings of Del Piero, who has 91 caps for the Italian National Team.  His resume is long, including winning both the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA World Cup.  He scored 289 goals in 704 appearances at Juventus, where he won the Italian Serie A six times.

For someone such as myself, that follows and loves both Major League Soccer and the Hyundai A-League, it's very easy to draw a comparison between this move and the move of David Beckham to the LA Galaxy some years back.  I do think it's the same caliber of move, though I stand by my thought that at this point in it's development the A-League is actually a little ahead of where MLS was 7-8 years in.  Hopefully with the Gold Coast situation seemingly behind them and the addition of the new West Sydney Club, the league can find stability in it's membership, something that MLS struggled with at times as well.  If Del Piero can stay healthy at 37, he should help move some more people through the gates, providing that International star that many fans seem to crave seeing.

This really should be a banner season in Australia. 

EPL After Hours Dealing: Stoke Sign Owen, Chelsea Make a Sale

Michael Owen has signed with Stoke City (BBC)

The transfer window for clubs in England officially ended last Friday, but there were still a couple bits of business to be done.  The end of the window did not exclude a club from signing an out of contract player, nor did it prohibit teams from selling to a club where the window is still open in that country.  Both of those things have taken place in the last couple of days.

The headline grabbing news has to do with former England/Liverpool and Newcastle great Michael Owen.  Owen was on a free transfer after ending his time with Manchester United, and waited to see if a club would pick him up in the transfer window.  When that didn't materialize, speculation became rampant that he might return to Liverpool, who famously missed out on US International Clint Dempsey on deadline day.

In the end, Owen penned a one year deal with Stoke City.  He revealed on twitter that talks with Stoke had been ongoing, so the move to Potters wasn't a surprise.  The former star striker couldn't get his career back off the ground in the three injury riddled seasons at Manchester United.  He made only three appearances last year, and hasn't played in a competitive match since last November.

Chelsea were also back in the headlines just a couple of days after being defeated by Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.  They sold midfielder Raul Meireles to Fenerbache, who in turn signed him on a four year deal.  Rumor has it that the transfer fee was around 8 million pounds.  

Meireles was said to be unhappy at Chelsea last year after Andre Villas-Boas, whom he had worked with at Porto, was sacked by the club.  After arriving in Turkey, he stated that former Liverpool teammate Dirk Kuyt had been instrumental in convincing him to come to Istanbul.

Must See Save: Al Habsi Denies Adam, Preserves A Point

I post a lot of goals here on the blog, but the top saves deserved to be honored as well.  This one has to end up a candidate for save of the year for the Barclay's Premier League.  Check it out as Wigan's Ali Al Habsi stones Charlie Adam's deflected free kick to preserve a point late on in this entertaining match!

MLS: Quakes Stomp Chivas, Tighten Grip on West

San Jose's Alan Gordon wins a header (Getty Images)

Was there ever any doubt on this one?  I think most MLS fans' doubts are disappearing week after week as the San Jose Earthquakes continue to take down opponent after opponent.  This week, they didn't even need crafty (read bizzare) antics from Steven Lenhart or stoppage time heroics from Alan Gordon.  They just put their foot on the collective throats of Chivas USA and finished the job.  There were no questions asked and no quarter was given for the stumbling Goats.

It didn't take the Quakes long to get on the board.  They set up for a direct free kick from about 35 yards out in the 11th minute.  Chivas 'keeper Dan Kennedy carefully constructed his wall then sat back and waited for the strike. Victor Bernardez stepped up and curled his free kick around the wall, and Kennedy couldn't get down to it as it trickled inside his near post for the first San Jose score to make it 1-0.  It was an outstanding strike from Bernardez, but Kennedy really should have doen better at his near post.

However, in the 14th minute the Quakes were very fortunate not to have a major decision go against them.  Juan Agudelo jumped on a sloppy back pass for Chivas and turned toward the San Jose goal.  John Busch came out to meet him, hit the deck, and made the save.  As it turns out, he was clearly outside of the box.  Despite the fact that the ball plainly struck Busch's arm, the AR signaled that it did not, and Busch escaped what would have, and should have been, an automatic red card.  It was another in a string of breaks that have gone San Jose's way this year.

Chivas USA were so overmatched that it likely wouldn't have made a difference either way, and the Quakes added another goal in minute 39.  Marvin Chavez picked the ball off of Chivas defender Raushawn McKenzie and dished over to Chris Wondolowski.  Wondo then hit Simon Dawkins, who ran in behind what was left  of the Chivas defense and scored, making it 2-0 to the home side at halftime.

The second half didn't go any better for Chivas as they would concede yet again from a set piece opportunity.  In the 71st minute Ramrio Corrales beat the Chivas wall and Dan Kennedy once again to make it 3-0.  The time Kennedy gave it a better effort, but it was just struck too smartly and he was pretty much helpless.

Finally in the 81st minute the Quakes added insult to injury.  The Goats conceded another free kick in the danger zone, but made an bonehead type mistake and didn't put someone on the ball to force Corrales to ask the refree for the ten yards.  Kennedy and Chivas went about setting up the wall, oblivious to the fact that referee Mark Geiger was not impeding San Jose from taking it quickly and Corrales struck the ball while Chivas was asleep at the wheel.  Kennedy realized what was happening, but it was too late as the ball went into the net to make it 4-0 to the Quakes, which was the score at full time.

With the win San Jose takes back sole possession of first place in the race for the Supporters Shield, 3 points ahead of Sporting Kansas City.  Their cushion on the rest of the Western Conference sits at 7 points, as Real Salt Lake moved back into second place after a win over DC United.  Seattle sits in third, 9 points back after a draw at FC Dallas.  Chivas sit on 28 points, 9 behind Vancouver for the final playoff spot.  The two teams will meet again in two weeks at the Home Depot Center.

EPL Thoughts: Wigan and Stoke Entertain, Share Spoils

Maynor Figueroa and Jonathan Walters jump for a header (Action Images/Paul Currie)

Just a couple of years ago nobody would have been really excited about a Wigan vs Stoke City match.  The thought would be that Wigan would come out and shoot blanks while Stoke would just sit and play physical defense.  As it happened, there was actually very little of that at the DW Stadium.  Both teams played an energetic and entertaining game that speaks volumes about the rising quality of the Barclay's Premier League.

The action kicked off pretty much right away in the opening minutes as the home side pushed their way into the Stoke defensive third.  In the 4th minute, Wigan man James McCarthy tried a shot in the center of the box that deflected off of Robert Huth's hand, resulting in a PK for Wigan.  Shaun Maloney stepped up and sent the 'keeper in the wrong direction making it 1-0 to Wigan on five minutes.

There weren't a ton of clear cut chances that came out of the next half hour, but both sides were able to move the ball well, especially Wigan, who showed a lot of creativity.  Stoke was more than up to the challenge though.  After conceding the opening goal, Tony Pulis made a slight tactical adjustment. pretty much going three at the back, to try get some more pressure on the Wigan end.  It started to pay dividends as the match wound toward halftime.  In the 33rd minute American International Geoff Cameron found himself in some space just outside the box and took a rip at the goal.  It was a solid strike, but just curved wide of the near post at the end.    Then in the 38th minute he had a decent header off of a Charlie Adam free kick, but Wigan managed to block it and end the threat.

Stoke got their first equalizer in the same manner in which Wigan got their first goal.  In the 40th minute, Maynor Figueroa was whistled for a handball in the box, and the Potters found themselves with a PK of their own.  The Wigan 'keeper guessed right, but couldn't get down to Jonathan Walters' shot in time and the half ended with the sides tied at 1-1.

The second half stared off in cracking fashion.  In the 49th minute Wigan tore up the pitch on a counter attack as Arouna Kone got on the end of a beautiful long ball and took it into the penalty area.  After attracting a couple of Stoke defenders he slipped it over to a trailing Franco Di Santo who slotted home a beautiful finish to give Wigan the lead once again at 2-1. 

The match proceeded at a frantic pace as Stoke went for the equalizer and Wigan looked to ice the match at home.  They nearly did just that in the 66th minute.  Maloney had a driven shot blocked, but it fell for Emmerson Boyce who took a rip at it but missed the near post.  He really should have done better.

Six minutes later Stoke nearly made Wigan pay for the miss.  Walters found himself open in front of goal with just enough space for a shot, but he mishit it and the ball trailed easily to Al Habsi in goal for Wigan.  It didn't matter though, because in the 76th minute the Potters got their equalizer.  Walters sent in a lopping cross after a long throw in that found the head of who else but Peter Crouch.  The big man's header was spot on as it flew into the net to make the match 2-2 with 14 minutes to go.  It was a prototypical Crouch goal.

From then on it was nearly all Stoke as they had two golden chances to steal all three points late.  In the 83rd minute, Al Habsi made a neat save on Cameron Jerome, but it fell to Crouch who took a shot.  The defense stepped in and covered, averting danger for the moment.  In the 85th Al Habsi pulled a true wonder save out of his pocket to preserve the point.  Charlie Adam sent in a nice free kick that appeared to be going to the Wigan 'keeper's left, but it took a deflection back to the right.  With all of his momentum going to the left, he stuck his right hand and down and JUST managed to parry it away from the bottom corner.  It was one of the most skillful saves I've seen in awhile.   The match finished 2-2, which was about right.  Both sides played very well and neither really deserved to lose.