Congratulations to New York Red Bulls, 2013 Supporter's Shield Champions

The gorgeous Supporters Shield Trophy is going to spend time in the Big Apple.

They pointed out that you've never won a major MLS honor.  They pointed out that a lot of your big signings have been busts.  They pointed out that the league was building you a big brother in your backyard.  Then you went ahead and posted the best record in the league, and won that first trophy.  That's what I call a pretty good response.

Coming into the final weekend of league play in MLS, the New York Red Bulls controlled their own destiny for the Shield, beat the Chicago Fire, and the hardware is yours.  Mike Magee gave them a fright, scoring in the 6th minute, but the Red Bulls have this guy named Thierry Henry, who if you haven't heard, is pretty good himself.  He equalized in the 25th minute, and the Red Bulls went on from there, winning 5-2.  The result not only gives the Red Bulls the Shield and the number one seed throughout the MLS playoffs, but it helped eliminate the Chicago Fire from postseason contention.

As alluded to earlier, this is the first major honor for the franchise, so it's a pretty big deal.  Also, RSL fans should be happy for a few of our former folks: Jamison Olave, Fabian Espindola, Jonny Steele, and especially assistant coach Robin Fraser, who I thought got an unfair amount of flack for the happenings at Chivas USA. 

As for the playoff run, the Red Bulls will meet the winner of the play-in game between the Houston Dynamo and the Montreal Impact in Houston.  As of this writing, dates and times were still being determined. Check with MLSsoccer.com tomorrow for playoff dates, venues, and times.

MLS Coach of the Year: My Take

Right now you're thinking I'm totally gonna RSL homer this post.  Read on to see if I do.......

As the Major League Soccer regular season comes to a close, there's a lot of banter going on about this year's post season awards.  The award for Coach of the Year has been getting some serious heat on the MLS comment site and social media networks.  Here I'll present my top 4 candidates for the award and give the best reasons that I can think of for and against before presenting my pick for the award.  I'm sure that whoever I pick will be just as thrilled to get my pick as the actual award.

Caleb Porter--Portland Timbers--The turnaround of the Portland Timbers is certainly one of the major stories in MLS this year, and a large part of it is due to the attitude and system installed by Caleb Porter.  Porter has been considered to be one of the bright young American soccer minds for awhile, but that rep kind of took a hit when he failed to qualify for the 2012 Olympics with the USA U-23 team.  That image has certainly been restored this year.  Portland has been solidly in contention all season long, and here with one game to go they have a legit shot not just at first in the west, but the Supporter's Shield as well.  This certainly bodes well for his chances, and he's seemed to be the odds on media favorite.  A major drawback to me is the number of draws that Portland have settled for.  Yes, you can call it getting results, but the Timbers have also failed to finish off teams a number of times this year, including two high profile matches at home against Real Salt Lake.  This could bite them in the playoffs.

Jason Kreis--Real Salt Lake--Speaking of RSL, how about the job that Jason Kreis has done?  Now, stay with me here.  A lot of folks wrote RSL off this season, picking them barely into the playoffs or perhaps out of the playoffs with the loss of Will Johnson, Jamison Olave, and Fabian Espindola among others.  They called it a "rebuilding year."  Kreis went out and replaced these guys, and managed to up RSL's goal scoring in the process.  In this "rebuilding year," RSL will finish 2nd or 1st in the west, depending on results this weekend.  Kreis and this club also accomplished this while missing their number 1 keeper, their Captain, their top goal scorer, and their best fullback for a month of the season as those players were away on international duty.  To me, that increases the odds.  However, RSL's somewhat lackluster finish to the season and reputation for folding in big matches will hurt his candidacy.

Oscar Pareja--Colorado Rapids--While RSL has gets most of the press in the Rocky Mountain region, Pareja has very quietly reforged the 2010 MLS Cup Champions not only into a playoff team, but in my mind, a genuine contender for MLS Cup.  The Rapids went through a preseason dump as large as, or maybe greater than, that of RSL.  Pareja's draft picks (Deshorn Brown and Dillon Powers) are the odds on favorites for Rookie of the Year, and have both contributed significantly.  The additions of Vincente Sanchez and Gaby Torres (the club's first DP) have made the Rapids all the more dangerous.  Let's not forget the emergence of Clint Irwin in goal or Chris Klute on defense either.  Pareja has brought these young men along in spectacular fashion.  The Rapids thrashing of the Sounders was kind of a coming out party in the the MLS media, but not to me.  I've been preaching Pareja and the Rapids in the Playoffs all year long.  They'll be more dangerous next year too.  Unfortunately for Pareja, the lack of media attention given to the Rapids could very possibly derail his chances.

Mike Petke--New York Red Bulls--Don't look now folks, but the Red Bulls are damn close to actually winning a trophy, though the Fire will try to have a say in that this weekend.  I think Petke has done a phenomenal job in his first year in charge of a club that has long been the pinnacle of  high salaried dysfunction in MLS.  He brought in Robin Fraser to help him out, oh yeah and he is the biggest beneficiary of RSL's preseason salary dump.  Petke has addressed the long standing issues in defense for the club more than adequately, and Luis Robles has finally stabilized the situation in net.  Couple these things with the emergence of Tim Cahill, and the Red Bulls might finally be able to fulfill their aspirations, and I think Petke is a huge part of that.  Now, some people will say that with the caliber of players at Petke's disposal, he ought to be where he is.  There will also be continued skepticism of RBNY's ability to close the deal until they win MLS cup, but I think he's still a solid candidate.

So there you have the case for these four men laid out as best as I can manage. In my mind, all four are totally deserving and I wouldn't mind if any of them win it.  However, in my mind, the award goes to..........

Oscar Pareja of the Colorado Rapids.

Sorry Porter, at least Oscar can beat Jason Kreis, and I'd take the Timbers in the playoffs over the Rapids in the playoffs any day of the week.  Congrats to Pareja and the Rapids on a great season.

MLS Eastern Conference at the Halfway Point: Entirely Up For Grabs

The failings of Ben Olsen's DC United headline the first half back east.

Interestingly enough, the major story of the Eastern Conference in the first half is not who is at the top of the table, but rather who is at the bottom.  No disrespect to the Montreal Impact, who sit up top, but they've really slipped in recent weeks, and the fact that they remain in 1st place is more of a monument to the inconsistency of the teams behind them than a tribute to their play.  At the bottom though, DC United have been a league worst all season.  This from a team that I personally thought might compete for the Cup this year.  Here is my rundown of the teams and their top players for the first half.

1. Montreal Impact, 31 Points

The Impact have really shown that they are a force to be reckoned with this year, and they got off to a huge start, including road wins in Cascadia, to jump way ahead of the East.  However the shine has come off in recent weeks, especially on the defensive end.  The Colorado Rapids came from behind to beat them at Stade Saputo, and then last week they dropped points at home to the lowly Chivas USA, who actually led for a good portion of the match.  Still, the Impact lead the league in PPG, but my main concern for them going forward is can their aging roster (Di Vaio and Nesta types) keep up with the grueling MLS schedule in the second half, especially considering that they'll be playing in CCL.  

First half Team MVP--Marco Di Vaio.  The Italian leads the league in off-side calls, but he's right there in goals as well.  Until recently he has been a shoe-in for your three goal monte, but has kind of cooled off of late.  Still, he is a great scorer and gives opposing defenses plenty to think about.

2. Sporting Kansas City, 30 Points 
I didn't really think Sporting Kansas City was going to go away, despite the fact that they've struggled a bit more at home than they're used to.  In particular, they seem to be more prone at giving up goals at Sporting Park.  I still think this team has all the tools, particularly with the return of Kei Kamara from his loan in the EPL.  I think he's one of the most fun players in the league to watch and is almost always a danger man.    Like Montreal, Sporting will be dealing with CCL play later on this year, so it will be interesting to see how they hold up and if that gives some of the teams behind them an opening.
First half Team MVP--Graham Zusi.  Zusi is one of the best, if not the best, midfielder in MLS in my opinion, and he's made significant strides with the National Team. To me, Sporting seem to be lacking security in their play when he's not around, and he should help propel them through the congested second half.

3. New York Red Bulls, 28 Points.
I still don't think the Red Bulls have gotten it.  They seem to continue to believe that bringing in guys on basis of name recognition is the way to MLS Cup, regardless of the player's age.  At the beginning of the year they signed former Brazilian international Juninho.  Hey that's great, but he was 38 years old.  Did it work? Nope.  Red Bulls did help solidify their back line with the addition of Jamison Olave, but some injury issues, the same that affected him in recent years at RSL, have started to crop up again, as well as a red card every once in awhile.  However, I do like the signing of Ibrahim Sekagya, a 6'1 defender from Uganda.  He could step in beside Olave and help out a lot.  Tim Cahill has also started to come around, which should bolster their attack.
First Half team MVP--Tim Cahill.  Yeah, I'm not going with Henry here, mainly because I haven't been all that impressed with him this year.  To me the times when the Red Bulls have really been able to hit a higher gear is when Cahill has been in form and in the lineup.  They'll need him to stay consistent to keep threatening the top of the conference.

4. Philadelphia Union, 27 Points.

Well hello there, Philadelphia.  It seems like this team has finally recovered from the junk and the drama that Peter Nowak put them through at the end of his tenure.   Jack McInerney has been the star of the squad, and the return of Sebastian Le Toux has reignited his form and given the Union another weapon.  Speaking of weapons, how about Conor Casey?  Has there been a more underrated pick up in MLS this year?  I kind of figured Casey might be through after being jettisoned from the Rapids, but not only has he stayed healthy, but he has proven that he can still be one of the most productive big men in the league.  My question about the Union is in goal.  Zac MacMath is progressing, but the youngster is still essentially learning on the job and has been fairly inconsistent. I think he'll need to step it up a bit going forward, but still the Union look pretty solid as a playoff team right now.
First Half Team MVP--Jack McInerney.  This is pretty easy to justify.  He's turned into a big time goalscorer who has also proven his ability to pass off to teammates to help create.

5. Houston Dynamo, 26 Points.
Injuries and international absences have hit the Dynamo hard so far this season.  They've been without Brad Davis quite a bit, as well as Oscar Boniek Garcia.  Will Bruin has played well, but is also in the USA camp.  Meanwhile the Dynamo acquired former Rapids man Omar Cummings, but unlike Casey for the Union, Cummings has failed to yield any real dividends for Houston.  To make matters a little more pressing, Houston lost their unbeaten streak at home.  It seems like more and more opponents are figuring out the stadium, and the Texas summer heat only lasts for so long.  I have my doubts as to whether the Dynamo can retain their playoff position, but they always seem to stick around somehow.
First half Team MVP--Tally Hall.  I look at Hall a lot like I do Clint Irwin of the Rapids.  He keeps Houston in matches, and with a little more support he can keep them in the playoff hunt.

6. New England Revolution, 24 Points.
Don't look now, but here come the Revs.  They've been kind of quiet about it, but I think they're one of the more improved sides in MLS.  Diego Fagundez has really come on strong, as has Bobby Shuttleworth in goal.  As you probably know, GK Matt Reis's father in law was severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombing, and the emergence of Shuttleworth has been great to let Matt and his family focus on that.  Saer Sene continues to be a force in attack as well.  Right now they're just a little too inconsistent, especially playing from a winning position.  They seem to be learning how to close matches out.  Still, this team just might fly under the radar right into a playoff spot.
First Half Team MVP--Diego Fagundez.  Sure, he isn't scoring all the goals, but he's proven himself to be highly capable both attacking and creating.  This young man is the future of this club and the future is now!

7. Columbus Crew, 23 Points.
The Crew have been a little disappointing for me this year.  However, they have a completely valid excuse.  They've lost a few key players, including Eddie Gaven, to season ending injuries, and it's wreaked havok.  Jario Arrieta has also missed significant time for national team duty.  Federico Higuain has struggled a bit more than last year, it's possible that the league is adjusting to him somewhat.  What is of more concern however is the fact that he is among a group of Argentinian players who have been suspected of doctoring their passports.  We'll have to see where this goes, but whatever happens, I think the Crew could use multiple reinforcements if they want to stay in the playoff race.
First Half team MVP--Dominic Oduro.  You may not have heard much about him in the rest of MLS, but Oduro has really settled in nicely in Columbus and fashioned himself into one of their top weapons.  His speed is always tough to deal with and his eight goals show an improvement in finishing.

8. Chicago Fire, 21 Points. 
When you talk about the story of the Fire's season so far, you have to talk about Mike Magee.  Some folks wondered if he could continue to play as well as he has after departing the Galaxy.  Yes he has, and he's been the man for the Fire.  Bakary Soumare came over from Philly and helped solidfy things at the back in front of Sean Johnson, one of the better young 'keepers in the league.  However, it seems like the Fire are still having a little trouble putting all the pieces together on a regular basis.  Right now I don't see them as a playoff team.  Sure, they've gotten better, but I can't see them cracking the top five.
First Half Team MVP--Mike Magee, cause duh.  #MikeMageeFacts

9. Toronto FC, 13 points.
At some point the long suffering fans in Toronto are going to get a winner, but it doesn't look like it's going to be this year as TFC have already lost touch with the playoff group.  Last week local media trumpeted the arrival of Diego Forlan, and MLS even asked via Facebook if TFC were now contenders.  Forlan and his agent shot down the reports the very next day, but for a few hours the fans had something to be excited about.  The revolving door of players continues, and I don't see Ryan Nelsen bringing in the stability that the club needs, at least not yet.  I look for the carousel of players to continue as Nelsen looks for guys that fit his mold, whatever that is.
First Half Team MVP--Robert Earnshaw.  One of the new additions that has stuck, Earnshaw has been one of the few bright spots for TFC.  He is probably their only consistent goal scoring threat, for what it's worth.

 10. DC United, 10 points.
How do you go about pinpointing what in the world is wrong at RFK?  Both Dwayne De Rosario and Chris Pontius have been injured, and that hasn't helped, but the defense has been a disaster in front of Bill Hamid.  The front office has seemed clueless for much of the year, and Ben Olsen's penchant for blaming the referees has gotten real old, real fast.  United needs help everywhere.  If they can solidify the lineup and make a run ahead of Chivas USA and TFC, that might be something to build on.  If they can't, Olsen's days may be numbered.
First Half Team MVP--Dwayne De Rosario.  The former MVP has to get healthy and stay healthy.  He is the best hope this team has of getting out of the cellar.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the East.  In the end I suspect that Sporting KC, Montreal, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia, and the Revs will be your five playoff teams, but there is a lot of football left to be played.

MLS 2013: Eastern Conference Predictions and Questions

With the MLS season finally starting tomorrow (yay!) it's time to sit down and pound this out.  I'm not gonna call it a preview this year, because hey, what we all come up with during these prognostications means exactly SQUAT.   I watch as much MLS as anyone who's not paid to do it, and hey, even I'm not sure what's going on.  I think the league could be wide open this year, especially in the Eastern Conference.  So, I'll give my predictions on the order of finish from the ground up, and make a couple of observations about each club.  Then I'll pose a few questions that I think might have an effect on the conference race.

10. Toronto FC--Sorry guys, I just can't see anything better happening for TFC just yet.  I really want to, for their fans' sake, but I just don't see it there.  Last year I predicted they would make the playoffs for the first time.  I'm not going anywhere NEAR that route.  Kevin Payne and Ryan Nelsen can provide a solid foundation, I think, but they don't have the players.  Robert Earnshaw could be a good signing though, and their fortunes might improve if Danny Koevermans can stay healthy.

9. New England Revolution--I'm not sure what New England has really been up to to improve in the offseason either, except for the addition of Juan Toja, which, while solid, isn't a huge "move up the table" move for me.  Jerry Bengston and Saer Sene have quality, Sene showed it more, but I think the Revs will need more from these guys.  Matt Reis is as solid as they come in goal, but they have to keep him from facing firing squads all season.  The other thing this team desperately needs is their own stadium.

8. Philadelphia Union--What do you do with the Union?  I put them above New England pretty much because they got Sebastien Le Toux back.  He'll do good things, but who else will?  Freddy Adu is, what exactly?  Gone I guess.  Carlos Valdes is out on loan, and come on, there is a reason the Rapids got rid of Conor Casey.  I would tab Antoine Hoppenot to up his contribution though.

7. Montreal Impact--The Impact continue to strive to be the first Serie A team from the last decade to be located in North America, but to what end?  Does anybody really think Alessandro Nesta is gonna last all year without getting injured?  The Impact were pretty decent last year, and they have most of their guys back, but I just don't see it as enough to catch the top 5 in the Eastern Conference.  Stranger things have happened though.

6. Chicago Fire--To me. the Fire are the question mark team out east.  They were VERY active in the offseason, and I think they made some nice additions.  Think Jeff Larentowicz, Joel Lindpere, and Maicon Santos.  Sean Johnson is certainly up to the task in goal, and the defense is solid.  They could easily be a 3,4, or 5 team, but I've got them just on the outside looking in.

5. Columbus Crew--The Crew were one of the toughest games for opponents late last year, and I think they've just gotten better.  If Dominic Oduro finds his form, watch out.  The team brings back Federico Higuain and Jairo Arrieta, plus they're always tough score against, especially at Crew Stadium.  I think they'll hit the playoffs this year, and they could do some big damage if they get there.  Don't sleep on this club.

4. Houston Dynamo--Ok, we get it.  Two-time defending Eastern Conference Champs.  The quality on this side is undeniable, and I think they'll still have a significant edge at BBVA Compass Stadium.  Ching is back as player/coach, so his influence is still there.  I don't see why this team couldn't at least follow the same map as they have the last couple of years.  Plus, I wouldn't bet against Dom Kinnear, unless they're playing the Galaxy in the MLS Cup Final.

3. Sporting Kansas City--The loss of Espinoza and Kamara are going to hurt this club.  The addition of Benny Feilhaber is cringe worthy in my opinion, but I will admit I'm biased because I don't care for his attitude.  Their trump cards are Graham Zusi and Jimmy Nielsen.  Plus, like Houston, they're one of the few clubs that I feel have an actual home field advantage at Cheatstrong, err, I mean Sporting Park.  It's not fair to chide Sporting over that though.  They're still one of the top sides out east and should continue to play like it.

2. New York Red Bulls--You'd think this team almost couldn't help but be in the top two just by showing up on the pitch.  The addition of Jamison Olave is a MAJOR step toward addressing their defensive concerns, provided he stays healthy and doesn't continue to fall prey to some of those mental lapses that seem to plague him the last year and a half or so at RSL.  They also have arguably the best player in the league in Henry.  If they can pull it all together, a big "if," they could finally get their hands on some silverware this year.

1. D.C United--I'm a huge fan of what Ben Olsen has done with this team, in fact I see it as being very similar to what Jason Kreis has done with RSL.  Sure, it would be nice if DeRo stayed healthy and stopped head-butting people, but Chris Pontius is one of the the most dangerous players in MLS to my mind, and they added Carlos Ruiz not only to score some goals, but help rub some people the wrong way.  Hamid is a great talent in goal, and their defense, though not the flashiest or meanest, is more than up to snuff.  This could be the year that DC adds another star over their crest.

Eastern Conference--Three Big Questions

1--Can the New York Red Bulls put it all together and make the run people have been predicting since Henry signed on?

My Answer--YES.  My big beef with the Red Bulls has been defense, and they've definitely improved.  Ultimatey I think DC takes the regular season, but I'd love too see these two squads in the conference final.


2--Who is the "sleeper" team in the conference this year?

My Answer--The Columbus Crew. The middle of the east could be pretty crowded with Houston, Columbus, Chicago, and maybe even Montreal all getting into the mix.  If the Crew can get to the playoffs, they could follow the Houston Blueprint very easily.


3--Is this year when the East catches, and eclipses, the West?

My Answer--YES, in a way..... I still see the top couple of teams out west being better than the top couple of teams in the east.  However, I really see this as being the year those middle teams in the east might outpace the mid-table teams in the west.  That would have a bigger impact, pardon the pun, if we still had a balanced schedule.

So there are my thoughts for the east this year.  Starting tomorrow, we'll get to see just how full of BS and hot air I am.  Good luck to all of the clubs and their supporters.  A couple of you are going to need it.

MLS Notes: NYRB Coach, Rapids New Boy, and 'Caps Cutting Losses

The Red Bulls have finally settled on a new head coach (MLS)

It's time for a quick hit around the league this Friday, going into a the first real weekend of training for most of the MLS clubs.  First up, the New York Red Bulls have finally concluded their international search for a head coach.  Turns out they went all the way to......their own backyard to find a new man.  Former Red Bulls player Mike Petke has had the interim tag removed, and will now take up full time duties as the Red Bulls head man.  Petke takes the reigns after two international coaches reportedly turned down the job: Aston Villa assistant Gary McAllister and former Portuguese international Paulo Sousa.    Petke has been on the staff since 2011 and has been interim coach since Hans Backe was canned after last season.

Next we stop at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, where the Rapids have added a new player to their growing squad.   Colorado today won a weighted lottery for 18 year old Cameroon International attacker Charles Eloundou, beating out Real Salt Lake and DC United.  Eloundou had signed a contract with MLS prior to the draft, but did not obtain his visa in time for the combine, thus the lottery process.  Rapids technical director Paul Bravo describes him as a winger who might also be able to play underneath a lone striker.  Eloundou is in MLS for a one year loan from Cameroon side AS Fortuna de Mfou, with the Rapids/MLS having an option to buy at the end of the season.  After winning this lottery, the Rapids will be ineligible to participate in further lotteries for 2013 season.

Meanwhile, the axe is falling on more heads in Vancouver after their disappointing end to the 2012 campaign.  Ives Galarcep is reporting that the Whitecaps have waived center-back Martin Bonjour, who they have been quite keen to part ways with.  Earlier this week the 'Caps had dumped disappointing DP Barry Robson.  The former Celtic and Dundee United man lasted less than a full season in MLS and will seek a return to a club in his native Scotland.  There have also been rumors that Kenny Miller's time in Vancouver maybe coming to an end, but on Jan. 21 the former Rangers man said that he was looking forward to a full preseason in Vancouver that might help him contribute more during the regular season campaign.

Of course there are many other rumors flying around various MLS clubs right now as well.  The player movement and on pitch action will ramp up in the next couple of weeks as training camps get underway in earnest.

RSL Begin Parting of Ways

Fabian Espindola (left) is one of the faces departing RSL

Ever since RSL was eliminated from this year's CONCACAF Champions League, the fans (and players) have been waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop.  Without winning MLS Cup or advancing in CCL, the Claret and Cobalt wouldn't be receiving any extra allocation money to put toward keeping the team together, combined with the fact that they were hard up against the salary cap.  The news began to trickle out today, and it was not happy news for the fans.

Ives Galarcep began breaking the story this evening.  When the MLS roster freeze comes off on Monday, RSL is expected to pull the trigger on two deals.  First off, defender Jamison Olave and forward Fabian Espindola are headed to the New York Red Bulls in exchange for allocation money.  These are two of the key men in RSL's Championship run in 2009, as well as the 2010-2011 CCL Final run.  Olave was MLS defender of the year in 2010 and Espindola is 2nd on the team in all time goals.

The second trade is a little less of a blockbuster, but just as heartbreaking for the fans.  Midfielder Will Johnson is set to be shipped to the Portland Timbers in exchange for yet more allocation money.  The Canadian International has played all but 6 of his 120 career MLS games with Real Salt Lake.  It seems fans have been most shocked about this move when one looks at the response on social media.

Last but not least, MF Jonny Steele is departing the club after 1 season.  While he certainly seemed to lack consistency overall, he was always worked his tail off and provided the fans with great memories with goals both at Portland and the dagger game winner against TFC at home.  He certainly contributed to the team this season.

It's worth saying that as of this writing, late Sunday night, these moves have not been confirmed as the roster freeze is still on.  However, no one representing the clubs involved, the league, or the players has denied it.    This should go down during the next couple of days, and rumor is that RSL may not be done.

I can tell you one thing that this off-season will not be: boring.  The Puddle wishes all of these guys the best as they pursue their careers and they will always be part of the RSL Family.

MLS Announces 2012 Best XI

MVP Candidate Chris Wondolowski highlights the 2012 MLS Best XI

Today during his State of the League call, MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced the 2012 MLS Best XI.  The votes are cast by players, club leadership, and media members.  Here is the list, by position.

Goalkeeper--
Jimmy Nielsen--Sporting Kansas City (Denmark)

Defenders--
Victor Bernardez--San Jose Earthquakes (Honduras)
Matt Besler--Sporting Kansas City (USA)
Aurelien Collin--Sporting Kansas City (France)

Midfielders--
Osvaldo Alonso--Seattle Sounders (Cuba)*
Landon Donovan--LA Galaxy (USA)
Graham Zusi----Sporting Kansas City (USA)
Chris Pontius--DC United (USA)

Forwards--
Thierry Henry--New York Red Bulls (France)
Robbie Keane--LA Galaxy (Ireland)
Chris Wondolowski--San Jose Earthquakes (USA)

*Osvaldo Alonso became a naturalized US Citizen earlier this year, however his nationality for FIFA purposes is still Cuba at this point.

The Puddle would like to congratulate these men for their excellent seasons in 2012.

MLS Coaching Hot Seat: Backe and Fraser SACKED

Hans Backe will now have time to concentrate on snow angels (Getty Images)

Two more MLS coaches were given pink slips this weekend.  Though one was certainly more high profile than the other, in the end neither move is really a surprise as both clubs involved fell short of their expectations.  

On Friday, a day after being eliminated from the MLS playoffs by DC United, New York Red Bulls announced that Hans Backe would no longer be their head coach.  Backe's contract expires at the end of the year, and the club announced that it would not be renewed.  Also getting the sack was Backe's assistant Jan Halvor Halvorsen.  The club announced that Mike Petke will oversee the team on an interim basis.

It was largely considered to be MLS Cup or bust for the Red Bulls, and expectations were only raised when they acquired Australian International Tim Cahill from Everton near the end of the summer transfer window.  In the end, it wasn't offense that cost New York, but horrible defense and spotty goalkeeping.

Also on Friday Chivas USA announced that Robin Fraser was out as their head man.  Fraser was considered to be a top choice for a head coaching position in MLS after he was assistant to Jason Kreis in 2009 and 2010.  RSL won the cup in 2009 and had a stellar defense year in 2010, setting a team record for fewest goals allowed.

Fraser never got the ball rolling at Chivas USA though, with only 15 wins over two seasons.  The Goats tanked late this year, not winning in their last 14 games and getting destroyed by their opponents quite often.  Assistant Greg Vanney. head scout Simon Elliott, and trainer Brian Lee were also sacked as Chivas continues to restructure their front office.

Backe and Fraser become the 2nd and 3rd MLS managers to lose their jobs in the wake of the 2012 season.  They join Montreal's Jesse Marsch, who was sacked earlier last week.

Seattle, LA, DC, and Houston Advance to MLS Conference Finals

Tim Cahill and Thierry Henry were unable to push NYRB onward (Getty Images)

To say that the MLS playoffs have been interesting and eventful so far would be an understatement.  We've had games moved and postponed by weather, trophy winners have crashed out, there have been stellar performances in goal, and an era has probably ended at one of MLS's most successful clubs in recent years.

There was another very noticeable trend as well. Every team that had the so called "advantage" of having the second leg of the tie at home lost.  Of those four teams. only Sporting Kansas City went home in trouble, but the visitors were able to move on in every case.

The first series to be decided was Sporting KC versus Houston on Wednesday night.  The Dynamo went to Livestrong Sporting Park up 2-0 on aggregate after beating KC fairly handily at BBVA Compass Stadium.  Sporting pressed Houston all night long, but for the most part came up short trying to find the target.  Seth Sinovic scored for KC on a diving header in the 64th minute, but they couldn't beat Tally Hall again, and the US Open Cup winners crashed out of the MLS Cup Playoffs 1-2 on aggregate. 

The result in Wednesday's second match was perhaps even more surprising.  It looked like business as usual for the San Jose Earthquakes when they scored a stoppage time winner in the first leg of their series at the LA Galaxy, sending them back to Buck Shaw stadium with a 1-0 aggregate lead.   However in the second leg, LA pretty much put the "Goonies" to the sword rather quickly.  Robbie Keane scored twice and Mike Magee added one as the defending MLS Cup Champs pushed out to a 1-3 aggregate lead.  Alan Gordon added a goal late on to make it 2-3, and things seemed like they might be set up for more stoppage time magic for the Quakes, but LA held on to end the season for the Quakes, your 2012 Supporters Shield Winners.

Thursday night the odd series between New York Red Bulls and DC United finished up.  It was supposed to finish Wednesday as well, but the appearance of snow at Hurricane Sandy battered Red Bull Arena forced a 1 day postponement, much to the annoyance of DC United.  In the end, DC would get the last laugh in this wild game.  DC 'keeper Bill Hamid was sent off for bringing down Kenny Cooper in the box in the 69th minute.  Cooper converted the PK, but it was called back after NY's two most expensive players. Tim Cahill and Thierry Henry, were called for encroachment.  DC backup 'keeper Joe Willis saved the second PK attempt to preserve the 1-1 aggregate score from RFK.

Shortly thereafter, Rafa Marquez was sent off for a second yellow card, leaving both sides with 10 men.  DC's Nick DeLeon then found the winning goal late on to make the final aggregate score 1-2.

The final match of the round took place in Sandy between RSL and Seattle Sounders.  The teams had fought to a scoreless, bloody draw in Seattle, and things were largely the same at Rio Tinto Stadium as both Christian Tiffert and Tony Beltran would get bloodied in this hard fought, well played match.  In the end, Seattle capitalized on an RSL mistake, as Jamison Olave turned the ball over and Mario Martinez scored an absolute GOLAZO to notch the only goal of the series as Seattle deservedly took the tie 0-1. 

So now the season has ended for everyone but four teams, and the conference finals are set.  They'll take place over two legs on the next two Sundays, with LA and Houston hosting this weekend and Seattle and DC hosting the second legs next weekend.  Both should be interesting ties.

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.

Match Thoughts: Houston Dynamo vs. New York Red Bulls

NY's Victor Palsson commits a yellow card tackle on Oscar Boniek Garcia (Getty Images)

Ladies and Gentlemen, there's a new sheriff in town in the Eastern Conference.  Please welcome the Houston Dynamo, your new leaders.  They vaulted into the pole position with a convincing 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls Friday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

New York was hoping for a bright start, with new DP Tim Cahill making his MLS debut.  It didn't happen as the Dynamo seized control from the first kick off.   In the second minute Brad Davis set up for a free kick and put the ball into the penalty area.  The Red Bulls looked utterly lost as the ball finally fell to Andre Hainault, who put a shot on target that Bill Gaudette was barely able to keep out.  Then Jermaine Taylor came in totally unmarked and tapped the ball over the goal line to give the Dynamo a 1-0 lead.

After that the crowd in Houston waited to see if the Red Bulls could regroup and try to get into the match after giving up the first goal.  It didn't happen.  The Houston attack continued to cause New York problems as their defense wandered rather aimlessly and their midfield just looked uninspired without Dax McCarty, who was serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation.  Both Will Bruin and Oscar Boniek-Garcia forced saves out of Gaudette, but Calen Carr finally added the Dynamo insurance goal in the 28th minute.  He got loose and headed in a cross from Mac Kandji to make it 2-0, which was the score at half time.

The Dynamo continued their march early in the second half.  Will Bruin nearly made it 3-0 in the 47th minute, but sent his shot just wide of the far post.  New York did get a couple of looks as well, though none really threatening.  Tim Cahill missed with a header in the 64th minute and Kenny Cooper hit a shot right at Tally Hall in the 74th.  Thierry Henry was practically invisible. 

Boniek-Garcia had a couple of good looks late on for the Dynamo.  In the 86th minute he drove a shot that just missed the far upper corner, and Gaudette managed to save his last effort in the first minute of stoppage time to make the final score 2-0.

The win puts the Dynamo on top of the East with 40 points, though Sporting Kansas City equaled that total with a win over New England on Saturday.  New York falls to third place, still on 38 points.  The two teams will meet again next Friday at Red Bull Arena.

New York Red Bulls Sign Socceroo Tim Cahill

Australian International Tim Cahill in his first MLS training session

This particular deal has been rumored for the last few days, but it is finally official.  The New York Red Bulls have signed Australian International and former Everton mainstay Tim Cahill as their third designated player.  For my Australian readers, the designated player rules is similar to the A-League's marquee player rule, basically allowing a club to spend more money than would usually be allowed to bring in a big name player.

As per MLS policy, terms of the deal were not announced.  Rumors earlier in the week placed the transfer fee paid to Everton at around one million dollars.  This has caused some controversy in MLS, as last week the league supposedly blocked the signing of of Swedish defender Olof Mellberg by Toronto FC.  Mellberg is a big center back who had the highest win percentage of aerial duels in the Champions League while playing for Greek Champions Olympiacos last season.  Last night at the all star game Don Garber denied blocking the Mellberg deal, but did say that it "wasn't in the best interest of the league."  This has lead to the inevitable speculation that MLS doesn't want to spend big money on defenders.\

Let's get back to Cahill now.  He scored 68 goals in 278 appearances for Everton.  However, last year his influence greatly diminished as he only tallied 3 goals and 3 assists.  Still, nobody will question the 32 year old's massive work rate and effort.  He also led Millwall to the FA Cup final before joining Everton.

 

Cahill is a distinguished player at the International level as well.  He has 55 caps for Australia scoring 24 goals in that time for the Socceroos.  He represented his country in the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, becoming the first Australian to score in the World Cup finals with his goal against Japan in 2006.

As pictured above, Cahill has already begun training with the Red Bulls, however the deal is still pending his visa and international clearance paperwork.  However, given the Red Bulls defensive woes this season, perhaps they should have gone after Mellberg.

Match Thoughts: New York Red Bulls vs. Seattle Sounders

NY's Connor Lade takes a kick to the head from Adam Johansson (Getty Images)

Neither the Seattle Sounders or the New York Red Bulls have exactly been on fire in recent weeks. but both sides had reason to be more confident heading into Sunday's match at Red Bull Arena.  The Sounders picked up their first win in many weeks last matchday against Colorado, and had secured a birth in the US Open Cup final after beating Chivas USA.  New York had made two deals earlier in the week, one bringing in tried and true LA backup 'keeper Bill Gaudette and bringing in Sebsatian Le Toux from Vancouver.

The opening minutes of the match were all Seattle though as they came out absolutely on fire.  The dirty little secret of the Red Bulls this year is that only two teams in MLS have given up more goals than they have. and Seattle looked to exploit that right off.  Their first quality chance of the match came on 11 minutes when Brad Evans went driving into the top of the area.  Gaudette came for him and hit the deck immediately, just snatching the ball off of Evans' foot as he shot it.  However, Seattle continued to pressure and it finally paid off in the 16th minute when Adam Johansson sent a beautiful cross in to Alvaro Fernandez, who calmly headed the ball past Gaudette to make it 0-1 to Seattle.\

At that point the Red Bulls, who had looked absolutely helpless, decided to try to get back into the match.  In the 24th minute the Seattle defense parted like the Red Sea for Kenny Cooper who smashed a drive at the Seattle goal.  Bryan Meredith managed to save it, but gave up a big rebound to a lurking Le Toux, who drilled the ball into the net for his first Red Bulls goal to tie the match at 1-1.

After that New York largely took control of the match.  A major talking point emerged right before half time though.  Thierry Henry went up to play a shot on the side of the six yard box, and Osvaldo Alonso clearly stuck his hand up to the ball.  Replays were pretty clear that the he made contact, and New York was awarded a corner kick as the ball went over the end line.  It should have been a deliberate hand ball call, with a PK awarded and a red card to Alosno, but play continued and the first half ended 1-1 as Markus Holgersson's header rattled off the cross bar on the ensuing corner.

New York mounted a fairly heavy assault on the Seattle goal in the second half, but they failed to really test Meredith severely.  After several shots off target, Joel Lindpere took a ball from Brandon Barklage and opened up the Seattle defense.  The NY midfielder managed to tuck his shot between Meredith and the near post to make it 2-1 to the Red Bulls.

Seattle countered by inserting Fredy Montero to give their offense a jump start, and it paid dividends right away.  In the 67th minute Brad Evans teed him up with a nice ball, and Montero banged home the equalizer to give the Sounders a chance at a point.  

The heat began to take a toll the match late on, and there were few chances for either side to produce a winner.  New York got the best look in stoppage time as Roy Miller got his head to a corner kick in the final minute.  Unfortunately for the home side his shot went wide of the post and the match finished at 2-2.  The Red Bulls will feel like they let one get away, but on the balance, it was probably a fair result.

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Brandon Barklage Volley Vs DC

Ok folks, here's my selection for Goal of the weekend. Today former DC United man Brandon Barklage volleyed home this goal (his second of the night) against his old team. The Red Bulls would move on to win 3-2 and claim a share of first place in the East.

Puddle's MLS Preview 6/23-6/24

When looking at the MLS fixture slate this weekend, there's automatically two matches that jump out at you, unless you're just here for the Cascadia.  On Saturday, the top two teams in the Western Conference will do battle at Rio Tinto Stadium as Real Salt Lake hosts the San Jose Earthquakes.  Sunday will feature a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference's top two sides, as the New York Red Bulls host DC United.  Let's start with a look at the action that will take place at Red Bull Arena.

New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United, Sunday, 6/24/12, 7PM EDT.

The Red Bulls have struggled a little bit coming out of the international break, with a loss against Chicago and underwhelming draw at Vancouver.  However, they haven't had their best players on the pitch either.  Both Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez have been missing of late, and both are officially listed as questionable for this match. 

If they don't play in this one, where will the Red Bulls get the goals to compete with the high octane DC offense?  Last Wednesday Heath Pearce scored off of a set piece, but it was his first goal in MLS in four years.  Kenny Cooper was largely absent against Vancouver without the creative force of Henry teamed up with him.  This time the Red Bulls will also be without Dane Richards for this one, who picked up 5th yellow card during the midweek match. 

Things are a little bit more straight forward for DC United.  MF Danny Cruz is listed as probable, but the rest of the Eagles' big guns look set to roll.  Last time out against the Red Bulls at RFK, DC got a hat trick from Chris Pontius en route to a 4-1 win last April.  They'll be looking to assert their dominance over the Eastern Conference with a repeat performance.  It'll be up to the patchwork New York back line and ROY contender Ryan Meara in goal to keep the Red Bulls in this one.

Mark Geiger will be the center referee in this match.  His stats in 97 MLS matches:  FC/gm: 26.3; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 22; pens: 32.  I look for the Red Bulls to actually hold United off at home and pull out a 2-1 win.  If DC come out with a victory, they'll be up 6 points on NY.


Real Salt Lake vs. San Jose Earthquakes, Saturday, 6/23/12, 7PM MDT

Real Salt Lake is going to have plenty of motivation to come out and win 3 points against the Quakes.  Last April, RSL went down to nine men when playing the Quakes in San Jose.  Despite that, they took a 1-1 draw into stoppage time only to fall 3-1 to two late goals.  Then you have comedy of errors that led to the 2-3 defeat to the Galaxy Wednesday night.

Perhaps the biggest thing RSL can do is eliminate the many individual mistakes the cost them so dearly against LA.  They'll also need to keep their heads on straight as Beckerman, Morales, and Saborio will be suspended with their next yellow card.  Morales and Olave are listed as probable, while Luis Gil and Sebastian Velasquez are listed as questionable. 

The Quakes formula is simple, do what they've done all year.  A good defense and good 'keeper will keep them in the match and Lenhart and Wondolowski will get their chances.  RSL will have to come together at the back to stop them.    For San Jose, Ramiro Corrales and Diver/Wanker Alan Gordon will be suspended on their next yellow card. 

Jair Marufo is the ref in charge of this one.  His stats in 135 MLS matches: FC/gm: 24.2; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 32; pens: 42.  I'll take RSL to right the ship at home, though San Jose will certainly get their chances.  I'm going with RSL 3-2 in an entertaining match.

Match Thoughts: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. New York Red Bulls

Dane Richards and Gershon Koffie make small talk. (AP Photo)

Consider yourself warned, MLS fans.  The Vancouver Whitecaps are making noise in the western conference and they'll make more noise in the league as a whole before all the hardware is handed out.  So often when fans think about the Cascadia teams, the thoughts are of Seattle and Portland.  Don't look now, but the 'Caps are ahead of both of them.  In this particular match both Vancouver and New York played to a scrappy draw, but Vancouver was obviously the better side for much of the match.

Despite the fact that the Whitecaps opened the match with the better possession and ball control, it was the Red Bulls that would earn the first good chance on goal.  In the 8th minute Joel Lindpere sent a cross in on a free kick that found the head of Dax McCarty.  Joe Cannon was up to the task and saved the close range header to keep the match scoreless early.

After that the Whitecaps began to come into some attacking form of their own.  In the 9th minute Martin Bonjour missed a shot after a free kick, and Davide Chumiento had a great look on a 'Caps counter attack, but his shot missed the target.  It wasn't until the 32nd minute that either team would get a good look again, and the chance fell to Camilo for Vancouver.  He found himself alone near the top of the 18 after a perfect setup ball, but somehow drug his shot wide of the goal as Ryan Meara closed him down.  The first half ended 0-0.

The second half didn't see much action until about the last 20 minutes, and it was the Red Bulls who started the party.  New York went on a break of their own and Dane Richards looked to have a 1v1 chance on the Vancouver goal.  Joe Cannon rushed off of his line and hit the deck, taking the ball off of the speedy Jamaican's foot to preserve the tie.

In the 75th minute, the Whitecaps were finally the first side to get on the board.  The ball ended up sliding into the New York penalty area after a corner kick from Alain Rochat.  The ball actually drifted by 4 'Caps players before falling to the feet of Bonjour.  The defender calmly lined up his touch and smashed the ball into the far corner of the Red Bulls' goal to make it 1-0.

However, if the Whitecaps thought they were going to cruise to the 1-0 win with the late goal, they were going to get surprised.  The Red Bulls had a last chance corner kick in the 86th minute.  The Whitecaps defense went to sleep for just a minute, but it was all Heath Pearce needed to get his head to the ball and equalize the match at 1-1, which was the full time result, ending in disappointment for Vancouver.

NOTES:  New York's Dane Richards picked up his 5th yellow card of the season, and will miss the Red Bulls match vs. DC United this weekend.

US Open Cup 4th Round Review

Last night wasn't quite as bad for MLS teams in the US Open Cup.  After all, DC and Colorado lost to other MLS sides.  However, there was at least one major disappointment for the MLS faithful to swallow as well.

That disappointment was the New York Red Bulls.  They lost 3-1 to the Harrisburg City Islanders in extra time.  The Islanders are known for giant killing in this tourney, but that's not likely to console the Red Bulls.  With the match knotted at 1-1 in the 4th minute of extra time, former Red Bull Sainey Touray lobbed a shot in over Ryan Meara to make it 2-1.  After the Red Bulls were incorrectly denied a PK for a handball, Lucky Mkosana fired home the final nail in the coffin in the 112th minute to make the final 3-1.

Handball in the box also played a significant roll in Chivas USA's 1-2 at the Carolina Railhawks.  Carolina had just taken down the Galaxy in the last round, but couldn't pull off the double over the LA teams.  Juan Pablo Angel hit a penalty kick in second half stoppage time after a Railhawk's defender handled in the box to give the Goats the win.

As mentioned earlier, there were two matches that took place between MLS sides.  Philadelphia needed extra time to overcome DC United 1-2 at DC.  At Livestrong Sporting Park, Sporting Kansas City shut down the Colorado Rapids en route to a 2-0 win.

The most interesting match of the night was supposed to be Seattle Sounders vs Cal FC at Seattle's Starfire Sports complex.  Amateur side Cal FC, coached by former US Soccer great Eric Wynalda, pulled off the upset in round 3 against Portland, but Seattle was just too big of an ask.  Despite being held scoreless in the first half, the Sounders poured on five in the second, two by Fredy Montero, to make it 5-0 at full time.

The evening's slate was rounded out in San Jose where the Earthquakes were pitted against Minnesota Stars FC, who took down Real Salt Lake last week at Rio Tinto Stadium.  Minnesota couldn't pull off the upset for the second straight week, as a goal from Steven Lenhart propelled San Jose to the 1-0 win.

Two other matches were held without MLS sides.  The Dayton Dutch Lions beat the Michigan Bucks 2-1 and the Charlotte Eagles took down NASL's San Antonio Scorpions 2-1 in extra time.

Match Thoughts: New York Red Bulls vs. Chivas USA

NY's Brandon Barklage and Chivas' Juan Pablo Angel fight for the ball (Getty Images)

One couldn't fault either New York Red Bulls or Chivas USA fans for being confident ahead of this match.  Coming in the Red Bulls had won four matches in a row and Chivas USA was coming off of a win over the LA Galaxy for the first time in five years.  Chivas was without newly acquired star forward Juan Agudelo as he is away with the national team, but they did have former Red Bulls man Juan Pablo Angel, and he had a big night.

Chivas had the first chance of the match in the second minute when Nick LaBrocca sent a shot in that was well saved by Ryan Meara.  However, a short time later LaBrocca went down with an apparent hamstring injury and was subbed off.

After the initial exchanges New York took charge for awhile and looked pretty good doing it.  Thierry Henry got the ball after Chivas turned it over in their own end on 12 minutes, but sent his shot wide.  Kenny Cooper let a drive a go in the 19th, but hit it right at Dan Kennedy in goal.

The best chance of the half ended up falling to Angel and Chivas USA though.  In the 25th minute the former Aston Villa man got a great look, but hammered his shot off the post.  Roy Miller would have a good look for the Red Bulls in the 40th, but coming into the six he faced a tough angle and elected to shoot instead of make the easy pass.   The ball rolled harmlessly wide of the far post and the teams went to halftime still at 0-0.

Business picked up right away in the second half though.  Chivas sent in a corner kick in the 47th minute that found the head of center back Rauwshan McKenzie.  McKenzie headed it down, and Juan Pablo Angel pulled a nice overhead/scorpion type kick out of his bag of tricks and sent the ball flying into the Red Bulls' net to make it 0-1 to the Goats.

The Red Bulls did respond though as they started to push for the equalizer almost right away.  Henry had a nice snap header saved by Kennedy in the 52nd minute, but the Red Bulls knotted things up in the 56th.  Brandon Barklage put a gorgeous entry ball down the pitch to the feet of Dane Richards, who slotted the ball across the 18 to an oncoming Kenny Cooper.  Coop calmly touched the ball past Kennedy for the game tying goal at 1-1.

The Red Bulls had the best chances for a winner as they tried to claim their 5th straight win, but it just wasn't to be.  In the 83rd minute Dax McCarty put a header on goal from a corner kick that beat Kennedy toward the far post.  Unfortunately for New York, Chivas man Ante Jazic was there to clear the ball off the line to preserve the 1-1 draw at full time.

NOTES:  The NYRB supporters showed a lot of class, with multiple tifo honoring Juan Pablo Angel throughout the ground.  Angel refused to celebrate his goal, returning the classy behavior.  The Red Bulls did not use a single sub.  They now head into the international/US Open Cup break with their next league match on June 17 at Chicago.  Chivas is now undefeated in 3.  They host Seattle this weekend before they begin the break.

Red Bulls, Chivas USA, and Philly Swap Players

Juan Agudelo has been traded to Chivas USA (Goal.com)

Three MLS squads look very different this evening than they did at the start of business today.  Chivas USA pulled off two deals, one with New York Red Bulls and the other with the Philadelphia Union.  The deal with Philadelphia had been rumored for a few days, but the deal with NY came as a bit of a surprise.

The Goats will send midfielder Mike Lahoud to Philadelphia for want-away center back Danny Califf.  The former Union captain had experienced a falling out with head coach Peter Nowak.  He had made 65 appearances in three years in Philadelphia.

Turns out there was a reason Chivas needed another center back.  They dealt MLS All-Star defender Heath Pearce to the New York Red Bulls in exchange for US International forward Juan Agudelo.  There will also be allocation money changing hands, and the Red Bulls will pick up a piece of any future selling fee should Chivas sell Agudelo.

For the Union, the reasoning behind the deal is pretty clear.  They unload Califf and pick up an experienced player in the midfield.  Despite the fact that the deal has been rumored for several days. both sides were fairly coy up until the trade was completed today.

New York addresses one of their biggest needs by acquiring a proven, top level MLS defender to put in front of Ryan Meara.  Yes, Agudelo has a ton of potential upside, but according to Red Bulls management, he himself pushed for a trade somewhere where he could get more playing time. 

So the Goats add a veteran presence on the back line.  Also, if both Juan Pablo Angel and Juan Agudelo can stay healthy, their attack could be lethal.  I'm not sure this puts them up with RSL, San Jose, and Seattle, but I fully expect them to compete for the playoffs, maybe at the expense of Vancouver, Colorado, Dallas, or yes, the Galaxy.

Match Thoughts; Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls

New York's Juan Agudelo attempts a bicycle kick in the second half. (Getty Images)

The budding rivalry between the Philadelphia Union and the New York Red Bulls is evolving into one of the better ones in MLS and this particular match just added fuel to the fire.  The Union have really been struggling this season, especially in the goals department.  They had recorded 2 or fewer shots on goal in 6 straight matches, a dubious MLS record.  The Red Bulls were streaking in another way, winners of their last three.

The Union clearly came to play in this one though, and dominated most of the first half.  Freddy Adu in particular seemed to be in rare form, both sending in shots on target and creating chances for his teammates.  However in the 5th minute he picked up a yellow card for a nasty tackle on Roy Miller and that would come back to haunt the Union star.  Still, Adu had the best chance of the early minutes, sending a bullet into goal in the 8th that was smothered by Ryan Meara.

New York only really only had one attack in the first half, but they made it count.  In the 17th minute Mehdi Ballouchy found Joel Lindpere in the box, and Lindpere struck it hard into the Philadelphia net to give the Red Bulls a 0-1 lead.

The Union didn't miss a beat though and continued their attack.  Lionard Pajoy was much more active, and had his best game in a Union uniform.  In the 24th minute he let loose a rocket from the top of the penalty area but Meara managed to pull out another nice save to preserve the lead.  However in the 31st Philly finally struck.  Adu sent a nice cross into the area that found the head of Pajoy, who promptly buried the strike to equalize the match at 1-1.

Unfortunately things went horribly wrong for the Union in the 43rd minute.  Freddy Adu was driving with the ball in the area, and tried to go between two NY defenders.  He went to the floor and the referee's whistle blew.  The Union fans expected a penalty, but instead the ref showed Adu his second yellow card for diving. Replays clearly showed their was no contact on the play, but Adu continued to plead his case even as the red card came out.  Later he would say that he did not intentionally fall over on purpose, but braced for contact that never came.  At any rate the half ended with the score at 1-1 but the Union down a man.

The Union responded immediately in the second half though and took the lead through the foot of Pajoy.  In the 46th minute he squeezed through the NY defense and slotted in a goal from an odd angle to make it 2-1.  That would be the last joy for the Union though.

Juan Agudelo checked in again and injected heart and pace into the Red Bulls offense, much the same way as he did midweek against Houston.  Philadelphia began to show signs of fatigue from being down a man and New York capitalized.  In the 68th minute Red Bulls defender Markus Holgersson got totally free on a corner kick and equalized with a header to make it 2-2.  Ten minutes later Kenny Cooper gave the Red Bulls the lead for good, tapping in an odd angle shot of his own to make it 2-3.

The Union did get a golden chance to equalize late though.  There was a scrum in the NY area in the 86th minute, and the ball ended up flying free parallel to the NY goal line.  Michael Farfan was right there for Philly and all he had to do was touch the ball to send it in for the equalizer.  He tried to lift his leg and kick it in, but totally whiffed and the ball drifted past the goal and out for a goal kick, taking with it the Union's last good chance to equalize.  The match finished at 2-3.

NOTES:  The good news for Philadelphia is that it was their first multigoal game of the year.  Earlier in the week they beat German club Schalke 04 in a friendly at PPL park, but were subjected to chants of "Lets see you do it on Sunday."  Ryan Meara sported a new horrible haircut that is apparently the handy work of Wilman Conde.  He must have still been intoxicated when he did it.