RSL Avoids the Sword, Escapes Sporting KC With a Point.

Rich Balchan helped RSL to a scoreless draw against Sporting KC. (KSL.com)

So I was sitting in a restaurant after work last Saturday night when I saw the RSL lineup hit my notifications bar.  I knew Wingert would be out, but I saw that Nick Rimando and and Tony Beltran would be out as well.  In stepped Jeff Attinella, Rich Balchan, and Abdoulie Mansally to try to hold down the fort.  Now I'm pretty comfortable with Attinella in goal, as he filled in well for Rimando last year after Josh Saunders went down during the Gold Cup run.  However, forgive me, but at that moment I thought that RSL was going to end up like the Starks at the Red Wedding in this MLS Cup remtach.

Luckily I was wrong. Attinella had a beast of a match in goal, and Balchan and Mansally more than held their own as RSL rode out the storm to claim a point in a nil-nil draw.  Sporting got their chances though, and the first of which fell to Dom Dwyer, who made headlines before the match with his "we hate RSL very much" talk.  In the 11th minute he got through the RSL defense and had a chance to put his money where his mouth is in a 1v1 with Attinella.  However the RSL backup man was more than a match for Dwyer, stopping him cold to end the danger and leaving the Englishman like Joffrey after getting slapped by his uncle Tyrion.

Dwyer would get a chance to redeem himself in the second half though.  In the 63rd minute he managed to evade Attinella and sent a shot in on the open net.  Unfortunately for him, the shot hit the post and bounced away.  Sal Zizzo recovered the rebound and seemed to have the match's opening goal in the bag, but his shot was desperately cleared by the bearded Nat Borchers, looking like a member of the Night's Watch fresh off the Wall.

Can you tell what show I watched this weekend?  I apologize.

RSL seemed to be holding on for dear life when they caught a break in the 83rd minute.  KC midfielder Oriol Rosell went in hard on Devon Sandoval and received a straight red for his trouble.  However, RSL couldn't really mount much of an attack from their defensive posture, though Chris Schuler did manage to send a header just past the post from a Morales cross late in stoppage time.  Attinella was called on more time though, as he stopped a goal bound effort from Graham Zusi in stoppage time as well.  In the end, neither team could manage as many goals as Jon Snow has had girls....Sorry.

All in all it as a great defensive performance by RSL and a masterpiece by Attinella in goal.  In my mind, it was always going to be an uphill battle to win in KC, even if we would have had all of our first choice guys available.  I didn't really buy in to the "revenge" talk, as even a win wouldn't have brought the MLS Cup back our way.  Thankfully it looks like Jeff Cassar and the team didn't buy into it either, and I'm really impressed with the way he set up the team, especially given the injury situation.  

As I said earlier, I'm more than comfortable with Jeff Attinella in goal, but he was really standing on his head Saturday night.  Thankfully his one error didn't cost us, but even Rimando has his moments.  Balchan and Mansally both proved their worth as well, especially Balchan, who largely contained Zusi.  RSL didn't have many chances, and with only having a paltry 43% of the possession their defense was pushed to the max.  I think all of them passed with flying colors and helped the team pick up what could be a crucial road point.  For Sporting Kansas City, they have to look at this match as an opportunity missed, and despite their large possession stat, I wasn't all that impressed outside of a couple of moments of good buildup.

Here are my three stars from the match:

FIRST STAR--Jeff Attinella, RSL.

I can't really say it better than the official MLS recap says it: "No Rimando? No problem."  Jeff continues to impress me every time he gets in goal for us, and the more experience he gains, the less scary the inevitable future departure of Nick Rimando becomes.

SECOND STAR--Rich Balchan, RSL.

This guy has waited so long for his crack at the RSL first team, and so far he's really showing me why the club stuck by him during his last big injury.  He strikes me as a better than average 1v1 defender and looks really comfortable in the system on the offensive or playing defense.  He didn't have a perfect night against Zusi, but he certainly limited the danger posed by the US international.

THIRD STAR--Nat Borchers, RSL.

Chris Schuler has deservedly gotten a lot of the ink this season, even from me, but Nat really showed what he brings to the table in this match.  He was a steady veteran presence that helped lead the depleted defense all night and his clearance of Zizzo's shot truly preserved the point for RSL.

MLS Crashes and Burns in CCL. Again.

Cruz Azul's Mario Pavone scored a hat trick as Azul demolished Sporting KC.

Remember last week when there was a little more than cautious optimism about MLS sides in CONCACAF Champions League play?  Reigning MLS Cup champs Sporting Kansas City took down Cruz Azul at home, and the LA Galaxy managed to hold off the Xolos of Tijuana.  Even San Jose managed to fight back late to earn a home draw against Toluca.  Things looked fairly bright.  If all three MLS clubs could pull a sweep in Mexico, it would guarantee that an MLS club would make the CCL final and have a chance to play for the trophy and a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Then reality set in starting on Tuesday night, really harsh reality.

That night the LA Galaxy took on the Xolos at Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, and things went rotten quite quickly.  The 1-0 lead they had from winning at home evaporated in less than a minute.  The Galaxy couldn't clear their own box and the ball finally managed to fall to Xolo Jaime Ayovi, who easily knocked in the first goal of the match on 57 seconds, equalizing the aggregate.  By halftime, the Galaxy found themselves down 3-1.  Oops.  Still, the Xolos didn't have a road goal, and the Galaxy scored one through Robbie Keane out of halftime to make it 3-2.  One more goal and the Galaxy could take the series on road goals.  However, things fell apart in the last ten minutes Richard Ruiz scored for Tijuana in the 82nd, which put the Galaxy into full kitchen sink mode.  Keane managed his brace in the 85th, but they Galaxy were never able to tally the last needed goal and fell to the Xolos by a 4-3 aggregate.  The Galaxy fought hard, but just could not overcome the dreadful first half.

The first of two ties on Wednesday night involved Toluca hosting the San Jose Earthquakes, who came into the match tied 1-1 after yet another Goonie style comeback at Buck Shaw last week.  As an MLS fan, you have to hand it to the Quakes who were playing at 9,000 ft, much higher than Rio Tinto Stadium or even Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.   The Quakes actually took the lead in the tie in the 56h minute through Ty Harden, but Toluca equalized 13 minutes later, sending the tie into extra time.  In the 96th minute Alan Gordon appeared to tally his second of the tie, but the goal was ruled out for offside.  It was really close call, but if you freeze fame the replay, he certainly looked even.  At any rate, the match ended up going into penalties, where Toluca picked up the victory 5-4.  The Quakes might feel a bit hard done by, but they certainly represented the league well.

That was certainly not the case for defending MLS Cup Champs Sporting Kansas City.  Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm still a little bitter over the MLS Cup final, and Cruz Azul is my favorite Liga MX side, so this probably isn't unbiased, but SKC laid a total egg at Estadio Azul.  Backup 'keeper Erick Kronberg got hammered and Azul blew up the the KC defense who suffered while Aurelien Collin sat on the bench.  They did their best keystone cop impression and Mario Pavone scored a hat trick on the way to a 5-1 victory in the match and 5-2 on aggregate.  It was a clueless performance from the champs, who from what I managed to see, didn't really look all that interested.  That's nice, because the supposed "best team in MLS" got obliterated on Mexican soil.  It was a result that I think sets the league back 2 or 3 years in CCL play.  Thanks Peter Vermes.  Why don't you let somebody who wants to play in next time, say, Seattle or RSL?

At any rate, MLS bows out yet again without even getting a team into the semis, let alone into the finals.  Both Houston and Canadian Champions Montreal were eliminated in the group stage.  For us RSL fans, we can continue to hold on to "we're the only ones to make the final," which stings a little as Portland was handed our spot when the qualification rules were changed AFTER the MLS season and playoffs last year, which doesn't seem fair, but whatever.  Next year we'll have the Timbers. the Red Bulls, and Sporting KC in as well as DC United (thanks to RSL's own massive egg laid in the US Open Cup final, and probably Vancouver, TFC, or Montreal provided they win the Canadian Championship.  I don't expect anything from DC United barring a massive improvement, Portland still has issues on the road and has only managed draws in it's first two home matches this season, Thierry Henry will probably come up with a reason not to play, and I really can't see Sporting KC doing any better.  So uh, maybe we hope TFC wins and goes in?  That's the ticket.

Another year, another disappointment for MLS fans.

Mixed Results for MLS at the End of CCL Group Stage.

The group stage of the 2013-2014 CONCACAF Champions League wrapped up last night, and it was a mixed summer for MLS squads.  This year the LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes, and Sporting Kansas City filled the four US slots in the tournament while fellow MLS side Montreal Impact took the one Canadian slot available.  Three of the five MLS clubs will be moving on, but each one will face a tough Liga Mx side in the quarterfinals.

As RSL found out last year, the new tourney format with 8 groups and only the winner advancing is quite unforgiving.  The Dynamo learned this lesson last night as well as they fell to Arabe Unido 1-0 in Panama, which knocked them out of the tournament.  Of course, they continued to participate in what to me is a disturbing trend, MLS clubs fielding weaker sides in these matches.  Now, it's hard to blame the Dynamo for doing this when they have their regular season finale this weekend with the playoffs on the line, but it still goes to show where most MLS clubs rank this tournament.

Also in action last night were the LA Galaxy who traveled to El Salvador to take on to take on Isidro Metapan.  The Galaxy also fielded a weakened side, but their passage to the next round was already assured.  However, Metapan forward Nicholas Munoz dropped an insane 4 goals on the defending MLS Champs to crush them 4-0.  The Galaxy dropped from the 1 to the 6 seed in the next round with the loss, which as we'll see in a minute, created an interesting matchup.

Wednesday night Sporting Kansas City and the San Jose Earthquakes secured their passage to the knockout rounds as well.  Sporting held Honduran side Olimpia to a 0-0 draw at Sporting Park and the Quakes managed a 1-0 win over Heredia at Buck Shaw, thanks to a goal from Chris Wondolowski.

With all that said, here are the CCL Quarterfinal pairings, with the higher seed listed first:

Toluca vs San Jose Earthquakes
Cruz Azul vs Sporting Kansas City
Club Tijuana vs LA Galaxy
Arabe Unido vs Alajuelense

Honestly, I don't see much hope for MLS sides in this draw.  The Liga MX sides will be into their second half and the MLS sides will be looking at preseason type form.  Toluca should smash the the Quakes.  Sporting could have a shot at Cruz Azul if they can win at home.  The most interesting matchup is Tijuana and Herculez Gomez vs the Galaxy.  The Xolos haven't exactly been setting Liga Mx on fire, currently placed 12th out of 18.  However I still think this is going to be a tough ask for the Galaxy.  Should be a great tie to watch though.  Maybe Fox Sports 1 will actually show it, if not I can watch it on the Mexican broadcast I guess.  I'm sure Fox will have better things to show, like 20 consecutive replays of it's highlights show.

Smash and Grab: Sporting Kansas City Steals 3 From RSL

RSL keeper Jeff Attinella after conceding the match winning goal. (Deseret News)

I have so many emotions in my mind right now.  I thought that after a night's sleep I might feel a little, well a little less cranky, but that's not the case.  I think the above Deseret News picture of Jeff Attinella pretty much sums up what most of us are feeling, just absolutely gutted.

Let's dispense with a couple of things right off the bat.  Yes, the officiating was poor.  There were multiple calls missed on both sides.  I'm not going to get into the "big games should have big refs" argument because it's totally subjective.  The officiating in the league is mediocre at best no matter who is on the pitch.  While I do sympathize with fans making this argument, having Baldomero Toledo in the center circle doesn't always mean a well officiated match.  We all know this.

Let's look at what the referee got right, in my opinion, and how it affected the match.  First off, you have Wingert with an arm to the face of Kei Kamara in the opening minute. I don't think Chris meant to do it, but a yellow card was warranted.  As my pal Justin, who you know as the RSL correspondent for the Standard Examiner, noted: with Allen Chapman as the fourth official, RSL might have been lucky not to have Wingert sent off right then and there.

That put Chris on a yellow card for essentially the entire match.  Kamara is a big, physical attacker, and the chances that Wingert gets out of that match without picking up the second yellow are extremely low.  I'm not much in the habit of second guessing Coach Kreis, but in my opinion, Wingert should have been subbed at halftime.  Now as my friend Kris Lindsay points out on Twitter, you can't really do that because Wingert is your only other centerback option should either Borchers or Maund go down with an injury.  While this is true enough, I think it's the risk you take.  I'd rather run the risk of playing somebody out of position with an injury as opposed to the strong likelihood of playing a man down.  Of course, you trust your veteran players, but in the end the end it didn't work out.

The ref also got the second yellow correct, in my opinion.  It was a professional foul to stop a counter attack.  In my mind, we're up 1-0, and there are other defenders in the area.  That was a bad foul for Chris to take and in my mind, that bad decision cost RSL the match more than anything the referee could have done.

Poor set piece defense undid RSL as well, despite an amazingly poor performance from Graham Zusi, who's heart must have still been at the ESPYs.  Of course when you're minus your two starting full backs, you've got your 5th choice centerback, and your third string goalkeeper on the pitch, I guess its understandable that not everyone's going to be on the same page.  You can't lay it at the feet of Jeff Attinella though, he had another solid match.

What positives can we take away from this for RSL?  You have to learn from it and move on.  First I thought the team played another pretty good match despite missing several guys.  The Claret and Cobalt were the better side up until the red card, but that changed the match.  Several guys continued to step up, Yordany Alvarez and Lovell Palmer to name a couple.  Olmes Garcia again impacted the match positively, but it was tough for him to gain traction with RSL down a man.  Javi Morales was good, as per usual, but Sporting had him on the ground so much it was hard for him to do a lot.  I wonder how Peter Vermes would have reacted if RSL put Zusi on the ground as much as his side hit Javi?

In the end, Sporting Kansas City are too good.  You can't dodge all the bullets when when you give them that advantage, they're going to hurt you.  It was a credit to RSL that they so nearly escaped with a point, but in the end, scoreboard is what matters.

So now, here are my three stars for the match:

THIRD STAR--Jimmy Nielsen, GK, Sporting Kansas City. Though he did bumble on the RSL goal, his save late on Olmes Garcia saved a chance at points for Sporting.

SECOND STAR--Lovell Palmer, DF, RSL.  Lovell played really well last night helping the Claret and Cobalt cope with Sporting's deadly attack.  He made a couple of key tackles and clearances late that kept RSL in the match.

FIRST STAR--Javier Morales, MF, RSL.  Despite being flattened by Sporting on nearly every turn, Morales was easily the best player on the pitch last night.  His free kick created the RSL goal and he was a constant danger man.  Unfortunately in the end, it just wasn't enough for RSL.

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.

Timbers Impress With Quality Win at Sporting

Portland play-maker Diego Valeri in the first half.  Photo: Orlin Wagner

I'll admit it, I've been pretty critical of the Portland Timbers.  I've leveled the "style over substance" argument.  I was also highly critical of the hiring of Caleb Porter after his failed stint with the USA U-23s.  However, I must admit that the Timbers really showed me something last night against Sporting KC, and they should get the credit that is due for their performance.

Of course, the evening started horribly for the Timbers as their defense was exposed early on.  Despite their obvious improvement overall, I still think that defense is going to be a problem for them going forward in the campaign, and KC took advantage of that almost immediately.  With only 40 seconds gone from the clock, Chance Myers slipped through the Timbers and got on the end of long throw in, heading it past Donovan Ricketts to make it 1-0 to the home side.  More than a few folks, myself included, thought it was going to be a long night for the Timbers at that juncture.

Portland responded well though, as they have done on a number of occasions so far this season.  They stuck to their game plan despite conceding the early goal.  What was that game plan?  Well, they decided that they weren't just going to let Sporting have the ball and boss the game and the tempo.  They decided that they were going to have the ball as much as possible and go toe to toe with Sporting's high powered offense.  Sporting was obviously unprepared for that approach and it didn't take long for it to yield dividends for Portland.

The visitors found themselves with a corner kick in the 24th minute after 'keeper Jimmy Nielsen made a nice save on Rodney Wallace.  Diego Valeri sent the corner into the box where Ryan Johnson was waiting for it.  Johnson headed it pretty much right at Benny Feilhaber, who was guarding Nielsen's far post, but the former Revs man could only manage to head the ball into the roof his own net and the score was equalized at 1-1.

Sporting wasn't done with the Chance Myers show though, and he found himself with another opportunity to hurt the Timbers in the 29th minute.  Aurelien Collin found himself up pitch with a ball from Feilhaber, and he dropped it off to Myers, who knocked in his second of the match to make it 2-1 to Sporting Kansas City.  The goals were the first two regular season tallies of Myers' career.

Portland was unimpressed though, and the in the 33rd minute they took heavy advantage of Sporting's desire to have defenders like Myers and Collin up and playing in the attack.  Ryan Johnson took the ball and blazed up the pitch, finding Darlington Nagbe nearly alone in Sporting penalty area for a tap in goal that made it 2-2, which was still the score when the teams hit the locker rooms for halftime.

The Timbers mostly owned the second half, which is a rarity for anyone at Sporting Park other than the hosts.  Thirteen minutes after halftime, the Sporting midfield bumbled the ball away and their defense was somewhat caught out yet again.  Diego Charra hit Rodney Wallace, who had evaded the aformentioned Chance Myers, with a gorgeous through ball playing him in on goal.  Wallace easily slotted into the back of the net to make it 2-3 to Portland.

Sporting looked puzzled for much of the second half, but did manage a couple of quality chances late on.  However, their midfield and attacking corps seemed absent as the best chances fell to defenders.  Myers nearly grabbed a hat-trick in the 82nd minute, but his header went wide.  In stoppage time Collin managed to direct a nice header on target, but Ricketts was up to the task, making the save and preserving the 2-3 win for the Timbers.

Historically the Timbers have not done well on the road in MLS, and this was what made this performance stand out so much.  They have really taken on the never say die attitude of new Captain Will Johnson, something that I think RSL has lacked this year by the way, and they really exposed Sporting quite a bit.  In the end, they went man to man with one of the league favorites and got a big road result in a tough environment.  If they can keep doing that, watch out, MLS.

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.

Sporting KC Ends Livestrong Agreement

Chicago Tribune

Unsurprisingly. the tumult surrounding Lance Armstrong and his Livestrong foundation came home to roost with it's involvement with the Sporting Kansas City franchise.  Livestrong Sporting Park has been the name of the club's new stadium since it's opening a couple of years ago.  Today in the wake Armstrong's interview with Oprah Winfrey, the club ended the stadium naming rights agreement with Livestrong. 

The situation turned ugly this afternoon as both Livestrong and the club put out competing versions of the events surrounding the termination of the agreement.  Livestrong issued a statement saying that Sporting Kansas City had not lived up to the financial terms of the agreement.

Sporting CEO Robb Heineman released a statement on the club's website refuting that saying in part:

"This morning we were disappointed to learn LIVESTRONG is utilizing aggressive tactics designed to force us into an unsatisfactory arrangement. We willingly admit we were not expecting the foundation to treat a partner in this manner. Even more surprising is that LIVESTRONG would take this action in the midst of a significant transitional phase for their organization."

Livestrong has removed Lance Armstrong's name it's foundation in an attempt to distance itself from him, but it doesn't seem to have worked.  At least dumping the name will spare them more of the "Cheatstrong" or "Liestrong" Sporting Park. I really can't blame them.

For the moment Sporting KC's stadium will be known as "Sporting Park," as per the club's website.  MLSSoccer.com reports suggest that the "Livestrong" light-up signing on the stadium has been turned off.

MLS Hands Out More Awards Prior to MLS Cup

Sporting KC's Jimmy Nielsen was named Goalkeeper of the Year

Major League Soccer has handed out three more of it's major awards since announcing their 2012 Best XI on Monday.  None of them were particularly surprising, though I suppose one could make a case for at least couple other guys for each award.  Here's the rundown:

Sporting Kansas City's Jimmy Nielsen, aka the "White Puma," was named MLS goalkeeper of the year.  That's not shocking at all as he was named in the best XI.  Nielsen helped lead Sporting to a US Open Cup win as well as the Eastern Conference top seed before they bowed out to Houston in the Playoffs.  Chivas USA's Dan Kennedy finished second, for some reason, followed by Seattle's Michael Gspurning (who should have won in my opinion) and RSL's Nick Rimando.

The Comeback player of the year award is always one of the most controversial, as the criteria seems to be somewhat nebulous.  This year it was awarded to Seattle's Eddie Johnson, who returned to MLS after a stint in Europe and failing to catch on in Mexico.  Johnson helped lead the Sounders to the Western Conference Finals and made a major impact for the US National Team in World Cup Qualifying.  DC's Chris Pontius and San Jose's Alan Gordon were also in the running for the award.

The league also handed out it's Newcomer of the Year award, giving it to Frederico Higuain of the Columbus Crew.  There's no question that Higuain was a huge plus for the Crew after coming in, but the criticism of this award has been that he only played in 13 games, as opposed to other candidates who played more of the season.  San Jose's Victor Bernardez, Seattle's Gspurning, Vancouver's Y.P. Lee, and Houston's Boniek Garcia were also up for the award.

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.

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.

MLS Roundup: Bunbury Out, Toja to Revs, Portland May Have Their Man

Sporting Kansas City Forward Teal Bunbury is out for the season. 

There are three big new items on the minds of MLS watchers early this week.  Unfortunately for Sporting Kansas City, they get the bit of unfortunate news.  Striker and American international Teal Bunbury suffered an ACL tear in the 4th minute of Sporting's draw with NYRB last weekend.  He will undergo surgery on Friday and will miss the remainder of the season and the playoffs. 

The loss is a decent sized blow to Sporting, as Bunbury had been rounding into good form.  He had 5 goals in 22 league matches for SKC, and also had a goal during their run to the US Open Cup Championship.  The Puddle wishes Mr. Bunbury a full and speedy recovery.

In MLS player acquisition news, the New England Revolution have acquired 27 year old former MLS All Star Juan Toja through the allocation process.  Before trying his luck in Europe, the former Colombian youth international had some strong seasons in MLS with FC Dallas, scoring 8 goals in 43 league matches.  Apparently the Revs had been contacted by clubs trying to trade into the spot to get Toja, but they've gone ahead and taken him on.  It will be interesting to see where he fits in with the Revs midfield.

The final news is not yet official, but media outlets in Portland are reporting that the Timbers will announce University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter as their new manager Wednesday morning.  Porter has been at the helm of one of the most successful college programs in recent memory at Akron, but failed to play that success into another level when he failed to guide the US U-23 squad into the London 2012 Olympics.  We'll see how much patience the folks in Portland have, because they were obviously not happy with Gavin Wilkinson:

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Match Thoughts: Sporting Kansas City vs. D.C. United

Teal Bunbury works around DC's Chris Korb (Getty Images)

This match really could have been one of the weekend's main events with a healthy DC United squad, however the squad that took to the pitch in Kansas City was missing several key players and had a tough time challenging Sporting.  However, knowing that that KC had just played a hard fought cup final in the midweek, DC still had hopes of getting a result.

Sporting sought to crush those hopes early on though, setting the pace right out of the gate.  Over the first 10 minutes of the match Sporting gained an increasing amount of time on the ball, and it was only a matter of time until the quality chances started coming along.  Their first goal of the match came in the 13th minute.  Graham Zusi knocked a corner kick toward the six, where it found the waiting head of Teal Bunbury.  The KC forward calmly headed the ball past Bill Hamid to make it 1-0 to Sporting and leaving the visitors scratching their heads.

DC United did find a way to stay in the match, even though they really didn't look very dangerous on offense.  They struck gold on a counter attack chance in the 23rd minute, with Honduran Olympian Andy Najar providing the spark.  Bolting up the pitch, Najar connected with Nick DeLeon in the area, who worked around a Sporting defender and slotted the ball home to knot the match at 1-1.

That would be about all that DC United could muster though, as Sporting really took control in the second half.  Zusi nearly put the men in blue on top in the 53rd minute, but his effort to chip Hamid hit the crossbar.  it was the second time Zusi had hit woodwork in this one.  However just ten minutes later he hit pay dirt.  Kei Kamara had sent a cross through the box that found it's way all the way through to Zusi on the far post.  He smartly slapped a shot through Hamid's legs and into the net to make it 2-1, which was the score at full time.

Notes:  With the win, Sporting takes control of sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference on 43 points, two ahead of New York.  They showed no hangover from their midweek match, with several players, including Zusi, going the distance.  Zusi is also my man of the match with a goal and an assist.  DC United was missing several key players, including Dwayne De Rosario, Maicon Santos, Hamdi Salhi, and Robbie Russell.  Formerly in first place, they now sit just three points ahead of the Montreal Impact for the final playoff spot in the East.

Congratualtions to Sporting Kansas City, 2012 US Open Cup Champions

Sporting Kansas City lift the US Open Cup (Getty Images)

Congratulations are in order for Sporting Kansas City, who last night captured the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a victory over the Seattle Sounders at Livestrong Sporting Park.  It took extra time and penalty kicks to settle the issue, with Sporting winning the shootout 3-2 to claim the trophy.

The result was not without some controversy though.  Late in the shootout, Seattle 'keeper Michael Gspurning saved Paulo Nagamura's PK, but was judged to have been off his line.  Nagamura retook the kick and buried it.  Seattle's Eddie Johnson then missed his final attempt as Livestrong park exploded into joy.

The win gives the Kansas City franchise their first trophy since 2004, and their second US Open Cup overall.  It's the first trophy since they rebranded themselves as Sporting Kansas City.  They will also represent MLS and the USA in next year's CONCACAF Champions League.

Sporting's Collin Out 1-2 Weeks With All Star Injury

Sporting KC's Aurélien Collin suffered an injury in the All Star Game (MLS)

Last year Real Salt Lake had to suffer through a post All Star match injury to a major player when Jamison Olave went down hurt against Manchester United.  This year it looks like Sporting Kansas City will have to shoulder that particular burden.  Hopefully for them, it won't be a long term problem.

Center back Aurélien Collin suffered an injury in last night's All Star match against Chelsea FC.  Collin collided with Chelsea's Michael Essien late in the first half and suffered two facial fractures.  He was replaced in the 36th minute bu Philadelphia's Carlos Valdes.  Sporting is saying that Collin will be out 1-2 weeks.  Their next game is this Saturday night when they host the Columbus Crew.

The Vancouver Whitecaps also have reason to fume over this as their captain Jay DeMerit ended up playing all 90 minutes for the All Stars after the Collin injury.  DeMerit and the 'Caps have a game on Friday against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.  To make matters worse, DeMerit's flight out of Philadelphia was cancelled due to weather and he's been stuck there an extra day. 

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: Sporting Kansas City vs. Montreal Impact

Felipe celebrates his opening goal at Sporting Kansas City. (MLSSoccer.com)

What have you done for me lately?  That might be the thought that Major League Soccer fans are expressing about Sporting Kansas City right now.  True, Sporting got off to one of the hottest starts in MLS history winning their first seven matches.  Since then they've had two losses book ended around a bye week, one loss to bottom of the West table Portland Timbers and the other at home to the expansion Montreal Impact.  By the time this match was over, one could see the formerly cocky attitude of Sporting completely drain away as the Impact celebrated their first ever MLS road win on the Livestrong Sporting Park pitch.

Sporting came out and appeared to have the Impact pegged wrong from the opening minutes.  They seemed to think that Montreal was just going to park the bus and try to survive the match,  This was reinforced by the comments of the SKC commentary team, who I actually really enjoy.  The Impact had other plans though.  They actually started to get some possession and really limited Sporting's chances.  C.J. Sapong forced a save out of Donovan Ricketts in minute 15, and Graham Zusi had a shot tipped wide in the 27th, but it was hardly a firing squad for the Jamaican International.

The confidence and bits of possession finally paid off for Montreal in the 30th minute.  Felipe ended up with the ball after a throw in and found some space outside the box. He blasted home the shot from distance, and it ripped past Jimmy Nielsen to give the Imapct the 0-1 lead.  Sporting were stunned.

Kansas City didn't really respond well either.  It was the first time all season that they had trailed at home.  The best they could do was a shot from Kei Kamara in the 43rd minute that failed to find the target.  The first half came to an end with the Impact still leading 0-1.

Sporting did come out a lot better in the second half and took the game to the Impact a bit.  In the 53rd minute Matt Besler had a golden chance to equalize.  He got a free header in the six yard box on a free kick but somehow missed the target, much to the dismay of the Livestrong faithful.  Kamara tried his luck in the 58th minute, but again failed to trouble Ricketts.

Then in the in the 63rd minute Montreal put the dagger in the match.   Lamar Neagle sprinted into the area for an apparent 1v1 chance with Jimmy Neilsen, but Aurélien Collin came in from behind and cut him down, conceding a PK to Montreal.  A minute later Patrice Bernier iced the spot kick to make the score 0-2 to Montreal.

After the PK goal, Montreal did finally bunker in a bit.  Collin had a couple of chances to atone for the penalty, but sent headers wide of the target in the 66th and 72nd minute.  Roger Espinoza came closest to scoring for KC in the 88th, bombing in a shot from distance but again Ricketts was up to the task, hauling it in and preserving the 0-2 win for the Impact at full time.

Notes: It has now been over three weeks on the calendar since Sporting scored a goal, unless you count the Chance Myers own goal that sunk them in Portland.  Their scoreless streak stands at 205 minutes.  For the Impact, it was their second straight win and second straight clean sheet after blanking the Portland Timbers 2-0 in Montreal last weekend.  The Impact currently have more points than the defending MLS Cup Champion LA Galaxy, 11 vs 10.

Match Thoughts: Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City

The Portland Timbers celebrate with a couple of slabs from Timber Joey (Getty Images)

If Toronto FC has gotten off to one of the worst starts in MLS history, Sporting KC has gotten off to one of the best.  Actually, the second best.  However, after being lucky enough to get both Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy at home, this week they've found the going a little tougher battling Western Conference foes on the road.  They were severely tested by the Vancouver Whitecaps earlier this week, and Saturday night they finally met their match against a desperate but organized Portland Timbers squad.

Honestly, there's not a ton to talk about in this one.  It was very scrappy.  There were only 5 shots on goal for the entire match, and three of them were by Sporting.  CJ Sapong dribbled a shot wide early, and Kei Kamara forced a save out of Troy Perkins on 9 minutes.

The defining moment of the match came in the 41st minute, and this week, the breaks did not go Sporting's way.  Portland's Kris Boyd floated a cross in toward the back post, looking for Jorge Perlaza.  The Timbers' man really didn't have much of a chance to get to it, but KC's Chance Meyers rose up and put a head to it.  Unfortunately for Sporting, instead of clearing it, he lofted it into the back of his own net to give Portland the 1-0 lead going into half time.  It would prove to be the only goal of the game.

Kansas City came out hot in the second half.  After all, Portland has been known to give up second half goals this year.  However, the Timbers survived in this one.  The closest Sporting got came late on when a Graham Zusi free kick got loose in the box, but Portland desperately cleared it to save their much needed 3 points.

Unfortunately for Portland the result didn't move them off of the bottom of the Western Conference table, as they sit on 7 points.  KC gets a long week off now, and I'm sure they'll have plenty to contemplate after this west coast trip.  We can now stop using the "undefeated" line.

Puddle's Goal of the Midweek: Kei Kamara Flick vs Vancouver

I just HAD to share this goal from Sporting KC's Kei Kamara. He's certainly one of the hottest players in MLS right now, and he hits pay dirt from a TOUGH angle against the Caps in this video from earlier this evening. Sporting went on to win 3-1.

Match Thoughts: Sporting Kansas City vs. New England Revolution

Matt Reis is consoled by Sharlie Joseph (Getty Images)

The New England Revolution had a bad day Saturday in Kansas City. They really got their hats handed to them by a superior Kansas City side. Yes they were down a man for most of the game, but they really didn't look all that into it prior to that. I fear it might be a long season for the Revs supporters.

New England did have a couple of chances very early. Benny Feilhaber hit a shot wide in the 5th minute, and Lee Nguyen followed with another miss a few seconds later, but that was pretty much all she wrote for the Revs offense.

In the 9th minute Matt Reis came way out of goal to make a tackle on his left side. Sporting still had the ball, and Roger Espinoza sent a shot in on goal that looked sure to catch Reis out. Fortunately for the Revs, the shot hit the post and bounced away.

Then it all fell apart in the 14th minute. Stephen McCarthy got into a scrum with C.J. Sapong just outside the Revs area. There was nobody else between Sapong and the goal, and the foul was whistled and McCarthy was shown the red card. The Revs felt hard done buy as there really wasn't any kind of goal scoring opportunity and the play was headed toward the corner, but he was the last man. and the Revs faced the daunting prospect of playing down a man for the rest of the match.

A good team like Sporting is usually going to capitalize off of this, and they did in a big way. In the 28th minute the Revs failed to clear a scrum in front of their goal and Graham Zusi eventually tapped the ball home to give KC the 1-0 lead. Then in the 39th Kei Kamara had a shot saved by Reis, but the ball fell right back to him and with no defenders around to help, Kamara easily banged the ball into the goal to give Sporting the 2-0 lead going into half time.

Sporting came out and iced the game very quickly in the second half. In the 47th minute Seth Sinovic sent a back bass to C.J. Sapong in the box. Sapong easily slammed in the goal to give Sporting the 3-0 lead.

It was a score that held to full time as the Revs were never able to really mount a serious campaign on the Sporting goal. Instead, Benny Feilhaber and company continued to complain to the referee about every little thing as opposed to playing football, and Sporting easily closed them out to collect the three points.