So this week's midweek MLS action featured Toronto FC and Vancouver live from BMO Field in Toronto. Now, in any week, this probably wouldn't be a game most people would crave a chance to watch, but this week, both of these teams are squaring off again on Saturday for the NCC Final. Winning the NCC would not only give them a trophy, but the right to go to CONCACAF Champions League and get destroyed.
Anyways, since there was another game on Saturday, the teams rested some guys. In Vancouver's case, they rested their entire offense. The first half blew as the two teams kicked the ball around midfield and the keepers sat inside the 6 yard box drinking Molson Ice. Not a single shot on goal.
The second half sucked too. However, we got a goal when TFC got a soft penalty. It was a penalty, not arguing with it, but it was a tough call. Soolsma slotted it, even though he had to retake it, and gave TFC the margin they needed for three points in a 1-0 win. Hopefully the NCC match will be better.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Manchester Unites Comes to Terms With De Gea
Looks like the Red Devils have decided who is going to get the next shot in net for the Premier League champs. The club announced today that Atletico Madrid keeper David de Gea has agreed to a five year deal to play at Old Trafford.
De Gea is 20 years old and is the keeper for Spain's under 21 team. This is United's third major signing of the summer.
De Gea is 20 years old and is the keeper for Spain's under 21 team. This is United's third major signing of the summer.
Trade Talk: DeRo for Dax,
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this trade here on the blog. On Monday, New York traded Dwayne De Rosario to DC United for Dax McCarty. This would be a big move under any circumstance, but seems even weirder since NY just made the trade for DeRo in April.
So whats going on here? For DC, they acquire one of MLS's brightest stars. DeRo will have a chance to be the main man more in DC, and his veteran influence will be appreciated as well I'm sure. However, it must be noted that he never really clicked in NY, and it might be that at 33, his days of brilliance are getting fewer each season.
At 24, Dax definitely makes the Red Bulls younger, and he might fit in the scheme better. It's still odd though? Was DeRo not getting along in the Big Apple? However, the most obvious thing NY gets is money, Dax is a lot cheaper than DeRo. Perhaps NY will look to bring in a DP in the MF, or, I think more likely, it will free up some money so they can try to sure up in goal.
So whats going on here? For DC, they acquire one of MLS's brightest stars. DeRo will have a chance to be the main man more in DC, and his veteran influence will be appreciated as well I'm sure. However, it must be noted that he never really clicked in NY, and it might be that at 33, his days of brilliance are getting fewer each season.
At 24, Dax definitely makes the Red Bulls younger, and he might fit in the scheme better. It's still odd though? Was DeRo not getting along in the Big Apple? However, the most obvious thing NY gets is money, Dax is a lot cheaper than DeRo. Perhaps NY will look to bring in a DP in the MF, or, I think more likely, it will free up some money so they can try to sure up in goal.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
US Open Cup: Real Salt Lake vs. Wilmington Hammerheads
So earlier in the week, some doofus on the Wilmington squad said the pressure was all on Real Salt Lake for this one. Really? If that's true, why did RSL play great and did Wilmington play like crap?
It's hard to be too tough on the USL side though. It was clear from the opening kick that they weren't going to be able to keep up with RSL. The heat and altitude surely had a impact as well. It was a little bit nervy for awhile, but Beltran got a goal and Jean Alexandre added one toward the end of the first half. It was 2-0 at the break.
RSL did nothing but attack in the second half. Unfortunately they didn't score again though. They did hit the woodwork in every way imaginable. In the end, the Hammerheads never really threatened, and RSL won 2-0. It was a really fun game to attend. Good times.
It's hard to be too tough on the USL side though. It was clear from the opening kick that they weren't going to be able to keep up with RSL. The heat and altitude surely had a impact as well. It was a little bit nervy for awhile, but Beltran got a goal and Jean Alexandre added one toward the end of the first half. It was 2-0 at the break.
RSL did nothing but attack in the second half. Unfortunately they didn't score again though. They did hit the woodwork in every way imaginable. In the end, the Hammerheads never really threatened, and RSL won 2-0. It was a really fun game to attend. Good times.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Match Thoughts: San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy
This was just one of those bizarre matches. Things you don't see very often, but you saw them in this one. First off, both teams were missing big guns. For San Jose, Chris Wondolowski was still away with the US National Team. LA was missing Landon Donovan with the National Team as well David Beckham with back spasms. Earlier in the week, the Galaxy had been fined 5,000 dollars by MLS for purposefully omitting Beckham from their injury report prior to their win over Colorado.
Despite missing Wondo, the Quakes came out strong and aggressive in the attack. They had a flurry of chances in the opening minutes, and if not for some stellar goal keeping by Ricketts, could have been up by two or three goals after just five minutes. Those missed chances would come back to haunt the Quakes.
After the opening volleys by the Quakes, LA started to settle in some. They tested the San Jose goal a time or two, but never as seriously as San Jose attacked in the opening minutes. San Jose didn't go away though. A little later in the match, Kari Stephenson tried to get on the end of a ball in from Ryan Johnson and had a wicked collision with Donovan Ricketts, who was trying to punch the ball clear. The LA keeper, just back from Gold Cup, left the match with what is being described as a "forearm injury." Josh Saunders entered the game.
Saunders and Lenhart immediately started having trouble with each other. Lenhart is a great player, but he was a real douche in this match. In the 43rd minute, Lenhart headed the ball out of Saunders' hands in the box. As Saunders brought it back up, he elbowed Lenhart. Of course, Lenhart made a real meal of it, and went down like he'd been shot in the face. Saunders was given a red card, Lenhart a yellow. LA looked to be in trouble as they slipped Mike Magee into goal. La fought the Quakes to a 0-0 score at the half.
You'd think the Quakes would have no trouble getting three points against a Forward as emergency keeper, but you'd be wrong. For much of the second half, LA looked like the more likely team to score. Finally, in the 80th minute, the Quakes started to unload some on Magee, but he notched the clean sheet and earned the Galaxy a precious point on the road.
Magee for keeper in the MLS Best XI this week? Why the heck not?
Despite missing Wondo, the Quakes came out strong and aggressive in the attack. They had a flurry of chances in the opening minutes, and if not for some stellar goal keeping by Ricketts, could have been up by two or three goals after just five minutes. Those missed chances would come back to haunt the Quakes.
After the opening volleys by the Quakes, LA started to settle in some. They tested the San Jose goal a time or two, but never as seriously as San Jose attacked in the opening minutes. San Jose didn't go away though. A little later in the match, Kari Stephenson tried to get on the end of a ball in from Ryan Johnson and had a wicked collision with Donovan Ricketts, who was trying to punch the ball clear. The LA keeper, just back from Gold Cup, left the match with what is being described as a "forearm injury." Josh Saunders entered the game.
Saunders and Lenhart immediately started having trouble with each other. Lenhart is a great player, but he was a real douche in this match. In the 43rd minute, Lenhart headed the ball out of Saunders' hands in the box. As Saunders brought it back up, he elbowed Lenhart. Of course, Lenhart made a real meal of it, and went down like he'd been shot in the face. Saunders was given a red card, Lenhart a yellow. LA looked to be in trouble as they slipped Mike Magee into goal. La fought the Quakes to a 0-0 score at the half.
You'd think the Quakes would have no trouble getting three points against a Forward as emergency keeper, but you'd be wrong. For much of the second half, LA looked like the more likely team to score. Finally, in the 80th minute, the Quakes started to unload some on Magee, but he notched the clean sheet and earned the Galaxy a precious point on the road.
Magee for keeper in the MLS Best XI this week? Why the heck not?
Match Thoughts: Real Salt Lake vs. Toronto FC
It's been awhile since I left Rio Tinto as a truly happy man. Yeah, we've had a couple of draws, but that draw last week felt like a loss. With this match against Toronto FC, RSL felt like the three points were definitely there to get, and they needed them.
Real came out the aggressor and controlled the match from the opening whistle. The men in Claret had several chances. Early on, Olave got a header down in the box, but he had a bad angle and TFC got it clear from the 6 before Sabo could get there. Collen Warner just about had his first career MLS goal as well. However, Frei got a last second fingertip on it.
The goals started coming after that though. Kyle Beckerman served up a great corner that found the head of Nat Borchers in the 39th to make it 1-0. Then, 3 minutes later, Saborio finally got his first MLS goal of the year to make it 2-0 RSL at the half.
I'm not saying much about TFC because there isn't much to say. They looked horrible. They looked tired, gassed, and they had no fight. The comment that I made several times during the match was that it looked like they didn't even want the ball.
Saborio scored his second goal in the 60th minute, making it 3-0 to RSL. That put it away and the party was underway at the RioT. Toronto's Maicon Santos scored a goal off a counter in the 66th, mostly because Olave fell down. That was really TFC's only chance, and the match finished 3-1.
Really great to see the swagger back in RSL in general and Saborio in particular. Hopefully, they can build on these three points. As for Toronto, it really looks like they're toast.
Real came out the aggressor and controlled the match from the opening whistle. The men in Claret had several chances. Early on, Olave got a header down in the box, but he had a bad angle and TFC got it clear from the 6 before Sabo could get there. Collen Warner just about had his first career MLS goal as well. However, Frei got a last second fingertip on it.
The goals started coming after that though. Kyle Beckerman served up a great corner that found the head of Nat Borchers in the 39th to make it 1-0. Then, 3 minutes later, Saborio finally got his first MLS goal of the year to make it 2-0 RSL at the half.
I'm not saying much about TFC because there isn't much to say. They looked horrible. They looked tired, gassed, and they had no fight. The comment that I made several times during the match was that it looked like they didn't even want the ball.
Saborio scored his second goal in the 60th minute, making it 3-0 to RSL. That put it away and the party was underway at the RioT. Toronto's Maicon Santos scored a goal off a counter in the 66th, mostly because Olave fell down. That was really TFC's only chance, and the match finished 3-1.
Really great to see the swagger back in RSL in general and Saborio in particular. Hopefully, they can build on these three points. As for Toronto, it really looks like they're toast.
New Man In Charge at Inter Milan
Inter Milan have announced that former Genoa manager Gian Piero Gasperini will be their new manager next year. He is expected to sign a two year deal. Gasperini lead Genoa into the Europa League in 2009.
Inter won the Coppa Italia last season under Leonardo, but he is set to become the new manager at PSG in Ligue 1.
Inter won the Coppa Italia last season under Leonardo, but he is set to become the new manager at PSG in Ligue 1.
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