Costa Rica Protest Shot Down, USA Win Stands.

Geoff Cameron in the snow last week at the Dick. (Washington Post)

Last week's World Cup Qualifier at between the USA and Costa Rica will be forever etched in most of our memories.  The USA pulled out a hard fought 1-0 win on home soil in the midst of a huge snow storm, earning their first win of the 2013 Hexagonal. 

Well, as it turns out, Costa Rica were not quite as thrilled with the conditions under which the game was played in Commerce City, Colorado.  They filed a protest with FIFA, seeking to have the match replayed.  FIFA confirmed the receipt of the protest on Monday, but shot it down on technicalities rather quickly on Tuesday.  As it turns out, the captain of the team filing the protest needs to have a meeting on the field about the conditions and this must include the captain of the other team.  This never took place.  Also, according to FIFA regulations, the formal protest must be filed within two hours after the end of the match.  FIFA did not receive the protest until two days after the match.  This has resulted in the match, and the USA's win, being upheld.

The fact that none of this took place really underlines the fact that the only reason the Ticos bothered to file a protest was because they lost.  Early on in the second half, the referee stopped the match, ostensibly to allow for the clearing of the lines on the pitch.  ESPN reported that the FIFA match delegate had called for the match to be stopped.  However, from the appearance on TV, it seemed that players from both the USA and Costa Rica were anxious to continue.  After a few minutes the ref restarted the match.  It's worth noting that at the time the match was halted, Costa Rica totally had the run of play and was in the midst of their best spell of the night.  Surely had they managed to fight back for a draw, such a protest never would have been made.

So who knows what actually went on outside of the players and the match officials?  Many folks, including myself, lauded the fact that Costa Rica was willing to soldier on in the match.  They put out a valiant effort all match long and nearly equalized a couple of times.  It's also worth nothing that both squads have games today (Tuesday) that required a fair bit of international travel.  The forecast in Colorado didn't call for conditions to really improve until Sunday morning, so both teams probably wanted to get out of Dodge.

The protest doesn't really change my opinion of the Costa Rican players.  As I said, they gave it their all, probably more than many teams in CONCACAF would have.  I am disappointed that the squad, or likely the Costa Rican FA, decided to file the protest, but in the end I'm happy with the result.  Onwards and Upwards and good luck to the boys in the Azteca.  They're going to need it.

Reo-Coker Criticizes Teammate, Draws Coach's Ire

Nigel Reo Coker and Darren Mattocks celebrate a goal on Saturday. (Vancouver Sun)

Vancouver forward Darren Mattocks had an......interesting weekend.  He put his side up 1-0 with a great goal in Houston last Saturday, but failed convert on a second half chance when he possibly should have passed instead of taking a shot.  Had he scored, the 'Caps would have gone up 2-0, as it was, Houston came back to win the game 2-1.

Former Premier League man Nigel Reo-Coker, who was wearing the captain's armband for Vancouver, spoke out after the game, saying that he had informed the youngster that he should have passed...

“I said to Darren after the game, ‘With the level we’re at now, those are the small margins that we can’t let pass us by.  We take our second chance, the game’s 2-0. It would have been very difficult for them to come back.

“That’s the difference between playing a higher level of football and a lower level of football. You take your chances. You might only get once chance away from home and you must learn to take that one chance that you may get.”

That's all well and good, and even Mattocks said that he welcomed the comments from his veteran teammate.  However, Vancouver head coach Martin Rennie was not as impressed.  He didn't mind that Reo-Coker made his feelings known to Mattocks, but he was not pleased that he aired his comments to the media.  When asked about Reo-Coker's comments he said,

“That’s not something we’ll be doing too much of.  In terms of communicating directly within the team, yes, that has to be clear what we expect. But publicly, no."

Rennie went on to say that generally it's not something he gets into immediately after a game.  He said that dealing with these kind of issues is better after a couple of days so that emotions aren't running as high and everyone has a clear head.

What do you guys think?  Should Reo-Coker have made his comments public?  Personally, I think that speaking in public about something like that is probably the coach's job.  As for the play itself, I saw it live and thought Mattocks should have passed.  It should be noticed that Mattocks didn't actually miss, he just forced a rather easy save out of Tally Hall.  At any rate, sound like the 'Caps might be on their way back down to earth a little bit.

Mexico Stumbles in Honduras, Still Winless In Hex

Mexico dropped 2 points today in a draw with Honduras (FoxDeportes.com)

El Tri and their fans were quite happy today as proceedings in their World Cup Qualifying match were going their way down in Honduras.  Chicharito had a couple of goals and they looked to be in charge and heading to their first win of the Hex, but Honduras had other plans as they stormed back late on to earn a draw.

Mexico looked the better side early on as they came out bright and pushed into the Honduras penalty area.  Javier Aquino Carmona produced El Tri's first chance of the match on 7 minutes, but sent his shot wide of the Honduran goal.  Chicharito got into the act in the very next minute, as he attempted to get a header on target but saw it drift wide as well.  As it turns out the Manchester United man was just getting his sights on the goal, but more on that later.

The home side jumped into the match after surviving the opening burst from Mexico.  In the 10th minute Emilio Izaguirre dropped a hopeful shot in from outside of the 18, but the shot flew just over the bar.  In the end it was harmless despite drawing a collective "ooh" from the crowd, but it was probably closer than it should have been.  Seattle's Mario Martinez also got into the shooting spree for Honduras, but like Izaguirre had a hard time finding the actual target.

Mexico drew first blood though, and it came in minute 28.  Their wide play caused problems for Honduras all day, and that's something the USA will have to keep in mind when they play at the Azteca next week.  The Honduran defense watched helplessly as Andres Guardado floated a great cross into the six where Chicharito was waiting.  He calmly headed the ball past the 'keeper to give Mexico the 0-1 lead.

Honduras hardly abandoned efforts for the first half though, instead they pushed forward after the goal aiming to get the equalizer.  It looked to be a sure thing in the 42nd minute when Carlos Costly slipped the defense and got 1v1 with Ochoa, but Hector Moreno came in with a great sliding tackle right at the last minute, knocking the ball away and preserving Mexico's lead going into halftime.

Mexico hit the pitch in the second half looking to put the nail in Honduras' coffin, and it looked like they were going to do just that.  They burned Honduras on a ball in from wide once again in the 54th minute.  This time it was Carlos Salcido who sent in a free kick to Chicharito, who tapped the ball in from just outside the six to make it 0-2.

El Tri seemed to be on cruise control going into the last 15 minutes, but they were jolted awake in minute 77.  Mario Martinez sent in a gorgeous service from a corner, and Costly rose, heading the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-2.  You could sense Mexico tense up even through the television.

As it turns out, there was good reason to be nervous.  Just one minute later a defender brought Costly down in the box for a clear penalty.   New England's Jerry Bengston stood up to take the spot-kick, but his effort was well saved by Ochoa in goal.  Unfortunately, the rebound went right back to Bengston, who tapped the ball into the open net to equalize the match at 2-2.

Neither side was able to really muster anything in the last 10 minutes, and the match finished 2-2.  Honduras will gladly take the point, as they sit at the top of the Hex after two games with 4.  The draw, coupled with the US win over Costa Rica, drops Mexico into 4th place heading into Tuesday's showdown at the Azteca.  Keep in mind, the top three CONCACAF teams automatically qualify for Brazil 2014.  The fourth team will play New Zealand (from the Oceania region) for one of the last spots in.

MLS News Roundup: Quakes to Debut Honduran, Rapids Recovery, Galaxy Head to White House

Rapids Captain Pablo Mastroeni hopes to play in LA on Saurday (ColoradoRapids.com)

It's been a somewhat slow news week in MLS, somewhat understandably, as most of the the focus in US Soccer is leading up to the USA clash with Costa Rica this Friday in Colorado.  There were a few interesting tidbits dropped here and there though, mostly in the Western Conference.

First up the defending Supporter's Shield Champion San Jose Earthquakes are looking to strengthen their injury depleted attack vs Seattle.  They've signed Honduran international attacker Walter Martinez.  According to head man Frank Yallop, he may make his debut against the Sounders this weekend, though he probably won't start.  MLSSoccer.com describes Martinez as a quick attacker who likes to take on defenders.  With Steven Lenhart and Alan Gordon still out, The Quakes need to plug some holes.  He joins Victor Bernardez and Marvin Chavez as Hondurans on the Quakes' squad.

The Rapids are looking to ease their injury crisis as well after they lost starting goalkeeper Matt Pickens at RSL last weekend.  According to the club site, former RSL backup Kyle Reynish is training with the club, though I would suspect Clint Irwin to get the start vs the Galaxy.  Meanwhile, Captain Pablo Mastroeni hopes to be on the field in LA after injuring his hamstring in the week two loss against the Union.  Striker Edson Buddle played most of the reserve match against RSL last weekend, but hasn't trained fully this week. He could play against his old team this weekend.  Finally, MLSSoccer.com is reporting that the Rapids might be interested in pursuing Kevin Hartman as a goal keeping solution as well.

Finally. the MLS Cup Champion LA Galaxy will be making a visit to Washington DC on March 26.  They won't be playing United, but instead they will be honored by President Barack Obama for winning their second straight MLS Championship.  They will be joined by Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings for this event honoring LA champions.  The Galaxy will also participate in the First Lady's "Let's Move" Initiative on the South Lawn of the White House.

Match Thoughts: Real Salt Lake vs Colorado Rapids

Joao Plata and Alvaro Saborio celebrate RSL's equalizer (Deseret News)

So 24 hours on, I've finally gotten to sit down and and think about what I saw and what I thought about the 1-1 draw between RSL and Colorado at Rio Tinto Stadium.  The Rocky Mountain Cup is on the line this year as two of the three matches between the two sides will take place in Colorado.  This was their only shot vs the Rapids in Salt Lake this year, and I think they blew it a bit, despite bossing the second half to get a result.

First off, I have to say that my thoughts go out to Matt Pickens.  The Colorado 'keeper broke his left arm in the 4th minute when Kwame Watson-Siriboe collided with him while battling for a corner kick.  From my seat in lower section 30 (the opposite side of the pitch) it looked like a regular battle for a corner.  The video however, is......something else.  It was just brutal.  Pickens is expected to miss 3-4 months, and the Puddle wishes him a speedy and full recovery.  Clint Irwin did remarkably well for the Rapids coming on as a sub. and perhaps had Colorado's best performance in goal this year, though he probably could have done better on Sabo's goal.

The best word I could use to describe the game from RSL's point of view is: sloppy.  It turned out that a lot of the passing stats were pretty decent, RSL completed 87% of their passes and had nearly 70% of the possession, but there were some pretty big flubbed passes, even one from Kyle Beckerman, which is pretty uncharacteristic. There were also some pretty weak clearances from the back, as it just seemed like RSL's execution was a step or two off all match long.

The offense still seems to be very sluggish, and both of RSL's starting forwards had chances that they would have liked to have back.  In the 18th minute Robbie Findley had a great look at goal from just outside the area but missed.  That really had to be better.  Devon Sandoval brought a ball down for Sabo in the 83rd minute and put it on a plate for him, but Sabo also blazed his shot over the bar.  In the end, only 4 of RSL's 19 shots ended up on target, a pretty paltry sum when the Claret and Cobalt should have done a better job testing Colorado's young keeper. 

Now for my grades, which don't mean much, it's just how I see it.

Defense--D+
Now, you might think this is a little harsh being that RSL only gave up the one goal.  However, I'm taking into account quite a few sloppy clearances and the fact that our back line gave up way too many cheap looks on Nick Rimando's goal.  Rimando played well, as usual, but I think he arguably had a tougher day than the Rapid's young keeper.  RSL was also very fortunate that the Rapids were having some issues hitting the target as well.

As for the goal, it was a real kicker.  I just see us continually getting skinned again and again until Chris Wingert is back.  For the most part, our guys have done an admirable job, but getting absolutely torched on that goal by Colorado was one of the worst moments of the season so far, for me.  The defense must tighten up.

Midfield--C
I felt the Rapids did a pretty good job putting off our guys in the midfield from time to time.  In the end it's still a work in progress as Luis Gil and Sebastian Velasquez continue to mold themselves into the fabric of this team.  They both looked like they were in a little over their head at times, maybe because of the pressure of the rivalry and the home opener.  I wouldn't say the service was quality either, but in the end it was another serviceable and average performance from some guys who are doing a pretty decent job of holding it together.  It was nice to see Grabavoy back, and this team need Javier Morales as the dynamo.

Forwards--B
Plata and Saborio have instant chemistry.  They showed it again yesterday.  The applause for Plata when he checked in yesterday were massive, while the ovation for Findley was, shall we say, subdued when he checked out.  Now, while I don't think it's fair to judge Robbie on just three matches, and I think any expectation that he was going to come in and score right off the bat was probably a little optimistic, this much seems plain to me: The fanbase still isn't sold on this move and it's not moving in the right direction, yet.

During the post game show they made a point that the return of Javier Morales would probably help open Robbie up some.  I hope they're right, but I think the fans want to see something now.  I know Robbie is working his tail off and wants to contribute just as bad as the fans want him to, but it's just not there yet.  Failing to hit the target and work the keeper on that nice look in the first half just brought back every not so great memory of Robbie in many RSL fans, including myself.  I know he can do better, and he's going to have to, because Sabo is going out on international duty and he has all of our goals.

I do want to give a shout out to Devon Sandoval though.  I LOVE this kid. I loved him as a draft pick and I love what I've seen of him on the pitch.  He handles the ball really well, and had Sabo finished that late chance yesterday, Devon would have had the game winning assist.  He seems to have the perspective and work ethic that both Jason Kreis and the RSL family admire so much, and he's going to learn a TON from Sabo.

Palmeiras Fans Attack Team at Airport

Palmeiras coaches during their Copa Libertadores match in Argentina (AP Photo)

South American football continues to generate the wrong kind of headlines following more bad fan behavior.  This time, supporters of the Brazilian club Palmeiras "confronted" their own players in an airport as the team was preparing to return home after a 0-1 Copa Libertadores defeat to Tigre in Buenos Aires.

The group of fans confronted the players at Jorge Newbery Airport.  According to the Associated Press, the attackers were wearing the jerseys of Palmeiras' largest Supporter group.  Goalkeeper Fernando Prass was injured when a fan threw a cup at Jorge Valdivia, a Palmeiras midfielder, and missed, striking Prass.  Prass was treated for cuts to his hand and ear.

Security guards attempted to intervene, and Palmeiras Captain Henrique tried to calm the group of fans, but eventually Valdivia had to retreat and hide in a bathroom surrounded by security until the situation was under control.  According to Brazilian media, Valdivia was verbally harassed by his club's own fans prior to the match and allegedly retaliated with obscene gestures.  The club has said that they support Valdivia.

Three fans were detained in Argentina, but were later released.  Goalkeeper Prass remained in Argentina in order to receive treatment for his injuries.  The rest of the team returned to Brazil and left the airport through a secure exit.

This is just another issue of football related violence that has cropped up as Brazil prepares to host the FIFA World Cup next year.  Brazil's Footbaall Federation President as well as the Minister for Sports condemned the actions, saying that these issues are damaging the sport of football.

View the AP article HERE.

Late Davis Strike Propels Dynamo to CCL Win

The Dynamo celebrate Davis's 89th minute winner (houstondynamo.com)

The Houston Dynamo deserve a lot of credit for what they were able to accomplish last night at BBVA Compass Stadium.  Overall, they played a pretty smart brand of football (though not always pretty or perfect) and managed to ride a late goal by Brad Davis to a win and a 1-0 aggregate lead over Santos Laguna in the CONCACAF Champions League.

They certainly weren't dominating by any stretch of the imagination, and Santos came out firing with Darwin Quintero hitting the first shot in the very first minute, only to see his effort go off target.  Marc Crosas also missed the frame in the third minute, and after that Houston started to settle down. 

The first quality chance of the match fell to the Dynamo on 18 minutes.  Houston had been applying some pressure to Santos goal, and it paid off with a corner kick chance.  Bobby Boswell directed a bullet header on frame from said corner, and looked to have Santos 'keeper Oswaldo Sanchez beaten, but the Santos defender stationed at the post did his job, clearing it just off the line to keep the MLS side from taking the lead.

However the Dynamo nearly surrendered a goal of their own just two minutes later.  In a preview of what was to be a theme of the night, Houston 'keeper Tally Hall played a kick out of goal, trying to build from the back.  Unfortunately he kicked it right to Herculez Gomez.  The American international played it over to Quintero, but once again Houston was fortunate to see his shot drift harmlessly away from the target.  The Dynamo had a few bad flubs playing out of the back, but luckily Santos were not able to capitalize.

Fast forward to the second half where Santos had their best spell of the match on 57 minutes.  An outstanding move up the pitch resulted in a great look for Oribe Peralta, which he managed to put on frame.  Tally Hall was equal to the effort though, making a great save to preserve the the clean sheet.

In the 89th minute Jermaine Taylor couldn't find the target from a header off a corner kick and Santos took the ball back up the pitch and looked as though they were all set to settle in for a scoreless draw.  However, they turned the ball over just inside the Dynamo half and Houston streaked up the field on a counter attack.  Corey Ashe hit Brad Davis just inside the left of the penalty area, and the Dynamo marksman calmly slid the ball inside the far post to give the Dynamo the 1-0 win.  It was a great finish by a great player.

Now, will it be enough to hold up for Houston down in Torreon?  I kind of doubt it.  Still the 1 goal win without allowing the away goal was the minimum that Houston needed to achieve and they did just that.  As long as they can go punch to punch with Santos down in Mexico, they'll have a shot as the Mexicans weren't able to secure a road goal advantage.  It will still be tough, though this Santos team is obviously not as lethal as previous editions.  In the end, no matter what happens, this was still a nice win for them which should help to continue to build the confidence of MLS sides in this tournament.