RESULT STINGS FIRE - TIE 1 - 1

FRISCO, Texas -- More and more as the clock rolled past the regulation 90 minutes and into stoppage time, it looked as if the Chicago Fire would finally leave Pizza Hut Park a victory, which would have been their first in nine tries against FC Dallas.

But just when it appeared that a stellar defensive effort would make Chris Rolfe's 56th-minute goal stand up, Carlos Ruiz snuck in to score the equalizer and leave the teams with a 1-1 draw.

"I think we're a little disappointed at the way it ended," said Fire assistant coach Daryl Shore. "We thought we played pretty well tonight. We knew it was going to be a tough game and came in here and worked hard."

Chicago finished the match with eight shots and three of those came from Rolfe, who played midfield for the second consecutive match.

"We took Rolfie away from his natural forward position and put him in the midfield to give him a little more freedom to run around and find different gaps on the field," Shore said.

After FCD controlled possession for much of the first half, the Fire coaching staff made some adjustments and those paid off quickly as the visitors controlled the run of play for much of the second half.

"The start of the game wasn't the greatest for us but we made a couple of adjustments in the first half but I thought we picked it up and came out with a good start of the second half," Shore said. "We had a good run of the game and to give up a goal at the end is a little disappointing. At the end of the day, you go on the road and you're disappointed that you don't get three points. But you take the point and move forward. That's what we're going to do."

One thing that the Fire staff noticed in the first half was that there were some gaps that both Rolfe and Cuauhtemoc Blanco could exploit and possibly do some damage.

"We felt like at halftime that there were some gaps on the field that he and Blanco could find and that's how the goal happened," Shore said. "He found himself in a little bit of a pocket, was able to get a little space and hit a great goal. It frees him up a little bit and keeps him from getting banged up by the defenders. It's a unique role for him."

Rolfe collected a loose ball some 25 yards from goal on the left, took a couple of touches forward and let fly with a wicked blast that beat FCD 'keeper Dario Sala high inside his left-hand post. For Rolfe, it was his fifth goal of 2007, but his first since May 12, when he scored goals in four consecutive games to begin the season.

"I thought we played well," Rolfe said. "We stuck to our gameplan and didn't give them any opportunities either until the last 10 minutes. Our forwards did a good job of holding the ball and playing solid defense. Our defense, again, did such a good job. We just had a couple of letdowns there in the last few minutes."

Besides his goal, Rolfe also had a great chance in the 29th that was saved by Sala and another in the 68th that was also stopped by the Hoops 'keeper. He attributed those chances to an integral part of the Fire's gameplan.

"We knew that they were coming with an attacking lineup in the midfield," Rolfe said. "We played Chris (Armas) and Logan (Pause) a little more defensive to hold back down. I was kind of free to find the gaps between (Pablo) Ricchetti in the first half and (Adrian) Serioux in the second half."

With tonight's draw, the Fire still have not won in Dallas since July 4, 1999, when they won 2-1 at the Cotton Bowl. Since Blanco joined the team in late July, the Men in Red are 4-2-3 and still in eighth place in the MLS overall table, currently holding down the final playoff spot. FCD also retained the Brimstone Cup for the sixth consecutive year with the tie.

"It seems like every time we come to Dallas, we always have the better play in the game and the run of chances but it doesn't work out," said Fire midfielder Chad Barrett. "Chris (Rolfe) had a couple of nice shots and a great goal. That lifted our spirits a little bit. We made some defensive subs and everything was going great until the last minute, when we had a defensive lapse. That's the worst way to end a game, especially when you really need three points."

Besides the solid performance of Rolfe, the Fire also got a great game between the posts from goalkeeper Matt Pickens, who saved six of the seven shots on frame that he faced.

"Matt is a very good goalkeeper," Shore said. "He was pretty solid for us tonight. He made some big saves and unfortunately, wasn't able to come up with the last one there at the end but that's soccer. He had a big night for us and probably earned us the point."

Chicago won't have much time to dwell on this result as on Sunday, Eastern Conference-leading D.C. United come to Toyota Park. With five games left for the Fire, they now lead ninth-place Colorado by two points and 10th-place Columbus by three in the scrap for the final playoff spot. Holding on for a few seconds longer would have meant neither team could catch Chicago this weekend.

"You have to give the players a little time to grieve over this one. This isn't a tie for us, this is a loss. This is one where three points were literally taken from us," Barrett said. "We have to regroup. It's a quick turnaround and we have to be ready for D.C.. If we're not, they will walk all over us and that can't happen."

Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070921&content_id=118381&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

BLANCO VS DENILSON

CHICAGO FIRE BATTLE FC DALLAS TONIGHT

Frisco, TX (Sports Network) - Both the Chicago Fire and FC Dallas will be battling for playoff positioning when they meet in Primetime at Pizza Hut Park Thursday night.
The home Hoops are much more secure, needing only a win over the Fire, a Colorado loss to Real Salt Lake and a Toronto win or draw with Columbus to clinch their spot in the 2007 MLS Cup tourney this weekend.

The Fire will probably have to wait until the final weekend of the season to know for sure if they have a spot booked for the postseason, although they are in control of their own destiny. Chicago currently is in the eighth and final playoff position by one point over the Rapids and two over the Crew, with a game in hand on both teams.

Despite their shaky position in the playoff standings, the Fire have been the hotter team as of late, mainly because of the play of Cuauhtemoc Blanco. The Mexican international has led the club to 4-2-2 record in their last eight since he joined the squad, including a 2-2 draw with Red Bull New York in their last contest. That result was considered a positive because the team was forced to play a man down because of a red card in the second half to defender Wilman Conde, who will miss Thursday's match.

"In general, I think the players showed great character and mental strength to play with one man down and manage to come back to 2-2," Chicago coach Juan Carlos Osorio said after the tie with New York. "I think there was some general good play, especially with Chris [Rolfe] and Cuauhtemoc [Blanco] in the middle. I think we kept the ball better and I'm pleased. Obviously we needed to win, but I will take that point and hopefully we'll keep improving and next game we will be more clinical in our final third."

Dallas is coming off a 4-2 loss at New England and has lost three of its last four.

"In the first half we played better and we don't know what happened in the second half," said Hoops forward Carlos Ruiz, who scored tow goals in the game. "Maybe we didn't have control of the ball in the middle of the field. Every time New England went forward they created chances to score and they scored against us because we made a lot of mistakes."

Thursday's fixture will see a lot of skill on both sides, particularly in the middle of the field. The Fire feature Blanco, Chris Rolfe and Paulo Wanchope up the middle while Dallas features Denilson, Juan Toja and Carlos Ruiz in that area.

Both teams have busy week, with the Fire hosting league-leaders D.C. United on Sunday afternoon while Dallas travels to Los Angeles for a match with the Galaxy later that night.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/scorecard/othernews.asp?articleID=211025

REAL SETTLES FOR TIE WITH GALAXY 2 - 2

REAL DOMINATES MATCH BUT SETTLES FOR TIE

SALT LAKE CITY -- Real Salt Lake outplayed the Los Angeles Galaxy through the first 70 minutes Wednesday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium, but when the rollercoaster ride of the final 20 minutes ended, the teams had to settle for a 2-2 tie.

A pair of penalty kicks, one by each team, were followed by a pair of eye-popping goals from each side that evened the score. Carey Talley and Landon Donovan traded spot kicks, before goals from Gavin Glinton of the Galaxy and RSL's Javier Morales barely a minute apart provided the final outcome.

However, while both teams could feel happy about their respective comebacks for the tie, it doesn't do either any good in the chase for the MLS Cup Playoffs. The single point left the teams still at the bottom of the MLS overall table, RSL with 20 points and the Galaxy with 18. The Chicago Fire still sit in eighth place with 30 points; any combination of six points won by the Fire or lost by Real will eliminate the Utah club from playoff consideration.

It took both teams a couple of minutes to warm up on the offensive side, as both teams were unable to field their best side. The Galaxy were still hampered by their laundry list of absences to injury, most notably David Beckham, whose once-scheduled appearance attracted the largest crowd of the season to Rice-Eccles Stadium. But when Real did start shooting, Alecko Eskandarian made it look good. With defenders surrounding him, Eskandarian was able to hold the Galaxy off for a string of five touches before turning and shooting the ball, making Joe Cannon earn the first save of the game in the third minute.

Edson Buddle also came close in the early going. In the 10th minute, Buddle posted up against Ritchie Kotschau in the area before taking a short shot on the turn towards the right post. RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando barely got a hand on it, enough to push the ball against the post as the game remained scoreless.

In his first game with RSL, Yura Movsisyan made a mark by outrunning L.A.'s defense to a ball along the right sideline and earning the home team a corner kick. Eskandarian's corner kick bounced around, then Movsisyan shot a rocket from 12 yards away that Cannon barely got a hand on in pushing the ball wide, the ball skimming the outside of the post on its way out.

Real's offense ramped up as the first half wore on, and Rimando had plenty of time to catch his breath. Salt Lake punished the Galaxy in the 33rd minute after Eskandarian played a beautiful diagonal ball across to Kyle Beckerman, who attacked into the penalty area and jinked his defender a couple of times before shooting it high and against the face of the crossbar.

At halftime, the Galaxy replaced Buddle with Gavin Glinton. Buddle had aggravated a left hamstring injury, and as he had been the focal point of the LA attack in the opening 45 minutes, things didn't look good for the visitors, who came into the game losers of eight of their last nine.

Movsisyan made his mark again, this time in the 55th minute when Cannon scrambled on the turf to gather in a loose ball but could not find the handle. Movsisyan played it away from Cannon, but was tripped up inside the area and earned a penalty kick for Real. Carey Talley stepped up to the spot, and hit the back of the net in the 56th minute to give Real a 1-0 lead.

The Galaxy tried to come back just minutes later when Donovan defied all odds to remain on sides on a run up the right sideline. Donovan crossed the ball through the penalty area towards an on-rushing Glinton, but Rimando punched it out of the box before Glinton could one-touch it into an easy goal.

Real coach Jason Kreis began making substitutions in the 66th minute, replacing Movsisyan (doubtless struggling with the high-altitude air) with Chris Brown. Brown started making an impact right away, taking a pair of shots right away. But it did not stop the Galaxy from coming alive in the 70th minute.

L.A. began stringing passes together and putting pressure on the RSL goal as the final 20 minutes started ticking away. Things worked out well as Jean-Martial Kipre took down Mike Randolph inside the box, after the young left back did well to keep possession going forward, and surrendered a penalty kick to the Galaxy.

Donovan took the shot, and after missing his last two attempts, including in the 2-1 loss to RSL on Sept. 1, this time put the ball past Rimando to make the game 1-1 in the 79th minute.

But the Galaxy were not finished. In the 85th minute, Donovan ran the ball into Real's defensive third then played a beautiful through ball to Glinton. Glinton took advantage of his one-on-one against Rimando and slotting low past the 'keeper's right side and gave the Galaxy a 2-1 lead.

But the lead did not last. Javier Morales has come on as a substitute just before the go-ahead goal, and after RSL won a free kick above the middle of the Galaxy's penalty area, the Argentinean bent the ball around the wall and into the upper right corner to make it a 2-2 tie.

Morales continued to cause havoc for the Galaxy over the final minutes. He picked out Kyle Brown in the center of the area with a cross for a clear header, but with Cannon at his mercy, Brown put it right into the 'keeper's chest.

Then in stoppage time Morales found Chris Brown for a header. This time it beat Cannon, but not Kelly Gray, who chested it across the goal while standing on the goal line, keeping it just far enough out of the goal for Cannon to recover and the punch the ball away to safety.

Peter Richins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070920&content_id=118176&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

VERON READY FOR MLS

If you've been wondering if and when MLS front-runners DC United would ever get around to using a Designated Player slot, the time may be coming sooner than expected.

According to sources with knowledge of the discussions, DC United is deep in talks with Argentine star midfielder Juan Veron to sign him as a designated player for the 2008 season.

As promising as this news it, what will really be interesting is what DC does to the rest of its roster to accomodate Veron's arrival. One scenario could see former MLS MVP Christian Gomez leaving DC United after four seasons with the club.

DC fans might not like the sound of such a development but Gomez wants DP money and DC isn't likely to pay that to a midfielder who will turn 33 in November. Yes, I know, Veron also turns 33 soon (in March) but Veron is Veron, a world-class player who has excelled everywhere he's played (well, except for England. Okay, except for Man U.)

Could Gomez and Veron co-exist? It's possible but not probable. The team just doesn't have many other areas to save salary cap room. Well, unless Jaime Moreno retires, which isn't likely. Then there is the matter of Luciano Emilio, who is under contract but who is playing his way into a pretty good argument for a pay increase. Yes, there is talk of MLS adding a second DP slot to each team but you wonder if DC will want to have two DPs in central midfield.

Saying goodbye to Gomez won't be easy for DC United fans who have grown to love the charismatic Argentinian. I still remember the scene of him sitting in the stands at Giants Stadium and banging a drum the whole match (he was hurt or suspended for the match, can't remember what.).

Could Gomez go somewhere else in MLS? Chivas USA could certainly use him, as could the Red Bulls (Before you say DC would never trade him to the Red Bulls you should remember DC also traded Jaime Moreno, Eddie Pope and Richie Williams to the MetroStars).

http://njmg.typepad.com/sbi/2007/09/dc-closing-in-o.html#more

MLS WEEKEND WRAP IN DETAIL

Houston Dynamo 3, LA Galaxy 1

Man of the match: Dwayne De Rosario found the midfield spaces and made trouble for the L.A. back line, exploiting that room to operate and run at defenders. He had a assist early and stepped up to hit the game-winner on a penalty kick.

Bigger picture: It must make Galaxy fans just sick to watch their team struggle through so many injuries, then to watch Brian Ching come on for Houston as a reserve. On Sunday, the U.S. international played behind Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua (both former Galaxy strikers). That's real depth.

Pressure point: Something to think about as the Galaxy begins getting its roster sorted out for next year: Alan Gordon, Gavin Glinton and Edson Buddle were all into the game at forward ahead of Carlos Pavon, who surely wasn't brought to Los Angeles to toil behind players significantly lower on the pay scale. Pavon has two goals and no assists in 10 games for Los Angeles.

Colorado Rapids 1, Chivas USA 1

Man of the match: How far can Colin Clark be from national team consideration? He's been a force along the left side over the last six weeks or so. Sunday, he moved to left back following Facundo Erpen's ejection but still supplied the second-half equalizer for 10-man Colorado.

Bigger picture: Chivas USA hasn't lost since July and the team's seven-game unbeaten streak is already tied as the third best in MLS this year. And don't underestimate the difficulty of Sunday's draw; playing away from home just three days after the emotional Super Clasico triumph was certainly a challenge.

Pressure point: The match was delayed twice by nearby lightning, something that briefly threatened the MLS All-Star game in July. Lest anybody think there is some odd weather pattern in suburban Commerce City, you should know that the Denver Broncos game across town was held up by lighting at one point, too.

Chicago Fire 2, New York Red Bulls 2

Man of the match: Gonzalo Segares influenced the match at both ends. His passing and defense (especially in the air) were strong in front of Chicago's goal. He had one fantastic clearance from about two yards off Matt Pickens' goal line. Then he provided a pinpoint header for the equalizer.

Bigger picture: A huge night for Logan Pause, who wore the captain's armband, moved into the middle from his usual spot on the flank and might have played his best overall match this season. Players like Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Matt Pickens and (silly handballs not withstanding) Wilman Conde will stand out consistently. But if manager Juan Carlos Osorio can coax such outstanding performances from the workadays like Pause, the Fire could do something come October.

Pressure point: More and more players are beginning to complain about Cuauhtemoc Blanco's alleged diving. Dave van den Bergh was outspoken about it after the match, challenging match officials to "stand up" to Blanco.

Kansas City Wizards 3, Columbus Crew 2

Man of the match: Scott Sealy hit Kansas City's first goal on a well-executed free kick, then finished the dramatic nail-biter with a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Bigger picture: Teams have overcome a stoppage-time deficit only twice before in 12 MLS seasons (though MLS began play with "added time" only in 2000). Wizards manager Curt Onalfo demonstrated once and for all how a single point (with the draw) will never be enough. He saw the Crew heads drop in disappointment after conceding the late penalty kick and urged his men to finish the job and seize all three points, which they did.

Pressure point: Columbus might be the hard luck team of the moment. On the road, minus perhaps their top two players, the Crew controlled long stretches of the match. Ned Grabavoy and Eddie Gaven were especially gutsy, doing their part in playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto's absence. In the end, however, the Crew didn't respond well to a controversial penalty kick call, and the emotional letdown and lapse in concentration cost a chance to draw on the road.

New England Revolution 4, FC Dallas 2

Man of the match: Both Revolution outside midfielders had strong afternoons. Khano Smith was causing trouble all night for Dallas right back Drew Moor and the rest of his defensive mates. He had a nice assist to open the scoring and later finished matters -- with his right foot, of all things -- as Dallas pressed for the equalizer at the other end.

Bigger picture: New England's experienced midfield tore up Dallas' makeshift unit; Anthony Wallace was in a holding role in place of the injured Juan Toja. Wallace, the highest draft pick that had yet to play, was busy, but he couldn't find the game the way New England's vets could. All five Revs midfielders had matches to be proud of.

Pressure point: Denilson, the league's fifth Designated Player signing, has been in three league matches for Dallas -- and the club has lost two of those. He's not making enough of an impact yet and sometimes hurts Dallas' shape a bit. The club has shifted to a 4-4-2 look lately, with Denilson playing nominally on the left, but tending to drift into the middle a lot.

Toronto FC 0, Real Salt Lake 0

Man of the match: Toronto's scoreless streak goes on, but it's not Maurice Edu's fault. The league's No. 1 draft pick was all over the field for the home team, chasing on defense, getting forward regularly and covering extra ground for central partner Carl Robinson, who was returning from midweek international duty.

Bigger picture: Toronto did about all it could on the attack without actually scoring, creating numerous chances, outshooting the visitors 24-5 and forcing several big-time saves from Nick Rimando. The pressure was especially intense following Fabian Espindola's ejection for elbowing Marvell Wynne. Still, the record 822-minute goalless streak continues.

Pressure point: Wynne and Todd Dunivant continue to play in wide midfield roles for Mo Johnston's men. Neither could convert on terrific chances early in the match. Dunivant consistently gets into good spots in the attack. But, like Wynne, his crossing and finishing looks like they are coming from, well, a defender.

Chivas USA 3, LA Galaxy 0

Man of the match: There were plenty of good evenings to choose from. Francisco Mendoza made things particularly tough on Galaxy right back Chris Klein and got a well-deserved goal late in the match after setting up several other chances with those darting runs of his.

Bigger picture: Don't underestimate what this win means for the collective club psyche. The team sent out an e-mail blast after the win using the very language that the Los Angeles Galaxy used in its promotional material this year. Chivas USA has bristled at all the attention focused on their Home Depot Center partners.

Pressure point: Center back Abel Xavier has been as good as any Galaxy player since his late-spring arrival. But he's had a couple of shaky moments lately and may be pressing a bit, trying too hard to compensate for some of the inexperience that surrounds him on the back line.

D.C. United 2, Real Salt Lake 1

Man of the match: In all the excitement over Luciano Emilio's bid for league scoring leadership and team records, it's been easy to overlook Christian Gomez. The league's reigning MVP provided Emilio with the early assist, then provided the game-winner for his side on a classy header.

Bigger picture: United manager Tom Soehn continues to rest starters, as promised. Clyde Simms, Fred and Greg Vanney all started on the sidelines, although Simms and Fred did finish the match.

Pressure point: Real Salt Lake was pressing United at the end, but ultimately without success. The final third of the season will effectively be tryout time for the men from Utah. But while manager Jason Kreis determines who will and won't be around in 2008, he also must work on the team's collective ability to manage matches and get results. It's an acquired habit.

THIS AND THAT FROM ROUND 25 OF MLS ACTION

Technician's notebook:

# Jason Kreis made an interesting choice as his 10-man crew held on late against Toronto FC. Eddie Pope was having an excellent game in neutralizing Andrea Lombardo, but was cramping. So Kreis moved defensive midfielder Carey Talley to the back line and asked Pope to play as a sweeper in front of the defense.

# James Riley played on the right along New England's three-man back line. He usually appears on the left, but looked a little more comfortable on the other side (due to Jay Heaps' absence) and seemed more comfortable when ranging forward. He seemed to join the attack a little more than usual.

# Dema Kovalenko made his first start for the Red Bulls since July, deployed along the left in Bruce Arena's 4-4-2, but drifting inside liberally.

# Has Bruce Arena finally found a solution at left back? Dave van den Bergh was the choice once again in Chicago and had an excellent, productive evening. With Kovalenko protecting the space in front of van den Bergh, the pair kept things on their side fairly buttoned up. Plus, van den Bergh got forward regularly, scoring on a deflected goal and providing some dangerous crosses.

# Wilman Conde played centrally last week (and looked good doing it) but lined up along the left in Chicago's defensive setup Saturday. There, he dealt smartly with the speedy Dane Richards and was providing some nice support to the attack before his second-half ejection.

Sign of things to come?: The raw numbers suggest the 2007 playoff race will be the tightest yet, and the sellout crowd at Toyota Park certainly seemed to sense it. The Fire-Red Bulls match was entertaining start to finish and, urged along by an enlivened crowd, was absolutely pulsating by the second half.

Onstad on track for history: Obviously, there's more to a goals-against average than just the goalkeeper. Houston's back line is unbelievably stingy with the opportunities. Still, Pat Onstad has a 0.87 goals-against average after 23 matches, which puts him on track to record the best GAA in 12 MLS seasons. Kevin Hartman's 0.91 GAA in 1999 stands now as the all-time low, followed by Tony Meola's 0.92 in 2000. (Of course, Brad Guzan and his 0.90 average this year could still have something to say about it all.)

Merlin makes some magic: Laurent Merlin, the player discovered during open tryouts for the Los Angeles Galaxy, got his fourth start this year for Chivas USA as manager Preki gave Maykel Galindo a break and rested the ailing Ante Razov on Sunday. Merlin made a huge impact right away, stealing a ball off Rapids defender Ugo Ihemelu and turning it into a penalty kick and early Chivas lead -- all completely against the run of early play.

The good and bad of Conde: Wilman Conde will rue the choice to stab at a Red Bulls corner kick in the 65th minute at Toyota Park. He was sitting on a yellow card already as Claudio Reyna's arching corner kick was about to fall to a waiting Juan Pablo Angel. Referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the spot and showed Conde his second yellow card. That means the recently acquired Colombian won't play this week as Chicago visits Dallas, which is a huge loss for the Fire. Conde has looked world-class so far.

Mile High defensive woes: Just 22 minutes into the match in Colorado, the Rapids' back line was a mess. Facundo Erpen, who started on the left, had been dismissed. Then center back Mike Petke left due to injury. Stephen Keel, who had just 19 minutes this year before Sunday, partnered with Ihemelu in the middle, with Colin Clark dropping back to the back line from his left midfield spot.

Striking first counts: Think Houston Dynamo know how to play with a lead? Dominic Kinnear's men are 11-0-0 this year when scoring first. So Ryan Cochrane's 23rd-minute strike Sunday off a corner kick was obviously significant. The Galaxy did equalize later in the first half but couldn't sustain the pressure. Los Angeles is now 0-11-2 when allowing the first goal.

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070917&content_id=117701&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

DUECE ON THE LOOSE - AMERICANS IN ENGLAND

After starting the season on the bench, Clint Dempsey has become nearly indispensable in a matter of weeks, as he continues to carry the Cottagers on the attack. This past week against Wigan, the former New England Revolution star continued his great run when he netted his third goal in four games, putting one past goalkeeper Chris Kirkland in the 11th minute in the 1-1 draw. Diomansy Kamara crossed the ball into the box and Dempsey snuck through the defense to touch it into goal. Fulham have made a habit of allowing late goals, but their recent play against Tottenham and even Wigan until late was encouraging for a side that has been a bit disappointing so far this season. The Cottagers will no doubt take away several good things from their play so far, including Dempsey's quick rise and Kamara's increasingly impressive play up front. The U.S. international has been especially impressive this season, as only Nicholas Anelka (four goals) has notched more goals in league play than the feisty American.

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=416573

THE WEEKEND WRAP

Dynamo clinch berth in L.A. 3-1

De Rosario leads MLS champs back to playoffs with goal, assist in win

CARSON, CALIF. — The Dynamo regained first place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference and secured a playoff spot Sunday night by feasting on one of the league's formerly dominant powers.

Dwayne De Rosario scored the tiebreaking goal and added an assist to lead the defending league champions to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in front of 25,217 at the Home Depot Center.

Ryan Cochrane and Ricardo Clark also scored as the Dynamo (13-7-6) extended their unbeaten streak to five games and took over first place by one point over Chivas USA.

In addition, the Dynamo gave the Galaxy (4-13-5) their eighth loss in nine games as an injured David Beckham watched from a private suite. Beckham sprained his right knee Aug. 29 and will be out until at least mid-October.

Self-destructing Galaxy

"The old Galaxy team was definitely a little more hungry," said De Rosario, who added that his team exploited the Galaxy's lack of cohesion. "The team that doesn't work together is basically destruction waiting to happen. They're going to get down on each other and start yelling at each other. Then you start picking them apart. That's what we did.

"We had a lot of chances. If you add the chances that we did miss, it could've been a pretty embarrassing night."

De Rosario broke a 1-1 tie in the 47th minute by converting a penalty kick. Brian Mullan drew the foul when Galaxy defender Mike Randolph pulled Mullan's jersey in the penalty area.

Cochrane put the Dynamo ahead 1-0 in the 21st minute with his first goal of the season. De Rosario headed Richard Mulrooney's corner kick toward the right post, and Cochrane redirected the ball with his right foot from 2 yards.

Los Angeles tied it in the 26th minute on Alan Gordon's 10-yard header.

But De Rosario's goal added power to the Dynamo.

"Obviously, the goal gives us energy and confidence," Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said. "Guys in the middle of the field were moving the ball a bit better.

"When we're passing the ball like that and have good mobility, it's hard for teams to contain our attacking players."

Icing on the cake

Clark ended the scoring in the 73rd minute. After his pass deflected off Brian Ching to the penalty spot, Clark beat Peter Vagenas to the ball and scored from 12 yards.

Ching was seeing action for the first time in nearly four weeks after he came in for an injured Joseph Ngwenya, who left the game in the 41st minute after turning his left ankle.

Ching had been sidelined with a calf injury.

MLS WEEKEND PREVIEW -

SATURDAY

Toronto FC vs. Real Salt Lake
3:30 pm ET
BMO Field, Toronto, Canada



The Gist: The worst two teams in the league that don’t have a former England captain on their roster face off at the always electric BMO Field. Real Salt Lake are ending a four-game road trip that has seen them drop their last two in one-goal losses to the top team in each Conference. However, RSL’s play on this trip has been inspiring for Jason Kreis and company. Meanwhile, Toronto have lost four straight games and have earned just one point since the All-Star Break. Even with the home crowd lifting their spirits, TFC, like the start of the season, would be happy to take the moral win by just scoring a goal.

Why You Should Care: Not only have Toronto not been getting points in the standings, but they haven’t been scoring goals during their games. Their scoreless streak stretches back to July 7, a span of 732 minutes. As this game pits two of the league’s worst defenses against one another -- both teams have allowed 37 goals in 23 games with only Los Angeles worse than them -- this is the best chance for the Canadian club to end their streak this season.

On the Mo Johnston/Alexi Lalas Radar: Kyle Beckerman. The Crofton, Md., native scored as he returned near his hometown during Real’s midweek loss to D.C. United. More than just the goal, though, Beckerman has provided bite in the middle of the park the third-year club desperately needed. Though Toronto only conceded a pair of penalty kicks last week to FC Dallas, Beckerman’s long-range blasts should provide scoring from the run of play.

Prediction: Real Salt Lake 2, Toronto FC 0

New England Revolution vs. FC Dallas
7:30 pm ET
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.



The Gist: In what amounts to a preview of the U.S. Open Cup in 18 days time, New England hosts Dallas. While those teams certainly want to win the Dewar Cup, their immediate concern is to earn points and remain in the hunt for first place in their respective conference. The Revolution have slipped to seven points behind D.C. United, who are idle on the weekend, and need the full three points to have a chance to capture the Supporters’ Shield. On the other hand, Dallas bounced back after a pair of losses to United and Houston to beat hapless Toronto. With Chivas USA starting to run away with the West, Dallas needs the win to keep pace.

Why You Should Care: This is the time of the year these two have shown their true colors in the past few seasons. While this is Steve Morrow’s first year as head coach of the Hoops, he will be hard pressed to not repeat Colin Clarke’s end-of-season woes with five of their final seven games against playoff-bound teams. On the other hand, New England typically heads to the finish line in a sprint under Steve Nicol. However, Nicol won’t have his normal fiery presence on New England’s sideline as he is suspended for this match, a relief for referee Kevin Stott’s ears.

On The Alexi Lalas/Mo Johnston Radar: Taylor Twellman. The only striker that can hold a candle to Luciano Emilio’s torch this summer is Twellman. The Revolution forward has scored in three straight games and has five goals and three assists since the All-Star Game. Twellman also enjoys seeing Dallas come to Gillette stadium, scoring five goals in the past three games between these two teams played in Foxboro.

Prediction: New England Revolution 2, FC Dallas 1

Kansas City Wizards vs. Columbus Crew
8 pm ET, TV: HDNet
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri



The Gist: The Columbus Crew look to right the ship and keep their chances of making the playoffs alive as they head on the road to face Kansas City. Unfortunately for the men in yellow, they’ve won just once outside of Ohio this season. The Wizards, though, haven’t been playing well themselves of late, as both teams have started sliding down the Eastern Conference standings. The two clubs have combined for just seven points since the start of August. If there were a way for a game to end without either side picking up any points, these two might make that result happen.

Why You Should Care: Though the results haven’t been there, each side has the offense to make for an entertaining affair. Eddie Johnson needs to regain his pre-Gold Cup form when he notched back-to-back hat tricks for the Wizards to remain in the playoff picture. Guillermo Barros Schelotto still is tied for the league lead in assists, and his vision and playmaking are key for the Crew to keep clawing at the final spot in the playoffs.

On The Alexi Lalas/Mo Johnston Radar: Johnson. The U.S. international didn’t score over the weekend against Brazil in limited action. But Johnson has tallied a goal in his last two MLS games. Going against a defense without Chad Marshall should allow EJ to extend his league scoring streak to three games.

Prediction: Kansas City Wizards 1, Columbus Crew 1

Chicago Fire vs. New York Red Bulls
8:30 pm ET, TV: FSC
Toyota Park, Chicago, Ill.



The Gist: Chicago faces a New York side that has beaten them twice this season, not conceding a goal to the Fire in the process. However, both of those games were on the turf at Giants Stadium, whereas Chicago will host this match. Though the Fire haven’t been great at home, New York has been much worse on the road then when in their friendly confines, losing six of their last seven road games. The most consistent trend, though, has been Chicago’s altering between wins and losses. As the Fire are coming off of a win in Columbus, New York could earn a rare three points on the road.

Why You Should Care: Each team features one of the best imports to MLS this season. Cuauhtémoc Blanco quickly inserted himself into key player status in the Windy City; as Blanco goes, so goes Chicago with the Fire winning all but one game in which he has scored a point. Meanwhile, Angel was an early season Player of the Year candidate, though dipped in form before recently regaining his touch with five goals in his last six games. Whichever of these internationals has the better match should reflect the result, as well.

On The Alexi Lalas/Mo Johnston Radar: Wilman Conde. The latest foreigner to join Chicago could quickly become one of the top defenders in MLS. His vision last week led to a huge road win for the Fire. Conde will not only have to show that offensive prowess, but his defensive abilities against a tough New York attack.

Prediction: Chicago 1, New York 0

SUNDAY

Colorado Rapids vs. Chivas USA
3 pm ET, TV: Telefutura
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado



The Gist: The two best teams in the Western Conference since the start of August square off for the second time this year. Fresh off of their first-ever season series win over archrivals Los Angeles, Chivas will look to take points from both their Thursday and Sunday game for the third consecutive time. The Rapids side they will face will be more rested, but are coming off of a demoralizing 3-1 loss to those same Galaxy. Colorado was never in the match, as they couldn’t match the intensity L.A. brought to the game. For Chivas to take the three points and keep their lead in the Western Conference, they need to show the same confidence they have for the past month.

Why You Should Care: This is a potential first-round matchup in the playoffs and would almost certainly be under the old playoff format. To do so this year, Colorado needs to keep picking up points. Unfortunately for them, Chivas has been rolling through the Western Conference of late. The best-case scenario may be to share the spoils and look to their Rocky Mountain Cup battle next weekend against Real Salt Lake.

On The Alexi Lalas/Mo Johnston Radar: Brad Guzan. The possible future number one for the United States National Team is playing at that caliber. He has kept six clean sheets in his last eight matches and is one of the key reasons the Goats are currently atop the West. Colorado hasn’t been shutout since early August, but Guzan already stymied the Rapids once this year and looks set to do so again.

Prediction: Chivas USA 2, Colorado Rapids 0

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo
8 pm ET
Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.



The Gist: Houston hasn’t lost in four games, but has looked less than stellar in doing so. The Galaxy side they’ll face has looked even worse since their SuperLiga loss. But Los Angeles has a way of surprising teams, as they did last week against Colorado. The Dynamo have the advantage of rest in this game. L.A. played Thursday night, while Houston was off, and the creamsicle-clad side won’t play again for two weeks, meaning they can leave it all on the field. With Chivas taking the lead in the standings, thanks to a win over Los Angeles, Houston will have to tighten the ship and earn what could be another tough three points.

Why You Should Care: This game features two of the best attacking midfielders in MLS when they’re on their game. Houston’s Dwayne DeRosario led the Canadian National Team to a midweek draw against Costa Rica. DeRo has also been getting it done with his club team, notching three assists in his last four games. On the other hand, Landon Donovan -- again the leader of the Galaxy with David Beckham out -- has only one goal and one assist in L.A.’s last nine games. But LD always rises to his best against CONCACAF foes, and seeing former teammates such as DeRosario, Richard Mulrooney and Pat Onstad on the other side may fire up the balding one.

On The Alexi Lalas/Mo Johnston Radar: Nate Jaqua. He was on Lalas’ radar in the offseason when the Galaxy General Manager traded for him. However, Jaqua was later traded to Houston in early July for Kelly Gray. With Brian Ching still questionable with a calf strain, the lanky Portland University product should get another start. Jaqua surely won’t match his hat trick from last week against Real Salt Lake, but should find plenty of opportunities against the Galaxy’s thin back line and show Lalas what he gave up.

Prediction: Houston Dynamo 2, Los Angeles Galaxy 0

http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=413942

Chivas SMOKES Galaxy ... literally 3 - 0

Three days before Mexicans celebrate their independence from Spain, Chivas USA celebrated its independence from the Galaxy.

They did it in grand fashion, with smoke bombs and another 3-0 victory Thursday night at the Home Depot Center.

Not only that, but Chivas also vaulted into first place in the Western Conference and won the 2007 SuperClasico trophy for the first time in three seasons.

After the game, Chivas celebrated its victory with its fans while Mexican signer Vicente Fernandez's song "El Rey," which translates into "The King," played over the sound system.

"I think it's obvious that L.A. is our town this year," Chivas midfielder Sacha Kljestan said. "I'm more excited than anything that we are in first place now."

With their second victory in 2007 over the rival Galaxy, Chivas won the season series for the first time. Chivas improved to 13-6-4 with 43 points, one more than Houston in the Western Conference race.

The Galaxy's season continues its downward slide. The team has the worst record in Major League Soccer at 4-12-5 with defending champion Houston scheduled to come to the Home Depot Center on Sunday.

The Galaxy's David Beckham, in a halftime interview with ESPN2, said he hoped to be able to play again before the MLS regular-season ends on Oct. 21, but was uncertain if he would be able to do so.

"The rehab is going really well," he said. "I'm working twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. I'm doing everything possible to get myself fit before the end of the season.

"At the moment, if it carries on progressing like it is, then I've got a chance of playing before the end of the season, but I don't want to give a time because who knows with injuries. But, obviously, the knee is giving my ankle a chance to get a lot better as well."

Playing in front of an announced crowd of 23,328, the second-largest crowd to watch a Chivas home game this season, Chivas remained the best home team in the league. It improved to 9-0-2 at the Home Depot Center and extended its home-unbeaten streak to 14, five behind the Columbus Crew's Major League Soccer record of 19 set during the 2004 and '05 seasons.

Ante Razov scored the first goal for Chivas in the 22nd minute with a shot that bounced in after hitting the inside of the post. Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon got a piece of the shot but not enough to change its trajectory.

The Galaxy came close to scoring in the 35th minute when Kyle Martino got past the defense and was able to get a shot off before a charging Brad Guzan got to him.

The ball went past Guzan and defenders Shavar Thomas and Claudio Thomas before Francisco Mendoza was able to clear it.

Mendoza became an even bigger menace to the Galaxy in the 88th minute when he removed any remaining drama with a left-footed shot that beat Cannon.

Chivas then added to their lead with a goal by Laurent Merlin in added time.

Merlin, a French forward, signed with Chivas in April after having earned a one-week trial with the Galaxy by impressing team officials during an open tryout in February.

"It's been a long three years," Chivas forward Ante Razov said. "We still have a long ways to go yet, but it's good for the fans to know we are the top team in L.A."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/chivas/la-sp-galaxy14sep14,1,7340362.story?coll=la-sports-chivas

Sierra Mist Goal Of The Week Nominees for Week 23

BRAZIL OVERPOWERS MEXICO SQUAD 3 - 1

The future of Mexican soccer showed up to play against Brazil yesterday. The Brazil squad showed up with such names as Kaka, Robinho and Ronaldinho while Mexico countered with their highly praised goal keeper "Memo" Ochoa and their Barcelona forward Giovanni Dos Santos. Read what happened here ...

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-mexico13sep13,1,335725.story?coll=la-headlines-sports

SUPER CLASICO RETURNS TONIGHT

No Beckham tonight so let's see if LA Galaxy can pull away with a win in
their FINAL match against Chivas USA (whos undefeated at home, which just happens to be the same field where LA Galaxy play home games lol)... :/ I can't wait till the MLS gets big enough to where every team has their own stadium. As you guys know Beckham is out the rest of the season after having surgery, read the injury report HERE.

Here's the preview for the game, don't miss it!

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/7218780

Tim Howard bitching about criticism of U.S. defense?

"Yeah, you’ve got a point,’ but come on. I don’t see where the issue is. Do I think we all need to get better? Do I have some things to work on? Do they have some things to work on? Of course we do, but everyone does." - Tim Howard

Is Tim Howard serious? I mean, for a goalie that just got scored on 4 times vs Brazil, he sure isn't acting humble to positive criticism. Hopefully Chris Seitz (U-20 World Cup Goalie, and excellent candidate to replace Howard) will gain experience quickly and we can get rid of this douchebag Howard. How's that for criticism Tim.

Ronaldinho: 'MLS intriguing'

Ronaldinho was asked about playing in MLS and he handled it diplomatically, saying his focus was Barcelona but that it's intriguing for all players to consider playing in the United States.

Remaining MLS Schedule

Well we don't have much left in the season so we better enjoy the last few games, the playoffs are going to be great. I still think DC and Houston have the strongest teams....

Emilio named MLS Player of Week

NEW YORK -- D.C. United forward Luciano Emilio was selected as Major League Soccer's Player of the Week after pacing the D.C. offense with four goals as D.C. strengthened its lead in the Eastern Conference with a 2-2 draw versus Chivas USA and a 4-2 victory over the New England Revolution.

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070911&content_id=116660&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp

El Guille OUT this Saturday vs. Kansas City

Columbus will be without both Guillermo Barros Schelotto (El Guille) and Frankie Hejduk on Saturday, as both will be serving one-game suspensions for yellow card accumulation.

http://oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3539981

Spectacular Bicycle Kicks in MLS History

Checkout the last one, can anyone say "ka-Ching"!

Jozy Altidore Intro Commercial

He wont be playing in the MLS much longer, look for him to be shipped to Europe as soon as this season is over... :/

Here's a peek of his Jozy Altidore's aerial ability: