What is going on in Major League Soccer?

posted by kidpurple March 2, 2009

The Houston Dynamo are going to into Mexico with after a 1-1 tie in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal. The Dynamo play Atlante FC Tuesday at 8PM (Fox Soccer Channel). Houston is the only remaining MLS team in the competition. Don’t miss this one.

David Beckham has been doing good in Italy and every day there is a new story about how he is never coming back to play for the Galaxy. I don’t know if anything is certain in this situation – but sounds like he may finish the season with AC Milan and then come back to the Galaxy for the 2nd half of the MLS season.

Brand new to the league Seattle Sounders FC will open the season against MLS Cup runners up New York Red Bulls. They will only remain the new team for a single season. I had plans to get out to Seattle for that season opener, but my plans changed and I won’t be able to get there until the day after they play the Red Bulls. Sad day for me.

In totally unrelated to MLS news I’ve started a new job that will take up a lot more of my time. I will likely be looking for others to write on this website. I am going to have a revenue sharing program that will allow writers to make money by writing MLS articles here. Contact me if you are interested in writing on the site or stay tuned for more details.

Posted in Atlante FC, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, David Beckham, Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders | Comments (0)

Playoff race is on

posted by kidpurple September 24, 2008

With just about 5 weeks remaining in the regular season schedule the race to the playoffs is heating up. Here is a quick look at the current situation of each team

Columbus Crew

Columbus Crew 14-6-5 47pts

The Crew missed the playoffs last year and are on the top this year.  They have at least a spot in the playoffs clinched and are the only team to do so yet.

Last 5: W T W W W (13pts)

Remaining Schedule:

@ New England Revolution
LA GALAXY
@ Chicago Fire
@ New York Red Bulls
DC UNITED

New England Revolution 12-7-6 42pts

The Revolution are always near the top, usually going far into the playoffs and collecing some trophies (just not the MLS Cup).  This could be the year they get that MLS Cup.  They got SuperLiga and aren’t doing so bad at 2nd place in the league.

Last 5: T W L L T

Remaining Schedule:

COLUMBUS CREW
REAL SALT LAKE
@ Kansas City Wizards
@ DC United
Kansas City Wizards 

Houston Dynamo

Houston Dynamo 10-5-9 39pts

Defending MLS Cup champions have a habit of starting the season slow and peaking at the right time and they could do it again this year.

Last 5: T W W L W

Remaining Schedule:

@ Toronto FC
@ Colorado Rapids
DC UNITED
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
LA GALAXY

Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire 11-9-5 38pts

The Fire started out with a bang this season – for a while they held the top spot in the league.  Now they are in a slump but if they come out of it at the right time they can bean anyone and could add to their collection of silverware.

Last 5: L L W L L

Remaining Schedule:

LA GALAXY
@ Kansas City Wizards
COLUMBUS CREW
@ Toronto FC
NEW YORK RED BULLS

New York Red Bulls

New York Red Bulls 9-8-8 35pts

The Red Bulls have been all over the place, near the top and near the bottom.  You never know what the Red Bulls are gonna do.   They are currently 5th overall but currently 4th in the East with DC and KC within striking distance.  They could go either way in the playoff hunt but I’d expect to see them get in.

Last 5: L W L T W

Remaining Schedule:

COLORADO RAPIDS
TORONTO FC
@ Real Salt Lake
COLUMBUS CREW
@ Chicago Fire

DC United

DC United 10-12-3 33pts

One of the most successful clubs in MLS History, defenders of the Supporters’ Shield, DC United is going to make it close to the playoffs this year.  If they playoffs were to start today, they’d be the last team in.  There are a couple teams right on their heels.

Last 5: L T L T W

Remaining Schedule:

@ FC Dallas
CHIVAS USA
@ Houston Dynamo
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
@ Columbus Crew

Chivas USA

Chivas USA 9-10-6 33pts

Chivas USA were winners of the Western Conference last year and then took a first round exit from the playoffs.  Right now they have 2nd position in the West although they are 7th overall.

Last 5: W L W W T

Remaining Schedule:

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
@ DC United
@ San Jose Earthquakes
COLORADO RAPIDS
HOUSTON DYNAMO

Kansas City Wizards

Kansas City Wizards 8-9-8 32pts

The Wizards must like to cut it close.  They’ve gone down to the very last day of the regular season to determine their playoff fate a couple times in the past few years.  Right now they’ve got some ground to make up to get in this year.

Last 5: W W L L T

Remaining Schedule:

@ Chivas USA
CHICAGO FIRE
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
@ New England Revolution 

Colorado Rapids

Colorado Rapids 9-12-4 31pts

The Rapids have been up and down this year.  They missed the playoffs last year and hope to change that this year.  They are current tied on points with RSL for the 3rd position in the West – which will likely be the last position to get into the playoffs from the West.

Last 5: T W W L L

Remaining Schedule:

@ New York Red Bulls
HOUSTON DYNAMO
@ LA Galaxy
@ Chivas USA
REAL SALT LAKE

Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake 8-10-7 31pts

RSL have had a bit of a slide lately.  They had been on top of the West and looking forward to making the playoffs for the first time in their history.  Now they’ve got a battle to get there.  This could come down to the last game of the saeson when they play Colorado.

Last 5: L L T W L

Remaining Schedule:

@ San Jose Earthquakes
@ New England Revolution
NEW YORK RED BULLS
FC DALLAS
@ Colorado Rapids

FC Dallas

FC Dallas 7-9-9 30pts

FC Dallas could likely be one of the team that made the cut last year to drop out.  They have had their moments but not enough of them.  They are only 1 point away, but I think it is unlikely they move up.

Last 5: W T L L T

Remaining Schedule:

DC UNITED
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
TORONTO FC
@ Real Salt Lake
@ LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy 7-10-8 29pts

The Galaxy have had ups and downs as much as anyone in the leage.  For a while they got hot and led the west, they’ve also been on the bottom on the single table.  Chances of the Galaxy getting into the playoffs are not looking very good.

Last 5: W L T T L

Remaining Schedule:

@ Chicago Fire
@ Columbus Crew
COLORADO RAPIDS
@ Houston Dynamo
FC DALLAS

 San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose Earthquakes 7-9-8 29pts

The Earthquakes have been close to or at the very bottom for most of the year.  A first year team isn’t expected much more, but they have had a hot run in the 2nd half of the season.  They came up and threatened to take a playoff position, but now they’ve fallen back a little bit.

Last 5: T W W T W

Remaining Schedule:

REAL SALT LAKE
@ FC Dallas
CHIVAS USA
@ Houston Dynamo
@ Kansas City Wizards
TORONTO FC

Toronto FC

Toronto FC 7-12-6 27pts

TFC spent some impressive time in the playoff hunt, but now they sit at the bottom of the league.  It would take an amazing run to get them in now.

Last 5: L T L L T

Remaining Schedule:

HOUSTON DYNAMO
@ New York Red Bulls
@ FC Dallas
CHICAGO FIRE
@ San Jose Earthquakes

Posted in Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, DC United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto FC, Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Who is going to stop Darren Huckerby and the Earthquakes

posted by kidpurple September 9, 2008

The expansion San Jose Earthquakes have gone on a 9 game unbeaten streak. This streak has the currently sitting in 9th place overall in the league. For most of the season the expansion club has been on the bottom of the league, a position now shared by 4 teams. The Earthquakes are only 2 points ahead of these bottom 4, but that still has them withing striking distance of the playoffs.

A lot of the recent success of the San Jose Earthquakes must be attributed to newcomer Darren Huckerby. Huckerby joined the team and played his first game on July 19th. Since then the Earthquakes have gone 4-0-3 in league play. In Huckerby’s 7 games he’s tallied 4 goal and 4 assists which has him as the leading scorer on the team.

So I ask: Who is going to stop Huckerby and the Earthquakes. It isn’t 1998 anymore and the expansion team is not supposed to win anything. I know they are a long way from winning anything, or even being in position to win anything, but they are hot right now.

The next 2 games will see the Earthquakes taking on tops in the West – the Houston Dynamo. The Dynamo have also been pretty hot recently so these should be a good couple of game that I’m looking forward to.

Posted in Darren Huckerby, Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes | Comments (1)

Revolution finally beat Dynamo in championship game

posted by kidpurple August 6, 2008

After twice losing to the Dynamo in the MLS Cup the Revolution finally got one last night in the SuperLiga final.  Another close game saw the Revolution twice come back from one goal deficits to tie the game.  Once they did it in regulation and once again in the extra time.  The game could not even be decided by the normal 5 penatly shots.  Not six, not seven, but it took eight penatly shots to settle the game and give the New England Revolution another trophy for their case.

Posted in Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, SuperLiga | Comments (1)

Dynamo and Revolution battle for another trophy tonight – SuperLiga

posted by kidpurple August 5, 2008

SuperLiga Final

Houston Dynamo VS New England Revolution

Houston Dynamo – New England Revolution
Gillette Stadium
7PM CST (8PM local time)
Telefutura

The Dynamo and Revolution are no strangers to each other when trophies are at stake. The two teams have played for the MLS Cup both of the past 2 years, both of which the Dynamo have won despite never having beat the Revolution in the regular season. This will be their first meeting for a SuperLiga trophy in only the 2nd year of the tournament. Last season Pachuca beat the LA Galaxy in a shootout in the final.

Road to the finals

Houston Dynamo:
The Dynamo won group A by beating Atlante and D.C. United but losing to Chivas de Guadalajara. They topped the group by goal difference. Then they Dynamo had to face Pachuca in the semi-finals. Last season Pachuca beat the Dynamo in the same stage of the tournament – this year the Dynamo advanced to the final.

New England Revolution:
The Revolution beat Pachuca and Santos and finished in a draw with MLS’s Chivas USA to win group B. They went on to beat Atlante in the semi-finals to advance to play the Dynamo for another trophy. The Revolution remain the only unbeaten team in the tournemant so far.

So what is going to happen tonight? The Dynamo have the upper hand in games where trophies are at stake but they Revolution have dominated the Dynamo when it has not been the MLS Cup. The game is at the home of the Revolution which could help them. Both teams are in very good form right now in MLS regular season play.

Posted in Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, SuperLiga | Comments (0)

Revolution win SuperLiga group B

posted by kidpurple July 21, 2008

Both of the final games of group B finished with 1-1 draws which was good enough to send the New England Revolution through to the semi-finals with the top spot from group B.  Defending champions Pachuca advance with 4 points and second place in the group.

PTS – W – L – T (GF-GA) Team
7 – 2 – 0 – 1 (3-1) New England Revolution
4 – 1 – 1 – 1 (3-3) Pachuca CF
4 – 1 – 1 – 1 (3-3) Chivas USA
1 – 0 – 2 – 1 (1-3) Santos Languna

Tuesday the semi-finals get underway with Houston Dynamo playing Pachuca CF.   Then Wednesday’s semi-final will see New England Revolution play Atlante.

Posted in Atlante FC, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, Pachuca, SuperLiga | Comments (0)

Bad day for MLS at SuperLiga

posted by kidpurple July 16, 2008

Group A played the 2nd round of games yesterday and neither of our MLS teams fared very well. Chivas scored the only goal of the game to beat Houston 1-0. This put Chivas into the semifinals. Atlante secured a 3-2 victory over DC United which ensures that DC United has no chance at the semi-finals. So this is what the table looks like now.

Group A
pts – w – l – t – (gf – ga) team
6 – 2 – 0 – 0 – (3-1) CD Guadalajara
3 – 1 – 1 – 0 – (4-1) Houston Dynamo
3 – 1 – 1 – 0 – (3-6) Atlante
0 – 0 – 2 – 0 – (3-5) D.C. United

The remaining games are Houston Dynamo vs DC United and Chivas vs Atlante.

What if Houston and Atlante both win?

Chivas, Houston and Atlante all end with 6 points. Only the top 2 teams advance to the semi-finals.

In that case goal difference would be the first tie-breaker. Houston is already +3 and would improve that with a victory. Chivas is +2 but would go lower with a loss. This would make sure Houston is ranked higher than Chivas. Atlante is -3 currently meaning they would need to beat Chivas by at least 7 goals to match Houston’s total – and that is if Houston only gets a victory by 1 goal difference. In this situation Houston would likely win the group.

What if Chivas and DC United win?

In this case Chivas win the group with a perfect 9 points. Houston, Atlante and DC United all have 3 points. Houston is +3, DC United is -2 and Atlante is -3 on goal difference. Houston and Atlante’s GD goes down and DC’s goes up. If DC were able to beat Houston by 3 goals they would have the best GD of these three teams, sending them onto the semi-finals.

To simplify it a little bit: Chivas will probably advance and DC United is probably done. Houston is in better position to take 2nd place in the group, but Atlante has a shot at it.

Posted in Atlante FC, CD Guadalajara, DC United, Houston Dynamo, SuperLiga | Comments (0)

Superliga in full swing

posted by kidpurple July 15, 2008

The 2008 Superliga will get on with the 2nd round of games today. This is what the groups look like right now:

Group A
pts – w – l – t – (gf – ga) team
3 – 1 – 0 – 0 – (4-0) Houston Dynamo
3 – 1 – 0 – 0 – (2-1) CD Guadalajara
0 – 0 – 1 – 0 (1-2) D.C. United
0 – 0 – 1 – 0 (0-4) Atlante

Group B
pts – w – l – t – (gf – ga) team
3 – 1 – 0 – 0 – (2-1) Pachuca CF
3 – 1 – 0 – 0 – (1-0) New England Revolution
0 – 0 – 1 – 0 (1-2) Chivas USA
0 – 0 – 1 – 0 (0-1) Santos Laguna

Today the next round of games for group A take place. Catch these games with Spanish commentary if you have Telefutura.

DC United

D.C. United (0pts) vs Atlante (0pts)
RFK Stadium – 7:00 p.m. CST
Telefutura

Houston Dynamo

Houston Dynamo (3pts) vs CD Guadalajara (3pts)
Robertson Stadium – 9:00 p.m. CST
Telefutura

Posted in Atlante FC, CD Guadalajara, DC United, Houston Dynamo, SuperLiga | Comments (0)

US Open Cup Update

posted by kidpurple June 30, 2008

The third round of the US Open Cup is upon us.  There are 8 MLS teams remaining in the tournament – each of which will face a non-MLS team.

Three teams from the USL Second Division have made it to the round of 16.  These teams all face MLS teams in this round.  Here are those matchups:

Crystal Palace Baltimore vs. New York Red Bulls

Richmond Kickers vs. New England Revolution

Cleveland City Stars vs. Chicago Fire

The remaining lower level teams all came from the USL First Division:

Rochester Rhinos vs. DC United

Miami FC Blues vs. FC Dallas

Charsleston Battery vs. Houston Dynamo

Carolina Railhawks vs. Kansas City Wizards

Seattle Sounders vs. Chivas USA

The previous round saw the exit of 8 more USL First and Second Division teams along with the only team from outside USL to make it that far – Hollywood United.  Hollywood United are a part of the United States Adult Soccer Association.

What MLS teams may fall to their lower league opponents?

Posted in Carolina Railhawks, Charleston Battery, Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, Cleveland City Stars, Crystal Palace Baltimore, DC United, FC Dallas, Hollywood United, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Miami FC Blues, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos, Seattle Sounders, US Open Cup | Comments (0)

Revolution will play Joe Public in Champions League

posted by kidpurple June 12, 2008

It sounds like a joke, but the New England Revolution have been drawn against Joe Public FC in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League. Joe Public FC is actually a real team and they are two time champions of Trinidad & Tobago. They played DC United in 1998 in the Champions Cup – DC United beat them 8-0 on their way to winning that Champions Cup.

Chivas USA will also be playing in the first round of the Champions League. They have drawn Tauro FC – the most successful Panamanian club in the history of their professional league.

DC United and Houston Dynamo are also in the tournament but they will skip the first round and go directly to the group stage. Here is the full schedule for the first round of the tournament. The group stage starts September 16th.

First leg (Aug. 26-28, 2008)
CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa (GUA) – San Francisco FC (PAN)
Joe Public FC (TRI) – New England Revolution (USA)
LD Alajuelense (CRC) – Puerto Rico Islanders
CDSC Cruz Azul (MEX) – Hankook Verdes (BLZ)
Harbour View FC (JAM) – Pumas UNAM (MEX)
Tauro FC (PAN) – Chivas USA (USA)
Canadian champion – Nicaraguan champion
CD Isidro Metapan (SLV) – CD Olimpia or CD Marathon (HON)

Second leg (Sept. 2-4, 2008)
San Francisco FC (PAN) – CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa (GUA)
New England Revolution (USA) – Joe Public FC (TRI)
Puerto Rico Islanders – LD Alajuelense (CRC)
Hankook Verdes (BLZ) – CDSC Cruz Azul (MEX)
Pumas UNAM (MEX) – Harbour View FC (JAM)
Chivas USA (USA) – Tauro FC (PAN)
Nicaraguan champion – Canadian champion
CD Olimpia or CD Marathon (HON) – CD Isidro Metapan (SLV)

Posted in CONCACAF Champions League, Chivas USA, DC United, Houston Dynamo, Joe Public FC, New England Revolution, Tauro FC | Comments (0)