MLS Cup Playoff Schedue is set

posted by kidpurple October 26, 2009

Columbus Crew Logo VS Real Salt Lake

Columbus Crew (#1 East) vs Real Salt Lake (#5 West)
Game 1: Saturday October 31st – 5:30 PM @ Salt Lake
Game 2: Thursday November 5th – 7:00 PM @ Columbus (ESPN2)
Regular Season Series tied 1-1

Chicago Fire vs New England Revolution

Chicago Fire (#2 East) vs New England Revolution (#3 East)
Game 1: Sunday November 1st- 1:00 PM @ New England (Fox Soccer Channel)
Game 2: Saturday November 7th – 7:30 PM @ Chicago (Fox Soccer Channel)
Regular Season Seried tied 0-0-2

LA Galaxy vs Chivas USA

LA Galaxy (#1 West) vs Chivas USA (#4 West)
Game 1: Sunday November 1st – 4:00 PM @ Chivas (ESPN2)
Game 2: Sunday November 8th – 6:30 PM @ Galaxy (ESPN2)
Regular Season Series: Galaxy lead 2-0-1

Houston Dynamo vs Seattle Sounders

Houston Dynamo (#2 West) vs Seattle Sounders FC (#3 West)
Game 1: Thursday October 29th – 9:00 PM (ESPN2) @ Seattle
Game 2: Sunday November 8th – 2:00 PM @ Houston
Regular Season Series: Seattle lead 1-0-1

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Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders FC join playoffs

posted by kidpurple October 20, 2009

Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders FC both have guaranteed themselves a spot in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs. They are joining defending champions Columbus Crew along with Houston Dynamo and LA Galaxy.

That leaves 3 positions up for grabs on the last weekend of the year. Those 3 spots that are up for grabs will have 7 teams possibly still alive to grab one of them. Right now the 3 teams that control their own fate are Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, and Toronto FC. If they win, they are in. Chicago Fire only need a single point to ensure their spot.

The other teams that need to win and get some help are FC Dallas, New England Revolution, DC United, and Real Salt Lake. Real Salt Lake would almost need a miracle to sneak their way in, but it is still possible.

This is what the single table looks like going into the last week:

49 Columbus
45 Los Angeles
45 Houston
45 Chivas USA
44 Seattle
42 Chicago
40 Colorado
39 Toronto FC
—
39 FC Dallas
39 New England
39 D.C. United
37 Real Salt Lake
32 Kansas City
30 San Jose
18 New York

I think DC United might be able to sneak in there at the expense of the Rapids. Colorado has to play at Real Salt Lake while DC United has the Kansas City Wizards. Chicago Fire and Toronto FC will keep their positions.

What do you think? Who will grab those final 3 spots?

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Galaxy, Dynamo and Crew reserve spots in playoffs

posted by kidpurple October 6, 2009

Three teams have booked their spots in the 2009 Major League Soccer playoffs.  The defending champions Columbus Crew are in and currently leading the whole league with 46 points and even a game in hand over several of the teams chasing them. At 44 points the champions of 2006 and 2007 Houston Dynamo are in. The LA Galaxy are also in the playoffs with 44 points as well. The Galaxy also happen to be 2005 MLS Cup champions. Although they haven’t done much since then Bruce Arena has them moving in the right direction now.

If we keep going like this the 2004 champions should be the next team to qualify. That would have to take quite an amazing run from DC United as they are currently 5 points behind 4th place Seattle Sounders FC.

Here is the current situation:

46 Columbus
44 Los Angeles
44 Houston
41 Seattle [@KC, FC Dallas]
41 Chivas USA [KC, San Jose, @Chicago, Houston]
41 Chicago [@New England, Chivas USA]
40 Colorado [@FC Dallas, @RSL]
38 New England [Columbus, Chicago, @Columbus]
—
36 D.C. United [Columbus, @KC]
35 Toronto FC [San Jose, RSL, @NY]
34 Real Salt Lake [NY, @Toronto FC, Colorado]
33 FC Dallas [@San Jose, Colorado, @Seattle]
32 Kansas City [@Chivas USA, Seattle, DC United]
28 San Jose
18 New York

Seattle Sounders FC, Chivas USA, and Chicago Fire should all be okay to get into the playoffs. Colorado has 2 games against slightly weaker opponents than others, but they are both on the road. New England has 3 games left, but they have to face league leading Crew twice and Chicago once. I think Toronto FC has a good chance of jumping over DC United and New England to get that last playoff stop. That is my prediction today at least.

Who do you think will be in the playoffs?

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Bad day for MLS in US Open Cup

posted by kidpurple June 30, 2009

US Open CupSeveral MLS teams took place in the 3rd round of the US Open Cup today.  A few of those teams will play again in the 4th round – several will not.

Defending MLS Champions Columbus Crew went to OT and then to PKs against the always dangerous Rochester Rhinos.  The Rhinos came out on top in PKs at 5-3 to move on.

The Chicago Fire have been hot in MLS play – but they couldn’t keep it up against Wilmington Hammerheads.   The only goal of the game went to the Hammerheads in the first half.  Four time US Open Cup champions Chicago Fire can now focus on the MLS regular season.

Chivas USA was the third MLS side to fall to a lower division opponent.  They ran into the Charleston Battery and went home 3-1 losers.

Some MLS teams did advance out of this round.  DC United beat the Ocean City Barons 2-0 and The Kansas City Wizards snuck out of Minnesota with after winning 4-2 on PKs after a 3-3 draw.

A couple teams will still be in action on July 1st.  The Houston Dynamo will be playing at the Austin Aztecs while Seattle Sounders FC will be playing at their old USL rivals Portland Timbers.

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The Major League Soccer single table

posted by kidpurple June 28, 2009

I used to try to keep the MLS single table up to date here, but quit doing that after last year.  I was too often several games behind and sometime would forget to update it for a whole week.  It was not very reliable so I quit doing it.  Today I started to miss the single table so I put together a very simple one.  Here is the current standing after the Galaxy upset league leaders Houston Dynamo.

28 Houston Dynamo
27 Chivas USA
25 Seattle Sounders FC
23 DC United
22 Columbus Crew
22 Toronto FC
21 Chicago Fire
21 Colorado Rapids
19 Kansas City Wizards
19 Real Salt Lake
18 Los Angeles Galaxy
16 New England Revolution
14 FC Dallas
12 San Jose Earthquakes
10 New York Red Bulls

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Dwayne De Rosario moving to Toronto FC

posted by kidpurple December 14, 2008

We all knew that it would happen eventually.  Dwayne De Rosario didn’t make it a secret that he wanted to eventually play in his home country.  De Rosario plays with the Canadian national team so he is on his way to Toronto FC.

In exchange for Dwayne De Rosario Toronto FC send Julius James and allocation money to the Houston Dynamo.  James is a defender who played in 13 games during his rookie season this past year with TFC.  James was the 9th selection in the draft from UConn, where he was the Big East defender of the year 3 straight years.

Will Dwayne De Rosario be able to help TFC get into the playoffs for the first time in the club’s history?

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