2008 US Open Cup - Third Round sees three MLS teams go down

Last night is the perfect example of why I enjoy the US Open Cup so much. Seeing all these underweight teams try to out punch MLS sides really is enjoyable. Sure, the MLS teams see this as little more then a reserves match, but it is still good fun.

As bad as it is that MLS teams dropped three of the eight games last night, it is actually much better then last season when five top teams fell. The biggest surprise of the night took place in Maryland where Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) bounced the Red Bulls out of the Open, even though they played down a man for an hour.

Ranking just below on the shock level was the Dynamo losing on kicks to the Charleston Battery (USL-1), even though Houston played up a man for 50 minutes and up 2 men for 15. Really, the defending MLS Champions were up two men for 15-minutes and could not find a way to get a goal. Not only that but the Battery's Osvaldo Alonso was still giving the Dynamo fits in the second period of overtime (Alonso must be on Kinnear's radar after last night). I think Dynamo forward Franco Caraccio summed up the whole night for his club when he collapsed to the pitch in shame after having his penalty kick stopped, thus giving the Battery the win.

The only other lose came in Seattle where the Sounders showed Chivas USA the exit. The goats have not won a USOC match since beating the Charlotte Eagles (USL-2) on 13 July 2005. This streak includes a defeat by Roma FC of the USASA.

There was almost something big in Dallas, however FCD was able to get a late stoppage time goal to take Miami 2-1.

Kansas City also needed a little rally as they were down 2-0 in the 67' minute before coming back to tie and send it to extra time where they piled on two more goals for the win.

DC United needed two goals via free kicks from Marc Burch to take down the Rhinos of Rochester. Both New England (last year's USOC champ) and the Fire (perennial USOC powerhouse) easily saw off their foes for the evening.

Here is the full list of results:
FC Dallas (MLS) 2-1 Miami FC (USL-1)
Charleston (USL-1) 1(4-3)1 Houston (MLS)
DC United (MLS) 2-0 Rochester (USL-1)
Carolina (USL-1) 2-4 Kansas City (MLS)

CP Baltimore (USL-2) 2-0 New York (MLS)
New England (MLS) 3-0 Richmond (USL-2)
Chicago (MLS) 4-1 Cleveland (USL-2)
Seattle (USL-1) 2-0 Chivas USA (MLS)

These results move the numbers a bit when it comes to higher versus lower ranked teams. Before last night, it stood at 19-2 (90.5%) for those higher ranked, but now is at 24-5 (82.75%).

It does look like home field advantage was reinstated. During the second round, home sides only went 3-5, but yesterday saw only one visitor walk away with a win.

Here is the schedule for next Tuesday night's round of eight:
Chicago Fire at DC United (Boyds, Md)
Crystal Palace (USL2) at New England (New Britain, Conn)
Charleston (USL1) at FC Dallas
Kansas City at Seattle Sounders (USL1)

Can Crystal Palace bring down two giants? Will the Battery take out both teams from the Lone Star state? Will Seattle give another MLS team an introduction to soccer in the Northwest? Can DC finally beat Chicago in a playoff situation? It will be fun to find out.

2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage Schedule

Yesterday saw the draw for the first ever Concacaf Champions League group stage. The two seeded MLS sides, DC United and Houston Dynamo, were drawn into groups A & B respectively.

As far as the other MLS clubs, if New England beat Joe Public FC in their preliminary playoff, they will move into group C along with Atlante FC. Chivas USA faces a possible date with Club Santos Laguna in the Group D.

MLS will likely have a fifth team in the group due to Canada getting one spot. If TFC does make it, they will join the Revolution in Group C.

The top two teams in each group advance to the knockout phase.

Since over half of the teams in the group phase are not known at this time, it is difficult to point to who has the toughest group, but it does look like Group A could turn into a very difficult one if Cruz Azul and Olimpia both advance (although Marathon is not much better).

After the playoff runs take place (26 Aug - 4 Sept), we'll be able to see who has, on paper, the hardest road to the knockout phase.

Group A
DC United (USA)
Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)
Winner: Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes
Winner: Isidro Metapan or Marathon

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
16 Sept D.C. United – Deportivo Saprissa (8p)
17 Sept Isidro Metapan or Marathon – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (10p)

23 Sept Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – Deportivo Saprissa (TBD)
24 Sept Isidro Metapan or Marathon – D.C. United (10p)

30 Sept Deportivo Saprissa – Isidro Metapan or Marathon (10p)
01 Oct D.C. United – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (8p)

07 Oct Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – Isidro Metapan or Marathon (8p)
09 Oct Deportivo Saprissa – D.C. United (10p)

21 Oct Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – D.C. United (10p)
23 Oct Isidro Metapan or Marathon – Deportivo Saprissa (8p)

29 Oct D.C. United – Isidro Metapan or Marathon (8p)
29 Oct Deportivo Saprissa – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (8p)


Group B
Houston Dynamo(USA)
CD Luis Angel Firpo (SLV)
Winner: Jalapa or San Francisco FC
Winner: Harbour View FC or Pumas UNAM

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
16 Sept Jalapa or San Francisco – Harbour View or Pumas (TBD)
17 Sept Houston Dynamo – CD Luis Angel Firpo (10p)

23 Sept Jalapa or San Francisco – Houston Dynamo (TBD)
24 Sept Harbour View or Pumas – CD Luis Angel Firpo (TBD)

30 Sept Harbour View or Pumas – Houston Dynamo (TBD)
02 Oct CD Luis Angel Firpo – Jalapa or San Francisco (8p)

08 Oct Houston Dynamo – Jalapa or San Francisco (10p)
09 Oct CD Luis Angel Firpo – Harbour View or Pumas (10p)

22 Oct Houston Dynamo – Harbour View or Pumas (10p)
22 Oct Jalapa or San Francisco – CD Luis Angel Firpo (TBD)

28 Oct CD Luis Angel Firpo – Houston Dynamo (10p)
29 Oct Harbour View or Pumas – Jalapa or San Francisco (TBD)


Group C
Atlante FC (MEX)
CD Olímpia or CD Marathon (HON)
Winner: Joe Public FC or New England Revolution
Winner: Montreal Impact or Real Esteli

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
17 Sept Montreal or Esteli – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (TBD)
18 Sept Atlante – HON1 (10p)

24 Sept Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – HON1 (8p)
24 Sept Montreal or Esteli – Atlante (TBD)

30 Sept Atlante – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (8p)
02 Oct HON1 – Montreal or Esteli (10p)

08 Oct Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – Montreal or Esteli (8p)
08 Oct HON1 – Atlante (10p)

21 Oct Montreal or Esteli – HON1 (TBD)
21 Oct Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – Atlante (8p)

28 Oct HON1 – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (8p)
28 Oct Atlante – Montreal or Esteli (10p)


Group D
Club Santos Laguna
CSD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
Winner: LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders
Winner: Chivas USA or Tauro FC

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
16 Sept LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – Chivas USA or Tauro (TBD)
17 Sept Club Santos Laguna – GUA1 (8p)

23 Sept Chivas USA or Tauro – GUA1 (TBD)
25 Sept LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – Club Santos Laguna (TBD)

01 Oct GUA1 – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (8p)
01 Oct Chivas USA or Tauro – Club Santos Laguna (TBD)

07 Oct GUA1 – Chivas USA or Tauro (10p)
08 Oct Club Santos Laguna – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (8p)

22 Oct Club Santos Laguna – Chivas USA or Tauro (8p)
23 Oct LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – GUA1 (TBD)

29 Oct Chivas USA or Tauro – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (TBD)
30 Oct GUA1 – Club Santos Laguna (10p)

Is Chivas USA getting ready to move to Santa Ana?

The city of Santa Ana is in discussion with Chivas USA to build youth fields on a piece of land currently used as a golf course. The team is looking at building 'as many as seven soccer fields and a 2,000 to 3,000-seat stadium' on the 102-acre site.

However, youth fields might just be the start of things as the team as not ruled out building a permanent home on the site.

"We're only talking right now about the youth, we haven't thought about moving the team... We're open to possibilities, but not in the short term."

Chivas USA has not had much luck attracting fans to the Home Depot Center, so with their lease coming to an end after next season, a move could be in the works.

Santa Ana is about 10-miles east of Carson in has a large Latino population. If Chivas wants to keep a team in MLS, this could be a wonderful place to relocate.

2008-09 Concacaf Champions League preliminary round schedule

Sixteen teams now know their opponents for the preliminary two-leg round of the first ever CONCACAF Champions League. Come August, these teams will fight it out to win a spot in the group phase, which starts play in September.

As far as the preliminary round, first leg matches will take place sometime between 26-28 August with the second leg to follow the following week (2-4 Sept). Exact fixture dates will be announced soon.

As far as the MLS sides are concerned, New England will take on Joe Public, the best team name in the tournament. Public is a difficult Trinidad and Tobago side that I believe has caused problems for MLS teams before.

Chivas USA drew Panama's Tauro FC. Although they are the best Panama has to offer, they have not been a big international team.

There is also a very good chance Toronto FC will enter the tournament as the “Canadian Champion". If so, MLS will have the most teams in the competition.

Anyway, here is the full draw:

Home team first leg	Home team second leg
Deportivo Jalapa (GUA)	San Francisco FC (PAN)
Joe Public FC (TNT)	New England Revolution (USA)
LD Alajuelense (CRC)	Puerto Rico Islanders (PRC)
Cruz Azul (MEX)	Hankook Verdes (BLZ)
Harbour View FC (JAM)	Pumas UNAM (MEX)
Tauro FC (PAN)	Chivas USA (USA)
Montreal Impact (CAN)	Real Esteli (NIC)
CD Isidro Metapan (SLV)	CD Marathon (HON)

Concacaf Champions League field reveald

Little, old Concacaf is soon to have a Champions League of our own and now we know just who is going to take part within it. In all, 24 teams will take part in this year's Champions League, with four of them coming from the US.

Eight teams will advance directly to the group stage (two clubs each from the United States and Mexico and one club each from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), with the others taking part in a two leg playoff.

Here is the full list of teams:

USA (4 teams): Houston Dynamo (2007 Major League Soccer champion); D.C. United (2007 Major League Soccer regular-season winner); New England Revolution (2007 MLS Cup runner-up); Chivas USA (2007 MLS regular season runner-up)

MEXICO (4 teams): Atlante FC (2007 Torneo Apertura champion); Pumas UNAM (2007 Torneo Apertura Runner-up); 2 teams to be determined (2008 Torneo Clausura champion and runner-up)

COSTA RICA (2 teams): Deportivo Saprissa (Torneo Invierno winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Verano winner, or second place team in Torneo Verano if same champion for both Invierno and Verano)

EL SALVADOR (2 teams): CD Luis Angel Firpo (Liga Mayor Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

GUATEMALA (2 teams): Deportivo Jalapa (Torneo Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

HONDURAS (2 teams): CD Marathon (Torneo Apertura 2007 winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

PANAMA (2 teams): San Francisco FC (ANAPROF Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

BELIZE (1 team): Hankook Verdes (2007-08 BPFL/RFG Insurance Cup Champions)

NICARAGUA (1 team): to be determined; Winner of playoff between Apertura winner (Real Estelí FC) and winner of Clausura.

CANADA (1 team): to be determined; Winner of three-way qualifying series between Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps.

CARIBBEAN (3 teams): Harbour View FC (Jamaica); Joe Public FC (Trinidad & Tobago); winner of playoff between Puerto Rico Islanders and San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad & Tobago)

The schedule has the group qualifying or preliminary round going from 26 August to 4 September. The six match group stage starts 16 September and ends by 30 October. The knockout phase does not take place till late February of next year with the final take place the last two weeks of April.

The winner will advance to the Fifa Club World Cup in December 2009.

University wants to team up with Dynamo in stadium deal; De Rosario kicks like a horse

It is looking more and more likely that if the Dynamo want a stadium in downtown Houston, they are going to need Texas Southern University's backing. Good news for the Dynamo, TSU's new athletic direct Charles McClelland is very interested in such a venture.

"My understanding of the proposal is that the Houston Dynamo and Texas Southern University would share the use of the stadium, including some signage, so it would be the home of Texas Southern University athletics and football program," McClelland said Wednesday, two days after meeting with a city official involved in the stadium negotiations. "We're interested and understand that there has to be a financial commitment from the university, but we are very pleased with the direction of the talks and hope to be able to come to a resolution in the near future."

While McClelland declined to disclose the size or range of the financial commitment because of the ongoing nature of the talks, he is confident the range that has been discussed is "within the capability of the university."

If the two teamed up, the Dynamo would get a stadium, but come fall, it would also be used for American football, so the question is how bad do they want a stadium?

The always entertaining to read Dave Rossman of the Houston Chronicle has his spot on take concerning the situation. To sum him up, the Dynamo need TSU more then TSU need the Dynamo. Why?

It's about the political capital a public institution of higher learning such as TSU brings into the equation.

Even then, while not ready to disclose figures, McClelland believes what the Dynamo and the city are asking is within reach.

Hooray, the Dynamo say. An added bonus. Suddenly, city money being committed to such a project no longer solely finances a private sports enterprise that may or may not generate the tax revenue or jobs it promises to deliver long-term.

Now, it also benefits one of the largest historically black colleges in the nation — one that has played a key role in the advancement of Houston for more than 60 years.

Don't think for a second the city isn't crossing its fingers for TSU to join in the negotiations.

Short of AEG or Golden Boy Promotions covering the ever growing construction cost on their own (something neither is willing to do), going in with TSU is the Dynamo's best chance of getting their stadium anytime in the next four years. Yes, it will suck to see the gridiron lines (although I think the damage done to the pitch by American football is far more offensive), but if the other option is another suburban stadium that makes it more difficult for fans, a few additional lines on the grass are worth it.

In other Houston Dynamo related news, it's official, midfielder Dwayne De Rosario kicks like a horse.

During their match on Saturday De Rosario shattered Chivas defender Lawson Vaughn's nose while attempting a bicycle kick in the box. Sadly, Vaughn will require three surgeries to repair his nose and other facial injuries. When asked about it, Vaughn's agent Ron Waxman said, "I was told it was as if he had gotten kicked in the face by a horse." Ouch.

Hopefully Vaughn will make a full recovery. He is expected to be out for four to six weeks.

The MLS disciplinary committee ruled that De Rosario would not face suspension or fines beyond the already awarded yellow card for the play.

To close out the Houston news, the club signed former DC United forward Guy-Roland Kpene to a developmental contract on Wednesday. His time with United didn't yield much, but with the Dynamo hurting on attack, he might get a better chance in Houston to show what he can do.

Toronto wants Amado Guevara

Toronto FC hopes to strengthen their midfield by landing former MLS MVP Amado Guevara. Guevara was last seen in MLS getting the boot by Chivas USA coach Preki due to poor play and a horrible attitude.

Guevara is a very talented player however he only shows it when he is happy. If he is not fully satisfied with his situation, too often his play suffers.

After spending the last year with Honduran club CD Motagua, perhaps Guevara will return to MLS with a fresh view of the league. And maybe the great atmosphere that rolls through the crowds in Toronto will make him feel welcomed. After all, Mo Johnson and Guevara had a good relationship in New York, so maybe it will work again north of the border*. If so, this might be the move the puts TFC in playoff contention.

*I know Mo is no longer coach of TFC, but as Director of Football, he still plays a big role in what happens on the field.

SuperLiga 2008 Schedule released

The second edition of the cross-border showdown is booked and if 2007's tournament is any example, we can expect some of the best games of the season.

The four teams representing MLS have been known for some time as they were based on last season's performance, so the main part of today's announcement was the Mexican teams. Houston, DC, New England and Chivas USA will take on Chivas Guadalajara, Atlante, Pachuca and Santos.

Group A
Houston Dynamo
D.C. United
Guadalajara
Atlante

Group B
Chivas USA
New England
Pachuca
Santos

Date	Match	Venue	Kickoff (ET)
July 12	DC - Guadalajara	RFK Stadium, DC	8pm
July 12	Houston - Atlante	Robertson Stadium, Houston	10pm
July 13	NE - Santos	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough	8pm
July 13	Chivas USA - Pachuca	Home Depot Center, Carson	10pm
July 15	DC - Atlante	RFK Stadium, DC	8pm
July 15	Houston - Guadalajara	Robertson Stadium, Houston	10pm
July 16	NE - Pachuca	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough	8pm
July 16	Chivas USA - Santos	Home Depot Center, Carson	10pm
July 19	DC - Houston	RFK Stadium, DC	8pm
July 19	Atlante - Guadalajara	TBD	10pm
July 20	Chivas USA - NE	TBD, LA	8pm
July 20	Santos - Pachuca	TBD	10pm
July 29	Seminfinal 1	TBD	TBD
July 30	Seminfinal 2	TBD	TBD
Aug 5	Final	TBD	TBD

The Dynamo get a little more golden with Oscar De La Hoya

The MLS Champion Houston Dynamo have new owners, sort of. Boxer Oscar De La Hoya and business associate Gabriel Brener are set to purchase 50% of the club while current owners AEG will continue to control the other half.

AEG has placed the value of the Dynamo at more then $40 million, meaning this is at least a $20m investment by the two.

Interestingly De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, and Brener, a Mexican investor with ties to the real estate industry in the United States, will only be the second Hispanic ownership group in the league (Chivas was the first).

No word yet exactly what roll AEG will continue to play, however I would guess they would take over stadium issues while the Golden Boys handle the team. My reason for this guess has to do with AEG's desire to have a concert venue in the downtown Houston area.

With the city ready to move on the Dynamo stadium idea, possibly as early as tomorrow night, and with the ownership issue looking to be settled, it appears good news is on the horizon for Dynamo fans.

The one question I still wonder is how will the Dynamo make money off this? With AEG looking to front $70-90m of the construction cost, they will want to keep a large amount of any profits. The team will save money by not needing to rent Robertson Stadium anymore, however they will probably only get limited percentages from non-soccer events held in the facility and as FC Dallas can tell you, it is the non-soccer events that make you the money.

However, even with these concerns, it is still great to see this move forward. Sure it will be another soccer venue with a stage at one end, but at least it is happening.

Feilhaber not moving to Houston

US international and Derby County benchwarmer Benny Feilhaber is not going to Houston. Although the midfielder is interested in a possible loan deal to a MLS club, the Dynamo will not be his team of choice.

This should come as no surprise as Houston already has more midfielders then they know what to do with. It is in the striker position that the MLS champs are lacking, so why go with a midfielder, even if he is as talented as Feilhaber.

The one way this might have worked is moving DeRosario up top along with Ching, but DeRo has said that there is no plan for such a move.

Feilhaber could still end up in MLS with San Jose and Chivas good possibilities. Chivas has a lot of quality in their squad and Benny could fit in just right. Teaming him up with Jesse Marsch and Sacha Kljestan (not to mention Ante Razov and Jonathan Bornstein) would give them an 'all-over' feel.

With San Jose, he would pretty much become their heartbeat as the team is still very under whelmed when it comes to players (especially when it comes to attacking players).

In the end, it doesn't really matter where he goes as long as he gets some playing time. Although he looked good against Mexico last week, he obviously wasn't ready to be a starter.

Chivas USA sign Swiss international Raphaël Wicky

Chivas USA scored something big today with the formal announcement of Raphaël Wicky. The Swiss international has been sidelined of late due to injury (he had surgery in early December), but he is still a very solid defensive midfielder. He played an important role in Switzerland's 2006 World Cup run and at 30 years of age, should have a number of quality years ahead of him.

Wicky fits in well with the technical style of Chivas and should be right at home with Jonathan Bornstein and Claudio Suarez in the back. The only downside I see to the deal (provided that he continues to fully recover from his surgery) is the duration. It is just one year with a one-year option. If Wicky plays as solid as he should, look for Chivas to exercise their option but still trade him away for some transfer money. Also, he might be called in to Euro 2008, so he could be gone for a month mid-season.

Overall, this is one of the best non-South American signings for the MLS this season.

Brad Guzan not moving to Aston Villa, denied work permit

Chivas USA and MLS Goalkeeper of the year Brad Guzan has been denied a work permit in England due to his lack of national team appearances, thus he will not be joining Aston Villa.

The offer Chivas and MLS had accepted was worth a £2million ($4m) transfer fee. Celtic has also approached Guzan.

Not a good day for a very talented goalkeeper. Even worse, with just five national team caps to his name, he has a long way to go before he will reach the 75% threshold. However, if he does end up staying in MLS, he should be able to get some of those caps over the next year in World Cup Qualifiers.

2007 MLS Playoffs - Week 2 recap - First always loses to worst

Without a doubt, leg 2 of round 1 was a lot more fun then leg 1. However, after both number one seeds were knocked out by the bottom seeds, one has to wonder if the league needs to take some sort of action to give the teams that proved themselves during the whole season an advantage in the playoffs. But that is a discussion for another day.

Here is the playoff table after the first round:

	Playoffs	Week 2
Attendance	136,331	79,353
Att per game	17,041	19,838
Goals	13	10
Goals per game	1.625	2.5
Visitors	0-5-3	0-2-2
Ties	3 (37.5%)	2 (50%)

FC Dallas 1-4 Houston Dynamo
Houston wins series 4-2 on aggregate
It is a real shame this match was not on national television because it is exactly the sort of game that could convert casual fans. The atmosphere was amazing, the game was physical yet had great flow and the goals were all fantastic.

FCD just needed a tie to win the series and early on it looked like they were going to do that, but then one stupid reaction turned this game. Two minutes into the second half, Arturo Alvarez allowed the intensity of the match to get the better of him and got sent off for giving Brad Davis a knee to the groin. Alvarez, a Houston native, sank his team and should be deeply ashamed of his actions.

Up a man with 30,000 fans roaring them on, the Dynamo attack, which has been mighty cool for most of the reason, flared to live as Houston cut through Dallas's lines again and again. Passes that had early been a little off where now finding their marks as Dallas was overwhelmed by the push.

Sure enough, 20-minutes almost to the second after Alvarez was sent off, Houston go their first to tie the game and bring them within one on aggregate. Five minutes later, the series was tied after come great passing in the box setup a reborn Brain Ching who slotted the ball home.

Houston kept pushing to get the third and kill the game in regular time, but FCD had just enough in them to stop it from happening.

But then came overtime and Dallas fell to pieces. They were dragging all over the pitch and when Joseph Ngwenya again setup Brian Ching for the goal ahead goal, there was not a shocked fan in the house. The Dynamo were rolling and the fans were going crazy.

The death nail would come in the 100th minute when Brad Davis stepped up to take a free kick just outside of the box. He delivered a perfect shot into the upper corner of the goal and the series was over.

The teams played on for another 20-minutes but it was mainly time filled with the Dynamo killing off the game as FCD tried desperately to make anything happen (usually resulting in fouls).

This was exactly the sort of game we have come to expect from Houston as they controlled it without any doubt. Still, they were having a lot of trouble with a full 11, which should give Kansas City at least a little hope heading into the 'conference' final.

On a different note, how big of a bouquet of flowers do you think the Dynamo sent Alvarez to think him for going all Ricardo Clark on Davis?

Goals: FCD: Carlos Ruiz (1) 14',
HD: Stuart Holden (1) 67', Brain Ching (1) 72', (2) 97', Brad Davis (1) 100'
Attendance: 30,088 (way to go Houston!)


New York Red Bulls 0-1 New England Revolution
New England wins series 1-0 on aggregate
Much like the Houston match, it took a side going down a man to turn this one. However, unlike the showdown in Texas, the man advantage was due to an injury. The Revs found ways of breaking New York's line, but they never really applied constant pressure. But when Juan Pablo Angel went out after taking a hard knock to the chin that resulted in a concussion, the Revs saw their opening.

NY coach Bruce Arena took a gamble in allowing his doctors to check on Angel before replacing him and it did not pay off. With the extra man to push forward, the Revs finally had that little extra opening they needed to get the final pass perfectly in place for Taylor Twellman.

With NE up a goal and NY without Angel or Reyna (who was injured in the first 20-minutes), the Bulls needed something amazing to have a chance, and they almost got it as John Wolyniec had a perfect chance in front of goal, but he headed the ball just over the bar, thus ending the Red's run for MLS Cup.

The Revolution should be happy returning to the Eastern Conference championship match for the sixth straight time, but they have a lot of work ahead of them. New York was able to crack their defense and should have got at least one goal and their offense still is not full strength. To beat Chicago on Thursday night, they are going to need to find a way to open up a tougher backline.

And who is getting the big of a bouquet of flowers from the Revs, probably Bruce Arena. I can't really fault the Bruce for giving his staff as much time as possible to figure out the extent of Angel's injury, but it was still the thing that turned the match.

Goal: Taylor Twellman (1) 64'
Attendance: 10,116 (there were be no tropical storm on Thursday)


Kansas City Wizards 0-0 Chivas USA
Kansas City wins series 1-0 on aggregate
Chivas didn't have much attack, but they threw everything possible against KC on Saturday night and if it weren’t for the goal frame, Chivas would have won this series.

Chivas put pressure on the Wizards for a majority of the match, but they could not get the lucky bounce. KC give the goats a number of chances, thanks to some weak passes that resulted in breakaways by Chivas, but none could be converted. In the final 10-minutes of play, Chivas had three shots that either knocked off the frame or hit the side netting.

The Wizards applied some pressure of their own thanks in large part to Eddie Johnson who actually turned in a decent night. However, Eddie's shots are still more likely to go over the bar then between the posts, but he did apply enough of a push to force Chivas to hold their line back.

In the end, injury, much like every other series, was the key factor in this one. With Ante Razov, Chivas did not have enough options to exploit the holes KC presented. The bad news for the Wizards, Houston has Brian Ching, Dwayne De Rosario, Stuart Holden, Nate Jaqua and Joseph Ngwenya ready to make them pay. If they hope to escape Texas still breathing, they are going to need to sharpen their whole game.

Without question, the bouquet of flowers from Kansas City goes to the goalposts that made more meaningful saves then Kevin Hartman did on the night.

Attendance: 19,711 (much improved over the regular season)


Conference Finals
Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution
Thursday (8 Nov) - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: ESPN2
Tickets

Kansas City Wizards vs. Houston Dynamo
Saturday (10 Nov) - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel, HDNet, FSE
Tickets

2007 MLS Playoffs - Round 1 Leg 2 Preview - Are you ready for some Friday night action?

Will last night be an omen for what is to come this weekend or will Chicago be the irregular that makes it on? Every match has something worth watching, but sadly the best two will be the hardest to find. I really think the FCD-Houston match is going to be something classic, while the KC-Chivas game will be shocking in the end.

FC Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo
FCD up 1-0 on aggregate
Friday - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv

Friday nights in Texas are all about football, so it is only fitting that the second match of this series is tonight. Dallas comes into the game up a lucky goal while Houston is fumbling on offense. The good news for the Dynamo, overall, they looked better last Saturday in Frisco then FCD did. However, the good news for Dallas, the score is what matters.

FCD will probably go with Ruiz and Cooper up top, which really didn't produce anything last week. Ruiz, as always, will play for the foul, but he is ridding a yellow and if his team does get out of Houston alive, they are going to need him next week. Will this mean that the little fish will alter his ways at all? I doubt it. Cooper needs to push himself into the box. The Dynamo kept forcing him out wide last week, which isn't horrible as he can center some good balls, but it means his size becomes a minor factor. Also, Dallas really wasn't getting anyone into position to do anything with the centering passes.

But the big question for me is can Dallas get something out of their midfield? With the exception of a couple plays by Adrian Serioux, their middle suffered. If Juan Toja can return to early season form and start placing good passes that open up the attack, they have a great chance of finally getting a win in Houston, but short of that, it is going to be a tough night.

With FCD's problems, Houston should be able to spring attacks. With Dwayne De Rosario, Brian Mullan and Richard Mulrooney clicking, the middle of the park should be theirs, but will Ching, Jaqua or Ngwenya be able to do anything with it? The lack of quality finishing is the only reason the Dynamo are down in the series. As his playoff history shows, Ching can explode at any moment, but it does seem that his injury from August is still hurting his game. However, he likes big games so I think he will find the next at least once.

This game really should be outstanding. Expect a really strong, vocal crowd and an intensity level that will make soccer fans proud (by the way, if you live in the area, the game will not be on local TV, so to see it you will need to be there).

Prediction: Me FCD 1-2 HD (HD wins series on pks), Wife FCD 0-2 HD (HD wins series 2-1)


New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution
Series tied 0-0
Saturday - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (30-min pre & post), FSE

So the playoff team with worse road record has to go to New England and win to advance. That should tip the balance in the Revs direction right off the bat. Much like Houston, the Red Bulls had their chances in the first leg, but they did not finish. Angel and Francis Doe should have got something from all the work Claudio Reyna was doing in the middle, but it did not happen.

The Revs say they are confident and they should be. Michael Parkhurst is doing wonderful work in the back, Steve Ralston and Shalrie Joseph own things in the middle and Taylor Twellman and Pat Noonan offer good options up top. If it wasn't for a bit of a slip in form for goaltender Matt Reis, there really wouldn't be much to talk about, and that's why Angel and Altidore need to expose.

New England is a quality side, but they depend a lot on the skill of their keeper. In the regular season he made 120 saves off 169 shots, meaning he made the second most saves off of the third most shots in the league (by the way, none of the other teams that had this many shots or saves made the playoffs). So even if he is just a tad off his game, the Revs are in danger.

For the Revs to keep the Eastern Conference final from being a #3 versus #4 affair, they will need to limit that chances the Bulls have. If they can do this, they have enough talent at the top get the win.

Prediction: Me NY 0-1 NE (NE wins series), Wife NY 1-2 NE (NE wins series)


Kansas City Wizards vs. Chivas USA
KC leads 1-0 on aggregate
Saturday - 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT
TV: HDnet, Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv

First the good news for Kansas City. They are the only team that owned a game in Los Angeles this year against Chivas. They controlled the pass, had the better opportunities and frustrated the goats. The bad news, they still lost the match 2-1.

With Maykel Galindo and Ante Razov still either out or less then 100% for Chivas, the Wizards defense should again be able to dictate the pace of the match. With a goal, KC all but has the series, so they will need Eddie Johnson (who might be playing his final MLS match) to actually get involved in the game and Scott Sealy needs to work on staying on sides and his movement in the box. Brad Guzan is a fantastic net minder, so they will need to either catch him with a quick dump pass in front of goal or create a mess in the box and hope for the best.

Chivas has their own offensive worries as they have only scored one goal in their last four games (which matches Razov's injury). Sacha Kljestan and Jesse Marsch can make trouble, but overall, they have no solid strikers for this match. Jonathan Bornstein should help control things in the back, but with nothing to really push the game, the Wizards have a golden opportunity to knock off the second number one seed of the playoffs.

Predictions: Me KC 1-0 Chivas (KC wins series 2-0), Wife KC 0-1 CV (Chivas wins series on pks)


By the way, I am now taking bribes to predict that a team will win. I do this because I have been incorrect about every game for the last two weeks. If you want your opposition to lose, just bribe me and I'll pick them to win.

One last thought, what happens if FCD, NY and KC win this weekend? If all four top seeds are knocked out in the first round, will MLS finally change the playoff format to actually give top seeds an advantage in the first round or will they point to it as proof that the playoffs are the most exciting time of the year?

Houston Dynamo downtown stadium deal coming together - MLS stadium update

Back in May, the Houston Dynamo signed a letter of intent with the city to negotiate a stadium deal. The letter called for a deal to be reached by mid-July. Well July is long over and forgotten with no deal reached. However, it now looks like a deal could be worked out by the end of the year as the club is looking at a location just east of downtown (a previous location near the baseball stadium has been ruled out).

The new deal will actual involve two different locations. The first location will be a 22,000-seat, open-air stadium downtown costing $70-80 million while the second location will be a satellite public soccer complex and training facility on the city's south side. To me, this makes the most sense. Put the stadium in a central location that is easily accessed by the city's population and put the bulk of the playing fields further out where the land is cheaper.

No official world on city money has been given, however it looks like AEG (the owner of the Dynamo) will invest over $60 million in this project.

As far as the players, they feel it is about time to get a deal done. Having moved from San Jose because they could not get a stadium, a few players are wondering what is taking so long, including defender Craig Waibel:

"We feel like we're a championship team, and we've won one, and regardless of what happens here in the (playoffs) we've done very well this season, we've had great attendance (average attendance was 15,883 in 2007), we've done everything we were supposed to do.

''We feel a bit frustrated that there hasn't been an announcement, but we understand there's a lot more things to this than just our feelings and our team."

If the Dynamo can end up with a stadium downtown, then the wait really would be worth it, but what about everyone else in MLS? One of the odd events, or non-events of this season has been the lack of stadium news, still things have been moving along. Here is a look at the way the future stadiums look right now:

Chivas USA - There is occasional talk of a possible move from the Home Depot Center, but nothing major has come of it.

DC United - How to sum this one up? There was a lot of movement on building a stadium along the Anacostia River at Poplar Point, however in July talks broke down. United offered to pay for the $150 million stadium, however it wanted '$200 million in city subsidies, including roads, tax incentives and the right to develop additional land.' The city has since put out a call for open proposals on ways to develop the land, some of which will not include a soccer stadium. There has also been talk about building a stadium next to RFK (which would then be torn down) or move the team out of DC (something the owners have said they don't want to do). With nothing set as of yet, it looks like United will play at least through 2009 at RFK.

Kansas City Wizards - Last November, the Wizards saw a $75 million soccer complex voted down by a large margin. Since then, their focus has turned to the site of a mall. The Tax Increment Financing Commission of Kansas City as scheduled a special meeting for 7 Nov. to listen to the proposal for Bannister Mall and its surroundings in south Kansas City. A new stadium would anchor the site and would open in time for the 2010 season. As far as the 2008 season, the team might end up playing at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

New England Revolution - Despite occasional noise concerning a move from the much too big Gillette stadium, there really has not been much of a push to get the Revs a home.

New York Red Bulls - On 19 September 2006, the New York franchise broke ground on a stadium that they hoped would be ready by 2008. However, due to disputes between co-owners Red Bull and AEG, the progress on the site has been minimal at best. At issue is AEG's demand that a stage be included at the site in order to make it more profitable. Needless to say, the stadium will not be ready for 2008 and might not be up and running by 2009.

Real Salt Lake - After a very rocky process, Real got their stadium deal in Sandy and construction has been moving along very nicely. They still seem on pace to open in 2008.

San Jose Earthquakes - The team is still hoping for the city of San Jose to rezone some industrial land so owner Lew Wolff can develop it for residential purposes. He would then take the money made and build a stadium near the airport. The city has yet to move forward on this idea.

2007 MLS Playoffs - Week 1 recap - I guess everyone was actually playing for week 2

The first leg of the first round is over and even though three teams hold an edge, nobody is in a real bad place. Traditionally, the first leg is a low scoring affair, but even by MLS post-season standards, this round was mighty lacking in the goal department. I would like to say that it was do to outstanding defensive work, however it had more to do with sloppy midfield play and failures to finish. But on the plus side, each of this week's games should see some offensive pushes as every team needs a goal.

But first, the playoff table:

	Playoffs	Week 1
Attendance	56,978	56,978
Att per game	14,245	14,245
Goals	3	3
Goals per game	.75	.75
Visitors	0-3-1	0-3-1
Ties	1 (25%)	1 (25%)

New England 0-0 New York
The Red Bulls must be disappointed after this match as they owned the possession game and even found open space in front of the Revs goal, but could not finish. Claudio Reyna was showing his skill in the midfield and Francis Doe had his chances (as did Angel), but they New England defense either just got a touch on the ball or sent the ball right to Matt Reis. The Revs were cool on attack as they didn't for Jon Conway to make a stop until the second half and often found a way to loose the ball on weak challenges. Overall, not an interesting 90-minutes of soccer. Still, got to hand it to New York for getting over 14,000 people out for the game.

With this series tied going back to Gillette Stadium, the Revolution have to love their chances for advancing to the East Conference finals for the fifth straight year, but to make it happen, they need keep Angel from getting free in the box and find a way to push more players into the final third.
Attendance: 14,165


Houston Dynamo 0-1 FC Dallas
If I hadn't watched the match, I wouldn't have believed just how lopsided this one was in favor of Houston. They were pushing forward, making passes, stopping counters and overall doing everything that should win you the game. Well that is except scoring and making a defensive mistake in your own box.

Did Dallas even try to attack during this one? It seemed like their plan was get a goal and then hold on at all costs. Once that happened, they sat back and absorbed all Houston's pressure and fouled a lot. A win is a win, but it does make you wonder what they plan on doing in Houston on Friday. Is their plan to let the Dynamo run the game like they did on Saturday and hope to hold them goalless for 90-minutes? If so, head coach Steve Morrow is one hell of a gambler.

As for Houston, their problem continues to be their offense as they have just one goal in their last three matches. De Rosario is looking lively again but Brian Ching is still off his track. The perfect example of this came in the closing minutes when Ching had a great chance on goal but Dario Sala was able to get just enough on it to knock it wide. Last year, Ching made that shot. With neither Joseph Ngwenya nor Nate Jaqua really looking that great either, one has to wonder where the goals will come from (hard to believe they got 9 corner kicks and didn't look dangerous on any of them).

Heading down to Houston, FCD has to be a bit concerned. The Dynamo were unlucky to get out of Dallas with nothing while the Hoops looked lackluster just about everywhere except in goal. Houston will be able to get at least a goal at home, which will force Dallas to make something happen or go to penalty kicks, and with their history on pks, that would be a very bad thing.
Goal: Clarence Goodson (1) 23'
Attendance: 12,537 (wow, that is a tiny number, what happened here?)


Chivas USA 0-1 Kansas City Wizards
These two played an interesting match for the first hour but by the final 30, they both seemed happy to just let the game end. The Wizards came out fast and furious at the start and put the goats on their heels, but could not punch through. Once the game settled, it became obvious how much Chivas was missing Maykel Galindo and Ante Razov. Chivas would push the attack but had no idea where to place the ball for a finish.

The Wizards tried to get Eddie Johnson involved, but for the most part, he was a no show, except when he got a foul about 30 yards away from goal. The following free kick by Davy Arnaud was simply beautiful as it just edged over the Chivas wall, hit the slick ground and caught Brad Guzan off his mark. Really was nice.

So now things head back to California with Chivas needing to make up a goal. The goats are still the favorites in this one but I could easily see an upset taking place. Without the power up top, they just don't have the options needed to beat back defensives lack they did during the second half of the season. Jonathan Bornstein and Jesse Marsch are doing a good job of causing trouble, but it just doesn't seem like enough.
Goal: Davy Arnaud (1) 35'
Attendance: 12,442 (a really good number by KC's standards)


Second Leg schedule:
Chicago Fire vs. DC United - 1 Nov 7:30pm ET, ESPN2
FC Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo - 2 Nov 8:30pm ET, DK, MLStv
NY vs. NE - 3 Nov 7:30pm ET, FSC, FSE
KC vs. Chivas - 3 Nov 10:30pm ET, HDNet, DK, MLStv

2007 MLS Playoff preview

The 2007 playoffs kickoff tonight in Chicago as the Fire play host to Supporters' Shield winning DC United. Now instead of just focusing on this one game, which should be a good one, I thought I would give my overall view of the playoffs including a prediction on how things will play out.

East
DC United vs. Chicago Fire
(25 Oct 8:30pm ET, ESPN2 & 1 Nov 7:30pm ET, ESPN2)
There is no other team that strikes as much playoff fear into United fans hearts as Chicago. The teams have meet three times in the post season and the Fire have won them all (including the MLS Cup in 1998). In fact, till New England beat DC in last year's conference championship, the Fire were the only club to ever knock United out of the playoffs. With that kind of voodoo going on, Chicago should feel good these days.

However, this year's version of the Fire is suffering from a big problem that could end their streak in that they can't score goals. Amazingly, Chicago has either failed to score only managed to find the net once in 22 of their 30 league matches this year. Traditionally the playoffs are a lower scoring affair then the regular season, but not so low that you do not need offensive strikes. Unless the Fire can find a contact guy up top (Calen Carr could be a surprise in this role), their 1.0333 goals per game average will not be enough to get past United and Emilio.

DC had a bad final run of the regular season and still can fail to use the wings to their fullest, but this is a team that is smart on defense and good in tight situations. Add to it the experience that the wonderful form of Troy Perkins in goal, and they have everything you need for a win.

In the end, this might just be the best series in the first round. Chicago will keep it close with Blanco adding something special to the mix (I am very much looking forward to Blanco in a high-pressure match), but in the end DC will get what they need to advance.

Predictions: Me - DC (combined score of two games) DC 4-2 CF, Wife DC 3-1 CF


New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls
(27 Oct 7:30pm ET, FSC, FSE & 3 Nov 7:30pm ET, FSC, FSE)
This one doesn't have the history of DC-Chicago but it is still bound to be interesting to watch. One of the undercurrents that I think should be fun to watch is the Altidore-Twellman match up. Okay, they will not be covering each other, but it would seem that these two are about to pass one another on the US national team roster (with Altidore going in the good direction). If Jozy can come up big this year like he did last year and if Twellman doesn't show so well (which is pretty normal in the playoffs), it could be the final bit of convincing Bob Bradley needs to call the younger into camp.

From the look of it, Jozy has a number of things going his way with the biggest being Angel. One of the things that makes Juan Pablo so great his is ability to open space for other players by pulling the defense towards him. The Revs have a good backline but they have slipped up a number of times of late and with Matt Reis off a step between the posts, Jozy should get some great chances.

However, the Red Bulls still suffer from an on/off midfield. With Reyna questionable, who knows what could happen especially with Shalrie Joseph and Steve Ralston working things for NE.

In the end, New England will win this as they win most non-MLS Cup post-season games.

Predictions: Me NE 5-3 NY, Wife NE 2-3 NY


West
Chivas USA vs. Kansas City Wizards
(27 Oct 8pm ET, HDNet, DK, MLStv & 3 Nov 10:30pm ET, HDNet, DK, MLStv)
KC, welcome to the Western Conference, here is one of the most creative and talented teams to play against, best of luck.

On paper, this one should not be close, but I have a funny feeling about this. Maybe it has something to do with the top team from the West getting knocked out in the first round for the past two years or maybe it has a lot to do with the injury to Ante Razov, but I think Kansas City might shock with this one.

The last few weeks, the goats have been less then their best with Sacha Kljestan having to lift a lot. I have little doubt that Sacha will continue to do well, but I don't think he has the team around him to hold off a hard charging team. I know, they managed to keep Houston under wrap for 50-minutes down a man, but I think the Wizards will find a way.

My reason for this has a bit to do with the play of Scott Sealy, but even more to do with their matches this year. KC took the one at home and almost tied on the road except that Razov got an injury-time goal. The Wizards actually out played Chivas in that match but luck went against them. If that luck happens to be on the bench for this series, I would not be shocked if KC made it through.

As odd as it seems, I think the Wizards will pull this one out.
Predictions: Me CV 3-3 KC (KC advances on pks), Wife CV 4-1 KC


Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas
(27 Oct, 8:30pm ET, DK, MLStv & 2 Nov 8:30pm ET, DK, MLStv)
So will this series be a grudge match or a blow out? If it goes the grudge match route, FC Dallas stands a much better chance of finally topping their intra-state rival.

Carlos Ruiz will be looking forward to this one, but less face it, other then his ability to get Ricardo Clark kicked out for the rest of the season, he has not done much of note. In fact, Dallas is painfully lacking in their attack, which will present a major problem against the best defense in the league. Kenny Cooper is looking better, but he still fails to get into the middle of things, thus limiting the influence his size could have on his game. Abe Thompson might be an alternative or maybe the always fun to watch Arturo Alvarez, but in the end, I just don't think they have the guns to take the series, especially when they face Pat Onstad in goal.

Houston has had their own issue with scoring but Ching is looking better, while Dwayne De Rosario seems to be coming out of his funk. Throw in Joseph Ngwenya and a sneaky Stuart Holden and there should be enough for Houston.

Predictions: Me HD 3-1 FCD, Wife HD 3-0 FCD


So why not predict a little further.
Conference finals:
Me: DC 2-1 NE, HD 1-0 KC
Wife: DC 3-2 NY, CV 2-0 HD

MLS Cup:
Me: DC 3-1 HD
Wife: DC 1-2 CV

Thursday Night Soccer - Chivas vs. Dallas - Mullet night

Chivas USA (51pts) vs. FC Dallas (43pts)
9pm ET/6pm PT
TV: ESPN 2

Both teams have their playoff spots, but there is still a lot to be decided on the pitch. With a win, Chivas will tie DC in the race for the Supporters' Shield and all but clinch the West while Dallas can still needs these points if they hope to have 'home field advantage' in the first round against Houston.

So far this season, the teams have each won a game against each other 2-0 (by the way, the match in Dallas on 4 July is one of only two league games where Chivas did not score a goal), so either team could take this one. Chivas has looked a little less then their roaring self of late, but they have still stayed strong enough to earn points. Dallas was a repeating disaster until this past Saturday in Columbus where Denilson final showed some life while Abe Thompson had a hallmark kind of night. So what teams will arrive on the pitch today?

Chivas has been winning games by staying calm and playing the full field. Combine this with some fantastic goalkeeping by Brad Guzan and you have a team that looks good for a cup. Meanwhile Dallas did improve over the weekend, however, they have not beaten a team with a winning record (at least at the time) since they took Chivas down on the fourth of July. So Dallas has survived by eating the minnows while Chivas has been taking bites out of anyone who comes near them. Because of this, it looks like Chivas will win the night. However, one thing that could upset this is Ray Burse in goal for FCD. Dario Sala is a good keeper, but Burse seems to have been reactions and hasn't really let in any cheap shots. A hot net minder can change everything about a team, so if he is in goal, I think Dallas has a better chance.

Predictions: Me Chivas 3-1 FCD, Wife Chivas 2-0 FCD

PS - A little warning, expect to hear a lot about Toja's mullet from the ESPN crew as the first 5,000 fans will receive a free Toja wig. To see the wigs in action, watch the video:

Heaven Knows LA is Miserable Now - Morrissey attends Galaxy match, cheers for Chivas

It seems that not all the stars cheer for Beckham and the LA Galaxy. Morrissey attended last week's derby between LA and Chivas USA and decided to seat in and cheer for the Goats. He even purchased a jersey to wear during the match.

We'll let you know if Chivas's arsenal stops eating meat and looking really, really sad; lord knows it would be the first time.

For another take on this story, look here.

Thursday Night Soccer - The final battle for LA

Los Angeles Galaxy (17pts) vs. Chivas USA (40pts)
11pm ET/8pm PT
TV: ESPN2

So this is officially the night that the LA Galaxy live or die in 2007. The reality of the matter is that no matter what happens in this outing, LA is not going to reach the playoffs, however they could still keep from being an embarrassment. For Chivas, a win tonight puts them at the top of the West and since they have a very favorable schedule remaining, makes it next to impossible to imagine them not taking the conference. Needless to say, this derby has an even more behind it then normal.

The Galaxy come into the game having played their best match all season on Saturday. The most amazing part of their last outing was the way they flowed through the midfield. This fluidness allowed for quick attacks by sneaking players behind the Rapids lines, however Chivas has a much stronger backline, so it will not be as easy tonight. Still the big problem remains, LA's defense is weak and that is where the goats will hack away at them.

At the start of the season, Chivas needed dozen of chances before they made anything happen but now they seldom waste anything. This means LA will need to keep Galindo in check and get numbers back fast. This is not something the Galaxy has done much of so far this season.

So what will happen? LA will come out fast but Chivas will get them on a counter-attack. From there, things will unravel unless, Landon Donovan can finally pull out something big. Chris Klein and Peter Vagenas will be strong, but without an added bit in the attack, Sacha Kljestan and Maykel Galindo will shred them up.

Predictions: Me LA 1-4 CV, Wife LA 0-2 CV