MLS Major League Soccer

MLS Weekly Notes

Published on June 3, 2013 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Can Whitecaps Vault Shorthanded Sounders?

Vancouver Whitecaps FC look to build momentum off their 2-1 road victory over the New York Red Bulls when they travel to Seattle Saturday night to play a Sounders FC squad that will be missing nearly half of its regulars to international duty, suspensions and injury. Seattle will rely more than ever on the raucous support at CenturyLink Field to earn a result in this match (10:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS2) as the Sounders try to move above the red line into playoff position in the MLS Western Conference.

The Whitecaps, who got a late game-winner from Kenny Miller last Saturday, are unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions and trail the Sounders by just two points in the standings. Seattle, coming off a 2-0 road victory over Chivas USA, will be without U.S. national team call-ups Brad Evans and Eddie Johnson as well as Honduran national team member Mario Martinez. The Sounders also will be missing midfielders Shalrie Joseph and striker Obafemi Martins to suspension. They are uncertain about the availability of midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, who had to come off after 21 minutes on Saturday due to a lingering abductor strain, and midfielder Steve Zakuani, who has not played in an MLS match since April 20 due to an abdominal strain.

With more than 40 MLS players on international duty, this Cascadia Cup match is one of just five league matches in Week 16.

Week 15 National Broadcasts

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET (UDN)

Saturday, June 8, 2013

New England Revolution vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. ET (UDN)

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 10:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, TSN, RDS2)

AT&T Goal of the Week (Week 14) - CLICK HERE to vote

- Warren Creavalle (HOU)

- Blas Perez (DAL)

- Robbie Findley (RSL)

- Obafemi Martins (SEA)

- Kelyn Rowe (NE)

Check It Out

FC Dallas: Name That Tune

Portland Timbers: Can't Help Falling in Love

Columbus Crew: Crewzin with Frankie: North High Brewing

Montreal Impact: DCV - Champion Canadien / Canadian Champion

New York Red Bulls: Front Office Head Coach: Dax McCarty

Philadelphia Union: On the Road: Montreal

Sporting Kansas City: Vermes on Coaching MLS All-Stars vs. AS Roma

Quotables

"Robb was good enough to give us a tour a little bit ago and I'll tell you, it's a benchmark facility and something to aspire to. As we move forward to building our own stadium, we're going to continue a dialogue with Sporting Kansas City because Sporting Park is tremendous. Already, just walking thru the doors, I can already tell what a professional organization you guys run. I think it's great for the sport in this country and great for the sport globally."

AS Roma Board Member Mark Pannes on Sporting Park hosting the 2013 AT&T MLS All-Star Game

"I honestly believe that Sporting has some of the best, if not the best, fans in the entire MLS. They love their team, and when you come in and play against them, you really find out how much they love their team by how much they hate you."

Scott Angevine of the Des Moines Menace on playing against his former team Sporting Kansas City in the U.S. Open Cup

"That for me is most important - that my family is happy. When my family is happy, you can see it on the pitch: I feel happy, I feel free in my head, and I can play 100 percent."

Djimi Traore on living in Seattle and playing for the Sounders

"We're bringing along players we've had a hand in developing since they were 7 years old. Not only is this a good pool of players, but they are emotionally connected to the club. We have a lot of kids 6-7-8 who come to our stadium for pro games and want to play in that stadium. They're dreaming about that. It will justify our program when we can take our first junior player - someone who played in our U-9s and U-10s - and actually sign him to a pro contract. Then we'll take another step when one of those kids plays a significant role on our first team. There are a lot of thresholds we're trying to reach. We feel we're on our way."

Vice President of FC Dallas Youth Chris Hayden on FC Dallas' youth academy and the benefits of the homegrown rule

"It means the world to be a part of the national team, to represent your country, to play amongst those players. I cherish every moment with them. Like every other camp that I've been to, I try to pick up at least three or four things that I continue using here at the club, whether it be helping teammates, whether it be my technique, whether it be the way I talk."

D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid on being called up to the USMNT

Sweet Tweets

@BillHamid28 - June 3

Yesterday was a celebration to remember. Words can't describe how special it is to be a part of this... http://instagram.com/p/aGmfwlImzw/

‏@LeeNguyen24 - June 3

"Did that just happen?" Hmm.. when are ppl gonna realize this team @NERevolution is legit!! #giveCreditWhereCreditIsDue #NErevs #mls

‏@JebBrovsky - May 30

Worth it?... Damn right. http://instagram.com/p/Z80dGZRddj/

@RMeara_18 - May 30

So happy to get back on the field last night. Big thank you to everyone for all their support. It's gonna be a good summer

@HeathGPearce - May 30

Congrats @DaMarcusBeasley for your 100th cap and doing it in style. Been boys since Way back..... #enjoy #baller pic.twitter.com/n9WJFDY1qY

MLS Week 15 Previews

(Home team listed first; all times Eastern)

Wednesday, June 5

Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. (UDN)

- Jack McInerney scored for the third consecutive match - his second stoppage-time equalizer this season vs. Toronto FC - to give Union a 1-1 draw Saturday at BMO Field. McInerney reclaimed the lead in the MLS Golden Boot standings with his 10th goal of the season.

- Federico Higuaín scored a goal for a second consecutive game - both from the penalty spot - to leave the Crew in a 1-1 draw vs. Houston on Saturday evening. Higuaín has scored three goals over the last six matches, all converted spot kicks.

- The Crew have lost midfielder Eddie Gaven for the remainder of the season, after he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the 2-0 U.S. Open Cup victory vs. the Dayton Dutch Lions of USL PRO.

- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Dominic Oduro's second-half goal for the Crew canceled out a first-half strike from Jack McInerney to leave the teams in a 1-1 draw, April 6 in Columbus.

Saturday, June 8

New England Revolution vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. (UDN)

- Diego Fagundez scored a goal for the fourth consecutive game, and added two assists, to lead the Revolution to a 5-0 victory against the LA Galaxy on Sunday afternoon. The five-goal victory tied the largest margin of victory in Revolution club history.

- The Revolution also recorded their third consecutive shutout, now having gone 305 minutes without allowing a goal, the third-longest such streak this season in MLS and the fifth-longest in club history. The Revs have allowed just nine goals this season, the best defensive mark in MLS.

- United saw their winless streak extended to 11 games in the 2-0 loss at Chicago, the longest skid without a victory in the club's 18-year history. Earlier this season, United set a club record with a seven-game losing slide.

- United won all three meetings a season ago, all by one goal, victorious in the two games at RFK Stadium. Those three wins snapped a five-game losing streak vs. the Revolution in the all-time league series, D.C's first wins against New England since 2008.

Chicago Fire vs. Portland Timbers, 8:30 p.m.

- In two games since moving to the Fire from the LA Galaxy, Mike Magee has two goals and an assist. He scored his first MLS goal with the club in the 2-0 win Sunday vs. D.C. United; he had a goal and an assist in their Open Cup victory at midweek.

- The Timbers return to league action after a weekend off, extending their club-record undefeated streak to 11 games in the 2-0 win at D.C. United on May 25.

- In their midweek U.S. Open Cup victory against the USL PRO Wilmington Hammerheads, Fredéric Piquionne scored four goals in the Timbers' 5-1 win - all before halftime. He became the 11th player in the U.S. Open Cup's modern era (since 1995) to score four goals in an Open Cup game, the third MLS player to do so.

- The Timbers have won all three meetings lifetime vs. the Fire, including a 2-1 win last year in Portland. The Timbers won the only meeting at Toyota Park, a 1-0 victory in 2011.

Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy, 9:30 p.m.

- Ned Grabavoy scored his third goal in the last three games, and Robbie Findley scored for the second time in the last three matches, as Real defeated San Jose on Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium, the second game of a four-game home stand.

- The Galaxy's 5-0 defeat by the New England Revolution on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium matched the largest margin of defeat in club history, equaling a 5-0 loss to the MetroStars on June 15, 2002.

- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Goals from Mike Magee and Charlie Rugg in the opening 13 minutes gave the Galaxy a 2-0 win April 27 at Rio Tinto Stadium.

- The visiting team has now won the last four meetings in the all-time series, including all three games a year ago.

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN, TSN, RDS2)

- A week after giving up four goals in a loss to the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center, Sounders FC returned to Carson and defeated Chivas USA 2-0 on Saturday evening, their fifth victory in the last seven matches.

- Obafemi Martins has scored all four of his goals in MLS play during that seven-game stretch for Seattle, netting the opener vs. Chivas USA.

- Whitecaps FC won on the road for the first time this season, coming back for a 2-1 win Saturday at the New York Red Bulls. After scoring one goal total in his first seven MLS seasons, Jordan Harvey has now scored in each of the last two campaigns, getting Vancouver's opening goal at Red Bull Arena.

- Whitecaps FC have yet to defeat their Cascadia rivals to the south since coming to MLS. Sounders FC have won two of the five meetings all-time, with three draws. Seattle won 2-0 last Aug. 18 at CenturyLink Field, their first home win vs. Vancouver.

Check out the Major League Soccer Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from June 3, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central