Sports stats



MLS Major League Soccer

MLS Weekly

July 28, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


MLS Week 19: July 28-Aug 3, 2008

(All times Eastern)

Monday, July 28

Toronto FC at Real Salt Lake, 9:00 p.m. (CBC Bold, DK, MLSLIVE.tv)

This is the final meeting of the season between the clubs. Toronto remains undefeated against RSL, 2-0-1. TFC won the first meeting of the year, 1-0 when midfielder Laurent Robert converted a free kick. Toronto will be missing two starters due to international duty as Maurice Edu and Marvell Wynne are both training with the U.S. U-23 Men's Olympic team. RSL goalkeeper Chris Seitz will also be competing in Beijing with the U.S. Olympic squad. RSL enter this match on a three-game unbeaten streak which propelled the team into first place in the Western Conference. Toronto FC are winless in their last nine games across all competitions.

Saturday, August 2

Kansas City Wizards at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. (MS, Ch. 5, CSN, DK, MLSLIVE.tv)

This is the second meeting between the clubs this season. They opened the 2008 regular season against each other on March 29, with the Wizards handing United a 2-0 defeat at Community America Ballpark. The clubs are tied for fourth in the East with 22 points (United has a game in hand). Kansas City is undefeated in its last six games (2-0-4). D.C. United's four-game winning streak ended last week in a 2-0 loss to Houston. United forward Jaime Moreno has tallied six assists and scored six goals all time against the Wizards.

Chivas USA at Chicago Fire, 8:30 p.m. (HDNet, My50, FSN-W, Azteca)

Through 17 games, Chicago goalkeeper Jon Busch has allowed just 14 goals, (0.82 per game). Busch is currently tied with Pat Onstad's all-time MLS record for the lowest regular season GAA, set in 2007. Chivas will be without two players who keyed their victory over Chicago earlier this season. Sacha Kljestan is with U.S. Olympic squad; goalkeeper Brad Guzan is awaiting word on his work permit to join English Premier League club Aston Villa. Chicago midfielders Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Diego Gutierrez are unavailable because each is serving a one-game suspension for yellow-card accumulation.

Columbus Crew at Houston Dynamo, 8:30 p.m. (FSC, FSE)

- After finally completing a twice-rescheduled contest versus D.C. United late Wednesday night - a 2-0 road victory - Houston holds in second place in the Western Conference with a 5-4-8 record, 23 points.

Both clubs will be missing key players as Robbie Rogers (Olympic team duty), Dwayne De Rosario and Frankie Hejduk (yellow card suspension) are unavailable. Crew rookie forward Steven Lenhart is also out because he received a red card in Sunday's game. Alejandro Moreno, the Crew's leading goal scorer this season (seven goals) is also Columbus' all-time leading scorer against Houston (three goals). Now with his fourth club in seven seasons, Moreno played 34 regular season games for Houston, scoring three goals and tallying six assists. Newly acquired forwards Nate Jaqua and Kei Kamara will look to make their first appearances for the Dynamo this season. Jaqua played for Houston last season, scoring six goals in 15 appearances before transferring to Austrian side SCR Altach. Kamara was just acquired from San Jose in a trade that sent a first round draft selection in 2009 and allocation money to the Quakes.

Sunday, August 3

Los Angeles Galaxy at San Jose Earthquakes, 3:00 p.m. (TeleFutura, FSN-W, CSNW)

- The Galaxy are 0-3-3 in their last six League games, including a 4-0 defeat on Sunday to FC Dallas. Their last win in League play was August 14.

- The Earthquakes are looking to win for the first time since August 7. The Quakes are 0-3-4 in their last seven League games.

- San Jose's newest signing, Darren Huckerby, netted his first MLS goal as the Quakes came back from an early deficit to tie the Red Bulls 1-1 on Sunday.

- In two prior meetings this season LA has outscored San Jose 5-0; Edson Buddle scored a hat trick in the last meeting, a 3-0 Galaxy win on June 14 (also LA's last victory).

FC Dallas at Toronto FC, 4:00 p.m. (KFWD-52, CBC Bold, DK, MLSLIVE.tv)

- FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman got his first career MLS win in a 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday. Hyndman had been 0-1-3 before Sunday's victory.

- This is the teams' first meeting in 2008. The teams split the series in 2007 with Toronto FC winning at home 4-0 and FC Dallas taking their home contest against TFC, 2-0.

- After impressing coaches in recent games, FC Dallas midfielder Eric Avila received his first start in Sunday's game over LA and nearly scored his first goal when he struck a beautiful curling shot from 19 yards out that hit the top right corner of the crossbar and bounced out. Avila was a second round, 19th overall, pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.

- After recording six victories in the first two months of the season, Toronto FC has seen their fortunes fade. The second-year expansion squad has only one win since June.

SuperLiga Update: Semi-finals begin Tuesday

The semi-finals of the second annual SuperLiga tournament kick off on Tuesday as four teams prepare for a shot at the championship. Two teams each from MLS and the Mexican first division remain after a tightly contested round of group play: the Houston Dynamo and the New England revolution represent MLS; Atlante and defending SuperLiga champions Pachuca CF represent the Mexican first division.

Tuesday, July 28

Pachuca CF at Houston Dynamo, 10:00 p.m ET (Telefutura / MLSLIVE.tv)

These teams met last year in the semifinals and battled all the way to a penalty kick shootout. In a game that featured three red cards and a game-tying goal in the 83rd minute by Houston's Eddie Robinson, Pachuca emerged victorious in penalties, 4-3. Despite defeating Chivas USA 2-1 in their first group stage game, Pachuca's tournament hopes were in doubt after losing 1-0 to New England. Pachuca snuck into the semifinals by virtue of their own draw against Santos Laguna in the last game of group play and Chivas USA's draw against the Revolution.

Wednesday, July 29

Atlante at New England Revolution, 8:00 p.m. ET (Telefutura / MLSLIVE.tv)

New England qualified for the semifinals with the best record from group play as the Revolution went undefeated and only allowed one goal in three games. Atlante's journey into the semifinals was a roller coaster ride. After losing 4-0 to the Dynamo in their first game, Atlante battled their way to a 3-2 victory over D.C. United in RFK Stadium and then stunned Chivas de Guadalajara 2-0 to advance by tiebreaker. Colombian international Luis Gabriel Rey successfully converted two penalty kicks for Pachuca last year en route to winning the SuperLiga and is currently Atlante's leading goal-scorer with two goals.

The entire tournament is being televised live by Univision's TeleFutura network in the United States. Televisa will air games in Mexico. All games are available live in English on www.SuperLiga2008.com and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes Radio.

The SuperLiga™ Final will be held on August 5 at a U.S. venue to be determined. The complete schedule follows (all times Eastern):

Group Stage Results:

Saturday, July 12

CD Guadalajara 2 - 1 D.C. United (RFK Stadium - Washington, D.C.)

Houston Dynamo 4 - 0 Atlante (Robertson Stadium - Houston, TX)

Sunday, July 13

NE Revolution 1 - 0 Santos Laguna (Gillette Stadium - Foxboro, MA)

Pachuca CF 2 - 1 Chivas USA (Home Depot Center - Carson, CA)

Tuesday, July 15

Atlante 3 - 2 D.C. United (RFK Stadium - Washington,D.C.)

CD Guadalajara 1 - 0 Houston Dynamo 0 (Robertson Stadium - Houston, TX)

Wednesday, July 16

NE Revolution 1 - 0 Pachuca CF (Gillette Stadium - Foxboro, MA)

Chivas USA 1 - 1 Santos Laguna (Home Depot Center - Carson, CA)

Saturday, July 19

Houston Dynamo 3 - 1 D.C. United (RFK Stadium - Washington, D.C.)

Atlante 2 - 0 CD Guadalajara (Buck Shaw Stadium - Santa Clara, CA)

Sunday, July 20

Chivas USA 1 - 1 NE Revolution (Titan Stadium at Cal State Fullerton - Los Angeles, CA)

Santos 1 - 1 Pachuca CF (Pizza Hut Park - Frisco, TX)

FC Dallas Forward Kenny Cooper Wins Player of the Week for Week 18

Kenny Cooper was voted Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 18 of the 2008 season. Cooper scored two goals and tallied an assist in Dallas' 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy at Pizza Hut Park on Sunday. The victory improved The Hoops' record to 5-6-7 (22 points). They now sit fourth in the Western Conference, but only two points separate Dallas from the Western leaders, Real Salt Lake. This is Cooper's first Player of the Week award this season, and the second of his career. FC Dallas (5-6-7) returns to action on August 3 when they travel to BMO Field to play Toronto FC at 4 p.m. ET. For more on Cooper's Week 18 performance click here.

The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from The North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.

Check out the Major League Soccer Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from July 28, 2008


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