MLS Major League Soccer

This Week in MLS

Published on May 3, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


FOX Soccer Launches Soccer Night In America this Friday

FOX Soccer will debut their Soccer Night In America coverage Friday night when the Portland Timbers and their vibrant fans play host to the Philadelphia Union. Featuring redesigned graphics, digital, real-time 3D and virtual displays, and super slow-motion camera technology, the production values for the broadcasts will be brought to the next level. The inaugural Soccer Night In America broadcast is in one of FOX Soccer ‚¬â„¢s 20 exclusive MLS broadcast windows. All remaining Friday and Saturday night MLS games on FOX Soccer come under the Soccer Night In America banner.

"We are essentially elevating FOX Soccer ‚¬â„¢s MLS broadcasts to match the game ‚¬â„¢s excitement and pace to ensure fans have a premium viewing experience," said David Nathanson, FOX Soccer ‚¬â„¢s General Manager.

Quotables

"I don't think there's any reason to try to lie or play act here, we're very disappointed. ... I'm having a very difficult time moving on."

-- Real Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis, to the Deseret News, after the loss in the CONCACAF Champions League final

‚¬Å“The guy ‚¬â„¢s got a knack for goal, man. He did a fantastic job tonight. He found himself in the right position at the right time. That ‚¬â„¢s what a forward does. The Dancing Bear, man. That ‚¬â„¢s what we call him. ‚¬Â

-- Houston Dynamo midfielder Geoff Cameron on rookie teammate Will Bruin

"This team could play in England, it's like a Premier League or Championship team, it's that good. I'm just thrilled. I can't believe I'm here. I look around and think I've landed on my feet."

-- New York Red Bulls striker Luke Rodgers, to the New York Post

‚¬Å“I think it ‚¬â„¢s an insult to us the way they come out with a couple of reserve guys and leave a couple guys at home. So we wanted to go out and prove that if you ‚¬â„¢re going to do that we ‚¬â„¢re going to take advantage of it. ‚¬Â

-- Portland Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins following the 1-0 home win vs. Real Salt Lake

‚¬Å“We talked all week about how we ‚¬â„¢re not a one-man team. We talked all week about life without David Ferreira and how to put ourselves in position to be in contention for the playoffs and also to put ourselves in position so when David is healthy, it makes this team that much stronger. ‚¬Â

-- FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman after the 2-1 win vs. the LA Galaxy.

Sweet Tweets

@bobbyboswell - Apr. 26

I don't think @GeoffCameron gets this whole golf thing yet... http://yfrog.com/h2f9guyj

@TealBunB - May 1

Looking good bro. Good effort. Make sure you wear it all day #TeamBunbury RT @juanagudelo17 http://twitgoo.com/28qm0y fair game @TealBunB

@TIAS - May 2

The @SteveNash charity celebrity soccer game, Showdown in Chinatown, scheduled again this summer in NYC, June 22.

@stevezakuani11 ‚¬" May 1

Experienced the most emotional 1 min of my life today. @soundersfc blew me away w/ thishttp://bit.ly/jkzxlM

@RapidsSoccer ‚¬" May 3

Well done, Rapids fans! http://fb.me/Uyfxj6cp

@MLS_Analyst ‚¬" May 3

This is my favorite MLS goal of the year: 17 touches, 1 perfect finish: http://on.fb.me/jgxgni Give me this over a 35-yard blast any day.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau: Jetlag Effect'

This week four teams will travel to face an opponent three time zones away. If recent form holds, that will mean another bonanza for home teams, which have dominated such games this season. Home teams hosting visitors from the other coast have posted a 10-0-9 record to date in 2011, outscoring the road teams by nearly a 3-to-1 margin (28-10). That includes four wins in four matches last Saturday when Philadelphia and Columbus defeated San Jose and Vancouver, respectively, while Seattle and Chivas USA represented for the Pacific time zone with victories over Toronto FC and New England.

This week ‚¬â„¢s three-zone matches are Seattle at D.C. United on Wednesday, Philadelphia at Portland on Friday, and Seattle at Columbus and New York at LA Galaxy on Saturday.

Week 8 match previews: May4-7, 2011 (all times ET)

Wednesday, May 4

D.C. United vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m.

· After losing attackers Steve Zakuani and O ‚¬â„¢Brian White to injuries ahead of the match, Sounders FC credited their fans with inspiring their 3-0 victory against Toronto FC on Saturday at a sold-out Qwest Field. The fans raised ‚¬Å“11 ‚¬Â placards ‚¬" Zakuani ‚¬â„¢s uniform number ‚¬" during the 11th minute. Both Zakuani and White had scored two goals and added two assists over the previous five games.

· Playing wide on the right of midfield in one of a number of tactical shifts, Brad Evans scored two goals (one from a penalty kick) and added an assist.

· United suffered a big blow ahead of their 4-1 loss to Houston when Designated Player Branko Boskovic was diagnosed with a torn knee ligament. He could be out for 4-6 months ‚¬" which would also be a blow for the Montenegro national team as it chases Euro 2012 qualification.

· Sounders FC have won on all three visits to RFK Stadium in their history, including a win in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup Final, the first of historic back-to-back Open Cup titles for the club.

Houston Dynamo vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 p.m.

· Dynamo striker Will Bruin became the fourth rookie in MLS history to record a hat trick, and the second in as many seasons, after New England ‚¬â„¢s Zack Schilawski performed the feat last year. Brian Maisonneuve (1996) and Pat Noonan (2003) were the others.

· Bruin is also the second-youngest player in MLS history to score a hat trick, just 17 days older than Stern John was when he netted three in 1998 for the Columbus Crew.

· Rapids coach Gary Smith says four players could return from injury for this game: forwards Caleb Folan and Quincy Amarikwa, midfielder Wells Thompson, and defender Marvell Wynne.

· Houston is undefeated all-time at Robertson Stadium vs. Colorado. Since a 5-2 victory there in the club ‚¬â„¢s inaugural game, the Dynamo have won five games (with two draws) in league and MLS Cup play.

Friday, May 6

Portland Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union, 10:30 p.m. (FOX Soccer)

· The Timbers remained perfect at home this season with their 1-0 win against Real Salt Lake. They are the only team with nine points from three games at home in MLS. Portland ‚¬â„¢s now-famous fans have been rewarded for their colorful efforts.

· Union are tied for the most wins in MLS this season (4), while having scored the fewest goals (5). They won their fourth game of the season by a 1-0 scoreline in Saturday ‚¬â„¢s victory against San Jose. Their only loss this season also came in a 1-0 game.

· Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon leads MLS with four shutouts in six games. In their inaugural season, Union had just two shutouts all year.

· The game could see five players from Colombia take the field: Philadelphia defender Carlos Valdés, midfielder Roger Torres, and Mondragón; Portland attackers Diego Chará and Jorge Perlaza.

Saturday, May 7

Real Salt Lake vs. Chivas USA, 4 p.m. (TeleFutura)

· Chivas USA is led by head coach Robin Fraser, who spent four years assisting Jason Kreis at Real Salt Lake.

· Real Salt Lake saw their league unbeaten streak snapped at 18 games in the 1-0 loss to Portland, one game shy of the all-time league record set previously by Columbus (2004-05) and FC Dallas (2010). RSL had last lost a league game last July 17, 2-0 at FC Dallas.

· With a goal and two assists, Alejandro Moreno played a part in all three Chivas USA goals vs. New England. He ‚¬â„¢s been involved in five of Chivas USA ‚¬â„¢s eight goals on the season.

· Chivas USA have now won back-to-back games for the first time since Oct. 3-10, 2009. Their current five-game unbeaten string is the club ‚¬â„¢s longest since a six-game streak that included those wins in 2009.

Toronto FC vs. Houston Dynamo, 7 p.m.

· Brad Davis took over the MLS assist lead with six, after setting up two goals in Houston ‚¬â„¢s 4-1 win against D.C. United. It was Davis ‚¬â„¢s 10th career multiple-assist game; he had three in the Dynamo ‚¬â„¢s 3-1 win vs. Vancouver on April 10.

· Toronto FC start the week with the second leg of their Nutrilite Canadian Championship against FC Edmonton at BMO Field. TFC won last week ‚¬â„¢s first leg 3-0 in Edmonton; Toronto has won the Voyageurs ‚¬â„¢ Cup each of the last two seasons.

· Toronto FC saw their league winless streak extended to six games and were shut out for a third time in the last four in the 3-0 loss at Seattle, a defeat defender Dan Gargan called ‚¬Å“embarrassing ‚¬Â and head coach Aron Winter called ‚¬Å“shameful. ‚¬Â

· The Dynamo have never won at BMO Field. Toronto FC had recorded a victory in first meeting on the shores of Lake Ontario, before the teams played to three consecutive 1-1 draws.

Columbus Crew vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m.

· The Crew allowed their first goal in 339 minutes of play at Crew Stadium this season, but still held on for a 2-1 win Saturday against Vancouver.

· Venezuelan striker Emilio Renteria has scored all three of his goals this season in the last two games, including netting the Crew ‚¬â„¢s third penalty kick (in seven total goals) this season.

· Sounders FC were shutout in their opening two games to start the season; they then scored 10 over the next six in reeling off a six-game unbeaten run.

· Sounders FC are unbeaten in five all-time meetings with the Crew, including victories in both previous encounters at Crew Stadium. Seattle also won the U.S. Open Cup Final against Columbus last year.

D.C. United vs. FC Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

· Colombian youth international Fabian Castillo scored his first MLS goal, giving FC Dallas the lead on their way to a 2-1 victory against the LA Galaxy.

· After scoring, Castillo ran over to the FC Dallas bench and held aloft the jersey of countryman and teammate David Ferreira, who is out for the season with a broken leg.

· After conceding four goals in back-to-back losses to New York and Houston (and allowing that many for a third time in 2011), United have allowed the most goals in MLS this season, entering Wednesday ‚¬â„¢s matches.

· FC Dallas won both league meetings a year ago, a 1-0 win at Pizza Hut Park in May and a 3-1 win at RFK Stadium in August. It was FCD ‚¬â„¢s first win in Washington since 2005.

New England Revolution vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.

· Third-year goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth stepped in between the posts for Matt Reis for a third time this season, in the 3-0 Saturday at Chivas USA. Reis sat out with a shoulder sprain. The Revs are still looking for their first shutout in 2011, as are Chicago and Kansas City.

· Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber, in his first professional club match in his hometown of Los Angeles was unable to make Chivas USA regret its decision to pass on him in the League ‚¬â„¢s allocation ranking.

· Rapids forward Andre Akpan makes a homecoming of sorts; he starred at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. before going 22nd overall in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft In just his third league appearance, Akpan scored his first professional goal in the 1-1 draw with Chicago.

· The Revolution haven ‚¬â„¢t defeated Colorado since 2007, a 1-0 win at Gillette Stadium. The Rapids have won three of the six meetings since (with three draws), including victories in both games last season.

Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 8:30 p.m.

· Omar Salgado, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2011 SuperDraft, scored his first professional goal in the 2-1 loss to Columbus. At 17, Salgado is eighth-youngest player in MLS history to score.

· Moving into a deeper-lying central midfield role against Colorado, Gastón Puerari collected his second assist in MLS (to go with one goal).

· Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos started Corben Bone and Dan Paladini in the center of midfield against Colorado ‚¬" the first appearance for each this season. The two had combined for six career starts in MLS before the game.

· Whitecaps FC come into the game after Wednesday ‚¬â„¢s second leg of their Nutrilite Canadian Championship semifinal against the Montréal Impact. Vancouver won the first leg 1-0 at Stade Saputo in Montréal.

LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls, 11 p.m. (ESPN2)

· Marquee names dot the rosters of the two conference-leading clubs ‚¬" Angel, Beckham & Donovan for LA; Henry, Marquez and De Rosario for New York. Angel faces the Red Bulls for the first time since they let him go despite his team-high 13 goals in 2010.

· The Red Bulls have now gone 292 minutes without conceding a goal ‚¬" the second-longest shutout streak in MLS this season ‚¬" while having scored eight goals in that time.

· The Red Bulls ‚¬â„¢ strike force has provided all the firepower in their three-game winning streak. Luke Rodgers has scored three goals in the last three games; Thierry Henry also has three goals in that time (along with three assists), while Juan Agudelo has one.

· Landon Donovan has scored three goals in the last two games for the Galaxy.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 3, 2011


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