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June 28, 2011 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


U.S. Open Cup round-of-16 play kicks off Tuesday

The eight Major League Soccer qualifiers to the U.S. Open Cup tournament proper begin play on Tuesday, June 28 in the round-of-16. Six MLS teams will be facing teams from USL PRO, while two will taking on teams from the USL's Premier Development League - including one affiliated with an MLS club, the Chicago Fire PDL team.

The winners of the matches in the round-of-16 advance to the quarterfinals, set for July 12.

U.S. Open Cup round-of-16 schedule (all games June 28):

(Home team listed first; all times Eastern)

Columbus Crew vs. Richmond Kickers (USL PRO), 7:30 p.m.

Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO) vs. Chicago Fire, 7:35 p.m.

New York Red Bulls vs FC New York (USL PRO), 8 p.m.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire PDL, 8:30 p.m.

Real Salt Lake vs. Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO), 9 p.m.

FC Dallas vs. Orlando City Soccer Club (USL PRO), 9 p.m.

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Kitsap Pumas (PDL), 10 p.m.

LA Galaxy vs. Los Angeles Blues (USL PRO), 10:30 p.m.

Nutrilite Canadian Championship on the line Saturday

Four days after meeting in a regular-season match at BMO Field, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will again try to finish their Nutrilite Canadian Championship final when they meet Saturday in Toronto (12:30 p.m.).

The series is tied 1-1 on aggregate after a draw May 18 at Empire Field in Vancouver; the teams tried to play the second leg a week later in Toronto, but it was abandoned after 60 minutes due to heavy rain, with Vancouver holding a 1-0 lead in the game. The game will be replayed in its entirety. The winner of the series gains Canada's automatic berth into the CONCACAF Champions League.

Quotables

"I have no idea why I nominated myself [to play goalkeeper]. When I first went in there, I wasn't nervous at all. I only thought I had to make it 10 minutes, and then we'd have a great plan at halftime where I'd be back on the field. Then we got back in [the locker room], and it started hitting me that I was going back in goal. That was pretty nerve-racking."

-- LA Galaxy midfielder Mike Magee after taking over in goal in 43rd minute of a scoreless draw at San Jose

"I started out as a forward, but I kept getting pushed back, so now I am a [defensive] mid. I am looking to help the team in any way possible, but I'll tell you right now I'm not a very good goalie."

-- Philadelphia Union midfielder Amobi Okugo on multiple position shifts throughout his career

"He's risen to the occasion. He's not backing down. He's out here playing with a broken wrist. He easily could have said, 'I have a broken wrist, you guys don't like me anyway, so I'm not playing.' He's being a man and stepping up and really carrying us."

-- Columbus Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer on teammate Andres Mendoza

"Game day should be like a party. I want to have fun. I play; I want to smile on the field. It's not fun anymore."

-- New York Red Bulls midfielder Joel Lindpere, to bigapplesoccer.com

"When you don't score a lot, you don't want to waste a lot of time thinking about that. He'll come up with a better one next time. Has five or six years to plan that out. He should think of a good one."

-- Seattle Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid, on Tyson Wahl's goal celebration after free kick strike Sunday

Sweet Tweets

@AlexiLalas22 - June 22

The Rapture is indeed upon us. The Mirror U.K. has given me a weekly space to blog about MLS. Check it out: bit.ly/liJ07F

@RealHughJackman - June 22

Had a great time today with the sons of ben at the philadelphia union match... go union! http://twitpic.com/5fi8ak

@1stuartscott - June 23

Mens Soccer Gold Cup win Ginormous. Landon d--gr8 pass...Clint D--gr8 shot..don't 4get former child prodigy Freddy A whose cross set it up!

@kylejmccarthy - June 24

As I noted in Wednesday's Musings, the fine for Davies means the Disciplinary Committee came to a unanimous conclusion about his simulation.

@calencarr3 -- June 25

Just flipped to FSC and Mike Magee is in goal for LA vs. SJ in the 75th minute. What?!

@dcsportsbog (Dan Steinberg) - June 27

Here are Charlie Davies and friends performing the "Honduras Bicycle Dance," a celebration Google has never heard of http://wapo.st/mEjWXU

According to the Elias Sports Bureau

Although Clint Dempsey's potential game-tying blast against Mexico hit the crossbar, 11 different MLS players scored from outside the penalty area last week. Tyson Wahl scored off a direct free kick and the others all occurred in the run of play, continuing a season-long trend in Major League Soccer.

Leaguewide, 67 of 353 goals have been scored from beyond the 18-yard line this season (18.98%). That's the highest percentage in any of the nine seasons during which those figures were compiled (better than the previous high, 18.43% in 2008). Among last weekend's goal-scorers from distance was Maicon Santos, who tied Juninho and Brek Shea for the league lead with three tallies from outside the penalty area.

2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game voting update: Just One Week to Go

With just one week to go for online and text voting for the First XI, Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Rafa Marquez and Kasey Keller all continue to lead at their respective positions - having received the most combined votes.

Online and text voting concludes July 5 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Leaders in Fan Voting (as of June 27, 2011):

Top 5 Goalkeepers (overall)

1 Kasey Keller (SEA)

2 Donovan Ricketts (LA)

3 Nick Rimando (RSL)

4 Faryd Mondragon (PHI)

5 Kevin Hartman (DAL)

Top 7 Defenders (overall)

1 Rafa Marquez (NY)

2 Tim Ream (NY)

3 Omar Gonzalez (LA)

4 Jay DeMerit (VAN)

5 Danny Califf (PHI)

6 Sean Franklin (LA)

7 Mamadou Danso (POR)

Top 7 Midfielders (overall)

1 David Beckham (LA)

2 Dwayne De Rosario (DC)

3 Joel Lindpere (NY)

4 Brek Shea (DAL)

5 Kyle Beckerman (RSL)

6 Jack Jewsbury (POR)

7 Juninho (LA)

Top 5 Forwards (overall)

1 Landon Donovan (LA)

2 Thierry Henry (NY)

3 Charlie Davies (DC)

4 Chris Wondolowski (SJ)

5 Luke Rodgers (NY)

Top 10 in Text Voting

1 Matt Besler (SKC)

2 Justin Mapp (PHI)

3 Sean Franklin (LA)

4 Omar Gonzalez (LA)

5 Dominic Oduro (CHI)

6 Chris Pontius (DC)

7 Geoff Cameron (HOU)

8 Brek Shea (DAL)

9 David Beckham (LA)

10 Omar Bravo (SKC)

Top 10 on Twitter (June 17-20):

1 Carlos Valdes (PHI)

2 Sheanon Williams (PHI)

3 Charlie Davies (DC)

4 Jordan Harvey (PHI)

5 Faryd Mondragon (PHI)

6 Kasey Keller (SEA)

7 Thierry Henry (NY)

8 Nick Rimando (RSL)

9 Jack Jewsbury (POR)

10 Chris Pontius (DC)

Week 16 match previews: June 29-July 4, 2011 (all times ET)

Wednesday, June 29

Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7:30 p.m. (TSN)

- The teams will be taking the field against each other for the fourth time this season, the second in league play. Whitecaps FC started their MLS history with a 4-2 win against Toronto FC, March 19 in Vancouver.

- The teams will meet Saturday in the second leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, the series tied 1-1 on aggregate. They tried to play the second leg May 25 in Toronto, but it was abandoned after 60 minutes, with Vancouver holding a 1-0 edge.

- Toronto FC last won on May 7, a 2-1 win against Houston. Their winless streak is now 10 games in all competitions.

- Whitecaps FC playmaker Davide Chiumiento has recorded assists in back-to-back games and now has seven for the season, tied for second in MLS (along with David Beckham) behind Houston's Brad Davis.

Saturday, July 2

D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union, 7 p.m. (FOX Soccer)

- Making his third consecutive start for the club, Union striker Veljko Paunovic scored his first MLS goal and recorded his first assist in leading Philadelphia to a 3-2 win against Chivas USA on Saturday.

- Scoring on his 25th birthday, United's Charlie Davies pulled into a tie for the lead in the MLS Golden Boot standings with his eighth goal in the 2-2 tie with Houston, his second in as many games.

- Union have allowed more than one goal in just three of their 16 league games. They've won two of those - the 6-2 win vs. Toronto FC on May 28, and the 3-2 win vs. Chivas.

- The teams split their two meetings in Union's inaugural season, each winning on their home ground. Union's 3-2 win vs. United, April 10 at Lincoln Financial Field, was the first in club history.

FC Dallas vs. Columbus Crew, 9 p.m.

- Three-quarters of the FC Dallas back four scored goals in the 4-0 win against Portland: fullbacks Zach Loyd and Jackson and center back George John.

- Brek Shea scored a goal for a third consecutive match, his team-leading seventh goal of the season. He's now tied for fourth in MLS, along with Columbus striker Andres Mendoza, one off the league lead.

- The Crew's Mendoza has scored six goals in his last six games, starting with a 2-goal game May 28 vs. Chivas and last with the 2-goal game against Colorado.

- Second-half goals from Mendoza and Eddie Gaven gave the Crew a 2-0 victory in the first meeting between the teams, April 1 in Columbus.

Chivas USA vs. Chicago Fire, 10 p.m. (Galavision)

- The Fire played to a sixth consecutive home draw at Toyota Park with Sunday's 1-1 result with New York - an MLS record. The Fire have played to 11 ties already this season; the MLS single-season record is 14, set last season by FC Dallas.

- After losing just twice over a two-month span, Chivas USA have now lost three games in a row, their longest losing skid under Robin Fraser.

- Chivas USA have not defeated the Chicago Fire since a 2-0 win, June 19, 2008 at The Home Depot Center. The Fire have won five of the six meetings in all competitions since, with one draw.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. New York Red Bulls, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

- The game will be played at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif. The Quakes are expecting a huge crowd, with the match also featuring a reunion of the 1994 U.S. World Cup team and a postgame fireworks display.

- The Red Bulls are completing a four-game road swing with the visit to northern California. They have started the trip with two draws and a loss; New York has won once in its last 10 games.

- After exploding for 13 goals over a five-game span, the Earthquakes have now been shut out in back-to-back games, a first for this season. Striker Chris Wondolowski will again be available after missing four games while with the U.S. national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

- In the first meeting between the teams this season, Luke Rodgers scored two goals and set up another, and Thierry Henry had a goal and an assist, in a 3-0 Red Bulls victory April 16 at Red Bull Arena.

Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City, 11 p.m.

- Unbeaten since May 28 and winners of three in their last four, Sporting Kansas City pulled themselves out of the cellar in the Eastern Conference with the 2-1 win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

- Sporting have allowed just four goals in their eight games. Jimmy Nielsen has seen his goals against average fall from 2.17 to 1.36 in that span.

- In his last three games played, KC's Graham Zusi has scored three goals and added two assists. He returned from missing the Philadelphia match through injury to set up the game-winner last weekend.

- The Timbers lost for a fourth time in their last five games, conceding four goals in the loss at FC Dallas, the most since joining MLS.

Sunday, July 3

Colorado Rapids vs. Houston Dynamo, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

- Brian Ching made his first start since April 2 and played the full match for the first time this season at D.C. United. Good thing he did, scoring the tying goal in the 89th minute for a 2-2 draw.

- Conor Casey scored his fourth goal in the last five games, giving Colorado an early lead against Columbus. But he was later sent off as the Crew roared back for a 4-1 win and will be suspended for the Houston match.

- After a club-record nine-game undefeated streak, the Rapids have now lost back-to-back games, conceding seven goals in that time. They allowed just seven total in their unbeaten run.

- The Rapids have lost just twice all-time while hosting their Independence Day extravaganza. The annual fireworks display, billed as the best in Colorado, always draws large crowds who spur the team to perform: Eight times the game-winning goal has come in the 69th minute or later.

- In the teams' first meeting this season, on May 4 at Robertson stadium, goals from Jamie Smith and Scott Palguta overcame a Colin Clark strike against his former club as the Dynamo defeated the Rapids, 2-1.

Monday, July 4

Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

- Returning to the RSL lineup for the first time since May 22, Alvaro Saborio scored his first two MLS goals of the season in the 3-1 win against Toronto FC.

- Real have still allowed just nine goals in 15 games this season, and have allowed one goal or fewer 13 times.

- The Revolution haven't won since May 14, a 1-0 win vs. Vancouver. They have five losses and two draws since.

- Goals from Chris Schuler and Paulo Junior led a makeshift Real Salt Lake side to a 2-0 win at New England on April 9 in the first meeting this season.

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

- The Galaxy extended their undefeated streak to 10 games (5-0-5) with the scoreless draw at San Jose, the longest in MLS this season.

- When Mike Magee donned the goalkeeper's gloves after Donovan Ricketts was injured and Josh Saunders sent off, it marked the ninth time in MLS history a field player had taken over in goal. Magee, who made four saves, played 47 minutes between the posts.

- Given the start after his two-goal outing New York, Sounders FC fan favorite Roger Levesque set up the winning goal in Seattle's 2-1 win against New England.

- The teams kicked off the 2011 MLS season against each other, a long-range strike from Juninho in the 58th minute giving the Galaxy a 1-0 win on March 15 at Qwest Field.

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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.


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