MLS Major League Soccer

This Week in MLS

Published on August 2, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Three MLS clubs face decisive second legs in CONCACAF Champions League

Three MLS teams will be looking to advance in the CONCACAF Champions League this week. Toronto FC travel to Nicaragua on Tuesday, holding a 2-1 lead after last week's victory against Real Estelí FC at BMO Field, while FC Dallas play host to Alianza FC of El Salvador on Wednesday after a 1-0 win on the road last week. Only Seattle Sounders FC have a first-leg lead to overcome after dropping a 1-0 decision to San Francisco FC of Panama, whom they play at Qwest Field on Wednesday.

Quotables

"They say great clubs never die, it looks like great players never die as well, because Thierry showed us today he is still top quality with his feet and with his head. He has still shown class for the goal, his pass was fantastic."

-- Arsenal FC manager Arsene Wenger, on New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry, after the teams played to a 1-1 draw Sunday in the Emirates Cup in London

"We all have pride, and we all want to be in the playoffs. We don't want a repeat of last year, so I think we're taking it upon ourselves to come out and perform."

-- Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching, to the Houston Chronicle, after scoring two goals in a 3-1 vs. Seattle

"That's the difference between a good team and a team where we are - you have to bury those chances. A guy like Landon needs one chance and he buried it."

-- Vancouver Whitecaps FC head coach Tom Soehn, after the LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan scores twice in a 4-0 win

Sweet Tweets

@KellyRipa - July 27

At RedBull Stadium. Joaquin's coin toss for All Star game. #DavidBeckhamRocks! http://lockerz.com/s/124270736

@JordinSparks - July 27

At the stadium watching MLS All Stars vs Manchester United. First pro soccer game! Yes, Beckham! You better have 4 kids & run like that! :P

@KevinBossman - July 28

BJ and I ran into Tyson Beckford last night at the MLS All Star game...turns out he is a big #giants fan! http://lockerz.com/s/124434903

@DaxMcCarty11 - July 30

Who has 2 thumbs, just played against PSG, and is about 2 play the 2nd best possession team n the world, Arsenal, on 1 nights rest? #thisguy

@TealBunB - July 30

Its a deal bro RT @BrekShea @TealBunB I trade you a shea bobble for a Bunb bobble http://t.co/jM1ELfo http://twitpic.com/5yfnnn

@impactmontreal - Aug 1

The new logo of the Montreal Impact: A new traditional look! Be at Saputo Stadium on August 6! #IMFC #MLS #MontrealMLS2012

According to the Elias Sports Bureau: Struggling teams cannot be ignored

Another page turn of the calendar brings us brings us to the point at which teams with serious playoff potential will reveal their cards. But that doesn't mean clubs that have struggled to this point can be ignored.

Two facts to be considered: (1) Each of the last six teams to reach the MLS Cup Final posted a better regular-season record starting August 1 than they did through the end of July; but (2) six teams that had a losing record on August 1 reached the Final, including two in the past three seasons (New York in 2008, Real Salt Lake in 2009) and three MLS Cup champions: D.C. United in 1996 and 2004, and RSL in 2009.

Week 21 match previews: Aug. 3-7, 2011 (all times ET)

Wednesday, August 3

Sporting Kansas City vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m.

- Alex Bunbury's tying goal against Chicago marked a remarkable third time in the last four games when Sporting scored a goal in the 89th minute or later to gain a draw.

- The tie extended Sporting's unbeaten streak to 13 games, setting a club record, surpassing the 12-game streak set in their MLS Cup season of 2000.

- Real Salt Lake lost for just the second time ever by multiple goals at Rio Tinto Stadium in their 2-0 loss to Columbus last weekend.

- Kansas City won 2-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on May 16, 2009, RSL's last loss at home before falling to Seattle on May 28 of this season.

Chicago Fire vs. Philadelphia Union, 9 p.m.

- Union saw their unbeaten home record in 2011 in league play come to an end in their 2-1 loss to Colorado last weekend.

- The Fire return to action for the first time in 2-1/2 weeks, their last MLS game a 1-0 home loss to Portland on July 16.

- Pavel Pardo, signed by the club on July 26, is expected to make his debut for the Fire against Philadelphia. Pardo, 35, is the second-most capped player in Mexican national team history, with 148 appearances for el Tricolor.

- A stunning blast from Carlos Ruiz in the 75th minute gave Union a 2-1 victory in the first meeting between the clubs this season, May 21 at PPL Park.

Portland Timbers vs. LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Landon Donovan scored two goals in a game for the third time this season, hitting for a brace in LA's 4-0 win at Vancouver on Saturday.

The Galaxy extended their unbeaten streak to 14 games in the win against Vancouver, one away from the club record set twice previously, first 1997-98, then 2009-10.

The Timbers have won just one of their last 10 league games, and haven't won at Jeld-Wen Field since May 16.

In the first meeting between the clubs, April 23 at The Home Depot Center, Donovan scored twice as the Galaxy rolled to a 3-0 victory.

Friday, August 5

Colorado Rapids vs. Columbus Crew, 9:30 p.m. (FOX Soccer)

- Sanna Nyassi has scored four goals in the last three games for the Rapids, all since being put into the starting lineup as a striker.

- In the two games where Nyassi and Omar Cummings have formed Colorado's strike partnership, they've created four of the Rapids' six goals.

- Robbie Rogers recorded his first two-assist game of the season, collecting his first assist since April 1 in the 2-0 win against Real Salt Lake.

- Andres Mendoza scored goals on either side of halftime as the Crew eased to a 4-1 win against a 10-man Rapids squad on June 26 at Crew Stadium in their first meeting this season.

Saturday, August 6

D.C. United vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. (TSN)

Since coming to United, Dwayne De Rosario has netted all three goals D.C. has scored, in four games.

Toronto FC snapped their four-game losing streak - matching the club record - by coming back for a dramatic 2-2 draw at Portland.

After being signed the day before following his release by FC Dallas, Peri Marosevic made his Toronto FC debut and scored his first MLS goal.

Chris Pontius hit for a pair of goals, one in each half, as D.C. United cruised to a 3-0 victory against a 10-man Toronto FC on April 16 at BMO Field in their first meeting this season.

New England Revolution vs. Chivas USA, 7:30 p.m.

- The Revolution return home after going undefeated on their three-game road swing, defeating D.C. United then drawing with both Colorado and Kansas City.

- Chivas USA saw its five-game undefeated streak come to an end in the 1-0 loss at FC Dallas on Sunday evening.

- Goals from Nick LaBrocca, Marcos Mondaini and Alejandro Moreno gave Chivas USA a 3-0 win on April 30 at The Home Depot Center in the first meeting between the teams.

- Chivas USA have won four consecutive matches against New England, all by shutout. The Revolution have not scored in 377 minutes vs. Chivas.

Philadelphia Union vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:30 p.m.

- Brian Ching scored two goals for the Dynamo, his second and third of the season (his first came June 25 vs. D.C. United). It was the first time since last Aug. 21, when he scored a hat trick, that Ching hit for multiple goals in a game.

- Brad Davis recorded his 10th assist of the season in the 3-1 win against Seattle, the third consecutive season he's hit double-digits in assists, and the fourth time in six league seasons with the Dynamo.

- Guatemalan international striker Carlos Ruiz, who had scored three goals in the previous four games, did not dress for the home game with Colorado, with manager Peter Nowak saying afterward he will be leaving the club.

- Union won for the second consecutive season in Houston, as they made Danny Califf's fifth-minute goal stand up for a 1-0 victory March 19 at Robertson Stadium in the first meeting this season.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m.

- After gaining the late draw with New England, Sporting (3-0-4) were one of only two teams still unbeaten at home, along with the LA Galaxy (6-0-5).

- Sounders FC saw their club-record league unbeaten streak come to an end at nine games in the 3-1 loss at Houston last weekend,

- The teams are meeting for the second time this season, after yet another late goal gave Sounders FC a victory against KC, Jeff Parke scoring in stoppage time in a 1-0 win May 21 at Qwest Field.

- Sounders FC have won the last four meetings between the teams in league play, five in a row when adding a U.S. Open Cup encounter.

Real Salt Lake vs. New York Red Bulls, 9 p.m.

- The Red Bulls return to MLS play after a stunning performance in the Emirates Cup in London, winning the four-team event after defeating France's Paris Saint-Germain FC 1-0 in the opening match, then tying host Arsenal FC 1-1.

- Over the last seven league games, the Red Bulls have scored 11 goals - four of those from Joel Lindpere, and three each from Thierry Henry and Juan Agudelo, after those two both hit in New York's 2-2 draw with FC Dallas on July 23.

- Real Salt Lake lost for just the second time in 37 regular-season games all-time at Rio Tinto Stadium in last weekend's 2-0 loss to Columbus.

RSL has a three-game unbeaten streak vs. New York, with two consecutive victories (including the first game last season) followed by a scoreless draw in the first meeting between the clubs at Red Bull Arena.

LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas, 10:30 p.m.

- Landon Donovan's two-goal night vs. Vancouver pulled him into a tie for the third-most goals in MLS league play all-time, 114 goals along with Ante Razov.

- Marvin Chavez continued his rich run of form, hitting for the only goal in the 1-0 win against Chivas USA. He's scored FCD's last three goals, in the last two games.

- FC Dallas has recorded five shutouts in the last seven league games; Kevin Hartman leads the league with 11 shutouts for the season.

- Brek Shea scored a dramatic winner two minutes from full time on May 1 in the first meeting between the clubs on a wild night at Pizza Hut Park.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m.

The Earthquakes saw their winless run extended to nine games in the 2-0 home loss to D.C. United last weekend, the longest stretch without a victory since the club came back into MLS in 2008.

The Quakes have scored just four goals in that stretch, shut out in seven of those nine games.

Eddie Johnson scored his first MLS goal in Portland's 2-2 draw with Toronto over the weekend, making just his second league start.

While the teams are meeting for the first time in league play, they played in the second round of U.S. Open Cup play-in matches. Ike Opara's goal in the final minute of extra time gave the Earthquakes a 1-0 win May 3 at Jeld-Wen Field, the Timbers' first loss to an MLS side at home.

Sunday, August 7

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Chicago Fire, 7 p.m. (Galavision)

Vancouver's 4-0 home defeat to the LA Galaxy was their heaviest defeat since coming to MLS this season.

The Fire returned to MLS play this week with just one victory in their last 18 league matches - coming on June 12 vs. Columbus. They entered the week on a six-game winless run.

The teams played to a scoreless draw in their first meeting, May 7 at Toyota Park.

Two of the most diverse clubs in MLS square off; the two rosters include players born in 23 different countries and all six FIFA confederations.

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 2, 2011


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