The times are changing for Major League Soccer, but how fast? And what can be done to speed up the process?

Soccer in general and Major League Soccer in particular keep growing in popularity in the United States. America’s top-tier soccer league this year became America’s third most-popular major sports league in terms of total attendance, beating out more established leagues like the NBA and NHL.

And with attendance figures passing 4 million for the year in 2012, MLS now ranks No. 8 among the world’s most-attended soccer leagues.

With that said, the league is still young (it began only in 1996) and still trails Major League Baseball and the NFL by a wide margin. What can be done to change that?

Watch as B/R soccer writer Michael Cummings discusses possible changes MLS could make to increase its popularity, then add your own thoughts to the comments below.

Follow @MikeCummings37.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Thanks to an incredible defense-oriented game led by keeper Michael Gspurning, the Sounders FC clinched their fourth consecutive playoff berth with a tie on Saturday against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Hopefully, this one will end up in an MLS Cup Championship.

Despite the Sounders high intensity offense led by forwards Eddie Johnson and Fredy Montero, the Sounders were shut down by the Vancouver Whitecaps—the fifth place team in the Western Conference. The tie guaranteed the Sounders a trip to the playoffs, and pushed the second-year Whitecaps into the lead for the final spot (five teams of each MLS conference make the playoffs). Currently, the Whitecaps have 39 points and lead FC Dallas by two. Both teams will play three more matches before the postseason begins.

The Sounders are now the first expansion team in MLS history to have made four consecutive playoff appearances. In addition to that feat, the Sounders join Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy as the only teams to qualify for every postseason since 2009.

Despite the playoff berth, some people were upset with the draw at Century Link Field against a Northwest rival. Midfielder Mauro Rosales told the Sounders website, “We know we are in the playoffs with that point, but it’s not enough. We came here for the three points. We hope the next game we can win at home against Portland for our fans."

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Professional sports in the United States is boasted as the best in the world, attracting talent across a multitude of countries to participate in a scheme that generates billions of dollars in revenue.

The National Football League (NFL) has been a giant in the world of spectacles for some time, challenged but unmoved by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

And as the NFL commands a huge market share in sports consumption, it really lacks a competitor that can meet the fans' hunger and glorious stage upon which it celebrates its game.

Skipping over to Europe, where the aforementioned sports are far less heralded, soccer is king.

Built on a leviathan of a structure that webs together the entire continent, the sport has endless connection into a broad network of leagues and divisions. This is something that the U.S. will never acquire, making the European game a unique experience and construction.

Soccer is a growing sport in the U.S., aided first by David Beckham's move to the Los Angeles Galaxy, then by acquisition of the television rights to broadcast the game by those who do it best. So while the NFL is by far the most dominant in performance, soccer is in a position to claim a healthy chunk of a huge sports market.

A New Frontier

With the NFL, MLB and NBA in our own backyard, there exists a level of transparency and expectation when it comes to the revolving door of overlapping seasons and high levels of performance.

Major League Soccer, the dominant organization in the U.S., is just breaking ground on developing deep fanbases, stadiums and an overall product that is improving. 

Soccer was a project that had hardly been tinkered with over the past few decades, but its marketability has only been recently found to push the game onto the American public. So thanks to a handful of iconic players to help carry the league while it gathers itself, the MLS has taken off in recent years.

Suffice to say, soccer was a sport that had fresh and available markets to acquire and perhaps imitate the culture that complements the game. It is a frontier that has a number of possibilities, and with a big brother, per se, in Europe, there is always a standard when it comes to its performance and packaging.

It Goes Both Ways

While soccer has slowly crept from Europe into the American sports market, the NFL and the NBA have made strides to extend its product in a reverse manner. As the vanguards of the game, it only behooves each league to acquire more fans of the sport and the organization simultaneously.

Schemes to increase popularity and visibility constantly require tinkering. And playing with untapped markets is something that each sport and its overseeing organization have to consider.

The explosion of the English Premier League and Champions League competitions onto American sports programming has paved a way for newcomers to more easily access a wealth of games that showcase some of the best players in the world. It is a fostering kind of movement that could easily translate into more of a following for the domestic league—a benefit that the MLS will kindly take.

David vs. Goliath (But this time the favorite wins)

At the end of the day, the American football is Goliath and soccer is David.

There is a huge separation between the two sports, but soccer is definitely closing the gap. The silliness that was replacement referees in the NFL did not help its cause, but fans will always come back to the game.

Nevertheless, the hunger that is there for American football can be there for soccer as well. With the MLS rising in status with a format that translates well with other American league structures, popularity is visibly increasing.

Additionally, the ever-present nature of Europe's best leagues and the enthralling Champions League are iconic spectacles that can feed any appetite in the U.S.

It is an uphill battle for sure, but soccer is a sport that is gaining a foothold in American sport culture that likely will not vanish.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

The Chicago Fire can win the MLS Cup!

That was my proclamation after witnessing their come-from-behind victory against the Columbus Crew Saturday night.

Over 19,000 fans jammed Toyota Park and watched Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson give a goal away on an errant pass. But there was no doubt that they would come back and win the game.

The ill-timed pass Johnson intended for defender Arne Friedrich went instead to an awaiting Jairo Arrieta, who caught Johnson out of position to score the goal in the 15th minute of play.

Instead of sulking, the Fire raised their intensity level and went on the attack offensively.

Fire forward and Kettering, Ohio native Chris Rolfe tied the match in the 23rd minute of play. Sharp passing by Sherjill MacDonald set up Rolfe’s goal beautifully.

As the crowd roared, Rolfe proved he was not finished, adding a go-ahead goal three minutes later. The goal ended up the game winner.

Fire coach Frank Klopas praised the effort of the team following the match in his post-game press conference:

“Yeah, obviously another great win for our team. Being here at home there is a fantastic atmosphere tonight from our fans. And I thought we had a very good start to the game. We made a mistake, we gave up the goal, but I gave so much credit to the team. You know, we never panicked, we kept playing the same way and we scored two very nice goals. We had some opportunities in the second half to put the game away and I think in the end it was a little bit difficult because as a tendency when you’re up we dropped a little bit off and then they played everything in the box. Lot of long balls, which is our strength. But in the end I thought it was a great win, lot of credit to the guys.”

The Fire does deserve the credit and they deserve the support of the fans.

With the Chicago Bears’ season underway and the Chicago White Sox in the middle of a division race, the Fire’s chase at the MLS Playoffs have gone somewhat unnoticed. They are not only in a legitimate position to make the playoffs, but they can win the MLS Cup.

The Fire has an all-important match Friday against Sporting Kansas City. The winner will have sole possession of the top spot in the Eastern Conference. If the Fire wins the match, the sky is the limit. Their comeback win versus the Crew this past Saturday left a lasting impression on the many who watched the game.

The Chicago Fire can win the MLS Cup!

Ernest Shepard is a Bleacher Report featured columnist, all quotes and observations were acquired firsthand.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Chicago Fire fans must be excited about the Fire’s chances at earning a spot in the MLS playoffs. Having gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, the Fire have the look of a championship contender. Overall, the Fire have a record of 15-8-5 with 50 points.

They are peaking at just the opportune time.

After their 3-1 win against the Montreal Impact, Fire forward Patrick Nyarko spoke to reporters about the team’s goals at the beginning of the season. When asked about how many points he and his fellow Fire teammates were shooting for, Nyarko responded with “60 points.”

With six games remaining, including tonight’s match versus the Columbus Crew, 60 points is well within reach. So is winning the MLS Cup.

Here are five things the Fire can do in order to finish the season as MLS Cup champions. This does not include defeating the Eastern Conference-leading Sporting Kansas City club next Friday.

Begin Slideshow

Source: Click Here

After a disappointing CONCACAF Champions League campaign earlier this year, Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy look to bounce back this time around. The key to success for the Galaxy during their CCL run is quality roster depth.

Even Landon Donovan agrees that winning the CCL has a lot to do with a team’s roster depth. In an interview with L.A. Galaxy Insider Adam Serrano, Donovan said, "The most important thing is having a number of players that can contribute because you can’t play the same 11 guys 45 or 50 times a year."

Starting with the defense, the Galaxy have not changed much at all. The championship backline of Todd Dunivant, A.J. DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez and Sean Franklin is still intact.

Through the 2012 MLS supplemental draft, the Galaxy added some much-needed depth in Bryan Gaul at left-back. Although Todd Dunivant is much better defensively at this position, Gaul is a solid backup. What makes Gaul so unique as a left-back is that he’s 6'5" and played forward for a year in college.

As for the midfield, Bruce Arena tends to send out the likes of Mike Magee, David Beckham, Juninho and Marcelo Sarvas. With the recent addition of Swedish international Christian Wilhelmsson, we’ll likely see either Sarvas or Magee sent to the bench.

Besides these players, the Galaxy have quite a few midfielders that can come off the bench and play quality minutes. For example, Michael Stephens and Hector Jimenez are both players who can provide some extra offense if needed. On the other hand, Bryan Jordan can be a defensive presence in any game.

There’s so much quality midfield depth that Arena has opted to pair Landon Donovan, who normally played in the middle for LA, with Robbie Keane up top. The chemistry between Donovan and Keane is so great that separating them should only be done out of necessity. However, if needed, players like Pat Noonan and Edson Buddle can fill in when they are healthy.

LA Galaxy homegrown players Jack McBean and Jose Villarreal are also viable options at forward. In fact, the 18-year-old Villarreal has only played in six MLS matches but has become a fan favorite after scoring a late equalizer against the Vancouver Whitecaps, earning him MLS Goal of the Week.

One weakness of all the depth that LA now has is the youth and inexperience that many players possess. Several of the Galaxy’s key bench players have very little CCL experience. Gaul, Villarreal, Jimenez and McBean are all young and may not be able to handle hostile environments on the road.

This weakness, however, was not at all apparent in the Galaxy’s dominant 4-0 home win against the Puerto Rico Islanders. The match was L.A.’s second in the group stage of the 2012-2013 CCL.

A 4-0 victory doesn't sound like much against a team coming from the North American Soccer League, but what’s surprising is that Arena sent out what was essentially a team of reserves. Not a single player from the team’s current starting XI started in that match.

The Galaxy currently sit atop Group 5 with six points and two games remaining. Wednesday’s away leg against the Islanders will once again test LA’s youngsters and other bench players since Beckham, Keane, Gonzalez, Franklin, Saunders and Magee all did not travel.

With the Galaxy feeling immense pressure to perform in both the CCL and MLS, their quality roster depth is crucial to success. Not many MLS teams have the luxury of sending out rested players three times a week and still being able to compete at a high level.

The Galaxy seem to be in a good position to go far in the CCL and be a serious MLS Cup threat at the same time. Hopefully, the team can live up to expectations and represent MLS and American soccer in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Thierry Henry: Proponent of va va voom. Scorer of beautiful goals. Master of understatement?

Henry, the man and myth who became a legend with Arsenal and France for scoring classics like this, this and this, knocked in another memorable strike Saturday night. With his New York Red Bulls leading the Columbus Crew late in the second half of an MLS match, the 35-year-old Henry curled a corner kick directly into the Crew's net.

So, a big-time goal demands a big-time statement afterward, right? Um, nope. Here's what Henry said, via the New York Daily News:

“I’ve scored some OK goals in my career. But I have to say, this one is not a bad one.”

Indeed, Thierry. It wasn't bad at all.

This shot, known in Latin America as an olimpico, requires the shooter to overcome a basically impossible angle. But as Henry has shown repeatedly throughout his career, the laws of physics and the universe don't necessarily matter when scoring is possible.

So, then. Did Henry mean it? Was he actually going for goal?

As Dirty Tackle points out, the Crew's keeper was backup Matt Lampson, and he had just entered the match moments earlier. From the footage, it looks like Henry had planned on taking the corner short right before changing his mind.

Here's another look at the goal, to help you make up your mind.

In the meantime, Henry now has 13 league goals this season, fourth-best in MLS. The Red Bulls trail Kansas City by two points for the Eastern Conference lead.

[Video: KickTV]

Follow @MikeCummings37

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

On September 5, 2012, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy signed Swedish international midfielder Christian “Chippen” Wilhelmsson. The signing greatly improves the roster of the Galaxy as they near the end of the Major League Soccer regular season and look to repeat as MLS Cup Champions.

One of the Galaxy’s only glaring weaknesses is the right midfield spot. Recently, Arena has played 23-year-old Hector Jimenez on the right. Although Jimenez plays the role decently, he is young and still has a lot of room to grow.

Christian Wilhelmsson will no doubt be a major upgrade. As a true winger, Chippen will be able to add width to the Galaxy and provide excellent service to Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane up top. The only concerns with the Swede are his age and fitness.

The 32-year-old Wilhelmsson is by no means past playing quality soccer, especially if you compare him to his fellow midfielder, David Beckham. However, playing on the wing in MLS means that Chippen will encounter some speedy players such as Dane Richards and Steve Zakuani. 

Christian’s fitness is also somewhat of a concern. He was last with a club team six months ago but played three matches in the Euros. It is likely that some more time will be needed before he gets to a point where he'll be able to play a full 90 minutes.

There is still the question of who Bruce Arena will send out in the midfield when everyone's fit and healthy. With Juninho playing his best soccer of the season, Bruce will likely keep starting him next to Beckham in the center of the midfield.

Wilhelmsson is able to play on either wing, so this leaves either Mike Magee or Marcelo Sarvas to be benched. Whoever Bruce chooses, the other will definitely see time as a sub, and this just adds to the incredible depth that the Galaxy have.

With the MLS regular season winding down, it's crucial that the Galaxy stay hot in order to succeed in the playoffs. The signing of Christian WIlhelmsson will no doubt help the team become more dangerous on the wings and solidify L.A.'s bench as one of the best in the league.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Despite again dominating the possession battle and setting a new all-time high in shots with 28, Sporting Kansas City needed a dramatic equalizer from C.J. Sapong to rescue a draw with the Houston Dynamo in front of 19,877 fans at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.

Sapong's header in the third minute of stoppage time canceled out a strike by Houston captain Brad Davis just short of the hour mark.

Houston coach Tim Hanley, who manned the sideline in the absence of Dominic Kinnear, said the late goal made the game feel like a loss. In the postgame press conference I attended, Hanley said:

"It feels like a loss when it isn’t, because it was at the very end. I think for Sporting KC it probably feels like a win. I think that they pushed so hard and they are such a good team at home. They are always knocking on the door, but our guys did well."

Sporting KC captain Jimmy Nielsen didn't see it that way. In the locker room after the game, Nielsen said:

"If [Houston] had left here with all three points, they should have been arrested for robbery. We were lucky to score at the time we did—I will admit that. But this does not feel like a victory for us. I feel like it’s the same story every time we play at home. You have to respect the opponent’s playing style, and we’ve got to do a better job finding ways to create open chances."

Sporting KC had the first dangerous chance of the game in the fifth minute. Sapong chased a ball down on the right wing that Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall had come out of his box to play.

Sapong laid the ball back for Graham Zusi, who tried to chip the ball into the net, but it was cleared off the line by defender Bobby Boswell.

Houston's first chance came in the 13th minute on a free kick from Davis. From just outside the penalty area on the right wing, Davis got the ball over the wall, but hit the side netting just to the right of the near post.

Hall came up with a big save on Sapong in the 33rd minute. Matt Besler put a cross in from the right and Sapong got his head on it, but Hall got a hand to it to keep the game scoreless.

Nine minutes later, Houston had a chance of its own snuffed out. Corey Ashe put a through ball in to Will Bruin, but Nielsen made a sliding stop from point blank range. The chance was made more dangerous by the presence of Macoumba Kandji in the penalty area.

Four minutes after the break, Sporting KC's Julio Cesar whiffed on a clearance attempt and allowed Bruin in on goal. Bruin's shot was easily saved by Nielsen.

Nine minutes later, Houston drew first blood. Midfielder Oscar Boniek Garcia appeared to be trapped near the top of the penalty area, but managed to get a pass off to Davis. Davis used his first touch to put the ball on his left foot and put the ball out of Nielsen's reach going back the way he'd come.

The goal was Davis's seventh of the season, and Boniek Garcia was credited with his sixth assist of 2012.

After the game, Nielsen said the goal wouldn't keep him up at night. Nielsen said, "It was a good strike and it bounced on the wet grass, which gave it more speed. Of course I’d like to save it, but that one won’t keep me awake. Give him credit."

In the 62nd minute, Ashe appeared to get into a scrap with Sporting KC forward Kei Kamara. Ashe, who stands 5'7", was at a considerable disadvantage against the 6'3" Kamara, but both players were separated by teammates. No cards were issued to either player.

The first booking of the game came in the 86th minute, a bit of a surprise considering Baldomero Toledo was the match's referee. Houston's Luiz Camargo was given a yellow card for delaying a restart.

In the postgame press conference, Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said that's something referees could do more of. Vermes said:

"I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining but every time a team comes in here they are just settled with dropping off and sitting in, trying to slow the game down. I understand that’s a tactic, I get it, but where the referees could come in, they cold help push the game along, there’s too many things that are getting overlooked and players are getting away with too much on the field."

Shortly before the start of second-half stoppage time, Sporting KC played the ball into the Houston penalty area where it appeared a Houston player handled the ball before it went out of play.

Several players appealed for a call, but Toledo appeared to call the handball on Sporting KC defender Aurelien Collin. Some players, including Kamara, were lucky they didn't get booked for dissent, considering their reactions to the decision.

The stage was then set for more late-game drama that fans of Sporting KC have almost come to expect. Defender Matt Besler sent in a long ball from his own half of the field and found Sapong at the top of the penalty area.

Sapong's floating header came down for Zusi, who settled the ball and put a cross in to the back post. Sapong was waiting for the cross and headed it into the back of the net.

The goal was Sapong's career-high sixth of the season, but his first in league play since June 16, a span of 12 matches. Zusi was credited with his 13th assist, tied for most in MLS with Seattle's Mauro Rosales.

The goal also marked the first time Sporting KC has not won a match in which Sapong was on the score sheet. Including playoffs, Sporting KC is now 11-0-1 when Sapong finds the net.

Next up for Sporting KC is a road game against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. The game will be televised on KSMO-TV with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

Follow @FntnCitySoccer

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

His breakthrough chance for the San Jose Earthquakes had arrived in a fit of finger-snapping immediacy on Thursday night, for a reason no player would ever want.

Sercan Guvenisik, a half-time substitute for forward Steven Lenhart, lasted just 19 minutes in San Jose's friendly with Mexican Premier League (Liga MX) side San Luis FC before hobbling off the field with what would later be diagnosed as a hamstring problem.

Earthquakes manager Frank Yallop beckoned to Fondy, who as recently as May had been plying his trade for the Los Angeles Blues in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) before being brought in as a guest player for a recent string of games.

It's the sort of audition that can spark a career, should the managerial staff come away impressed with the string of performances. But that couldn't have been farther from his mind when the call came to spell Guvenisik.

Maybe that was best. It's hard to get nerves when you don't have time to fall prey to worry.

The 23-year-old furiously shed his warmups and filtered out onto the field, where he paired with All-Star forward Chris Wondolowski at the top of San Jose's 4-4-2 formation. It was a fun change from 19 months ago, when Fondy—then a talented senior at UC Santa Cruz—had replaced Wondolowski during an exhibition with the University of California.

The inclusion wasn't lost on the 1906 Ultras, who despite their diminished presence on the night still hailed the Bay Area native's entrance into the game.

"It felt awesome," Fondy said in the post-game locker room, thinking back upon his entry into the game. "I might have blacked out for a second out there, you can tell me what happened."

Sporting the number 36 on his back, on a jersey that had yet to feature his name (so it goes for guest invitees), Fondy waited only five minutes for his first chance on goal, superbly chesting a crossfield ball from Ramiro Corrales and firing a volley over the crossbar.

Though he's always been known as a goalscorer, it was Fondy's link-up play against San Luis that most impressed. His flicked header, which bounded into the path of Wondolowski, was impressive, as was his hold-up play in the 85th minute, where from the right wing he picked out midfielder Rafael Baca in the penalty area with a clever pass that nearly led to a goal.

"I like to think that I’m an all-around player; that I can do everything pretty well," Fondy said. "I just like to fine-tune everything to take it to the next level."

He'd already impressed for San Jose in a Tuesday reserves match victory (2-0) against the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Then it had been Fondy's fearsome drive that had opened the scoring for San Jose, his effort rocketing off the crossbar and into the path of Mehdi Ballouchy, who headed home with ease. Fondy had also come close to getting his name on the score sheet with a close-range sliding effort that was well saved.

Wondolowski, who scored the 92nd-minute winner against San Luis and never one to mince words both on the field and off it, said in the post-game locker room that he came away particularly impressed by Fondy's Thursday-night performance.

The impression was shared by Yallop. "He’s done well," the coach said in his interview. "We had Matt in a couple of years ago (2011); he went to Pittsburgh and played in the USL, and I've spoken to him via text over the last little bit. Any time he’s here, we'll talk.

"He’s not had a chance to come in too frequently, but we invited him for the reserve game (against the Galaxy), and he did well in that and I thought he’s played well enough in that game to get a chance to show his stuff tonight. He did well; I thought it was good."

Tired legs notwithstanding (two games in three days' time wears on any player, regardless of age), Fondy was a picture of exuberance in the locker room.

"It was awesome," he said, trying to affix words to what he'd just experienced. "I’ve been trying to get on the Earthquakes for a year or two now, and it’s a dream come true."

Since his Santa Cruz career came to a close, Fondy has featured for USL sides Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, and kept on scoring.

While with LA this past spring, he scored against the youth teams of Chivas USA and LA Galaxy, but through it all, he has maintained making it in MLS as his foremost goal.

"When I'm in the (Bay Area), I'll let (Yallop) know I'm around, and if he needs me for a reserve game or practice," Fondy said. If that proves the case, Fondy continued, then he's there.

"I tried out for them a few years ago, and I was on the cusp, and I played a few USL seasons. When I got back after this previous (LA) Blues season, I texted Yallop I was around, and I got into that reserve game against the Galaxy."

Fondy's chance with the Quakes will likely come after the current season, in which San Jose is embroiled in a race for the Supporters Shield and a likely title challenge. That means that Fondy will presumably earn an invitation to January camp, where he'll be raring to crack the Quakes roster.

Few will have finer pedigrees than he.

At Santa Cruz, Fondy led the team in scoring in his sophomore (seven), junior (eight) and senior (14) seasons. That final campaign (he also chipped in 12 assists for the 11-4-3 Banana Slugs) coincided with Fondy being named the Division III Independents Player of the Year as well as earning First-Team honors. (He was named third-team All-America his junior season at UCSC.)

It was the latest in a long line of accomplishments for Fondy, who in 2006 was named the Central Coast Section (CCS) Player of the Year after scoring 15 goals and adding 11 assists for Burlingame High School.

That Fondy had enjoyed such a superlative end to his high school career was made all the more impressive considering that he'd suffered a torn right quadriceps during his junior year that had forced him into six months of convalescence.

Fondy had used that time to work painstakingly upon improving his left foot, an effort that helped create the complete player seen today. He's never forgotten the injury, though, and the level of appreciation for health that it fostered in him.

It's an awareness he continues to exude, even as his appearance (he's shed his shaggy hair for a closer crop) has changed. Asked about his plans for the immediate future following Thursday's game, Fondy was succinct.

"I’m trying to stay around here as long as I can," he said. "The longer (San Jose) let me stay, that’s the best thing that can happen."

All quotes were obtained first-hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here