Another night, another defeat marred by gong-show football comedy from Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy, who lost 1-0 to Robin Fraser's Chivas USA thanks to a 71st minute penalty kick by Jose Correa.

With the result, the Galaxy drop to 3-6-2 (11 points) and have an uphill battle to climb before they can get into the thick of the MLS Western Conference chase.

Here are six things We Learned from Saturday's 1-0 defeat to the Goats at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

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When Michael Gspurning went down with a hip injury, backup keeper Andrew Weber couldn’t become the regular starter because of a wrist injury.  Weber’s backup, Josh Ford, couldn’t either because of an ACL tear.  This left the Seattle Sounders with a 23-year-old who hadn’t played a regular season MLS match in his life: Bryan Meredith.

Bryan Meredith was born in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, on August 2, 1989.  He attended Monmouth University in his home state, where he served as captain and starting keeper of his team. 

His success as a Monmouth Hawk earned him various awards in the NSCAA, including being named to the 2008 NSCAA/Adidas North Atlantic Region First Team.  During his time in college, Meredith played briefly for the Central Jersey Spartans of the USL Premier Development League.

In early 2011 Meredith was selected by the Sounders in the second round of the MLS Superdraft.  After a trial with the Sounders, he was released after Josh Ford earned the third goalkeeping position.  Meredith returned to the USL’s development league where he played with the Kitsap Pumas of Bremerton, Washington.

After fourteen appearances with the Pumas, the Sounders signed Meredith in September of 2011 to replace backup keeper Terry Boss, who had just suffered a series of season-ending concussions.  Meredith’s improvements through his time with Kitsap resulted in a promotion, and Meredith made his competitive debut in an October match in the CONCACAF Champions League Cup.

Meredith played in three more matches before returning to the third goalkeeping spot.  His work ethic and improved skill had left a mark on head coach Sigi Schmid and goalkeeper coach Tom Dutra. He was retained for the 2012 MLS season.

During the offseason Boss retired from injuries, and starting keeper Kasey Keller retired after two decades of professional soccer playing—three years of which were with the Sounders.  Seattle brought in Michael Gspurning, the thirty-year-old former Austrian national team keeper.  After just six matches into the season, Gspurning injured his hip, forcing Meredith to take the hardest job on the soccer field.

Through three matches this year, Meredith has played very well.  He has a record seven saves in 225 minutes, while giving up just one goal.  He has also recorded two shutouts; a pretty impressive feat for a 23-year-old rookie.

Meredith will continue to be the Sounders' starting keeper until Gspurning is healthy.  There is currently no timetable for his return.

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As you may have heard, adidas will be debuting their "Smart Soccer" technology in this year's MLS All-Star Game against Chelsea in Philadelphia on July 25.

The world's first "Smart Soccer" match will see players on both teams fitted with special chips in their shoes. These will be used to provide real-time analysis of their performance, tracking a variety of metrics and sending the results wirelessly to the sidelines. More on how it all works right here.

To promote their "micoach" technology, adidas will be showcasing the talents of MLS stars Brek Shea, Javier Morales, Teal Bunbury and Darlington Nagbe in an ad spot during FOX Soccer's coverage of the Champions League final.

Here's a sneak preview of the clip...

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Eric Hassli gave Vancouver Whitecaps fans reason to be excited when he equalized against Toronto FC in the semifinal of the Amway Canadian Championship.

What you say? Yes, to be honest this author never heard of that tournament before either but that's not the issue here.

The MLS' two Canadian teams faced off, and one French-born player, who has a decent amount of experience playing in Europe, made waves with his volleyed goal.

This wasn't the first time Hassli has brought down the house with an amazing goal, as it seems the player is no stranger to viral videos or exquisite finishes. Last season, he scored this gem against the Seattle Sounders in an MLS game.

It's pretty hard to say which one may be the better effort. Hassli showed exceptional technique with the volley and the difficulty of the angle and, need for accuracy notwithstanding, he had much to do with the strike against Seattle.

His dejected opponents didn't really stand a chance, though the midfielders may be getting their fair share of flak from teammates for letting the crosser waltz through them so easily.

That is two top-notch strikes in two years from the French striker, and fans of the game, those from Vancouver especially, will be looking to see what else the Whitecaps striker has in his locker.

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Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy take on Robin Fraser's Chivas USA on Saturday at the Home Depot Center in Round 1 of the 2012 Honda SuperClasico.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

The live blog will begin at approximately 5:15 p.m. PT/8:15 p.m. ET.

Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of the 2012 Major League Soccer season and all things World Football.

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Juan Agudelo is currently one of the United States’ most popular and exciting young soccer players.

New York Red Bulls fans were excited to call him their own. Their opinions were heard when Hans Backe wouldn’t play him. Many were surprised and disappointed to hear that the club favorite was traded to Chivas USA.

But after the shock subsides, Red Bull fans should know one thing: the trade actually works in the team’s favor.

The deal that has been reported is that the Red Bulls will send Agudelo to Chivas USA in exchange for defender Heath Pearce. New York will also receive allocation money, a cut of any sale of Agudelo to a foreign league and Chivas will pay for part of Pearce’s salary.

It’s quite a haul for a player that has only appeared in four games this season and isn’t considered a starter when the entire first team is healthy.

Fairly or unfairly, whatever the case, Agudelo has been stuck on the bench and in head coach Hans Backe’s doghouse the past two seasons.

Last year Agudelo managed to score six goals and had two assists in 27 games played (12 starts), but even when forward Luke Rodgers was injured (which was often) Backe preferred to play Dane Richards up front before letting the young American into the lineup.

This year he spent time with the US team that attempted to qualify for the Olympics and there he picked up an injury. Agudelo was available to play in the team’s past two games, but came off the bench, even with Thierry Henry injured.

The Red Bulls will get Pearce, another member of the USMNT player pool, as well as a versatile defender, to shore up the patchwork and inconsistent defensive line.

Although the Red Bulls had three straight shutout victories prior to Sunday’s 3-2 win over Philadelphia, only two teams have yielded more than the 16 goals the Red Bulls have surrendered over the course of the season.

They have started an inexperienced back four of Markus Holgersson, Tyler Ruthven and Conor Lade recently along with Jan Gunnar Solli or Roy Miller.

Pearce is a versatile defender that is one of the league’s best at either the left back or center back position. He also does a very good job of getting forward and crossing the ball while not compromising his defensive responsibilities.

For Chivas to pay part of his salary helps free up cap space to use on additional help, as does the nice sum of allocation money the team receives.

The Red Bulls front office is notorious for preferring to sign international talent, so having extra allocation money will help bring in the additional midfield playmaker and depth at forward (possibly Rodgers if he can get his visa issues straightened out) that the team needs.

Another question is how long Agudelo will stay in MLS. European clubs came calling this winter and they probably will continue their pursuit of the American prospect this summer. If Agudelo does in fact get sold, the Red Bulls will still get a cut of that transaction.

It’s not to say Agudelo isn’t or won’t be a good player. He could have great success with increased playing time and support. But New York received plenty of value in exchange for him. They received assets that can immediately help the team in pursuit of its first trophy.

For a player that was having difficulty coming off the bench and making an impact receiving this much compensation—essentially selling high—is a best-case scenario for the Red Bulls.

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It is a question that all MLS fans ask despite knowing they will never truly have an answer.

As fans of a young developing league, we are constantly trying to compare Major League Soccer's clubs with those of the best in Europe as we ponder how things would play out if the leagues ever combined.

With so many variables and differences between the two leagues that are unknown even to the most attentive follower of the MLS and EPL, we will never truly know for sure how MLS clubs would fare if placed up against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal in the Premier League.

For pure fantastical fun, here are the three teams in MLS which I think could legitimately compete in a long Premier League season and hold their own against some of the best clubs in the world. Enjoy!

Note 1: Of course, there is always going to be different opinions on this unsolvable and subjective topic. Comment below on how you think certain MLS teams would fair if suddenly placed in the Premier League.

Note 2: I am not saying that these three teams would legitimately compete for an EPL crown, but at least be relevant in discussion of mid-table finishes and avoid relegation altogether.

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I will start this off by saying this is not an anti-Chelsea article, but rather an article about what would be more exciting than another English Team. If you look at the past All-Star games, they have had a decidedly English flavor to them. While the EPL is arguable the most popular league in America, it's time for something different, something that will add a little more flavor to the game.

American soccer fans deserve a little diversity in their All-Star game.

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Barack Obama: President, statesman, world leader… joker?

David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and a bunch of other, less famous dudes visited the White House on Tuesday per the traditional arrangement in which American sports champions are congratulated by the sitting President.

The reigning MLS champs are the Los Angeles Galaxy, the sitting President is Barack Obama and the meeting produced a few funny moments.

First, Obama called the Galaxy "the Miami Heat of soccer."

Uh, OK. Does that make Robbie Keane the Galaxy's version of Chris Bosh?

Then, Obama, 50, went to work on the 37-year-old Beckham, whom he jokingly called a "young up-and-comer."

USA Today reports:

"We also have a young up-and-comer on the team, a guy named David Beckham," Obama said. "I have to say I gave David a hard time—I said half his teammates could be his kids."

He then turned to the midfielder.

"We're getting old, David."

Obama did take the time to praise Beckham, who came back from a spinal fracture midway through the season and a hamstring injury the week before the MLS Cup final.

"He is tough," Obama said. "In fact, it is a rare man who can be that tough on the field and also have his own line of underwear."

Beckham, as you no doubt recall, released a line of underwear for H&M recently. Here's the ad.

But that wasn't the end of the fun. Later, when NBC News reported on the event, political reporter Chuck Todd made a mess of, well, everything.

Marvel at Todd's ignorance, which prompted a bizarre media feud (h/t Mediaite), right here.

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It's undeniable that Major League Soccer has continued its rise in American sports. Attendance and interest has been up, and the quality of games has improved.

Yet there's also the undeniable fact that MLS has become, for better or worse, a league where many veterans of European leagues come to retire.

Fans can debate the merits of this, but it is nonetheless beyond debate that this trend will continued for the foreseeable future.

So who would we like to see in MLS? Again, this is up for debate as it's a subjective point of discussion. That said, there are a few obvious choices.

Let's take a look at a few of them.

(Keep in mind, some of these are players who we'd like to see in the league, not necessarily people we think will play here.)

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