New York, NY - The MLS All-Star team will have an opportunity to avenge last year's horrific 5-2 loss to Manchester United. Earlier today, Major League Soccer announced that Manchester United will return to face the best of MLS in the 2011 MLS AT&T All-Star game.

Taking place at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, July 27, this game will be broadcast live on ESPN2, Galavision and TSN (in Canada) starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. The 16th Annual All-Star game will mark the third time the game is hosted in the New York/New Jersey area.

“We are pleased to host Manchester United again for our marquee summer event,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “Our All-Star Game has become a true celebration of soccer, and our best players look forward to the challenge of competing against one of the top clubs in the world.”

Many fans will have the opportunity to visit the 25,000 seat Red Bull Arena for the first time which is considered by many to be the best Soccer Specific Stadium in the country. Since opening its doors in 2010, fan attendance has been consistent and rowdy.

“Since opening our doors last year, hundreds of thousands of fans have been able to enjoy some of the best soccer events at our stadium.” said Erik Soler, New York Red Bulls General Manager and Sporting Director. “We are excited to welcome Manchester United and the MLS All Stars to this lineup of marquee matches. Manchester United is one of the world’s premier sports franchises and we expect that their arrival to Red Bull Arena will invigorate all soccer fans around the tri-state area.”

As stated in the MLS News Release:

All Red Bulls Full Season Members will have the first chance to purchase seats, followed by 10-Game Plan Holders, 5-Game Plan Holders and Red Bulls Membership Card holders.  Full Season Members will also receive a discount on tickets purchased equal to the number of Full Season Memberships on their account.  In total, Full Season Members can purchase up to double the amount of seats on their account during this exclusive presale.

After the Full Season Member presale, all Red Bulls 10-Game Plan Holders, followed by 5-Game Plan Holders, will have an opportunity to purchase tickets to the AT&T MLS All-Star Game up to equal the amount of plans on their account. These tickets will be full price with fees and will be based on availability.  Red Bulls Members will also have an opportunity to purchase a limited number of tickets to the AT&T MLS All-Star Game, based on availability, after the Plan Holders presale is complete.

Any remaining tickets following the presale will be made available through a General Public sale beginning on Thursday, June 2 @ 2:00 PM.  To participate in the presale please contact the New York Red Bulls to purchase a Full Season Membership, partial ticket plan or Basic Membership.  For more information visit www.newyorkredbulls.com/tickets/allstarinfo or call 877.RBSOCCER.

Cesar Diaz covers Soccer for Latino Sports. You may follow him on Facebook at Covering Soccer and at Twitter at @CoveringSoccer and @LatinoSports143. Please email your questions and comments to Cesar at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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I'll admit, I was sketchy about Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco when he decided to accept an invitation to join Sporting Kansas City on trial.

Then again, because I never liked his on camera antics, I never took Ochocinco seriously as a real player in the NFL. I just thought of him as a guy who loved the camera and loved the checks.

It's amazing what a couple of days can do.

Since Tuesday, my respect level for Ochocinco has skyrocketed.

I always knew of Chad's love for the game of soccer, or as I call it, real football. He played in his youth and was an exceptional player.

Family influence and the uncertainty of a stable career in the brand new and financially strained Major League Soccer caused him to choose a career in the NFL. He is a big fan of the game in general.

In fact, he is currently struggling with who to root for when he goes to the Real Madrid-Barcelona derby on April 16. He has friends on both teams. His friends in the world football community include Barcelona star Lionel Messi, Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo and New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry.

In fact, the only player in a major professional sports league in the US that even comes close as a soccer fan is Kobe Bryant, the diehard AC Milan fan who—at one point—dreamed of playing for the Rossoneri.

With the NFL currently in a lockout, Ochocinco has the opportunity to revive his chances of a career in professional soccer.

MLS has never been more popular in the US and the competition has never been as strong.

Money is flowing in, as are the stars. In the last few years, Juan Pablo Angel, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and several other well-known players have left Europe to play in America.

Landon Donovan even snubbed the likes of Everton, Manchester City and Liverpool to remain at Los Angeles.

It was a rough start for Ochocinco. His touches were weak. His passes were not crisp. He struggled to shoot on target. You could see he was getting frustrated, but he never quit. He kept working and working.

The improvement from Tuesday to now is incredible! He was playing in full-sided scrimmages, showing strong wing play and a couple of dangerous crosses, one which connected with Teal Bunbury and found the net.

He certainly respects how difficult this task is. Of course, failure is something he must have thought about. He certainly understands the work and dedication and skill this will take.

As he tweeted to Barcelona star Gerard Pique: "I understand the skill it takes it to play at this level,I just love the beautiful game n have much respect for it."

He is asking his teammates for help, especially the likes of fellow forwards Kei Kamara and Bunbury.

What struck me the most besides his work ethic was his attitude in general. This is not, "I'm Ochocinco. I'm above you all."

It is more like, "I'm here to work. I'm here to live my dream but I know that it is going to take a long time for me to ever be near the level of the rest of you."

Again, respecting the difficulty of the game, he tweeted to his followers: "I wish you all can see the skill it takes to play FUTBOL,even with my speed these guys still make me look like shit on the pitch."

On day two, he met one-on-one with manager Peter Vermes. When the coach asked him his personal evaluation, Chad admitted to knowing he was nowhere near the level of the other players and had a long road ahead. Good for him owning up to that and realizing he has to work if he wants to have a chance at one day going after the ball against Beckham or trying to take Rafa Marquez one-on-one.

I loved the smile on Chad's face when Vermes told him he wanted him to play "20, 30, 45 minutes" in the reserves game this Monday. It showed just exactly how much this means to him.

I'm sure he wants to play a full 90, but he is being given a chance, which is the most important thing.

It has been a successful trial so far for Chad and I hope he gets a contract. It's still a long road, as he has to climb the ranks a bit before he can see first-team time. Once he gets near that level, he has to deal with a few rather talented forwards.

Kamara, Omar Bravo, Birahim Diop and C.J. Sapong are all quality strikers. He has to get to the level of these players if he wants to line up with a certain Bunbury, the Yank on the rise.

All in all, Chad Ochocinco has earned my respect and the respect of many others this week. His work ethic and motivation are incredible and his improvement is very encouraging.

All I can say is that Chad, I am no longer a doubter or a hater of yours. I have the utmost respect for you and best of luck as you try to make the squad at Sporting Kansas City.

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You know it.  The MLS has cheerleaders.  Well, some teams anyway.  We all know you've not made it to this point in my commentary, so we'll move on.  Go ahead and click the button.  Go ahead.  It's all right.

Wow, you stayed to read.  Let's count down the top five MLS cheerleaders, rated entirely by hotness factor.

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"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion." - Mia Hamm

Last night 78,936 soccer fans were treated to classic international friendly match of Style versus Heart as United States Men's National Team tied the Argentina National Team 1-1. While Argentina marveled the fans with their precision short-passes and attacking offense, the United States countered them with the excellent goalkeeping skills of Tim Howard and Juan Agudelo's equalizer.

Last night soccer fans witnessed the amazing ball-handling skills and toughness of Argentina's forward Lionel Messi. Not only was he breaking down defenses, but he would also get up immediately after being checked so his teammates can pass him the ball.

Messi was not only attacking the net, he was also beautifully passing the ball to his teammates. His 50-yard dribble towards the net was spectacular and memorable. Despite Tim Howard making a sensational save, Messi brought the crowd to their feet on his scoring attempt while serving notice to the United States National Team that at any point, he will make a dash for the goal if they're heavy-footed again.

One play that really defined his game-awareness was when he was pushing the ball towards the penalty area. Instead of taking a wild shot, he simply nutmegged U.S. Carlos Bocanegra to his teammate Angel di Maria. While Angel di Maria's shot was initially blocked by Tim Howard, it was Argentina's midfielder Esteban Cambiasso's well-placed rebound which gave Argentina the 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute in the first half. All of this was made possible thanks to Lionel Mesi's game-awareness.

While the current FIFA Player of the Year Lionel Messi lived up to his billing and exceeded expectations by playing the entire. Not only did he demonstrate why he's the best today, he inspired the fans to demonstrate their love and appreciation for him.

I will always remember how both the United States and Argentina fans chanted "Messi" while he was being tended to by his trainers. Those few seconds of the game will always be etched in my memory because they weren't chanting because he scored a goal. They were chanting because he was hurt and were concerned for him.

While Messi marveled everyone in attendance, it was New York Red Bulls forward who stole the show with his equalizer. While Tim Howard was unarguably the best player for the United States, it was Juan Agudelo's second half play that jump-started the U.S. offense. Coming in as a substitution in the second half, Agudelo played a role in reversing the United States style of play as he attacked the net while overpowering his defenders as he moved around with and without the ball.

Now I can go on and write about how Argentina out-shot the United States 14-6 while taking seven shots on goal to the United State's three shots. While neither team was called for offsides, the only thing that was surprising about the match was how the United States were issued four yellow cards while Argentina was issued none.

The reality is that last night's match was simply a game where there was nothing at stake. At the end of the game, everyone in attendance was entertained. Both teams shined and for the United States, tying the game was just as good as a win. All in all, this was a memorable game that many will enjoy talking about for years.

In my opinion, last night really demonstrated the importance of a relationship between a writer and a photographer. In today's TMZ, Facebook andTwitter world, people want to see photos. In the case of sports, a photograph can capture the mood of the game.

While I may write about the game, photographer Bill Menzel is my eyes. I enjoy telling him that we're the "Stockton & Malone" of Soccer Coverage. The reality is that every game I cover, I'm sitting down taking notes while Bill is all over the place taking photos with multiple cameras and lenses.

A typical routine between the two of us on game-day consist a pregame meal where we're breaking down the game. From angles of the pitch, to the fans in attendance, and the type of photos that should be taken... we discuss it all. Once the game begins, he's out in the field and I'm observing the game.

At halftime, we routinely discuss the first half and start planning by when I'm going to post my game recap.

The benefits of having a photographer as good as Bill is that we're in sync in the style of photos that we appreciate from a soccer match. If there's a specific photo I need, I can simply text him. Another huge advantage is the simple fact that while I may not remember every second of the game, a photo of his serves as an excellent visual aid and reminder.

Bill's photos has helped shape my articles because while I may have an idea of what I want to write, his photos time after time has given me an angle that I may have overlooked. Thanks to Bill, I can never be accused of stealing a copyrighted image.

When it's said and done, many photographers like Bill really work hard during a game and then there's the post-game work. While I have to work on a game recap, he has to review the photos and email them to me so I can have a complete article. Knowing the dedication and efforts he puts forth in his work, I always insist on editing and resizing his photos. It's the least thing I could do.

The only thing that's tragic about the Writer & Photographer relationship is that I'm unable to utilize most of Bill's photos. Personally, I feel it's an injustice to his craft because he truly understands soccer and the fans who follow the game.

While most will remember the United States-Argentina match as a fun game to watch, I will always remember it for the excellent photos that were taken by Bill Menzel. His photos really captured the game and he deserves credit for it.

While I'm not able to post every photo that he took, you the reader has the opportunity to really see how good he is. Bill... thank you again because you're the best photographer I've ever worked with and it's an honor.

To photos of the United States versus Argentina, please click on this link.

To see more photos of the United States versus Argentina, please click on this link.

To see more of Bill Menzel's photography, please go to this link.

Cesar Diaz covers Soccer for Latino Sports. You may follow him on Facebook at Covering Soccer and at Twitter at @CoveringSoccer and @LatinoSports143. Please email your questions and comments to Cesar at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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In the Laws of the Game, Law 12 states that denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) has two different punishments, depending on the outcome of the play.

But let's start by defining what DOGSO is. The law says it's when "a player denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick (direct or indirect) or a penalty kick."

The interpretation of the punishment is important as well. The law states, "If the referee makes use of the advantage during an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and a goal is scored directly, despite the opponent’s handling the ball or fouling an opponent, the player cannot be sent off but he can still be cautioned."

In that case, a yellow card is warranted, according to FIFA. If the opponent does not score, however, it is a send-off offense.

In today's referee review, we'll take a look at four videos and see how MLS referees interpreted the rule.

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Now with two weeks of the 2011 Major League Soccer season in the books, Real Salt Lake makes their move, while the Los Angeles Galaxy tumble in grand fashion.

Along the way, the Philadelphia Union are making their move to challenge RSL, while D.C., Sporting Kansas City, and Vancouver are also sliding down the ladder.

Who is up and who is down? Let's take a look in this week's MLS Power Rankings here on Bleacher Report.

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I run a weekly NFL podcast, down at The Pigeon Toe. A buddy and I get together, grab some topics, stick 'em in between two slices of banter and deliver an NFL video podcast sandwich, topped with horseradish, because we're extremely saucy.

We're in our virgin year, and we started back in October 2010. We're getting better, we hope, but we would like some feedback. Here at the Bleacher Report, communities are awesome enough to deliver that. Take a gander, and let us know what you think.

Watch this week's NFL video podcast here!

You can 1) Subscribe to our show on iTunes, or 2) Download the .wmv files directly.

Here's a breakdown of this week's episode:

The rise of the UFL

NFL wants HGH testing

Friendly 40-yard-dash competition

Chad Ochocinco trying out for MLS' Sporting KC

Why won't Gus Johnson scream in Madden?

That's it, you guys. Take a gander at the podcast. We realize that audio is pretty horrible, but we promise, it'll get better. (NOTE: We had some technical difficulties, thanks to crowded air-space.)

Comments are welcome. Encouraged, even.

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What do you call an MLS game where shots number 26-6?

Apparently in Seattle, we call that a draw. The Sounders once again dominated a significant amount of time on the pitch, but this time came away with a 1-1 draw rather than a loss.

“I think we deserved more tonight than a tie,” Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said. “I’m very proud of the team. I’m very proud of the effort they put in. Right now we can’t get anything to break our way sometimes. So I’m happy that we fought back and got the equalizer. Like I said, we deserved more on the day.”

Dynamo keeper Tally Hall was kept very busy, but a large number of Sounders shots went wide or high.  In the first half, it appeared the Sounders we set for a rout, but the ball never found the back of the net.

This all changed, except not from the boys in green. Dynamo midfielder Lovel Palmer racked a shot off the crossbar and Geoff Cameron set the ball back towards the net.

Sounder defender, and often-criticized player in this column, Jeff Parke put the final touch on the goal by rocketing the ball up in the air and off the crossbar, but this time into the net.

The game would remain much the same until the final 10 when Erik Friberg sent a free kick into the mix and off of a Dynamo player on the near post. The ball was headed past the far post, but Steve Zakuani was in the right place and walked the ball into the net, breaking the Sounders jinx and scoring their first goal of the season.

“It wasn’t the prettiest goal, but they all count the same,” Zakuani said. “We have that monkey off our back, now we have to keep playing how we’re playing.”

Highlight players of the game were Friberg and Alonso.  Coming on very strong with fresh legs in the 71st minute was Mauro Rosales.

Rosales looked very impressive controlling the ball and winning many challenges.  It will be interesting to see how he plays a full match beside Alonso, Zakuani and Fernandez (or Friberg). 

Leo Gonzalez also played well.  James Riley was sidelined with a minor concussion suffered in practice.

Struggling again was Jeff Parke. Several errant balls went in wild directions at times, seemingly irritating Kasey Keller. Also, several runs on goal by the Dynamo front were missed and opponents allowed on the goal side with the ball at foot. 

Fredy Montero struggled at times and seemed to never really control the ball. Brad Evans is a mystery.  I'm unsure, with this kind of talent at midfield, why Sigi insists on playing Evans who is obviously not in the same league as the other starters.

Many Seattle fans were frustrated tonight with calls coming from referee Ramon Hernandez.  A controversial call in the 30th minute should have sent the Dynamo down to 10 on the pitch. 

Instead, Hernandez chose a yellow. And later, a clear takedown in the penalty area ended with Gonzalez receiving a yellow instead of a PK. For more on these two calls, review the film yourself on MLSsoccer.com. 

The Sounders will try again for their first win on Saturday, April 2 in Buck Shaw Stadium where they'll take on the San Jose Earthquakes.

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A "suicide mission" this was called to become, and a suicide mission this ended up becoming.

Last year, early in the season at that, the question was this: Can anybody stop the Los Angeles Galaxy? This year, the question is this: Can anybody stop Real Salt Lake?

And somewhere out in San Jose, Costa Rica, a certain team wearing purple strips is taking a deep breath and a big gulp: Jason Kreis's Real Salt Lake team are the real deal.

They made the Galaxy look like a ragtag group of overpaid primadonnas, crushing LA to the tune of 4-1. And this came from successfully incorporating their brand of football, which involved excellent pace and speed, superior ball movement, timely defending from their backline with stops from goalkeeper Nick Rimando, and clinical finishing.

Last year at Rio Tinto, Javier Morales was the culprit in stopping the winning streak for the Galaxy. This year, Morales wasn't the only one in on the party.

While Morales got his goals in the 10th and 41st minute, Andy Williams broke open the scoring just less than 120 second into the match. Paulo Araujo Jr. added an insurance goal in the 68th minute of play.

The Galaxy's Juan Pablo Angel added a goal in the 80th minute to make the scoreline respectable to an extent.

For Real Salt Lake, this was the same form that defined the Galaxy early on in the 2010 campaign. While it's too early to draw any parallels, as of right now, RSL can't be touched.

Los Angeles failed to play their style of football. David Beckham's leadership ability failed him tonight at Rio Tinto stadium in Sandy, Utah. The defense played tired, the inability to adjust to the altitude proved costly, and Saunders did not do any favors in fouling Araujo early in the first half.

Actually, the Galaxy didn't do themselves any favors giving up the Williams goal early in the run of play. The best teams that will win any form of trophies do not break into a habit of surrendering goals in transition.

You can't blame Landon Donovan having to help the USA salvage a 1-1 draw with Argentina for the Galaxy's unforgivable meltdown. Nor can you blame match referee Jair Marrufo for issuing a bevy of yellow cards to the Galaxy.

This Los Angeles side will have a tough year ahead of them if they perform at this low of a level. You can't get outrun, outpassed and outdefended if you expect to be a contender in MLS.

Los Angeles has a chance to get right and bounce back with authority. Perhaps they could use the spacing technique on their next opponents, the Philadelphia Union, and see where this takes them. Who knows?

Kickoff at the Home Depot Center is scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Sports West.

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Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy face their first major test of their 2011 Major League Soccer campaign when they take on Jason Kreis's Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

The Galaxy are currently 1-1 and coming off a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders and a 1-1 draw at home to the New England Revolution. Real Salt Lake is coming off a 1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on the road. This is their home opener.

Team captain Landon Donovan is with the USA Men’s National Team, which means David Beckham will be donning the captain’s armband for this match. The Galaxy are led by Juninho, who has scored two goals so far for Los Angeles.

Bleacher Report will provide you with analysis and reaction from the Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake as well other results from across Major League Soccer.

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