It was a tale of two halves for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy and Martin Vasquez's Chivas USA before a late Sunday afternoon crowd of 24,283 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

It was a first half where the Galaxy went off to a flying start and a second half where they clamped down defensively when they went down a man. Together, they told the story in a 2-1 victory for Los Angeles, further securing their hold on the Honda SuperClasico by winning 4-1 on aggregate.

In retrospect, it could have been 3-2 Chivas. And here's why.

In the eighth minute, a shot from Giancarlo Maldonado sailed just to the right of the net. LA goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts was a sitting duck on that sequence, as well as in the 13th minute, when former Galaxy bookend Alan Gordon had a golden chance to score on his old team, but the ball sailed to the left.

Gordon would make amends in the 64th minute with a sensational volley that Ricketts lunged in vain to clear. But for the most part, unlucky shot selections combined with an offense that got shredded to pieces by a Galaxy back line desperate to return to form, and a terrible defensive display in the first half, doomed the Goats on Sunday.

And it was that terrible defensive display that sparked the Galaxy to a rousing first half start. The American Pele has been on and off in regards to his form after the FIFA World Cup, but in the 23rd minute, Edson Buddle was able to prove that he lost none of his scoring touch, flipping the switch to earn his 15th goal of the season.

As a matter of fact, it should have been a brace for the Galaxy's No. 14, but a ninth minute volley clanged the crossbar. And you cannot have those easy ones hit the woodwork when the MLS Cup Playoffs begin.

As for midfielder David Beckham, you can play John Sebastian's "Welcome Back" in the background over the Victoria Street loudspeakers as he delivered his first goal of the season in the 39th minute of play. His trademark bending shot could not be touched by anybody, not even Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton, although you will have to give him credit for trying.

Hopefully, that will not be Beckham's last and we will get to see the No. 23 score a few more times.

What I am particularly impressed with today, in spite of the opponent the Galaxy faced, is the performance of the back line. They had ice water in their veins and played like they wanted to defend their own third,, especially with the return of Omar Gonzalez to the lineup.

As far as I am concerned—or anyone should be concerned, for that matter—Gonzalez is the glue that binds this Galaxy back line together and when you do not have his services available, opposing teams will feast on the lack of presence. That's how important the No. 4 is. He made stop after stop after stop and, combined with clutch clearance from Sean Franklin, made life miserable for the Chivas attack.

Aside from giving the Goats life in the second half, Los Angeles put on a performance that will be crucial to holding off Real Salt Lake, the Columbus Crew and those pesky New York Red Bulls, who are quickly supplanting the Crew for the best team in the MLS Eastern Conference.

The Philadelphia Union have officially been put on notice ahead their Thursday night encounter at PPL Park on October 7. As has been the case, every game will now count for LA in their continuing race for this year's Shield.

When the Galaxy are able to get to a fast start and dictate the tempo like they did on Sunday night, it will only be a matter of time before they get the separation they need to punch their ticket to the CONCACAF Champions' League next year.

Two goats in the win over the Goats


Retirement for Eddie Lewis cannot come any sooner. I mean, you just cannot brain explosions like that in the 76th minute, where he stomped on Chivas's Rodolfo Espinoza with both of his feet. It's just plain idiocy at its worst.

Because of this, for all that Lewis has accomplished in his footballing career...I personally will not miss him one bit. You don't have a lot of games remaining, Eddie, so why go out against the Goats like this? I will not miss you one bit at all, and I have intentions to change my stance.

As for Michael Bradley...his yellow card in the 89th minute is one of the top first-year player mistakes to avoid.

All you prospective college seniors/Generation Adidas primadonnas who plan to participate in the MLS SuperDraft, here's a suggestion: don't kick the ball away from an opposing player when he is planning to restart the ball just to rub it in. Avoid it at all costs, even when you are tempted to do so. Otherwise, you will get a piece of plastic cheese heading your way. Case in point: Stephens. Oh yes, and Landon Donovan did the same thing a few weeks back, too.


Alan Gordon scoring against his old team!?


Appararently Chivas USA striker Alan Gordon is still rocking and rolling. He had a few close calls with his shot selection, but in the 64th minute, Gordon (who comes from the same city I do in Long Beach, California) launched a shot that Donovan Ricketts did a poor job in saving.

Either that, or somebody impregnated the match ball with nylon magnets. Now I don't know if something like that exists (don't quote me on this), but it must have been attracted to the net because the Big Cat from Montego Bay could not get a good hand on it. Lousy clearance attempt. This is the type of keeper inconsistency that I have had nothing but vitriol to pour over and lo and behold, I'm pouring it again.


Youth Academy Update


The Los Angeles Galaxy Youth Academy Under-18 and Under-16 teams kicked off their seasons in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy against Real Salt Lake Arizona on Saturday, October 2 at the Home Depot Center Track & Field Complex.

The Under-18s drew 2-2 with Real Salt Lake Arizona, but the Under-16s crushed RSL Arizona 4-0.

Next Saturday, the Under-18s and Under-16s take on the De Anza Force at Pioneer Stadium on the campus of California State University East Bay. Hey, wasn't there a women's championship game held there a few days ago? I wonder...

Kickoff for the Under-16s is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. PT, while kickoff for the the Under-18s match is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. PT.

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T-180 minutes to kickoff: I have never been to a Chivas USA game in my life until this Sunday evening at the Home Depot Center. For this Play-by-Play (with Other Miscellany), you will see these words pop up here and there: The Man Screams. And yes, they will all be capitalized.


Now, the reason why I will place the phrase "The Man Screams" at different intervals is because there is a voice that the people at the PA like to play with a push of a button: "ARRIBA LAS CHIVAS!" and the crowd roars accordingly—the few thousands who take the courage to, that is.

It's actually quite hilarious, if you look at it from a rival standpoint.

T-150: Aside from that, this is the Honda SuperClasico between Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy and Martin Vasquez's Chivas USA.

The Goats are currently 7-14-4 (25 points) and are a draw/defeat away from seeing their postseason hopes go up in smoke. As for the Galaxy, who sit at 15-6-5 (50 points), a victory will keep them in the running for the Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield.

The G's were the first team to punch their ticket to the postseason. Real Salt Lake, who drew with Toronto 1-1 in CONCACAF Champions League and face Real Salt Lake on Saturday, clinched a playoff spot last weekend.

T-120: The Galaxy enter October in an unfamiliar position: second place overall in the Major League Soccer standings. RSL defeated the New England Revolution 2-1 to go top of the table, but Los Angeles can return to the top with a victory today.

T-90: Time for some line-ups.

T-75: The history of the rivalry so far.

23 Apr 2005 - LA 3 CHV 1
28 May 2005 - LA 2, CHV 0
16 Jul 2005 - LA 2, CHV 0
3 Aug 2005 - LA 5, CHV 2
10 Aug 2005 - LA 1, CHV 0
15 Apr 2006 - LA 2, CHV 1
6 Jun 2006 - CHV 2, LA 1
15 Jul 2006 - LA 0, CHV 0
30 Sep 2006 - LA 3, CHV 0
28 Apr 2007 - LA 3, CHV 1
20 May 2007 - LA 1, CHV 1
23 Aug 2007 - CHV 3, LA 0
13 Sep 2007 - CHV 3, LA 0
27 Apr 2008 - LA 5, CHV 2
10 Jul 2008 - LA 1, CHV 1
14 Aug 2008 - LA 2, CHV 2
11 Apr 2009 - LA 0, CHV 0
11 Jul 2009 - LA 1, CHV 0
29 Aug 2009 - LA 1, CHV 0
1 Nov 2009 - LA 2, CHV 2
8 Nov 2009 - LA 1, CHV 0
1 Apr 2010 - LA 2, CHV 0


LA Galaxy wins: 13
Chivas USA wins: 3
Draws: 6

T-60: One hour to kickoff. In other CONCACAF Champions League action, CD Municipal defeated the Columbus Crew 2-1 while the Seattle Sounders shut out Marathon 2-0.

In other MLS play, the Colorado Rapids trounced the Philadelphia Union 4-1, the Chicago Fire shut out the San Jose Earthquakes 3-0, Seattle edged Toronto FC 3-2, the Union drew 1-1 with the Houston Dynamo, the Crew and Quakes fought to a 0-0 draw, the red-hot New York Red Bulls shut out the Kansas City Wizards 1-0 to go top of the MLS Eastern Conference table, FC Dallas shut out the Fire 3-0 and D.C. United shut out the Rapids in a rare 1-0 victory.

T-45: Since this is a Chivas USA home game, the horns are out in full force today. Both teams begin warmups.

T-30: Already eliminated from MLS Cup Playoffs contention are D.C. United, the New England Revolution, the Houston Dynamo and the Philadelphia Union. Chivas USA is on the chopping block.

T-15: Introducing the officials for tonight's match. Jair Marrufo is our match referee. Anthony Vasoli and Eric Boria are the linesmen, and Baldomero Toledo is our fourth official. Both teams complete warmups.

T-10: It seems I am still having problems with this wireless here at the HDC. Further, a miscommunication put our good friend Aron Glatzer as the guy with the credential instead of myself. Sigh. Hope it's not an omen of things to come.

The Galaxy's next three games include their final road test of the season on Oct. 7 against the Philadelphia Union before ending the regular season at home on Oct. 16 against the Colorado Rapids and Oct. 24 against FC Dallas.

As for Chivas USA, their next three games include an Oct. 9 home tie with Toronto FC, an Oct. 15 road trip to Qwest Field to take on the Seattle Sounders and an Oct. 20 trip to the always-challenging Buck Shaw stadium to take on the San Jose Earthquakes.

T-0: National anthem by Arianne Brown of the Sinai Temple.

FIRST HALF START: 5:09 P.M. PT. The Man Screams.

1' - We're underway in the second leg of the Honda SuperClasico. Galaxy with some good possession early on. Now it's Michael Lahoud. Jonathan Bornstein, the captain, with possession.

2' - Here's Juninho with the ball. Not the best of shots from Edson Buddle, but Zach Thornton had to stretch for that ball.

3' - Here's Sean Franklin, and now it's Edson Buddle being marked. Thornton's gonna be on notice all game, regardless of the outcome.

4' - Landon Donovan with the ball, and Buddle wanted that one back. This is the type of poor finishing that is going to hurt us. Seriously. We may get the Shield, but I'm afraid that might be it. Sigh. Goal kick, Thornton.

5' - Speculative one-time from David Beckham. Too much mustard on the hot dog.

6' - Back come the Goats. And that didn't work out too nicely. This is Omar Gonzalez, who—rumor has it—one-upped Jonathan Bornstein in a game of FIFA 11. Chivas sweeps, and here they come on the offensive.

7' - Throw-in for the Galaxy. It's Franklin. Kung-fu tackle by Chris Birchall, but play on, says Jair Marrufo.

8' - Now it;s the Goats on the attack. And that was a good shot from Giancarlo Maldonaldo, and Donovan Ricketts was beat, but it sails wide right. Goal kick to the Big Cat from Montego Bay.

9' - Thus, the match opens up. Shot from Buddle hits the crossbar. Agony. Sheer agony.

10' - Chivas USA are counting their blessings as we speak. Will it pay off? Donovan is tripped up. and Omar Gonzalez will take his time getting up as well.

11' - Who will David Beckham pass this to? It's Buddle, but it's cleared. Maldonado again, and here is Lahoud with the ball.

12' - Some good passing, and Justin Braun's volley is pushed aside.

13' - Boy, these Goats are testing LA. It's up to the G's now to pick up the pace. Gee whiz, what is up with the backline? Alan Gordon, former Galaxy bookend, nearly scored on his old team.

14' - Corner for the Galaxy. It's David Beckham to take. That didn't work out too well. Goal kick, Thornton.

15' - Looks like Marrufo is going to let the players play at this point. Los Angeles is not doing its job finishing, and they almost paid for their mistakes.

16' - Carlos Borja marks Landon Donovan with precision.

17' - Edson Buddle seem to be a bit rusty at this juncture of the season. Back comes Chivas USA, and it will be Nagamura with the free kick.

18' - Ricketts will grab that. End-to-end action, with a goal kick to Zach Thornton.

19' - Lahoud and Nagamura weren't connecting on that one. Chivas USA has been winning the possession war so far.

20' - Maldonado shaken up, but gets back on his feet as we enter the 20th minute of play. Still scoreless.

21' - Corner for the Galaxy. And it's Mr. Beckham to take. Tipped away by Thornton. Another leaping grab from Chivas's No. 22.

22' - Goats now on the offensive amidst all the plastic brass and percussions aplenty. And Thornton had to race to that ball. Goal kick.

23' - Good defensive work from Chivas USA. Omar Gonzalez keeps things in orde.

24' - GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy 14 Edson Buddle, Assist 26 Michael Stephens

There you go! Number 15 for the American Pele. Good feed from Stephens, too.

And the LAX Supporters Union chant Seven Nation Army. (Also known as the combo of the LA Riot Squad, the Angel City Brigade, and the Galaxians.)

25' - Offsides, Chivas. And Dorsey's high school marching band performs "Down" by Jay Sean.

26' - The Galaxy will look to consolidate, while Chivas USA will look to equalize. This is Lahoud. Good defending.

27' - 27 minutes in, it's 1-0 Los Angeles Galaxy.

28' - Marrufo warns Juninho to be cautious. He will be suspended for the next match with his next yellow card.

29' - Sean Franklin sets things in order with the clearance.

30' - There's a good stop from A.J. De La Garza. Wonder where Beckham was trying to pass that to.

31' - Nagamura marking Buddle so that Thornton can reset. Wise tactic. A gallant shot from Juninho. Just misses wide right.

32' - Back comes Chivas USA. This is Bornstein. And Beckham just did not have any space to work with.

33' - Now here come the Goats, but Ricketts is there to sweep.

34' - Too long a pass for Donovan. They're going to be brushing up on the passing for a while; it's going to be crucial for them down the road. Now Bornstein goes on the attack. Header misses, and Birchall clears.

35' - I'm not a fan of the Galaxy bunkering their way to glory. They need to add maybe one more to boost their momentum. Chivas with the ball.

36' - Clean tackle on Donovan, says Marrufo. Interesting. Now can they capitalize, the Goats?

37' - Sean Franklin with another stop. Boy, has he been on his game so far this half.

38' - Here's Alan Gordon, but the G's figured him out.

Yellow card 23 Carlos Borja
Chivas USA

Free kick for the Galaxy, then. It's Becks to take.

39' - GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy 23 David Beckham
He still has it. He can still bend it. First goal this year for the main man from England.

40' - Oh boy, the Goats are on notice now. A diving save from Donovan Ricketts.

41' - Goal kick to the Big Cat from Montego Bay.

42' - We are 42 minutes in, and the Galaxy are leading Chivas USA 2-0. If I'm Bruce Arena, I wouldn't put my foot off the accelerator just yet. This is Ben Zemanski.

43' - The game has already opened up right now. Buddlevan Connection nearly went back online on that sequence. Now it's Gonzalez.

44' - Beckham had previous success against Chivas USA; no surprise that he's getting his touch here tonight. Foul on LA, and Buddle slowly gets back up.

45' - Bit of a kickaround at this point. How many minutes of stoppage time, Baldomero Toledo? One minute

45' + 1' - We go to the break. It's...

SECOND HALF START: 6:11 P.M. PT. The Man Screams. That's only the second time today, by the way.

Substitutions Chivas USA
IN 19 Jorge Flores
OUT 20 Giancarlo Maldonado

IN 24 Rodolfo Espinoza
OUT 21 Ben Zemanski

46' - The second half starts. For the Galaxy, a 2-0 lead can be squandered easily, so adding a few more to the mix will be crucial. For Chivas, a bad season just got worse, going down 4-0 on aggregate. Can they spark an improbable comeback? Or will the Galaxy rule the roost again? Stay tuned for upcoming adjustments.

The Man Screams. Gordon with a shot, and Ricketts is there to snatch the corner. Gordon is hurt.

47' - Mercy. Twice in one minute. That's a record. Gordon gets up. And he tore his shirt. THis could all go down hill in a hurry.

48' - Ricketts resets.

49' - Shot from Chivas' Jorge Flores goes out. Ouch. That was trouble.

50' - Gordon has a new kit on. Long pass to Birchall misses.

51' - Dubious clearance from Ricketts. Back come the goats, and Rodolfo Espinoza misses.

52' - 52 minutes in, and it's 2-0 Los Angeles.

53' - Thornton is there to intercept the long volley from Beckham to Buddle.

54' - Edson Buddle is called back for offsides. This match is opening wide and good right now.

55' - Union Ultras banner unfurled. Ambitious shot from Nagamura.

56' - Galaxy are doing very well with the possession so far.

57' - The Man Screams. Corner for the Goats, and Espinoza should have done better.

58' - Offsides, Landon Donovan. He was close. Omar Gonzalez is fouled.

59' - Goal kick, Ricketts. That should have been 3-0 Galaxy. A bullet dodged. Questionable pass from Becks to Donovan.

60' - This passing is just terrible from Chivas. Wonder what Jorge Flores was trying tot do? Mercy! Goal kick, Ricketts.

61' - Here's Espinoza again, and the cross from Justin Braun to Gordon is squandered big time. Goal kick for Ricketts.

62' - Excellent marking by Ante Jazic on Landon Donovan.

63' - Good passes here from Chivas USA. Here's Lahoud, and this could be trouble...

64' - GOAL! Chivas USA 16 Alan Gordon, Assist 13 Jonathan Bornstein
Ugh, so much for my prediction. This is still a game.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 6 Eddie Lewis
OUT 23 David Beckham

65' - Galaxy set piece then. Horrible attempt at a save from Donovan Ricketts. Are there magnets in that ball? Amateurish attempt!

66' - That's a terrible set piece from Juninho. Plain and simple.

67' - Complacency will be a problem if you are a team like the Galaxy. Their lead has been cut in half, and now it will be a test to see if they can get that one back. Clean tackle, and a shot from Gordon finds the hands of Donovan Ricketts, who again is being a bit inconsistent.

68' - Eddie Lewis called back due to offsides.

69' - Free kick for the Goats, who have to be energized after something like this. Acrimonious pass by Edson Buddle to Landon Donovan.

70' - 70 minutes in the match, and it's still 2-1 Los Angeles. Birchall is fouled.

71' - Horrible cross from Birchall. Ricketts is there to scoop up the counter ball.

72' - Here's Todd Dunivant. Side netting. Corner for the G's. Here's Landon Donovan. Punched away. Thornton is one of the old men of the MLS netminders. He still has it after all these years.

73' - The vuvuzelas are now in full force. That sequence didn't amount to much.

74' - Back come the Goats. And LA's Omar Gonzalez holds sway. Juninho is hurt, as well as Carlos Borja. Both are up.

75' - Thus we are now 75 in, and it's 2-1 LA. Goal kick, Zach Thornton.

76' - Bruce Arena looks on: a composed, mindful figure. And that Union Ultras Banner is up again.

77' - Red card 6 Eddie Lewis
Los Angeles Galaxy

Now this is just pure malediction's delight right here. The G's will be now down to 10 men after that brain explosion. That was uncalled for. Stomping Rodolfo Espinoza with both of his feet.

78' - Yellow card 24 Rodolfo Espinoza
Chivas USA

SuperClasico football, everybody.

Substitution Chivas USA
IN 15 Sal Sizzo
OUT 23 Carlos Borja

79' - I don't get it. I just do not get Lewis's actions. Unacceptable behavior.

80' - Hang on tight, we have ourselves a dandy of a final ten minutes and stoppage. And Bruce Arena is beside himself.

81' - Lewis will probably be unavailable against Philadelphia.

82' - The Galaxy may have to be content to play defense for the rest of the match as the Dorsey High band plays Justin[e] Bieber's "Baby." That's a number more fit for the Stanford band, by the way.

83' - Here's Michael Lahoud. And the Galaxy backline had to scramble to force that one out for a corner.

84' - Cleared. And now another substitution.

85' - Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 88 Alex Cazumba
OUT 11 Chris Birchall

Sal Zizzo with a reckless challenge. Free kick. It's taken short. And it backfires.

86' - Still, more time is wasted from the clock. Ricketts scoops that one up. Here's Bornstein. And now it's Trujillo.

87' - This is going to become a defensive stopping clinic for the G's if they want it to be that way, to be honest. Goal kick, Zach Thornton.

88' - Sean Franklin with the awareness. Nice defense from Mr. Ante Jazic on Mr. Edson Buddle.

89' - Yellow card 26 Michael Stephens
Los Angeles Galaxy

Please. THAT was unnecessary. Delaying the restart. Nice going, rookie.

90' - Bornstein with the ball, and that is cleared. Alex Cazumba, for all the speed he has, was not going to get to that one.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 17 Tristan Bowen
OUT 14 Edson Buddle

Four minutes of stoppage time, says Baldomero Toledo. It's crunch time now.

90' + 1' - Good stop by Ricketts. Now the Galaxy defense has their ears pinned back.

90' + 2' - Side netting, but that was a blistering shot from Jorge Flores. This guy competed in Sueno MLS, and now is a bookend with Chivas USA.

90' + 3' - Union Ultras were asking for a foul, but they ain't gettin' it.

90' + 4' - One last sequence from the Goats? No dice! That's a wrap!

Stay tuned for my take on this match on The View from Victoria Street and Bleacher Report.

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One of the most rewarding aspects of soccer is its strong international base.  The Seattle Sounders tapped into their own talented African connection to score an important 3-2 win over Toronto FC Saturday at the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field in a match replete with potential MLS playoff implications.

Blaise Nkufo and Steve Zakuani were both born in the Congo and grew up in Switzerland and England respectively.  Sanna Nyassi was born, raisded, and began his career in Gambia.  Saturday each player scored a goal in delighting another sellout Seattle crowd numbering 36,079.  

The visitors, who had scored an earlier 2-0 home win over the Sounders, jumped out on top in the  16th minute on Dwayne De Rosario’s 13th goal of the campaign on an assist from Maicon Santos.

Sounders FC equalized in the 21st minute. Osvaldo Alonso played a through ball down into the middle of the box. Zakuani took it and used his patent speed to elude onrushing goalkeeper Stefan Frei.  The site of the empty net was good news for Zakuani as he tallied his ninth goal of the season.

It then remained for the player on the hot streak to give the Sounders the lead for the remainder of the game five minutes later.  That would be Nkufo, who generated three goals in the 4-0 shutout on the road against Eastern Conference leader, the Columbus Crew, and followed up that performance with the only goal of the match in a road outing against the Chicago Fire.

Following a Chad Barrett yellow card in the 25th minute, Nathan Sturgis swung the ensuing free kick into the box.  Nkufo then engaged in a specialty.  As an experienced player he thrives in crowds near the opposing net. 

The Swiss striker is a specialist in taking second and third opportunities in congested circumstances to score.  This time within crowded circumstances Kuofo deposited a header into the net inside the near post from 8 yards out.   

The five goals that Nkufo has generated in the last three games is the club’s longest scoring streak since Fredy Montero scored in five straight contests midway through the 2009 season.  

After the teams returned from the dressing room after the halftime break with the Sounders holding a 2-1 lead the home team added another tally that would proved needed to insure victory.  The third member of the Sounders’ African connection, Sanna Nyassi, achieved the first goal of his MLS career in the 59th minute.

The score resulted by Nyassi taking advantage of a Toronto sending a clearance in his direction.  Nyassi blasted the rebound into the net from just inside the box.

That third and final score proved vitally needed as the visitors struck back in the 88th minute when Chad Barrett tallied following a Nicholas Lindsay cross.

When you win a coach is more likely to exhibit a sense of humor.  This occurred when Sigi Schmid evaluated his team’s performance following the match and commented on Toronto scoring its goal close to the end of regulation time.

"Obviously we're happy with the win,” Schmid said.  “We're really proud of the way we came back after they scored the first goal. I was really happy with how we came back, to go up 2-1 at halftime. Once we were up 3-1, we wanted to make sure the fans stayed involved and stayed interested, so we decided to make it 3-2 there at the very end.”

At the time the goal was scored the occasion was anything but humorous.  This was manifested by Sounders Captain Kasey Keller.  The 40-year-old veteran team read his defenders the riot act after the second Toronto goal of the day.

In the April 25 loss at Toronto the Sounders also allowed two goals.  The difference was that the earlier match resulted in a 2-0 Seattle shutout defeat.  This time a Sounders offense that has dramatically improved since the midway mark of the campaign tallied three times.

Seattle remained on the attack all day and held a commanding advantage in shots at 17-8 with a 7-2 edge on goal and 6-2 on corners.  The Sounders are now 2-7-1 this season when allowing the first goal and 7-4-3 at home.

In winning its third game in a row Seattle now stands at an imposing 8-1-2 in its last 11 contests.  This victory equals the team’s win total from last season.  Sounders FC stands at 12-9-6 in MLS play with 42 points.  Schmid earlier in the season targeted 45 as the benchmark by which he gauged the likelihood of a postseason playoff berth.  The team is undefeated in its last six home games at 4-0-2.

With the defeat Toronto FC  has an MLS mark of 8-12-7 and 31 points.  Saturday’s loss was the second in a row for the Canadian squad.

The Sounders move back into action Tuesday night in one of its most prestigious matches of the season.  Sounders FC will seek to become the first team in history to defend its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Seattle will face MLS Easter Conference leader the Columbus Crew in front of a cup final record crowd on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. First kick is 7 p.m. and Fox Soccer Channel will air the game live.

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Happy times are here again! Winning 2-1 against the pesky Kansas City Wizards, the Red Bulls have clinched a playoff spot. With the victory and the Columbus Crew draw against the San Jose Earthquakes, the Red Bulls now sit atop of the Eastern Conference with three games remaining in the regular season.

Playing without Rafa Marquez (due to injury), the dynamic duo of Dane Richards and Bouna Coundoul led the way. Since losing to Real Salt Lake, the Red Bulls have gone 3-0-1 in their last four games while outscoring their opposition 8-3.

Morphing into a goal-scoring juggernaut, Dane Richards has clearly been the most aggressive offensive player. By scoring his fourth goal in five games in the sixth minute of the first half, Dane Richards clearly established the tone for his teammates. Playing with swagger, the Red Bulls maintained their intensity and never relinquished their lead.

In a game where spectacular saves was his modus operandi, continues to establish himself as one of the league's premier goalkeepers.  By notching 12 saves tonight, Coundoul earned his 13th win of the season. Along with the win, Coundoul recorded his 10th shutout of the season.

Desperately seeking a win, the Kansas City Wizards aggressively attacked the net without reservation as they attempted to silence the home crowd of 24,799. Despite the dazzling plays of Kei Kamara and Teal Bunbury, the Wizards were unable to find the net.

In a game where superior numbers doesn't result in victory, the Wizards out-shot the Red Bulls 26-10 while taking 12 shots on goal to the Red Bulls five. With the loss, Kansas City trails the San Jose Earthquakes for the final playoff spot.

With the postseason right around the corner, Red Bulls will do something not even the legendary New York Cosmos have done. And that's play a postseason game in their own home, Red Bull Arena. Until then next up for for the Red Bulls is the defending MLS Champions, Real Salt Lake.

Cesar Diaz covers Soccer for Latino Sports. Please send him your questions and comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Happy times are here again! Winning 1-0 against the pesky Kansas City Wizards, the Red Bulls have clinched a playoff spot. With the victory and the Columbus Crew draw against the San Jose Earthquakes, the Red Bulls now sit atop of the Eastern Conference with three games remaining in the regular season.

Playing without Rafa Marquez (due to injury), the dynamic duo of Dane Richards and Bouna Coundoul led the way. Since losing to Real Salt Lake, the Red Bulls have gone 3-0-1 in their last four games while outscoring their opposition 8-3.

Morphing into a goal-scoring juggernaut, Dane Richards has clearly been the most aggressive offensive player. By scoring his fourth goal in five games in the sixth minute of the first half, Dane Richards clearly established the tone for his teammates. Playing with swagger, the Red Bulls maintained their intensity and never relinquished their lead.

In a game where spectacular saves was his modus operandi, continues to establish himself as one of the league's premier goalkeepers.  By notching 12 saves tonight, Coundoul earned his 13th win of the season. Along with the win, Coundoul recorded his 10th shutout of the season.

Desperately seeking a win, the Kansas City Wizards aggressively attacked the net without reservation as they attempted to silence the home crowd of 24,799. Despite the dazzling plays of Kei Kamara and Teal Bunbury, the Wizards were unable to find the net.

In a game where superior numbers doesn't result in victory, the Wizards out-shot the Red Bulls 26-10 while taking 12 shots on goal to the Red Bulls five. With the loss, Kansas City trails the San Jose Earthquakes for the final playoff spot.

With the postseason right around the corner, Red Bulls will do something not even the legendary New York Cosmos have done. And that's play a postseason game in their own home, Red Bull Arena. Until then next up for for the Red Bulls is the defending MLS Champions, Real Salt Lake.

Cesar Diaz covers Soccer for Latino Sports. Please send him your questions and comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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With four games remaining in the 2010 Major League Soccer season, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy continue their push for the MLS Supporters Shield by kicking off the month with an Oct. 3 clash with Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center.

Galaxy team captain Landon Donovan liked LA's chances of sealing the deal, as well as the Oct. 7 road trip at PPL Park in Chester, Pa., to face the Philadelphia Union.

"The goal is to win as many [games] as we can," Donovan said earlier last week. "We know this [game against Chivas] is a game we should win. Philly is a game we should win we think. Then we have some games at home to finish the season. It's very possible to win all four.

“We got a little lucky with Salt Lake tying at home [against Colorado last week]. That helped us out a little bit,” Donovan said. “Salt Lake have a difficult schedule, too,… [and] Dallas, they’re going to have keep going to get close to us.”

However, with the inconsistent effort against mediocre opponents in weeks gone by, nothing should be left to chance.

"With teams like this, there is nothing to lose," Donovan said. "We played [D.C. United] a few weeks ago and they just came out with an attitude that said, 'We're going to try things, we're going to be aggressive, and we're going to go for it.'

“When you play teams that are in the playoff run, things are tighter. They are more scared to make mistakes."

The Galaxy's No. 10 feels that his side knows what to expect from Martin Vasquez's club.

"Chivas are going to have the same attitude [that DC came out with]. They have nothing to lose, so they're going to be freewheeling and they're just going to go for it," Donovan added. "We just have to make sure that they know we're the team that's headed to the playoffs."

“These games are always a battle,” LA defender Omar Gonzalez said at a press conference on Friday afternoon regarding the rivalry between the Galaxy and Chivas USA. “We play in the same stadium, we practice on the same campus...we always want to beat each other.

“This is my second year and [I haven’t] lost to Chivas yet. I’d like to keep it that way.”

“These games are special in the sense that standings, where you are in the table, don’t really matter,” said Chivas USA left back Ante Jazic on the showdown. “It’s just 90 minutes of battling and scrapping. We want to win this SuperClásico.”

Jazic was aware that Chivas are facing elimination from the playoffs with a defeat to or draw with the Galaxy.

“Being eliminated from the playoffs last year by the Galaxy was painful,” said Jazic. “The Galaxy definitely feel like they own the stadium and that Chivas are the tenants. For us, we’re still trying to earn that respect.

“The atmosphere has a European flavor to it. Not just on the field, but in The Home Depot Center stands. Just the tension in the air is electric and everyone feels it. That’s special because it doesn’t happen often in MLS.”

Kickoff at Victoria Street is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PT and will be televised by ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

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Seattle Sounders FC announced Friday that the Gambia National Team has called in midfielder Sanna Nyassi for an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Burkina Faso in Burkina Faso on Saturday, Oct. 9.

Nyassi, 21, leaves on Wednesday, Oct.6.  He will miss Seattle's match at Kansas City on Oct. 9.

Nyassi has three caps for Gambia's senior team with two goals. He has 20 appearances this season for Seattle, starting 10 matches.  Nyassi has three assists.

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On October 1, 1977, Pelé played his final game with the New York Cosmos at Giants Stadium. Over 77,000 fans packed the stadium to witness Pelé score his final goal in a 2-1 victory against his former club, Santos FC. For many fans, it was a sad day in their lives and the clouds over Giants Stadium resonated the message as they too cried.

Thirty-three years later, the Cosmos are back in our lives. Since Pelé's announcement of the relaunching of the New York Cosmos during the halftime of the Copa NYC championship game, the organization has taken serious steps in assuring their longtime fans that they're serious.

After acquiring the Copa NYC tournament, the New York Cosmos demonstrated their commitment toward grassroots and youth soccer development by establishing two Cosmos Academies. Located in New York and California, both academies are participating in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

As a result, three of their players were selected for the U.S. Soccer U17 National Team Residency Program.

As Pelé approaches his 70th birthday on October 23, 2010, he said, "I am happy to be involved with the New York Cosmos again. I have the opportunity to come back and work to revive the Cosmos and promote football in the United States. Now, I want to see my dreams come true of kids learning football in the right way."

Today, October 1, 2010, will be another day that Cosmos fans will never forget. Unlike the October 1, 1977 where soccer fans were saddened by the retirement of Pelé, 2010 Cosmos fans of that era have every reason to celebrate and be proud that they've endured thirty-three years reminiscing about their beloved New York Cosmos.

Fans will now have the opportunity to wear a New York Cosmos jersey as Umbro signed a worldwide kit deal with the organization. Inspired by the tradition and legacy of the Cosmos, the jersey will be a while home shirt, with the unique green and yellow color. The jersey will be available for sale come December 2010.

Chief Marketing Officer for Umbro International commented, "Umbro was a partner of the New York Cosmos during the 1970s when they were unquestionably the world's coolest club. It's a great opportunity to once again be involved with the club and we are committed to working with them to develop world-class soccer players worthy to wear the legendary New York Cosmos crest."

The first of October will always be significant to Cosmos fans everywhere. Along with Pelé's final game in 1977 and the returning of the Cosmos jersey in 2010, fans will have the opportunity to read his exclusive interview in the November issue of FourFourTwo magazine.

If you're in the UK, you will be able to read the interview on Monday, October 4, 2010 when the magazine goes on sale. For the rest of Cosmos fans living in the United States, they'll have to wait until mid-November.

Regardless of when the magazine is on sale in the United States, Cosmos fans are ecstatic that the greatest American Soccer club (bar none) has returned to their lives. No matter how successful a Major League franchise is, they will have to always have to live in the shadow of the New York Cosmos.

Cesar Diaz covers Soccer for Latino Sports. Please send him your questions and comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Back when the Seattle Sounders were struggling to stay afloat in the MLS race and beset by injuries, coach Sigi Schmid anticipated a later surge and with it the prospect for entering the playoffs in the manner that the team did in its first year of existence in 2009.

“I think it will take 45 points to ensure a playoff berth,” Schmid said.

Gradually Seattle Sounders FC went to work bettering its position and now it stands on the threshold of achieving Schmid’s goal.  The team stands currently at 11-9-6, which is good for 39 points.

Saturday at 12:30 pm on the familiar Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field, Seattle can take a large step toward playoff status by surmounting the challenge of Toronto FC, one of its closest rivals for an MLS postseason wild card slot.  The Canadian club stands at 8-11-7 with 31 points.  Saturday’s match will be the Sounders’ 30th consecutive sellout.  

After the team’s Thursday workout Schmid commented on the Sounders’ road to the playoffs:

“You sort of catch yourself wanting to look ahead [to the U.S. Open Cup final] but Toronto is a big game. We know we still want the points there. We are playing at home. We have got two of our last four at home in league (competition).

"If we can win both home games we feel pretty good. We get to that total of 45 points...Winning those two home games gets us what I think is the magic number that puts you in for sure without any doubts in anybody’s minds and winning home games is key to that.”

The Sounders have unfinished business with Toronto.  The Canadian team administered a 2-0 shutout against Seattle April 25 at BMO field.  Conversely, by going into action eight points behind Seattle, Toronto’s position becomes increasingly crucial to win to stay afloat in seeking a playoff berth.       

This is a much more solid Sounders team than the one Toronto defeated on its home pitch in April.  Not only did injured players return, but two top international acquisitions were added who have contributed to the team’s success, World Cup performers Blaise Nkufo of Switzerland and Alvaro Fernandez of Uruguay.

Seattle is on a current roll.  Sounders FC is undefeated in its last five (3-0-2) league home games and has not lost in its last eight (6-0-2) since June 10 in domestic competition.

Wednesday the Sounders broke into the victory column in round five CONCACAF Champions League competition.  The Sounders defeated CD Marathón 2-0 on its home turf behind two Mike Fucito goals.  While the Sounders will not be advancing to the final knockout round of competition, the victory can help serve as a meaningful building block for the future, especially for Seattle’s younger players.

“Anytime you win games is always a positive,” Schmid said.  “It (the Marathon game) was an opportunity for the players who don’t play as much to show (their skills). Like we have always talked about, winning breeds winning.

"I think for our team it was important that we are capable of winning in the Champions League, that we are capable of beating teams from there. I wish our schedule had been better, wish we had done better. But, for sure, it helps our confidence.”

On Tuesday, October 5 the Sounders will be pitted in another type of challenging competition for possession of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Seattle will defend its 2009 title against the Columbus Crew, winner of three MLS trophies in the past two years. First kick is 7 p.m. PT and Fox Soccer Channel will air the game live.

The Frequent Flier Seattle Sounders went the distance last week.  The team logged the last of its 18,000 miles of September travel.  The final leg was an important 1-0 MLS win over the Chicago Fire.  It was Seattle’s third straight shutout and raised the club's record to 7-1-3 in the second half of the season.

Although Sounders FC earned its first points in the group stage in its win over Marathón, it has been eliminated from advancing to the next round.  The MLS picture, however, is much rosier for the Rave Green. Seattle moved up in the wild card standings last week and increased its lead over its nearest challengers.

Seattle seeks to become the first team in the Open Cup's modern era to retain the championship. By doing so, it would double the size of its trophy collection and likely ensure a berth in the 2011-12 Champions League.

Schmid provided an injury update on Pat Noonan and Mike Fucito, revealing,  “Noonan had surgery so he should be back on Saturday. Fucito’s x-rays were negative so it’s just how he responds to treatment.”

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The Bulldogs might be the nickname for Yale University, but rival Harvard has a bulldog of its own who made a big impact on visiting CD Marathon of Honduras Wednesday night.

Stocky and tenacious bulldog Mike Fucito scored two goals as Seattle Sounders FC beat Marathón  2-0 in round five of the CONCACAF Champions League group stage on Wednesday night on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field before 11,768, the smallest crowd in franchise history.

The reason for the small crowd stemmed from the Sounders coming into the match with an 0-4 mark in CONCACAF play and out of competition for the knockout round.  Despite the victory and its first points earned in Champions League play, Seattle had been eliminated from competition Tuesday night when CD Saprissa drew with CF Monterrey, 2-2.

Marathón with a 2-3 mark will contend for the second and final spot in Group C when it faces Monterrey October 20.

After Miguel Montano and Mike Seamon made fervent early goal efforts, it was Fucito, a former Ivy League scoring champion while at Harvard, who achieved a breakthrough in the 21st minute.  The goal resulted after Fucito chased down a bouncing ball and chested it through the Marathón backline. He then blasted a left-footed shot from 16 yards inside the far post.

Chapter two of the Fucito scoring show occurred in the 68th minute.  Fucito took advantage of a free kick opportunity by rocketing it around the wall and into the top corner for his second goal of the game.

By then Sounder land was celebrating over the return of Fucito from a long injury hiatus and into the top ranks of the team’s scorers.  He had been stellar in last week’s CONCACAF match at FC Monterrey.  Fucito was a catalyst toward his team’s first score by forcing an own goal in the 27th minute.  A later effort produced a Fucito score and a 2-0 lead against a formidable rival on its home pitch.  While Monterrey rallied for an ultimate 3-2 victory, Fucito’s effort instilled a note of optimism among Seattle faithful.

While the triumphal element of Fucito’s performance Wednesday resulted in his team’s two scores and margin of victory, an element of tragedy occurred just two minutes after his second goal in the 70th minute.  At that point Fucito fell to the ground, sustaining a sprained ankle and being replaced by Sanna Nyassi.

"He fights and he battles,” Sounders Coach Sigi Schmid commented on Fucito after the match.  “He got injured going into a tackle he didn't need to go into. He scored a good first goal. He got the ball and he finished it well. And then the second goal was a free kick. We were training on that and he's one of the lefties that has so much spin on the ball that he can get it around the wall and he froze the goalkeeper. So I'm happy for Mike."

While it was disappointing that Fucito, as a player hitting stride after returning from an injury, was hit with another, Schmid sounded a positive note with the belief that the ankle sprain might not prove lengthy in playing time lost.

"We hope (the injury is) not too bad,” Schmid said.  “We'll find out for sure tomorrow morning. He's getting x-rayed tomorrow morning and to know for sure. It ballooned up a little, but initial prognosis is that it's not as bad as [James] Riley's (injury) was."

As he savored victory, Schmid heaped praise on his team:

"I thought it (team play) was good. The guys came in and played. I thought Marathón came out very defensively in their early posture. They played basically a 5-3-2 and split their forwards wide, almost like a 5-4-1 at times. It required us to be a little bit patient. Good to get the first goal because it had them open up a bit.”

While happy with the win, Schmid expressed disappointment that his team did not fare better in Champions League competition.

“ We're still disappointed with our overall Champions League performance,” Schmid revealed.  

At the same time Schmid stated his belief that the competition helped his young team.  This was the positive message for the Sounders to take away from the 2010 CONCACAF experience.  By playing some formidable clubs and being compelled to face difficult travel and road match circumstances, the team received an overall benefit that will have a carryover effect into subsequent play, a toughening experience.

Terry Boss earned his second shutout as a Sounder goalkeeper.  It came in his fourth competitive start.

The two sides were even with 11 shots, but Seattle had a decided edge in the on goal category.  The Sounders took seven on goal shots compared to two for Marathón.

The Sounders gave Marathón a close contest in the teams’ first meeting.  The Sounders lost a tight 2-1 road decision with the winning goal coming late via penalty kick.

Seattle switches gears and moves back into important MLS competition.  On Saturday afternoon the Sounders face Toronto FC at 12:30 p.m. PT.  Seattle carries an 11-9-6 mark with 39 points into the competition.

After Saturday’s match with its potential MLS playoff implications, Sounders FC defends its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship.  The Sounders host the Columbus Crew, Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT.

Both games will be played on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.

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