The Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy should be well acquainted by the time the final whistle blows on the evening of July 7th.

The MLS Western Conference rivals will have played twice in a span of four days.  The first game is in accordance with regular scheduling and takes place July 4th, at Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Due to the fact that the teams are both in the hunt for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition, their quarterfinal contest just happens to be three days later on July 7th at Starfire Complex in Tukwila, Washington, which the Sounders use as their regular training facility.

Last season, the Sounders used a trip to face the Galaxy as an opportunity to establish momentum and get back into the competition for a playoff spot, which they eventually gained in their first full season.

This season, things look tougher considering that the Green Rave are in the midst of their first three-game skid of the season and stand in seventh place in the Western Conference with a mark of 4-7-3 and 15 points.

As for Los Angeles, this week Bruce Arena was named to coach the MLS All-Stars in the All-Star Game scheduled July 28 in Houston against Manchester United.

Arena’s great success this season with the L.A. team makes his selection justified and expected.  The Galaxy leads MLS teams with a glossy 10-1-3 mark and 33 points, nine more than the Eastern Conference leader, the Columbus Crew.

It is true that the Galaxy has lost one game and been tied in another in its last two MLS contests against Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC without scoring a goal, but that is misleading in that the team’s two leading scoring threats were unavailable due to U.S. World Cup team activity.

The number nine is a lucky number for the Galaxy.  At the time, their two superstars— Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle left for South Africa to join the U.S. team, they headed the MLS in assists and goals respectively at that figure.  Upon their return, they still rank first in those capacities.

Perhaps, the Sounders will draw a break, and neither Donovan nor Buddle will play?

One should not count on that eventuality.  An impressive looking art advertisement has been showcased by the Galaxy concerning the July 4th match with the exclamation, “They’re back!”

It is unlikely that L.A. management would allow such an ad to be displayed with its apparent blessing, if the dynamic duo would spend the entire game on the bench.  This would not be a good way to build trust with the team’s fan base.

On the other hand, it is debatable how much time Donovan and Buddle will see.  It could come down to how close a match occurs on the Carson pitch.

The issue of the game’s closeness focuses attention on the first meeting between the two teams this season on May 8th at the Xbox pitch of Seattle’s Qwest Field.  After securing a 1-0 halftime lead, the visitors blitzed the Sounders with three goals over a 15-minute span for a 4-0 shutout win.

Donovan had a luminous afternoon with three assists and a goal, his first of the season, with the MLS’ leading scorer receiving the assist.

In order for the Sounders to improve on that performance, it will be necessary to accomplish something that the team was unable to do last week in a 3-1 road loss to Philadelphia Union.  Seattle looked listless and was unable to play the type of possession soccer that it has achieved when victorious.

The Sounders were unable to clear the ball when it was near their own goal.  After clearing efforts, the ball would promptly end up back in the hands of Philly.  Philadelphia is tied for last with D.C. United in the Eastern Conference while L.A., as mentioned, has the finest record in the MLS.

In order for the Sounders to be competitive with the Galaxy in the two contests next week, it is necessary to get the ball into the possession of Freddie Ljungberg, their player with the most impressive international resume, alongside goalkeeper and captain Kasey Keller.

Ljungberg received an insufficient number of possessions against Philadelphia to utilize his talents as a dangerous midfield wingman.

He needs to be able to drive into goal territory, where he can deliver crosses to speedy attackers Fredy Montero and Steve Zakuani.  Such efforts can deliver set piece opportunities as well as goal threats.

It is imperative for the Sounders to possess the ball for a reasonable period of time for defensive purposes as well.  The more opportunities the team of Donovan and Buddle receive, the tougher it will be for the Sounders to win.

It must also be remembered that Donovan is one of the most dangerous set piece artists in all of soccer.

In the overtime win, 4-3 on penalty kicks by the Sounders at the Portlandt Timbers Wednesday night in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open competition, Ljungberg was well rested, while Montero and Zakuani, including overtime, played approximately 60 minutes each.

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Dorothy “Dottie” Kamenshek was the Babe Ruth, so to speak, of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the only women’s professional baseball league in baseball history. 

She passed away on May 17, 2010 at age 84.  The Gina Davis character in A League of Their Own was named after Dottie and loosely based on her.

The AAGPBL lasted 12 seasons from 1943 through 1954.  At its inception, the “girls” played a game that was closer to fast-pitch softball than what we think of as baseball. 

However, as the league matured, the rules changed until by the end of the 1954, the lady ballplayers were essentially playing baseball.

Here’s the All-American Girls Professional Baseball Association’s webpage describing the evolution of the AAGPBL’s rules.

Dottie played for the Rockford Peaches throughout her 10-year career (1943-1951, 1953).  She started as an outfielder but quickly moved to first base. 

According to this wikipedia article , She won the AAGPBL’s batting title in 1946 with a .316 average and again in 1947 at .306.

Dottie was the league’s all-time batting leader with a career .292 mark, and she was elected to seven All-Star teams (1943, 1946-1951). 

Dottie would have likely played all 12 years the AAGPBL was in existence, but her career was prematurely ended by back problems; how many slugging first basemen have had their careers cut short by back problems?  More than few.

Here’s a photo of the 1948 All-Star Team .  Dottie is the brunette (although they almost all look brunette in the black and white photo) at the bottom left.  She has the intense look of ballplayer determined to be the best.

As its 12-year history suggests, the league had some success. It was originally created with the idea that it would fill a gap created by the contraction of the minor leagues during World War II, when most healthy young men were in the service. 

The majors and the high minor leagues (what would now be considered AAA and AA) all continued play throughout the war, mainly by promoting players from the lower minors and calling players out of retirement to fill their depleted ranks.

Phil Wrigley, the owner of the Chicago Cubs, provided financial support for the new league, and Dodgers President Branch Rickey was also on the league’s initial board of directors.

Wrigley originally proposed that the women’s league play in major league parks when the men’s teams were on the road.  The other major league owners, showing their usual level of interest in creative new ideas that might increase revenue, nixed the idea.

The league ended up starting play in 1943 in only four small cities: Racine and Kenosha, Wisc.; Rockford, Ill.; and South Bend, Ind.  The league had a successful first season and added teams in Minneapolis and Milwaukee for the 1944 season.

Ironically, while league attendance increased, the two big city teams didn’t do well and moved to Grand Rapids, Mich., and Ft. Wayne, Ind., for the 1945 season.  League attendance topped 450,000 that year.

The league eventually added two more teams in Peoria, Ill., and Muskegon, Mich., and even conducted Spring Training in Florida, Mississippi and Cuba. 

As mentioned above, as the league matured, the game played became more like men’s baseball; and the early emphasis on the players’ sex appeal gave way to athletic performance on the field.

In the first three years after WWII, the league routinely drew between 2.000 and 3,000 fans a game, not much different from what many teams in the Independent A Northern League and American Association draw today.  Attendance peaked in 1948, when a 10-team league drew over 900,000 fans.

However, 1948 was also the year that television really got underway (including the televising of major league games), and league attendance declined after that. 

Also, as the game the AAGPBL played became more like men’s baseball, it became harder to find young women who could enter the league without training beforehand, since most of the talent base had only played women’s softball.

Here’s an article on the history of the AAGPBL if you want more information.

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Image: http://media.photobucket.com/image/landon%20donovan/rhiordan/requests/Donovan_Landon_02.jpg

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The facial expression of Seattle Sounders Coach Sigi Schmid was one of a confounding, “Do I, or do I not?” And who could blame him?

The Sounders were matched against their northwest rival the Portland Timbers in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open competition Wednesday night before a sellout crowd of 15,422 at PGE park.

Seattle came away with an exciting win on penalty kicks 4-3 after the teams had battled for 120 minutes after deadlocking 1-1 at the close of regulation play and 30 minutes more of overtime.

Schmid knows that the host team is a natural rival of the Sounders and that the intensity will increase next season when Portland and Vancouver enter the MLS.

He wanted the victory and yet realized the need to rest players following a game last Sunday back east in intense heat against the Philadelphia Union that resulted in a 3-1 loss as well as an impending important league clash July 4 in Los Angeles against the L.A. Galaxy.

An early goal in the 13th minute—one of the most brilliantly executed this season—made Schmid think that perhaps he could pull off victory without extending his roster.

The goal came as Miguel Montano received the ball from Michael Seamon on the left side and crossed to Sanna Nyasi at the far post. Nyassi flicked the ball across the goal to Nate Jaqua, who executed a nifty header into the net.

This was Jaqua’s first goal since returning last weekend in the Philadelphia game.

Portland drummed home the equalizer in the 38th minute. Bright Dike scored the goal. It was his fourth in the last two Open Cup matches between the teams.

As the 1-1 deadlock persisted Schmid made a move and threw his two speedy scorers into the fray.

Fredy Montero entered action in the 65th minute while Steve Zakuani emerged a short time later in the 69th minute.

The teams continued battling on past the 90 minute regulation time all the way to the concluding 30 minutes of overtime with the score remaining at 1-1. Seattle was compelled to endure the final 19 minutes after Taylor Graham was receipted with a red card at the 101 minute mark.

Playing this many minutes of intense soccer was not what Schmid had in mind as he sought to judiciously rest players while seeking a win.

While Schmid would have preferred not using his two speedsters Montero and Zakuani for better than 50 minutes each, having them on the pitch could have been a major saving element.

Who knows how the penalty kick phase would have gone if Seattle’s top offensive stars known for their cannon legs were not there to successfully bolt two of the penalty kicks into the netting?

Seattle was also benefited in that Captain Kasey Keller played the entire game. The veteran recorded six saves during regulation and overtime along with two vital stops during the penalty kick phase.

Meanwhile, Seattle made good on all of its penalty kick opportunities, save one that soared above the crossbar by Patrick Ianni, who had entered the match at the 102-minute mark.

Sounders nation was delighted that the final penalty boot that sailed into the netting at top right of the area was delivered by Zach Scott. The Hawaiian is the longest-serving Sounder, having initially joined the club in 2002.

The hard-fought win enables Seattle to move on to the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open Cup against the L.A. Galaxy July 7 at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila, Washington.

A scheduling oddity occurs through the convergence of the tournament mechanics and the MLS schedule, since the first place Galaxy team will host the Sounders July 4 and then travel to face them three days later on July 7 at the Seattle training complex in Tukwila.

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It took them nearly 70 minutes, but Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy got it done in the third round of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Goals by Chris Klein—donning the captain's armband for the first time this season—in the 69th minute and Juninho in the 80th gave the Galaxy a 2-0 victory over A.C. St. Louis.

You have to give ACSTL their dues this match. For the lion's share of the contest, LA were disconnected. The finishing was terrible at the front, and the likes of Gauchinho and Mike Ambersley nearly gave St. Louis a shock lead early. As expected from the Show Me State, St. Louis showed the LA Galaxy that they can hang around for a half and change.

However, Klein—who gets my Man of the Match—did well in donning the captain's armband to rally the troops, pressing forward to earn his first goal of the tournament. His 69th-minute strike looped past A.C. St. Louis keeper Alec Dufty, and the match broke wide open.

And what about Juninho? He is starting to pay his dues with his first of the year. Alex Cazumba showed that he can score in MLS, and now Juninho brings in a new dimension of danger to Open Cup opposition.

Speaking of opposition, the possibility of a Northwest Conquest is in the cards if the Portland Timbers defeat the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday. However—and I sigh when I say this—a Seattle Sweep is fine too. But first, they have to take care of the league match on Independence Day, which will see Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle return to the fold.

Well this is a surprise. We're not taking on the UEFA Champions League winners after all. It's bloody Real Madrid at the Rose Bowl.

Rafa Benitez, you coward! Just my humble opinion.

“While we were looking forward to playing Inter Milan, we are very pleased to be able to bring our fans a game against one of the world’s biggest clubs, one that features a host of the world’s top players in Real Madrid,” said Tom Payne, LA Galaxy President of Business Operations. “Many fans will remember Madrid’s last visit to Los Angeles when the teams played in front of a capacity crowd at The Home Depot Center in 2005, and now we will be hosting them at the historic Rose Bowl in what will prove to be another memorable game for soccer fans throughout Southern California.”

The match, once again, will take place on August 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Pasadena.

Well, at least we get to see Jose Mourinho, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gozalo Higuain, Rafael van de Vaart, Iker Casillas and the gang. From the websiite:

A nine-time European champion, and 31-time champion of Spain’s La Liga, Real Madrid finished second in Spain’s La Liga this season just three points behind league champion, Barcelona, despite losing just four times all season long. In late May, the club named two-time Champions League winner Jose Mourinho as the club’s new head coach.

Mourinho is expected to lead his full roster of international stars, including 2007 FIFA Player of the Year Kaka, 2008 FIFA Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, Dutch midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart, Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain, Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas and many others to Southern California. Ten of Real’s current squad are currently playing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, while another three have played in a previous World Cup.

The LA Galaxy Youth Academy U-18 side's campaign ended with a whimper, not with a bang, losing 3-2 to FC Dallas.

The Galaxy U-20s march on with their season with a July 3 contest against the Lancaster Rattlers on Saturday, July 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT.

The U-20s will then get one final crack against USL Super-20 League Pacific Southern California conference leaders Chivas USA on Monday, July 5. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT.

After a Round of 16 exit, it was time for the true captain of the Galaxy, Landon Donovan, to face the media scrutiny.

On Tuesday, Donovan was a guest on a guest on the “Late Show with David Letterman.”

On Wedneday, he will go through a longer media gauntlet. Donovan will make an appearance on three morning shows, appearing as a guest on “Good Morning America” on ABC, “The Early Show” on CBS, and “Live with Regis and Kelly” on ABC. Donovan’s segment on “GMA” will air at approximately 7:30 a.m. (PT) while his appearance on “The Early Show” will come during the show’s 8 a.m. hour.

Donovan will complete his morning of interviews as a guest of “Live with Regis and Kelly”, which begins at 9 a.m. on ABC 7 in the Los Angeles area. He wraps up his Wednesday escapades as a guest on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”, which will air at 11 p.m. (PT).

Here is a great chance for Sunil Gulati to save his skins. According to Fanhouse :

If the decision is made not to renew Bradley's contract at the end of the year and follow the route of an increasing number of countries by appointing a foreign coach, Klinsmann, a World Cup winner who earned more than 100 caps, scoring 47 times in an 11-year international career, would be among the favourites to lead the US into a new era.

The 45-year-old, who lives in California, ultimately turned the US job down due to an inability to gain guarantees over the release of players for certain tournaments. Having stuck largely to media work since his departure from Bayern Munich 14 months ago, if those differences can be ironed out it could be a case of second time lucky for both parties.

Sunil, America is hoping you don't drop the ball like you did last time. Screw this up, and you also should send yourself packing. Do the two-step right, and the States earns its biggest victory of the post-2010 FIFA World Cup campaign.

We're watching you, Mr. Gulati. Don't screw this up.

Domonic Oppong's goal in the 117th minute gave the Harrisburg City Islanders a 1-0 upset win over the New York Red Bulls...A late 93rd minute goal by Steven Lenhart gave the Columbus Crew a 2-1 victory over a 10-man Rochester Rhinos side...Lovel Palmer's 80th minute strike gave the Houston Dynamo a 1-0 victory over 10-man Miami FC...the Charleston Battery shut out the Chicago fire in a penalty shootout, 3-0, after a scoreless 120 minutes...Jesus Padilla, in the 15th minute, gave Chivas USA a 1-0 victory over the Austin Aztex at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, California.

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T-180: For the record Claude Anelka can't coach.

With that said, here's a little info on the Galaxy's next opponent tonight, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"Athletic Club of St. Louis, commonly referred to as AC St. Louis, is an American professional soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 2009, the team plays in the NASL Conference of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.

T-170: "The USSF-D2 is a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) in 2010 to last just one season, as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL).

T-160: "St. Louis plays its home games at the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in nearby Fenton, Missouri. The team's colors are green, white, and yellow.

T-150: The men's club is one half of the St. Louis based ownership group, chaired by team owner Jeff Cooper, with a large youth soccer league covering the entire St. Louis area as the other half. A third part was Saint Louis Athletica of Women's Professional Soccer, but the club folded in 2010.

T-140: Some supporters' groups:

"Eads Brigade (EB) was formed in 2007, when Cooper initially began working to get an MLS team and a stadium in the city of Collinsville, Illinois, as a fan group to support the MLS bid, similar to the Sons of Ben for the Philadelphia Union. EB has made several appearances at different functions, including a vote in Collinsville to approve the stadium plan, the 2009 NSCAA convention, and the ACSTL announcement ceremony.

"River City Saints (RCS) was established in the summer of 2007 as a small collection of supporters for the St. Louis Lions organization. In 2008, during the building of the Women's Professional Soccer league, the RCS moved its efforts to a united supporter's front for all-area soccer in and around St. Louis.

"In March of 2009 The RCS attended St. Louis Athletica's Missouri Kick-Off Meet and Greet at the Scott Gallagher Soccer Training Complex in Maryland Heights, MO. The RCS continued their penchant for 'D.I.Y.' marketing and promoted the club wherever and whenever possible with fliers, word of mouth, and online advertising. The RCS co-exists as an all-area supporter's group with the Eads Brigade (AC St. Louis supporters).

"The Blue Street Elite (BSE) was formed in 2009 following the induction of AC St. Louis into the NASL. The firm is based out of South City, St. Louis, Missouri, and has a goal in mind of bringing the passion of English football firms to the NASL.

"United Knights (UKSTL) is a Bosnian-influenced group that was founded to promote soccer in the St. Louis area. United Knights' goal is to become the biggest and best A.C. St. Louis fan group. United Knights also organize the Premier Soccer League for 7v7 teams that will be hosted by ACSTL at Soccer Park.

Formed in 2005, the DayPints Club (DPC) is dedicated to enjoying all things soccer. With its strong local presence, DayPints brings together members of the St. Louis soccer community to watch the world's best football at the best neighborhood pubs. Now, DayPinters lend their fervor and their voice as a leading supporter's group of AC St. Louis. Clad in their signature green and gold, you can be sure the DPC is always ready to get stuck in come the next ACSTL match."

T-130: A little info on the shield.

"The inverted shield features a fleur-de-lis with a golden flame beneath a catenary arch. The fleur-de-lis, a long-time symbol of the city featured heavily in the region's iconography, was a symbol of French monarchs including Louis IX of France, for whom the city is named. The flame harkens back to the 1904 Summer Olympics, which were held in St. Louis as part of the St. Louis World's Fair, and is seen by many St. Louisans to be one of the formative events in the city's history.

"The arch represents the Gateway Arch, which was built in 1965 as a memorial to the city's placement in American history as the 'Gateway to the West.' A.C. is a homage to the Missouri Athletic Club, which has promoted soccer in the region for more than 100 years. The nickname 'Saints' reflects the vestiges of French and Spanish colonization to the area, which made St. Louis one of the largest centers of Roman Catholicism in the United States."

T-120: And so we are two hours away from this 2010 U.S. Open Cup third round match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and A.C. St. Louis.

Lineups:

T-110: The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is American soccer's oldest cup competition. First contested in 1914, the U.S. Open Cup attracts 40 teams hailing from Major League Soccer, the USL First and Second Divisions, the revived North American Soccer League, the USL Premier Development League, the U.S. Adult Soccer Association, and just recently, U.S. Club Soccer. I personally hope to see more of them in the future; after, this IS the Lamar Hunt U.S. OPEN Cup. Emphasis on Open.

T-100: Mr. Landon Donovan will be unavailable because he is making media runarounds today and tomorrow. Well, at least Edson Buddle will be available.

T-90: Some players to keep an eye on...

#1 Alec Dufty—Goalkeeper
AC St. Louis’ No. 1 goalkeeper, Dufty has started all 11 of the club’s league games as well as both Open Cup games. He enters Tuesday’s game with a 1.55 goals against average in league play but has not allowed a goal in his last four appearances dating back to May 29.

A member of the New York Red Bulls last season, he made his MLS debut in a 0-0 draw at Houston, replacing the injured Danny Cepero after just eight minutes. He did not allow a goal in 82 minutes on the field, making two saves to earn the draw. However, he was released a few days later as Jon Conway returned from a suspension.

#5 Jack Traynor—Defender
The AC St. Louis captain, Traynor has made 11 appearances for the club this season. A left back during his four years at Notre Dame, Traynor has been used primarily in central defense during his time with St. Louis.

Drafted by the New York Red Bulls in the second round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, Traynor did not sign with the club and spent the 2009 season with Miami FC before signing with St. Louis prior to the start of this season. A Missouri native, Traynor appeared in 86 games during his college career, helping Notre Dame reach the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons with the club.

#15 Mike Ambersley—Forward
The club’s leading scorer with two goals and an assist in the regular season, Ambersley has scored in each of his club’s previous Open Cup games against Des Moines and Minnesota. Often utilized as the lone striker, Ambersley won the College Cup at Indiana in 2004, scoring the Cup-winning penalty against UC Santa Barbara in the College Cup Final.

He was drafted by FC Dallas in the fourth round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft but never played a game for the club. He spent three years with Rochester of the USL First Division before joining AC St. Louis prior to the start of this season.

T-80: Bethlehem Steel and Maccabi Los Angeles lead the way in most U.S. Open Cups won with five. Won't be long before a team in Major League Soccer eclipses that mark. The Fire have come close, with four.

T-70: The Galaxy have won this competition twice: 2001 over the New England Revolution and 2005 over FC Dallas as part of the US Open Cup-MLS Cup Double.

Sprinklers shining the pitch.

T-60: Other third round matches going on include the New York Red Bulls on the road taking on the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division, the Columbus Crew hosting the Rochester Rhinos of USSF D-2, the Charleston Battery of the USL Second Division facing the Chicago Fire in Bridgeview, the Houston Dynamo hosting Miami FC of USSF D-2, Chivas USA facing the USSF D-2's Austin Aztex at Fullerton's Titan Stadium, D.C. United facing the USL Second Division's Richmond Kickers at RFK Stadium, and the Seattle Sounders hitting the road to face the Portland Timbers at PGE Park.

Portland will be joining MLS next season along with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

T-55: New York and Harrisburg are scoreless deep into stoppage time. Columbus defeated Rochester 2-1 on a late goal by Steven Lenhart.

Chicago and Charleston are locked in a scoreless draw heading into the break. Miami FC and Houston Dynamo are also scoreless at halftime.

Recent poll on TheCup.us has LA with a 0% chance of being upset.

T-50: This game will not be televised, but I will be covering this baby nonetheless. We have a shock upset. New York has lost to Harrisburg 1-0 off a goal by Dominic Oppong.

T-45: So Columbus and Harrisburg are through to the next round. Four other teams are slated to join them—who will they be?

T-40: Players are now warming up.

My strategy for Los Angeles is to attack early and often. School this side at will. The longer the match goes scoreless, the stronger St. Louis's confidence will be.

T-30: Gregg Berhalter, Landon Donovan, and Edson Buddle are taking the night off.

T-25: Typical.

T-20: It's a good thing there is a room over this press box. Late June gloom overhead. I like the cool weather, but the wetness caught me off guard.

T-15: Fifteen to kickoff. Houston leads Miami 1-0 late in the second half off a goal by Lovel Palmer.

In other World Cup action...Paraguay defeats Japan on penalty kicks 5-3 after a 0-0 draw, the Netherlands defeated Slovakia 2-1, Brazil shut out Chile 3-0, and Spain edged Portugal 1-0.

T-10: Late in the second half, and still Chicago and Charleston are scoreless. Also in the nightcap is the Austin Aztex vs. Chivas USA.

T-5: We have another final: 1-0, Houston over Miami FC. Our match official today is Alejandro Mariscal. Linesmen are Magic Berenji and Ryan Van Duyne, and our fourth official is Gegham Vardenyan.

T-0: FIFA Theme for this match, since this isn't an MLS contest. Time for the National Anthem.

FIRST HALF START: 7:35 P.M. PT

1'—We are underway. Are you sure we are facing A.C. St. Louis and not the Socceroos? Nonetheless, I think the Galaxy FO owes the fans double the fireworks and some on the fourth.

Angel City Brigade and the LA Riot Squad cranks it up. Kirovski sets things up. Here's St. Louis.

2'—Josh Saunders has proven to be a clutch keeper in relief of Donovan Ricketts, the Big Cat from Montego Bay.

Long pass wide for Bowen. No foul on Leonardo? Hmmm. Here's Tim Velten. Eddie Lewis tackled, and that will be a free kick.

3'—Corner for the Gs. Cleared out, take two, take it short. First warning shot, save Alec Dufty.

4'—Here comes A.C. St. Louis, and that was dangerous from Gauchinho. First major warning shot of the half from the upstarts of the Gateway City.

5'—This is Brad Stisser. Jeff Cosgriff with the chance, and that was a good series there for ACSTL.

6'—Tristan Bowen resets the distribution. This is some nice passing from A.C. St. Louis.

7'—Lewis again, and they will be content to spread it around a little.

8'—That was trouble. Mike Ambersley nearly made them pay right there. Good stop by Chris Klein. But that chance by Ambersley should have been in.

10'—Here is a corner for St. Louis. Offsides, Cosgriff.

11'—This is impressive stuff from A.C. St. Louis early on. They are playing with nothing to lose.

12'—Really, too much mustard on that hot dog for Clint Mathis.

13'—Back come Los G's. Horrid pass for Lewis. Communication here is still lacking early this half. Throw-in ACSTL.

14'—That was excellent defense by Dillon Barna. Snuffed out that cross to perfection. ACB sets the tempo.

15'—Throw-in ACSTL. They sure aren't playing like a 2—7—1 side. Too ambitious a pass down the middle.

16'—Goal kick, Josh Saunders. Good marking by Alex Cazumba.

17'—ACB leading the "LA Galaxy" chorus. Foul on ACSTL. Some divets on the field. Lewis with the free kick, and that was horrid....

18'—Stisser dropped a sitter.

19'—And Tristan Bowen was off on that header. Should have done better.

20'—Sooner or later, the Galaxy need to break on the transition. Saunders with the grab. Here's Cazumba.

21'—A.C. St. Louis is getting too many opportunities off the transition, and it's sickening if you root for the home side.

22'—Tim Velten sets it up for St. Louis. The Galaxy counter. Good passing here, but wasteful possessions in the attacking third.

23'—This is a spirited performance for A.C. St. Louis. They have been a passing landmine for Los Angeles.

24'—Good footwork from Bryan Jordan. He was highlighted recently in my "This is the Los Angeles Galaxy" series.

25'—Chris Klein will rue that passing stanza. They are killing themselves with the poor finishing.

26'—Curse all those media appearances the starters have to deal with...

27'—Still scoreless between the Fire and Battery in extra time. Shootout on the way?

Meanwhile, A.C. St. Louis parks the bus as if they worked bus drivers on the side. Some discord among the home supporters.

28'—Alan Gordon butchered that header. So what else is new? That's been the story of the game so far. Butchered opportunities on both sides. You could have sworn this was a meat market without the meat on the pitch.

29'—Here's Leonardo. Getting some time on the field for the Galaxy.

30'—Back come the green and gold of St. Louis. Yes, there are some supporters who made the trip from the Gateway City.

31'—A.C. St. Louis's spirited performance continues.

32'—Cazumba, and here is Lewis. The passing here has been nothing short of crisp, but the finishes took the night off, for some unknown reason.

33'—Corner for the Gs. Lewis is taking the corners tonight as the captain. Deflected out.

34'—Again, the long passes have been nothing but head shakers for LA. Time for another penalty shootout anyone? And where was Klein sending that one to?

35'—We are heading to penalties down in Bridgeview. Over in Fullerton, Chivas USA is leading the Austin Aztex 1-0 off a goal by Jesus Padilla in the 15th minute.

36'—The shaking and baking didn't pay off there.

37'—Did Cazumba trim his hair? Good save for Dufty. That ball sailed lazily into his hands.

38'—Thirty-eight minutes in, we are still scoreless. Cosgriff, Gauchinho, Troy Cole, and Kreamalmeyer are making things quite difficult.

39'—Barna and Bloom have done their part as well in their defensive third.

40'—Free kick for A.C. St. Louis. Jack Traynor to take. Deflected.

41'—And that whistle by Mariscal was late.

42'—Upset special number two...Charleston shuts out Chicago in the penalty shootout, 3-0. No cup for the Windy City but a bag of foul wind.

44'—Velten again, and that shot by Cole missed. Side netting for Clint Mathis.

45'—So, how many minutes of stoppage time will the official give, if any?

None. And so we head to the break.

The Galaxy have outshot St. Louis 7-4, but their finishing has doomed them this half. Can that change in the second?

Also halftime down at Titan Stadium in Fullerton: Chivas USA 1, Austin Aztex 0.

Halftime Stats:

Shots
A.C. St. Louis 4
Los Angeles Galaxy 7

Shots on Goal
A.C. St. Louis 1
Los Angeles Galaxy 1

Saves
A.C. St. Louis 1
Los Angeles Galaxy 1

Fouls
A.C. St. Louis 4
Los Angeles Galaxy 2

Corner Kicks
A.C. St. Louis 2
Los Angeles Galaxy 3

Offsides
A.C. St. Louis 4
Los Angeles Galaxy 1

46'—The second half begins. Will we see goals, or extra time, or—soccer gods forbid—a penalty shootout?

To A.C. St. Louis's credit, Los Angeles didn't storm the gates early, and that may have something to do with the watered-down lineup Bruce Arena chose to go with.

47'—The skies have now cleared. A beautiful nighttime setting.

Some dispossession battles on the way. One guy is chanting "DEFENSE! *clapclap* DEFENSE! *clapclap*" This is not American football, you broad.

48'—Here is Bryan Jordan. Now it's Chris Klein. I have to question No. 7's choice of distribution there. Why not take a shot?

49'—Gordon stumbles but gets back up. Easy pickings for Dufty on the speculative cross from Klein.

50'—Saunders tipped that away, it's a corner. St. Louis takes it short.

51'—Bad throw-in by Jordan, offsides on Ambersley.

52'—Mariscal's letting that go. Cazumba appeals to the heavens as if the soccer gods betrayed him there.

53'—Too long for Gordon. He is itching to get on the score sheet, the man from the Beach. Long Beach, California, that is.

54'—Here's Klein, and that was wasted. Too much passing. Nothing wrong with going direct at this juncture.

55'—Back comes St. Louis on the transition. And there's a rough challenge by Jovan Kirovski. The crowd is not amused.

Yellow Card No. 9 Jovan Kirovski
Los Angeles Galaxy

56'—Close. Nearly hit the Gatorade cooler of St. Louis. Would have been proper, too.

57'—A.J. De La Garza with a howler. The connections have been nothing but abysmal for the Gs. More of the same from the first half. Jack Traynor is walking on a thin line.

58'—Here comes Alex Cazumba. Good anticipation by Mark Bloom. Where was Klein passing that to? Good Lord! Corner, Klein.

59'—And that was the easiest chance that missed for Clint Mathis.

60'—Dufty with the save on Cazumba. He is facing the firing squad today.

61'—Interesting choice of clearance by Mathis. Not a smart one. Corner, ACSTL, Luke Kreamalmeyer to take. That's cleared.

62'—Bowen has not been much of a factor this contest. He's not getting a lot of touches this half. This first-year NASL side has schooled this second-year MLS player to pieces.

Offsides, Dillon Barna and Jeff Cosgriff.

63'—Back come the green and gold, and there's an apparent handball.

64'—Now it's the Galaxy on the prowl. This will be a battle of wits here. The communication has been abhorrent for Arena's side. Some subs may need to be in order.

65'—Again, another lazy ball finds the hands of Alec Dufty.

66'—Here's De La Garza. Leonardo with the distribution reset.

67'—So we are 67 minutes into the contest, it's still scoreless. The Galaxy have not been very creative with their shot selections. That was easy as pie for Dufty against Bowen.

68'—Barna with a good clearance. Corner Los Angeles.

69'—Alex Cazumba will want that one back. I'm sorry. That was Keystone Kops material right there, guys. Such humiliation.

GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy: No. 7 Chris Klein, Assist: No. 84 Clint Mathis, No. 17 Tristan Bowen
Now things are opening up. That's a little bit better for the Gs.

Substitution A.C. St. Louis
IN 11 Chris Salvaggione
OUT 17 Brad Stisser

71'—That's Klein's first of the tourney. After many close calls, he finally gets one past Dufty.

72'—Consolidation's the word of the day for this Galaxy side. Gauchinho with an ambitious volley.

Yellow Card 11 Chris Salvaggione
A.C. St. Louis

73'—Offsides, Stisser.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 19 Juninho
OUT 17 Tristan Bowen

74'—Can A.C. St. Louis get the equalizer? Troy Cole slips, loses his footing, gets back up, and shoots a terrible looper.

75'—We are 75 in, and it's now 1-0 Los Angeles. A brave display by A.C. St. Louis to hold the Galaxy scoreless deep into the second half.

76'—Substitution A.C. St. Louis
IN 9 Elvir Kafedzic
OUT 3 Troy Cole

77'—It would be unwise for the Galaxy to sit on a 1-0 lead. Building on it would be a good choice.

78'—And there are some St. Louis supporters here in attendance. Welcome.

79'—The winner of this match takes on either Portland or Seattle. Heh. The Sounders twice? Uh oh.

Out for a corner. Mathis was wise to stay out of the way.

Gauchinho came off his line for that one. That's what happens when you get playing experience in Denmark.

80'—GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy: No. 19 Juninho
And he breaks through for his first of the tournament. Great shot from the Sao Paulo FC import. What a touch of Brazilliance.

81'—Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 11 Chris Birchall
OUT 84 Clint Mathis

And here comes the white Soca Warrior from Stratford.

82'—It's now 2-0 Galaxy. Took Los Angeles a while to wake up, but the fans will want to see a third before this night's over. Still 1-0 Chivas USA over Austin Aztex.

83'—Time right now is not on A.C. St. Louis's side.

84'—Here's Chris Birchall. Dubious decision making.

85'—Substitution A.C. St. Louis
IN 23 Ryan Moore
OUT 20 Jeff Cosgriff

That was a horrid set piece right there. Still anyone's game, even though it's looking better for the home side.

86'—Well, the Galaxy have fared nicely without Buddle and Donovan, as Kafedzic is called for offsides.

87'—Nice bump from Juninho. Love it.

88'—The Galaxy can just sit on this one. That's a good tackle from Jordan. Now the dispossessing is clicking. One-timer from Jovan Kirovski, batted away by Dufty.

89'—Short corner. This A.C. St. Louis outfit has done nothing but come up short all year, so what else is new?

90'—All right Gegham, how many more minutes of stoppage time?

90' + 1'—Two minutes. This should go quickly.

90' + 2'—And A.C. St. Louis bow out of the tournament. The Galaxy will face either the Portland Timbers or the Seattle Sounders in the quarterfinals.

Also a final from Fullerton: Austin falls to Chivas, 1-0. Attendance for this match: 2,179.

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

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Despite heat and humidity an enthusiastic sellout crowd of 18,755 turned out June 27 to watch host Philadelphia score a 3-1 triumph over  Seattle as the Union’s new stadium in suburban Chester, PPL Park, was inaugurated.

Philadelphia visited Seattle March 25 in another inaugural, that of the season’s first game, as the Sounders scored a 3-1 win.

After the World Cup break, the word from the Sounders training site in Tukwila was that the team was refreshed and ready to approach the second half of the MLS campaign with confidence and optimism.

Those positive sentiments dissipated as the second meeting of the teams produced a totally different result, but with a first half that was reminiscent of earlier Sounders games.  The Sounders had played possession football in games that had produced disappointing losses and frustrating ties.

For a time it looked as if the Sounders might have good fortune on their side as, despite numerous Philadelphia chances falling short and being dominated in time of possession, a quick breakthrough produced a 1-0 Seattle lead.

The game’s as well as PPL Park’s initial goal came at the 44-minute mark.  Steve Zakuani made a run up the left flank.  He played a ball to Fredy Montero in the box. Montero flicked the ball on to Noonan, who poked it past the keeper with his right foot.

Noonan scored two firsts with his goal.  Along with the aforementioned distinction of becoming the first player to score at PPL Park he also secured his initial MLS goal as a Sounder.

The assist by Montero added to his team leading total, bringing it to five.

Despite going into the locker room on top by a goal, a nervous feeling dominated that unless the tone of the match changed and the Sounders moved out of a listless mode while Philadelphia demonstrated enthusiasm and dominated in time of possession, the tide was destined to turn.

Former Sounder Sebastien Le Toux secured an equalizer in the 54th minute following a foul in the box called on Tyrone Marshall against Alejandro Moreno.

The steady pattern established early in the match continued.  Philadelphia steadily attacked while Seattle never found a rhythm.

Playmaker Freddie Ljungberg, a superb attacker from his familiar right wing  known for quick movements into opposition territory, never had a chance to achieve momentum since he received precious few touches with the Sounders consistently playing defense.

Minutes later the Sounders got a chance to move in front via penalty kick after Fredy Montero was fouled.  Many thought that Montero would deliver the kick.  It was entrusted instead to Patrick Noonan.  His effort failed as Union goalkeeper Chris Seitz made an excellent diving save.

The home team secured the lead in the 79th minute.  Le Toux whipped a cross that skipped in front of the goal and landed at the feet of Fred at the back post, who booted home the score.

Philly put the game away with a third tally in the 84th minute despite a valiant effort by goalkeeper Casey Keller.  Danny Mwanga took a ball from Le Toux and fired a shot on goal from close range.

Sounders Captain Keller hurled himself into the air and brought down the ball short of the net.  While he lay on the ground Mwanga nudged the ball into the netting on the rebound with no Seattle defenders in the area.

Keller was a bright spot for Seattle on what was otherwise an outwardly sunny but inwardly bleak afternoon in Chester.  He secured a season high of seven saves on Philadelphia’s 14 shots.

While the Sounders have been a possession team used to garnering advantages in shots, such was not the case against the Union.  The home team fired 14 shots with 13 on goal along with eight corner kicks.  Seattle had six shots, four on goal, and four corner kicks.

Heading into this match, the concern was that Seattle had become too erratic a team, hovering at or slightly below the break even mark.  Now the increasing concern is that unless a precipitous fall can be broken, Coach Sigi Schmid’s team could be headed for a severe lower division finish.

The loss left the Sounders losers of four of their last five MSL contests with a record of 4-7-3 and 15 points.  This puts Seattle in the Western Conference’s number seven position.

The win put Peter Nowak’s Philly team at 3-7-1 with 10 points and a tie for the seven spot in the Eastern Conference.  Considering that the Union had been on a steady diet of road games to this point with a new stadium in its final completion stages, it now receives a second half boost with more games at home in the friendly confines of PPL Park.

Forward Nate Jaqua saw his first action of the 2010 season after having been removed from the Disabled List June 24.  Jaqua replaced Steve Zakuani in the 72nd minute.

Philadelphia native Michael Seamon, a recent Villanova University graduate, made his MLS debut in the 66th minute, subbing for Peter Vagenas.

It is imperative for Seattle to regroup fast since it faces two challenges this week.  On Wednesday the Sounders open defense of the U.S. Open Cup with a third round match at Portland, a northwest rival that will make its MLS debut in 2011.

That will be quickly followed by a July 4 road contest against the Los Angeles Galaxy, the team with the MLS’ leading record.

Seattle’s next home game is July 11 against FC Dallas.

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(Philadelphia, PA) - Yesterday was a historic day for Philadelphia soccer fans and a homecoming for Philadelphia Union faithful. A crowd of over 18,000 were in attendance to open the team's new home, PPL Park.

The $120 million dollar venue, nestled on the bank of th Delaware River, was opened with a certain set of tight deadlines from the team and the community. Even though the arena is a step in the right direction for the city and the team, it is far from perfect and in some places, far from done.

Beyond the fact that the stadium is located in the occasionally hostile city of Chester (which is a factor that may inhibit the teams long-term success), The stadium was delayed for countless weeks, forcing the team to play their opening home games at the Eagles' Lincoln Financial Field.

For those of you that were not in attendance yesterday, you may be lucky because, beyond the play on the field, the stadium experience fell way below expectations. Here are some of the highs and lows for the new PPL Park.

1. Parking: If you are a season ticket holder for the Philadelphia Union, this was not an issue, but if you are planning on attending a game, you may have an issue with finding a place to park.

The team does not have enough parking lots at the stadium to fit the expected 18,000 attendees. Also the team is counting on sharing parking with the ever growing Harrah's Chester Casino.

Many fans were forced to park as far as a 1/2 mile away in sections that are more abandoned plots then parking facilities. Highland Ave. (off 95) was the largest lot yesterday and did not provide adequate security to the already weary Union fans.

2. Water: At yesterdays home opener temperatures reached close to 100 degrees. This will not be the case for every game, but with the amount of people in the arena and the relative humidity in the area, you would not expect them to run out of basic amenities such as water.

By the 60th minute you could not find a water bottle anywhere in the arena, and the stadium staff, whom were already handing out free cups of ice, told people that their only option other then beer and soda was to use on of the 5-10 water fountains in the arena.

3. Overcrowding: I don't think the Union expects to sell out every game, but in the chance they, do there could be a very big issue with safety in the arena's corridors. The facility does not allow enough room in the food areas for free flow of people, and an emergency could cause for HUGE issues. Between the heat, lack of water, and the small cramped corridors there were countless emergencies and the first aid station was crowded and filled over capacity with heat related issues.

4. River End: The one thing the Union did do correctly is supply a proper amount of space for their true fans and biggest supporters, the Sons of Ben. This group of fans will be in the River End chanting and screaming and create a great atmosphere for fans and soccer spectators alike.

The only issue is above them. The team has their end facility flush with the Sons of Ben and did not think to create a fence system above to keep the fans and debris out. They were forced to send security to the top of the River End to keep fans off the roof of the facility, and this could become an issue if it is not addressed.

5. Opposing Fans: In a usual soccer style arena, it is customary to have the opposing teams supporters section to be located opposite the home teams behind the adjacent net. The problem at PPL park is that the ownership group did not want the groups of opposing fans to be too close to their plush luxury box.

In a move of sheer stupidity, they moved the oppisng fan sections right across a small opening from the Sons of Ben. It was not an issue in their home opener because the Emerald City Supporters (Seattle Sounder Supporters Group) were not large in number and do not display a hostile persona.

The issue will be when teams such as the D.C. United and N.Y Red Bulls come to town. There is not enough spacing between the groups, and when it comes to filing out of the arena, the Sons of Ben share the same alley ways and exit as the opposing fans. This is a sign of controversy and could become the arena's biggest issue.

In Conclusion: All Union fans know that the home opener was just a work in progress, and the team and the city of Chester are working to finish and improve this product as they go along. No arena opens with perfection, and that is to be expected. Hopefully the team and organization will address some of their apparent issues. The team will play 12 of their remaining 19 games at PPL Park and are expected to be close to capacity for most of them.

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On Independence Day, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy will look to get back on the winning track in Major League Soccer against the Seattle Sounders FC at the Home Depot Center.

There will be football. There will be fireworks. There will be football and fireworks. And Sigi Schmid's crew will look to get payback for the humiliation dealt to them earlier this season.

But there's just one problem with that planning. Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle are back.

“We've scored a bunch of goals without [Donovan and Buddle],” defender Gregg Berhalter said. “Obviously they're a big part of our attack but we've proven we can score without them. It's just a question of today. We had some chances but we didn't make the best of them. We're confident in this group of guys for sure.”

Rats. Shoots. Maledictions of every language conceivable. Los Angeles will be at full strength when both teams collide.

As for Los Angeles, they are coming off a scoreless draw with Toronto FC and U.S. Open Cup action.

“We're here to do a job. We’re here to win a game and we tried to put our best foot forward,” Berhalter said. “The conditions are the same for both teams, so we can't worry about that. We came here to win and take three points back to LA. Unfortunately we didn't do that.

“Any time you go away from home, you don't want to concede goals, and you want to go back home and make it a more hostile environment. It's definitely a goal of ours. We don't take it for granted.”

After leading 1-0 against the Philadelphia Union, the Sounders collapsed off of goals by Sebastien Le Toux, Fred and Danny Mwanga to fall 3-1 and will head to the Home Depot Center to get back on the winning track. (That is, after beginning their U.S. Open Cup defense against the Portland Timbers.)

Fredy Montero has had a sensational year for the Sounders, with five goals and four assists. Steve Zakuani has also chipped in with four goals, and Brad Evans and Freddie Ljungberg have added three assists to the Rave Green's 2010 campaign.

Goalkeeper Kasey Keller has a 1.28 goals against average, with 26 saves to his credit.

The defensive backline of Patrick Ianni, Leo Gonzalez, Tyrone Marshall and James Riley will need to have learned from their 4-0 shutout on May 8 at Quest Field. They understand that it's not Buddle or Donovan that is dangerous for the Galaxy. It's the entire team.

Eleven different players have scored for Los Angeles. Defensively, only four goals have been allowed by Donovan Ricketts, who possesses a 0.33 GAA on 33 saves.

The backline of the Galaxy is led by Todd Dunivant and Omar Gonzalez, who have played all 13 matches so far in MLS competition. Berhalter has done well donning the captain's armband but may need to surrender it with Donovan returning to the fold.

“It was another tough road game,” Berhalter added. “They're undefeated at home and it wasn't going to be easy. We came in, were disciplined and fought hard for a point.

“That was our mentality. We wanted to get back into it after losing that last game.”

With Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle returning to the fold, the Galaxy should be in good stead as they get back into form. Seattle should be able to get one back, though.

Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT and will be followed by a fireworks spectacular. Bring the family along and show your appreciation for your country.

Youth Academy Update

The Los Angeles Galaxy's U-18 side defeated the Clearwater Chargers 2-1 at the Bryan Park Soccer Complex in Browns Summit, North Carolina.

They wrap up the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs campaign with an 11:00 a.m. ET date with FC Dallas on Tuesday, June 29, 2010.


Toronto riots ablaze

Some unrest was going in in Toronto as well. From the LA Galaxy's website.

"Additionally, the city of Toronto is hosting the G20 Summit, which brought out protesters by the masses. According to reports, on Saturday thousands of protesters smashed storefront windows and set cars ablaze as Toronto Mayor David Miller urged residents to stay calm."

All right, so these Canadians are just like us. But I think we do it better. Much better. But I do like the spirit.

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