November 22, 2009 was a day that Los Angeles Galaxy fans would soon want to forget. Real Salt Lake, in only their fifth season of existence, won the MLS Cup 5-4 on penalties at the expense of blunders from the spot by Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle.

Fast forward to April 17, 2010. With RSL earning the big X on the back, the Galaxy's thirst for revenge had never been so pronounced. And with Buddle leading in goals tallied in Major League Soccer with five, common sense would dictate that it would take a pocketful of kryptonite to prevent any hope for payback in the rematch at the Home Depot Center.

"It's never easy," Buddle said at practice on his goals scored thus far. "My position always makes it tough to get free and it's physical, especially last week against Houston. They are physical and we expect that this week."

“We’ve just been going out there and having a good time, just trying to stay connected and try to play defense first and worry about the offense second,” Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez said on his role in the field.

Los Angeles (3-0-0, 9 points) boasts one of the stingiest defenses in the league in goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, Gonzales, and fellow central defender Leonardo and the outside back tandem of Todd Dunivan, Sean Franklin, and A.J. De Le Garza.

“Everyone’s been working for the same goal," Gonzalez said. "[Midfielder] Landon [Donovan] always comes up to me before games and says, ‘Let’s get this win. Let’s get this shutout. Let’s just keep it going.’

"I relay that message to the other guys, so we’ve all been on the same page.”

Donovan is currently tied with Franklin and New England's Kheli Dube on the assists table this year with two.

Currently Real Salt Lake sits second on the Western Conference table (1-1-1). They will not have the services of Yura Movsisyan, who is helping Danish first division side Randers FC avoid the drop, nor will they have the services of Clint Mathis, who now dons the Galaxy blue, gold, and white.

However, they still have the bulk of their team returning. Among the notables, Robbie Findley led RSL in 2009 with 15 goals and will look to continue his form from last year against LA. Midfielders Javier Morales and Andy Williams also trouble, leading Real Salt Lake with five assists apiece last year.

Dangerous Costa Rican international Alvaro Saborio will be one of the new players to watch out for donning the red, blue and gold for RSL.

Goalkeeper Nick Rimando will have to brace himself for an improved, hungry Galaxy side that has managed three straight shutouts without the assistance of injured striker David Beckham.

A great deal of the credit behind the shutouts must go to a midfield that has dispossessed its opponents in their third. Dema Kovalenko, Juninho, and Chris Birchall have caused their share of headaches by becoming flexible in Bruce Arena's 4-4-2. No time and no space equals little opportunity to score. The Galaxy will look to maintain their momentum.

"Losing in the finals, you want to play that team again," Buddle said on the contest on Saturday. "They don't have any revenge. They got what they wanted. We want to show that we're the better team."

Prediction: I like the Galaxy's form in this one. RSL is a team whose pace matches LA nicely. This will be the weekend where Ricketts may give up one. Nonetheless, Los Angeles will prevail in this contest, perhaps with someone other than Edson Buddle on the scoring sheet. Landon?

Los Angeles 2, Real Salt Lake 1.

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The founding members of the Sons of Ben had been waiting for this day for three years. Formed before Philadelphia had even been awarded a MLS franchise, the support group was finally getting to take part in the team's home debut.

They have Sebastien Le Toux to thank for ensuring that the day followed its scripted fairly tale ending.

Le Toux scored a hat trick and led the Union to a 3-2 victory over DC United, in what the MLS hopes will become a heated regional rivalry.

The Union's debut season began with a rocky start with a thorough thrashing from the Seattle Sounders two weeks ago, but their first return home was all they needed to right the ship.

In front of a boisterous crowd of almost 35,000 soccer-mad Philadelphians, Le Toux turned in a memorable performance that is sure to endear him to the previously professional soccer deprived city.

The party had begun long before Le Toux headed home his first goal, only five minutes into the game.

Union supporters had been congregating hours before the match's 6 pm starting time, tailgating, singing, chanting, dancing, and drinking to their hearts content in preparation for the memorable event.

However, the jubilation was tinged with sadness and manager Piotr Nowak opted to coach from box, out of respect to the victims of the airplane crash in Poland that had killed so many of Poland's political leaders, as well as a few that Nowak had known personally.

But once the game actually started, it did not take long for the team to give the supporters something to cheer about.

Scoring at five minutes, and again just before the half, the Union dominated possession during the first half, and asserted themselves in a physical but not reckless manner, something they could not manage during their first game.

However, the second half was a different story, and within 20 minutes it appeared that the Union's debut would end, not with a bang but a whimper.

DC United battled back, scoring two goals, and Union goalkeeper Chris Seitz made a colossal blunder to tie the game.

But in the end, it was not meant to be, and Le Toux was again the hero. Following a late foul, deep in United's territory, Le Toux slammed home the free kick, sealing his hat trick, and the Union's historic day.

It is only two games in the season, and their will certainly be many trials and tribulations to come, but for one day, the Union were on top of the world, and the famously fiery Philadelphia fans were able to cherish their team.

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Part 1 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy.

In the early history of the Los Angeles Galaxy, players like Cobi Jones made an indelible mark on Major League Soccer and the sport in the city of Angels.

Fast forward to the past decade, and a similarly storied footballer that has continued the legacy of the Galaxy and of American soccer in general is a man by the name of Landon Donovan.

A career that has seen him rise to greatness as a member of the USA Men's National Team, the San Jose Earthquakes and the Galaxy to go with numerous accolades in the MLS, the mystique and aura of the Galaxy's No. 10 continues to build with every minute on the pitch, every touch of the ball, every crisp pass, every penalty, and every shot that kisses the nylon of the net.

Landon Timothy Donovan was born on March 4, 1982 in Ontario, California and raised in nearby Redlands, both located at the heart of the Inland Empire. The son of special education teacher Donna Kenney-Cash and ice hockey player Tim Donovan, Landon's mental and physical toughness forged with unusually gifted playmaking ability was first brought to the world at a very young age.

As a young child, Donovan had a difficult childhood. At the age of two, his parents divorced, and Kenney-Cash's position earned enough just to make ends meet.

It was not very long before Donovan was first introduced to the sport of soccer by his older brother Josh. He taught him the basics: dribbling, passing, trapping the ball, and shooting. By the time Donovan was five, he knew his calling early. Perhaps Josh may not have known it at the time, but he had set the wheels in motion for his younger brother's rise to success.

In his very first game-a match involving peers aged six and seven, he scored seven goals. Seven goals! And this is a five-year old player competing with peers one or two years his senior.

This was no ordinary star in the making. This was the real deal. In his youth, Donovan played a key role in the success of Rancho Cucamonga club Cal Heat under manager Clint Greenwood. And while Donovan was a stud academically and musically (he could do a thing or two with a fiddle at Redlands High and later Redlands East Valley High) while earning a wage as a paperboy, the calling proved too strong to resist.

At the age of 15, Landon Donovan was accepted into the U.S. Youth Soccer's Olympic Development Program. As a member of the U-17 national team, Donovan scored 23 goals to go with 13 assists in 1997-98 to go with 16 goals and 12 assists as a sophomore for East Valley High.

The following year, Donovan collected 15 goals and 19 assists to be named on the 1999 Parade Magazine High School All-American Team. At the IMG Soccer Academy, the USA defeated Argentina's U-17 4-3 combined with a victory over the Tampa Bay Mutiny 2-0.

Donovan got his first big break as a member of Bayer 04 Leverkusen of the German Fussball-Bundesliga. He was unable to start, however, for the Factory Squad and would be loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes in 2001.

The payoff was huge for Donovan, who utilized the high standards, discipline and work ethic set by his former club, aspects that had never been implemented as strongly before. And it was also huge for the Earthquakes, who were reeling from a dismal 7-17-8 record in 2000, good for the worst in the league that year.

In 2001, the Earthquakes finished second in the MLS Western Conference behind the Galaxy (13-7-6, 45 points). Series victories over Columbus and Miami was followed up by San Jose's first-ever MLS Cup championship, a 2-1 overtime victory. In that match, Donovan scored late in the first half.

In 2003, Donovan helped pace the Quakes to a 14-7-9 campaign to win the MLS West. The opening round saw San Jose rebound from a 4-0 aggregate score early in the second leg to score five unanswered goals-one by Donovan, the game winner off his assist-and advance. After a 3-2 overtime victory against Kansas City in which Donovan scored the deciding goal, his brace helped lead the Quakes to their second MLS Cup with a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Fire. In 87 appearances over a four-year run with the San Jose Earthquakes, Donovan scored 32 goals.

Eventually, Donovan expressed his desire to return to MLS for good. Not even a late offer from Barclay's Premier League side Portsmouth could prevent the inevitable.

In 2005, Donovan was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy, and a new chapter in his football career began. And it started off...with a bang.

In his first season with the G's, Donovan scored 12 goals and 10 assists in the regular season to go with four goals and an assist in the playoffs to earn Los Angeles their second MLS Cup, also his third to date.

2006 saw more individual success for Donovan, with 12 goals and eight assists. As a team, the Galaxy failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs and lost the US Open Cup final to the Chicago Fire. With the arrival of David Beckham in 2007, he relinquished his captaincy while finishing the SuperLiga as the top scorer with a goal in every game except for the final against Pachuca.

A strong offensive partnership with Beckham and Edson Buddle was the springboard for Donovan scoring heist in 2008. An otherwise underachieving year for LA resulted in 20 goals and nine assists in 25 matches for the Galaxy's #10.

Donovan reclaimed the captaincy for Los Angeles in 2009 and was met with some controversy across the pond with remarks questioning Beckham's leadership and capability as a team player. The two later reconciled, setting the stage for Donovan earning MVP honors and the 2009 MLS Goal of the Year to go with an appearance in MLS Cup 2009.

Donovan would then agree to a four-year extension to his contract, which allowed him to seek loans over the close season. After training with Bayern Munich in November 2008, Donovan played for Barclay's Premier League side Everton FC in January, scoring two goals in 13 appearances. While the Toffees had an intention to extend his loan, however, Donovan returned to the States for the 2010 Major League Soccer season.

As a member of the USA Men's National Team, Donovan has made his mark, scoring 42 goals in 121 career appearances with the Stars and Stripes. He made his debut with the MNT on October 25, 2000, scoring in a 2-0 win over Mexico. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Donovan was instrumental in defeating Mexico yet again, 2-0.

2007 and 2009 will both go down as Donovan's greatest years in international competition.

In 2007, Donovan scored nine goals and four assists in 12 appearances for the USA. And while 2008 saw him become the all-time leading scorer in a January match with Sweden, Donovan set a new season record for assists with 10, registered a goal or assist in eight of the 10 matches in CONCACAF 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification, scored two goals and an assist at the 2009 Confederations Cup, and delivered the game winner in the 75th minute against Honduras on October 10, 2009 to send the USA to South Africa. For his efforts, Donovan won his sixth Honda Player of the Year and third U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year Awards.

Born and raised in the Inland Empire, to this day Landon Donovan continues to add to his empire of success as a midfielder. Throughout his life on and off the field, he turned his dreams fueled by desire and gifted ability into reality by bringing out the best in what he could do, overcoming all obstacles in the process.

Now, in this World Cup year, one can be certain that on the hollowed pitch of Victoria Street's Home Depot Center, the continuing saga of one of America's greatest soccer players will shine on like the stars in the sky that float above Los Angeles.

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There is no question; the Philadelphia Phillies are currently the toast of the town when it comes to the city’s top professional sports team, thanks in part to back to back World Series trips, and a club house full of classy characters.

So yes, the Phillies are the toast of the town, but make no mistake about it, the Philadelphia Eagles are still the talk of the town, especially on local talk radio, where Philly sports fans either praise their beloved birds or bash them, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Philadelphia Flyers and Seventy Sixers meanwhile, are somewhere in the rearview mirror.

So what about the city’s two newest professional franchises, the Philadelphia Union and Philadelphia Independence?

This past weekend, soccer fans in the tri-state area (Pa, NJ & Del.) had the chance to bask in the glow of the beautiful game, while enjoying a double dip of European Style football.

 It all started Saturday night at Lincoln Financial field as Major League Soccer (MLS) made its   Philly debut, with the Philadelphia Union hosting D.C. United.

34, 870 fans on hand for this event, an event that saw the Union collect  the first victory in franchise history (3-2), thanks in part  to forward Sebastien Le Toux,  who recorded the first hat trick in team history.

Heck even Vice President Joe Biden was on hand.  Actually, the former Delaware senator participated in the first kick ceremonies prior to the game, along with Philadelphia and American soccer legend Walter Bahr, who is most famous for his game-winning assist in the United States’ upset victory over England in the 1950 World Cup.

I had a chance to watch the first half of this game from the press box, and then worked my way down to section 107, row 4 for the second half. I wanted to get a feel for both the crowd and my season ticket seat location.

Needless to say, sitting with my fellow Union fans only added to the sensory overload, an atmosphere that makes this the sport of choice for every other nation in the world.

As soon as the final whistle blew, a fireworks display worthy of the fourth of July, lit up South Philadelphia Sky over Lincoln Financial Field, a perfect ending to an historical night.

Personally my favorite moment of the game came in the fourth minute, when Le Toux’s first goal, a header, found the back of the next right in front of the Son’s of Ben supporter section, the  group that lobbied long and hard to bring professional soccer back to Philadelphia.  What better reward than to be just feet away from the first two goals in team history.

Philadelphia Union by the way now 1-1 on the season with a game on tap Thursday, Apr. 15 at Toronto F.C.

Less than 24 hours after the Union win over United, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) made its Philadelphia area debut, as the expansion Philadelphia Independence hosted the expansion Atlanta Beat.

The Independence play their home games in the friendly confines of 7500 seat John A. Farrell Stadium at West Chest University, about 37 miles from downtown Philadelphia.

Ambiance was also at a premium for this game, as the teams entered the stadium led by the Philadelphia Drum and Fife. 

Pregame festivities also included Noah the American Bald Eagle, the honorary mascot of the Independence. Presentation of the National Colors by the Pennsylvania National Guard, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, and a live rendition of the National Anthem by local entertainer Mindy Rhodes.

On the pitch, both teams spent much of a scoreless first half trying to get a feel for the game and the speed of the artificial turf.

The intensity picked up immensely in the second half, both from a physical and attacking standpoint with both teams having quality opportunities to light up the scoreboard. Thanks to the solid goaltending of Philadelphia’s Karina Leblanc and Atlanta’s Allison Whitworth, this game would end in a scoreless tie.

6028 fans turned out to watch this game, almost 1500 over last year’s league average. If the Independence can maintain that standard for the remainder of the season, life will be good.

This weekend Philadelphia travels to New England to take Tony DiDiccio’s Boston Breakers while Atlanta visits Boyds, Maryland to play the Washington Freedom.

So I think it safe to say that Professional Soccer in the City of Brotherly Love is off to a good start, only time will tell if it can now sustain itself.

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Carson , California – The New York Red Bulls played their worst game of this season as they lost 2-0 to Chivas USA.

The Red Bulls team that appeared on the pitch was reminiscent of the 2009 Red Bulls. They were simply out-classed and out-hustled by Chivas who desperately needed a win today.

After playing a scoreless first half, the Red Bulls goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul gave Chivas USA the lead by mishandling the ball which led to his own goal. This goal ended Coundoul’s 227-minute streak without allowing a goal and ironically provided Chivas USA their first goal of the season. Jesus Padilla of Chivas USA was credited for Coundoul’s own goal.

Throughout the game, the Red Bulls were off on their passes and they weren’t able to create the necessary space to get a shot off. After beginning the season aggressively, Joel Lindpere performance was flat today. His passes were off and he appeared tired throughout the match. For the second straight week, striker Juan Pablo Angel struggled and has yet to score a goal this season.

New York’s best chance of tying the match came in the 73rd minute when newly signed forward Salou Ibrahim missed an open shot from eight yards out. After that missed opportunity, Chivas USA was able to put the game away during extra time when Jesus Padilla outran Jeremy Hall for a through ball from midfield and beat Coundoul for his second goal of the game.

With the loss, the Red Bulls missed their opportunity of becoming the third team in MLS history to record a third straight shutout in the first three games of the season. Despite today’s loss, Red Bull fans have reason to be proud of their team.

The Red Bulls currently have a 2-1-0 record. Today’s match against Chivas USA was closer than what the score reflects. Granted, the team played poorly today but unlike last season, today’s team did not quit. They continued to play hard and were within striking distance to tie the game in the second half. After two consecutive road games in which the Red Bulls finished 1-1, the team returns to Red Bull Arena to face FC Dallas next Saturday, April 17, 2010.

Cesar Diaz covers Soccer for Latino Sports (www.latinosports.com). Send Cesar a question or comment for potential use in a future column at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Houston, you have a problem.

And Bob Bradley—heh—you have yourself a blessing...a big blessing, and as a disguise he wears the #14 for a team called the Los Angeles Galaxy.

You may not realize this for sure until you check out the news just in on Bleacher Report and elsewhere, but Edson Buddle could be the savior of the USA Men's National Team this year.

There's no disguising this stat for starters: Buddle has accounted for all five goals in their three victories in this young 2010 Major League Soccer season.

With Charlie Davies recovering from his injuries and Brian Ching getting dinged for a month on the sidelines, maybe it's time for Bradley to give Buddle his shot against the Czechs and Turks.

Who knows; Buddle's golden touch could make all the difference against Slovenia and Algeria, if not the bloody Brits.

That brings up another situation: what if Bradley does give Buddle his shot? And-cue the gasp-Buddle IS called on to the World Cup roster with Landon Donovan (who certainly will be on this team, one way or the other, barring an Act of Bob)?

Hmmm...that means contingency time, Bruce "Almighty" Arena. Here's hoping that in the meantime, the Buddlevan Connection-with or without the "van"-keeps churning the W's, allowing for some room for error until the players' post-WC diaspora back to their respective clubs.

Something is telling me that a certain Beatles song is playing in my head, specifically the first few lyrics: "It's getting better all the time."

Ins-and-outs from tonight's contest:

Personal foul, FSC, delay of broadcast:
Shame on Fox Sports West for tape-delaying a contests that Internet-savvy viewers will watch live anyway. As a follower of this league, I hope my wager of this being the last tape-delay game holds out. Woo hoo. Big payoff. Then again, I don't mind watching the replay, if only the for comedic value of it all.

Ahhh, Maximilian Bretos. How you humor me.

Don't mind the guts, that was just Landin's brain explosion from a few hours ago:
Luis Angel Landin, a designated player for the Dynamo, had a big opportunity to fill Ching's shoes in. Turns out, he used it to decleat Omar Gonzalez.

This is something he should know about Senor Baldomero Toledo: he runs a tight ship, see. And tonight, El Capitan de Los Arbitros por Houston sent Landin overboard. At that moment, it was clearly going to be a challenge for the Dynamo to reprise their comeback against Real Salt Lake last week.

Oh mon Dieu, un soulèvement de l'Union! (Oh my God, a Union uprising!):
Let me take this time to congratulate the Philadelphia Union, who have defeated the declining D.C. United 3-2 through Frenchman Sebastien Le Toux's hat trick. While it's against D.C. (of all teams), Philly and the Sons of Ben proved that they will not be an easy team to down under manager Peter Novak.

The Galaxy and Union square off for the very first time on May 1st at the Home Depot Center. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT.

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T minus 30 minutes to kickoff: The Los Angeles Galaxy are on the road this week to take on the Houston Dynamo, who are feeling the pinch from Brian Ching being out for a month due to injury and Cam Weaver getting a knock in training earlier this week. Two key players to watch out for are Brad Davis and Luis Angel Landin. Landin is a proven scorer from the spot, having proven himself against Real Salt Lake last week. Davis has tallied seven goals and 13 assists in his last 28 regular season contests and will be marked by Sean Franklin.

T-25: Edson Buddle will look to add to his goal total, while Landon Donovan looks to add a goal to his assist tally. This match will be on tape delay on the West Coast on Fox Soccer Channel, but I will provide the action live via a delay of ten or so minutes to upload this. You know how things work.

T-20: Line-ups:

T-10: What the heck is going on with D.C. United? The Philadelphia Union get their first win, 3-2! Congrats to Philly, but D.C. is on the decline. Sebastien Le Toux with a tres bien performance.

FIRST HALF: 5:38 P.M.

1' - I'm following Joe Tutino here on the radio with this one.

3' - Corner for Houston, taken by Ricketts. Typing up the lineups here as we speak.

4' - We already have a couple of fouls to go with a warning shot from Edson Buddle in the first minute for the G's.

6' - Another shot for the G's goes high. Goal kick Onstad.

7' - Houston will be hosting Chivas USA on the 17, travel to Bridgeview to take on the Chicago Fire on the 24 and return home to face the Kansas City Wizards on May 1.

8' - Baldomero Toledo is our match official today.

9' - Dema Kovalenko is injured and will be out this match.

10' - The Galaxy will return to the Home Depot Center next week to take on Real Salt Lake, travel to KC on April 24 and then return to Victoria Street on the first of May to face the Union.

12' - Wide shot by Landin. Great marking by Omar Gonzalez. New England leads Toronto now 2-1.

13' - Here comes the Dynamo, but that won't work.

14' - And the Galaxy continue to press. Offsides, though.

15' - No corner for the Dynamo. Oduro pleads his case. Kinnear, the ice-cold Scotsman.

16' - This is a tight pitch here at Robertson. And Oduro cramps. He's up, though. Onstad resets.

17' - This is Landin. The pass to Oduro doesn't work. Offsides.

19' - Bruce Arena, looking on as Edson Buddle fouls Bobby Boswell.

20' - Here's Oduro. Omar Gonzalez, once again. Out of play.

21' - Here's Juninho. Houston's defensive backfield neutralizes the crosses on that stanza for LA.

22' - Throw-in for the Galaxy. Eddie Robinson forces another. Mulrooney forces yet another. This is broken record. Poor Mike Magee...he would have opened his account by now.

23' - Hainault forcing another Galaxy throw-in. I don't understand why Los Angeles hasn't figured out how to break this pattern. Donovan tackled hard...

Yellow Card 31 Andrew Hainault
Houston Dynamo

24' - Throw-in. A cross, and their tenacity holds.

Yellow card: 4 Omar Gonzalez
Los Angeles Galaxy

It's a tight ship run by Senor Baldomero Toledo.

26' - Cameron cross cleared by Gonzales. Transition, and here come the G's.

27' - GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy 14 Edson Buddle
That's what his transition ability can do in the attacking third. An unassisted goal by the Galaxy's #14, his fourth of the campaign and LA leads one to nil.

28' - And another Dynamo player is shaken. Mulrooney gets up, though. He'll be subbed after that tangle.

Substitution Houston Dynamo
IN 27 Lovel Palmer
OUT 8 Richard Mulrooney

30' - Houston was walking wounded heading into this contest, and things are looking a bit more unstuck for the home side.

31' - That shot goes high. Goal kick Onstad.

32' - A free kick for Houston 40 yards away. Boswell keeps it alive, but Davis's volley is in the safe hands of the Big Cat from Kingston. Kovalenko suffered a hamstring injury in practice, allowing Juninho to earn more time.

33' - Palmer was a recent signee for Houston. He is living the dream.

35' - This will be a goal kick for Ricketts. Leonardo clears the chances for Oduro and Landin. Excellent work by the Brazilian. Hainault's shot from the corner goes over the crossbar. Goal kick Galaxy.

36' - Buddle's goal is the first at Robertson since 2007. A shot for Magee is squandered, and it will be a goal kick for Onstad.

Yellow Card: 19 Juninho
Los Angeles Galaxy

And he continues to run a tight ship, that Baldomero Toledo. Mercy.

37' - This marks the first time in Major League Soccer's history that all of the round's matches are held on the same day. Let's make that a habit, Mr. Donald Garber.

39' - Cameron gets knocked. Looks to be simulation, and Toledo fell for it. The gull...

40' - Throw-ins for Houston. Here is Brad Davis, who put that out of touch. The Texan Army shows their restlessness.

41' - Cameron's slow roller is easy pickings for Ricketts. Buddle couldn't reach that. Chabala with an ambitious volley in the Galaxy's third.

42' - Los Angeles has an intention to consolidate their lead. Toledo calls a halt to play, and Kinnear is asking for a card for an armball by Leonardo.

43' - Uh oh. This could get uglier.

Red card: 7 Luis Angel Landin
Houston Dynamo

And it goes from bad to worse for Houston. Terrible way to prove himself, and even more terrible way to go out.

44' - GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy 14 Edson Buddle Assist 18 Mike Magee
Would you believe that! He equals his goal total from last year. All signs are pointing to the second coming of Edson Buddle with a nice finish after that initial save from Pat Onstad.

45' - Now hear this Houston is two goals and one man down. One minute of stoppage.

45' + 1' - Los Angeles sure made Houston pay for the brain explosion by Landin. The site is calling for Magee with the goal, but that will change.

Houston...they have a problem. After a moment of madness in the Galaxy's half by Luis Angel Landin on Omar Gonzalez, Edson Buddle's brace continues to adds to the Dynamo's woes at Robertson Stadium.

On top of that...was Bruce Arena right regarding his comments about favoritism by the officials?

“That’s the job of the referee [regarding calls],” Arena said earlier this week. “You can’t play a game concerned about players trying to sell fouls. It’s part of the game and I think it’s the job of the referee to get those calls right.”

Bruce Almighty, indeed!

SECOND HALF: 6:40 P.M.

46' - The second half begins, and right now things are looking up for the G's. It's very likely that things will get a little bit more exciting this time. Let's see what happens.

Substitution Houston Dynamo
IN 26 Corey Ashe
OUT 32 Bobby Boswell

3-4-2 for the Dynamo. The G's continue their push to consolidate their margin, but a goal kick for Houston.

Chivas USA beats New York 2-0 and New England blew out Toronto FC 4-1.

47' - Shot for Houston goes wide. They continue to attack. Donovan clears.

48' - I think Landon wants in on the party. Throw-in for Dunivant. Leonardo with a clearance. A tight pitch makes for a fast game.

49' - Ashe doesn't get to that one. Goal kick for Ricketts.

50' - Colorado and KC are tied scoreless and so are San Jose and Chicago. FC Dallas leads the Columbus Crew 1-0. All matches are in the first half as of this minute.

51' - Whoops.

Yellow card: 14 Edson Buddle
Los Angeles Galaxy

I think Arena may be making some subs pretty soon. Ashe couldn't reach that on the transition. Toledo is having some fun being the center of attention right now, it looks like.

53' - Corner for the Dynamo. A chance to get back to it. This is Brad Davis. Gonzalez clears. Ricketts clears that. Take two.

54' - The crowd is up. That corner is punched away by the Big Cat. Throw-in Houston. High shot goes over the moon—actually the crossbar for a goal kick. No dice, Cameron.

55' - It's free flowing football in Space City. Gonzalez has been a workhorse. Yellow card? What yellow card?

56' - Offsides Houston, throw-in LA. Chris Birchall's shot goes over the top. He's a Soca Warrior, believe it or not. Born in Port-of-Spain.

57' - Diversity, we call it. Ricketts resets. The Dynamo continue to push, and the linesmen reward their perseverance with more throw-ins in the attacking third.

58' - Here's Mike Chabala with a throw. The ensuing volley is cleared by Sean Franklin. Los Angeles is making sure not to give Houston any quarter.

59' - Goal kick. This is a surface built on speed. Maybe too much speed. Here's Oduro, to Mullen.

60'- And now it's Cameron, now Palmer. Neutralized. The Galaxy is knowing their tendencies by the second. Goal kick for Ricketts.

61' - Juninho almost broke clear of the Houston defense, but Onstad stops him. He rests again, looking for somebody in orange in the Galaxy defending third.

62' - Here's Juninho again. He opts to reset. Robinson clears that possession. Ricketts grabs it. The Houston brass can be heard from the Texan Army.

63' - Double cursed was Mike Magee. A potential tap-in ends up in a goal kick.

64' - Diving save for Onstad on that one-timer from Buddle. This is a Galaxy side that will play as if they are in a scoreless draw. That's are focused they are. Bad throw-in for Oduro.

65' -
Yellow card: 11 Brad Davis
Houston Dynamo

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 21 Alan Gordon
OUT 14 Edson Buddle

Gordon returns after a shake-up in the first week of matches. Let's see what he can do in relief for the man with the brace to pace the G's.

66' - Onstad's going to be on watch for the rest of this game.

67' - Excellent defending on that chance by Birchall. Arena says, "Pull the strings a little more! A little tighter!"

68' - Another foul on the G's, and now things get fun with 22 and stoppage to go. Offsides on Oduro.

69' - A diving save for Donovan Ricketts on that Cameron chance. Best so far from Kingston's Big Cat.

70' - Juninho, Leonardo, and Alex Cazumba are all 21. The Young Brazilliance.

Substitution Houston Dynamo
IN 5 Danny Cruz
OUT 23 Dominic Oduro

72' - Here's a free kick for Los Angeles. Donovan to take, but that is out of trouble for Houston.

73' - We are in the 73rd minute—LIVE, I may add—and it's 2-0 to the Galaxy with 17 and change to go.

74' - Good tackle by Houston, but the Galaxy dispossess. Now they want to do some clock management. Not a good cross from Birchall, goal kick.

75' - Here's Ashe, but De La Garza is there. A corner. Davis to take. Cleared, and Juninho is fouled from behind by Palmer.

76' - Nobody in orange to get that delivery for Houston.

78' - Ricketts resets. Birchall got marked. No space for him in the Space City.

79' - Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 26 Michael Stephens
OUT 10 Juninho*

80' - Here's a throw in for Los Angeles. Donovan is getting held at bay, but it hasn't stopped the Galaxy from imposing its will against the Houston Dynamo

81' - I'll tell you this: it's a bad feeling to be a D.C. United supporter right now.

82' - Agony, agony, agony for Brian Mullen. That would have made this a one-goal game

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 9 Jovan Kirovski
OUT

Corner for Houston...deflected.

84' - Free kick for Donovan sails past him. Love the pirate-style beard and cut from Jovan. Arrrr.

85' - Ricketts gets that one. Kansas City leads Colorado 1-0 in the second half. San Jose and Chicago are tied 1-1 in the second and the Sounders of Seattle leads Real Salt Lake (LA's next opponent) 1-0 in the second.

87' - Throw-in for Dunivant. They will be content to leave with a 2-0 win, although they would love to make it 3-0 before the night is over.

88' - Here's Mullen. FC Dallas and Columbus are tied 1-1 in the second.

89' - Fast, scrappy football from Houston. De La Garza with the throw, and that goes out of play.

90' - Here's Danny Cruz with a cross. That goes out. And some of the fans are leaving. Makes you wonder.

90' + 1' - Three minutes of stoppage time. Magee has to do better with his shot selection. I haven't see him get into rhythm yet. You'd expect him to figure it out at this point.

90' + 2' - Side netting on that attempt. The epitome of a night gone bad in Houston. Offsides Dynamo.

90' + 3' - And that is a wrap.

Stay tuned for my take on this match, and some other ins and outs on the View and Bleacher Report.

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For the New England Revolution fan that, like me, was not fortunate enough to make the stadium today, there was a question as to whether or not we’d tonight’s game on TV.  You see, some green/white basketball team apparently had a game at the same time.  

Luckily, some odd arrangements were made by all involved  (Thank you!) and even on my not-so-glamorous Charter Communications cable, I was able to watch.

So not only was the (New England) Revolution televised, but it was a bit of a Revolution on the field.  Against what?  Against the pessimism that most Revs fans have had about this season...and potentially against the status quo on the field.

The pessimism was palpable a few weeks ago.

Hopes were at rock-bottom.  

Then however, a few things happened.  The Revs visited the Los Angeles Galaxy  and “only” lost 1-0 – and that without Shalrie Joseph in the lineup. 

Then the Revs went to D.C. United and Kenny Mansally wowed everyone watching by pulling a 2-0 victory out of an otherwise stale match, where the Revs were outplayed for large stretches.  

Thoughts changed to “maybe we can scrape through this year.”

Then there was tonight.  A 4-1 victory against division rivals Toronto F.C.   Yes, Toronto helped the Revs a bit, with at least two of the goals coming from rather silly defensive errors. 

But a 4-1 victory is a 4-1 victory.   People’s hopes are buoyed...and not just because of the score. 

Why else?

I could go on, but you get the idea.

One point should not go missed though, that gives me greater hope than even most of those just mentioned. 

Tonight we got to see our first glimpse of Marko Perovic.   Having come on late in the game against a down-trodden Toronto F.C. is probably not the best way to judge a new player.

But, from what I saw, Perovic is for real, and will quite possibly remake our midfield.  He showed touch that is uncommon in MLS, taking more than one ball out of the air and directly to the feet of a teammate.  (They almost seemed surprised.)

He appears to have top-notch ball skills, and at 6’ 1” seems to have a physique that won’t get pushed around in MLS.  

I noticed a number of occasions where he made a quick pass, moved into space and hoped to have the ball played back quickly, which generally it was not.   

Give his teammates time with him (he arrived yesterday) and I am extremely interested to see what he can do.   Steve Ralston will never be forgotten, but with a skillful, sizable and productive (yes, I’m way ahead of the evidence here) 26-year-old in midfield – the Revs may be able to move on.

Yes, the Revolution game was televised.  

But judging by the youth movement and a very promising new arrival, maybe there was more than one Revolution going on tonight.

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Sebastien Le Toux tripled his goal amount from last season in one game in front of 34,870 fans at Lincoln Financial Field Saturday night.

The French forward began the scoring early with a fourth-minute header into the back of the net off of a Roger Torres free kick. Thrity six minutes later, Le Toux became the recipient of a Alejandro Moreno pass that left him wide open, and he slotted the ball past D.C. United goalie Troy Perkins.

After a disappointing start to the second half by the Union, which was fueled by the insertion of Jaime Moreno in to the United lineup, and giving up two goals to United—scored by Santino Quaranta and Moreno—Le Toux electrified the crowd once more by scoring his third goal on a free kick right outside the box. Le Toux was pulled down by D.C. defender Dejan Jakovic, who was sent off.

Le Toux was not the only bright spot on the pitch for the Union tonight. Peter Novak saw solid performances from Alejandro Moreno, Roger Torres, Danny Califf, and sub Shea Salinas. Moreno provided Le Toux with his second goal with a cross-field pass that found the Frenchman wide open.

Torres set up the first goal from his free kick and was causing trouble for the D.C. defenders with Moreno all night. The captain Califf had some crucial tackles to stop D.C. from getting close to goalie Chris Seitz. Salinas, meanwhile, proved to be a spark off the bench for 15 minutes or so with runs down the wing.

All in all, the Philadelphia Union played a good, solidgame with the exception of some defensive lapses in the second half. Le Toux and Moreno proved to be the right combo up front, the midfield was solid, and the defense was sound, even if Seitz was shaky at crucial times in net.

The Union will travel to BMO Field Thursday night to face Toronto FC, a team that has struggled out of the gate but will no doubt improve under new coach, Preki.

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