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MLS News
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Wednesday, 25 March 2009 00:58 |
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In 1996, Major League Soccer became the foundation of top-tier soccer in North America.
MLS currently consists of 15 franchises, with Philadelphia joining the ranks in 2010. The league will once again expand in 2011 with the additions of the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
So why is it that a league, which was so uncertain of its future not long ago, has such a bright future in place.
Some say the resurgence of the U.S. Men's National Soccer program in 2002 brought much needed attention back into the sport.
Others say the designated player rule, which allows each team to field an imported player without the restrictions of the MLS salary cap, brings our game to a higher level.
Aside from a specific root cause I believe it all boils down to impressive marketing by the MLS organization as a whole.
The construction of "soccer-specific" stadiums allows the fans to experience the game in an atmosphere which compliments the beautiful game. The proven results have been a rise in attendance and profits which are visible across the league.
Television coverage is at an all-time high as games are broadcast across the continent on ESPN. In turn the media coverage has triggered an increase in sponsorship. MLS franchises began selling ad space on the front of their jerseys in 2007, following in the footsteps of clubs around the world.
Another viable source of exposure has been the inclusion of four MLS teams in the CONCACAF Champions League. If crowned champions, an MLS club would then compete in the Club World Cup against the world's top squads.
The top four MLS squads who do not qualify for CONCACAF CL are placed in the SuperLiga. A competition organized by the MLS and Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación.
These competitions enhanceexposure for MLS teams, which in turn, enables them to be seen on a broader scale.
In 2004 it was reported by an accredited financial magazine that the MLS had lost more than $350 million since its inception. But these loses are deemed to be a thing of the past.
In 2003, the Los Angeles Galaxy became the first franchise to turn a profit, soon followed by FC Dallas in 2005. By 2008 Toronto FC, perhaps the most passionately followed franchise in the league, joined the aforementioned squads posting positive figures at seasons end.
The MLS brass have been quoted stating that they project all clubs to be profitable by 2010.
If MLS commissioner Don Garber and his brass continue to attract such international stars such as David Beckham, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Juan Pablo Angel, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, and most recently Freddie Ljunberg. The leagues level of play and overall profile will most definitely be documented amongst soccer leagues abroad. Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 24 March 2009 22:35 |
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The wild ride that was the 2011 expansion race in Major League Soccer has finally come to an end, with probably the best possible result.
Vancouver was announced as the recipient of the 17th team and the second in Canada. The Whitecaps, currently playing in USL's first division, will play their games in a renovated BC Place.
Two days later, Portland was announced as the 18th team, adding yet another team to the Pacific Northwest. They will reside in a renovated PGE Park.
The road was long and there was much interest from several cities, but the league has come to a great decision regarding the next round of expansion.
Recently, the expansion strategy seemed to be to just bring the league into new markets, as seen with Toronto and Seattle. Both teams brought with them great enthusiasm and fan support.
But by selecting Vancouver and Portland as the 2011 expansion clubs, the strategy appears to be evolving.
Instead of new markets, the league seems interested in developing rivalries.
Since 2004, the USL-1 clubs in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver have competed for the Cascadia Cup, a fan-based competition to highlight and contribute to the strong rivalry between the three cities and their respective soccer teams.
Adding the two teams in the Pacific Northwest not only continues the rivalry but encourages it, which gives a hint to the next round of expansion in 2012.
Among the pack of 2011 bidders were New York City and Montreal, now two frontrunners for 2012.
They're frontrunners for the exact same reason why Vancouver and Portland will get shiny new MLS teams in 2011: rivalries.
A second team in New York (and the first one actually based in the state) to compete with the Red Bulls would no doubt be a huge draw for the league. The fact that the bid is backed by Fred Wilpon, owner of the New York Mets, only solidifies New York as a frontrunner in 2012.
The only reason Montreal didn't get in for 2011 was Joey Saputo. Apparently, $40 million wasn't an amount of money he was willing to part with and Don Garber wasn't too interested in playing hardball.
But then Vancouver got their team.
That had to have gotten Saputo's attention, especially if his team wants to make another run at the CONCACAF Champions League. The only way in is through Toronto and Vancouver in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, and if the competition is in MLS it makes Montreal all the less attractive to potential signings.
Saputo Stadium is upgradable to 20,000 seats, so having a stadium to play in certainly helps their bid. Saputo just has to be willing to hand over the cash if he wants his club to hit the big time.
And that would certainly include a nationwide rivalry with the fellow Canadian Championship contenders.
The Pacific Northwest expansion has added fuel to the rivalry fire, something that will be continued with the further expansion of the league.
Whether it be Brimstone, Cascadia or Trillium, the future of MLS is in rivalries. Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 24 March 2009 12:17 |
Commenters yesterday felt that I had done Davy Arnaud a disservice by praising Kenny Cooper's long rage hit without mentioning him as well.
As I said, this was maybe the most entertaining game of the weekend, and Arnaud deserves equal time, so herewith BOTH of his hits from Saturday:
And the second, almost as pretty:
What can I say; I'm a slave to fashion.
Houston Dynamo is reportedly hot on the trail of Nigerian striker Ade Akinbiyi, a 34-year-old currently at Burnley.
Here's a look, courtesy of the usual "GREATEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD" dramatic video:
YouTube - Ade Akinbiyi
YouTube - Ade Akinbiyi
Houston trying to land a hitter; gosh, has that ever happened before?
Yesterday I posted some stuff about Vancouver's Bob Lenarduzzi and the Whitecap's deep soccer roots.
As long as I'm all about equal time today, here's some proof that not every soccer fan in Portland is a hopeless geek with a Sesame Street fixation:
YouTube - MLS to PDX 2011
YouTube - MLS to PDX 2011
I'm guessing that most of those guys would happily kick Evil Bert across the stadium.
Fortuitously, Frank Dell'Apa HAS SOME MORE BACKGROUND on the Timber's relationship with Portland. Among other things it reinforces the fact that these three teams - Sounders, Timbers and Whitecaps - are historically intertwined.
It's tempting to call it a package deal.
Finally, HERE'S A LINK to a website whose main purpose, as expressed in the title "No More Onion Bags", is one that many of us can get behind.
I usually don't post in reference to guys who badmouth MLS as much as these guys do, but at least they're honest about it, unlike, say Steve Douchebag Cohen, who says he's a fan in between making snarky comments about it.
And speaking of FFF, everyone can agree with their sentiment that none of us are "enlightened by Fox Football Fone In displaying a a text message from Vishu in Bangalore saying thatSource: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 24 March 2009 12:11 |
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So I came to the local bar this past Thursday night with some of my fellow Orlando soccer fans to watch MLS First Kick, and the introduction of Seattle Sounders FC to Major League Soccer.
What we were treated to the kind of spectacle you would expect out of European football.
The Seattle crowd was loud and spirited, and stood the entire game, waving their scarves and cheering their home team.
A group of players made their names that night. Colombian import Fredy Montero. Local boy and England lifer Kasey Keller. Young upstart Brad Evans, who came from Columbus in the expansion draft, ultimately followed by manager Sigi Schmid.
If it weren't for the colors and the fact that the game was in HD, you'd have thought this was a match from England, Spain, or Italy with that kind of atmosphere.
This is the kind of soccer environment that MLS has been hoping for.
It is just one game, but with 22,000 season tickets sold, Sounders games are already destined to have what would've been the second-highest attendance last year. Rest assured more of the same will follow, with a great atmosphere throughout the season.
Can the fans of Seattle be the mythical 12th man? It's certainly not new to Seattle; Seahawks fans are recognized as a "12th man." And 12th men aren't new to football, either. But could Seattle pull something off with their combination of on-field talent, sideline leadership, and fan support?
Could they win the MLS Cup in their first year, like Houston (2006) or Chicago (1998)?
Could they snag the Supporters' Shield in their first year, something no team has done before? (Since it was the first MLS year, Tampa Bay doesn't count, bless their souls.)
Perhaps more importantly, can other teams replicate the feel created by the Emerald City?
Any team with a soccer-specific stadium can do it. There's no reason that we couldn't see the same from Chicago, Dallas, either L.A. team, or Columbus. Toronto may have the makings of that environment, but not with the same fanfare. Philly and Portland will come with their own stadiums, and Kansas City, San Jose, and Houston are very close to getting theirs.
Some wonder if soccer is growing in popularity. Of course some claim it has already failed since ol' what's-his-name decided to skip town. But if more people feel the way that I do, that Seattle has created the most authentic soccer experience to date, then indeed soccer's time in the United States may be at hand.
We don't need any particular player. We need an atmosphere of excitement at every game. We need people to cheer and dance not just in small supporters' sections but through entire stadiums, or at least much more significant portions thereof.
We need to show the rest of the United States why soccer is so big around the world: It's not the number of goals, but the importance of the goal. Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 24 March 2009 05:22 |
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Salernitana 3 - Brescia 0 (Series B, March 23, 2009): Salernitana picked up three valuable points in the bid for safety and derailed Brescia’s play-off push with a convincing win at the Stadio Arechi.
Treviso 1 - Grosseto 0 (Serie B, March 23, 2009): After soaking up much of the first half pressure, Smit headed Treviso into the lead at the start of the second half.
***
CSKA Moscow 0 - Tomsk 1 (Russian Premier League, March 23, 2009): CSKA's difficult start to the season continued as they fell to a surprise home defeat to Tomsk, the visitors taking the lead in the very first minute through Goran Maznov, before holding on to that advantage to record their first win of the season.
***
Dynamo Kiev 3 - Arsenal Kiev 0 (Vyscha Liga, March 23, 2009): Artem Kravets bundled Dynamo into an early lead, which was doubled by a super-strike from Olexandr Aliyev that beat the keeper from 25 yards. In the second half, Olexandr Aliyev struck again with another beauty from the edge of the D which gave the keeper no chance.
***
All the goals from the weekend’s action in the Belgium Jupiler League can be seen here.
***
Kuwait 0 - Iran 1 (International friendly, March 23, 2009): Ali Daei’s men had to wait until the eighty-fourth minute for the deadlock to be broken with Maziar Zareh converting a late penalty. Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 24 March 2009 01:44 |
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A formidable away win in Kansas City last week has John Carver's Toronto squad with three points going into the second week of their Major League Soccer schedule.
Their first ever opening day away victory isn't much to brag about. But it does place much needed confidence into the hearts of the Toronto Football Club faithful.
Aside from allowing two remarkable strikes by Davy Arnaud, a solid defensive effort was complemented by a consistent three goal offensive display. Aside from missing a late penalty, Dwayne DeRosario's performance proved why he is the prize acquisition of Mo Johnston's impressive tenure as the mastermind of this franchise.
The combination of "De-Ro" and Amado Guevara kept the Wizards defense on their heels. They controlled possession for most of the game as they spread the ball around the pitch to the starting 11. Guevara's two goals were just a glimpse of what this duo will provide us with this season.
Toronto will now head to Crew Stadium for a Saturday date to take on the defending league champions, Columbus Crew. Columbus began its season by scraping out a point through a Guillermo Barros Schelotto 82nd minute equaliser to draw 1-1 at Houston.
Columbus will be looking to open Crew Stadium on a winning note as they host Toronto in the first leg of the home-and-home series dubbed the Trillium Cup.
Look for these two attacking sides to provide an up-tempo, appealing brand of soccer. Should be interesting to see if Toronto can pull off another huge road win before heading back home to BMO Field, where the best fans in the league anxiously await. Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Monday, 23 March 2009 12:52 |
While declaring the MLS Goal of the Year competition over after Week One is a bit of a stretch, the bar has been set ridiculously high by Kenny Cooper, to wit:
YouTube - FC Dallas 1-3 Chilango Fire / Golazo de Cuauhtemoc Blanco
YouTube - FC Dallas 1-3 Chilango Fire / Golazo de Cuauhtemoc Blanco
Unfortunately that was pretty much it for Dallas, as everybody on the Fire who is expected to score pretty much did, as Mapp, McBride and Blanco did what they're paid to do, although McBride's goal was a PK off of what looked like a marginal call in the box and Blanco's came on a stoppage time DFK after he entered the game on 78 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the HDC it was "Come Dressed as an Empty Seat Day" as a comically inclined Chivas USA claimed a crowd of 16,000+ saw Pablo Nagamura score two goals, a number that equals his 2007 goal production, his 2008 goal production and his normal monthly red card total.
Seriously, who knew that if this guy stopped trying to cripple people and focused on playing soccer that he might actually see some success?
The Rapids only response came as the result of just another Zach Thornton laugher. Maybe if the hired a hypnotist to get Thornton to believe that the ball is actually a cheeseburger he'd focus a little better.
Regardless, there are are many fine young American keepers right now - have you seen what Bill Gaudette has been doing in Puerto Rico? Unbelievable stuff - that there's just no reason why this old retread is still collecting money.
The ugliness reached it's peak on Sunday when Los Angeles, down 0-2 to DC, was handed a gift in the form of one of the most outrageously terrible calls I've seen in years when Jair Marrufo, who was laughably referred to as the "referee" called a mystifying handball on Rodney Wallace:
It's around the 3:20 mark, but first be sure to check out Dema Kovalenko's ridiculous takedown in the box which led to DC's first core, a PK from newly-rearrived Christian Gomez.
YouTube - 3/22/2009 D.C. United @ Los Angeles Galaxy
YouTube - 3/22/2009 D.C. United @ Los Angeles Galaxy
Much of the weekend's ugliness came from friction between coaches and reporters; on Saturday, following the Crew-Houston draw (more later) someone with crap for brains asked new Head Coach Robert Warzycha whether he thought the late game subs he made were the same ones that Sigi Schmid would have made if he were still there.
Nobody is blaming The Polish Rifle for, basically, telling the guy that he really didn't care.
The real scene, though, comes courtesy of Luis Bueno, who reports a flareup between widely respected reporter Steven Goff and DC coach Tom Soehn.
Goff—and everyone else—was curious as to why last year's starting keeper Louis Crayton wasn't even on the bench. Soehn apparently took umbrage, made a snippy reply about talking about the game and then later, according to Bueno:
...Soehn and Goff had some more words, though it was more Soehn unloading on Goff. Soehn told him to talk about the positives and then dropped this on him:
"Focus on the f******* game," Soehn said before he stormed off into the coach's office.
A bit early to be getting that kind of irritable, Tom, but I suppose that after the hosing you took from the referee it's understandable.
Speaking of Houston-Crew, the game itself (including the late-game equalizer from Barros-Schelotto who, for some reason we'd all be interested in hearing, was left completely unmarked at the top of the box and, well, what followed was what usually follows when GBS has a 20-yard open shot at the left post) was largely overshadowed by the condition of the field, which was, to put it nicely, unplayable.
Apparently the grounds crew at Robertson Stadium felt that the best solution to not having done crap to keep the field nice lately was to dump a few dozen truckloads of sand on the thing.
Players were falling down all over the place, National teamer Robbie Rogers went out with a pulled hamstring after having his feet slip out from under him and Houston GK Pat Onstad was quoted afterward by Shawn Mitchell as CALLING THE PITCH "DISGUSTING" and saying that he was "embarrassed" that MLS teams played on such a field.
Frankly, not to put too fine a point on it, but MLS has spent the last couple of years talking about how some British fellow with the Galaxy was going to bring some "credibility" to the league, and also that their main focus these days is improving the quality of the games.
But when they send out the incredibly low caliber of officials that they do week after week, and continue to send them out there even after proving how lousy they are and simply accept dangerous field conditions like those in Houston and like we've seen in at the HDC and elsewhere, who's kidding who?
"Credibility" isn't gained by having recognizable names on your rosters. "Credibility" is when you show the game some respect.
No self-respecting league on the planet would have played a match on a pitch that bad. The game would have been called or moved or something, anything, rather than send guys out there and ask people to pay to watch it.
MLS could show us all how much it actually respects the game, and how much they value "credibility" by pulling the plug on games like that. Reschedule it, play in a park, I don't care, but until they do they have a lot of gall coming around telling us how much they honor the game.
In other results, the schedule makers smiled on San Jose this year, putting them in Buck Shaw for four out of their first five.
So naturally, in front of a sellout crowd (which is soon to be mocked by a professional sports journalist near you as "only able to draw 10,000 fans for their season opener"), facing a New England side which was missing Twellman, Ralston, and Albright and starting two 2009 draft picks on the back line, they laid an egg, losing 0-1 on a cripple in the boix that Kheli Dube easily slotted past ancient warrior Joe Cannon.
They've got Convey. they've got Huckerby, they've got Weaver, they've got Alvarez, and they've got a grumpy Houston coming in next weekend.
Good luck with that.
And in a surprisingly enjoyable match in a minor-league baseball park (another game we'll be hearing about, since one man's sellout is another man's "only 10,000 fans") Davy Arnaud hit for a pair but Amado Guevara matched him and combined with the game-opener from Jim Brennan KC fell to an organized and effective Toronto FC 2-3.
DeRosario looked good most of the game although missing a PK disqualifies him from looking like a hero. Mostly, teams are going to have to fin some answers for the TFC midfield. KC never did, but there's a lot of season ahead.Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Monday, 23 March 2009 09:34 |
I am experimenting on how I'll review each week's worth of MLS action, so expect this section to evolve a bit as the early part of the season goes on.
We'll begin each item with British tabloid style headline.
Soehn blows as United hemorrhages
Let's start here at home, where United manager Tom Soehn made abundantly clear to everyone in soccer that he's feeling the heat.
Tommy, blowing up at your beat writer in the locker room is not a good way to indicate that you are calm, collected and in control. Instead, now he appears like a total lunatic who knows what I have long believed—he will be the fall guy when (not if) this team gets off to a bad start.
Looking at DC's schedule, it's not hard to see them getting one, maybe two points over their first five league matches. You bet Tommy's feeling the heat—he knows that was by far his best chance to bank a win over the first month of the season and they blew it.
The ending of that match was the rare case where everyone screwed up. Soehn screwed up by not making one substitution after the injury. Jair Marrufo screwed up calling a penalty that was undeserved. Finally, Devon McTavish and Greg Janicki ignored any sense of defensive organization by crashing into each other at full speed and busting each other's head open.
L.A. deserves the credit for taking their chances, but the fact remains, under no circumstances is it ever excusable to blow a two-goal lead in the final 10 minutes. I am going to watch the match again later tonight; I'll have more after that.
Guille is silly
Heck of a goal from GBS to grab a point for the champions against Houston. Everybody think's that Houston and Crew can go deep in the postseason this year, and this game (despite being played what is being described as a beach) did nothing to dissuade that.
BTW: This weekend, both Ben Olsen and Duncan Oughton saw time. Wow, it's just like 2003 all over again. Let's cue up "Stacy's Mom" and get freaky.
Fire: Curse this
The Fire finally wins at Dallas—and does so emphatically.
Dallas fans, the 30 or so left, must have felt good after Kenny Cooper caught Jon Busch off his line from beyond the midfield line. Someone needs to remind Buschie (who is at least two inches shorter than the laughable 5-10 he is listed at... if he's 5-10, I'm 6-2.) that little guys like him can't hang around too far outside the goal.
McBride and Blanco followed up with goals to take the lead and the Fire showed why they remain many folks' favorite to win the title this year. Anyone care to guess how many goals they plant on United next week? Three? Five? Ten?
Dube, doobey-doo
So New England grinds out a road win with a well-organized, if not scintillating performance? Not a huge shock, is it? Though Dube deserves points off for the worst goal celebration of the week, which I can best describe as Liberace on horseback.
Ama-Dos
In what certainly appears like the match of the week, Toronto put three past Kevin Hartman to win 3-2.
TFC's first goal brought up one interesting question. Does Jim Brennan's screaming near-side finish herald a new era attacking danger from the Canadian, or does it signal that Kevin Hartman has now entered the Meola Zone, that period in a goalkeeper's career when he can no longer jump over a copy of Us Weekly?
Then I saw the third Toronto goal, where he palmed a low shot right into the middle of the penalty area. Question answered.
Paulo's Peaches
Paulo Nagamura scoring twice—good. Everything else that has to do with a Chivas-Rapids early-season match—unwatchable. I think that sums it up, don't you?Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Monday, 23 March 2009 00:57 |
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For the last year or so we have been doing a weekly winners and losers in the English Premier League and for the 2009 season we will be doing the same for Major League Soccer. Here is a look at who we think we the winners and losers in an exciting first weekend of the season
Winners
Major League Soccer
What a week for MLS. They added two new teams, giving the league some natural rivalries in the Northwest and the opening game was an unqualified success in Seattle. And they did it all without that David Beckham guy.
Attendance
119,667 fans attended the 7 games for an average crowd of 17,095. The top crowd was the 32,523 sellout in Seattle.
Landon Donovan
Two goals in the Galaxy’s opener and Donovan shows once again why he is the best goal scorer in MLS. The only reason why LD might struggle to repeat his 20 goal performance of last season is the heavy schedule of games that the U.S. national team has this summer. Donovan is the new face of the Galaxy and MLS.
Toronto FC
Toronto has some of the most passionate fans in MLS, but their terrible away form (only four wins away in their first two seasons) means that TFC has missed out on the playoffs the last two seasons. This weekend’s three goals and three points bodes well for Toronto fans.
Seattle Sounders
A sell out crowd, incredible excitement in the stands and a great performance on the pitch. it. It was a great weekend for Sounders fans.
Losers
San Jose
The Earthquakes had a great chance to pick up an opening day win against a depleted New England team and they failed to find a way passed New England goalkeeper Matt Reis. The Earthquakes had 16 shots, but forced Reis into only four saves.
New York Red Bulls
A horrendous performance in Seattle on national TV. The NYRB need to rebound against New England this weekend or all the feel-good vibes from last seasons MLS Cup run will be gone before Easter. Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Sunday, 22 March 2009 21:38 |
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Only one team, Real Salt Lake, was not in action this past weekend. The rest of the league gave the fans some pretty special moments during the opening weekend of the 2009 MLS season.
We saw an expansion club laying a huge beatdown on one of last season's MLS Cup finalists. We saw a goal from 60 yards out in a losing effort.
We saw last season's MLS MVP get off to a great start. And, perhaps most importantly, we saw plenty of offense.
Last week's rankings in parenthesis
1. Chicago Fire (2)
The Fire shrugged off an early stunner by FC Dallas' Kenny Cooper and ended up winning 3-1. Both Brian McBride and Cuauhtemoc Blanco found themselves on the scoresheet.
2. Columbus Crew (1)
It took a late goal from Guillermo Barros Schelotto to stave off defeat for the defending MLS Cup champions.
But, until they suffer a defeat, Columbus will likely remain near the very top of the power rankings. Their offense may have sputtered, but their defense was very effective in their season-opening draw.
3. Houston Dynamo (3)
Houston showed that they aren't missing Dwayne De Rosario that much in the early stages of 2009. They hung tough with the defending champs and managed a 1-1 draw thanks to a Brian Ching goal.
4. Toronto FC (5)
Amado Guevara came up huge for Toronto, netting a brace to lead TFC to a 3-2 victory over Kansas City. Dwayne De Rosario missed a chance to make the final scoreline 4-2, but Toronto proved that their offense is a force to be reckoned with.
If the club can keep defensive mistakes to a minimum, they should make their first-ever playoff appearance.
5. Chivas USA (7)
Chivas' fantastic midfield was responsible for victory in week one. Paulo Nagamura scored twice as Chivas beat Colorado 2-1. Granted, the competition may not have been among the MLS elite, but Chivas' effectiveness can't be denied.
6. DC United (6)
DC was unlucky not to get a victory against Los Angeles, as Landon Donovan managed two goals in the final 10 minutes against United. There was one very encouraging sign though: Christian Gomez finding the back of the net in his return to DC. If the former league MVP can get going, DC will have one of the most potent attacks in the league.
7. New York Red Bulls (4)
What a poor start to the season. New York surrendered three goals to a club playing its first-ever MLS game.
It's far too early to say whether or not last season's playoff run was a fluke, but expectations are high in New York. The fans won't stand for too many more performances like that.
8. New England Revolution (8)
While New England won their opener, it wasn't a terribly impressive victory. San Jose outshot the Revs and enjoyed an advantage in corner kicks.
The difference for New England was great goalkeeping from Matt Reis and their ability to capitalize on one of their few opportunities.
9. Seattle Sounders FC (14)
Seattle easily made the biggest statement of the first matchday, stunning New York by a score of 3-0. Freddie Montero scored two goals for MLS' newest club as they easily beat last year's losing Cup finalist.
Making this victory even more impressive was the absence of one of Seattle's most experienced weapons, Freddie Ljungberg. When the club is at full strength, they could slip into the playoffs.
10. Los Angeles Galaxy (12)
The leap up the rankings is more a reflection of Landon Donovan's talent than LA's quality as a whole. Donovan scored a late brace to salvage a draw with DC.
11. Real Salt Lake (13)
Despite not playing this week, Real Salt Lake moved up through the rankings thanks to some poor performances from other clubs. They open their season this coming week against Seattle.
12. FC Dallas (9)
Despite Kenny Cooper scoring an early candidate for Goal of the Year, FC Dallas was overwhelmed by a superior Chicago Fire squad. They need to shore up the back line if they hope to make it into the postseason.
13. San Jose Earthquakes (10)
The Quakes fell flat in their season debut. Despite the combo of Bobby Convey and Darren Huckerby, they couldn't capitalize on any of their chances against New England. They're a decent bet to turn things around, but their opener was discouraging.
14. Kansas City Wizards (11)
Davy Arnaud had a great start to the season. Unfortunately for KC, the same can't be said of their defense. They scored twice but conceded thrice. Not good, not good.
15. Colorado Rapids (15)
Offense, offense, offense. This club just doesn't have the firepower to be a player this season. Source: Click Here
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