MLS Matchday One: Your Running Commentary

Good afternoon everybody. Today is the start of the Major League Soccer season and there are some quality match-ups to start the year.

Here are today's games:

• Toronto FC at Columbus
• Chicago Fire at Real Salt Lake
• Houston Dynamo at New England Revolution
• D.C. United at Kansas City Wizards
• Los Angeles Galaxy at Colorado Rapids

If you are wondering who I'm picking in today's games, check out my game previews on ESPN.com, which are at the bottom of my piece on the influx of foreign players into MLS.

If you are following MLS matches today and tonight, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions (as well as some play-by-play) in the comments section below.

Enjoy the soccer.

Comments

[ADG]

I thought Direct Kick was free on all providers today? Mine is shutting me out...

[Spencer]

I'm watching the games on the PPV channels, mine are free this weekend.

[kswiss]

I'm excited to be able to see my United play for the first time this year. Should be a good game against what could be a strong Wizards team this year. Anyone know why I can see but can't hear the games on MLSLive.tv?

[Nic]

The crowd in Columbus is looking sparse. You'd think with the thousands of TFC fans traveling down to Ohio there might be more local interest in the game. Here's hoping to Saputo and Gillett buying the Crew and moving them to Montreal.

On another note, Moffat's strike was pretty nice.

[kswiss]

Nevermind, I got the audio back as I was posting that.

[DCM]

So much for FREE Direct Kick today. Comcast's website says free preview on April 7th while other sites say free preview for opening weekend.

There went my plans for the next several hours. I guess I'll just wait for the excitement of NCAA & MLS (on FSC) to take up my pic-in-pic later on today.

Oh well!! ~ sigh

[Phillip]

Goal by Columbus...

1-0

[kswiss]

Nice first goal of the season by Adam Moffat.

[NYRB]

why wasn't the opener on ABC? does anyone know?

[Nic]

If the first 40 minutes of this game is any indication, Toronto doesn't look like they've improved much in the offseason. They are in dire need of an offensive focal point, someone like Guevara but not a headcase.

Any chance of MLSE splashing out a few hundred thousands loonies to get the player they so need?

[Dr. Rockzo, The Rock N' Roll Clown]

NYRB, it was speculated that this game was going to be on ABC, but they decided to show DC v. LA as a lead in to the Euro Finals later this summer.

[soccerhockey]

TFC just hates scoring.

The Crew Stadium atmosphere looks great.

[kswiss]

Columbus up 1-0 at halftime.
Goal by Moffat
PK save by Hesmer

Columbus looks pretty decent in the first half, though 45 minutes against Toronto isn't enough time to make any sort of conclusion about the team in general.

[Danny]

I'm sure everyone is aware, but this is a free weekend with MLS direct kick. If you have In Demand, Direct TV, or another provider there's no reason not to watch at least this weekend. Who knows if you subscribe, but get it while you can anyway.

BTW, Hesmer makes a great PK save and keeps my fantasy team shut out going. :)

[expat lumberjack]

toronto's red and columbus' yellow look exactly like ketchup and mustard. really horrific color combination. it's hard to watch the game without wanting to gouge my eyes out with a spoon.

[DCM]

Just talked with Comcast here in Indy and the free preview is not until "middle of April" here. Odd time to do it I think, but being outside of a MLS teams immediate area might be the reason for it.

[Danny]

My free preview is coming from "In Demand." Seems nice. I'm a subscriber to the internet version. I might have to move up this year.

As far as the Mustard/Ketchup, don't you think the whole gouging you eyes out is a bit rough bro? Yikes!

[Rocco]

Just bought the Direct Kick package for 1st time. $79 bucks doesn't seem bad. I have a DVR so I'll catch a lot of games on tape.

[chris]

is anyone's mlstv working?

[expat lumberjack]

my mlslive is working, but to get there i clicked on the little tv icon next to the game listing on the scoreboard on mlsnet.com.

[Nic]

MLSLive froze up during an annoying interview with the lead singer of that band, but I reloaded it and it started to work fine again.

Just reload.

[koolcaio]

Evo Galapucho, what do you know about dc? you are just a dc hater like the rest!!
vamos united!!!!

[chris]

thanks expat, for some reason mine isn't working. black sreen and no audio. i hope they work this out.

[DCM]

Just bought Direct Kick for the 1st time as well... my couch is going to get a workout this season, thank god I have my bike on a trainer in front of the TV. I only wish the games were shown in HD.

[DCM]

Cunningham must have lost sight of the goal in all the red smoke from the flares thrown by TFC fans sitting behind the goal.

[Nic]

chris,do you have a mac?

[chris]

nic, nope. i just tried it again. not working again. i figured it takes a week or so for mls to work this out. i'm not too upset, but if anyone has some kind of miracle trick, i'll take it.

[Nic]

It wasn't working for me originally either. Oddly enough, I tried watching other video content (I think it was a Greg Lalas/Shep Messing thing) and then clicked again on the watch CLB vs. TOR and then clicked again on MLSLive.tv. Then it worked.

[PJhardy]

Somebody for Columbus should have got on that stage after scoring and played air guitar.

[Nic]

I cannot believe these announcers (Columbus local guys) are arguing that Jeff Cunningham be given a run for the National team. Shocking.

[soccerhockey]

serious, the Cunningham plug is way off.

that fan falling onto the field at the goal celebration by the corner flag was classic! hilarious crew fan.

[eric]

Funny, TWC is in between - they're about to hook me up with Chicago - RSL, but the other Direct Kick channels are off...

[kevin]

i was surprised to see that columbus's supporter's group grew by about 2x!!! i'm guessing it's the beckham effect. hopefully, it will affect all the other teams too!!

[Amit]

The Crew vs. TFC game was pretty good. Columbus was very good. They looked like a contender. We'll see if that continues.

[KINGTUTS]

Toronto looked aweful up front. No creativity, horrible shot selection, second guessing themselves on feeds they definitely should have taken and obviously a serious lack of finish. Marshall in D was their lone bright spot (which is saying something). Edwards looked very ordinary in goal, Sutton on the bench seemed wasteful. First goal their back four had their feet nailed to the ground, no one challenging!!! Gross! Second goal, Edwards came out hard and then stopped like a dear in the headlights. If you come out to challenge a player, make sure you come out and challenge the player, not stop at 70% steam, get flat footed and then beat like a rented mule. Samuel scoring the PK could have changed the outcome (why was Brenan not taking ths shot??? not that it should matter I guess) of that game, but if TO cannot score on PK (which shouldn't have even been a PK by the way) then last year's scoring draught could be just as bad this year. Cunningham better be paired up with Dichio to start for the game against DC. Hopefully James is back soon, they need another athletic defender that is gonna make the kinda pin point passes their mid-wings are incapable of doing. Nice first corner of the game, but like the commentators said, you can only try that once... so you better finish. Has Cunningham lost his magic? Or is he just not getting the bare minimum service he needs from the middle of the field? Guevara, please get here soon!!!!!!

[eric]

RSL pinging it around like they're Arsenal on Chi-town. Ouch. The Fire look like they haven't figured out the turf. Not impressive crowd in Salt Lake, but on the plus side, Blanco is pushing and shoving 10 mins into the season.

[oracledba]

it is brutal to watch a game with college football lines - utah doesn't play for another 7 months you think they could re-line the field

[eric]

Still entertained by RSL - Chi in the 30th, but it's getting sloppy out there. RSL with more chances (8 shots!), and Blanco is doing his thing, but Rolfe and Mapp have been invisible on the wings.

[Amit]

Its seems that referee Terry Vaughn is confused by the football lines. He seems to be forgetting what sport he is officiating.

[Nic]

Conde not playing for the Fire. I wonder if they'll finally realize he's hellbent on leaving and just deal the guy. Is selling him back to Colombia an option?

[alex]

Dear RBNY,

Please see attached box marked "return to sender". It contains one lazy, useless football director, feel free to discard as necessary.

Fr.

TFC

[alex]

Agreed on the comments about RSL - Chi. Salt Lake came out on fire, but has slowed since. Beckerman and the other guy (morales?) look amazing in the centre.

[eric]

Haven't got much of a beat on Ian Joy, who I've heard about for years and am seeing on the field for the first time. But he just picked up a yellow for hacking down Mapp on the wing in the 50th.

[eric]

Curious decision to pull Mapp in the 55th or so. He had just started to get involved and earned a couple of free kicks in a row. He didn't look like he was hurt as he jogged off. Maybe Chicago is worried he was going to break if he fell one more time?

Blanco is playing like he wants to be the MVP as many have predicted, and call Conde the LVP, Chicago have no cohesion, even factoring in opening day form.

[KINGTUTS]

Berckman was written off by many, but I believe the guy still has some serious hops. Amazing game by Kyle so far. Great stuff. Get Robbie Findley on the pitch. The kid can finish and is being wasted on the sidelines. Findley does a great job getting behind the defenders and think Bekerman's vision and Robbie's ability to shake of his marker and get open will be magic this year, once he starts, well, starting on the RSL team. Andy Williams' time is over... Robbie Findley is not only the future, he should be the present too!!! My guess... Findley comes on late, scores the winner.

[mikeK]

Showing what he learned in St. Pauli, and I like it. Didn't he do a stint in the MLS before going to Germany?

Decent game. Bit chippy. I'm watching on MLS live. The Fire announcers are horrid. Such homers.

[Dominghosa]

Working right now, fellas. Scores and goal scorers so far tonight?

[eric]

The game is picking up in pace and atmosphere, due mostly to Blanco who is full of theatrics and sweet back heels which the crowd loves to hate.

Ha ha ha! Kovalenko into the game, 68th.

RSL has to win this game, they've played too well.

Own Goal of Demo cross! 1 - 0 RSL!

[DCM]

OG.. tough way to start the season.

[sprool11]

Caliguiri just called Brian Mullan, Chris Mullan...what a tard!!