Soccer By Ives

De Rosario hat trick paces D.C. United to 4-1 trouncing of RSL

 

 Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD 

WASHINGTON - In 65 minutes Saturday, D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario once again showed why he is one of the most prolific attacking talents MLS has ever seen. And at 33 years old, playing for his third club this season, he could very well be better than ever.

De Rosario launched himself atop the Golden Boot standings and into the thick of the MVP discussion, recording the fastest hat trick in league history as United (9-8-11) rolled to a 4-1 win over reserve-heavy Real Salt Lake (15-8-6) at RFK Stadium.

"The thing with De Ro is that I am not even surprised anymore with some of the stuff he does," United coach Ben Olsen said. "I've seen it as a fan of his and I've also seen it being on the other side for 10 years. This is what he does and this is why we wanted him. He's just been exceptional, and the guys have jumped on his back as well and rode the wave."

The Canadian assisted Andy Najar's opening strike before scoring three goals of his own in a nine-minute span, giving United a shocking 4-0 advantage 31 minutes in. De Rosario's performance came three days after his missed penalty kick cost United a win against Chivas USA.

United ends home drought with 4-0 win over Whitecaps

 

 Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - It may have taken enduring three months of disappointment and waiting until the league's worst team came to town, but D.C. United finally treated its fans to another win at RFK Stadium.

And considering the show the club put on Saturday, the D.C. faithful could almost say it was worth the wait.

Chris Pontius notched two goals, Andy Najar and Stephen King found the score sheet as well, and rookie Joe Willis registered a shutout in his first start as United ended its winless drought at home with a 4-0 triumph over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

"We've had a rough run of form at home, so it's good to give our fans something to cheer about," Pontius said. "And it's good for our team morale."

Adu signing with Philadelphia Union

Freddy Adu's return to Major League Soccer will happen, and he will once again be plying his trade on the East Coast, where he'll be reunited with a familar coach.

Adu will be introduced as the Philadelphia Union's newest signing on Friday, marking his return to MLS after four years in Europe, multiple sources confirmed to Fox Soccer on Thursday.

Adu was set to sign with Chivas USA as a Designated Player but that deal fell apart after upper management at Chivas USA balked at the signing. There are conflicting accounts about whether Adu will be a Designated Player for the Union, with one source with knowledge of the deal saying Adu will be a DP.

NBC agrees three-year deal with MLS for TV rights

By CALEB SONNELAND

45 Major League Soccer games and four US Men's National Team matches per season.

That's the television rights deal that NBC reached with the MLS today.  NBC outbid Fox Soccer Channel for the rights to the MLS package. FSC currently has the rights for the remainder of 2011.

NBC will televise two regular season MLS games, two playoff games and two appearances by the USMNT, while the NBC Sports Network (currently VERSUS) will broadcast 38 regular-season games, three playoff games and two USMNT matches. Each televised game with have a pre and post-game session.

Rapids snap Union's home undefeated streak; Ruiz on his way out of Philly

By JOSE M. ROMERO

The Philadelphia Union have been one of the biggest stories of the MLS season with its play in the first half of the season. But Friday night at PPL Park just wasn't the second-year club's night.

The Colorado Rapids snapped Philly's 10-game unbeaten streak in MLS matches with a 2-1 win at PPL Park. That, and forward Carlos "El Pescadito" Ruiz is apparently on his way elsewhere, Coach Peter Nowak said following the match. 

Ruiz did not suit up for Friday's game and was seen shaking hands with teammates while wearing street clothes.  

"Carlos is no longer with us," Nowak said in postgame comments, according to the Union's official web site.

The impending departure of Ruiz -- as of late Friday it was not known exactly what the nature of the roster move involving Ruiz entailed nor where he was headed -- overshadowed a frustrating loss for the Union. Pablo Mastroeni and Sanna Nyassi scored the Rapids' goals, with Roger Torres providing Philadelphia's lone goal in an exciting stoppage time session.

Bradley fired as USA coach

Bob Bradley signed on for a second cycle as U.S. national team head coach a little less than a year ago, but that term has prematurely come to a close.

Bradley has been relieved of his duties, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Thursday. The decision to let Bradley go comes after a meeting at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., between Bradley, federation president Sunil Gulati, and U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn.

"We want to thank Bob Bradley for his service and dedication to U.S. Soccer during the past five years,” said Gulati in a press release. “During his time as the head coach of our Men’s National Team he led the team to a number of accomplishments, but we felt now was the right time for us to make a change. It is always hard to make these decisions, especially when it involves someone we respect as much as Bob. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

U.S. Soccer said it will have a further announcement on Friday.

Names already being linked to the vacant position are Juergen Klinsmann and World Cup-winning former Italian national team manager Marcelo Lippi.

Everton drops United in lively affair

 

 Photograph by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - Saturday's friendly between D.C. United and Everton at RFK Stadium wasn't exactly the match organizers may have envisioned when scheduling it several months ago. But despite the notable player absences and sweltering heat, the sides treated the 12,789 in attendance to a lively, open affair that ended as a 3-1 Everton triumph.

Victor Anichebe and Diniyar Bilyatletdinov provided Everton all the goals the English club would need in the opening 16 minutes. Chris Pontius then cut United's deficit in half shortly after the break before substitute Magaye Gueye sealed the result for the Toffees late in the second half.

Both teams compiled quality scoring opportunities aplenty throughout the contest. United struck a post and the crossbar, while Everton also hit woodwork and had one shot cleared off the line. When all was said and done, the two sides combined to take a stunning 46 shots.

"All credit to both teams for trying to make it as entertaining as they possibly could," Everton manager David Moyes said.

Late Ruiz strike steals draw for Union

 

 Photo by ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - For D.C. United, how new acquisitions Dwayne De Rosario and Brandon McDonald would fare in their debuts was the storyline entering Saturday's meeting with the Philadelphia Union. But for the second straight week, the team's inability to hold onto a late lead at home dominated the postgame discussion.

Union striker Carlos Ruiz played the villain's role at RFK Stadium a week after Brian Ching did so for Houston, earning the visiting side a 2-2 draw with an 84th-minute goal. United moved to 4-5-7 with the result, while first-place Philadelphia's record shifted to 7-4-6.

"It's obviously a very disappointing tie -- again," United coach Ben Olsen said. "It's not the end of the world. If that's the No. 1 team in the East, we've got a chance. We just have to find ways to close out games at home."

The Union twice came from behind to even the score, negating Josh Wolff's opener with a Perry Kitchen own goal and then canceling out a spectacular long-range strike from Andy Najar with Ruiz's tally.

Ching header earns Houston 2-2 draw

 

 Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIPhotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - Brian Ching hasn't had much of a chance to contribute during his injury-plagued 2011 campaign. But the physical Houston Dynamo forward came through for his club Saturday at D.C. United, earning a penalty kick in the first half and scoring a late equalizer during his side's 2-2 draw at RFK Stadium.

Making just his second start of the season, Ching got on the end of Colin Clark's service in the 89th minute and nodded a shot toward goal that deflected off United defender Perry Kitchen and into the back of the net.

The score came at the end of a second half Houston thoroughly controlled, out-shooting D.C. by a 9-3 margin. The Dynamo, though, found itself trailing after forward Charlie Davies put United ahead in the 73rd minute.

"At that point, it's about getting the ball into the box and just trying to make a late run," Ching said. "I thought it was a deserved goal in that we had so many opportunities to tie the game."

Lenhart hat trick leads San Jose to 4-2 win over D.C. United

 

 Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - D.C. United coach Ben Olsen hasn't shied away from banking his team's fortunes on the plethora of young talent at his disposal. During Saturday's 4-2 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, United experienced the highs and, more often, the lows of such a philosophy.

San Jose striker Steven Lenhart notched a hat trick and chipped in an assist, pouncing on numerous youthful errors as D.C. fielded for the second straight match a starting lineup featuring six players in their rookie or second professional seasons.

"It was very disappointing," Olsen said. "We looked like young kids. This is going to happen. We have always said that we are going to have games when young kids make mistakes -- that I can live with. But the lack of commitment at times was unacceptable."

The Earthquakes (5-4-4) extended their unbeaten streak to six while United (4-5-4) tasted defeat for the first time since April 29. Lenhart picked up the slack for a San Jose attack without Gold Cup call-ups Chris Wondolowski (USA) and Ryan Johnson (Jamaica) as United allowed four goals for the fourth time this season.

Report: Bedoya called upon for Gold Cup

Alejandro Bedoya has reportedly been called in to Bob Bradley's Gold Cup roster following an injury to the New England Revolution's Benny Feilhaber.

Report: http://tinyurl.com/3vsj3yp

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What do you think of Bedoya's call up?  Has he done enough for Orebro to deserve it?  Where does he fall into Bob Bradley's plans?

Share your thoughts below

Ponce called up to Mexico's preliminary Copa America squad

 

BY ADAM SERRANO

It appears that Miguel Ponce has chosen to join the Mexican national team, spurning the country of his birth in the process.

The left back for Chivas de Guadalajara was chosen for Mexico's preliminary squad for the Copa America.

Ponce has been a fixture for Chivas de Guadalajara backline since last season. Ponce's decision to join Mexico's squad is in line with Guadalajara's strict policy that states members of their team could only represent El Tri. Ponce was born in Sacramento, California, but stated last year in an interview with MLSsoccer.com that he identified more with the Mexican national team.

“I was born in America, but in my case my family is Mexican so I’m more Mexican than American,” said Ponce. “I’m proud to play for a team that I love, but if Mexico or the US call me and I need to play for a [national] team, then I will have to see what I can do. I just need to wait and see.”

The Mexico squad for the Copa America will be trimmed on June 27th. The South American tournament runs from July 1st to July 24th. 

Parke header lifts Sounders past SKC in injury time

 

By CALEB SONNELAND

In what was largely not a match for the history books, the Seattle Sounders netted a late winner off the head of defender Jeff Parke to seal the win and three points over a struggling Sporting Kansas City side with both Steve Zakuani and O'Brian White in attendance.

With both teams coming off disappointing results from the week before, it took an unlikely hero in Parke to rally late and break the deadlock in a match lacking a real offensive threat.

For Sporting KC, the loss painfully resembles last season's result when Mike Fucito scored a dramatic late winner in the second minute of stoppage time to claim the points.  Kansas City has proven to be a tough team to break down for the Sounders, and it's taken two improbable goal-scorers to do so in the last two meetings. 

However, Seattle coach Sigi Schmid didn't let the level of offensive output affect his outlook on the overall result.

"Could we have played better?  Yes.  Do we like three points?  Yes."

England to abstain from FIFA presidential vote

The England-FIFA drama continues.

The English FA said Thursday it will abstain from casting a ballot in this summer's FIFA presidential campaign in a protest against candidates Sepp Blatter and Mohamed bin Hammam. FA chairman David Bernstein said the decision to not support either candidate was made due to recent and current issues involving FIFA.

The FA's decision was likely influenced by new corruption claims were made last week against the FIFA executive committee and Qatar over the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

What do you think of this development? Think more countries should/will follow in the footsteps of England's FA?

Share your thoughts below.

Pontius penalty salvages 1-1 draw for D.C.

 

 Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON -- Threatening for an equalizer early in the second half against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, D.C. United seemed poised to draw even one way or another, despite the loss of forwards Charlie Davies and Josh Wolff to first-half injuries.

Sure enough United got one -- and it had wildly inconsistent referee Terry Vaughn to thank for it.

Midfielder Chris Pontius drew and converted a questionable 62nd minute penalty kick to negate Drew Moor's first-half tally for Colorado as the two sides played to a 1-1 draw at RFK Stadium.

"We didn't start the second half very well," Colorado coach Gary Smith said. "D.C., with a little bit of help from the officials, took advantage of it."

Controversial Hernandez penalty lifts Dallas past Toronto

 

By CALEB SONNELAND

Captain Daniel Hernandez was on point to convert a penalty and give FC Dallas the win and three points at Pizza Hut Park in Texas.  The call was a debatable one from referee Yader Reyes and it has, once more, called attention to the standard of officiating in the MLS.

In a depressingly vacant venue (due mainly to thunderstorms that subsided before kickoff), FC Dallas subdued a Toronto FC side that lacked offensive bite and ideas in the final third.

With Joao Plata coming off a flying week, many Reds fans were expecting big things from the Ecuadorian attacker.  However, Plata did not emulate his Man of the Match performance from the game with Houston.