Soccer By Ives

MLS Rewind: Stoppage time shootout in RSL-LA draw, KC ties DC and TFC downs Whitecaps

 

                                                      Photo by ISIphotos.com

Three stoppage time goals turned what looked to be a 1-0 Real Salt Lake victory into a 2-2 tie as the Los Angeles Galaxy scored both goals in extra time to stay unbeaten on the road.

Robbie Findley's header goal looked to be the winner for RSL before handball in the area gave Landon Donovan a game-tying penalty kick in the 91st minute. RSL found a go-ahead goal just a minute later after a clear penalty call on Bryan Jordan for bringing down Fabian Espindola. Will Johnson converted the PK to give RSL a 2-1 lead.

That would have been the game-winner if not for Mike Magee, who pounced on a deflected shot and slotted a tight-angled shot through the legs of Chris Seitz for a last-ditch equalizer. Here is Magee's equalizer:

Here are some other results from Wednesday night's action:

MLS Matchday Eight (Mid-week Edition)

 

Good evening all. The new MLS week starts early this time around with a pair of Wednesday night tilts to get things going.

D.C. United is on the road taking on Kansas City tonight (8:30pm kickoff), while the Los Angeles Galaxy look to keep its unbeaten record on the road in tact with a trip to Rio Tinto Stadium to take on Real Salt Lake (9pm).

If you will be watching tonight's matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play on the matches in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

New York Red Bulls at Kansas City Wizards: Match Night Commentary

The red-hot Kansas City Wizards are home tonight for a New York Red Bulls squad coming off its first win -- and first two goals not as a result of an own goal -- of the year.

After losing its first two games of the year, the Wizards have reeled off three consecutive victories and currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind leaders Chicago. After scoring a brace in the final 12 minutes to forge a 2-2 draw with the Fire, Josh Wolff is the reigning MLS Player of the Week, while the Red Bulls will be led by the scoring tandem of Juan Pablo Angel and Mac Kandji, who combined for both goals in a 2-0 win against Real Salt Lake Saturday night.

It is Jimmy Conrad bobblehead night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark (insert your joke here). I will be providing commentary of the match throughout the night and, as always, we at SBI encourage reader feedback, as well.

Sit back and enjoy.

Fire can't hold lead in draw vs. Wizards

 

                                                            Photo by ISIphotos.com

By SAMUEL STEJSKAL

After 75 minutes of play at Toyota Park on Saturday night, the Chicago Fire was sitting pretty. Up 2-0, the Fire were toying with Kansas City, looking certain to add on to the score in a game in which the Fire had completely dominated the run of play.

Unfortunately for the Fire, soccer games don’t last 75 minutes.

Two goals in the final 12 minutes by former-Fire front man Josh Wolff spoiled Chicago’s night and left the two Eastern Conference sides walking away from the match with a 2-2 draw.

The game extended Kansas City’s unbeaten streak to 3 games and left the Fire severely disappointed.

“It’s not a good feeling,” said 2-goal scorer and Fire captain Brian McBride. “We put a lot of hard work in and we got caught on some counters that we shouldn’t have let happen.”

Arnaud Delivers Two Impressive Blasts

 

                                                                            Photo by ISIphotos.com

The Kansas City Wizards didn't get their season off to the start they would have liked, but the silver lining in KC's 3-2 loss to Toronto FC on Saturday was the stunning two-goal performance put in by midfielder Davy Arnaud.

In case you missed them, here are both of Arnaud's goals:

Both goals are certainly Goal of the Week candidates. Look out for the SBI MLS Goals of the Week on Tuesday.

Morning MLS Ticker: Seattle addresses Montero absence, Rapids top Sounders and more

Fredy Montero is on his way back to Seattle.

At least that's what Seattle Sounders FC general manager Adrian Haunauer was saying late on Thursday when asked about the Colombian striker's absence.

"Fredy Montero traveled to South America to complete some personal administrative details that required the player's attention prior to the start of the MLS season," Hanauer told the Seattle Times on Thursday. "The player's contract is finalized and there are no open issues.

Fredy is en route back to Seattle and we look forward to his participation in training later this week and on opening night."

Rapids top Sounders

The Seattle Sounders lost their final tuneup match ahead of next week's MLS season opener, falling to the Colorado Rapids, 1-0, in a closed-door match.

Conor Casey converted the penalty kick he drew after being taken down in the area by an unidentified Seattle defender.

The Sounders were without Colombian strker Fredy Montero and No. 1 overall pick Steve Zakuani.

MLS News & Notes

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that the Columbus Crew is close to a deal with the New York Red Bulls for defender Eric Brunner, who the Red Bulls still have the MLS rights to. ... The Rapids added a defender on Thursday, signing former Rochester Rhinos left back Scott Palguta. A two-time trialist with the New York Red Bulls, Palguta is a left-footed defender who is more equipped to play in central defense in MLS than left back. ...Chivas USA added a striker on Thursday, signing Mexican forward Eduardo Lillingston, who had been with The Goats all of pre-season. ...D.C. United completed the signing of goalkeeper and 2009 MLS second-round draft pick Milos Kocic. ...The Kansas City Wizards are likely to start the 2009 season without forward Adam Cristman, who has been sidelined by a foot injury. The Wizards are also still awaiting the paperwork of Argentine midfielder Santiago Hirsig to go through before he can officially become part of the Wizards roster. ...

That's all for now. What do you think of these stories? Are you relieved to hear that Montero is expected back with Seattle soon? Will you believe it when he's actually on the field? As a Crew fan are you glad to see Eric Brunner potentially joining Columbus?

Share your thoughts below.

The SBI Questions: Peter Vermes Answers (Part 2)

 

In this second part of Peter Vermes answers to The SBI Questions, the former MetroStars captain and World Cup veteran goes in depth to answer your questions on everything from his favorite swapped jersey to how he would help the United States develop better talent. He also discusses his first foray into European soccer, as well as the controversial ending of the very first playoff game in MLS history, between the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United.

Vermes doesn't hold back. Here are his answers. Enjoy:

MR. DERP- Thanks for taking the time Peter. I'm wondering: Is there a favorite jersey you've got from a post-match swap, and what do players do with all the shirts they collece throughout the years?

VERMES- I would have to say it was Franco Baresi, just because it was the World Cup, we were playing Italy in Rome. I don’t know how you get any better than that. We had an unbelievable environment and at that time he was THE defender in the world. He was the man.

What happens with the jerseys? There’s probably a lot of guys that are similar to me. If you’re a player and you’re constantly trading jerseys, normally you just pack them away until you eventually settle down and can pull them out and hang them on a wall somewhere and remember when.

The SBI Questions: Peter Vermes Answers (Part 1)

U.S. World Cup pioneer, MLS Cup champion and MLS squad builder. Peter Vermes has worn all those titles during his prestigious career in soccer, with his experiences in the game making him as close to a walking encyclopedia of the game as yo will find in American soccer today.

Vermes shared his knowledge and experiences with us in the latest installment of The SBI Questions. He shared so much in fact that this installment of The SBI Questions will be broken up into two parts, this part, and another part that will run on Thursday.

In this segment, Vermes discusses the 1990 World Cup, his pick for best American to ever wear the No. 10 jersey as well as his explanation for the Yura Movsisyan and Dave Van Den Bergh trades. Vermes didn't duck a single question and pulled no punches.

Here is the first portion of his answers to your questions:

JEFFREY- Hey Peter, loved your game as a player. Here goes: You are one of the few players to enjoy success both as a striker and as a central defender. Who was the best defender you ever played against? And who was the best forward you ever played against?

VERMES- The best defender I ever played against was in the ’90 World Cup, it was Franco Baresi. He played obviously for the national team, but also for AC Milan in their heyday with the three Flying Dutchmen. He was a different level that guy. We actually traded jerseys at the World Cup.

Wizards new Argentine playmaker ready to deliver

 

Santiago Hirsig was in the heart of a title race last year in his native Argentina, but that didn't keep him from thinking about a career outside of his homeland. The veteran playmaker had long been eager to experience life and soccer outside Argentina and a contract conflict with San Lorenzo opened the door for him to consider a league he watched growing rapidly.

That league is MLS and the country the United States, where Hirsig now plies his trade as the Kansas City Wizards' new attacking midfielder. After a dozen years as a professional in Argentina, Hirsig is looking forward to the challenge of a new league and new country.

"It was my decision for some time to have an experience outside my country, so when I had this conflict with my former club, I saw this opportunity," Hirsig told SBI. "The United States has always been a place I have been interested in and when Kansas City approached me, it became an easy decision.

"There were other offers but I chose this club because I know it's a good club that works well and is in a beautiful city," Hirsig said. "I spoke with (Claudio Lopez) and some others and knew it was a good place to be."

Morning Ticker: Puerto Rico rolls, Wizards tie Chivas and Graham sidelined

 

The United Soccer Leagues moved one step closer to having two teams in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals after the Puerto Rico Islanders posted a 2-1 victory against CD Honduran club Marathon in the first leg of their quarterfinal series.

Second-half goals from Nicholas Addlery and  Kendall Jagdeosingh helped Puerto Rico erase a 1-0 deficit and provided the difference in the home leg for the Islanders, who must travel to Honduras next week to finish off the current Honduran league leaders.

Puerto Rico's victory pushed the record for USL teams in the CONCACAF Champions League to 9-3-6.

Here are some other soccer news items to get your day started:

The SBI Questions: Ask Peter Vermes

 

When it comes to being able to discuss everything from the experience of playing in a World Cup, playing in Europe, winning an MLS Cup and building an MLS Cup contending team, there are few Americans who can speak from experience like Peter Vermes.

From his experience in the 1990 World Cup, when he started all three games and played every minute for the United States in its first World Cup appearance in 40 years, to his dream season helping lead the Kansas City Wizards to the 2000 MLS Cup title, Vermes has seen and done it all throughout his distinguished career.

Now the technical director of the Wizards, Vermes has become one of the most respected and sought-after executives in MLS. Courted by several clubs this past off-season, Vermes has chosen to stay in Kansas City and help build the Wizards into a championship contender.

Vermes is the latest interview subject for The SBI Questions, a new feature on SBI that will consist of readers submitting questions, SBI selecting the best of them before presenting them to the interview subject. Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio took part in the first installment of The SBI Questions and we are working on the next MLS/USMNT personality to take the hot seat.

Please submit your soccer-related questions for Vermes in the comments section below. The answers will be posted next week.

MLS Pre-season: A look around the Eastern Conference

As we move to within three weeks of the start of the 2009 MLS season, all 15 MLS teams are in the heart of their pre-season preparations. Clubs have scattered the globe, from Argentina to England, as they prepare for their run at the MLS Cup trophy.

We here at SBI will try to keep you posted on as much of the league's pre-season activity as possible. This morning we will take a tour of the Eastern Conference for some news and notes about the seven teams in the East:

Columbus Crew

The Crew is set to depart for England, where the team will spend two weeks training and playing in some pre-season matches. After a successful run of results in Florida against some local college teams, Columbus will be in England playing a series of matches against the likes of Liverpool's and Everton's reserve teams. The Crew has bid farewell to rookie Jordan Seabrook.

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that the Crew have once again inquired about defender Eric Brunner, who the New York Red Bulls hold the rights to. Are the Red Bulls really asking for too much, or could this be payback for the Red Bulls' failed attempts to trade for the rights of former Seton Hall midfielder Teddy Niziolek?

MLS Pre-season: Wizards tie Red Bulls in goal-fest

The New York Red Bulls couldn't find the net in their pre-season debut earlier this week, but it looks like extra finishing drills paid off as they posted a 4-4 tie against the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday in Bradenton.

Claudio Lopez opened the scoring for KC, running ontoa perfect pass from Josh Wolff to make the score 1-0 in the 35th minute. Mike Petke responded for the Red Bulls just three minutes later with a finish off a Jorge Rojas free kick.

Red Bulls speedster Dominic Oduro scored his first goal for New York in the 42nd minute when he raced onto a Dane Richards pass to give RBNY a 2-1 lead at halftime.

Wolff played provider once again in the second half, setting goals by Graham Zusi and Lopez to give the Wizards a 3-2 lead. Haitian national team striker and Red Bulls trialist Lionel St. Preux scored a pair of unassisted goals, one on a forced turnover he converted into a score, the second coming off a rebound.

The Red Bulls looked like they would record their first win of training camp, but Wizards defender finished off a corner kick in the 89th minute to leave the score tied 4-4.

Here were the lineups for the match:

Wizards down Fire, 3-2, in pre-season action

The Chicago Fire looked sharp in the first half of its pre-season scrimmage vs. the Kansas City Wizards, with Patrick Nyarko scoring twice to give the Fire a 2-0 lead. The lead wouldn't last in the second half though, as the Wizards' pounced on a Fire lineup mainly consisting of reserves, scoring three unanswered goals to post a 3-2 vitory in pre-season action in Bradenton, Florida.

Aaron Hohlbein started the second half comeback with a 49th minute header off a Kevin Souter cross before Davy Arnaud converted a penalty kick drawn by Graham Zusi to tie the score at 2-2 in the 53rd minute.

Zusi helped set up the winner as well, providing the corner kick for Wizards defender Rashaun McKenzie to head home to make the final score 3-2.

MLS Notes: A big step for the KC stadium, Franklin has surgery and Petke introduced by RBNY

 

The above photo might just look like a construction mess, but to Kansas City Wizards fans the image is a thing of beauty.

The photo is of the construction site for the future Kansas City Wizards stadium. The Bannister Mall, which was located on the stadium site, is being torn down as the first step toward building the 18,500 Wizards stadium began on Wednesday.

“We are delighted that this moment has arrived,” said Robb Heineman, Chief Executive of OnGoal, LLC, the owner of the Kansas City Wizards. “A lot of hard work by a lot of people has made this possible. The City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, public representatives, adjacent neighborhoods, and all of Kansas City have shown tremendous support.”

The stadium is slated to be ready some time in 2010.

Here are some other MLS stories to help wind down your day:

MLS Hot Stove: Marmol leaves Fire, Houston waits on Ngwenya and no DP rush for KC

 

                                                              Photo by ISIphotos.com

The curious case of Lider Marmol has come to an end in Chicago.

The Paraguayan defender/midfielder has been granted a release from his contract with the Chicago Fire so that he can join a team in his native Paraguay, sources told SBI over the weekend. The move puts an end to saga that began with a tug-of-war between two MLS teams.

Juan Carlos Osorio found Marmol during his time as Chicago head coach and brought him for a trial, only to have then Fire VP John Guppy tell Osorio the club could not sign him. Osorio's subsequent attempt to sign Marmol once he was Red Bulls head coach was thwarted by the Fire, which put in a Discovery claim for him. Marmol spent weeks training with the Red Bulls in anticipation of something being worked out to allow him to join New York, but MLS upheld Chicago's Discovery claim and Marmol reluctantly joined the Fire.

Marmol never settled in with Chicago, struggling to find playing time because of the strength of the Fire's defense and his own injuries. Chicago did plan to bring him back in 2009 before he submitted a request to be allowed to leave.

It is a sad ending to what could have been a promising story. After seeing Marmol for weeks, I can tell you he had considerable talent and might have thrived in New York, but Marmol was also an emotionally fragile individual who never quite settled in with Chicago despite the Fire's best efforts to make him feel welcome in the organization.

Here are some other MLS-related stories making the rounds: