Soccer By Ives

U.S. Open Cup: Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers (Your Running Commentary)

 

U.S. Open Cup matches don't generally have the heated rivalry factor, but the Portland Timbers-Seattle Sounders third-round match-up isn't your normal rivalry.

Forged from the days of the old NASL, and kept alive for decades in the A-League and USL, Timbers-Sounders is one of the most intense, and arguably the best rivalry in the United States.

That rivalry has been put on hold since the Sounders joined Major League Soccer, but the U.S. Open Cup has brought it back to life, with the Timbers playing host to the Sounders tonight (10pm).

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

Enjoy the action.

U.S. Open Cup: Upsets galore as four MLS teams fall

When six MLS teams took the field on Tuesday night in U.S. Open Cup play, the group was expected to be able to handle competition from lower level USL teams (and one PDL team). By the end of the night, only D.C. United was able to win in regulation, while four other MLS teams saw their U.S. Open Cup runs ended.

The Chicago Fire, New England Revolution, Chivas USA and Columbus Crew all suffered defeats in third-round play on Tuesday night, while the Kansas City Wizards needed penalty kicks to knock off the Minnesota Thunder.

The tournament's Cinderella story heading into the third round, the Ocean City Barons, put up a brave fight against D.C. United, but eventually fell, 2-0. D.C. needed 74 minutes to finally break through Ocean City's defense and put an end to the PDL team's improbable run through the tournament.

The Wizards nearly became the fifth MLS team to bow out on Tuesday, but eventually downed the Thunder in penalty kicks after squandering the lead on three different occasions.

Sounders-Timbers headlines U.S. Open Cup Third Round

 

By SEAN RUBIO

One of the biggest rivalries in American soccer will be rekindled as long-time foes Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC highlight the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Pacific Northwest clash headlines a third round filled with intriguing match-ups. The Houston Dynamo face off against the Austin Aztecs, the Kansas City Wizards will take on the Minnesota Thunder and the Cinderally story of the tournament, the Ocean City Barons, meet MLS power D.C. United.

In their first meeting since Seattle’s “promotion” to MLS, emotions will be high as the high-flying Sounders will travel to PGE Park to take on a Portland Timbers side that has only lost once in USL First Division play this season. The Timbers are coming off a 4-0 drubbing of the Montreal Impact, and should prove a stern test for Sigi Schmid’s men.

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:

F.C. New York owner meets with Borough Boys

 

                      Photo by Damion Reid/FiveBoroSports.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

Acquista Trattoria, a quaint family-owned Italian restaurant in the shadows of St. John's University in Queens, was the scene for the first meeting between owner and supporters' group as Doug Petersen of F.C. New York, the United Soccer Leagues First Division expansion franchise in 2010, met with the Borough Boys, the previously unaffiliated New York City-based supporters' group.

A number of topics were discussed over the course of two hours, from the Borough Boys role with the club, to plans for the club's home to the possibility of joining MLS in the future.

You can read my FiveBoroSports.com story here, but here are a few highlights of the meeting and my discussion with Petersen afterward.

CONCACAF Champions League: Puerto Rico falls in penalties

   

The Puerto Rico Islanders had a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League final in range, but let the chance slip away.

Leading Cruz Azul by two goals on aggregate, the USL-1 club had to love its chances when Cruz Azul had midfielder Christian Riveros sent off in the first half, but much like fellow USL-1 club Montreal did in the quarterfinals, the Islanders crumbled under the pressure of the Mexican club.

Cruz Azul scored a goal in each half, first from Pablo Zeballos and then the equalizer from Javier Orozco, before eliminating Puerto Rico in penalty kicks.

F.C. New York to join USL-1 in 2010

                             Photo by Damion Reid/FiveBoroSports.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

With the theme "bringing the greatest sport in the world to the greatest city in the world," F.C. New York was officially introduced as New York City's lone professional soccer team at a press conference at the Yale Club in Manhattan on Wednesday morning.

The club will be the 13th United Soccer Leagues First Division team and will play its first game in the 2010 season.

"This is a long time coming," said Doug Petersen, who along with Jo-Ellen Treiber, heads the club's ownership group. "This has been about two years in the planning and the next thing is grinding it out with the city of New York, it's formalizing what I'll call our foundational partner. From there, our plan is to establish more than casual relationships with a number of clubs around the world that meet the commercial operations of the team."

The team, for at least one season, will play at Shuart Stadium, Hofstra's 13,000-seat football stadium, and hopes to open its own soccer specific stadium in Queens, where Petersen was born. One possible area is near John F. Kennedy Airport and Aqueduct Racetrack, according to sources. The team is likely to use other venues inside the five boroughs, including Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island and Columbia University's renovated Baker Field for a handful of games next season.

"We need to be in our facility in order to be profitable," Petersen said. "We're not putting all this money in and in two years say it isn't working. We need to get our own place."

Parke signs with Vancouver Whitecaps

Former New York Red Bulls defender Jeff Parke has finally found a home, and it is up north in Canada.

A week after joining the USL-1 Vancouver Whitecaps for a training spell, Parke has signed a deal to join the Whitecaps, signing a one-year deal. No details were made available yet but sources told SBI last week that Parke was likely to sign a deal that allows him to pursue other possibilities this summer, including Europe and a potential return to MLS.

Parke, who was suspended by MLS for 10 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, will be free to start playing for the Whitecaps immediately despite still having four games left to serve on his suspension.

Parke was taken by the Seattle Sounders in the MLS Expansion Draft last year but failed to reach a contract agreement with the Sounders before joining up with the Whitecaps.

What do you think of this move? Share your thoughts below.

Parke plays with Vancouver, close to signing deal with Whitecaps

Free agent defender and former MLS standout Jeff Parke is close to signing with the Vancouver Whitecaps after joining the USL club for training last week. He could sign with the Whitecaps and play for the club until the summer, at which time he would be free to explore European options.

Parke joined the Whitecaps for training last week and played in Vancouver's recent pre-season victory against Seattle University. Here is an interview Parke gave about his time with the Whitecaps (his interview starts at the 1:50 mark):

What do you think of Parke's potential move to Vancouver? Disappointed that he's not with Seattle? Still hoping your favorite MLS team trades for his rights?

Share your thoughts below.

CONCACAF Champions League -- semifinal preview

BY DYLAN BUTLER

The Puerto Rico Islanders began their CONCACAF Champions League bid about a year ago and after unlikely advancing out of the preliminary round, the group stage and the first knockout stage, the United Soccer Leagues First Division squad will host Mexican powerhouse Cruz Azul in the first leg of the semifinals tonight in Bayamon.

It has been a truly remarkable run for a squad that plays in a second tier North American league. I spoke to Puerto Rico coach Colin Clarke and goalkeeper Bill Gaudette for a preview I wrote for CONCACAF.com. The Islanders are pitted against a Cruz Azul squad smarting off a 3-1 loss to rival America on the weekend. La Maquina is one of three Mexican squads among the final four teams. Santos Laguna and Atlante FC will meet in the other semifinal Wednesday.

The second leg will be played at Estadio Azul on April 7. What do you think of the Islanders run to the semifinals? Do they have a chance? Will you be rooting for them? Let us know.

USL-1 club coming to NYC in 2010

BY DYLAN BUTLER

New York City will be getting a professional soccer team to call its own and it has nothing to do with Major League Soccer's possible expansion to the five boroughs or the New York Mets.

FC New York LLC, a New York City-based ownership group, has purchased a United Soccer Leagues First Division franchise and the club will make its debut for the 2010 season, according to numerous sources.

An official announcement to bring "the world's greatest sport to the world's greatest city" is expected in early April.

For the 2010 season, the club will call Hofstra University home, as was the case for the Long Island Rough Riders during its heyday in the 1990s. There are also plans to play games at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island and Baker Field at Columbia University, according to sources. 

After that, sources say, the organization is looking to build a soccer-specific stadium in Queens, the most ethnically diverse county in the country. The stadium would seat 9,000, but could be expanded to house another 9,000 if the situation dictated. A possible site would be the area by John F. Kennedy International Airport.

MLS Pre-season: New York Red Bulls at Crystal Palace (Running Commentary)

Good afternoon folks. I am coming to you from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, where the New York Red Bulls will be playing their final pre-season match before heading to Seattle for the season opener against the Seattle Sounders on March 19th.

Red Bulls fans will remember this match-up from last year's U.S. Open Cup, where Crystal Palace USA pulled off stunning upset. The Red Bulls will be looking for some revenge even though we probably won't see a true starting lineup at any point in this match.

I will be providing a running commentary throughout the match so please feel free to follow along here. As always, feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on the match in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action:

CONCACAF Champions League: Montreal collapses as Santos Laguna completes stunning comeback

When Eduardo Sebrango scored the second goal for the Montreal Impact in the first half of their CONCACAF Champions League second-leg match against Santos Laguna, it sure felt like a game-winner.

The 37th-minute tally made the score 2-1, and 4-1 overall lead that had Montreal fans thinking about the semifinals.

Then the second half happened.

Santos Laguna scored four unanswered goals, including two in stoppage time, cap a miraculous comeback and eliminate Montreal from the Champions League with a 5-2 victory and 5-4 series victory on Thursday night.

The Impact can look in the mirror for blame as its exciting attacking style went out the window in favor of an ultra-defensive approach that made Montreal's defense an easy target for Santos' sharp passing and decisive finishing.

Here are all seven goals (you might want to turn away if you are a Montreal fan):

The loss means that the Puerto Rico Islanders are all alone in the Champions League semifinals against three Mexican clubs, with Cruz Azul the first opponent for them in the semis (Santos Laguna will face Atlante).

As for Montreal, the Impact will look back on a golden opportunity wasted and a historic collapse that won't soon be forgotten.

What did you think of the match? Still in disbelief? Are you an MLS fan reveling in the Impact's misery? Did the Montreal coach cost his team the game?

Share your thoughts below.

CONCACAF Champions League: Puerto Rico wins quarterfinal, Montreal up next tonight

 

The Puerto Rico Islanders kept up the USL-1 hot streak in the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday by defeating Honduras side CD Marathon, 1-0, in the second leg of their quarterfinal series. The result gave Puerto Rico a 3-1 aggregate victory and berth in the semifinals.

Former D.C. United prospect Nicholas Adderly did the honors for the second time in the series, scoring the lone goal on Wednesday night to silence the home fans and help deliver another upset for the Puerto Rico club.

The Islanders could have some company in the Champions League semifinals from fell USL-1 side Montreal. The Impact head to Mexico tonight to face Santos Laguna in their quarterfinal second leg (10pm, Fox Soccer Channel/Galavision). Montreal holds a 2-0 in that series.

Things won't get any easier for Puerto Rico, which must face Cruz Azul in the semifinals. Montreal will meet Atlante in the semis of it can defeat Santos.

What do you think of Puerto Rico's dream run? Think the Islanders can knock off Cruz Azul? Are you an MLS fan who can't wait for Puerto Rico and Montreal to lose? Are you a hopeful USL fan who dreams of an all USL Champions League final?

Share your thoughts below.

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:

Montreal Impact topples Santos Laguna in front of record crowd

 

On a night where a record crowd came out to support soccer in Montreal, the USL-1 Montreal Impact sent the more then 55,000 fans in attendance for their CONCACAF Champions League match vs. Santos Laguna happy.

Forward Eduardo Sebrango scored two goals to help lead the Impact to a 2-0 first-leg victory over Santos Laguna in their Champions League quarterfinal opener at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

The crowd in attendance, 55,571 to be exact, set a new mark for an Impact match, as well as a record for most fans to ever attend a CONCACAF Champions League match.

Here are some highlights from the match

What did you think of the performance? What impressed you more, the way Montreal played or the turnout for the match? Think MLS needs to reconsider and ask Montreal back to the MLS expansion table?

Share your thoughts below.