MLS Week Seven Review

Northern Rock must surely lead the pack in terms of jinxed sponsorship deals. Recent advertising campaigns by the beleaguered British bank have featured popular local and international sportsmen from the worlds of football (Michael Owen), rugby (Jonny Wilkinson) and cricket (Steve Harmison), all of whom promptly endured lengthy stretches on the physio’s table. Throw in the effects of the sub-prime mortgage crisis and fortune has not exactly been smiling on the Newcastle-based company.

Dick’s Sporting Goods may not be suffering from plummeting market capitalisation, but two of the four MLS players featured in their currently running commercial also seem to have been afflicted with a curse this season – Brian Ching of Houston Dynamo and Ben Olsen of D.C. United.

For Ching, the spell may finally have been broken this weekend. After a disappointing Hawai’i homecoming in February’s Pan Pacific Championship, his goal drought continued through the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup and the first six weeks of MLS action. After 27 minutes of Saturday’s encounter with Colorado Rapids, the Dynamo striker raced clear of the defence to be confronted by a sprawling Bouna Coundoul. Ching scooped the ball over the Senegalese goalkeeper, but to the amazement of the Robertson Stadium crowd he also cleared the crossbar.

One got the feeling that for his barren run to end Ching would need a gift; an open goal, a defensive howler. Thankfully Coundoul provided both minutes before half-time, sprinting from his area in a race with Ching to reach Stuart Holden’s flick. Coundoul’s fresh air swipe left the goal at Ching’s mercy and allowed the ghosts to be exorcised.

The situation looks rather more worrying for Olsen however. He has seen his club and international career curtailed by a series of ankle injuries, one preventing a possible move to Nottingham Forest in 2001. Olsen is currently on the sidelines again after further ankle surgery and rumours are circulating that the 31-year-old may be forced into premature retirement. It would be a huge blow for the player and his club, D.C. United, who remain in dire need of their talented midfielder.

D.C. remain slumped at the foot of the Eastern Conference after a disappointing 2-0 loss to Chicago Fire, their sixth defeat in eight games. It was Chicago’s first trip back to the capital since last October’s pulsating 2-2 draw which saw the Fire extinguish the Supporters’ Shield winners (presented to the team with the best regular season record) from the play-offs by 3-2 on aggregate. This match proved a more comfortable ride for the visitors. The bouncing Barra Brava at RFK Stadium may consider themselves to be D.C.’s twelfth man, but on this evidence United would struggle to find the net with their entire squad on the pitch.

Luciano Emilio, last season’s golden boot winner and league MVP, has borne the brunt of much criticism so far in this campaign, but he certainly did not lack in application and effort. Most of his good work, however, happened outside the penalty area as D.C., minus the injured former Argentinian international Marcelo Gallardo, lacked the guile to create chances for the predatory striker.

The only surprise in Chicago’s slender lead at the interval was that Cuauhtemoc Blanco had not been involved in the goal. Chris Rolfe’s cross from the right wing was expertly headed down by Chad Barrett into the path of the on-rushing Justin Mapp who finished clinically from the edge of the box with a crisp left foot shot. The mounting frustration in the home side was clear, even before Gonzalo Martinez whacked the ball into the Chicago dugout as the half-time whistle sounded.

Blanco did make his mark on 62 minutes with the decisive second goal. John Thorrington, another former Manchester United trainee plying his trade in MLS, found the Mexican talisman on the halfway line. With space to turn and advance, Blanco carried the ball unchallenged towards the D.C. goal before unleashing a spectacular shot into Zach Wells’ top left corner. So clean was the strike that Chicago’s three substitutes, warming up behind the goal, raised their arms in celebration as the ball left Blanco’s foot.

D.C. fashioned a couple of late chances that saw Jaime Moreno head wide from Franco Niell’s cross before hitting the bar with another header minutes later. Much is expected from Niell, a recent loan capture from Argentinos Juniors, but he was barely noticeable on this occasion. At 5’4”, he may struggle to adapt to the physical nature of MLS.

Houston finally registered their first victory thanks to two lapses from the Colorado defence. The Rapids responded well to conceding Brian Ching’s goal with Christian Gomez, released by D.C. in the close season, dictating much of the possession after the interval. Afforded too much space by Ricardo Clark, Gomez threaded a perfectly weighted through ball between Wade Barrett and Eddie Robinson to release Omar Cummings for a fabulous equaliser on 68 minutes.

Fernando Clavijo, the Rapids’ head coach, appeared to have settled for a point when Ugo Ihemelu inexplicably handled in his own area to concede an 87th minute penalty. Dwayne De Rosario coolly slotted home the winner for Houston; his first league goal of the season. The decision did not meet with approval from Tam McManus, by now substituted out of the action, who was dismissed from the Colorado bench after a verbal blast at the officials.

With Dallas and L.A. Galaxy losing by the same scoreline against Salt Lake and New York respectively, Colorado remain top of the Western Conference. Houston’s victory sees the defending champions climb off the bottom into fifth place, only two points behind the leaders.

Week Seven Results

D.C. United 0 Chicago 2
Houston 2 Colorado 1
Salt Lake 2 Dallas 1 (visiting defence "slightly resembles the Keystone Cops")
San Jose 2 Columbus 3 (great pace on the break from Robbie Rogers)

L.A. Galaxy 1 New York 2 ("that's about the worst goal celebration I ever saw")
Chivas 1 New England 2 (Taylor Twellman on target in his first game back after injury)

Standings

Eastern Conference
1) Columbus 18 points (played 7)
2) Chicago 16 (7)
3) New England 13 (8)
4) New York 11 (6)
5) Kansas City 10 (7)
6) Toronto 10 (6)
7) D.C. United 6 (7)

Western Conference
1) Colorado 9 (7)
2) Dallas 9 (7)
3) L.A. Galaxy 8 (7)
4) Salt Lake 8 (7)
5) Houston 7 (7)
6) Chivas 5 (7)
7) San Jose 4 (6)