The Hawksport team jaunted off to New York City over the holiday weekend to enjoy sights such as the Imagine Circle at Strawberry Fields in Central Park. Meanwhile, the week’s MLS events could easily have taken their cue from the title of another song penned by John Lennon – “Helter Skelter”.
The season’s midway point sees all but one team, the debuting San Jose Earthquakes, still firmly in contention for a place in October’s play-offs. There is no doubt that the parity and competitiveness sought by instruments like the salary cap are producing an unpredictable and therefore intriguing product, even if concerns remain over the lack of genuine quality sides imposing themselves upon the campaign.
New England Revolution continue to come closest to excelling. They proved their title credentials again on the Fourth of July with a 2-1 victory at Western Conference leading Los Angeles Galaxy. Adam Cristman provided the fireworks with both goals, the second a towering back post header from Steve Ralston’s corner, to give the Revs a commanding half-time lead. The game should have been over as a contest at that point, but Mauricio Castro contrived to thump his shot against a post in stoppage time when confronted with a gaping goal after he was set up by the unselfish Cristman.
David Beckham had an early chance after the break to haul Galaxy back into the match, but he scuffed a volley harmlessly wide with the target beckoning. He did get on the scoreboard on 66 minutes after latching on to a poor headed clearance by Shalrie Joseph. Beckham arrived in the penalty area to mishit another volley into the ground, but a fortuitous deflection off Jay Heaps left Revs’ goalkeeper Matt Reis stranded. It was far from reminiscent of the finishing of Paul Scholes, Beckham’s illustrious former team-mate at Manchester United.
Edson Buddle has been enjoying a rich vein of goalscoring form for Los Angeles in recent weeks. He should have brought Galaxy level on 77 minutes but instead blazed a Beckham cutback against the crossbar as the visitors held on for three points.
Despite his goal, this was another uninspiring return on Beckham’s $50m annual salary. Even the MLS website proclaimed his evening to be “fairly quiet” – a bold admission from an outlet usually dealing in hyperbole when it comes to analysing the contributions of The English Tourist.
Chivas took full advantage of their neighbours’ demise, and the scoreless draw between Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo, to assume joint first place with a slender 1-0 win against San Jose. The two first placed Los Angeles sides will battle for the lead outright in this Thursday’s second Superclasico of the season.
Any Southern Californians hoping to see spectacular 25 yard free kicks bent around defensive walls and past despairing goalkeepers should have been at Home Depot Center on Saturday to witness a fantastic strike from Ante Razov. The stubborn resistance of the Earthquakes was finally broken with only two minutes remaining.
A lengthy injury list has curtailed the ambitions of Preki, the Chivas head coach, in the opening half of the season. While those around them falter, seven points in their last three games has seen Chivas reach their highest position of the season.
After promising so much during the 2007 regular season, a depleted Chivas were disappointingly dumped out of the play-offs by Kansas City. With Cuban striker Maykel Galindo and experienced Swiss midfielder Raphael Wicky still to return to his starting line-up, Preki will be hopeful that the worst of his selection worries are behind him.
Colorado Rapids were the biggest winners of the weekend with a 4-0 trouncing of New York. The Red Bulls defence decided to commemorate Independence Day by granting the freedom of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to Colorado’s attack. The trio of Tom McManus, Colin Clark and Omar Cummings proved to be grateful recipients. Local product Clark displayed his developing talents with a fine solo goal.
For Juan Carlos Osorio, who served as an assistant coach to Kevin Keegan and Stuart Pearce at Manchester City, this year is not turning out as he would have hoped. His excellent revival of Chicago Fire in the latter half of last season saw his stock rise. The opportunity to return to the East Coast, having started his coaching career at Staten Island Vipers, arose following New York’s dismissal of Bruce Arena in the close season. Much like Manchester City, the Red Bulls seem to be a club rooted in permanent discontent. Having seen Jozy Altidore depart for La Liga and Juan Pablo Angel struggle for fitness, Osorio will be relieved that his side are only two points adrift of an automatic play-off spot. Given the improved form of third placed D.C. United, this gap is likely to grow wider as the weeks go by.
With New England, D.C. United and Chivas all starting out at the bottom before climbing back to the top, while the likes of Colorado, Dallas and Kansas City slide from their lofty positions of the opening weeks, the question of who will reach this year’s play-offs remains a mystery.
Not even a trusted soothsayer could tell me, tell me, tell me the answer.
Week 15 Results
Salt Lake 0 Houston 0
Dallas 1 Kansas City 1 (Wizards denied by Thompson's injury time header)
Colorado 4 New York 0
L.A. Galaxy 1 New England 2
Columbus 2 Chicago 2 (Struggling Fire fail to hold early two goal advantage)
Chivas 1 San Jose 0
Standings
Eastern Conference
1) New England 33 points (played 17)
2) Columbus 27 (15)
3) D.C. United 22 (15)
4) Chicago 21 (14)
5) Toronto 21 (14)
6) New York 20 (15)
7) Kansas City 17 (14)
Western Conference
1) L.A. Galaxy 21 (15)
2) Chivas 21 (15)
3) Salt Lake 20 (16)
4) Houston 20 (16)
5) Colorado 19 (15)
6) Dallas 18 (16)
7) San Jose 12 (15)
The season’s midway point sees all but one team, the debuting San Jose Earthquakes, still firmly in contention for a place in October’s play-offs. There is no doubt that the parity and competitiveness sought by instruments like the salary cap are producing an unpredictable and therefore intriguing product, even if concerns remain over the lack of genuine quality sides imposing themselves upon the campaign.
New England Revolution continue to come closest to excelling. They proved their title credentials again on the Fourth of July with a 2-1 victory at Western Conference leading Los Angeles Galaxy. Adam Cristman provided the fireworks with both goals, the second a towering back post header from Steve Ralston’s corner, to give the Revs a commanding half-time lead. The game should have been over as a contest at that point, but Mauricio Castro contrived to thump his shot against a post in stoppage time when confronted with a gaping goal after he was set up by the unselfish Cristman.
David Beckham had an early chance after the break to haul Galaxy back into the match, but he scuffed a volley harmlessly wide with the target beckoning. He did get on the scoreboard on 66 minutes after latching on to a poor headed clearance by Shalrie Joseph. Beckham arrived in the penalty area to mishit another volley into the ground, but a fortuitous deflection off Jay Heaps left Revs’ goalkeeper Matt Reis stranded. It was far from reminiscent of the finishing of Paul Scholes, Beckham’s illustrious former team-mate at Manchester United.
Edson Buddle has been enjoying a rich vein of goalscoring form for Los Angeles in recent weeks. He should have brought Galaxy level on 77 minutes but instead blazed a Beckham cutback against the crossbar as the visitors held on for three points.
Despite his goal, this was another uninspiring return on Beckham’s $50m annual salary. Even the MLS website proclaimed his evening to be “fairly quiet” – a bold admission from an outlet usually dealing in hyperbole when it comes to analysing the contributions of The English Tourist.
Chivas took full advantage of their neighbours’ demise, and the scoreless draw between Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo, to assume joint first place with a slender 1-0 win against San Jose. The two first placed Los Angeles sides will battle for the lead outright in this Thursday’s second Superclasico of the season.
Any Southern Californians hoping to see spectacular 25 yard free kicks bent around defensive walls and past despairing goalkeepers should have been at Home Depot Center on Saturday to witness a fantastic strike from Ante Razov. The stubborn resistance of the Earthquakes was finally broken with only two minutes remaining.
A lengthy injury list has curtailed the ambitions of Preki, the Chivas head coach, in the opening half of the season. While those around them falter, seven points in their last three games has seen Chivas reach their highest position of the season.
After promising so much during the 2007 regular season, a depleted Chivas were disappointingly dumped out of the play-offs by Kansas City. With Cuban striker Maykel Galindo and experienced Swiss midfielder Raphael Wicky still to return to his starting line-up, Preki will be hopeful that the worst of his selection worries are behind him.
Colorado Rapids were the biggest winners of the weekend with a 4-0 trouncing of New York. The Red Bulls defence decided to commemorate Independence Day by granting the freedom of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to Colorado’s attack. The trio of Tom McManus, Colin Clark and Omar Cummings proved to be grateful recipients. Local product Clark displayed his developing talents with a fine solo goal.
For Juan Carlos Osorio, who served as an assistant coach to Kevin Keegan and Stuart Pearce at Manchester City, this year is not turning out as he would have hoped. His excellent revival of Chicago Fire in the latter half of last season saw his stock rise. The opportunity to return to the East Coast, having started his coaching career at Staten Island Vipers, arose following New York’s dismissal of Bruce Arena in the close season. Much like Manchester City, the Red Bulls seem to be a club rooted in permanent discontent. Having seen Jozy Altidore depart for La Liga and Juan Pablo Angel struggle for fitness, Osorio will be relieved that his side are only two points adrift of an automatic play-off spot. Given the improved form of third placed D.C. United, this gap is likely to grow wider as the weeks go by.
With New England, D.C. United and Chivas all starting out at the bottom before climbing back to the top, while the likes of Colorado, Dallas and Kansas City slide from their lofty positions of the opening weeks, the question of who will reach this year’s play-offs remains a mystery.
Not even a trusted soothsayer could tell me, tell me, tell me the answer.
Week 15 Results
Salt Lake 0 Houston 0
Dallas 1 Kansas City 1 (Wizards denied by Thompson's injury time header)
Colorado 4 New York 0
L.A. Galaxy 1 New England 2
Columbus 2 Chicago 2 (Struggling Fire fail to hold early two goal advantage)
Chivas 1 San Jose 0
Standings
Eastern Conference
1) New England 33 points (played 17)
2) Columbus 27 (15)
3) D.C. United 22 (15)
4) Chicago 21 (14)
5) Toronto 21 (14)
6) New York 20 (15)
7) Kansas City 17 (14)
Western Conference
1) L.A. Galaxy 21 (15)
2) Chivas 21 (15)
3) Salt Lake 20 (16)
4) Houston 20 (16)
5) Colorado 19 (15)
6) Dallas 18 (16)
7) San Jose 12 (15)
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment