So much has been happening for Major League Soccer clubs over the course of the last week. The US Open Cup reached its final four participants with more shocks along the way, Thursday saw the unveiling of the MLS All-Star team to face West Ham United on July 24th, and the second year of Superliga began with four American teams pitting their talents against their Mexican counterparts. It was easy to forget that five league matches also took place.
The most attractive fixture saw L.A. Galaxy face Chivas USA, their Home Depot Center co-tenants, in this season’s second instalment of El Superclasico. In Week Five, Landon Donovan netted a hat-trick to inspire Galaxy to a 5-2 win. Since then, Donovan’s strike rate has slowed and Chivas have vastly improved. Indeed, this fixture saw the teams fighting for the outright lead in the Western Conference.
Three participants had earlier been named in the All-Star team: Donovan and David Beckham from L.A. Galaxy, Sacha Kljestan of Chivas. The Chivas midfielder did most to justify his selection with an impressive display in an unfamiliar advanced role behind lone forward Ante Razov. By contrast, Donovan was kept at arms length this time around.
Kljestan drifted out to an exposed left flank to provide the pass for Razov’s stunning 15th minute opener. The veteran striker clinched all three points against San Jose last weekend with a spectacular late free kick and this finish was equally impressive. From 25 yards, he struck a first-time, curling left-foot shot high into the net leaving Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin helpless.
Chivas retained control throughout the first half without creating many chances. A reshuffled Galaxy team looked disorganised for large spells as their midfield failed to provide service to Donovan and Edson Buddle, the prolific partnership with 21 goals between them going into the weekend – more than seven of the other 13 MLS teams had managed in total.
Despite Chivas’ dominance, Galaxy fashioned the best chance before the interval. Ely Allen was sent clear by a through ball from Pete Vagenas, but Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan raced from his line to block Allen’s attempt. Beckham’s subsequent corner was headed towards goal by Buddle, but Francisco Mendoza was in position at the back post to clear.
It was to be Mendoza’s only positive contribution to the match in one of the few passages of play where he remained vertical. At a slight 5ft 5ins and 135lbs, the little Mexican acquaints himself with the turf with shameful regularity.
On the half hour, referee Kevin Stott provided further ammunition for the many critics of officiating standards in MLS. Beckham charged down Jesse Marsch’s attempted clearance on the edge of the Chivas’ penalty area with the ball clearly striking the Englishman’s raised arm as he pirouetted to shield himself. As Beckham landed he tripped over the prone Marsch. Desperate ESPN highlight reel editors were undoubtedly salivating at Stott’s farcical award of a Galaxy free kick, but Beckham tamely drove his effort into the wall.
Chivas remained in the ascendency after the break with Shavar Thomas in commanding form in central defence. They wasted good chances to add to their lead by selecting the wrong option or being caught offside when their attack held a numerical advantage over an increasingly exposed Galaxy backline.
The Goats were duly punished for not finishing off their opponents on 72 minutes with a wonderful, if totally unexpected, goal by Buddle. The in-form striker’s threatening diagonal run across Thomas into the penalty area was majestically found by a perfectly weighted Vagenas pass. Buddle finished from an acute angle by drilling low under the legs of the onrushing Guzan.
Both sides had chances to snatch a late winner. Chivas thought they had done so after Kljestan skipped a couple of challenges down the right wing and squared for Mendoza to bundle the ball home. The assistant referee correctly flagged that the ball had crossed the by-line before Kljestan pulled it back. The American U-23 star was booked for his protests.
Kljestan had further misfortune two minutes before the end when his back post header from Jonathan Bornstein’s deep cross thudded against Cronin’s near post.
Guzan displayed his qualities in stoppage time when substitute Carlos Ruiz was sent clean through by Donovan after a lung-bursting breakaway. The Guatemalan looked certain to score, but again the impressive goalkeeper raced from his line and spread his body to block the shot.
It remains to be seen whether this was Guzan’s last act in Major League Soccer. The transfer window re-opens next Tuesday with a resurrected move to Aston Villa heavily rumoured. Previous attempts to seal a switch to Celtic and Villa have been thwarted by visa issues, but recent call-ups to the US national team are likely to smooth Guzan’s departure this time around.
MLS’s loss will certainly be Martin O’Neill’s gain.
The most attractive fixture saw L.A. Galaxy face Chivas USA, their Home Depot Center co-tenants, in this season’s second instalment of El Superclasico. In Week Five, Landon Donovan netted a hat-trick to inspire Galaxy to a 5-2 win. Since then, Donovan’s strike rate has slowed and Chivas have vastly improved. Indeed, this fixture saw the teams fighting for the outright lead in the Western Conference.
Three participants had earlier been named in the All-Star team: Donovan and David Beckham from L.A. Galaxy, Sacha Kljestan of Chivas. The Chivas midfielder did most to justify his selection with an impressive display in an unfamiliar advanced role behind lone forward Ante Razov. By contrast, Donovan was kept at arms length this time around.
Kljestan drifted out to an exposed left flank to provide the pass for Razov’s stunning 15th minute opener. The veteran striker clinched all three points against San Jose last weekend with a spectacular late free kick and this finish was equally impressive. From 25 yards, he struck a first-time, curling left-foot shot high into the net leaving Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin helpless.
Chivas retained control throughout the first half without creating many chances. A reshuffled Galaxy team looked disorganised for large spells as their midfield failed to provide service to Donovan and Edson Buddle, the prolific partnership with 21 goals between them going into the weekend – more than seven of the other 13 MLS teams had managed in total.
Despite Chivas’ dominance, Galaxy fashioned the best chance before the interval. Ely Allen was sent clear by a through ball from Pete Vagenas, but Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan raced from his line to block Allen’s attempt. Beckham’s subsequent corner was headed towards goal by Buddle, but Francisco Mendoza was in position at the back post to clear.
It was to be Mendoza’s only positive contribution to the match in one of the few passages of play where he remained vertical. At a slight 5ft 5ins and 135lbs, the little Mexican acquaints himself with the turf with shameful regularity.
On the half hour, referee Kevin Stott provided further ammunition for the many critics of officiating standards in MLS. Beckham charged down Jesse Marsch’s attempted clearance on the edge of the Chivas’ penalty area with the ball clearly striking the Englishman’s raised arm as he pirouetted to shield himself. As Beckham landed he tripped over the prone Marsch. Desperate ESPN highlight reel editors were undoubtedly salivating at Stott’s farcical award of a Galaxy free kick, but Beckham tamely drove his effort into the wall.
Chivas remained in the ascendency after the break with Shavar Thomas in commanding form in central defence. They wasted good chances to add to their lead by selecting the wrong option or being caught offside when their attack held a numerical advantage over an increasingly exposed Galaxy backline.
The Goats were duly punished for not finishing off their opponents on 72 minutes with a wonderful, if totally unexpected, goal by Buddle. The in-form striker’s threatening diagonal run across Thomas into the penalty area was majestically found by a perfectly weighted Vagenas pass. Buddle finished from an acute angle by drilling low under the legs of the onrushing Guzan.
Both sides had chances to snatch a late winner. Chivas thought they had done so after Kljestan skipped a couple of challenges down the right wing and squared for Mendoza to bundle the ball home. The assistant referee correctly flagged that the ball had crossed the by-line before Kljestan pulled it back. The American U-23 star was booked for his protests.
Kljestan had further misfortune two minutes before the end when his back post header from Jonathan Bornstein’s deep cross thudded against Cronin’s near post.
Guzan displayed his qualities in stoppage time when substitute Carlos Ruiz was sent clean through by Donovan after a lung-bursting breakaway. The Guatemalan looked certain to score, but again the impressive goalkeeper raced from his line and spread his body to block the shot.
It remains to be seen whether this was Guzan’s last act in Major League Soccer. The transfer window re-opens next Tuesday with a resurrected move to Aston Villa heavily rumoured. Previous attempts to seal a switch to Celtic and Villa have been thwarted by visa issues, but recent call-ups to the US national team are likely to smooth Guzan’s departure this time around.
MLS’s loss will certainly be Martin O’Neill’s gain.
Week 16 Results
Kansas City 2 New York 1 (Red Bulls’ slide sees them hit rock bottom in the East)
L.A. Galaxy 1 Chivas 1
San Jose 1 Colorado 1 (Earthquakes fail to hang on for much needed win)
Chicago 2 Toronto 1 (Late Thorrington winner reignites Fire)
Salt Lake 2 Columbus 0 (RSL claim the West’s top spot for first time in history)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1) New England 33 points (played 17)
2) Columbus 27 (16)
3) Chicago 24 (15)
4) D.C. United 22 (15)
5) Toronto 21 (15)
6) Kansas City 20 (15)
7) New York 20 (16)
Western Conference
1) Salt Lake 23 (17)
2) L.A. Galaxy 22 (16)
3) Chivas 22 (16)
4) Colorado 20 (16)
5) Houston 20 (16)
6) Dallas 18 (16)
7) San Jose 13 (16)
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment