Columbus 2 at DC 1
Columbus broke DC's 19 game home unbeaten streak. DC had some good news in the form of new signing Rafael getting his first goal for the club. But bad news with an injury to Nick DeLeon. As constituted DC is thin upfront. If they don't believe they can have Ruiz go full 90 they have the hard working Pajoy, who rarely looks a threat to score. That puts a heavy burden on talented midfielder Pontious and DeRosario to create the offense. Worse the club has not been able to put its mark in midfield since the injury to john Thorrington. Things are no bleak for DC, but they will only go as far as DeRosario and Hamid carry them at this point.
Columbus meanwhile still has a good team balance and should make the playoffs out of the east. Good performance from home grown Player Ben Speas who got his first goal on the game winner. Man of the Match deservedly goes to Andy Gruenebaum who had a ridiculous double save to preserve the win. Two controversial calls in the game one, Chirs Pontious was taken down in the box by Chad Marshall and deserved to have a PK call. The other a disallowed goal when Pajoy was rightly called for passive offside. I understand that not everyone agrees that it was the right call, and in the future Columbus should play to the whistle not the flag. But it can not change the fact that Pajoy made a clear play for the ball. Although never touching the ball, or preventing a defender from making a play on the ball, Pajoy did make a run towards the ball only puling up within 3 yards as his teammate, who was onside ran on to the play from the sideline.
New England 0 at 0 Sporting Kansas City
New England is still trying to figure out an identity so road points are hard to come by. Kansas City still retooling from last year and with key figures missing on international duty can not be to disappointed in a tie.
New York Red Bull 0 at 1 Montreal Impact
NY gets unlucky in that they seemed to have figured out how to play a bit last week, but where stonewalled by Bill Hamid. This week without Cahill, (International Duty), Henry and Olave, they had to go on the road to what so far has been the best team in MLS. Montreal may not be the top team at the end of the year, they are not the deepest team, but they are for real. They should make the playoffs and will be difficult points. Unlike other teams whose record so far might have an asterix, Montreal are 4-0-0 with two road wins at Seattle and Portland. Once again Montreal weathered an opposition onslaught unscathed and where clinical on the counter.
Vancouver Whitecaps 1 at 2 Houston Dynamo
Houston took care of business at home and beat a good Whitecaps team.
Colorado Rapids 0 at 1 Los Angeles Galaxy.
Missing most of the marquee names LA trotted out the forward line of Jack McBean and Jose Villareal. Colorado chances where squashed in the 48th minute when Drew Moor earned a red card for a pointless off the ball foul just inside the penalty box. Moor threw and elbow that caught Marcelo Sarvas flush in the cheek. After Mike Magee banged in the penalty Colorado's game was over as they never looked to score. The one bright spot for Colorado after the game is that Clint Irwin, continuing his Cinderella story, played valiantly in denying LA from open play.
Seattle Sounders 0 at 1 San Jose Sharks
San Jose as depleted as they are should beat a half strength Seattle at home. Chris Wondolowski got the goal in this one. Seattle should not be written off, but they tend to be a bit soft, excluding Osvaldo Alonso, so without there high powered attack they will struggle. Martinez, and Johnson where gone on national team duty, Rosales really needs to people to set up and Zakuani needs someone to make good runs to open up space, and finish. No offense but as Sammy Ochoa and David Estrada are not those guys. It was odd that Martins did not get any play at all in the this game. I will just chalk it up to fitness concerns.
Real Salt Lake 0 at 2 FC Dallas
Dallas has had a great schedule so far. Facing Houston at home right after they lost to Santos Laguna, and this week facing RSL missing six starters due to international duty or injury. Credit to Dallas for making the most of schedule and getting out to a great start. Dallas will probably revert to the center, but having the Dallas heat of summer can help create a home field advantage. The deadlock was broken in the 70th minute of a beautiful goal Then the game got crazy as RSL was pushing for the equalizer, Josh Saunders tried to dribble out a back pass but instead dribble right into the oncoming feet of Jackson who scored the second. Then a few minutes later Yordany Alvarez went down with minimal contact a few yards from Dallas penalty box, got back up right away and won the ball back for the play to then be blown dead. Alvarez was given a second yellow for diving.
Now this is where I get on a soap box. I hated that call. It was absolutely the wrong call. Alvarez did "dive" in that he went down with little to no contact but he did not simulate in order to draw call. He went down but there was no flailing there was no rolling on the ground, there was no looking at the ref in disbelief. He got right back up and kept playing. No Dallas player stopped and no advantage was gained. How is this a yellow card offense. Besides the fact that the ref waited to play advantage, in the defensive third, before blowing the whistle. What was different from that play than if Alvarez tripped or slipped and got back up.
This goes to my second point no where in the rules does it stay a player has to stay on their feet. A player is not even required to ride out a tackle. Jumping or even diving out the way of an oncoming tackle is not against the laws of the game. And in some cases would prevent injury even from clean tackles. I understand the league wants cut down on diving, but how is it cheating to go to ground without any other simulation to induce a call.
Chivas USA 4 at 1 Chicago Fire
Chicago is quickly becoming the worst team in the league, while Chivas is the best story this year. Read that sentence again and think about which team has the veteran leadership and which team has a absent owner with a absurd player retention/acquisition record in the off season. Chivas has shown that with some good coaching and some of there unknown prospects making good on their potential has Chivas looking at making a playoff run.
Seattle Sounders 0 at 1 San Jose Sharks
San Jose as depleted as they are should beat a half strength Seattle at home. Chris Wondolowski got the goal in this one. Seattle should not be written off, but they tend to be a bit soft, excluding Osvaldo Alonso, so without there high powered attack they will struggle. Martinez, and Johnson where gone on national team duty, Rosales really needs to people to set up and Zakuani needs someone to make good runs to open up space, and finish. No offense but as Sammy Ochoa and David Estrada are not those guys. It was odd that Martins did not get any play at all in the this game. I will just chalk it up to fitness concerns.
Real Salt Lake 0 at 2 FC Dallas
Dallas has had a great schedule so far. Facing Houston at home right after they lost to Santos Laguna, and this week facing RSL missing six starters due to international duty or injury. Credit to Dallas for making the most of schedule and getting out to a great start. Dallas will probably revert to the center, but having the Dallas heat of summer can help create a home field advantage. The deadlock was broken in the 70th minute of a beautiful goal Then the game got crazy as RSL was pushing for the equalizer, Josh Saunders tried to dribble out a back pass but instead dribble right into the oncoming feet of Jackson who scored the second. Then a few minutes later Yordany Alvarez went down with minimal contact a few yards from Dallas penalty box, got back up right away and won the ball back for the play to then be blown dead. Alvarez was given a second yellow for diving.
Now this is where I get on a soap box. I hated that call. It was absolutely the wrong call. Alvarez did "dive" in that he went down with little to no contact but he did not simulate in order to draw call. He went down but there was no flailing there was no rolling on the ground, there was no looking at the ref in disbelief. He got right back up and kept playing. No Dallas player stopped and no advantage was gained. How is this a yellow card offense. Besides the fact that the ref waited to play advantage, in the defensive third, before blowing the whistle. What was different from that play than if Alvarez tripped or slipped and got back up.
This goes to my second point no where in the rules does it stay a player has to stay on their feet. A player is not even required to ride out a tackle. Jumping or even diving out the way of an oncoming tackle is not against the laws of the game. And in some cases would prevent injury even from clean tackles. I understand the league wants cut down on diving, but how is it cheating to go to ground without any other simulation to induce a call.
Chivas USA 4 at 1 Chicago Fire
Chicago is quickly becoming the worst team in the league, while Chivas is the best story this year. Read that sentence again and think about which team has the veteran leadership and which team has a absent owner with a absurd player retention/acquisition record in the off season. Chivas has shown that with some good coaching and some of there unknown prospects making good on their potential has Chivas looking at making a playoff run.
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