With only three games left on the marathon MLS season, we're heading into two interesting match ups this weekend. I'll admit that it's nice to have some news faces this time around - Chicago is the only team that is in real familiar territory. That's thanks to the New York Red Bull, who pulled off [. Click to continue reading...

I didn't witness it. Luckily. I was fortuitously trapped in class while the New England Revolution were getting scorched by the Chicago Fire last night at Bridgeview. Cuauhtemoc Blanco and his fellow Screen Actors Guild of soccer players thrashed a depleted, suspended and broken-boned bunch of footballers that really had no shot from the beginning to the piercing tune of 3-0. Click to continue reading...

Apologies for the vacancy last weekend. But I didn't write anything. Simple as that. Those of you that missed any of the MLS Playoff opening weekend, Laurie has written up a small recap over on the main page worth taking a look at. There were some good things about last week, lots of passion and [... Click to continue reading...

Good news for everybody but Chivas, (USA version.) After the first leg of the MLS playoffs, we have at least one point for everybody! Well, everybody except for those hapless Chivas, who lost 1-0 to a 90th minute goal by Real Salt Lake's Yura Movsisyan. And good news, of course, for the lovers [. Click to continue reading...

With six clubs given last rites and proper burials during the previous fortnight, the MLS regular season is now officially over. The postseason is here. But very soon, without even glancing at the calendar, the leaves (or lack thereof) on the trees, or Blackberry(TM), you'll be able to tell what time of the year it is through mere observation of an MLS playoff match. Click to continue reading...

It's here.*

(I know you're probably thinking one of two separate, non-related items: 1.) A little early for asterisks, or 2.) You're reminded of that creepy DirecTV commerical with that scene from 'Poltergeist', which features the tragically-deceased Heather O'Rourke, which only repels me further from subscribing to DirecTV anytime soon. Click to continue reading...

Our season has come down to this: cheering for Chicago and New England. Makes you wonder what you're doing with your life, doesn't it? Now, as I've stated before in posts and in comments, I'm of two minds on what I'd prefer to occur this week. Do we, A) eek into the playoffs, lose [...] Click to continue reading...

You may not have liked my previous post. It essentially spelled doom for the Revolution. Let me say I didn't enjoy writing it. Negative posts are not my forte'. So after I awakened on this bright and sunny New England morning, with beautiful colors splashed on the trees and my cat meowing with delight, I decided I'd infuse some positive thought here. Click to continue reading...

I've been reduced to describing our beloved Galaxy in higher and lower levels of suckiness.  We used to suck the worst, but now San Jose has laid claim to that title after the Galaxy's win last night over Colorado. 

Woohoo.

Although I've become a frustrated and often cynical fan, last night's game was a joy to watch.

Click to continue reading...

We're into the last few weeks of the season for MLS. And since MLS is The League That Does Not Recognize International Breaks, this makes it one of the few leagues still playing this weekend. This makes it a good time to look at what's happening. First, I'd like to point everybody toward our [...] Click to continue reading...

When Saturday's final whistle blew in front of 20 074 fans at BMO Field on a rainy afternoon in Toronto, two things had just become clear - TFC had delivered their best performance in months, and the MLS playoffs will be played without the Reds this year. Like so often this season, TFC could have [. Click to continue reading...

The amazing thing about the Galaxy's awful record in the past two months (winless in 13 of 14) is the fact they aren't dead in the water. Even in the woeful West, their 29 points still gives them an outside chance at the MLS playoffs. When you're a league that accepts 8 of 14 teams, [...] Click to continue reading...

It was another good night for USL teams and another disappointing showing for MLS teams in the CONCACAF Champions League.

The Montreal Impact faced Mexican power Atlante on Wednesday and posted a 0-0 tie to stay in a tie for first place in its group with Atlante.

D.C. United's night wasn't quite as fun.

Click to continue reading...

Former Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan made his official debut with Aston Villa on Wednesday, starting between the pipe's in the English club's disappointing 1-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers in the third round of Carling Cup action.The 2007 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Guzan made four saves on the day for the Villains but was beaten decisively by a Damion Stewart header at the hour-mark. Click to continue reading...

Soccer America points out today that Columbus is the first team to qualify for this seasons MLS playoffs! See more in Columbus Crew section.

~and~

Which big money MLS player has been a bigger disappointment this season: Dulio Davino, Marcelo Gallardo or Claudio Lopez?

~and~

A TV pundit in Germany has referred to Juergen Klinsmann as "the white Barak Obama". Click to continue reading...

As the MLS regular season winds down and we find out who the real contenders are, the parity of the league has never been more obvious. All 14 teams are still in contention for a playoff spot while only one - the Columbus Crew - has absolutely clinched a spot in the postseason.Below is a breakdown of each team's remaining games, as well as the percentage of available points they have taken both at home and on the road so far this year. Click to continue reading...

A listless Red Bulls squad took it on the chin last night, 3-1 at league-leading Columbus.  Even playing with playmaker Guillermo Barros Schellotto, the Crew were too quick, too skilled, and too composed for New York.  Other than a beauty of a free kick goal from Angel, the Red Bulls just weren't connecting on offense. Click to continue reading...

We are mid-way through September, with about six weeks left in the season, and there is a very real chance that neither Los Angeles team will make the MLS playoffs. That's a sad statement considering MLS Cup will be held at Home Depot Center this year.

Though neither team is eliminated from playoff contention yet, neither team is looking all that dangerous.

Click to continue reading...

We are mid-way through September, with about six weeks left in the season, and there is a very real chance that neither Los Angeles team will make the MLS playoffs. That's a sad statement considering MLS Cup will be held at Home Depot Center this year.

Though neither team is eliminated from playoff contention yet, neither team is looking all that dangerous.

Click to continue reading...

Quick responses to the CONCACAF Champions League results from last night...

• Puerto Rico just keeps on keeping on, doing what Chivas USA couldn't do with a 2-1 home win over Tauro of Panama. WHO WILL STOP THE ISLANDERS??? We'll see when they play Atlante...
• I knew DC was in trouble when I saw the starting lineup.

Click to continue reading...

The qualifying rounds sure were fun (oops, sorry New England and Goats USA fans). The group stages begin tonight for the first CONCACAF Champions League. Here's a quick preview of the groups, along with some predictions...

GROUP A
1- Cruz Azul (MEX)
2- Saprissa (CRC)
3- DC United (USA)
4- Marathon (HON)

This is definitely the group of death. Click to continue reading...

Good g*d, it is hot.

Lately I feel like I am reminded of summer's slow fade nearly every moment of the day, with days getting shorter and nights growing cooler. As a devoted warm-weather junkie, this pains me.

But here in the RFK press box it's utterly still (for some incomprehensible reason, all the wall fans were removed when the Nationals moved into the building, even as the baseball press box got A/C, comfy chairs and various other perks), and with all the heat in the stadium's lower bowl percolating up towards the rafters this rickety box clings to, the air is every bit as stifling as you could imagine. Click to continue reading...

The time has come for North America's answer to their European counterpart. The Champions League begins tonight. In this space I will rank and give a brief preview of the eight preliminary matchups. Several of the teams come from leagues that have played internationally very little over the past few years, so those teams will be unranked. Click to continue reading...

Last week's match at Columbus set a precedent for FC Dallas, giving up a lead and then going on to lose. This Saturday's match at Kansas City continued a worrying trend of losing leads, although the circumstances were quite different. Wizards' defender Jimmy Conrad scored a tap-in goal in stoppage time to share the points with Dallas and keep both teams alive in the race for the MLS playoffs. Click to continue reading...

Looking to turn around their 2008 season, the Los Angeles Galaxy have turned to former U.S. Men's National Team coach Bruce Arena, who was unveiled as the team's new head coach and general manager on Monday. He will fill the roles of recently departed former GM Alexi Lalas and head coach Ruud Gullit, who left the team exactly one week ago. Click to continue reading...

Cory Gibbs/BBC Sport

Despite the presence of the two of the most gifted players ever in Major League Soccer, the Los Angeles Galaxy appear to be sinking without a trace. A leaky defense and poor linkup play have made the Galaxy at this point a side that is struggling to remain competitive in the Western Conference of MLS.

Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

D.C. United made its first major move of the summer this morning by acquiring Honduran midfielder/defender Ivan Guerrero from the San Jose for a partial allocation, the club announced on its team blog this morning.

Click to continue reading...

Most teams in Major League Soccer struggle to win on the road. The Colorado Rapids are no exception. Over half way through the 2008 season and the Rapids have a single win on the road. Worse than that, they have yet to pick up a tie on the road. In soccer part of the game is finding a way to pick up points on the road, even if it's just a tie. Click to continue reading...

The Red Bulls summer shopping spree is in full effect as Juan Carlos Osorio has brought into the fold an experienced defensive midfielder (Juan Pietravallo, 26) an attacking mid/left winger (Jorge Rojas, 31) and a talented left back (Diego Jimenez, 22). The clubs deficiencies have been glaringly exposed in the last few weeks and Osorio and company will hope that these 3 newcomers will arrive in time to change the clubs fortunes. Click to continue reading...

Lately, I've poked around the question of where I think both the Columbus Crew and Colorado Rapids are with regard to building their rosters for the 2008 season (hint: check the links). Both efforts tend to vagueness, but they're just the starting point, barely-shaped talking points, even. This current post will try to [. Click to continue reading...

It's been a long time folks...........i've been gone for a while and missed a few things. The Dynamo won the cup.........again. RSL's version of bridgeview stadium is coming along nicely.....and DC looks set to sign Juan Sebastian Veron and lose Christian Gomez. But ultimately none of this matters one bit to me because the Red Bulls lost in the playoffs again. Click to continue reading...

I'm putting the Daily Sweeper on hiatus for the remainder of this, Championship Weekend, in order to truly obsess over the upcoming MLS Cup Final. Said obsession includes plans to not only dissect the teams to the point of creating a bloody mess, but also to: 1) convince myself that the New England Revolution can, [...] Click to continue reading...

So we are now heading into the swan song of the 2007 MLS season. The Conference finals were damn near replica's of last seasons conference finals. Taylor Twellman scores a highlight reel goal to carry the Revolution into the finals, this time their third straight. On the other side of things, Houston marches in to the finals to face their foe from last year. Click to continue reading...

Tough, hard-fought game last night. Shame one of them had to win. There's nothing more annoying than "neutral" fans and "objective" observers piously lamenting about diving and hacking, so I'll keep it to a minimum. I admit it - I can't stand watching teams do it, but when my team does it and wins, [...] Click to continue reading...

Is that all there is? The New England Revolution beats the Chicago Fire, who beats DC United? Will it take the revival of Kansas City, or the arrival of Red Bull New York, or - god forbid - the Columbus Crew to confound this predictable procession? Lord, I hope not, because the status quo sure [...] Click to continue reading...