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Posted by Sean Maslin on October 25, 2013 at 12:30 pm Blogs/Media, Chicago Fire, Global Football Today, Houston Dynamo, MLS, Montreal Impact, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Portland Timbers, United States

Oct 252013

After 32 weeks of close games, major transfers, and the drama of all things Chivas USA there is still much to decide in the last week of the Major League Soccer season. Although there is not one clear top team in MLS, there are plenty of quality MLS squads throughout the league which makes for a compelling two days of soccer this weekend.

So if you are at a match this weekend or watching one at home, here are a couple of storylines to follow:

#1 The Supporter’s Shield

#	Club	PTS	W	L	T	GF
1	Real Salt Lake	56	16	10	8	57
2	New York Red Bulls	56	16	9	8	53
3	Sporting Kansas City	55	16	10	7	45
4	Portland Timbers	54	13	5	15	33

Four teams are still in the running for the Supporters Shield, a trophy awarded at the end of each MLS Season to the team with the most points. The Supporters Shield is more than just a trophy, as it awards the team the top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Should the Supporters Shield make the MLS Cup then they would also host the match. In MLS History, the team that won the Supporters Shield has gone on to win the MLS Cup 6 times (D.C. United- 1997 and 1999, the Kansas City Wizards- 2000, the Los Angeles Galaxy-2002 and 2011, and the Columbus Crew- 2008).

Real Salt Lake took the top spot Wednesday night after defeating Chivas USA 2-1. However, that was the last game of their season so they will have to play the waiting game. The Red Bulls will face the Chicago Fire (Sunday 5pm UNi Mas) with the Fire still in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Red Bulls Forward Tim Cahill has been on a tear recently, scoring three goals in his past three matches and leading the Red Bulls to an undefeated record in the past 7 matches (5-0-2).

Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City will travel to PPL Park and face the Philadelphia Union (Saturday 3pm NBC Sports Network). SKC comes into the match in good form having drawn points in 6 of their last matches (5-1-1).Their last loss actually was against the Philadelphia Union 1-0 in September. Union Forward Conor Casey notched in the decisive goal in the 38^th minute. They did win their opening game against the Union at PPL Park 3-1, but the young Union team has grown since then and could still make it into the playoffs. Will get back to that later.

Despite being behind the other teams by two points, Portland looks like they have the best chance to take the Supporters Shield. With the other two teams playing opponents who are still in the Eastern Conference playoff mix, neither New York nor Sporting Kansas City will have themselves an easy match. Portland, on the other hand, will be playing Chivas USA (Saturday 10:30 MLS Live) who will be without their starting goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and his magic ability to make sure Chivas never gets blown out.

Portland has also shown in the past few weeks that they are able to put teams away and earn points in “must-win”circumstances. In previous seasons, Portland has been known as the team with the awesome fanbase and cool mascot, but would break down at the end of the season. They could not win the difficult game, which is why they were unable to make the playoffs last season. Coach Caleb Porter, Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, and Midfielder Will Johnson have changed the identity of this team and made them a very difficult squad to plan against. Their poise and confidence was evident in the pair of 1-0 victories that they earned against the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders earlier in the month.

The 15 draws may be the deciding factor on whether or not the Timbers win the Supporters Shield. But they should get 3 easy points against Chivas, and if nothing else, gain the top spot in the Western Conference.

#2 Eastern Conference Chaos

Although the bottleneck for the last few playoff spots in the Eastern Conference was lessened last week when the New England Revolution eliminated the Columbus 3-2, there are still 5 teams playing for three spots. In addition to the previously mentioned Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union, the Houston Dynamo, Montreal Impact, and New England all still have a possibility of making the playoffs this weekend should results work in their favor.

The popular consensus seems to be that the Montreal Impact will defeat Toronto F.C. (Saturday 4pm Univision Deportes, MLS Live,) that the Houston Dynamo will defeat D.C. United (Sunday 1:30pm NBC Sports Network,) and that either the Chicago Fire or the New England Revolution will do enough to make it through.

Two things to keep in mind that is being lost in this narrative. One, Montreal has been terrible since July going 6-8-5. Toronto has already secured a draw in Montreal earlier this season and is coming off of two 1-0 losses against Philadelphia and Chicago where they showed they are still trying to win. Second, Houston needs one of the three teams above them to lose because they are so far behind in goals scored, which is the tie breaker should teams be level on points. For example, if both the New England Revolution and Dynamo win, then the Dynamo would need to make up a nine goal difference against D.C. United. D.C. United is terrible, but they are not bad (D.C. better not lost 9-0 because I am taking my nephew to his first game this weekend.) Houston has had great difficulty scoring this year when they need a goal, so they are really going to need Forward Will Bruin to step up and give them that push.

It should also be mentioned that the Crew may be very angry after the 3-2 result that was leveled against them last week by the Revolution. Referee Mark Geiger gave a rather interesting yellow card against the Crew which led to Revolution defender A.J. Soares goal in the 39^th minute. I would suspect that the Crew would like to return the favor to New England from last week and knock them out of the playoff contention (4pm MLS Live.)

I think the Fire- Red Bulls match is a lot closer than many people seem to believe. Bear in mind that the Red Bulls have never won a major title in their entire history, and have quite a dubious track record in big games. The Fire have really hit their stride since they lost 3-0 Columbus in September and are a much different team than when they lost to the Red Bulls earlier in the season. They are currently on a 3 game unbeaten where they have outscored their opponents 9-0. Perhaps New York can turn around their previous misfortunes, secure a playoff spot, and doom the Fire. But that seems like a tall task for a team that has only recently shown that they can consistently pull out quality performances.

#3 The Race for the Golden Boot is On

#	Player	Team	G	A
1	Mike Magee	CHI	20	4
2	Marco di Vaio	MON	20	2
3	Camilo Sanvezzo	VAN	19	6

In addition to having so many teams still alive for the Supporters Shield and for playoff spots, there is a real battle being waged for the top goal scorer in MLS. The three-horse race between Montreal Forward Marco di Vaio, Chicago Fire Forward Mike Magee, and Vancouver Whitecaps Forward Camilo Sanvezzo has produced some truly amazing goals this season. Although I am not the biggest fan of saying the top goal scorer should always be the Most Valuable Player (Ricketts and Clint Irwin would have a few words about that,) it is true that all three of these players have kept their teams in contention because they were able to make miracles for their team.

I think Magee is going to end up taking the award. It is important to note that if there is a tie then the tiebreaker will be given to the player who has the most assists. Di Vaio almost never passes the ball and I can see Toronto F.C. pushing their defense up to draw him offsides which will limit his scoring opportunities. The Impact have also had difficulties scoring recently, going without a goal in 3 of their past four matches.

So for me it comes down to Magee and Camilo. Both players have come up huge for their team this year, but with Magee playing against a Red Bulls team that have committed the fifth highest number of fouls in MLS (425) he should have more opportunities off of free kicks and penalties. Colorado has also only given up 15 goals on the road this season and will still be looking to climb up in the Western Conference playoff standings.

Posted by Sean Maslin on October 2, 2013 at 5:22 pm Blogs/Media, MLS, United States

Oct 022013

Robbie Keane’s face told the story. After heading in a Landon Donovan free kick in the 90^th minute to put the Los Angeles Galaxy level with the Portland Timbers, his face went from incredible joy to sheer anguish as the referee raised his flag and called for an offsides on Keane. Keane looked disgusted, but he also looked slightly despondent. He knew how much that goal meant to the Galaxy and their season. The Galaxy had the chance to go level on points with the Timbers in the standings in the Western Conference. Instead, the club sees themselves four points behind the Timbers and only a point ahead of fifth-place Colorado and sixth-place Vancouver. On a weekend with so many exciting matches and so many different teams in playoff contention, Major League Soccer was able to show one of the true assets that it has over so many other soccer leagues: the playoff push.

One of the major criticisms that Major League Soccer receives from fans, ex-players, officials, and pundits is the supposedly awkward arrangement that it has between their regular season and the playoffs. Supposedly, the existence of the playoffs cheapens the regular season and devalues the merit of winning the supporter’s shield. Most experts in professional football will tell you that the best system is a single table system where each team plays every other team twice. Never mind that the United States is about 2-3 times as large as most European countries and has twice as many time zones. And never mind that that the English League Championship has a playoff system to determine who will be promoted to the Premier League. Or that the Champions League has a playoff system based off of seeding. It is supposedly important that we implement this square peg of a “traditional” system into the round hole that is American geography. We have to be exactly like everyone else. Or at least the way the Europeans sometimes play.

Although it sounds tempting to once again follow the Europeans and do exactly everything that they do (sometimes,) let’s do some thinking outside of the traditional box of soccer. Although there are some flaws with the current Major League Soccer system (playing on international dates and too many international matches with foreign clubs come to mind,) the current playoff system does provide for tons of intrigue and can allow for many exciting games as the season winds down. If you look at this weekend’s slate of games, only one match did not include at least one team that has a shot at making the playoffs (Toronto- D.C. United.) In every other match, each team has a decent chance at winning a spot in their respective Conferences playoff spot.

Major League Soccer is just a very different league than many other professional leagues throughout the world, and that is not a bad thing. Variety is good. It makes things interesting and gives fans plenty to talk about. Although I wonder what a Premier playoff would look like, I do understand that the last few weeks of a Premier League season can be quite dramatic. It was like that two years ago, when Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero scored against Queen’s Park Rangers in the last game of the season to claim their first Premier League title while Manchester United was still on the pitch hoping a result in their match would keep them alive.

If the Europeans would like to have a single table system with no playoffs, then go ahead. But given the relative age of Major League Soccer and how most clubs outside of the Northwest are still growing their fanbases it makes more sense right now to have a playoff system. Our country loves playoffs and we love the drama that leads up to it, even if the team we support has no shot of winning it all. It is why the NCAA tournament so huge. People in this country want to believe that their club has a chance. They don’t want to be complacent with mid-table. And it is good for the teams to use situations like the playoffs to build support for their team. It is good for a team like the New England Revolution who has not been a relevant team for 4-5 years to show their fans that they are respectable again because they have a shot at the playoffs.

Having this many teams with a chance for a playoff spot spurs interest in not only the players, but the fans as well. Due to the parity of the league, any team has the chance to knock off any other team at any venue. This why you were able to see the Philadelphia Union shock Sporting Kansas City 1-0 on Friday night at Live Strong Park. It’s why the Columbus Crew was able to go down Dallas Park and eliminate their Pioneer Cup rivals F.C. Dallas. And it’s why a team like the Portland Timbers was able to step up in a rainy mess at Jeld-Wenn field in Portland and pull out an important 1-0 victory. In each of these matches, because other games were going on at the same time, you would see fans pulling out their iPhones to check updates on other games, to see where their teams would be in the standings, and to try and cheer their fellow fans up who feel like all hope is lost. As sad as it sounds, one of the true signs that I have seen all season of the attachment that has grown for Major League Soccer with the supporters was when Tim Cahill scored to even it up for the New York Red Bulls against the Seattle Sounder. There is nothing like seeing and hearing an arena of 50,000 supporters completely deflated.

I had the pleasure of watching last year’s slugfest between D.C. United and the Columbus Crew and seeing the playoff push firsthand. Both clubs were tied on points for the fifth and final playoff spot. In a match where the game was 2-1 throughout the majority of the match, members of the Barra Brava the D.C. United Supporters groups seemed to lose interest as it dawned on them that they would have to go to Bridgeview and get a result against the Chicago Fire. Fans were routinely checking their iPhones for the latest results from the Houston Dynamo match or waiting for any information from RFK Stadiums decrepit scoreboard. Although any fan would be happy with clinching a playoff spot anywhere, there is something special about doing it at home. United ended up scoring the tying goal in the 59^th minute, which then led to Lewis Neal scoring a game-winning goal in the 91^st minute to send D.C. United into the playoffs. Although the club has won three MLS titles, if you ask any member of Barra Brava what their favorite moment in D.C. United history is, I would imagine that Neal’s goal is up there.

Although this weekend did not provide any playoff-clinching goals, there was no short of theatrics. The San Jose Earthquakes continued their Cinderella run by beating Chivas U.S.A. 1-0 on a goal by Forward Chris Wondlowski in the 87^th minute (And yes, you even got to see Steven Lenhart get sent off.) Houston- New England played to a draw keeping both of their playoff hopes alive. Real Salt Lake, playing a mostly reserve team in preparation for Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup final with D.C. United, managed to shock Vancouver away from home and further tighten their lead on first-place in the Western Conference. Chicago blew a two goal lead to the Montreal Impact and nearly could have won the match had Mike Magee, one of the league’s leading candidates MVP, hit a penalty kick off of the crossbar dooming his team to a draw and possibly a 7^th place finish in the Eastern Conference.

Even the D.C. United- Toronto F.C. match featured a beautiful volley by D.C. United forward Jared Jeffrey and even more amazing scissor kick goal by Toronto F.C. forward Daryl Russell. Whether you were watching a match at the park, the bar, NBC, or on whatever D.C. United is using for coverage now, you got to see two teams playing hard for nothing more than a spot on the team.

While no MLS match could feature players of the quality of the Premier League or any of the other top European leagues, each came with its own set of drama and flair. Having watched enough Premier League matches at the end of the season when players go at half pace and where things feel predetermined. I still remember being completely shocked last season when Queen’s Park Rangers were relegated and seeing the players laughing and feeling just terrible for their fans. Rather than seeing a team work hard and try to gut out a victory, they seemed like they did not care and were more interested in just collecting their paycheck. At least Chivas U.S.A., a club who may not exist next season, tried to keep up with the Earthquakes and put on a good show for their fans.

In the weeks ahead, the number of teams that are still eligible to make the playoffs will be trimmed. F.C. Dallas was knocked out this weekend and I would suspect that there will be a few more casualties this weekend. For some fans, the end of the season will just be another stepping stone towards the playoffs and hopefully towards an MLS Cup. For other fans, they will reflect upon missed opportunities in June and July, on injuries, and on player management. But until then if you are an MLS fan you should turn your television and watch the emotions of October soccer.

Posted by Sean Maslin on July 10, 2013 at 3:10 pm Blogs/Media, Houston Dynamo, MLS, United States

Jul 102013

“No Mess, No Fuss”

Founded: 2005. The team was first known as the Houston 1836, but changed the name after the local Hispanic community complained about the name. 1836 was the year when Texas gained their independence from Mexico. Since 2006, the club has been known as the Dynamo.

Where they Finished Last Season: 14-9-11 (Lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2012 MLS Cup.)

Pedigree: 2006 and 2007 MLS Cup Champions, 2008 recipient of the MLS Supporters’ Shield, 2-time Western Conference Champion (2006, and 2007,) 2-time Eastern Conference Champion (2011, and 2012.)

Rivals: F.C. Dallas (EL Capitan Classico.)

Supporters: Texian Army, La Bateria, Brickwall Firm, and El Batalion.

Rivals: F.C. Dallas, and San Jose Earthquakes.

Head Coach: Dominic Kinnear (Seventh Season.)

Top Returning Players: GK Tally Hall DEF Jermaine Taylor, DEF Corey Ashe, MF Bonniek Garcia, MF Brad Davis, MF Adam Moffatt, FWD Will Bruin, FWD Giles Barnes.

Key Additions: DEF Eric Brunner (Portland Timbers,) FWD Omar Cummings (Colorado.)

Key Departures: DEF Nathan Sturgis(Colorado Rapids,) DEF Andre Hainault (Ross County-Scotland,) and FWD Macoumba Kandji (Kalloni-Greece.)

Key Young Player to Watch: DEF Kofi Sarkodie.

Outlook:

One of the criticisms that Major League Soccer gets from pundits, players, and fans (both domestic and abroad,) is that the quality of play is poor and the style is unattractive. Through the years, MLS has developed a style that is based off of a tight budget and an American ethos on how the game should be played. Play physical defense, emphasize goalkeeping, and be picky with your attack. Scoring is not the key, but maintaining a lead is important (a.k.a. park the bus.) While many teams try to play this way, none are as good at as the Houston Dynamo. As a D.C. United fan, I saw this last year first hand when the Houston Dynamo played D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Finals. While it sounds like I am being critical of the Dynamo, I am not. Their style of play has proven to be successful in pretty much every season of their existence and is the reason why they are a two-time MLS Champion and have represented the Eastern Conference in the MLS Cup in the past two years. They may not play like F.C. Barcelona, but they certainly win like them.

With the Dynamo, the first thing you see is how little their system, lineup, and philosophy has changed over the years. Coach Dominic Kinnear is in his twelfth year with the club and it does not appear that he is going to be leaving anytime soon. Throughout his tenure, the club has almost always played in the 4-4-2 system with pieces rarely being moved. What I found most interesting while researching the Dynamo is the devotion the players have to Kinnear and this team. You saw it with Brian Ching last season, who was drafted first by the Montreal Impact last season in the expansion draft only to force them to trade him, and Ricardo Clark, who came back to the team last season after an uneven stint in Germany. Seeing not only the devotion to one’s team by the players, but the fans as well is just another positive reminder that this league is finally starting to develop a culture and roots in their respective cities.

In terms of goalkeeping, there are very few netminders in the league better than Tally Hall. One of the traits that any good goalkeeper should have is confidence and Hall has this by the boat load. Last season, Hall had a remarkable year recording 12 shutouts, which is an MLS record. This season though has been a bit of letdown. He is currently fifth in the league in saves with 52. Saves is a very interesting stat because while it shows he is able to avoid goals, having too many means your defense is poor. He has a goals against average of 1.02, which is seventh best in the league, and has only allowed in 18 goals.

One of the major problems that the Houston Dynamo have had this season is scoring. A club last season that could score freely without delay, Houston this season have had some difficulties in reaching the back of the net. In the past eight matches, Houston Dynamo has only scored two goals (against the Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City.) While 4 of the 5 matches were on the road, and against strong attacking teams like F.C. Dallas, New York Red Bulls, and the Montreal Impact there is no excuse for a goalless draw at home against Toronto F.C. Will Bruin just has not seemed like the same player from last season. Bruin last year was a wrecking ball on offense, scoring 12 goals in the regular season, and four goals in the playoffs. While he has scored 4 goals this season, he has not scored in the past 8 games.

The team has never been able to produce a replacement for Brian Ching, who now serves as a player-coach and has not really done much this season (at least on the field.) FWD Giles Barnes is still getting comfortable in his role as second option on the Dynamo offense, scoring four goals in 12 matches. There needs to be a positive transition between Ching and Giles Barnes and Cam Weaver, who is essentially fourth on the depth chart. Ching has only logged 220 minutes this season, but has played in 12 matches. During the dog days of MLS (July-August,) it may be time to give more minutes to see what he has in him. Houston will also be getting back Omar Cummings, who has been injured all season. Although he only played in two matches this season, in five seasons with the Colorado Rapids Cummings scored 38 goals and helped lead the team to the 2008 MLS Cup. Even if he just serves as a veteran 65^th minute supersub, Cummings should be a valuable asset going forward.

Part of their struggles is due to international duty and injuries. In the past month, the following players have spent time on international duty: GK Tally Hall (USA,) DEF Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica,) MF Brad Davis (USA,) and MF/FWD Oscar Bonniek Garcia (Honduras.) That is five starters, plus there are injuries with DEF Corey Ashe, who was supposed to be on the U.S. National Team, and FWD Omar Cummings. With all of these players gone for
various reasons, and with FWD Will Bruin heading off to play for the United States in the Gold Cup, the Dynamo’s depth has been tested this season and for the most part has failed. That being said, the Dynamo should expect all of these players back soon and will have plenty of time to get their chemistry back together.

There have been some positive revelations with this test of the Dynamo’s depth. With veteran Brad Davis gone, the Dynamo has been relying more heavily on Midfielders Adam Moffatt and Andrew Driver. Moffatt has started 11 matches this season for the Dynamo, has played mostly in central defense, and occasionally played a more a defensive midfield position against more difficult attacks. The unsung hero of this season has been Andrew Driver. Driver normally plays on the left side of the midfield and can also play in an attacking role. He has been the primary replacement for Davis the last four games, taking over his role as an attacking midfielder on the left side. While he has been a serviceable replacement, it is very hard to replace a player like Davis who does so many things to make an offense function. The Dynamo have certainly missed his foot on set pieces and corners, where he is able to bend the ball with pinpoint precision.

With so many pieces coming back from injury and international duty, it will be interesting to see how this team meshes together. Qualifying for this year’s playoffs will be difficult. The Dynamo currently stand in fifth place, two points ahead of the New England Revolution and the Chicago Fire. With the Revolution and the Fire finding their chemistry after the trades for Juan Agudelo and Mike Magee, respectively, the Dynamo will have to get back in form fast to keep pace. If this club can make it to the playoffs, then they will be a difficult team to beat. But they are going to have to make it first, and in an Eastern Conference that is much improved from last season it is no longer a certainty that the Dynamo will make it.

Beer of Choice: Saint Arnold Summer Pilsner Saint Arnold Brewing Company

There are two things you need to know about the Houston Dynamo before you go to a game at BBVA Compass Stadium. First, it is very hot during the summer in Texas. Second, make sure you bring a light beer because dark beers and hot weather do not go well together. Saint Arnold’s is one of the brewing companies in all of Texas, and though I am not a huge fan of Pilsners, in terms of beer it is one of the best types of summer beers that you can have. I first had my first Summer Pilsner a few weeks ago while watching the Houston Dynamo play the New York Red Bulls. Although the game did not end up well for the Dynamo, the beer was a keeper.

Posted by Jeff Engelmann on April 14, 2013 at 7:45 pm Chicago Fire, Global Football Today, Houston Dynamo, MLS

Apr 142013

Chicago fell 2-1 to the Dynamo today in Houston where the Dynamo still have not lost. This game marked the pinnacle of a 35 game unbeaten streak at home for Houston, and the setting of an MLS record.

Chicago looked to build on the momentum of their first victory of the season last week. “It was awesome t getting the first win of the year,” Chicago midfielder Wells Thompson said before the game, “It was a huge lift of spirits and I know it is cliché to say, but I think it was a character win for us. We go down 1-0 early, we miss a PK, but we have the character to continue to fight.” Houston hoped to capitalize off their set pieces as they have done so well in the past.

With Arne not on this week’s roster, Wells Thompson started again at right back with Anibaba in the center back position. The debate still rages in my mind as to who will hold the right back position after Arne’s return. Thompson has played fantastic for the fire dropping back and filling in in the absence of several players on the back line, but Anibaba’s experience in the position makes him the right choice for me.

From the start the game was back and forth. The ball moving quickly end to end, with several opportunities presenting themselves for both teams early.

Chicago had a great opportunity with a free kick just outside the area early in the game. Paladini lined up to take the kick but put the shot the ball over the wall over the net and into the stands. Chicago responded well shortly thereafter as well defending strongly against several ever dangerous Dynamo Corners.

Houston had an excellent opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net in the 12th minute Davies sent a blast toward the Chicago goal and Sean Johnson rose to the task moving left to right in the net with a diving save.

The Dynamo’s Giles Barnes had two serious chances to head home the game’s first goal but failed to finish on both crosses played into him, sending both headers just over the bar. On the third chance for Houston, on a cross put gracefully into Will Bruin, the Dynamo would make no mistake. Bruin angled the header down past Chicago goaltender Sean Johnson. The Dynamo are well known for they brilliance on set pieces but all three of these chances came from open play as the Chicago midfield, that played so well in their last game, struggled to slow down the play along the wings.

Chicago wouldn’t stay down long though. Channeling Rory Delap, Chicago sent a long throw into the box. Taking advantage of a Dynamo defense that seemed to be standing still, Chris Rolfe slammed home the tying goal in the 29th minute for the Fire.

The beginning of the second half brought no changes to the lineups. In the 56th minute Nyarko, back from his hamstring injury, came on for the yellow carded midfielder Dan Paladini. Shortly thereafter, Maicon Santos came on for MacDonald, who failed, once again in this game, to deliver that spark Chicago are looking to him for.

Houston Hoped to come away with the lead in the 63rd minute when a perfect ball was slotted thought to Andrew Driver. Alone in on the keeper, Driver took his shot, a low ball headed to the back of the net; Johnson had to come up big for Chicago to hold the game level. Although Houston managed to hold the play, for the most part, in the second half, other than this chance, they did not look all that dangerous, only getting a few minor chances that Johnson was able to handle easily.

Chicago looked again to take the lead in the 70th minute with one of their second half subs. Maicon Santos had an excellent chance when a cross was put into the danger area but it got caught up in his feet and he was unable to direct the shot on target. Chris Rolfe followed the play in but his finishing shot was cleared blocked behind the net by the Dynamo defense.

Houston took a late lead in the 81st minute when Captain Brad Davis took a shot that had eyes from 35 yards out. It seemed to fool the Fire defense and goaltender and looped its way into the back of the net.

Chicago just two minutes later nearly equalized when a corner kick was headed hard off the crossbar, but it seems that the soccer gods want Houston to keep this home streak alive.

Chicago had one last chance in extra time on a free kick granted by the referee. The put the ball in from the left right onto the head of the Houston dynamo defender and on the counter attack Houston nearly added insult to injury with a ball smashed just over the bar in the 92nd minute.

Chicago will look to regroup as they head back to Toyota Park for a night game next Saturday against the Columbus Crew. The points up for grabs in that game will be vital for the Fire. They were not able to capitalize on the momentum they carried into this game; Look for them to come out fast and hard and take away a tough win next week.

Posted by Adam Uthe on March 30, 2013 at 11:03 am Breaking News, Global Football Today, Houston Dynamo, MLS

Mar 302013

Starting this season, the Houston Dynamo will offer a new, family-friendly section BBVA Compass Stadium thanks to a new partnership with Texas Health Children’s Plan.

The section will be located in the southwest corner of the stadium in Section 201. Some of the benefits will include regular visits from Dynamo mascot Dynamo Diesel and a $20 ticket coupon offer for Texas Children’s Health Plan members.

But perhaps the most intriguing part of this new section is the fact that children under the age of 10 will be able to get their season tickets at half the cost of an adult ticket. If your ultimate goal is to grow a sustainable fan base, then giving parents the opportunity to purchase their child’s ticket for 50% off seems like a good place start. I can’t think of any other major league teams that offer such a plan.

The timing of this news is interesting considering a survey from ESPN’s Rich Luker back in September that found that in 2011 13.7% young adults ages 12-18 named “Pro Soccer” as their favorite sport; second only to the NFL. Granted, “Pro Soccer” doesn’t reference just MLS but the survey also goes on to report that of that 13.7% of young adults, 7% considered themselves “avid” fans.

While the offer is for children 10 and under, it seems Houston are trying to be proactive and help grow those numbers from the survey even more. It will be interesting to see the numbers for the section at the end of the season and whether or not other MLS teams will follow suit with a similar offer.

Visit here for more information about the new section.

Posted by Adam Uthe on March 18, 2013 at 10:04 pm Breaking News, GFT Special, Global Football Today, Houston Dynamo, MLS, United States

Mar 182013

Dynamo e1329814419478 Houston Dynamo Team Up With Big Brothers Big Sisters To Mentor Elementary School Students

*Courtesy of Houston Dynamo Communications Staff*

What: We are rolling-out the orange carpet to celebrate the Houston Dynamo’s support of The Rusk School! Join us Tuesday, March 19 for a fun-filled bash. Mentors and students will be on hand marking the occasion with activities and photos. This school year, the soccer team’s staff including President of Operations Chris Canetti and forward Calen Carr signed-on to mentor 20 kids at the school in Houston’s east end.

Fan donations and a bowling event as part of Calen Carr’s “Big Play” campaign along with Dynamo Charities combined to raise $5,000 to jump-start the school’s mentoring partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. It is because of efforts like these, Big Brothers Big Sisters named the Houston Dynamo its 2013 Community Partner of the Year.

When: Tuesday, March 19
1:30 pm to 2:30 p.m.

Where: The Rusk School
2805 Garrow Street
Houston, Texas 77003

About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring organization, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children (“Littles”) with screened volunteer mentors (“Bigs”) and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course. The first-ever Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Summary, released in 2012, substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization’s 85-year history. Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star serves over 30,000 children, volunteers and families through 20 offices and over 100 counties in Texas. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life – donate or volunteer at bbbstx.org.

Posted by Matthew Martin on February 27, 2013 at 8:51 pm Global Football Today, MLS, United States

Feb 272013

Major League Soccer’s 18th season begins this weekend – just 90 days after the LA Galaxy captured their second consecutive MLS Cup. Nine clubs have won the championship of the League that many call the most competitive, top-to-bottom, in the world. Returning MLS stars such as Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), and Federico Higuain (Columbus Crew) will join their teammates to take on exciting new young players like Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers), Rafael (D.C. United) and top SuperDraft pick Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution).

Again in 2013, the schedule will consist of 34 regular season games with the top 10 teams (five from each conference) advancing to the playoffs. An added emphasis on winning games has been instituted this season as the first tiebreaker among teams with equal points in 2013 will be Number of Wins, followed by Goals For.

Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls: Two First-Year Coaches Square Off Sunday on ESPN2
When the New York Red Bulls and new head coach Mike Petke face off against Caleb Porter’s Portland Timbers at JELD-WEN Field on Sunday, March 3rd (7:30pm ET, ESPN2), the two first-year coaches hope to begin their MLS careers with a positive result.

After the Timbers Army once again sing the national anthem to kick off the game, Red Bulls Designated Player Thierry Henry will have the share the spotlight as all eyes will be on the Timbers’ new DP signing, 26-year-old Argentinean midfielder Diego Valeri who is expected to be the centerpiece of the Portland attack this season.

Dynamo vs. D.C. United: Eastern Conference Championship Rematch Saturday on NBC Sports Network
In a rematch of the 2012 Eastern Conference Championship, D.C. United travel to BBVA Compass Stadium to square off against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, March 2nd (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network). Houston has not lost at home since they started playing in the stadium in 2012, currently riding a 25-game regular season home unbeaten streak.

D.C. captain Dwayne De Rosario will return to Houston after missing United’s 3-1 Conference Final (first leg) loss due to injury last season. A two time MLS Cup champion with Houston (2006, 2007), De Ro and D.C. hope to stop the dynamic attack of Dynamo veteran Brad Davis and third-year player Will Bruin in their season opener.

MLS Week One Schedule

Saturday, March 2	**all times ET	Where to Watch
Philadelphia Union vs. Sporting Kansas City	4:00PM	MLS Live
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Toronto FC	6:30PM	TSN / RDS2
Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United	8:00PM	NBC Sports Network
FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids	8:30PM	MLS Live
Chivas USA vs. Columbus Crew	10:30PM	MLS Live
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Montreal Impact	10:30PM	MLS Live
Sunday, March 3
LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire	5:00PM	Univision
Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls	7:30PM	ESPN2 / DEPORTES
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake	10:00PM	MLS Live

Posted by Brian Sanders on November 30, 2012 at 11:04 pm Breaking News, GFT Special, Global Football Today, Global Headlines, Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy, MLS, Podcast, United States

Nov 302012

Brian Sanders (@sportingkcgft) and Chris ‘UZ’ White (@uzworm) of www.burgundywave.com preview the rematch of MLS Cup 2011 in this fun filled audio adventure.

Click here to listen

Posted by Brian Sanders on September 14, 2012 at 11:51 am Houston Dynamo, MLS, Sporting KC

Sep 142012

After a welcomed international break, where four players suited up for their respective national teams, Sporting KC face Houston Dynamo in an Eastern Conference clash that is important for both sides in the run up to the playoffs.

Currently Sporting KC sit three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes in the race for the Supporters Shield. With the new rules the winner of the shield will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and, if they make it there, host the MLS Cup.

There is much imputes even for the Dynamo who find themselves in the playoff play-in round places and would not fancy playing a red-hot Columbus who are surging up the table.

As it stands Sporting KC only has three home fixtures remaining of their final seven and all four road fixtures are against eastern teams who are pushing for the playoffs and better positioning for the playoffs. The overused phrase ‘business end’ to this MLS season is here and every point in the remaining seven matches are of the utmost importance.

Of players of note who will look to make this game their shinning moment, with NBC Sports Network camera’s rolling, is none other than KC’s Graham Zusi.

Fresh off his fantastic performance for the United States in their victory over Jamaica Zusi has forced the hand of his international coach Jurgen Klinsmann and has been performing more than exceptionally well for his club. His change from the center of the pitch to the wing, due to injuries of two typical wingers, has not had the typical drop off due to position change that could’ve been expected. In fact it has been his good work that has kept Sporting moving forward in their push for dominance of the Eastern Conference.

On the other side of the coin Houston’s league form has dipped as they have become involved with the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League they have only picked up one win from their last five league games. The fact that they have their first home game of the group on Thursday only heaps the pressure on the squad as they look to compete in two demanding competitions with the limitations that Major League Soccer has stipulated.

Looking for a quality, high tempo match which looks to be in the favor of the home side.

Posted by Brian Sanders on July 19, 2012 at 9:34 pm MLS, Sporting KC

Jul 192012

Amid the heat in Houston it was the red card early in the second half that did in Sporting Kansas City as they fell to the hosting Dynamo 2-1 on Wednesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The game had a bit of the 1-1 draw at Seattle from a couple weeks ago about it and yet the good road form of Sporting ran out as an MLS team thrives from the good vibes that a new stadium can bring.
It seemed a bit also like Montreal when a penalty was needed to be able to get the equalizer for Sporting KC as Jacob Peterson was brought down in the box as the half neared its end. Kei Kamara put the ball in the net and it seemed that there was the momentum swing as they went into the locker room for halftime.
Peterson Joseph decision will hang over him for some time as there was no doubt that his tackle was a poor decision and that a card was needed. The referee could’ve decided on a yellow but MLS refs have much more guile than seen in other leagues.
That gave Houston not only a man up but permanently the ball. The game ended with Houston getting a scrappy goal that Jimmy Nielsen couldn’t save and a near 72% possession.
Facts like that will usually give a victory to the team with the advantage.
Houston was deserving in the end but this was within the grasp of Sporting.
Now they return home and they can return to winning against the New England Revolution.

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