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MLS Week Three: SBI Match Day Live Commentary

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By IVES GALARCEP

It is rivalry weekend in Major League Soccer, and the league has a full slate of rivalry match-ups across the country and in Canada today.

Proceedings kick off at Red Bull Arena, where the New York Red Bulls take on D.C. United in their I-95 showdown. Down the road in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Union take on the New England Revolution.

Tonight’s Cascadia clash between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders will serve as the day’s true headliner, with both teams searching for their first win of the MLS season.

Here is today’s MLS Schedule:

12:30pm- NBC- Red Bulls vs. D.C. United
3pm- NBC Sports Network- Sporting KC vs. Chicago Fire
4pm- MLS Direct Kick- Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC
5pm- Univision Deportes- Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution
5:30pm- MLS Direct Kick- Columbus Crew vs. San Jose Earthquakes
6pm- MLS Direct Kick- Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids
8pm- NBC Sports Network- Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers

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SBI will be providing live commentary for all of today’s MLS matches, so please feel free to join us here all day as we follow all the action. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Today’s Match Day Commentary is after the jump):

Comments

  1. Seattle got outplayed on the game although Portland really didn’t create to much. Portland should have gotten a straight red when Jean-Baptiste clearly pulled down Johnson as the last defender, bit of a joke it was a yellow.

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      • cool, completely ignore the comment about the obvious red. hurtado was never in danger of getting sent off, thought alonso might find himself in trouble though

      • If Hurtado had gotten one of the first few yellows he earned, then I’ll admit that the yellow he finally got probably would have been a common foul. I’ll assume that card was mostly cumulative. He definitely got away with the brutal hack in the box that ref mysteriously let go.

        As for Jean-Babtiste’s card, I suppose it could have been red, but that would have been extremely harsh. He tugged the arm when he was beat. deserved foul & card.

      • Not sure it’s a red there was a defender coming back in the center. Portland had a pretty good argument for a penalty on that scissor tackle as well. Probably a fair result in the end.

  2. Beginning of the game, they throw trash on the field. Fine. Poor form, but whatever. Score a goal and throw even more trash on the field. Okay, you’re pumped up and showing poor judgment.

    But as the half goes by, is it really too much to ask of the Seattle fans to stop throwing trash on the field? Do they have spectator behavior protocols in Seattle at all?

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  3. It’s getting to the point now where we’re entering conspiracy theory territory with penalties and the Timbers.

    You don’t get free reign to come through a player and kick his legs out with your trailing leg and claim you got the ball first. That’s a stone cold penalty they weren’t given.

    The tackle was fine until the second leg swept the attacker off his feet.

    That’s about as easy a penalty call as you’ll get to make as an official.

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    • Not if your a MLS referee. Speaking of conspiracy theories, what is with all the ties today? You would think teams were match fixing.

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  4. How the living HELL is that not a PK for Portland? Johnson had his knees both intentionally kicked from behind with the left leg of Hurtado.

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  5. Colorado’s blue kits are nice.

    Glad to see a change from just the standard “white” alternate kits for our league.

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  6. Bravo to NBC Sports Network for making this day feel like an event, as much as they can.

    Even though I find “Rivalry Day” contrived and annoying, NBCSN is obviously giving a 100% in their MLS coverage and that’s all we can ask for as MLS fans.

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  7. When the next “most hated player in MLS conversation comes up, I hope to see Dunfield’s name right there with Lenhart’s.

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  8. Shame the Red Bulls didn’t win. But I like what I’m seeing from them. Much better soccer compared to last year! 😀

    I wish I could’ve been at the match. Though I don’t know why our fans were booing. It was a stellar effort.

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  9. How does the soccer announcer/commentator system work? I just saw Robbie Earle on the of the KC game for nbc sports but he is the normal timbers local guy with john strong who is also always on fox soccer doing games. I really just hope kasey keller is not doing the Timbers Sounders game tonight, but I’m sure he will

    Reply
    • John Strong is calling tonight’s SEA/POR for NBC Sports. Quite a few announcers have local deals when their clubs aren’t on national TV.

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  10. Hamid is a very good shot stopper. Has been for a while. He makes young mistakes in other aspects of the game, which is what DC is hoping he will outgrow.

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  11. Bill Hamid! You sir are a beast today. Thank you for covering a lame performance by your teammates today (also double thank you to the woodwork).

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  12. At least DCU with Ruiz up top and Kitchen playing more advanced looks lively and capable of ideas in the final third.

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  13. wow, Espindola with a moment of brilliance but still finds the cross bar! beautiful flash of skill to slip by two defenders and rocket his left foot

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  14. The one thing from this game that keeps jumping out at me is the pathetic number of empty seats. That Don Garber watches this and thinks the solution is to give NYC2 his expansion priority is equally depressing. You’re New York Freaking City! This is the best you can do? There’s 22 million people in the area!

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    • The New Jersey Red Bulls are in New Jersey. They are not in New York City, they play in a Newark suburb called Harrison.

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      • Mr. Ryan, I’m saying that if the Red Bulls were in New York they would have a better chance of tapping into all those fans. Playing in Jersey, especially with their lack of winning isn’t good for them.

      • I completely agree with that. However, I don’t think Harrison is so far away from, eg Central Park to really defeat my point. There’s still a metric ton of people who live all round RBA or within a reasonable journey for people properly motivated to support their team. It’s the largest metropolitan area in MLS. It’s roughly the size of ten Portlands.

      • Red Bulls should really change their name however, I feel it doesn’t resonate with people in the area. I mean who wants to support a team named after a energy drink? That would’ve really helped them out, but I feel it is too late to change now.

      • Do you live in the New York area? I honestly don’t think anyone cares about the name. No one is clamoring for the Metro Stars, whatever the hell that was. And personally? I find the whole pretentious and Victorian “Sporting” KC vibe to be even worse.

      • Yeah, they better hope they win something this year (MLS CUP) because Garber is pushing hard to land that second New York franchise. We all know that if the new team iwins something before they do, it won’t be good.

      • for MLS, I want Red Bulls to win but could not bring myself to root for them with Marquez on their squad, he made them impossible to root for

        now I feel differently and hope they win and entertain.

  15. I know Pajoy scored last week but that guy is mostly useless, he can’t create his own shot and when he does get space to shoot he rarely forces a save. DC needs a better striker and soon.

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  16. What a great weekend of MLS we have in store! I had to work the long shift today! Thank you Ives for the Great Commentary.

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  17. So far NYRB with better build up, better chances and winning the majority of 50-50 balls. Pajoy’s hold up play (usually an asset) has been poor, and wide play not creating much. DCU had to find Pontius and DeRo more in 2h.

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  18. Henry starting to find the pockets and space and Red Bulls trying to feed him too.. Save DeLeon, DC with not much yet

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  19. Perry Kitchen is such a good player. He rarely gives the ball away, and makes the smart pass. Would love to see him at the gold cup.

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  20. Does anyone else get tired of MLS broadcasts enhancing the volume from the fans so much that it is louder than the announcers?

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  21. WTF!? Why is there a damned parade on TV instead of the game? Then since it is a nationally televised game I can get it on Direct Kick either…so pissed.

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  22. Hey Ives, just wanted to say thanks for the emphasis youre giving to MLS and covering it well. Two match day comment threads, but you’ve picked the right one to have live coverage. It’s been a steady upswing in your attentiontion to our domestic league in successive seasons and corresponds to the leagues growth. It’s noticed and appreciated.

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  23. In the NYC local area including north nj and conn. I think the game is on Cozi tv because of the st patty’s day parade. 161 on Time Warner cable

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