By RYAN TOLMICH
Fresh off of a 3-0 trouncing at the hands of Liverpool, David Moyes and Manchester United will have to erase a 2-0 deficit when they host Olympiacos Wednesday afternoon.
It’s been a tumultuous year to say the least for Moyes’ United. The reigning Premier League champions currently find themselves sitting in seventh, 12 points behind the all-important Champions League qualification that comes with fourth place. However, United have an ever greater task at hand when it comes to staying alive in this season’s competition, as the Red Devils will need at least two goals at Old Trafford to survive. Olympiacos’ 2-0 win in the first leg, which saw goals by Alejandro Dominguez and Joel Campbell, has crippled United. Moyes may be fighting for much more than advancement, however, as a loss to Olympiacos may just be the final nail in the coffin in the eyes of United brass.
Elsewhere in Europe, Borussia Dortmund will take a 4-2 advantage back to the Westfalenstadion when they take on Zenit St. Petersburg. BVB, who trail German rivals Bayern Munich by a whopping 23 points in the Bundesliga, will have the benefit of four away goals when they host their Russian opposition, who currently sit second in the Russian Premier League. Zenit made headlines just yesterday when they announced the hiring of former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas.
Back in the states, the CONCACAF Champions League continues with a pair of contests involving MLS teams. The San Jose Earthquakes will travel to Mexico to take on Toluca after drawing 1-1 at Buck Shaw Stadium. Meanwhile, Sporting KC will look to avoid the fate of fellow MLS side LA Galaxy when they take a 1-0 lead to Estadio Azul to take on Liga MX leaders Cruz Azul.
If you will be watching today’s action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action. (Today’s TV schedule is after the jump):
3:45pm – Manchester United vs. Olympiacos – Fox Sports 1
3:45pm – Borussia Dortmund vs. Zenit St. Petersburg – Fox Sports 2
8:00pm – Toluca vs. San Jose Earthquakes – Fox Sports 2/ Univision Deportes
9:00pm- Leon vs. Emelec- Fox  Deportes
10:00pm – Cruz Azul vs. Sporting Kansas City – Fox Sports 2/Galavision
Dissapointing couple days, I think I’ll listen to some Drake
Why not listen to me? I am not as good as him, nor am I produced nearly as well, or at all, but come on! (it’s a brilliant argument). I sometimes rap soccer references into my rhymes? Does that whet your palate? 😉
If you have something I can bump too that will hit me in the feels, im willing to listen.
🙂 You just have to click my blue name on here, it’s linked to my music. I cheaply record, for fun, nothing to pay for.
Good flow bruh, I f*** with it
Thanks homie, means a lot to me that you gave me a chance. I love Drake too, and think most of the hate on him is coming from jealousy, or the fact that he could influence society much more, with his skills and insight. Even if he could make more of a statement, he is carrying on a rich, artistic tradition, and it’s not like we need a hiphop Bono at this point.
Your song Dream is fire. Yeah Drake is great, his album was amazing but some people I guess just like to make fun of it because it is on the soft side. Still excellent music though. Top 5 albums/mixtapes of 2013 for me were Dizzy Wright, Big Sean, Drake, the Weeknd, and Hopsin, though that hopsin one could leave you feeling slightly suicidal
This is where we stand. Make the money and schedule excuses. They’re valid. But it doesn’t change results. #CCL- Andrew Wiebe
I dig you Maykol, but I don’t think these quotes really say anything. So excuses are valid, but we should look at the results? On the professional level, don’t results invalidate excuses?
wow the “they’re valid” sentence somehow completely missed my eyes. I have no idea how i did not see that. But still, the results are truly the only things that matter.
The problem for MLS is it wants to exist in a bubble with a salary cap so all the teams are about on equal standing. MLS isn’t designed to compete out side of that bubble however it struggles to get anyone to take it seriously if it can’t.
They certainly have some adjustments to make, but MLS doesn’t want a 2-4 team league, plain and simple. They want every team to grow, and to feel they have equal chances of success. Done fairly, and with appropriate caution, it’s a slow process. Yes, they have placed themselves in a bubble for now, but it’s growing, with no signs of popping anytime soon.
True but then don’t expect to compete with teams outside of that bubble.
+1, I have low expectations. 🙂
At least the spanish commentators agree that you can see a difference when a team is barely starting their season and a team that is in full form with more than 10 matches played.
Wow. SKC getting torn apart now. This is making MLS look pretty bad.
Yep, its pretty bad when the champions of MLS are getting torn apart. But i will say it again, Cruz Azul has absolutely fantastic players
Yep. Even Galaxy didn’t play this bad. Oh well, more drinks to take away the sting and sorrow.
Yep, this is a bit of a reality check for me. MLS is getting better, but still has a long way to go before it can start considering itself realistic contenders for the continent.
As long as it has a salary cap will it ever?
I think so, MLS just has to raise it. They will, but are just being too pragmatic for some.
uuuggghhhhhh
I thought Collin would have been a lock to start the game.
Goal Cruz Azul. 4-1. That’ll just about do it. No MLS teams in the semis. This is a step back.
Marco Fabian has pretty much destroyed Jerome. 4-1.
Who would have thought San Jose would put up the best fight
San Jose was the only MLS team that looked solid tonight.
fa realz
4-1
SKC has been leaking their left defensive flank terribly.
Don’t see a comeback the way they’re playing.
The players on Cruz Azul… are pretty damn good
It’s a Copa Libertadores caliber squad
Well that’s it for MLS teams…
Until they can afford to to have two MLS staring caliber squads on their rosters, there’s no competing with Mexican teams quite frankly
And of course, it doesn’t help that MLS hasn’t accommodated the teams schedules like Liga MX does. Never mind the fact that they’ll always start this round at a disadvantage because their season has just started
Just getting destroyed on the left
Josh Gardner and Graham Zusi on the left was a terrible choice for SKC. Two right footed players!
Zusi has proven to be ineffective on the left in International competition for the Nats and I don’t see why Vermes would see it any differently.
Their league is better than ours, and two of the reasons why, are ones you pointed out. I think the people in charge of our league have realized this and more, and are making changes in that department carefully. We just have to be patient, because champions aren’t born overnight.
3-1, marco fabian is a beast
snap
Start drinking, SKC is going to give you a good excuse to celebrate! I am on beer 5, because I thought SJ was going to give me a good excuse, but Vermes and SKC will come through, and in turn, I won’t be considered an alcoholic…
You can’t be considered an alcoholic when both the UEFA and CONCACAF champions leagues are on.
haha, +1
Come on SKC! Please give me a reason to get drunk and celebrate
It’s down to the last one, c’mon SKC!
If they can score just one more, it would take off a lot of pressure.
*Rant about how SJ was robbed but it doesn’t matter because they had a few chances to pull it out anyway aarrgrgrgrgagasgsidgfasidufisDGfp!!!*
SKC scores!!! 2-1
If it stays this way, SKC goes on since it’s an away goal.
I doubt it will stay that way
Feilhaber sneaks one through! After that start, all of a sudden, KC with the (slightest) upper hand!
SKC with the goal! If it stays 2-1 they advance
huge goal from benny
BENNY!!! just tied up AGG!
I stand corrected about aggregate, I forgot about the importance of away goals. SKC wins if it stays Cruz Azul 2-1 SKC. Halftime.
Toluca wins on penalties 5-4 with salinas shot hitting the crossbar. Busch was a monster during the game but im dissapointed by his form vs the penalties. Overall dissapointed but SJ has my respect for giving it their all and playing with balls
It was a good game, SJ really stuck it out to the end.
Tough one. PK’s are a poop shoot. To see Salinas miss, but give congrats to the opposing goal keeper before he collapsed in disappointment, that’s a memorable moment. Very proud of my NorCal family, for fighting for 120′ plus. I think it will only make them stronger, and help propel them in MLS.
so close
Damn, SJ so close. That was probably MLS’s best shot.
Salinas had a terrible game, and of course he misses the last pk.
SJ did their part.Now it comes down to chance.
Has anybody been watchin the SKC game that could describe how both teams have played?
Going to PKs
San Jose and Toluca going to penalties…
In the other game, SKC is losing 2-0.
Wow Busch barely gets to a header that bounces off the crossbar and off the line …penalties next
San Jose is going to penalties
Cruz azul makes it 2-0
Yeah being in season form does help. It’s like asking Manchester City to play a game against a Barcelona. Only difference is barca has been playing for 2 months while Man City has been playing for 2 weeks. Now who do you think would win. It’s common sense.
+1