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MLS Ticker: Houston’s Hall out for season with torn ACL, Kamara ineligible until 2015, and more

TallyHall

Photo by USA Today Sports Images

By CARL SETTERLUND

The Houston Dynamo’s hopes for a late-season playoff push just became much more difficult.

The Dynamo announced on Tuesday that goalkeeper Tally Hall, a two-time MLS All-Star, has suffered a torn right ACL and will be out for at least the rest of the 2014 season.

Hall suffered the injury during Houston’s 3-1 win vs. Sporting Kansas City on Friday night, tearing his ACL after what looked to be a routine jump up to collect a ball. He planted his foot when he landed, and immediately appeared to tweak his right knee.

The Dynamo, currently in ninth place in the congested Eastern Conference — but only five points out of a playoff spot — confirmed the news on twitter, adding that Hall will undergo surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital on Friday.

Hall had played in 24 out of 25 games this season. The goalie job will now likely be left in the hands of untested homegrown player Tyler Deric, who had four career MLS appearances to his name before he came on late in Friday’s match to replace Hall.

Here are some more MLS notes to round out your Tuesday:

KAMARA INELIGIBLE TO RETURN TO MLS UNTIL 2015

When Kei Kamara departed from Football League Championship side Middlesbrough last Thursday by mutual consent last Thursday, it looked like the rangy striker might provide valuable reinforcement for playoff hopeful.

But even thought the 30-year-old Kamara has reportedly expressed interest in returning to MLS, and specifically his former team Sporting Kansas City, a reunion — if there is one — will have to wait until 2015.

Because left Middlesbrough after the Aug. 6 transfer deadline, he has been ruled ineligible to return to MLS this season, despite being out of contract.

It was no lock that Kamara — who led SKC in scoring in three of the past five seasons — would be able to maneuver back to the MLS Cup champions anyways, as Kansas City lost its rights to the 30-year-old when it accepted a transfer fee for him.

FIVE MLS PLAYERS TO TAKE PART IN COPA CENTROAMERICANA

Rosters have been finalized for the six-team Copa Centroamericana — which will take place over an 11-day span, starting tomorrow — and several five MLS players will be pulled away from league action to take part.

Highlighting the list of players are Seattle Sounders winger Marco Pappa (Guatemala), FC Dallas weapon Blas Perez (Panama) and LA Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Pinedo (Panama).

Vancouver Whitecaps defender Jonny Leveron (Honduras) and Portland Timbers winger Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica) will also take part.

There’s good reason to take part, as the four top finishers will earn automatic berths in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, while the fifth-place finisher can still qualify for the Gold Cup through a two-game playoff.

REAL SALT LAKE GETS APPROVAL TO BUILD USL PRO STADIUM

Real Salt Lake already has one of the nicer home fields in MLS in Rio Tinto Stadium, but the Western Conference contenders are looking to break ground in the near future as they attempt to usher in a USL Pro affiliate.

Spencer Hall of NBC affiliate KSL tweeted earlier Tuesday: “The Utah State Fairpark board approved the new stadium proposal to build an 8,000-seat home for Real Salt Lake’s minor league affiliate.”

RSL plans to fund the project itself, while in the meantime the team is still planning to debut a USL Pro team next year, playing its games at Rio Tinto during construction in Fairbanks, which is also the host city of the Utah State Fair.

MLS TO BE FEATURED ON UPCOMING NICKELODEON SPORTS PROGRAMMING

Children’s network is planning to create a weekly two-hour sports program on Wednesday nights call NickSports, and word came down on Tuesday that MLS will be one of three sports leagues to be primarily featured, along with the NFL and NASCAR.

“More than 70 percent of kids ages 7-14 in the U.S. play two-to-three organized sports a year, so the interest and enthusiasm is already there, ” said Keith Dawkins, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nicktoons, TeenNick and Nick Jr. “Our NickSports block will bring kids and families into the huddle by giving them an all-access pass to their favorite athletes, teams and leagues.”


Does the news about Hall doom Houston’s season? Would Kamara have been able to help a team down the stretch? Excited about RSL’s stadium news?

Share your thoughts below..

Comments

  1. too bad for Hall, I started to make a case for him as 3rd keeper for the USMNT… Rimanando shouldnt be there at all… get well Tally.

    Reply
  2. To the author. Deric is not untested. Dude has started every non-league game that there is, and Houston has played in a lot of those games. He also has played in a couple of league games in the past. Tyler Deric was a snub at the Homegrown Player game during All Star week in my opinion. He is one of the best backups in the league.

    Reply
    • He didn’t play against FCD in USOC, so the sweeping statement is not quite accurate.

      He played against Villa, we lost. He played against KC earlier, we lost. He mopped up this KC game. In theory he beat the Laredo Heat, but he was ejected 2/3 in for hands outside the box, we had to put Hall back in.

      He could be decent or he could be Case Keenum. If you want to quibble about his testedness, well, how about unproven? Same difference more or less.

      Reply
    • The problem with that theory is he’s barely played and never in postseason and now you’re expecting him to take the reins, help us sneak into the playoffs, and then do a patented run. It’s not like we’re sitting on a points cushion, we need to pass people to stay alive. One of this team’s lingering vulnerabilities is defense, and Hall often bailed out his defense. Deric’s stats are solid (a theoretical 1.25 G/g from limited work) but I think it’s all optimistic, he’s a cheap HGP retained to save money at backup behind a keeper we rarely intend to sub.

      Reply

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