Good afternoon everybody. Today is the start of the Major League Soccer season and there are some quality match-ups to start the year.
Here are today’s games:
- Toronto FC at Columbus
- Chicago Fire at Real Salt Lake
- Houston Dynamo at New England Revolution
- D.C. United at Kansas City Wizards
- Los Angeles Galaxy at Colorado Rapids
If you are wondering who I’m picking in today’s games, check out my game previews on ESPN.com, which are at the bottom of my piece on the influx of foreign players into MLS.
If you are following MLS matches today and tonight, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions (as well as some play-by-play) in the comments section below.
Enjoy the soccer.
Beckham has preferred long sleeves his entire career. And Gordon is also wearing long sleeves, albeit under the short sleeve jersey.
Yeah I understand that but look at the LA players(Landon Ruiz) and then Rapids’ players
The Galaxy vs Rapids game is one of the most uninspired matches I’ve ever seen. The Galaxy look so tired, and it’s Game 1!
Not one piece of creativity, or style (outside of Becks)….sad reminder of the centuries behind MLS is from any sort of organisation that produces quality for its customers.
Z:
Maybe, but doesn’t he do that to to cover up all of the tattoos on his arms?
Question is Becks the only player on the LA Galaxy allowed to wear the long sleeves?
Tim, I’m totally surprise. Awful officiating in MLS?? NO WAY!!
I agree with you, only I’ll take it a step further. While I haven’t bothered to learn ref’s names in the league (sorry zebras), there is only one ref I can remember that I think is actually good. I know him when I see him at the games. They should get rid of anyone but him, or at least teach them the rules of the game.
Just got home from the RSL-Fire game. Some comments:
1) RSL dominated the game, and the midfield especially.
2) Except for the last minute the RSL defense was very very solid. They neutralized Blanco until a last minute goal (for the second year in a row).
2) Beckerman and Williams played well in midfield.
3) RSL forwards missed 3 easy goals.
4) With the nice services that RSL had, if Deuchars “Dr. Goal” who is quite a presence is for real, they are going to surprise a lot of people this year.
5) Chicago did not look good at all.
6) The ref really sucked. His lack of calls on clear fouls (for both sides) was ludicrous. If the MLS wants attractive soccer, they need to get rid of refs like that one.
7) Can’t wait for the new RSL stadium to be completed. They need to outlaw artificial turf for soccer.
Coundoul is awesome.
Chase:
You cover up a stupid comment by making a nonsense personal attack?
Spencer made the comment about the crowds being disappointing and MLS not being able to make enough money off crowds of that size, and I was simply supporting his point of view.
You said you disagreed because you apparently think 13,000 is a good opening day crowd. 13,000 is a poor crowd. That’s not an opinion or a matter of being an authority, it’s a fact. Only an imbecile like you would try to say 13,000 is a good crowd.
I also never said anything about the league collapsing, but obviously the league wouldn’t survive with an average “good” crowd of 13,000. Your pathetic. You have to put words in peoples mouths to cover up for you’re idiotic comments.
I must admit that I am very happy to be rid of Ruiz from Dallas.
Ruiz plays so dirty, he blatantly kicked the keeper
Condul losing teeth already?
nice crowd. COL 1-0 LAG
This league really wants L.A. to win.
L.A. DIVERS, this is unreal. All ball on that Ruiz “foul.” Beckham falls over and the linesman can’t raise his flag fast enough.
God I hate the way L.A. get treated.
It’s not going to happen for DC, there’s the whistle. 2 – 0 KC, nice showing. Big props to Harrington, who was everywhere, and here’s hoping for more from Lopez, who was mediocre until he conjured up a goal.
DC misses Ben Olsen, and probably need something from (gulp) Santino Quaranta to have enough depth. Their new defender, Gonzalo Martinez, did have a good game though.
Awesome news for me, thanks for the Updates Miami.
No Ben Olsen or Jaime Moreno = D.C United 0- KC Wizards 2…Emilio looked very slow out there.
88th min, DC putting all kinds of pressure on KC, still down 2 – 0…
Sorry aristotle, forgot you are the all-knowing source for information on American soccer, I was saying I personally don’t think the crowds and atmosphere were that bad as they were presented on TV, and spare me your alarmist “the league is going to collapse” bs…
Nice sequence and goal for the Rapids
Toronto fans were a great crowd. I think part of what hurt Columbus this week is that most of the public schools are just wrapping up Spring Break this week and many of the families aren’t returning to town until this weekend.
No one – I mean *no one* – sticks around Columbus over Spring Break, if they can help it.
The Crew had bad luck last year for the opener, too. It was bone-puckering cold and 20mph winds for a night game. But the year before they had over 20k for the opener.
DC has looked better since Fred came on in the 57th for Burch. No wonder they were rough in the first half.
I have a theory from the 2nd half of last year that DC only goes when Fred is on, he seems to be the barometer of the whole team. As I type he fires a cross in the box that Erpen screws up. Should’ve got one back.
Aristotle-
???? regarding your bit about today’s crowd(s).
Is it just me or is the picture distorted for the Galaxy game, its too vertically stretched…
Chase:
13’000 is a decent opening day crowd? I guess you don’t think MLS should try to survive, huh?
Was that the Ethiopian emperor playing for New England?
No, that’s right that was Haile Selassie. Sounds the same though.
I was skeptical, until I got my free laptop!
Why don’t any of these games come in HD…I love Rupert Murdoch and what he has done for the soccer fan with Fox Soccer, but how come the games out of BPL are not broadcast in HD?? It’s such a tease…
WOW, what a run from Nyassi, incredible, Ianni just got embarrassed.
I have to disagree on the crowds Spencer, I thought Columbus and KC have had decent crowds and atmosphere (especially KC who had easily the worst atmosphere last season in the cavernous Arrowhead).
Many of the new players have been good today. Amazing!
Time to get the Beckham cams ready. Don’t worry I’m sure they’ll have one ancient giant camcorder focused on the rest of the match.
I was trying say that DC had a goal disallowed when KC scored on the restart. And was that Trujillo with the nice feed to Lopez on the goal – Who is that guy?
Forget European, South America will carry MLS!
@ Eric:
Oh, don’t listen to me, I’m just being a homer right now. And I wasn’t referring to Ralston’s shoulder separation, just that Holden being around a rev winger results in a foul (most of which are deserved for Holden playing physical on them). Now, I wasn’t happy that the ref calls a foul on the play where Ralston hurt himself because Holden was there first and Ralston came in after, but something else entirely.
As a non-homer review of the game… NE just outplayed the Dynamo. Don’t know if it’s the cold, if it’s the game on Wednesday…
… if it’s Ashe’s defense on the left combined with a slower centerback pairing and the speed of the revs.
…
As I type this, Nyassi owns the entire Dynamo team.
Damn.
Looks like Soehn is too busy looking ahead at Champions Cup on Tuesday, that is why Fred was not starting…
The Dynamo look completely awful and at this point not the least bit intimidating.
Oh Man!..Claudio Lopez scores for KC…D.C United is down 2 goals to KC 62nd min.
Houston are going to need a striker, soon.
Thanks MiamiAl! Trujillo has looked very good, and had a 2nd called back by the flag.
I still haven’t seen Lopez do anything. In fact, I’d say Carolos Marinelli is having the best game by an Argentinian tonight.
Ooh! DC has won called back, and Lopez makes me look dumb with a SWEET lob. 2 – 0 KC.
Saprissa 3-0 Houston
The fat lady is starting to sing.
The Revs look pretty damn good right now, they aren’t missing Dorman, Noonan, and John too much so far…
I agree with Alex on the foul. Too bad Ralston got injured, but Holden won the ball. It was a fair challenge and not Holden’s fault Ralston went tumbling. Holden got the ball first, in any league with good officiating that’s not a foul.
But this is MLS.
Soon to be Sports Illustrated ‘Sign of the Apocalypse’ section:
“So where are your seats for the Wizards game on Saturday night?”
“They are right behind the left field foul pole.”
~ Recently overheard conversation between two KC Wizards fans.
Handball in the box not called makes a Dyanmo fan cry (especially with that BS on in the Razor last year) T_T
Ching can’t even play at the club level in MLS anymore. We are really desperate on the USMNT at the striker position.
I can’t stand the Revs. But how much better is their wing play without Noo-Nan slowing things down and shanking shots left and right do to his mediocre-at-best finishing ability?
They really are better off without him.
Alex – I actually haven’t been watching much of the game, mostly reading the comments. I did see him whistled for one on the wing I thought was weak just before I switched back which seemed to corroborate some of the comments. I admit – it just sounded funny, and I have a growing man crush on Holden, who is becoming Bobby Convey circa 2005.
I assume you are talking about Ralston, hope he’s ok. But speaking of non-flops, props to Christman for not going down on his breakaway, even if he banged his shot off of Onstad….
Trujillo scored for K.C….D.C. is getting nothing up front…
Trujillo
Great game for Mansally and Nyassi.
Mansally off in the 80.