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MLS Notes: Fire wins over Dallas, Seattle ties Vancouver and more

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By TRAVIS CLARK

Jackson, Mississippi was the backdrop for a friendly between FC Dallas and Chicago Fire Sunday afternoon.

Amidst the CBA uncertainty and pushed back roster deadlines, Chicago and Dallas both fielded strong starting lineups as the preseason dwindles away and the start of the 2010 season approaches.

Sloppy field conditions hindered the run of play as well as discipline. Dallas defender Ugo Ihemelu received his marching orders after a second yellow card early in the second half. Chicago duly obliged and took advantage, running away 3-0 winners behind goals from Collins John, Marco Pappa and new signing Julio Martinez.

Here are a few other stories around Major League Soccer:

SEATTLE, VANCOUVER DRAW IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Northwest rivals Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps met up in Burnby, British Columbia Saturday afternoon. Seattle couldn't beat the offside trap, and were whistled nine times for the infringement, including one in the 15th minute that negated a Steve Zakuani goal. Neither side was able to find the back of the net in what turned into a 0-0 draw.

KANSAS CITY RETURN HOME WITH A WIN

The Wizards returned back home today after a few weeks of training in Arizona. They closed out the time with a 4-0 win over the Arizona Sahuaros and Grand Canyon University. The game was called early in the second half due to a torrential down pour. Rookie Teal Bunbury was back in the lineup after suffering an ankle injury earlier in training camp, getting on the scoreboard in the first half.

COLORADO, SAN JOSE ADJUST TO LIFE IN ENGLAND

Two MLS clubs are spending the next week of preseason over in England. San Jose arrived late last week and is enjoying the hospitality of Tottenham — San Jose beat West Ham reserves 2-0 this morning, and will also play Tottenham's reserves Wednesday before facing Colorado Rapids Friday.

Meanwhile, Colorado recently left for England and will train at Arsenal's facilities before taking on the Arsenal reserves Tuesday and San Jose later in the week.

UNITED WELCOMES TRIALISTS IN MEXICO

D.C. United is another club that left the shores of the U.S. for a training stint — joining the list of clubs who have spent time in Mexico prior to the start of the 2010 season. Three new trialists are also in camp, with former Fire defender Daniel Woolard looking to catch on with a club still in need of defensive reinforcements.

PHILADELPHIA PREPARES FOR TAMPA

The third and final leg of Philadelphia's preseason will take the club to Tampa, Florida Thursday of this week. As the countdown to the Union's first-ever game dwindle, the newest MLS side will take on another league side for the first time when they face FC Dallas Sunday.

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What do you think of the latest MLS preseason developments? How will San Jose and Colorado fair in England?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. But I thought Seattle was the dominant team making all the right moves???

    BTW, Chicago has a bunch of old guys up top and some mediocre guys in the middle. You’re going 10-10-10 this year, but at least your mom will be serving you Kilbasa in your basement room while you stare lovingly at your Nowak poster from ’98.

    Now get over your fat, unemployed self.

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  2. My Fire have a team that could be explosive if everything gels right. Not to mention a surprise return of Blanco after the cup which is very possible. We are becoming a mainstay at the top of the league, our franchise always seems to make great moves that keeps us as a contender.

    Fire til I die!

    FC TORONTO CAN SUCK IT!

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  3. laughable. comparing qwest to literally falling apart saprissa? that is the dumbest thing i’ve ever seen on a comments thread. and i’ve been to the timbers amry webpage (snap!).

    seriously though, you’re ridiculous.

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  4. Please. MLS is set up so that no one team can be dominant. In a few years, you’ll be used to the mediocrity and you’ll be sitting in your mom’s basement listening to the Sonics’ “Real Boss Hoss.” (Not a knock on the Sonics, btw)

    I love Seattle. It’s a great city. The fans are twits, though; 2nd only to Toronto fans in overall twithood and childlike view of the game and their team’s place in it. When you’ve been around a few years, you can talk.

    Now, go get Drew Carey something to eat.

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  5. Another match I didn’t see mentioned. The Austin Aztex and Houston Dynamo tied 1-1 yesterday in a pre-season game in Houston. There is another game between the 2 hosted in Austin next week.

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  6. Let’s see if you adopt a different tone when the Sounders win and continue to do so over the next decade. You don’t have to like Seattle, it’s understandable… but you choose to hold a grudge against an outfit that is committed to winning silverware.

    Go cry in your warm beer timber Jim

    Oh2Be Sounders!!!!!

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  7. I got a chance to go to the FC Dallas-Chicago Fire match and I had a really good look at these teams. First, I predict FC Dallas will give up a ton of goals this year. Their back line was incredibly porous. Interestingly, they started Heath Pearce at R back. Pearce is about all they have in defense. Daniel Hernandez (I thought he was playing in the Mexican league…) performs the distribution duties from the back, for the most part. Dax was his usual frenetic self.

    For the most part, Collins John was pretty lazy until the ball came his way. He left the game grabbing at his “groin muscle” and I am wondering if he will be fit for opening day. Brian McBride was a no show for this match. Overall, Chicago’s most active player was Julio Martinez who appears to be one of Carlos De Los Cobos favorites. I think Julio will do well in MLS.

    Man, I forsee yet another year of mediocrity for FC Dallas. How long can Schellas Hyndman last?

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  8. Your right Fischy. I’m sorry it was bigger actually. From Wiki:

    Copa Interamericana (English: Interamerican Cup) was a football trophy contested between the champions of CONMEBOL’s Copa Libertadores de América (South America) and the winners of CONCACAF’s Champions’ Cup (North America, Central America and the Caribbean). The competition was played irregularly, and has been discontinued since CONCACAF teams have started to take part in CONMEBOL competitions.

    1998 was the last one with United the last champs of the tourney.

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  9. There is no equivalent to the Copa Libertadores –which is the South American championship, though they do invite some Northern sides. The InterAmerican Cup was different.

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  10. I agree that Seattle will draw but I doubt they would get over 20k for a mid week draw vs a Caribbean or Central American side and that would make Qwest feel really empty.

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  11. Yeah. DC actually won the equivalent of the Copa Libertores in 1998 by beating Toluca in CONCACAF then Brazilian side, Vasco Da Gama in a 2 leg series to win the InterAmerican Cup 2-1.

    That sucks neither team got to go. I think it re-started the season after LA qualified.

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  12. That is funny. At first I thought you were some outta towner ripping on a stadium he had never attended.

    Then I realized you were making fun of those people.

    See you Thursday. Allen’s House of Turf is gonna rock!

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  13. Starfire is fine, it is where they practice, turf of course, but just very minor league for its size. Seattle will draw big for those games too.

    Maybe the Sounders upgrade it, they probably should, they have a little bit of money.

    Thanks for the reminder on the game. Not often I would root for the Crew.

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  14. Seattle fans think they invented the game & are model fans of the model franchise.

    Let’s see how much enthusiasm they have in 15 years if their team is a bust after their admittedly good first season.

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  15. I agree with your statement about commitment Charles but I like what Seattle is doing for those games.

    As a fan of United I have seen first hand how bad the turnout for those mid week games can be and while I’m sure Seattle would have gotten a much higher number in the stands. Wouldn’t you rather have demand for those 3000 tickets and sold out versus 10-12k in a 60k stadium. You will also see that fans will complain about the club not being committed running out reserve players for those matches but a club can only handle so much fixture congestion and can’t play the same 11-15 players every 3 days or guys will start getting injured especially the veterans.

    I know you follow European leagues so you know that those teams play mixture of starters and reserves for those early round games in the their countries tournaments.

    It is ashamed about CCL because it is a cool tournament with a great reward but teams don’t seem to see the value just yet or have the resources to deal with it. There were several fans last season that got mad at United when they saw almost 18k turn out for our Open cup final vs Seattle partly because the team promoted it so well but then only have 3-5k for the CCL. In my personal opinion I believe the lack of atmosphere effects the team play as well so I think it is good what Seattle is doing. I hope you guys can make it out of the group stage then plays in the quarters next spring at Qwest and really hype it up like Montreal did last season and got a good result vs Santos at home.

    I saw your Open Cup semi at Tuwilla and the atmosphere looked fantastic. United does something similar when they play away from RFK at a smaller complex for their early round games and it is a small but great atmosphere vs playing in RFK with a small crowd like for the CCL games.

    And the rough traffic congestion is similar at our small complex. It sucks but it’s only a few times a season.

    Here’s hoping that Columbus represents in Leg 1 of their quarterfinal match up tomorrow night.

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  16. “have the best soccer stadium in the world”

    What???

    You mean Allen’s House of Turf?
    It is a contender for worst CONCACAF stadium, rivaling Saprissa in CRC.

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  17. The MLS teams commitment just doesn’t seem to be there.

    Seattle when they were founded said they were committed to winning the Club World Cup. Now they are in CCL, they decided to hold the games in a stadium that holds 3,000 people, is 4 miles from my house and still takes 1/2 hour to get home from.

    IF you are really committed to winning it and have the best soccer stadium in the world, don’t you hold the games there ?

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  18. Nice to see MLS training in different countries – England, Spain, Mexico, etc… The exposure for the league should result in more respect for players coming through MLS. Now if we could just get a team to the World Club Championships….

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  19. It would be nice to see a Collins John announcement soon. If he stays motivated and McBride stays healthy that will be one of the best ever MLS front lines.

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  20. Re: Philly/FCD match. Sadly, the usually beautify turf at the University of Tampa, took quite hit with the colder than normal winter that Tampa had. (no, not the snow of the NE…but cold).

    Watched a game there Saturday night (Rowdies vs. University of Tampa) and the pitch didn’t help. Bumpy an thin.

    I’ll still be at the UNion match though.

    Reply

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