29Jul/130
Best and Worst from MLS Week 22: Twerking, Dax McCarty’s Game-Winner and More
Elite footballers put in the work in MLS Week 22. Unfortunately, Steven Lenhart decided to add the "twerk." The Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire ended 90 minutes of play in a deadlock. A 1-1 draw kept both teams separated by five points in the standings. The New England Revolution played their way into the playoff picture with a 2-1 victory over DC United at RFK Stadium. The Seattle Sounders followed suit with a 2-1 victory of their own. But some tough competition kept all six clubs from making the list of best and worst from MLS Week 22. Read on to find out why.Begin Slideshow29Jul/130
Breaking Down the 2013 MLS Supporters’ Shield Race
If there was one thing we learned from the chaotic finishes across Major League Soccer on Saturday, it was that the race for the Supporters' Shield will end up being one of the most riveting in the history of the league. Last season, the San Jose Earthquakes ran away with the title in what was a dream, 66-point season for former manager Frank Yallop and Co. Now that the Earthquakes have faded away considerably, a new Supporters' Shield champion will be named at the end of the 2013 season. As Wednesday's All-Star Game versus Serie A's AS Roma approaches, there are 10 clubs within five points of leaders Real Salt Lake, who have somehow held on at top despite having stars like Alvaro Saborio, Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman away on international duty for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Club Matches Played Points Real Salt Lake 22 37 Sporting Kansas City 22 36 New York Red Bulls 22 35 Montreal Impact 20 35 Philadelphia Union 22 34 Colorado Rapids 23 34 Portland Timbers 21 34 Los Angeles Galaxy 22 33 Vancouver Whitecaps 21 32 FC Dallas 21 32 RSL, who currently sit on 37 points, have had a rocky few weeks without their star players, but once the squad returns to full strength, everyone around the league expects Jason Kreis' club to be firing on all cylinders once again. Sitting just one point behind the leaders at the All-Star ...29Jul/130
Los Angeles Galaxy: 3 Takeaways from 2-0 Loss to Rapids
In a tightly contested Western Conference, the Los Angeles Galaxy are now in fourth place after losing 2-0 to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. With the win, the Rapids are now second in the West but have played 23 games so far, the most in MLS. Just one point ahead of sixth-place FC Dallas, not to mention the game in hand Dallas has, the Galaxy are dangerously close to falling below the playoff line. Without Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan and Robbie Rogers, the Galaxy played one of their worst matches of the season. Here are three takeaways from the lackluster performance.Begin Slideshow28Jul/130
MLS Expansion: Top 20 Cities for the MLS to Go to Next
In May, MLS announced a second franchise in New York. That elicited this article on MLS expansion. It’s likely that MLS will have 24 teams within the next 10 or 15 years. Since then, there has been a lot of water under the bridge. MLS VP Dan Courtemanche said future expansion will be addressed in the near future, via Joe Prince-Wright of NBC's Pro Soccer Talk. It appears we are inching ever closer to a David Beckham-owned, South Florida-based franchise. There have been constant rumors (although they have usually been adamantly denied) that Chivas USA or another MLS team could pull up stakes for greener pastures, via Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives. Following a user request, I have added additional markets, plus additional information on market size and outdoor minor league history, and ranked them this time. Though we may eventually get second franchises in some markets, each is in a market without MLS. This is an update of this article. See also articles on NHL, NFL and NBA expansion. Population figures are for combined statistical areas per the U.S. Census Bureau. Begin Slideshow28Jul/130
MLS Weekend Wrap
If there was one word to describe the action this weekend in Major League Soccer, it would be dramatic. Toronto, Montreal and New York all provided late-match fireworks for their home fans as the Eastern Conference standings tightened up considerably. In the Western Conference, Colorado asserted their playoff intentions at home with a win over the LA Galaxy while San Jose survived a late surge from Portland. Read on for comprehensive recaps of all nine matches played across the league this weekend.Begin Slideshow27Jul/130
L.A. Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids: 3 Players to Watch
The Los Angeles Galaxy will take on the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday in a match where three points means a lot for both teams. The Galaxy are just four points behind Western Conference leader Real Salt Lake in the standings. However, they must overcome their road woes. Losing six of their last seven away games in all competitions, Bruce Arena's squad has a minus-7 goal difference on the road. Colorado currently sits in sixth place in the West, and a win could put them back into playoff position. With a 5-3-3 home record, the Rapids need to make good use of their home-field advantage and get a few points off of L.A. and Real Salt Lake next week. In what should be a low-scoring affair, here are three players to pay special attention to in this crucial matchup between Western Conference foes.Begin Slideshow27Jul/130
Los Angeles Galaxy’s Gyasi Zardes Is Starting to Realize His Potential
In his 10th-consecutive start for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Gyasi Zardes netted his third goal of the season, and it wasn't just any old goal. It was the first goal he's scored using his feet. The equalizer against the Vancouver Whitecaps last Saturday showcased the incredible talent and skill that the 21-year-old possesses. After signing with the Galaxy as a Homegrown player before the season began, expectations were high for the youngster. He was widely considered to be one of the best players coming out of college, and if he had gone through the MLS superdraft, there's no doubt that he would've been picked first overall. Known for his speed and eccentric hairstyle, the young forward has had somewhat of an average season so far. The match against the Whitecaps was his chance to step up and lead the Galaxy attack as both Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan were unavailable to play. Zardes did indeed put his best foot forward and out-shot the entire Vancouver team 6-2. He's done the same to Chivas USA (8-6) and FC Dallas (7-6) this season. Not afraid to shoot, the 21-year-old ranks seventh in the league (minimum 11 appearances) in shots per game with 3.2. Just for some perspective ...26Jul/130
5 Funniest Moments in MLS Caught on Camera
Professional soccer is full of characters. With inflated contracts and equally inflated egos, these guys are never far from the spotlight. Major League Soccer has seen its fair share of personalities, and despite the high-intensity nature of athletic competition, sometimes these players remind us that it is just a game after all. From shocking misses to goal celebrations gone awry, the beautiful game can provide a good laugh every now and then. The following is a collection of the funniest bloopers, fails and moments caught on video in MLS.Begin Slideshow25Jul/130
USMNT: Reviewing the Win over Honduras in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Yesterday's performance against Honduras was about as complete and fun to watch as we've seen from this U.S. Men's National team during the Gold Cup. There was not much to dislike from their overall game, aside from the poor marking on Honduras' lone goal by Nery Medina. However, the U.S. team countered the opposing team's goal with one of their own only a minute later. The quick answer effectively ended the game as Honduras never really created many dangerous chances from then on even, though they did seem to have more of the possession as the game wore down. That quick answer was also a sign that the U.S. did not become too complacent, allowing Honduras a chance to get back in the game. The poor marking on defense was a small hiccup that was immediately rectified with great work from Clarence Goodson, Alejandro Bedoya and Landon Donovan. Speaking of Landon Donovan, his tournament has become more and more spectacular with each passing game as he remains the creative spark and central force that the offense flows through. Another two goals yesterday, along with the beautiful assist to Eddie Johnson, gives Donovan five goals and seven assists for an incredible tally. His composure ...25Jul/130