Sporting Kansas City: MLS Cup justified by penalties

Penalties have been called anti-football many times in the past. But it just so happens that once in a while the luck inherent in a penalty shootout goes the right way. That is what happened yesterday when Sporting Kansas City won the MLS Cup from the PK spot.

This was a justified win. Justified because the team was consistent throughout the season. Because the ownership has taking incredible strides in recent years with its new stadium, fan base and player development. It is a justified win for Peter Vermes, the first person to win an MLS Cup as a payer and as a coach.

MLS is building its tradition and doing so in small steps sometimes and in giant leaps in others. With KC you can make a claim for both. The team exited the cavernous realm of Arrowhead stadium only to be confined by the Community America Ballpark--a venue that held less than 12,000 spectators. But now they have Sporting Park and fill the stands frequently.

It doesn't stop there. Sporting KC has provided two of the more instrumental and versatile players in the national team player pool: Matt Besler and Graham Zusi. Without Besler the tie in Mexio was unlikely. Without Zusi Donovan's absence would have been far more significant and Mexico might have missed out on the World Cup.

Kansas City proved to be a complete team. They were consistent in the playoffs and throughout the season. They also had unexpected help in an Aurelien Collin that came through when the team needed a player--any player--to step up. From "old man" Jimmy Nielsen's timely saves, to Besler's buildup from the back, to Zusi's darting runs and Sapong's return to form, this was the team Real Salt Lake hoped it wouldn't encounter.

The magic of the 2013 Portland Timbers

As the game drew to a close last night at Jeld-Wen Field, there was an underwhelming feeling spreading through the stands in the stadium and the city and around the country for all the Timbers faithful. Real Salt Lake had won by 1-0 thanks to a Robbie Findley goal, bringing the aggregate score to 5-2 and eliminating Portland.

But the chanting went on and happy faces remained, for Portland had just achieved one of the most amazing one-season turnarounds in the league's history. Last season the team was losing matches left and right and goal scoring was so deplorable that the DP was benched and struggling Danny Mwanga was acquired from Philadelphia. This year the team lost a total of 6 matches at home and had an incredible unbeaten streak for much of the season.

The real change for Portland came through the addition of their coach: Caleb Porter. The former Akron coach was known for his attractive attacking style and great interpersonal skills with his pupils. It worked. Portland was fun to watch and hard to beat.

The addition of Diego Valeri and Will Johnson changed the shape and the direction of the team on the pitch and brought attacking and defending qualities that had lacked all through the first two seasons of the Timbers. Most importantly, however, was that Valeri helped Darlington Nagbe come close to reaching his potential as a bona fide MLS star.

Perhaps the greatest victory for the team this year came just a few weeks ago against none other than the Seattle Sounders. And better yet, this happened in the playoffs in a home-and-home series that saw Portland win both games convincingly. It was this, perhaps, that made most of us believe the team might go all the way.

Caleb Porter instituted a fluid form of attack with the ability to quickly shift all resources to defense, a total football approach championed by the Dutch in the 1970s and 1980s and adopted by many coaches throughout the world. He brought back Danso to the center back position and acquired Kah as his partner. Together with a repositioned Jewsburry at right back and Michael Harrington on the left and Porter had a key to fluidity and athleticism necessary for his total football scheme.

Portland is a young team. Only 3 years in the league. It is this fact which separates it from squads like Real Salt Lake. For all the magic and talent, there is little in the way of backup. Alhassan and Zemanski can only do so much and Ryan Johnson and Piquione and Urruti are not reliable strikers. In contrast, Salt Lake  has Sandoval and Velasquez and Plata.

Next season these holes will likely be filled and Portland might become an even stronger team. But Today we thank the Timbers for a wonderful season full of memories and goals and firsts and for going into Seattle and grabbing the win when it counted. We don't need the Dempseys and Martins and Eddie Johnsons of the footballing world to be great. Then again, what if we did add one or two marquee players to the team? 

Timbers and RSL rise in the West and reach conference final

The moment the referee called a penalty for the Timbers at Jeld-Wen field midway through the first half of the conference semifinal versus Seattle, you knew this game would be fun to watch. And also not into overtime like the other playoff games. For Salt Lake the moment came when the diminutive, 5'5" Sebastian Velasquez was left alone for a header that tied the global score.

The results now pit RSL and the Portland Timbers in a somewhat unprecedented Western Conference final with two of the youngest coaches in the league in Caleb Porter and Jason Kreis. Beating the establishment figures of Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid speaks volumes for them and for the development of American soccer coaches.

Salt Lake imposed their game on the Galaxy but it was more the Galaxians' lack of cohesiveness, luck and missing pieces that assured the team would not threepeat in winning the tournament. Perhaps the Magee-Robbie Rogers transfer was the worst decision by Arena and Galaxy management and could arguable have cost them the title.

For Seattle the negatives are a bit more grave. For one, the Dempsey transfer has been a dud since he has only managed to score once in 11 days ever since his record-setting signing from Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League. Martins, Rosales and Johnson bore some of the brunt but still couldn't make it work for a heavy-spending and trophy-hungry fan base that continues to set records in attendance. Clearly, something must be done and Sigi Schmid is in peril. Bob Bradley, anyone?

The Portland Timbers have played their game. Caleb Porter's game. All offense and all defense in a perfect unit. Only five loses during the regular season and the only team to win both legs of the Conference semifinal and that didn't require overtime.

The key to Portland's success is their midfield: Diego Valeri, Will Johnson and Darlington Nagbe. Those three provide the spark and the goals. Chara, Alhassan and Zemaski contain the opposing squad while Kah and Danso outmaneuver attackers down the middle. Jack Jewsbury has found a nice spot for his new location at right back and is making the most of it.

Portland's win versus the Sounders was a tribute to their style. Will Johnson's well-taken penalty started things off right on time and Valeri's masterful goal added to Seattle's agony still in the first half. Danso's header early in the second half after a trademark fast-free kick played well with Caleb Porter. He nodded at the goal without much celebration as if saying "yup, I planned that."

Portland will need to be careful with lazy defending against RSL because Kreis's crew can punish you very fast, as was shown with Velasquez's go-ahead goal last night. DeAndre Yedlin's goal for Seattle, which sparked a 2-goal comeback, could have been averted by better positioning by Ricketts and the defense. Porter will need to fix these errors and prepare for a very difficult task in going to Utah this Sunday. They haven't defeated Salt Lake this season and now might be the time to do it.

Red Bulls elimminated and the craziness of MLS Playoffs

Photo credit: USA Today

 

For some of us, watching games late at night prior to a day full of work can sometimes be unfeasible. And yet, if for whatever reason you are unable to sleep, you can catch up on the #MLSPlayoff action.

First up was New York's latest bid to make it past the first round of the playoffs. Ever since the inception of Red Bull Arena, the Red Bulls have been unable to win in a playoff match. Last year it was Houston that took away their chance at advancing. Might the same happen this year even though the team was the best in league play and won the Supporter's Shield?

Answer, unfortunately, was yes. Whether it was Jamison Olave's absence or lack of clarity in the final touch, New York was unable to break through Tally Hall's masterful performance and Brad Davis's control of the midfield. An overtime clutch goal by Omar Cummings sent Houston to the next round and New York to continue looking for answers and suffer another setback.

Kansas City versus New England Revolution was a different type of match. It was second place versus third place. Establishment versus youth. Solidity versus experiment. New England pressed and made a statement when they tied the game halfway through the second half. It would have been 3-2 aggregate. But Kansas City had other plans.

Sporting KC was the better team yesterday. Better poise. More atmosphere. A Feilhaber, Nagamura, Zusi midfield that knows how to play attacking football. Deadly strikers in Bieler and Sapong. Peter Vermes played his game and delivered a statement win in overtime thanks to a sublime Bieler strike.

It was Graham Zusi's masterful runs along the flanks and Feilhaber's pinpoint passes that makes the difference for Kansas City. It is a team built around a great, hard working and underrated midfield. Kansas City also has an intimidating stadium that they have to learn to use to their advantage. Another shock loss to Houston like last year's would undo another great campaign just as it did for New York.

The playoffs highlight some of what opponents always argue against: unfair advantage to lower-seeded teams. Any slip-up can mean elimination, no matter how good your squad is. In the end, it is an American institution and for the rest of us the Supporter's Shield remains the true championship trophy and the MLS Cup might remain a cup competition a-la FA Cup. Then again, this counts as the star emblazoned above each team's jersey logo.

Will there be more surprises tonight? Salt Lake and Portland sure hope not. Portland needs to be more cautious in their approach and should try to score as many goals as possible and as early as they can. Seattle will not and cannot back down. Jeld-Wen could make the difference, as could Rio Tinto for RSL. Salt Lake needs to win by two goals while the Galaxy just need a tie. For Portland a tie will also do but being at home gives them a chance to make a statement just like KC did.

Parity rules in 2013 MLS playoff race

One look at the table(s) in MLS standings and you come away with a peculiar observation: at any time in the past month any one of 5 to 6 teams in each conference could have won their group and at least 6 overall teams could have won the Supporter's Shield. That's  how small the margin of error is for each team in the league.

Alexi Lalas once put it this way: MLS is the most competitive league in the world. Now while those are very big words and 99.9% of the soccer world would disagree, there is a thread of truth to his claim. Unlike most European nations, not much is settled in terms of championship this late in the season. In England, Spain and Italy usually the championship is already spoken for a month in advance or is between only two or three teams with two months to go. In Spain, for instance, the choices are Barcelona or Real Madrid--always.

How does MLS do this? First, salary cap. The league contains how much each team can spend, with the only loophole being the "Designated Player" or "Beckham Rule." It has worked, for the most part, to buoy the attendance figures and increase quality in players. If it really affected who wins the league then we wouldn't be talking about Salt Lake winning in 2009 and Colorado in 2010.

The second is continuity in coaching. Most teams refrain from sacking their managers even when times are tough. Such is the case for coaches like Sigi Shmid (Seattle), Schellas Hyndman (Dallas), Ben Olsen (DC), Frank Klopas (Chicago) and even Bruce Arena when LA failed to win in 2009 and 2010 even though they were arguably the best team in the league.

This year the contest comes down to the big-spending LA and New York, new big-spenders Seattle, and more blue collar teams like Kansas City, Salt Lake and Portland. The Timbers, in particular, have lost only 5 games and yet they have not clinched the Supporter's Shield because they were tied at home to Real Salt Lake. The Galaxy have also not won key matches and now are out of the running for winning the Shield. 

Another fact remains: clubs like Colorado, Montreal, Chicago and New England could still win the MLS Cup by virtue of the playoff system. Such was the case with Real Salt Lake in 2009. What's to say this can't happen again.

There are two key components to the parity in the league: the Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup. Most critics of the American playoff setup would find it sacrilege to allow lower-seeded teams to win the league. But to those of us that understand the game and understand what the Shield stands for then this argument does not hold up. The Shield is the league and the Cup is another type of tournament, e.g. FA Cup in England. This may not be as apparent in the way the tournament is marketed but it is another trophy and a ticket to the Champions League.

So there you have it. Right now, Salt Lake, Portland, New York or Kansas City can win the league and any one of ten teams that advance to the playoffs can win the Cup. How's that for parity?

No Beckerman: RSL loses in CCL final

Photo credit: Kansas City Star

Real Salt Lake lost tonight's Concacaf Champions League final in a spectacular thud. Monterrey didn't overrun them. RSL had a 2-2 tie away-goal advantage and couldn't keep the Mexicans off the score sheet. They also failed to score on numerous chances. Tough luck for the team, the league and the soccer nation.

Monterrey simply attacked with their most potent weapon--Humberto Suazo--and got the goal they needed. Real Salt Lake lacked inventiveness within the box itself. Numerous times we saw Saborio, Morales, Wingert, Williams and Espindola just not getting that final shot. The ball landed in the area but they didn't have a clean shot. Good defending? Perhaps.

And then there's one very obvious fact: no Kyle Beckerman. The RSL captain and US international was suspended due to yellow card accumulation (that yellow, incidentally was wholly unwarranted). He is a leader in the midfield and a player counted on to disarm the opponent's attack. Real Salt Lake may be a deep squad, but it's obvious that Beckerman wasn't easily replaced. Not by a long shot. Suazo and Ayovi cut through the Claret and Cobalt's mid line without mercy for much of the match. RSL was left to chase the game for most of the second half.

It was a crude, cruel, rude awakening for MLS fans. This wasn't going to be their year. Not yet. Not so even though the pieces were clearly laid out for the league to acquire its first continental cup in the modern era (for LA and DC wins and why they don't compare click here). Jason Kreis was going to be the messiah for the league, the coach that finally brought the cup home. Real Salt Lake would be the breakthrough squad. International spotlight would be on the league, and this time for soccer reasons.

But that's how it works in sports. Not even mighty Real Madrid could thwart Messi and Barcelona, not even at home at the Bernabeu in the UEFA Champions League. Why should Salt Lake be any different? It's time to pick up the pieces and get ready for the next tournament. MLS did a good job with incentives to win this tournament, and general support was impressive.

So thank you, Real Salt Lake. Your team and your fans make us proud of our league. In victory and in defeat, American soccer fans stand behind you.

RSL is MLS

Photo credit: Brian Nicholson, Desert News

Real Salt Lake took the first step into uncharted territory: championship of the Concacaf Champions League. They did so by tying 2-2 against a powerhouse of the western hemisphere: Monterrey. Monterrey includes players like De Nigris (Mexico), Neri Cardozo (Argentina), Walter Ayovi (Ecuador) and world-renowned Humberto Suazo (Chile). Real Salt Lake fought back twice on the scoreboard to level the game at a packed Estadio Tecnologico.

It was the play by Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave and Nick Rimando which anchored the Real Salt Lake defense. In the midfield, captain Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales built and distributed plays. Espindola and Saborio had frustrating nights, as they were continuously shut down by the Monterrey defense. This, however, allowed for players like Borchers and Morales to create chances that developed into goals.

Jason Kreis played his cards well tonight. He maintained a good defensive posture that allowed for his midfield to spark into action when his attackers were marked. Two wonderful goals gave the team, the city and the league reason to believe that silverware is possible next week. RSL carries a two away-goal advantage into Rio Tinto Stadium (where they are undefeated in 36 games). A win in the next game or a 0-0 or 1-1 tie means RSL takes the title, MLS and its fans are behind you, RSL. You are MLS.

#MLS4RSL

Class of MLS: Real Salt Lake advances to Concacaf final

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Real Salt Lake made history tonight by reaching the final of the Concacaf Champions League. They were the first MLS team to advance to the semifinal and have now taken the next step after defeating Saprissa of Costa Rica. It is truly an accomplishment for both the team and the league. It can be argued that the level of play in MLS has risen to new heights with player development, expansion and the influx of top players.

A couple of things need to be acknowledged, however. This isn't the first time an MLS squad reaches or wins a continental tournament. DC United first won in the tournament's previous incarnation, the Concacaf Champions Cup, in 1998. This was followed by the LA Galaxy in 2000. So, it's not technically a first but more of a renaissance of American soccer. Remember, however, that those teams still practiced the archaic MLS style of countdown clocks and shoot-outs.

If there is another important point to make about the current level of play of Concacaf and the MLS, then we have to turn to the Mexican Primera. Theirs is a premier league and the best in the Americas along with the Brazilian and Argentinean leagues. Mexico is a heavy importer of talent from South America and they have also become decent exporters of players, i.e. Javier Hernandez, Rafael Marquez, Carlos Salcido. They are also heavily involved in the South American Copa Libertadores. That alone raises the expectations and quality of the league.

This is where the competition gets truly special for Real Salt Lake and MLS. Can it top a premier soccer team from Mexico? Can MLS live up to the level the national team has played in for the past decade?

The Concacaf Champions League is fun to watch just because so many more teams are in action and more of MLS is exposed abroad. It's curious perhaps, that it was expanded from the 8-team Champions Cup to the format it's in today mainly because it coincided with the arrival of Beckham and the Designated Player Rule. Coincidence? Why not spread the wealth of marquee international players for all of North and Central America and the Caribbean to enjoy. MLS is unique in the Americas in its import of global talent. It's time, perhaps, to see this reflected on the pitch by winning a continental tournament.

MLS 2011

In my last post, I recounted the experience at the MLS First Kick 2011 opening match between the Seattle Sounders and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Last year I was also fortunate to watch the Colorado Rapids' home opener in April 2010. Perhaps next year I can experience another home opener. And that's what brings me to today's post: a look ahead at MLS in 2011 and what the league has to offer.

Little did I know in 2010 that the Rapids I watched from the Dick's Sporting Goods Park stands would be the eventual MLS champions. This was over the resilient, steady FC Dallas in a 2-1 finally that went into overtime. This was after FC Dallas had dispatched heavily-favored LA Galaxy by 3-0 and semifinalists San Jose Earthquakes had humbled Henry and Marquez's New York Red Bulls. This season, the Galaxy and the Red Bulls are once again heavily favored due to their considerable pedigree and depth. Real Salt Lake is also quite deep and swelling with talent. The same can be said about the Seattle Sounders, although their finishing needs to improve.

There are also teams in rebuilding mode and others that are, at least in paper, good enough to challenge for silverware. Such is the case with the four-time champion DC United. The club boasts not only Andy Najar (18, 2010 Rookie of the Year), but also newly acquired Dax McCarty, impressive rookie Perry Kitchen, veterans Josh Wolff and Joseph Ngwenya, but also the resurgent Charlie Davies. Clearly a team to watch.

The re-branded and remodeled Sporting Kansas City is coming to the fold with US international Teal Bunbury and Mexican star Omar Bravo. Salt Lake upgraded Saborio to Designated Player (DP) status and has kept its core of players, becoming deeper and more stable. Such is also the case with the Earthquakes, who are hoping Ike Opara can return to form and Wondolowski can continue to impress. New York has Agudelo to build around Henry at forward and Marquez in the back line alongside Tim Ream. Also in the mix are Tchani, John Rooney, Lindpere and Dane Richards. LA may have lost Edson Buddle, but have gained Juan Pablo Angel--how's that for a triple whammy with Donovan and Beckham?

Also on the upswing is the Houston Dynamo. Rookies Kofi Sarkodie and Will Bruin complement Brian Ching and a solidified back line with Hunter Freeman as a new addition. The New England Revolution, Chicago Fire, Toronto FC and Columbus Crew are at a crossroads right now, in a continuously difficult rebuilding process. This was evident in RSL's demolishing of the Crew in Concachampions play. Toronto has much to prove after years of impressive fan base but not enough on the pitch.

Seattle and Philadelphia, recent additions to the league, are going through different growing pains. Seattle is still looking for a stabilizer in its back line and a creative force in the attack. Losing Nkufo and Ljundberg have hampered its ability to finish their chances (clear evidence of this occurred in Tuesday's match). Piotr Nowvak has yet to find a winning form for his Philadelphia Union. The sophomore year for this franchise should be an interesting one now that players like Orozco and Fred have left and Faryd Mondragon and Carlos Ruiz have taken their place.

Not to be outdone, not by a long shot, are the two newcomers: Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps. True to their USL and NASL roots, the Cascadia teams have taken similar, yet uniquely distinct paths to the MLS. Portland boasts impressive rookies like 2nd overall Darlington Nagbe, with experience national team players Kenny Cooper (striker) and Perkins (goalkeeper). Vancouver went for the biggest longshot in league history by snatching 17-year-old Omar Salgado as the number 1 pick and the fullback--and World Cup star--Jay DeMerrit. Portland has a stocked offense. Vancouver is still building theirs, with Salgado months away from being allowed on the pitch given FIFA rules (American with a Canadian team).

So tomorrow as some of us watch intently the NCAA brackets unfold and others catch the early European games, a new chapter will be played out in MLS history. The 2011 season is upon us and the league is 18-team strong and 16 years old. Stars will rise and fall but one thing is clear... American soccer is here to stay. Enjoy the games.

Photo credits MLS

Adu: Is Freddy ready for MLS?

Is Freddy Adu good enough for Europe? Could the once-prodigy USA star be headed back home? After failing to impress at Portuguese giant, Benfica, in 2007, the Ghana-born midfielder/forward was loaned out for two consecutive seasons and three different clubs. Not the best case scenario for the "next Pele." Was it too much hype too early in his career? Did he try to leave home too early? It's likely we won't know the answers to these questions any time soon. We can, however, make some educated guesses about his future and perhaps analyze his stunted growth as a player.

Adu was born in Tema, Ghana, before emigrating to the United States when he was just eight years old. He became a citizen in 2003. Oddly enough, this was the same year he signed a contract with MLS and became available for the US national team. Adu opted to play for DCU at the age of 14 and MLS began its trial of experiments to capture American audiences; one that ultimately culminated in the signing of David Beckham and the advent of the Designated Player rule.

Should he have joined the league so young? We will never know. Piotr Nowak was always apprehensive about using him in his lineup, even if team and league officials as well as myriad sponsors clamored for the teenager to be on the pitch. Even Pele wasn't officially a player until the age of 16.

Adu was traded to Real Salt Lake in a move that I feel recognized the youngster's shortcomings as a player. If he had remained a star, DC would never have cut ties with him. Adu impressed as a US international, however, and a good showing at the 2007 U-20 World Cup (with Altidore, incidentally) catapulted him to Benfica of Portugal for a $2 million fee. There was little playing time, however (11 appearances) and he managed to score just twice. Loans to Monaco (2008-2009), Belenenses (2009) and Aris of Greece (2010) also failed to grant him playing time, although the latter did offer more chances and scoring opportunities.

I admit that by the end of the 2010 season, things were starting to click for Adu. His mood was right, the playing time was there, he was scoring and the fans were behind him. Not enough for South Africa. Not with the likes of Holden, Feilhaber, Torres, slightly higher in the pecking order. We have to attribute this to consistent lack of playing time for at least 3 years (a whole World Cup cycle). Europe was clearly not the best option for it.

Now comes word that Swiss club Sion has passed on the American and Adu is left without a team and under contract at Benfica. Will the club waive him? Where will Adu turn next? Another European club ready to take a gamble on an unfinished product? Could Freddy come back to MLS?

There was another youngster that impressed with the national team youth and senior system: Landon Donovan. Yes, the Galaxy man started his career with Bayer Leverkusen of the German Bundesliga. After just 7 games with the German team, it was clear that Donovan was not ready for Europe. He returned triumphantly to MLS and won the domestic tournament with San Jose and the Galaxy. Flash-forward 8 years later and Donovan is synonimous with US soccer and the general media in the US. It is possibly a fate that Adu could mirror, were he to return to the United States and rekindle his football.

Many American soccer critics [see Fox Soccer, ESPN Soccernet, etc.] are adamant about Adu being one of the best prospects US soccer has to offer. He just needs some stabilization, they argue.

USA is in dire need of a true #10 that can pick up where Donovan leaves off (assuming Donovan will still play in 2014). It happened with Reyna before when Donovan took the job. Adu is a playmaker that can score. He is also not afraid to run at defenses instead of speeding around them (like Donovan). A few years of solid MLS first-team action may just do the trick.

We here at the FutbolUSA desk wish the best for this 21-year old. It brought attention back to the league in 2004. We are all older and wiser about the game nowadays. It's time to play at home, to play with the best of this country, to build a better team USA. We are waiting for you, Freddy. We are ready.

MLS 2010 Attendance stats week 3

Welcome to the Union...actually, more like "Welcome, Union." Watch out, Seattle... another team is selling out 35,000 seats for an MLS match. Well, that is until June, when the Philadelphia Union will move out of Lincoln Financial Field and into their brand new PPL Park in Chester, PA. Their soccer-specific stadium holds 18,500, but that's okay, because it's better to have a full soccer park than to play in a cavernous American football stadium (New England) or a shared baseball field (Kansas City). PS: KC will get their own stadium so this is temporary and better than Arrowhead.

Back to the stats. MLS and their new website has made it harder to get actual attendance numbers, but I was able to find them through other sources. The East is the big winner this week thanks to Philly. Dallas disappointed once more but at least came out of the 4-digits. RSL and Chicago opened at home with sold-out stadiums (20K each). Relative to last year, New England, Columbus and San Jose show losses but we can expect this to change as more games are played. TFC has yet to open at home this season. They will open on Thursday. Enjoy the figures (right column).

MLS Cup 2009: When Antifutbol wins tournaments

If you are a fan of MLS, then you fall in two categories: either you were going for LA and Beckham and Donovan and greater respect for the league when the "superclub" wins it all.... or you hate MLS's direction (Beckham included) and you wanted the Cinderella team to win it all. Yesterday it was Jason Kreis' team that won the battle, but they won it by chance and by the psychology of penalties and the well-poised Rimando.

It is antifutbol, yes. This word has been coined in Latin American soccer media through the years as a way to describe overly defensive teams and penalty kick decisions. When given a chance, any psychologically motivated goalkeeper is tough to contend with. After riding high on last week's win versus Chicago, Nick Rimando was as sure of himself as Goycochea was for Argentina in 1990. It would require more power and placement than Galaxy players could. Landon Donovan, always so sure on penalties, was not to be undone by Rimando. And he wasn't. Instead, his first penalty miss in quite a while went over the bar.

It is also true that although they may have felt an edge as favorites, the Galaxy star players looked tired and injured. Such was the case of Beckham, who disappeared late in the game, and Ricketts, whose injury aided in RSL's equalizer.

And then there's Real Salt Lake. A blue collar team, grassroots from its inception and full of young, hard-working talent. Jason Kreis may have been the apprentice compared with Arena, but he has now become the master. Out was Morales early in the game and constant was the pressure from the Galaxy attack. Movsisyan, Beckerman and Findley probed a fragile Galaxy defense often and hard... especially in the extra time. They held their ground, forced the tie, and eventually lifted the trophy.

The penalties were just what they are supposed to be: a game of chance and psychology, the epitome of antifutbol. Salt Lake City now has a bona fide champion, a beautiful cathedral of a stadium and a fan base that isn't going away, not after yesterday. Maybe a designated player looms in the horizon--Blanco, I'm looking in your direction. For the Galaxy, it's back to square one, back to solidifying their defense, back to re-sign Donovan or search for another star to feed of Beckham, back to asking themselves if they really can become a superclub.

Prelude to MLS Cup 2009

The MLS season has built up to this day. It is LA versus Real Salt Lake. The dream final of Chicago - LA didn't happen thanks to Nick Rimando's penalty kicks heroics, but Beckham and Donovan highlight a rebuilt, refurbished and focused Galaxy team under the direction of Bruce Arena.

MLSers out there had been waiting for this game ever since the English ace first signed with the league in 2007. Maybe what he and the team needed was to be away from all the hoopla and to focus on the games, how to win them, and how to play defensive soccer while at the same time highlighting the magic of its offense.

Things are different for the Salt Lake City team. On their 5th anniversary, with a stable, workman style crew, Jason Kreis is hoping for a Cinderella story that will propel them to the top of the league. Robbie Findley and Kyle Beckerman highlight the team's attacking style. They were lethal at home but terrible on the road. But they found a way to win outside of Rio Tinto Stadium at just the right time--the playoffs.

There are plenty of European-minded soccer fans in this great country that greatly dislike playoffs and a single "final." But keep in mind that this isn't necessarily the case in plenty of other countries in the Western Hemisphere. Mexico, for example, also has a "liguilla" that is in playoff format (they are currently in their quarterfinal stage). MLS is now 14 years old and has morphed into a bona fide talent developing institution (Howard, Altidore, Donovan, Dempsey). Tonight's game will be just what the league needed: An awesome, star-studded team (LA Galaxy) against a Cinderella (Real Salt Lake), all against the backdrop of the best atmosphere in the league--Seattle. The Sounders broke all sorts of records in their debut season, and although they aren't in the final, their fans sure are and the city has welcomed soccer fanatics from all points in the nation.

Cheers, Seattle. Thank you, Salt Lake and Galaxy. Let's have a great match and may the best team on the field win.

The MLS playoff bug: Salt Lake topples Columbus

Today Real Salt Lake, MLS playoff wild card, beat the reining champs Columbus Crew by the score of 3-2, with a 4-2 aggregate after winning at home last week. Was it a fluke? Hardly. Do they deserve it? Yes. Does Columbus deserve not to win again? Not really.

There are many haters of the playoff system and its contrast against European-style leagues. Other leagues in this same continent have playoff or "liguilla" formats as well, Mexico being one of them. In Europe, in the big leagues, the champions are decided by total points accrued during the season. In MLS, point totals positions you in the standings and sets up the playoffs. Eight of the fifteen teams in the league proceed to the playoffs. Home-and-away series for the quarterfinals, decided by eastern and western conference. A single game semifinal with the higher seeded team as host... and the MLS cup at a "neutral" location--this time in Seattle.

There is, however, a title for the highest amount of points in the regular season--the Supporter's Shield. It doesn't get the attention it deserves but it counts as a trophy and earns passage to the Concachampions (Champs League in Concacaf). In Europe, we could call this the league title, with the playoff being more of a cup like the Copa del Rey in Spain and the FA Cup in England. We shouldn't forget the US Open Cup that more closely mirrors the FA or League Cup in England where most amateur-to-professional teams all vie for the same trophy. In the US, USL leagues and other American small teams are allowed to compete against each other and against MLS.

In the end, Americans love their playoffs. It's part of the sports atmosphere in this great country. It's the legacy of years of media coverage and sponsorship deals and consumerism. Soccer may be a different beast in some aspects but in the end it is nothing but a sport... and you can attach playoffs to any sport. Case in point, the ultimate soccer tournament... the World Cup.

When a league is as competitive as the MLS, mostly thanks to the salary cap, any team that enters the playoffs has a shot. There are no seven game series here. You have to bring your game to the 180 minutes (or 90 minutes for single games). Robert Warzycha chose not to play 2008 MLS Cup MVP Guillermo Barros Schellotto in the game at Salt Lake. The Argentine virtuoso did score today, twice, but the final tally was 3-2 in favor of RSL. We will question his wisdom in subtracting him from the squad in the first game... and it will haunt him.

This is MLS. These are the MLS playoffs, love them or hate them. Last year, lowly New York defeated then-champs Houston to advance to an improbable final. Who's to say that can't happen again? RSL is capable of taking down both New England and Chicago, with the former being a more likely win. It should be fun to watch. At this point, everyone should take this tournament as it is... a cup... and this always means that, in the end, all bets are off.

MLS 2009 Attendance stats weeks 12 & 13

Two weeks in one update... International dates are gaining momentum and attention these days. Lately RSL has somehow come back to have two near sellouts in their home showings. Not bad. Right now I'm watching a very discrete game between Dallas and San Jose at the Pizza Hut Park. Empty seats abound.

Looking back to a difference between current attendance average figures against the final figures on 2007. It's basically the same pattern as 2009-2008 difference except for Chivas, which has gained momentum recently both on and off the pitch. A nice turn of events, no?

MLS 2009 Attendance stats week 3

Attendance has been poor so far this season (week 3). So where did everybody go? Away with Becks to Milan? Seattle and Toronto? To claim their stimulus check? Call it what you want, people are not showing up to games. Maybe it's the weather, March madness, economy or a combination, or is it that we really actually do need Beckham to fill stadiums in MLS--especially those that cater to 18,000 fans or so?

Numbers don't lie so let's explore them a bit. Steve Goff got ahead of me by citing this fact: "MLS is averaging a respectable 14,696 spectators. But if you remove Seattle's 30,536 figure, the league count drops to 13,100." True, but if you take out Toronto (the other sold-out-stadium team), it's 12,878. If that sounds like the typical FC Dallas attendance you're not too far off (12,966 average in 2008).

Other attendance hogs, LA and DCU are lagging far behind their usual score (27K for LAG and 20K for DCU last year in terms of medians). This year DC is looking more like a team from the West at around 14K. LA is barely above 17K. I'm willing to step back and say that it's the economy, the weather and the lack of buzz around most teams in the league. Even that one's a stretch, though. RSL has had many fans this off-season coupled with a brand new Rio Tinto Stadium.

Maybe once the winter blues cease things will be different. I sure hope it is not up to Mr. Goldenballs to decide. Meantime a little comparison between mid-season last year 2008-2007 difference and this week's attendance 2009-2009 difference.




Also, I've had to stretch the 08-09 difference (yellow bar graph) to +-5,000 to keep up with the numbers. Sad, indeed.