Soccer FanHouse

Different-Look US Preps for Slovakia Test

Michael Cardillo — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:10:00 EST

Filed under: International Soccer, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

To call 2009 a busy year for the U.S. national team would be an understatement. Even labeling it a marathon wouldn't be quite right. An ultra-marathon might make more sense.

Bob Bradley's team has participated in two tournaments -- the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup -- along with the final round of CONCACAF 2010 World Cup qualification. All told the U.S. has already played 22 matches -- going 13-6-3 -- on two different continents.

The grueling year winds down with a trip to a third continent -- Europe -- when the U.S. places fellow 2010 World Cup qualifier Slovakia in Bratislava. (10 a.m., Fox Soccer)

Saturday's match might be more significant from a U.S. perspective for which players aren't on the field, than who are. All-time leading goal-scorer Landon Donovan will be Stateside following Friday night's Los Angeles Galaxy/Houston Dynamo MLS semifinal, which also ties up Stuart Holden and Brian Ching. By the same token Mexican League players Jose Francisco Torres and Edgar Castillo weren't available for the match.

More concerning for the U.S. are the long-term injuries to forward Charlie Davies and defender Oguchi Onyewu, as both players status for June 2010 in South Africa remain very murky. Also absent will be defender Jay DeMerit, who is recovering from eye surgery.

To top it over, No. 1 keeper Tim Howard was left back in England with Everton, as Bradley looks to give Brad Guzan, Troy Perkins and Marcus Hahnemann looks.

Since the game is a friendly, expect Bradley to make the most of his substitution options.

The two areas to look at are at forward and central defense.

At forward, two players called back from the international wilderness -- Eddie Johnson and Jeff Cunningham -- figure to get extended looks to see if they can fill the void due to the injury to Davies. Both are interesting cases, with Johnson back in the Fulham squad -- although not playing regularly -- looking to regain the momentum from 2005/06 when many U.S. fans figured he'd become the "next big thing" for the team. Cunningham, meanwhile, has toiled away in MLS and was the league's leading goal-scorer this season with 17 at the age of 33. Cunningham can be easily dismissed by many fans, but he does have a nose for goal -- something the U.S. could certainly use.

With the depth at forward thin for the U.S., both players should get ample looks between Saturday and next June to see if they're worthy of inclusion in the final 23-man roster.

At defense it figures to be a very makeshift lineup. Captain Carlos Bocanegra should start in the center, with guys like MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall, Clarence Goodson and Jimmy Conrad getting some time to see if they're ready to step in should Onyewu knee injury prevent him from reaching match fitness by the time of the World Cup.

Even with all the changes, the U.S. still has usual starters Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore in the mix, so the game isn't a total throwaway.

If anything, Saturday's match, coupled with Wednesday's match in Denmark gives Bob Bradley a final chance to look at some players and build on the U.S.'s depth. At the same time he'll likely keep his fingers crossed that nobody called into the squad is felled by injury, which would make 2009 -- an otherwise fine year by the U.S. -- end on a sour note.

Different-Look US Preps for Slovakia Test originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Edgar Castillo Gets First U.S. Call-Up

Michael Cardillo — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

The official U.S. roster hasn't been released yet for the U.S. National Team's upcoming European friendlies against World Cup qualifiers Slovakia and Denmark, but Goal.com is reporting that Edgar Castillo will be selected for the squad by coach Bob Bradley.

Castillo, who has played his entire career in Mexico, originally declared his intentions to play for El Tri despite the fact he was born in New Mexico. A new tweak in the FIFA rules allowed Castillo to switch allegiances since he never appeared for Mexico in an "official match."

The addition of Castillo, 23, is a bit of a boon for the U.S., or at the very least a dose of good news. In the last month the team has lost starters Charlie Davies, Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit to varying injuries.

Castillo, a defender, also gives Bradley another option at the left back position other than the oft-criticized Jonathan Bornstein. In fact, bringing into Castillo for the friendly matches is borderline critical because the only other viable U.S. options at the positions aren't in play. Captain Carlos Bocanegra will be forced into the center of the defense by necessity after a brief flirtation by playing him outside left. Another option -- Heath Pearce -- might not be on the roster since he's seen sporadic playing time since being let go by German club Hansa Rostock before eventually landing at FC Dallas, which didn't make the MLS playoffs.

Many U.S. fans would love to jump to the conclusion that Castillo is the panacea the U.S. has been searching for at the position for years. Of course, in the soccer world, the prospect of the unknown tends to trump the reality of the situation quite often. Until seeing how he fits in the U.S. set-up it's impossible to gauge Castillo's actual potential and worth to the team heading into the World Cup.

The bigger question from Castillo's switch from Mexico to the U.S. is if other American-born players with Mexican or other national roots opt to play for the Stars and Stripes, following the leads of Castillo and Jose Francisco Torres.

As of now, the status of the U.S.'s other international, for lack of a better term, switcher -- Jermaine Jones -- remains unclear as the Schalke 04 midfielder remains on the sidelines until at least December due to a second surgery on his injured ankle. Despite his best intentions, there won't be too many opportunities for Jones to integrate himself into the U.S. team before next June.

For now, Castillo's inclusion for the Nov. 14 match in Slovakia and Dec. 18 match in Denmark add a nice wrinkle into a pair of games -- that unlike the marathon slate played by the U.S. in 2009 -- don't have a whole lot riding on them.

Edgar Castillo Gets First U.S. Call-Up originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jozy Altidore Late for Match, Left Out of Squad for Hull City

Michael Cardillo — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:18:00 EST

Filed under: English Premier League, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

Sort of a weird situation that developed Saturday with U.S. teenage striker Jozy Altidore at his Premier League club team Hull City. Altidore wasn't in the lineup, nor was he even on the bench for the Tigers 0-0 draw with last-place Portsmouth.

Apparently Altidore was late to the KC Stadium and posted an apology on his Twitter page. What's weird, is on his actual page, the apology is no longer posted and the most recent tweet is encouraging Hull fans to make a lot of noise at the game.

All things considered, it's hard to read all that much into the situation. Altidore wouldn't be the first player in the history of professional soccer to be late for a match. It was a little distressing that the 19-year-old, who is fighting for a place in the starting XI, would risk being late and nullify any chance of seeing the field.

However this situation is resolved, Hull manager Phil Brown likely has less faith in Altidore than he previously had. You could say Brown was already a little worried about Altidore considering he brought in former Celtic striker Jan Venegoor of Hesselink near the end of the August transfer window to play up top.

Even with Saturday's draw, Hull City is still in the relegation zone, which probably hurts Altidore's chances to play even more. It's unlikely a club is going to pin its survival hopes on an unproven 19-year-old American. It also makes Altidore's fine debut a couple months ago, when he set up a goal on his first-ever Premier League touch seem like happened a long, long time ago.

Hopefully Altidore learns his lesson from today, whatever actually happened, and it only galvanizes his fight for a spot in the team.

Either way, it's another piece of crummy news for U.S. fans this week to go along with the longer-than-expected time on the shelf for defender Oguchi Onyewu after knee surgery and the ongoing worry over Charlie Davies, who remains hospitalized following his horrific car accident earlier this month.

Jozy Altidore Late for Match, Left Out of Squad for Hull City originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Endless Playoff Possibilities Promise Intriguing MLS Conclusion

Brian Straus — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:14:00 EST

Filed under: MLS, US Soccer

Maurice Edu made news not for playing, but for running across a couple of racist idiots in Glasgow. The Houston Dynamo lost to previously winless and goalless Isidro Metapan on Wednesday night and was eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions League. Oguchi Onyewu had surgery on his torn left patella tendon and will be out an estimated six months--50 percent longer than originally thought.

Thankfully, a lousy week for American soccer is about to get better. On Thursday night, the Chicago Fire will host Chivas USA (8PM ET, ESPN2) in the first of a half-dozen games that will impact the MLS playoff picture. The competition for postseason spots is unprecedented, with seven clubs vying for three berths on the final weekend. We'll save the criticism of the league's ridiculous playoff format for another time, and instead will enjoy the fact that with 14 relatively even-matched teams (and New York), MLS at last has produced a meaningful regular season.

None of the four quarterfinal matchups has been decided and the permutations are practically endless. Four teams (Los Angeles, Houston, Chivas and Seattle) still could finish atop the Western Conference, while Chicago could finish second in the East or miss out on the playoffs altogether. Chivas (13-9-6, 45 points) and Columbus (13-6-10, 49 points) are the only two clubs in contention for the Supporters Shield.

The current standings can be found here, and an admirable attempt by Goal.com to flesh out the various tiebreaking possibilities, some of which involve up to six teams, is here.

So, since there's little point to prognostication, let's take a look at the games and figure out which playoff matchups we think would continue the league's momentum into November and the MLS Cup final, scheduled for Nov. 22 in Seattle. Based on what's currently possible according to the standings and tiebreaker procedures, here's what we'd like to see:

Chivas and Chicago draw on Thursday. On Saturday, Toronto and D.C. United grab wins on the road against already-eliminated New York and Kansas City, while Real Salt Lake takes pleasure in ending rival Colorado's season at Rio Tinto. We'll root for draws in both the Seattle-Dallas and Los Angeles-San Jose games because it helps produce the most intriguing playoff matchups. Those are sealed on Sunday as Houston, sore over its Champions League elimination, beats a tired Chivas at the Home Depot Center to clinch top spot in the West and Columbus wins its second consecutive Supporters Shield with a victory over fading New England.

As a result (we think), American soccer fans will get four very intriguing playoff series.

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Columbus vs. No. 4 D.C. United

Perhaps a visit from the hated Black-and-Red will galvanize a Columbus fan base with so much potential. It would be great to see Crew Stadium full, and the chance to eliminate D.C. (which knocked out the Crew three times in the late 1990s) might generate some excitement. United veterans Ben Olsen and Jaime Moreno deserve another crack at the postseason, but a playoff appearance should not deter club owner Will Chang from instigating the philosophical changes now needed so badly at the capital club.

No. 2 Chicago vs. No. 3 Toronto FC

Toronto's first playoff appearance should generate considerable excitement north of the border, and the midfield matchup between the Reds' Dwayne DeRosario and Amado Guevara and the Fire's Cuahtemoc Blanco would be the postseason's most intriguing. Under the above scenario, Chicago will enter the series winless in seven matches, perhaps setting up MLS's preseason favorites for a first-round exit and a conference final between nascent rivals Columbus and Toronto.

Western Conference

No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Seattle

The league's best team over the past four years, Houston was winless in three games against the expansion Sounders this season, including a riveting and ill-tempered U.S. Open Cup semifinal that was decided in overtime. This matchup also would feature two of the league's four best coaches (Bruce Arena and Steve Nicol have to be considered the others), and a couple of the most colorful crowds, while offering a must-see Ricardo Clark vs. Freddie Ljungberg showdown in the middle.

No. 2 Los Angeles vs. No. 3 Chivas USA

The two SoCal clubs finally are decent at the same time, and David Beckham deserves nothing less for his maiden MLS Cup effort than a genuine derby. Galaxy-Chivas games have produced some of the best atmosphere MLS has seen, and would be a fitting way to introduce new viewers, opting to check in for the Englishman's postseason debut, to the league. Anything that stokes some real rivalry in American soccer is a good thing.

Let the games begin.

Endless Playoff Possibilities Promise Intriguing MLS Conclusion originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Landon Donovan Wins Honda Player of The Year Award Again

FanHouse Newswire — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:48:00 EST

Filed under: US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Landon Donovan was named the best player on
the U.S. team for a record-breaking sixth time on Tuesday.

Donovan, 27, was instrumental in the Americans' successful qualifying campaign for the World Cup and its trek to the Confederations Cup final.

"I think this year was, aside from 2002 (when the U.S. reached the World Cup quarterfinals), as long as I've been part of the national team, the best year the national team's had," said Donovan, who won the Honda Award for the third successive year after winning three in a row in 2002-04. "Maybe including 2002. So to be part of it, to be recognized for that, is very cool."

Donovan received 424 points in balloting by 221 media members, finishing ahead of two England-based teammates, goalkeeper Tim Howard (267 points), who plays for Everton, and 19-year-old forward Jozy Altidore (178), who is with Hull City on loan from Villarreal.

Donovan is also a Major League Soccer most valuable player candidate after captaining the Los Angeles Galaxy to its first playoff berth since it won the MLS Cup in 2005. He has been the pivotal force behind the Galaxy's resurrection after the acquisition of David Beckham failed to bring the club success in 2007 and 2008.

Donovan has gone through several difficult periods this year. He spent three months on loan to Bayern Munich and was not offered a full contract. His marriage, to actress Bianca Kajlich, dissolved.

And he was a major figure in "The Beckham Experiment," a book chronicling and critical of Beckham's first two seasons with the Galaxy. Donovan criticized Beckham's leadership and effort in the book, and he apologized to the English star for airing his thoughts in public.

Since Beckham returned to the Galaxy from a loan deal to AC Milan, he and Donovan have developed a strong partnership.

"A lot of that fell on David," Donovan said. "David had a choice to let that bother him or to let it help us as a team. And he was a man about it. He accepted my apology, and he's been fantastic in every way. You guys see it on the field, but off the field he's been just as good. Interacting, inviting guys to do things, keeping the team tight."

Beckham has all but completed a deal to return to Milan on loan in January, and Donovan also is interested in playing in Europe after three stints in Germany, the first two with Bayer Leverkusen.

Italy's Livorno targeted Donovan in July, and Richard Motzkin, Donovan's agent, said "there's no shortage of interest from clubs over in Europe."

Landon Donovan Wins Honda Player of The Year Award Again originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rogers Rising: US Midfielder Dishes on Bradley, Davies, Cup Chances

Brian Straus — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:37:00 EST

Filed under: MLS, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team, FanHouse Exclusive

The U.S. national team's stirring comeback against Costa Rica last week will be remembered for Bornstein's header, Davies' tragedy, Bradley's hustle and Onyewu's injury. But it also should be remembered for the contribution of Columbus Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers, whose entry in the 69th minute changed the match.

Playing in his first World Cup qualifier, the nimble winger added an obvious spark to a team trailing by two goals. He hit the cross that led to Michael Bradley's 72nd-minute goal, came close twice to tying the game himself, then delivered the corner kick that Bornstein finished in stoppage time. A key member of this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup squad and a regular camp participant, Rogers certainly made his case for South Africa when presented with the opportunity.

This weekend, Rogers sat down with FanHouse and offered some interesting insight into a young player's path to the national team, his famous mentor, the Davies accident and the curfew culture that likely played a role.

FANHOUSE: What was it like to be part of those furious final minutes against Costa Rica? What were the emotions?

ROGERS: Something that I definitely won't forget. Definitely. I was just trying to make some sort of impact. When I got on there, I had a lot of energy. I felt like the Costa Ricans were a little tired. I was getting the ball in some dangerous spots. I was happy to bring some energy to the team and it worked out. I was happy to get that goal there at the very end. It was a special night. We won the group and kind of paid tribute to Charlie. I got to wear his number. In the big picture Charlie's okay. I got to see him. There's more to life than just soccer. I'm just happy he's alive. He's recovering and he's doing really well.

FANHOUSE: The team's reaction at the whistle was telling. The result obviously meant a lot to you guys. This was no meaningless game, was it?

ROGERS: After the Honduras game we talked about it and we said, 'Look, we want to get a top seed. We want to do well in the World Cup.' To do that we need to win our group -- it gives us the best possibility of getting a top eight seed. That was part of the motivation.

Also, there's a bunch of winners on that team. No one likes to lose, not in training, not in a game of cards, not anything. You can really tell. I think a lot of teams maybe after going two down would have really just dropped their heads and kind of just forfeit the game, but all the guys fought back until the very end, until the 94th minute I think we scored, and it just kind of showed the character and what the team is all about. It's been like that the whole qualifying cycle. I was just happy to be a part of it. Even though I played in one qualifying game, I was on five rosters. But I was really happy to get a chance to play and change the game when I came in. It was exciting.

FANHOUSE: You've been in camps, as you said, and played a key role on the Gold Cup team. What sort of opportunities are there for less experienced players to break into the national team? Does Bradley give you a fair shot?

ROGERS: Bob watches us in training. You have to work hard in training. You have to be playing well with your club. He gave a chance to me in the Gold Cup...He gives young guys chances. If you're playing well and working hard, he's not afraid to put you on the field. If you earn it, he'll definitely put you on the field. There's no politics involved, nothing like that. He was fair to me. He gave me that chance and hopefully I'll get more chances. If not I'll keep working and doing the same things.

FANHOUSE: You went to Europe [Dutch club Heerenveen, where Michael Bradley started] in 2006 but it didn't work out. Did you see the Crew as a step down? Do you think it's added or detracted from your career?

ROGERS: To tell you the truth, I didn't really know what to expect. When I first got there, I didn't know if I was going to be traded or if they wanted to keep me. I knew they had a lot of guys in my position. But I had a long history with Sigi [Schmid, then Columbus coach], so I knew he might want to keep hold of me. I knew him out in California and his son played on my club team, so we've known each other for a long time. Sigi really helped me find my game and helped me grow up, especially last year, and helped me develop into a midfielder that hopefully can play more with the national team.

Bobby's [current coach Robert Warzycha] helped me a lot as well. These guys also, Guille [Barros Schelotto], and some of the other guys like Frankie [Hejduk] and all these guys really help me out on the field. I was really lucky to be put with this group and I think you need a little luck in your career if you really want to make it farther and be a good professional.

FANHOUSE: David Beckham's opinion that he must play in Europe to prepare for the World Cup raises the question though, can MLS put you where you feel you need to be to take the next step with the national team?

ROGERS: I think this is a good stepping stone for me. Columbus Crew, like I said, I was lucky to be put with this kind of organization, with this group of guys. They've really helped me. I don't know if I can say the same thing for every club because I've only played here. But I can definitely say this club has helped me.

I still want to go back to Europe and try to further my career and play for a bigger club. I think at one point in my career I'm going to have to do that if I really want to step into the national team and be a solid contributor. But you can still look at guys like Landon, Stuey [Holden] has been starting the past few games, Jonathan Bornstein, who scored the game winner, is also in MLS. There's definitely a place for those guys. Just, I think there are more guys playing in Europe that are on the national team and those are the guys who are playing for their clubs.

FANHOUSE: But the key factor is that they play.

ROGERS: They play, exactly. That's the most important thing, that you're playing in games. If you just go to a club in Europe and sit on the bench or sit in the stands, I mean, there's no point.

FANHOUSE: So you think you have a realistic shot at playing in South Africa next summer?

ROGERS: That's definitely one of my goals. I definitely think I have a shot. I'm confident I can get on that roster. Of course I need a little luck and be playing really well, but I think there's a chance. To go to a World Cup, just the possibility to be on the roster, you know, is pretty ridiculous. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed and I know that maybe it can happen. But I won't get my head down if it doesn't happen either.

FANHOUSE: You spent time with Juergen Klinsmann while growing up in California. What impact did that have on your development?

ROGERS: In Huntington Beach I played some PDL and some men's league with him. He played under a fake name. He didn't want media and other people coming out. He just would teach me little things on the field, talk to me off the field, talk to my family about what he thought maybe would be a good way for me to develop as a young player, as a young professional. Just gave me different ideas about soccer.

I remember him always telling me that the only time that you're really going to be playing well is when you're happy. I went to Holland and I wasn't happy and I wasn't playing the way I want to be playing. That for sure, happened. Just when I watched him play. He was always moving and always running. He was never stagnant, always playing quickly. I definitely learned from him just playing beach soccer and pick-up games. He was definitely someone I watched when I didn't know him, and then when I got to know him he was a great person as well, a great role model. He really helped me.

FANHOUSE: And he was the guy that everyone thought should take over the national team after Bruce Arena resigned in 2006.

ROGERS: Juergen I think was pretty close to taking the job, then he went over to Germany [Bayern Munich] and everything. Bob's done a great job. A lot of people aren't giving him as much credit as they should.

FANHOUSE: Why is Bradley the right coach for this team?

ROGERS: There's a lot of things. I think he's great at giving young players a chance. I think he's good at building a team that's strong on and off the field, that has a winning mentality. He knows it's important to have structure off the field as well as on the field. He's good tactically. He's a strong individual in that he doesn't really care what people think, and he's a good person as well. I think there's just so many things that contribute to his success and the success of his teams. He's really helped me this past year and I'm looking forward to every camp I go to and even look forward to just training. I think he's a good coach.

FANHOUSE: And the criticism? Is any of it valid?

ROGERS: I don't really look at that kind of stuff, but when you see like titles, you're like, "Oh, this is nonsense."

FANHOUSE: Bradley talks so much about the responsibility, commitment and sense of community he wants from those of you on the national team. The Davies accident must have hit him pretty hard. While Davies certainly didn't deserve what happened, he was out at 3 AM.

ROGERS: It sucks because we already qualified, so I'm sure a lot of guys kinda wanted to celebrate qualifying. We did have curfew, I think 12 o'clock. It's not uncommon for guys to sometimes miss curfew a little bit after you've already qualified or you're celebrating a win or whatever. I know Bob feels bad about it. Everyone feels bad about it. It just shows you how fragile life is. You look at that kind of stuff and you read about that kind of stuff on the internet or you hear it on TV or whatever, and you never really think it's going to be someone you know.

FANHOUSE: Has it changed you?

ROGERS: Yeah, for sure. When I talk to my friends now and they say, "Oh, we're going to go out," I'm like, "All right, well make sure you're careful."

[Davies] is a great guy, a great person, a great friend and a great player, so I feel really bad for him. But, he'll be back. He's got great character. He'll work hard to get back to where he was and he'll have another World Cup to fight for....He's a great kid and everyone really needs to kind of learn from it.

Rogers Rising: US Midfielder Dishes on Bradley, Davies, Cup Chances originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Stuns Costa Rica, Delights Honduras

Brian Straus — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

WASHINGTON -- Playing a man down following Oguchi Onyewu's knee injury, the U.S. national team continued to press as it faced its first World Cup qualifying defeat on home soil in eight years. With seconds remaining in the 95th and final minute, defender Jonathan Bornstein raced unmarked onto Robbie Rogers' corner kick and powered home a sharp header that set off celebrations in both Washington D.C., and Honduras, while sending Costa Rica into sudden mourning.

The Ticos, up 2-0 at half and apparently on their way to the South Africa, surrendered their lead in the second half and settled for a 2-2 draw in Wednesday night's match at RFK Stadium. The result consigned them to a two-game playoff against Uruguay and lifted the Hondurans, who won in El Salvador, to the finals for the first time in 28 years.

More Coverage: Argentina Survives, Advances to 2010 World Cup

The game, the 18th in a year-and-a-half qualification odyssey, was played in the shadow of Tuesday morning's one-car collision that severely injured U.S. striker Charlie Davies. Many of the 26,243 fans in attendance held up Davies' number 9 during a ninth-minute tribute. At the same time, Conor Casey missed a wide-open chance that would set the tone for an infuriating first hour for the Americans.

Powered by the incisive attacking of Landon Donovan and Stuart Holden and some outstanding work up top by Jozy Altidore, the U.S. had little trouble creating chances throughout the first half. But Casey, who scored twice in Saturday's clincher in San Pedro Sula, botched an open look from 18 yards following a nice setup from Altidore, and Holden headed wide seven minutes later.

By the time Donovan hit his close-range shot over the crossbar in the 37th, the U.S. was trailing 2-0. Costa Rica forward Bryan Ruiz, who plays for Dutch club FC Twente, gave the hosts a lesson in finishing during a stunning four-minute span. In the 21st, he blew by Onyewu on the left and hammered a shot through Tim Howard's legs. In the 24th, he took a quick pass that beat Carlos Bocanegra and unleashed a vicious, rising shot from just outside the penalty area that beat Howard to the upper left corner.

Tico goalkeeper Keilor Navas was exceptionally strong in front of goal, punching out crosses at will. Donovan had an open look in the 44th but hit it meekly, and Altidore had all day to place his shot in the 45th but hit it straight at the goalkeeper.

Trailing but not desperate, the U.S. could take solace in the fact that it had been in this situation before. The team seems to muster its best effort only when facing adversity. In the 10 games in the hexagonal, the Americans yielded the first goal six times, yet they came back to secure 11 of their 20 total points in those games.

"It's a plus that we can compete and keep pushing when we're behind, and it's a minus that of late we've had too many situations where we have gone down," Bradley said.

With the forwards unable to finish, the defenders took charge. Midfielder Michael Bradley halved the U.S. deficit in the 72nd minute, jumping on a rebound following yet another nice save from Navas. But in the 83rd, disaster struck. Onyewu went down while backpedaling in the Costa Rican penalty area, and waived to the bench immediately. Bob Bradley said after the game that the defender had torn the patella tendon in his left knee, an injury he said could mean 3-4 months on the sidelines. Robbie Rogers, Jose Francisco Torres and Kenny Cooper had entered the game, leaving the U.S. without an available sub. But the team would not settle for the loss, and when Rogers stepped up to take his corner in the fifth and final minute of added time, Bornstein made the decision to push forward.

"We were pushing extremely hard that whole second half," the defender said. "I don't usually go up for corner kicks. Usually I stay in the back. But for that one, I was like, 'I'm getting in there.' "

When the ball went in, the Costa Ricans immediately slumped, sensing the gravity of the goal, while the U.S. celebrated as it it had only just qualified for the World Cup. Fireworks soon were set off atop RFK, and the players gathered on the field as Bocanegra took a microphone and thanked the fans. Bornstein said finishing ahead of Mexico and winning the six-team CONCACAF group carried "huge significance" to the players.

"The whole team wanted to go out and put in a good effort today. For Charlie, for his family, for everyone that was involved in this situation," Bornstein said. "To get the tie and go on to the World Cup as first in the group, I think it shows a lot about our team and what we're all about."

US Stuns Costa Rica, Delights Honduras originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charlie Davies' World Cup in Jeopardy

Brian Straus — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

U.S. national team forward Charlie Davies will be hospitalized "for at least a week" following surgery to repair numerous fractures and a lacerated bladder suffered in a one-car accident early Tuesday morning in Arlington, Va.

A federation doctor said that "injuries of this nature usually require a recovery period of 6-12 months and extensive rehabilitation," making it likely that the 23-year-old will miss next summer's World Cup.

A 22-year-old Maryland woman was killed in the crash, which occurred at around 3:15 AM. The identity and condition of the third passenger still hasn't been released, and the relationship between the pair and Davies is unclear. The NBC affiliate in Washington posted pictures of the mangled SUV on its Web site, while The Washington Post's Steven Goff reported that Davies was indeed in violation of a national team curfew.

U.S. Soccer said that Davies suffered fractures to the femur and tibia in his right leg, his left elbow and his face, in addition to the injured bladder. Doctors inserted titanium rods in both leg bones "with no complications," according to the federation. He will need additional surgeries on his elbow and possibly his face. Dr. Dan Kalbac, who issued the 6-12 months prognosis, said that thanks to Davies' fitness level, "his ability to resume high-level competition is substantially improved."

The U.S. will face Costa Rica in its qualifying finale Wednesday night at RFK Stadium. U.S. coach Bob Bradley will not bring in a replacement for Davies for the game, but appears to face the prospect of planning for the World Cup without one of American soccer's rising stars.

Charlie Davies' World Cup in Jeopardy originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Striker Charlie Davies Seriously Injured in One-Car Accident

Brian Straus — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:16:00 EST

Filed under: US Soccer

The U.S. national team's World Cup qualifying celebration took a very somber turn on Tuesday morning when it learned that Charlie Davies, the Boston College product who has established himself as a first-choice forward this year, was involved in a serious car accident near the team's Arlington, Va., hotel.

He was in surgery throughout the afternoon for injuries that U.S. Soccer described as "serious" but "not life-threatening." Davies reportedly was one of three people involved in the single-car accident, which killed 22-year-old Ashley J. Roberta. It was unclear whether Davies was the driver or a passenger, or whether he had permission to be out when the crash occurred at about 3 AM ET.

"We are relying on each other in a moment that has hit us all hard," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said at a news conference in Arlington Tuesday. The national team is in town for Wednesday's qualifying finale against Costa Rica. The game should have served as a celebration of the Americans' sixth straight World Cup berth, secured on Saturday night in Honduras. Instead, it will be played in the shadow of Davies' accident, details of which were still emerging Tuesday afternoon.

A U.S. Soccer spokesperson said the forward was in "stable" condition at a suburban Virginia hospital, but that no additional details concerning his injuries were available. Whether Davies' season with French club Sochaux, his World Cup, or his career, are in the balance is unclear. His parents were said to be on their way to the nation's capital.

A U.S. Park Police spokesperson told The Washington Post that the car "was pretty much split in half" after hitting a guardrail. Lanes on the George Washington Parkway, where the crash occurred, were closed for some five hours.

Bradley does not have a set standard for curfews. U.S. Soccer said that the coach's policy changes depending on the day and situation. Spokespeople did not know what the curfew was, if any, for Monday night. Davies did not appear for an optional breakfast on Tuesday morning, and the Federation learned of the crash at around 11 a.m. They said he likely was airlifted to the hospital and that he was in surgery as Bradley, Landon Donovan and captain Carlos Bocanegra conducted their subdued presser at the team's Ritz-Carlton hotel in Pentagon City.

Davies has been a breakout story for the national team this year, earning praise for his energetic, threatening performances. He scored a critical goal against Egypt in this summer's Confederations Cup and silenced Estadio Azteca with a well-taken strike that gave the U.S. an early lead against Mexico in August. He played 77 minutes in Saturday's clincher in Honduras and helped set up Conor Casey's first goal.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

US Striker Charlie Davies Seriously Injured in One-Car Accident originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. on Brink of World Cup Berth

Michael Cardillo — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:27:00 EST

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International Soccer, International, Soccer Posts, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

This much is simple for the U.S. national team's Saturday night 2010 World Cup qualifier at Honduras. If the U.S. leaves San Pedro Sula with three points, then it automatically qualifies for next June's World Cup in South Africa. Anything else? Well it's so confusing that the U.S. Soccer site has established a scenario generator to run through all the possible outcomes.

It's also known that a) the U.S. is stepping into a tricky road environment in a country in the midst of a political crisis, b) the U.S. won't have midfielder Clint Dempsey and c) the game will not be seen in America except for select closed circuit establishments.

So what should U.S. fans fortunate to find a way to watch the match expect?

For one, the U.S. is facing a very strong Honduras team, which is looking to book its place in the World Cup for the first time since 1982. Los Catrachos can qualify Saturday night with a win and a Costa Rica loss to Trinidad and Tobago and feature Premier League players Wilson Palacios, Hendry Thomas and Maynor Figueroa, along with Inter Milan's David Sauzo.

This will be the fourth meeting in 2009 between the two nations, with the U.S. winning all three including a 2-1 qualifier at Solider Field in Chicago in early June.

The crowd, too, bears watching. Due to the ongoing civil hostilities, will the home crowd look to the game as a 90 minute respite? Or will they expect the team to dazzle them from the opening whistle and run the Americans off the field? If this doesn't happen, could the home crowd get antsy?

"The main thing that we have talked a little bit about and are very aware of is the fact that this game means everything to Honduras and to its people and that the atmosphere in the stadium will be loud, passionate and exciting," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said during Thursday's media conference call. "We have seen that in other places, so we draw the parallels and draw up on those experiences. I think that will work well for us."

As for Bradley's U.S. team? Aside from the loss to Dempsey to injury, it figures to be business as usual (at least on the field) with Landon Donovan the key man once again. Bradley hinted on Thursday that either Stuart Holden or Benny Feilhaber will be the candidate to replace Dempsey in the starting XI.

Bradley wasn't too concerned with defender Oguchi Onyewu's lack of playing time at AC Milan, so the U.S. lineup should look very familiar, with the biggest questions beside replacing Dempsey being who starts at right and left back between the quartet of Jonathon Spector, Steve Cherundolo, Jonathon Bornstein and Frankie Hejduk.

It's likely the young tandem of Charlie Davies and Jozy Altidore will start at forward, though Brian Ching could be in the mix if the U.S. plays a more conservative lineup.

Factoring into all the lineup decisions is a worrisome issue that Altidore, Carlos Bocanegra, Conor Casey, Cherundolo, Donovan, Feilhaber and Hejduk would all miss the Costa Rica match should they receive a yellow card on Saturday.

"The yellow card situation is a challenging one. I think that we have to find balance in this, in some cases, that includes players that play the same position who maybe are both carrying yellow cards, making some decisions in those ways," Bradley said.

The U.S. has been adequate on the road during qualifying, posting a 4-3-1 mark. Yet only one of those wins has come during the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, last month at Trinidad & Tobago.

By contrast, Honduras is 8-0-0 at home in qualifying. However they are 0-3-0 vs. the U.S. in 2009 and 10-2-3 overall, including a 2-1-1 in Honduras, so something will have to give on Saturday.

"We know each other very well. There's a great deal of respect, and if you look at their group of players, there's talent. Guys have done well, particularly in England. As everybody knows, I know Amado [Guevara] very well, who won't be playing in this match, he's out with cards," Bradley said. "As far as knowing the personnel, knowing the style of play, we have respect for the way they play and their talent. We think they're well coached. And now, when we go into this game we understand how much they're playing for and how much it means to their fans."

Should the U.S. falter, it still has next Wednesday's match against Costa Rica to get a result and avoid the dreaded playoff with the fifth-place South American team.

"Ideally we can finish up things Saturday but, again, there are factors in all of this that are sometimes out of our control. It's been a very tight final round because of some of the other results. But the opportunity to go there and play to win and come away with three points is a great challenge, one that we are embracing," Bradley said. "I think the players are ready for it and we're going to go for it with everything we have knowing that obviously we still have the home game to follow."

U.S. on Brink of World Cup Berth originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alexi Lalas Eager to Bring 'Soccer People Together' at Film Festival

Michael Cardillo — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Soccer Posts, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

Ever since he burst onto the worldwide scene at the 1994 World Cup thanks in part to his unmistakable fiery red goatee and flowing locks, Alexi Lalas has been one of the Apostles of spreading the world on U.S. soccer.

In the 15 years since the U.S. announced its ambition on the world stage, Lalas has witnessed the gradual steps as soccer awareness in America has slowly crept from the fringes, edging closer to the mainstream.

So when his brother Greg decided to host a soccer-themed film festival -- Kicking & Screening -- earlier this year in New York, he jumped at the chance to help. And when Greg Lalas decided to host another event next week in Washington, well, Alexi Lalas was going to be there to both help his brother and help spread the gospel of soccer.

Alexi Lalas will be part of the second Kicking & Screening festival, participating in a soccer-themed poetry reading (his mother Anne Woodworth is a poet) on Oct. 16 at the Busboys & Poets before the screening of "Sons of Saknin United."

"It's something that's fun to be involved with and is near and dear to my heart," Alexi Lalas said. "At the end of the day it brings soccer people together.

"There is this whole, I don't want to call it a soccer underground anymore, but there's been a whole literary culture with at least a thread of soccer in it."

Lalas, the 1995 U.S. Player of the Year, will be pulling double-duty in the nation's capital next week, both helping his brother promote Kicking & Screening, as well as working for ESPN as a analyst as the U.S. national team wraps its 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign with a match against Costa Rica at RFK Stadium on Oct. 14.

For all U.S. supporters heading to the match, including both Lalas brothers, are hopeful it'll be a celebration with the U.S. already wrapping up an automatic berth. For that to happen, the U.S. needs to either win at Honduras Saturday night or get a result and hope Costa Rica stumbles against Trinidad & Tobago.

Alexi Lalas -- a veteran of numerous qualifying battles in Central America -- figures the U.S. will have its hands full with a tough Honduras team, which can put itself on the precipice of booking a place in South Africa next June with a result against the U.S. (Honduras would automatically qualify with a win and Costa Rica loss.)

"(Honduras) is like a lot of places in Central America where it's a crazy environment from when you touch down at the airport to the time you leave," he said. "They'll have their hands full with the environment and a Honduras team that's playing with incredible confidence who can see the light at the end of the tunnel in their grasp and who believes they're a better than the U.S. team."

Throw in a shaky political situation -- Honduras is in the midst of a political coup -- and Bob Bradley's team should have its hands full.

"When we started this process not a lot of people were talking about Honduras being where they are," Lalas said. "The U.S. has to play a smart game."

On that note, Lalas thinks the U.S. would be okay leaving Honduras with a draw, but doesn't necessarily think the team's mindset should be playing for a tie from the opening whistle.

"Any time you go down to places like (San Pedro Sula) the first 20 minutes are important to weathering the storm," he said. "At the same time, the U.S. has made a transition from instead of absorbing pressure, they want to establish some offensive rhythm. The days of the U.S. sitting back and absorbing pressure in Central America are long gone."

Unfortunately for Lalas, and most U.S. fans, the game will not be broadcast in America, instead the Honduran Federation sold the rights to a Brazilian media company which tried to sell the match to ESPN and Fox. Both companies balked and as a result it will only be seen on select closed circuit locations across the country.

"This is an unfortunate byproduct of the success of American soccer and ESPN," Lalas said. "The rights aren't held by the U.S., therefore people have to bid. As much as we love soccer, there's only so much people are willing to do. ESPN will not be involved with the broadcast, but it's not like we'll ignore the game is going on. If the U.S. happens to qualify, ESPN will be on top of it."

Lalas also offered some takes on a couple other issues surrounding the U.S. national team.

He isn't too concerned with the lack of playing time for Oguchi Onyewu since he transferred to AC Milan over the summer. As a former central defender, who also played in Serie A, he thinks Onyewu will be ready for both qualifiers.

"From a national team perspective, you want him playing games," he said. "He's also the type of player there his game is pretty straightforward and doesn't change a lot. Playing in Italy you'll get the nuances that would make him better. I still think we'll get a good performance from Oguchi."

Lalas also gave his opinion on one of the enigmas of U.S. soccer -- Clint Dempsey -- who is out for the Honduras game with a shoulder injury.

"The situation with Clint is he hasn't played, as far as I'm concerned, consistently well, but you get that one moment of brilliance and at the highest level that sometimes what you need," Lalas said. "Sometimes we've seen 89 minutes of subpar, uninterested soccer then score a goal. What happens when it's at the highest level in a World cup and instead of 89 minutes it becomes 90 and you don't get that moment and you've wasted it?"

Lalas thinks part of the inconsistency of Dempsey's play in the U.S. shirt is his tendency to drift from his stated right midfield role and into the center of the field. He's also like to see whoever lines up at right midfield to play as a complement to Landon Donovan on the left.

"You can't argue with Clint's ability," Lalas said. "He seems like a different player at Fulham, but that's sort of comparing apples to oranges. Nobody can have a free role any more. If we're not playing with a right side, that's a weakness. If Clint continues to drift, the U.S. will have to find a way to exploit it in a positive sense and hope and pray whoever is at right back is a man among boys."

Lalas likes what he's seen from a possible candidate to replace Dempsey in the starting lineup vs. Honduras -- Stuart Holden -- but doesn't want to put too much pressure or responsibility on a young player.

"The tendency is to push him along faster than he needs to be pushed," Lalas said. "With the World Cup coming everyone wants him to be ready. There's no doubt he's got quality, but I'd hate to have him pushed into a situation he can't handle when we can recognize in eight months from now he might not be the guy, but four years and eight months from now we'll have a hell of a player."

Assuming the U.S. banks the necessary points against Honduras and Costa Rica to ensure an automatic place in South Africa, Lalas says that Dec. 4 is a day all U.S. fans should circle since its the date of the FIFA draw for the 2010 World Cup. That, Lalas thinks, more than anything could determine the fate of the U.S.

"It'll answer some questions, but it brings up very many more," he said. "Right now, for the U.S., I just think that we still struggle to get over the hump of being the underdog to not necessarily the favorite, but on equal footing. It's a hard transition for a team like the U.S. that has played so long as so well as the underdog. I'd like to see them matched up with teams where they're the underdog."

In the end, Lalas is hopeful that the week of Oct. 12 serves as both a celebration for U.S. soccer on the film and soccer cinema in the States around the DC area.

"If it comes down to having to beat or tie Costa Rica at RFK, I like our chances," Lalas said. "If all hell breaks loose and we somehow finish fourth, it doesn't mean we're out, but nobody wants to get to that point."

For more information on Kicking & Screening, please visit it's website.

Alexi Lalas Eager to Bring 'Soccer People Together' at Film Festival originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clint Dempsey Ruled Out vs. Honduras

Michael Cardillo — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:43:00 EST

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International, Soccer Posts, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

For fans of the U.S. national team clamoring for midfielder Clint Dempsey to move from the right side of midfield to the right side of the bench, well, they've gotten their wish, though the circumstances aren't exactly ideal.

Dempsey has been ruled out for Saturday's 2010 World Cup qualifier at Honduras due to a shoulder sprain. Dempsey picked up the injury in the closing minutes of Fulham's 2-2 draw Sunday vs. West Ham United. His status for next Wednesday's final qualifier vs. Costa Rica in Washington is still unknown.

Dempsey's injury most likely means that Stuart Holden will get the nod at starting right midfielder. Holden shined during July's CONCACAF Gold Cup, scoring goals and setting them up.

Though the injury forced coach Bob Bradley's hand, many U.S. fans had questioned the constant inclusion of Dempsey in the starting XI due to his sometimes listless and disinterested performances. Yet while Dempsey has a tendency to drift through matches, he does have the ability to rise to the occasion and score important goals including the first-half equalizer in the U.S's 2-1 win over El Salvador last month.

However it shakes out, the match vs. Honduras -- which the U.S. would punch its ticket to South Africa with a win -- will show the U.S. and U.S. fans what life without 90 minutes of Dempsey looks like. There's the chance the U.S. could soar, but the fans also might need to be careful what they wish for.

Clint Dempsey Ruled Out vs. Honduras originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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South Korea Drops US at U-20 World Cup

Michael Cardillo — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: International, US Soccer

Much like an American sports columnist needing a punchline and relying on old standbys like, say, the Detroit Lions, their British equivalents can always fall back on some good old fashioned bashing on American soccer when needed. Lately, though, as America has improved across the board both internationally and with MLS, this old cliche doesn't ring as true.

Yet Friday afternoon the stodgy old Brit working the English language feed of the U-20 World Cup in Egypt wasn't far off with his relentless bashing and tweaking of the U.S. performance. Needing a result vs. South Korea to guarantee advancement to the knockout stages, the U.S. was instead thoroughly defeated 3-0 in Suez.

The U.S. now must wait for the final group stage matches Saturday to see if it's one of the top four third place finishers.

In the first half the U.S. never looked very composed, allowing goals by Young Gwon Kim (24th minute) and Bo Kyung Kim (43rd) to make it 2-0. The second goal came when Hee Sung Park played a ball over the top, which Sheandon Williams mistimed his jump, allowing Kim to finish with a powerful strike. This came shortly after U.S. midfielder Brek Shea raced up the left side, but fired his shot across the goal mouth and wide.

It only got worse in the second half as South Korea missed numerous chances to put the match away. The Koreans sealed the match in the 74th minute on a penalty kick from captain Ka Cheol Koo. It also resulted in the sending off of defender Ike Opara for his second yellow card offense of the match.

If the U.S. somehow advance with a negative-3 goal differential it will have to play its Round of 16 match with a string of players, as the team collected five yellow cards on Friday. By the same token, the U.S. finished with only one shot on target.

Ahead of Saturday's results, the U.S. sits third, behind Italy and Nigeria. There are plenty of permutations, but at first glance the best chance for the U.S. to advance would be for the Group D match between England and Uzbekistan (both with zero points) to finish a draw later on Friday.

But based on how the U.S. played against Germany and South Korea it really shouldn't feel too bad if it's on a plane back to the States on Sunday. Once the game got to 3-0 against Korea, the U.S. looked more concerned with going in for two-footed tackles then pulling back a crucial goal which would make the prospect of advancement more conceivable.

After a string of results like this, there is a tendency to over react and cast a pale over the U.S. developmental program. While it doesn't look good, tournament's like the U-20 World Cup can be deceiving since it's only three games. Plus as a rule, the FIFA underage tournaments are generally a mixed bag in terms of finding players.

It is a little concerning, however, that compared to the last U-20 World Cup in 2007, where players like Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley established themselves as important cogs for the U.S. senior team. Right now, it's hard to gauge anyone on the current roster for coach Thomas Rongen as anything other than a fringe player.

It also makes you wonder on a deeper level if the U.S. development system is working. Teams like Korea or Germany have an identity and a style of play, while U.S. doesn't necessarily. If anything the American identity seems to be picking up an unusually high amount of needless fouls in international competitions.

That's a question, though, for another day. For now the U.S. must wait out the final six results and hope that it gets a second chance at life at the tournament.

South Korea Drops US at U-20 World Cup originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Bradley Names US Squad for Final 2010 Qualifiers

Michael Cardillo — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:23:00 EST

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

Whichever side of the fence you fall on in the matter of Bob Bradley coaching the U.S. men's national team, there's one thing both his supporters and detractors can agree upon -- the man is consistent.

Thursday Bradley selected his 22-man roster for the upcoming CONCACAF 2010 World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Costa Rica. There is little, if any, surprise in the players Bradley recalled for the crucial games, which will determine if the U.S. qualifies for South Africa automatically.

The only real issue that Bradley faced when deciding on the roster was in the defense. Central defender Jay DeMerit picked up an injury to his eye while playing for his club, Watford, as was unavailable. Usual U.S. stalwart Oguchi Onyewu finally featured for AC Milan during its midweek shock defeat to FC Zurich in the Champions League, coming in as a 61st minute substitute, but he still could be rusty come Oct. 10 in Honduras.

With those issues in mind, Bradley brought in some cover in the forms of Jimmy Conrad and Clarence Goodson.

Somewhat surprisingly, New Mexico-born Edgar Castillo -- who's recent switch from Mexico to the U.S. was approved by FIFA -- wasn't included. It's hard to imagine Bradley would have given Castillo his first start in a such a difficult environment like Honduras, yet he could have included him in the squad to get him acclimated going forward. That means the much-maligned Jonathan Bornstein is probably the starting left back since recent FC Dallas signing Heath Pearce was also left out of the mix.

There's nothing remarkable about the U.S. midfield, other than the fact Robbie Rogers was included while Kyle Beckerman stays home.

At forward, Kenny Cooper gets recalled after a nice start since transferring to 1860 Munich from FC Dallas. Unless the U.S. clinches in Honduras, it's hard to see him getting any playing time, but at least he provides another option should the first-choice pairing of Charlie Davies and Jozy Altidore fizzle.

The U.S. wraps up an automatic berth in the World Cup with a win or if Costa Rica loses to Trinidad & Tobago. The U.S. can move to South Africa with a draw at Honduras, should Costa Rica also draw.

GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton)

DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew, José Francisco Torres (Pachuca)

FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Hull City), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (1860 Munich), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)

Bob Bradley Names US Squad for Final 2010 Qualifiers originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honduras Brings in Big Names for Important Qualifier vs. US

Michael Cardillo — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International, US Soccer

As of right now, the Oct. 10 CONCACAF World Cup qualifier between the U.S. and Honduras still has the green light from FIFA to be played in San Pedro Sula, even though the Central American nation is a state of political turmoil.

Wherever the match is played, Honduras manager Reinaldo Rueda brought in a a first-choice squad, which could pose some problems for the U.S. who will qualify for South Africa with a win. Honduras, would guarantee a place if it beats the U.S. and Costa Rica loses to Trinidad & Tobago.

Big name players like Tottenham's midfield enforcer Wilson Palacios and Wigan's Hendry Thomas figure to put pressure on the U.S. center of the field. Inter Milan striker David Sauzo, who's missed most of the final round of qualifying due to a torn knee meniscus, could pose problems for the U.S. defense, especially if paired with Carlo Costly. Other well-known Honduran players include Toronto FC's Amado Guevera and ex-FC Dallas midfielder Ramon Nunez.

A Sauzo-less Honduras gave the U.S. all it could handle in a June 6 qualifier in Chicago, with the American falling down a goal, but rallying then hanging on for a 2-1 victory. (A more experimental U.S. lineup topped an equally experimental Honduran twice by 2-0 scorelines at July's Gold Cup.)

Honduras has only qualified for the World Cup once before back in 1982. The nation will at least qualify for the CONCACAF playoff with the fifth-place South American team so long as the unlikely scenario of El Salvador defeating Mexico at Azteca doesn't come to fruition. (Mexico will be without rising star Gio Dos Santos for that match and the Oct. 14 game at Trinidad.)

It does bear watching what would happen if the political situation in Honduras further deteriorates. Suffice to say, it's a messy situation, which should make the U.S.'s already tricky foray into Central America all the more frenzied. (U.S. coach Bob Bradley has yet to name his roster for the matches against Honduras and Costa Rica.)

Though FIFA made assurances of the match going on as scheduled on Tuesday, there's still time to make the necessary logistical changes (i.e. neutral venue/playing game behind closed doors) should the safety of both teams not be guaranteed.

On a larger scale, throughout its history soccer has worked as both a unifying and polarizing force. It might be a simplistic thought, but perhaps should Honduras qualify for next June's World Cup it could help start the process of reuniting the country. At the very least for a coupe days at least around the qualifier, maybe it could half the political infighting between Manuel Zelaya and Roberto Micheletti.

From an American perspective, hopefully, it doesn't come at the expense of the U.S.

Full Honduran roster:

Goalkeepers: Noel Valladares (Olimpia), Donis Escober (Olimpia), Ricardo Canales (Motagua).

Defenders: Victor Bernardez (Anderlecht), Osman Chávez (Platense), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan), Oscar Garcia (Olimpia), Emilio Izaguirre (Motagua), Erick Norales (Marathon), Carlos Palacios (Real España), Mauricio Sabillon (Marathon).

Midfielders: Edgard Alvarez (Bari), Julio Cesar de Leon (Parma), Ramon Núñez (Cruz Azul), Amado Guevara (Toronto FC), Wilson Palacios (Tottenham), Hendry Thomas (Wigan), Danilo Turcios (Olimpia), Melvin Valladares (Real España).

Forwards: Carlos Pavon (Real España), Carlo Costly (Belchatow), Walter Martinez (Marathon), Jerry Palacios (Marathon), David Suazo (Inter Milan).

Honduras Brings in Big Names for Important Qualifier vs. US originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Germany Thumps US at U-20 World Cup

Michael Cardillo — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: International, US Soccer

Maybe it's something about U.S. soccer teams playing the first games in FIFA tournaments held in Africa. Saturday in Suez, Egypt, the U.S. Under-20 national team was beaten 3-0 by Germany at the U-20 World Cup Group C opener for both teams. (If you remember, the U.S. senior national team lost to Italy 3-1 in the Confederations Cup opener played in South Africa in June.)

It was a rough day all around for coach Thomas Rongen's men, who had a tough time finding their footing. A two-goal blitz by the Germans that netted consecutive scores in a span of three minutes midway through the first half put the game away.

The Germans missed a couple early chances inside the first 15 minutes when Richard Sukuta-Pasu missed wide twice from inside the penalty area.

By the 30th minute, though, the Germans broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after Brian Ownby brought down Bjorn Kopplin in the box. Semih Aydilek ripped a shot to the left, which sent U.S. keeper Brian Perk the wrong way.

It only got worse for the young Americans from there. Less than three minutes later German captain Florian Jungwirth found himself unmarked at the back of the penalty area after a corner and ripped a shot that Perk got a hand to, but it was hit with so much power it sailed into the right corner.

After the halftime break the play improved for the Americans. In the 62nd minute they got their best chance when Bryan Arguez, who's on the books at Hertha Berlin, slipped in a pass to Mikkel Diskerud, but the Norweigan-born player couldn't attempt a shot as German keeper Ron-Robert Zieler raced off his line to smother the attempt.

Three minutes later, after more positive play, Jared Jeffrey beat Zieler but his blistering shot thumped off the crossbar and back into play.

Germany made the U.S. pay for the missed chances when it sealed the game on a 72nd counter attack pushed in on the full run by substitute Manuel Schaffler, making it 3-0.

The Germans finished with a 12-4 advantage in shots.

For whatever it's worth, there was a fairly large disparity between the composition of the rosters of Germany and the U.S. The Germans brought in players from the country's mega-clubs (Bayern Munich, Schalke 04, Bayer Leverkausen, Werder Bremen, etc.) and even had one player -- Zieler -- who calls Manchester United home. Meanwhile the U.S. roster was mainly players from MLS and nine currently at NCAA Universities. Is that the reason they lost by three goals Saturday? No, but it bears some consideration as the U.S. progresses as a soccer nation.

Much like the Confederations Cup team, the U-20s can't afford to get too down on themselves after the opening-game throttling. The remaining group stage matches are against Cameroon and South Korea, which should be a little more winnable than Germany.

Dropping the opening fixture shouldn't be that disconcerting, either. At the 2007 edition of the tournament in Canada, the U.S. drew Korea 1-1 in the opening match, then when on to stomp Poland 6-1 and upset Brazil 2-1 en route to a place in the quarterfinals where it was surprisingly dropped by Austria.

The U.S. returns to action Tuesday against Cameroon live on ESPN2 at 12:45 p.m.

Germany Thumps US at U-20 World Cup originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLS Gets Good News at Crucial Time

Brian Straus — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: MLS, US Soccer

Even though we've had a first division league for nearly 14 years and a national team that's on the verge of qualifying for its sixth straight World Cup, soccer still occupies a pretty peripheral spot on the American sports landscape.

For that reason, every bit of good news matters. Even if they're not headline worthy and don't 't get the mainstream sports media and fanbase talking, small steps forward are a sign of bigger steps to come. And this week has included several, giving US soccer supporters reason to be optimistic as crucial qualifiers approach and as the MLS regular season reaches its climax.

CONCACAF Champions League: Major League Soccer's performance in this part of the world's first legitimate continental championship tournament was pathetic. Famously, epically pathetic. Four guaranteed berths in the competition imply that MLS is equal to the Mexican first division as the strongest league in CONCACAF.

But last term, the Houston Dynamo, D.C. United, New England Revolution and Chivas USA combined to go 2-10-6 against opposition from powerhouse countries like Trinidad & Tobago and Panama, among others. Houston saved MLS from total embarrassment, defeating San Francisco of Panama and L.A. Firpo of El Salvador and advancing to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, USL1's entrants from Montreal and Puerto Rico went a combined 11-5-6, with the Islanders falling in the semifinals on penalties. MLS was lucky that FIFA didn't force it to remove the word "Major" from its name.

This season has been a different story and a breath of fresh air. The awful New York Red Bulls were a predictable preliminary round casualty, but Houston, D.C. and the Columbus Crew now are each in the driver's seat for a quarterfinal berth. Houston (2-1-1 in Group A), crushed Panama's Arabe Unido, 5-1, this week and now holds the tiebreaker. Its game against Mexican powerhouse Pachuca is at Robertson stadium, leaving a trip to winless and goalless Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) as the last hurdle before the knockout stages.

Columbus lost to visiting Cruz Azul this week, but is 2-2-0 and two points above Costa Rica's Saprissa in the chase for the second quarterfinal berth from Group C. Columbus hosts El Monstruo Morado next Tuesday. And D.C. United, who laid a 0-5-1 egg in the 2008-09 group stage, rediscovered its offensive form and rolled to a 3-0 triumph over Honduras' Marathon on Thursday night. D.C. (2-2-0) now holds the tiebreaker over the Hondurans for second place in Group B.

Overall, a noteworthy improvement for MLS, which is a far less humiliating 6-6-4 in the tournament so far.

New Stadiums: Soccer specific stadiums, or at least facilities where the MLS tenant has some say over revenue and scheduling, are the lifeblood of American pro soccer, and there was progress made this week on several fronts.

On Saturday, San Jose Earthquakes owner Lew Wolff unveiled the design for a "European-style stadium" to be built next to the city's airport. And it is indeed "European." Moving away from the cookie-cutter architecture seen in so many other MLS venues (the concrete concourse sitting above shallow stands, the ornamental roof, etc.), the Quakes new home will feature steeper seating, fans right on the field and a wrap-around roof that is actually low enough to hold in the noise. Pictures and more information can be found here.

The Red Bulls announced the opening date for what promises to be a palace: March 27 against Chicago. And although the Philadelphia Union will play their first home match at the Eagles' Lincoln Financial Field, the expansion club promised it will "play the vast majority of our games in our own stadium" in 2010.

Grass in Toronto?: Players hate artificial turf. That's not going to change, no matter how much spin the soccer suits try to muster, and no matter how hard they try to suppress the players' and fans' complaints. The only reason it exists is financial. It obviously does not improve the game.

Two years ago, David Beckham made a few waves after criticizing the fields at Giants Stadium and BMO Field. "I didn't realize FieldTurf was acctually a company," he said in Washington, admitting that he had purchased several of the fields for his youth academy. "At that level and other sports around the world, I think it's a great service. At this level...I love playing on grass and I think soccer should always be played on it."

Turns out Toronto may now be feeling the same way. Buried in Thursday's unveiling of MLS's 2010 home openers was an admission that TFC's first game "will be determined pending the outcome of the club's proposal to install a grass surface at BMO Field." To prove that the preference for grass is nearly unanimous, even the mayor of Toronto is getting involved.

It's only one stadium, but it's a step in the right direction.

MLS Cup in primetime: Sadly, MLS Cup 2010 may be played on the artificial stuff in Seattle. But at least the game won't be buried in an unappetizing and anonymous mid-day time slot.

This year, ESPN has agreed to broadcast the game at 8:30 p.m. ET, exposing the match to a prime-time audience. Sure it's on cable instead of ABC, but it's 2009 -- that distinction barely matters at this point. It also will be up against the national Sunday night NFL game, but that's just one event. Most people have remote controls. This is a great move.

According to the Sports Business Journal, the number of viewers per game for ESPN2's telecasts has risen 7% from last year. It's but another small step, but again, one that is cause for cautious optimism for a league and a sport still trying to find its place.

MLS Gets Good News at Crucial Time originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Americans on Pine a Cause for Concern

Michael Cardillo — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International Soccer, International, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

Aside from the fact that they're both a) human beings, b) American international soccer players of African descent and c) from the greater Washington, D.C. area, there aren't too many similarities between Freddy Adu and Oguchi Onyewu, saying nothing of the pair's nearly one-foot height and seven-year age discrepancy.

Adu, as we all recall, entered MLS in 2004 with fanfare worthy of a Michael Bay special effects blockbuster and was supposed to set the league afire with his amazing skill and footwork -- all at 14 years of age. Since his arrival the pint-sized midfielder has played for two MLS clubs, made a much ballyhooed transfer to Portuguese giants Benfica and now at 20 years old finds himself loaned out for the second time in three years.

Meanwhile the same year Adu attempted to burst onto the MLS scene, Onyewu quietly moved from French club Metz to Belgian power Standard Liege, where he blossomed into a hulking central defender with a pair of Jupiler League crowns under his belt. Most American fans probably didn't even know of the alliterative defender's existence until his famous stare-down of Mexican forward Jared Borgetti in the U.S.'s 2-0 win over El Tri in Columbus, Ohio, which booked a place in the 2006 World Cup.

While Onyewu -- who transferred to AC Milan in July -- has been a regular in the U.S. back four since his 2005 breakout, Adu has struggled to make an impact on either the club or country level, but his potential still teases many U.S. fans.

However, a little less than two weeks before the final pair of CONCACAF 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Onyewu and Adu find themselves in similar situations -- stuck on the bench for their club teams. For Adu this is nothing new, as he spent long spell of inactivity at Benfica before being loaned to AS Monaco where he again struggled to crack the starting XI. Currently loaned out to Belenenses in Portugal, Adu has yet to feature since moving there at the end of the summer transfer window in August.

Adu, though, doesn't seemed worried Tweeting on Sept. 19, "Not in the 18 against academica BUT dont worry spoke with the coach and all is good.Wants to take it slow for first couple games.StepBYstep."

Granted, Adu was an extreme long shot to be called into the U.S. fold by coach Bob Bradley, who has made it a point that American internationals need to be playing at their club team in order to feature for the Yanks. This issue reached a boiling point for sections of U.S. supporters who called for the inclusion of Jozy Altidore even though the New Jersey teenager languished on the bench at Villareal before being loaned to Xerez where he also didn't play.

The lack of club playing time didn't seem bother Altidore all that much during the U.S.'s run at June's Confederations Cup, including a famous goal against Spain in the American's 2-0 semifinal win. (The playing time certainly helped Altidore, as he was loaned to Hull City before the start of the Premier League season, where he's now getting steady playing time.)

Yet Bradley's "play-to-play" policy (for lack of a better term) should be put to the test next month when it comes to Onyewu, who has yet to play in a competitive match for Italian giants. In fact, Onyewu now sits fourth on the Milan central defensive depth chart and rarely even makes the final matchday roster. On a personal level for Onyewu, this isn't all that hard to believe, since it takes time to adjust to a new league and language. Long term, too, it could prove a beneficial move for Onyewu, but it will take time to work his way into the starting lineup past Alessandro Nesta, Thiago Silva and Kakha Kaladze.

Unless suspended or injured, though, Onyewu has been one of Bradley's first names written down on the U.S. team sheet.Will the 6-foot-4 Washington native's lack of playing time be taken into a account when the U.S. heads to Tegucigalpa to play Honduras in a critical match on Oct. 10? Can Bradley risk starting a center back, who may train everyday against the likes of Alexandre Pato and Andrea Pirlo, but isn't being tested in game situations.

And by the same token what to make of the coach's son Michael, who's recently found himself in the doghouse at Borussia Mönchengladbach? (Michael Bradley did play on Tuesday in Gladbach's 1-0 loss to Duisberg in the German Cup, though it was his first appearance since being subbed out at halftime in a 3-0 loss to Werder Bremen on Aug. 23.)

The Onyewu situation would seem the easier to address, since the U.S. could either play Marshall next to Jay DeMerit or slide captain Carlos Bocanegra to the center of the defense. As for the Michael Bradley? If we don't factor in the father-son dynamic, there isn't exactly a ready-made replacement in the center of the field, which could force the elder to shift his tactical lineup with perhaps a pass-first player like Jose Francisco Torres getting the nod.

Onyewu's lack of playing time at Milan also underlines another lingering doubt inside the minds of some U.S. fans, namely the lack of Americans competing in either the UEFA Champions League or to a lesser extent the Europa League. A long held belief by some, is that is the U.S. is truly going to take the next step in international progress, it needs players competing at Europe's top clubs and by extension the Champions League. (In the first Group Stage matchday of the 2009-10 competition, the only American was DaMarcus Beasley, who sat the bench for Rangers.)

For the immediate future, Bob Bradley faces a tough decision, which opens himself up for second guessing. Does he stick with the U.S. regulars (Onyewu, Bradley) even though they're spending time on the bench and could be rusty? Or does he gamble on players who are more in form (Chad Marshall, Benny Feilhaber) though less experienced in the U.S. team fold?

Should the U.S. get the necessary points next month to qualify for South Africa this issue of "play-to-play" could take on added significance as the calendar ticks closer to June 2010, especially if the U.S.'s best player -- Landon Donovan -- decides to act on the rumors and take one final dip in European waters.

Americans on Pine a Cause for Concern originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Columbus Crew Are Coming Together

Brian Straus — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:34:00 EST

Filed under: MLS, US Soccer, FanHouse Exclusive

The Columbus Crew tamed the Purple Monster on Wednesday night, adding yet another impressive chapter to the quiet but compelling claim that the humble side from Ohio is American soccer's best team.

"Honestly, flying under the radar hasn't been a bad thing. Whether people want to respect us or not, we're back at the top," veteran midfielder Brian Carroll told FanHouse. "Obviously playing in this market is a little different from a marketing and pressure standpoint, but the fans here are extremely passionate. They want the best from us, and we're trying to work hard to give that to them."

For the past year and a half they have, and it's time that supporters and media in the rest of the country take notice.

Carroll wore the captain's armband on Wednesday night in Costa Rica and set up the winning goal, a fifth-minute strike from Eddie Gaven that was enough to secure a 1-0 CONCACAF Champions League victory over Saprissa. Carroll, a Washington-area native who was a starter on D.C. United's 2004 championship team, started the play with a steal on Saprissa's right flank. He created a bit of space, sent the ball inside and then received it back further upfield before chipping a pass into Gaven's path. Gaven did well to settle it on the run and finish.

The goal was historic. Saprissa, the "Monster's Cave," has been a house of horrors for both the U.S. national team and MLS. The national team is 0-7-0 in the Costa Rican capital and has been outscored 16-5. Professional clubs had fared only slightly better before Wednesday, going 0-5-1 in San Jose. D.C. United earned a 2-2 draw there last October, while "marquee" MLS teams like Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston all left defeated.

But this Columbus team is proving itself worthy of elite status, even if it doesn't field many household names or play in a city that attracts much media or television attention. It came from nowhere to win the MLS Cup/Supporters Shield double last year but lost the architect of that rebirth, Sigi Schmid, to Seattle in the offseason. Heading into 2009 there was a "wait and see" attitude about the Crew, similar to the one directed toward the Arizona Cardinals. One good season does not completely eliminate perceptions created by years of anonymous mediocrity.

Columbus began this season as if 2008 indeed was a fluke. Schmid's former assistant coach and long-time Crew midfielder Robert Warzycha lead the defending champions to a 0-2-5 start. Questions arose about the new coach's competence and whether the Crew had the hunger or talent to defend their title.

"I think those questions are going to happen whenever there's a change, and when things didn't start up for the best, of course they're going to point fingers," Carroll said.

"I think [Warzycha's] handled it tremendously throughout the entire year, keeping our egos down, keeping us working hard, keeping us fighting for each other, knowing all along that if we do that we'll be back to where we were the previous year. He's just letting us develop and do our jobs and keeping us level-headed and on the right path."

Columbus finally got a win on May 9, defeating visiting Kansas City, and the Crew was off to the races. They ripped off a 10-1-4 run that has them once again in the driver's seat for the Supporters Shield with an 11-4-9 record. In addition, they are a very respectable 2-1-0 in the Champions League, which has been unkind to MLS teams over the past couple of years.

Most impressively, they did much of that good work without 2008 MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who missed significant time after hurting his hamstring in mid-July. He did not start another MLS game until last Sunday's 2-1 win over the Dynamo. Columbus is spreading the goals around, with six other players who've gotten on the scoresheet more than once and a sound defense led by a healthy Frankie Hejduk, new U.S. international Chad Marshall and the underrated Gino Padula and Danny O'Rourke. The Crew also boast young American attackers like Robbie Rogers and Gaven that can and will take on defenders - something worth noting in MLS.

Carroll said of the poor start: "I think you can attribute it to a little bit of everything. I think we just found our bearings again and got back to the basics of what made us successful last year, just focused on playing together, tackling, being opportunistic. And before you know it, we're getting results."

And they're continuing to get them during Champions League play, while other clubs use schedule congestion as an excuse for their poor form. This is simply a team that has learned how to win, and at this point they must be the favorite to lift a second MLS Cup this November. Perhaps that will get them some notoriety.

Columbus Crew Are Coming Together originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major League Soccer Gets It Right, Announces Break for World Cup

Brian Straus — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: MLS, US Soccer

Major League Soccer executives rarely make decisions that please everybody -- that's one of the hazards of trying to run a league with so many competing constituencies. However, it's hard to imagine anybody criticizing Wednesday's announcement that MLS will suspend play during the group stage of next summer's World Cup. For once, the U.S. soccer community, both those who are glad to be part of it and those who wish they were European or Latin American, should be satisfied.

MLS released a statement Wednesday afternoon indicating that it plans to leave the schedule blank from June 11, the first day of the tournament, until the group stage concludes on June 25. It also will not play any games on the days of the World Cup semifinals and final.

"The decision to stop league play during the group phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is part of MLS' commitment to deepen its connection with the millions of soccer fans in the United States and Canada. The World Cup will be a focal point for all MLS fans and several MLS players will compete with their national teams at the tournament," Commissioner Don Garber said.

In the past, the league has continued to play through the World Cup, albeit with a lightened schedule. The message that decision sent is obvious - that MLS was not part of the global soccer community and did not feel it needed to make the necessary sacrifices to align. The excuses regarding schedule congestion and stadium availability were just that. They were not insurmountable. They were just inconvenient.

It is indefensible that the league continues to play games at the same time as the U.S. national team's World Cup qualifiers, but Wednesday's announcement was a significant step in the right direction. One imagines that the only initial opposition might have come from a few penny-pinching owners worried about the possibility of scheduling an extra match or two on a Wednesday night, but hopefully those individuals are starting to get a sense of the bigger picture as well. It's hard to imagine anyone else criticizing this decision, and it should be clear at this point that the growth of soccer in this country only can help MLS.

Separately, the league unveiled its scheduling format for next season, which was open to question as the Philadelphia Union prepare to join as the 16th team. Each club will play a balanced 30-game schedule, featuring home and away dates against each of the other 15 teams. Eight sides will qualify for the playoffs, as usual, with the MLS Cup final taking place on Nov. 21.

Of course, a balanced schedule eliminates the need for conferences. Will we see a single table of 16 teams and the elimination of the current confusion that results in clubs from New York winning the Western Conference championship? That would be another MLS decision that certainly would be hard to fault.

Major League Soccer Gets It Right, Announces Break for World Cup originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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