The atmosphere was charged in historic RFK Stadium as two teams on opposite sides of the standings faced off in front of a national TV audience. &nbsp;DC United was winless in their first three matches and had scored one goal; the Black and Red were looking for an elusive home win to set their season straight. &nbsp;FC Dallas saw an up-and-down start to their season but with Brek Shea returning from international duty, the team looked to steal at least a point from the night and keep up with the leaders in the West.
The stadium and fans were electric from the outset. &nbsp;The small but incredibly loud DC fans were on their feet from the first kick, engaged and showing off for the NBC Sports cameras. &nbsp;On the pitch, the players brought their own emotions from the start, as four DC United players (including captain Dwayne De Rosario) came out for the introductions <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/trayvon-martin-shooting-thrusts-hoodies-into-spotlight/2012/03/27/gIQA7r0veS_story.html" target="_blank">wearing hooded sweatshirts</a>. &nbsp;Throughout the game, there were a number of aggressive fouls and at least two altercations that saw both teams needing to be separated. &nbsp;With the attention of the American soccer world focused on DC for the night, the teams channeled that big game atmosphere to make an entertaining and intense match.
It was the home team, however, that better bottled the energy and in the span of thirteen minutes in the second half crushed Dallas with three rapid goals. &nbsp;That sequence was unimaginable in the first half as both teams played a fairly even match. &nbsp;Dallas had the majority of possession early and, as has every other DC opponent this year, muddled the midfield enough to prevent the Black and Red from connecting the back line to the forwards. &nbsp;Starting as an attacking midfielder, DeRo was forced by the Dallas defense to fall back to collect the ball from a discombobulated Perry Kitchen early on. &nbsp;Despite controlling the pace, DC keeper Joe Willis kept the home team in the game with some impressive saves. &nbsp;It was former Dallas player Maicon Santos who broke the scoreless tie in the 28th minute; receiving a pass from DeRo and given space from the Dallas defense, the forward unleashed a bullet 25 yards out that beat Kevin Hartman.
Dallas would equalize toward the end of the first half on a controversial goal that forced pundits to dive into FIFA and MLS rules to determine its legitimacy. &nbsp;Daniel Hernandez chested down a Joe Willis clearance in the DC half and tried to thread a pass to Blas Perez, who was in an offside position. &nbsp;DC defender Emiliano Dudar hit the ball with his foot but instead of clearing the pass, it fell to Perez who was able to take Willis one-on-one and score. &nbsp;The referee in essence decided that Dudar had established possession with his contact and did not rule the play offside.
The controversy was rendered moot early in the second half as DC came out&nbsp;aggressively&nbsp;looking to reclaim the lead. Louisville&nbsp;rookie Nick DeLeon had looked good for DC, making plays on the right and winning the ball but failing to make good passes to create goal scoring opportunities. &nbsp;“We came out after halftime knowing we had no choice, we had to get a win,” DeLeon said after the game, and he started the onslaught of goals. &nbsp;Chesting down a Maicon&nbsp;Santos pass in the sixtieth minute, DeLeon coolly beat the defense and put the ball into the roof of the Dallas net. &nbsp;The next goal was DeLeon’s chance to earn an assist, again creating space before finding teammate Danny Cruz on the far post. &nbsp;The final goal was again the Cruz-DeLeon-Maicon Santos combination as Cruz began a counter off of a set piece, found DeLeon who put in a cross in front of net that Santos headed home. &nbsp;As Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman said after the game, “I think our defense gave some silly balls away, and I think they capitalized on it.”
The loss for Dallas was undoubtedly a tough one. &nbsp;This was their second consecutive road loss to an Eastern Conference team and what is considered the strength of their team (the defense) let them down today. &nbsp;George John was absent, but the backline should still be good enough to prevent four goals from going in. &nbsp;In addition, the wings (Shea and Rodriguez in the midfield, Loyd and Benitez as fullbacks) were owned by DC and that is not acceptable if Dallas wants to be a playoff team. &nbsp;Blas Perez was active and when he got the ball made a few nice plays, but essentially as the game&nbsp;unraveled&nbsp;for the visitors he became an afterthought. &nbsp;All of the attention throughout was on Brek Shea, who was returning from the U-23 team and played all 90 minutes tonight. &nbsp;Despite physically doing well, he was emotionally drained after the game: “It’s hard coming back, trying to flip the switch… it hasn’t been easy,” he said afterwards in the tunnel.
The win covers up some of DC warts, deficiencies that could be exposed even more with Seattle coming to town next week. &nbsp;The back line was shaky throughout (as seen by the Perez goal) and Perry Kitchen looked unsettled in the first half (potentially due to his&nbsp;returning&nbsp;to the midfield). &nbsp;But this was the offensive display MLS fans had expected to see from DC, the movement and the quick strike ability. &nbsp;Except it was the rookie, veteran who had been castoff in the offseason, and traded backup who were the major offensive sparks in this game. &nbsp;De Rosario played very well and almost scored himself, but again the designated players were not the catalysts for this team. &nbsp;These critiques do divert attention away from what was a dominant and entertaining win for DC.

DC United Notches First Win, 4-1 Over Dallas

DC United Notches First Win, 4-1 Over Dallas - World Soccer Talk

From the pre-game Friday night to the waning minutes of the late Saturday game, MLS provided a number of compelling story lines for the American soccer fan. &nbsp;Soccer Night in America received at least tepid praise from most commentators (<a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/fox-soccer-channels-soccer-night-in-america-equals-a-big-success/12542" target="_blank">see our review here</a>) and the Los Angeles/New York match up was excellent all around, even setting up a compelling&nbsp;sequel&nbsp;in August. &nbsp;Those on the Fox Soccer email list even got treated to a free preview of Match Day Live.
But the weekend was not all good news: Javier Morales became the latest MLS player felled by a major injury and will miss months with a broken ankle. &nbsp;In addition, only 9 goals were scored between eight matches, with three scoreless draws and Toronto (!) scoring the most goals with two.
Before the weekend roundup, take a second to vote in the following poll, and leave comments in the comments section:
[polldaddy poll=5029969]
Portland Timbers 1, Philadelphia Union 0: Lost amidst the discussion of Soccer Night in America was a very good game. &nbsp;The Timbers and Union seemed destined for a scoreless draw until a 72nd minute Danso goal broke the Philadelphia defense for the winning strike. &nbsp;While it was the Timbers that had the most chances the Union held their own, especially on the 39th minute Le Toux follow-up that Troy Perkins corralled. &nbsp;This match was a good contrast in styles as fans saw maybe the best defense in MLS (on the road even) try to contain a very good offense. &nbsp;My only complaint was I wish more fans could have seen this match – it was a 10:30 start on the East Coast but would have been a good introduction to American soccer to international soccer fans.
Real Salt Lake 1, Chivas USA 0: Obviously the Morales injury impacted this game as did the two red cards early in this match. &nbsp;From the injury on, Chivas packed it in to try and get a draw (a tactic quite understandable playing two men down) while RSL tried to navigate around the defense. &nbsp;Will Johnson finally broke the draw in the 87th minute and got the home team three tough points.
Toronto FC 2, Houston Dynamo 1: All of that talk about Houston’s momentum towards a top two finish in the East can be put on hold after this week. &nbsp;Their visit to BMO Field saw Toronto create most of the early scoring chances and allowed Joao Plata to remind MLS fans why he was a hot prospect going into this year’s draft. &nbsp;The 5’3″ forward converted a penalty in the fiftieth minute then assisted on the Maicon goal in the 81st minute; his speed was almost too much for the Houston defense to handle.
New England Revolution 0, Colorado Rapids 0: Two teams with shuffled lineups faced off in a scoreless draw, the first of the weekend. &nbsp;New England welcomed back Matt Reis and started Ousmane Dabo for the first time this season. &nbsp;Colorado was without Omar Cummings and Jamie Smith in addition to their other long-term injuries. &nbsp;There were only three total shots on goal in the defensive battle, although New England saw two shots hit the post.
Columbus Crew 1, Seattle Sounders 1: Rain made for a sluggish tie at Crew Stadium as a Renteria penalty allowed Columbus to claim their first point against Sigi Schmid since he left the Crew. &nbsp;Fredy Montero scored his fifth goal of the season for the Sounders on a seventh minute header, continuing his return to last year’s form. &nbsp;The Emilio Renteria penalty in the 67th minute allowed the Crew to run their unbeaten streak to seven games.
DC United 0, FC Dallas 0: A Kevin Hartman save of a Fred header in the 89th minute allowed Dallas to grab a point on the road and preserve a scoreless draw at RFK. &nbsp;Much of the talk in DC has been about the&nbsp;improved&nbsp;play of the DC back line, but I remain skeptical of declaring the fullbacks as set for a few more games, particularly on the road. &nbsp;Both teams pushed at times and had their chances, with Dallas’ best possibly being a Dejan Jakovic deflection that almost trickled in DC’s net. &nbsp;However, this was an&nbsp;appropriate&nbsp;and good result for both sides.
Chicago Fire 0, Vancouver Whitecaps 0: Possibly the two worst teams in MLS playing to a scoreless draw may be an&nbsp;appropriate&nbsp;result here. &nbsp;Statistically Chicago dominated: they had eleven shots to Vancouver’s eight and had literally 2/3rds of possession during the game. &nbsp;Dominic Oduro had a great chance in the 32nd minute when he got some space in the box but his shot went over the bar. &nbsp;Congratulations to the Whitecaps for getting their first MLS road point.
Los Angeles Galaxy 1, New York Red Bulls 1: <a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/la-galaxy-1-1-ny-red-bulls-hype-well-worth-the-price-of-admission/12544" target="_blank">Daniel has this match covered for the site </a>and the analysis (and praise) is all over the Internet, so I have little new to add. &nbsp;Both goals were incredible and it was great to see the superstars play like, well, superstars at the same time. &nbsp;I am having a hard time remembering when such a hyped MLS match lived up to the hype and I argue it was a level of excellence of play equal to some of the larger European leagues this weekend.

MLS Provides a Weekend of Talking Points

MLS Provides a Weekend of Talking Points - World Soccer Talk

<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a title="Flying V by Mafue, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mafue/5541928196/"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5017/5541928196_e56c0e70a5.jpg" alt="Flying V" width="500" height="375"></figure></div></a>Photo by Mafue</div>
MLS could not have asked for a better opening weekend of soccer than this weekend. &nbsp;After a somewhat pedestrian first match between the Galaxy and Sounders, there were a ton of story lines to follow in this weekend’s games. &nbsp;While it may be a lot to ask for every weekend to be this exciting (although we can hope) there is no doubt that this season is looking like a great one.
Just like Don Garber planned it.
Vancouver 4, Toronto 2
What a tale of two cities. &nbsp;Expansion Vancouver certainly kicked off their first first-division season in style. &nbsp;The fans were decked out in white as part of the “White Out”, celebrity fan Steve Nash sat among the masses and led the cheering, and the action on the pitch could not have been better for the home team. &nbsp;Eric Hassli started the scoring in the 15th minute and, after Dwayne De Rosario equalized, it was all Whitecaps. &nbsp;The Toronto defense was exposed and the Reds looked pretty bad; it may be worst case scenario for them at least in the near future.
For more weekend reviews…..
Colorado 3, Portland 1
I was intrigued by this match because I wanted to see how Colorado looked in their first match that counted after their MLS Cup win, as well as see how our other newest club looked. &nbsp;Kenny Cooper contributed a goal (and points for my MLS fantasy team) but otherwise it was all Colorado. &nbsp;The Cummings/Casey duo again looked dangerous in front of the goal, a must for the Rapids, and it was last year’s key pickup Jeff Larentowicz who got the scoring started for Colorado. &nbsp;A tough first match for Portland, but their next three matches are very winnable: at Toronto, at New England, versus Chicago.
Dallas 1, Chicago 1
If you stepped away to the fridge for a beer, you missed the scoring in this one. &nbsp;Milton Rodriguez for Dallas and Diego Chaves for Chicago scored within two minutes of each other, and defense carried the game. &nbsp;Hats off to Dallas for selling out their stadium, after receiving so much criticism for their poor draws last year. &nbsp;Let’s hope that they are building a tradition of being a tough ticket to get. &nbsp;Kevin Hartman picked up where he left off last season, facing 12 shots (5 on goal) and conceding one goal.
D.C. United 3, Columbus 1
I did a story for the site on this match, but I want to make a few follow-up points. &nbsp;Can any Crew fan fill me in on Robbie Rogers absence for most of the match? &nbsp;He had a&nbsp;discernible&nbsp;and positive impact when he was subbed on in the 65th minute, and he may have made a difference playing the full 90. &nbsp;Charlie Davies is getting the attention from this one, but the DC backline (which was horrendous last year) played very well in this match. &nbsp;But with Perry Kitchen called up to the U-20s and Jed Zayner picking up an injury, their depth may be tested (<a href="http://www.blackandredunited.com/2011/3/21/2063523/dc-united-roster-depth-defense" target="_blank">find more&nbsp;information&nbsp;here</a>).
New York 1, Seattle 0
Daniel did <a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/new-york-1-0-seattle-sounders-agudelo-scores/12049" target="_blank">an excellent job covering this match for MLS Talk, so I will refer you to his analysis</a>. &nbsp;But allow me to continue heaping praise on Juan Agudelo. &nbsp;The guy will be something special if he is allowed to grow properly both in a playing sense and media sense. &nbsp;I also hope the European clubs dismiss him as an overrated American so he plays in MLS for a while longer. &nbsp;I’d like to hear from Sounders’ fans – what can your team do to generate some goals? &nbsp;Goalless now in two matches.
Real Salt Lake 1, San Jose 0
RSL is a very efficient team. &nbsp;They manage only two shots on goal and that’s all they need for Kyle Beckerman to find the winner. &nbsp;It was a good win in bad weather and there was nothing in this match that doesn’t make you think RSL may be the best team already. &nbsp;For San Jose, they are in a tough spot like we expected. &nbsp;They need to win home games against the favorites in the West to be considered playoff contenders; this match will do nothing to make anyone think that they are one of the better Western Conference teams.
Sporting KC 3, Chivas 2
Newcomers shined for Kansas City in this quality away win. &nbsp;James Madison University rookie C.J. Sapong scored the first goal in the second minute and newcomer Omar Bravo added two more in this match. &nbsp;Both teams should be very concerned about their defense, however. &nbsp;Sporting KC allowed two goals on only four shots on goal, while Chivas obviously had some defensive lapses. &nbsp;Does this match assert the Eastern Conference’s dominance over the Western Conference? &nbsp;Probably not, but it is a good win for a potential playoff contender.
Philadelphia 1, Houston 0
Another match where if you turned your head you missed the goal, as Danny Califf scores off a long throw-in. &nbsp;Kudos to Houston for another good crowd of almost 20,000 to begin the season, but a disappointing offensive output. &nbsp;They needed some points from this match, as their next two (at Sounders, at Red Bulls) could see them trailing early in the season, never a good place to be. &nbsp;The Union also needed this one, as five of their next six matches are against 2010 playoff teams and the sixth is against Vancouver.
Los Angeles 1, New England 1
Paging Mr. Angel, please pick up the white courtesy phone. &nbsp;The Galaxy need him healthy or need other players in their midfield to step up if they want to create more scoring chances. &nbsp;Again it was Juninho who salvaged the point for LA, and the good news for their supporters is that they have taken the early lead in the Supporters Shield race. &nbsp;It is good that New England salvaged a point from this match, but they showed some concerning tendencies in the match. &nbsp;Joseph’s third minute goal was their only shot on goal. &nbsp;Their home opener is DC United, so that will be a good test of where they stand.

MLS First Kick '11 is as Good as Advertised

MLS First Kick '11 is as Good as Advertised - World Soccer Talk

<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/toronto-bids-hard-for-the/image/3068745?term=toronto+skyline" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/3068745/toronto-bids-hard-for-the/toronto-bids-hard-for-the.jpg?size=380&amp;imageId=3068745" border="0" alt="391776 02: (FILE PHOTO) The CN Tower and the Skydome highlight the Toronto skyline in his undated file photo. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) meets in Moscow July 13, 2001 to decide between front runners Beijing, Paris and Toronto for the site of the 2008 summer Olympics. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)" width="380" height="253"></figure></div></a></div>
To kick off our MLS Cup 2010 Preview, I am pleased to share that we will be live blogging the match on this site Sunday night beginning at 8:30 PM Eastern.&nbsp; For those of us not in Toronto, please visit this site to share thoughts on the two teams, ESPN’s coverage, or the warmth of your home as opposed to those at the stadium.
On Sunday night, two American teams will invade a Canadian pitch to resolve which is the best team in Major League Soccer.&nbsp; Oddly enough, only one player on either roster is actually Canadian – FC Dallas defender Edson Edward, who was born in Ottawa.&nbsp; BMO Field previously hosted the 2008 MLS All Star Game, so it is not a stranger to large MLS matches.&nbsp; In honor of Canada’s national winter sport (hockey), below is a breakdown of the match up face-off style.

Dallas Attack vs. Colorado Defense:&nbsp; Anyone who has followed any bit of the playoffs knows the Dallas attack starts with David Ferreira.&nbsp; The key to stopping the Dallas attack is stopping the presumptive MLS MVP, which no team in the playoffs has done so far.&nbsp; The Rapids duo of Mastroeni and Larentowicz are next up, and their contribution will be critical to the Rapids’ game plan.&nbsp; Of course the Dallas attack does not stop with Ferreira; the midfield duo of Dax McCarty and Brek Shea are also playmakers who can threaten the Colorado defense.&nbsp; Despite a 1-0 win in their last match and a solid keeper in Matt Pickens, they will be hard pressed to slow down a high-powered Dallas attack.&nbsp; Advantage – Dallas
Colorado Attack v. Dallas Defense:&nbsp; The Dallas defense can be summed up in one word – Hartman.&nbsp; The keeper has been unworldly in the regular season and especially in the playoffs; his first-half saves against the Galaxy kept the momentum with the visiting team.&nbsp; His back line will have a hard time containing the best forwards in MLS, especially Omar Cummings on the wing.&nbsp; If Kevin Hartman wasn’t in goal, I’d give this advantage to the speed and skill of the Rapids.&nbsp; But until the Dallas keeper proves me wrong, I’ll bet on him to keep this category even.&nbsp; Advantage: Push
Hyndman v. Smith: Again, it’s tough to bet against the MLS Coach of the Year.&nbsp; Hyndman’s gameplan against the Galaxy was excellent, using the speed of his team to exploit weaknesses in LA defense.&nbsp; Gary Smith is also a good manager, but usually excellent beats good.&nbsp; Advantage: Dallas
Intangibles: My initial thought is that Colorado would be better equipped to play in a cold match, but they lost their only visit to Canada this year while Dallas drew FC Toronto 1-1.&nbsp; Neither club has won a championship, so that is a push.&nbsp; But their roads to Toronto have been very different.&nbsp; Colorado overcame a scrappy Columbus team and a solid San Jose team to make it this far.&nbsp; Dallas beat the defending champions and the Supporters Shield winners.&nbsp; Advantage: Dallas
Prediction: Dallas looks to have the upper hand in the matchup, but Colorado is a very talented team.&nbsp; I expect a back-and-forth match with Dallas pulling away in the end.&nbsp; Dallas wins 3-1.

2010 MLS Cup Preview &#8211; Canadian Style

2010 MLS Cup Preview - Canadian Style - World Soccer Talk

2010 MLS Cup Preview – Canadian Style

In the end, what was most impressive about the LA Galaxy against the Seattle Sounders was also their undoing in the Western Conference finals.&nbsp; The home team’s back line were spectators for an impressive Dallas attack, the LA superstars played a poor match overall, and the winningest coach in MLS playoff history was outcoached.&nbsp; Because of this, FC Dallas advances to their first ever MLS Cup and lose the distinction of being the only original MLS club that had not made a Final.
The first half was the opportunity for Kevin Hartman to show his opposing keeper why it was he who deserved to win the Keeper of the Year Award.&nbsp; The Galaxy attack early on was controlling play as they put up multiple shots on the FC Dallas defense.&nbsp; Landon Donovan himself had two good chances in the first half, one in the sixteenth minute that was a cross Hartman intercepted and one in the thirty-first minute when Hartman’s dive just knocked the shot away from the far post.&nbsp; But it was Juninho who may have had the best chance of the half for the home team when in the twenty-first minute he took the ball outside the box unmarked and launched a rocket that Hartman saved via reflex.&nbsp; At times early on, it looked like the Dallas defense was happy to watch Hartman just try and stop the Galaxy tries.
But it was Dallas that struck first.&nbsp; The Galaxy had clogged the middle of the pitch to try and prevent David Ferreira from making any plays.&nbsp; But in the twenty-sixth minute, the MVP candidate took a pass from Atiba Harris and, as Omar Gonzalez and the LA defense watched, scored the first goal of the match.&nbsp; Not surprisingly, the Dallas attack went through Ferreira, and not surprisingly he created some magnificent goals all night.
The story of the second half was pretty consistent – the Galaxy threatened and tried to put together good chances, but Dallas would clog passing lanes and prevent open chances for the home team.&nbsp; Dallas would counter and Ferreira would find a teammate left unmarked by the defense who would then either score or just miss the chance.&nbsp; The second goal was scored by George John from a Brek Shea pass, his first goal of the year and an excellent goal.&nbsp; Chavez scored the backbreaking goal in the seventy-third minute, but it could have easily been Chavez in the forty-ninth, Ferreira in the fifty-third, or Harris in the sixty-first.&nbsp; But in the end, the story line is the Galaxy defense just did not have an answer for David Ferreira, and as he has all season he made his opponent pay.&nbsp; The team with the 36 year old keeper no one wanted and the 5’5″ midfielder is going to play Colorado for the 2010 MLS Cup, and it was well deserved.
One note – in the eighty-third minute Eddie Lewis was substituted off for the final time, and he has played his last MLS match.&nbsp; Congratulations to him on an incredible career.

FC Dallas Advances to First MLS Cup

FC Dallas Advances to First MLS Cup - World Soccer Talk

<div style="float: right;margin-left: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/dallas-real-salt-lake/image/10116613?term=real+salt+lake+fc+dallas" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/10116613/dallas-real-salt-lake/dallas-real-salt-lake.jpg?size=234&amp;imageId=10116613" border="0" alt="SANDY, UT - SEPTEMBER 16: Ned Grabavoy of Real Salt Lake and David Ferreira of FC Dallas fights for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer game September 16, 2010 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)" width="234" height="258"></figure></div></a></div>
Soccer fans in the U.S. have long debated whether playoffs should be part of the beautiful game.&nbsp; Yesterday’s Real Salt Lake/FC Dallas match showed exactly why the MLS playoffs can be special, as the lower-seeded Dallas knocked off the defending MLS champions with a 1-1 draw, 3-2 win on aggregate.&nbsp; Real Salt Lake came into the match knowing they needed a win outright and played like it the entire game, but failed to convert numerous chances in the second half.
As could be expected, the match began with Real Salt Lake on the attack and Dallas looking to score off the counter.&nbsp; And it looked like they would do that in the&nbsp;4th minute as Jeff Cunningham crossed it to an open Brek Shea who finished, but was called just a step offsides.&nbsp; Colorado had problems maintaining possession the entire first half and every time it seemed as if they would string together a couple of passes and get into an offensive rhythm, Dallas would force a turnover.&nbsp; When Real Salt Lake did have chances, they were primarily started by&nbsp;Fabian Espindola who was able to beat Jackson repeatedly.&nbsp; His teammates, however, failed to do the same with the rest of the Dallas defense.
In the&nbsp;17th minute, Dallas again attacked on the counter.&nbsp; This time, MVP candidate David Ferreira sent in a cross from the right that Shea chested down to McCarty who pushed the ball past Rimando for the 1-0 lead.&nbsp; This increased the intensity of the Real attack but Dallas consistently disrupted Real scoring chances and pressured the home team’s defense &nbsp;with counterattacks.&nbsp; RSL had their best chance in the&nbsp;40th minute when Grabavoy had a good shot from distance that Hartman knocked right to Espindola.&nbsp; Hartman had fallen on the punch and Espindola, who had an almost open net but was accelerating toward the ball, kicked the ball over the net.&nbsp; Will Johnson had another long shot that just missed the next at the end of the half, bu Martin Chavez also missed a chance to put Dallas up even more in the 45th minute.&nbsp; He was released on a pass by Cunningham but he just pushed his shot wide.

The second half saw much of the same, except Real Salt Lake was able to string together possession and get some quality chances on goal.&nbsp; The problem for the home team was Kevin Hartman decided to make his case for why he should have been Goalkeeper of the Year.&nbsp; For example, in the 49th minute, Espindola gets a pass over the top and with just Hartman between him and an equalizer, Hartman makes a great save with his foot to knock the ball out of play.&nbsp; In the 73rd minute RSL again had a great opportunity as a ball in deflects away from Hartman who was off his line, except as the ball bounced toward the net no one in claret could finish the chance, and Dallas cleared.
The home club finally got on the board on the&nbsp;80th minute when Borcher passed a free kick to sub Robbie Findley who kicked it past Hartman.&nbsp; Findley was very close to being offside but there was no call, and RSL finally found something that would stick.&nbsp; Findley would be the center of the home team’s attack as he was constantly targeted with passes into the box in the waining minutes, but he failed to convert.&nbsp; A Beckerman pass over the top failed to find Findley’s head in the 88th minute that looked to be an automatic goal.&nbsp; But the best save of the night may have been at the 90th minute.&nbsp; RSL continued its pressure and got a shot which was redirected at the last second by Espindola, yet Hartman made the save off his legs.
The man of the match was certainly Kevin Hartman, who at times was the only player keeping FC Dallas in the match.&nbsp; As so many other visiting teams have experienced, the Dallas players were absolutely gassed toward the end of the match due in part to the altitude.&nbsp; Hartman covered any mistakes (except for the one Findley goal) and played just out of his mind.&nbsp; The visitors were also lucky their keeper was not hurt more seriously on a 77th minute collision that saw him receive treatment.
For the defending champions, the loss of Javier Morales hurt more than I thought it would.&nbsp; Despite many attempts on goal, they simply could not convert quality chances in the second half.&nbsp; A perfect example was a cross by Warner in the 89th minute through the box and through the Dallas defense that found no Real players; it was perfect for that second goal.&nbsp; By the time RSL began to string enough passes together and create opportunities, Hartman and the Dallas defense were making great stops and growing with confidence.
Kudos to a great crowd, as always, at Rio Tinto tonight.&nbsp; The sold-out stadium was noisy and into the match, even when the team fell behind early.&nbsp; But for the third year in a row the defending champion fails to repeats, and this year all three lower seeds have advanced to the next round.&nbsp; That must make Bruce Arena a bit uneasy.

FC Dallas Solves Rio Tinto and Knocks Off Champs

FC Dallas Solves Rio Tinto and Knocks Off Champs - World Soccer Talk

<div style="float: left;margin-right: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/real-salt-lake-dallas/image/9420472?term=real+salt+lake+fc+dallas" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9420472/real-salt-lake-dallas/real-salt-lake-dallas.jpg?size=234&amp;imageId=9420472" border="0" alt="FRISCO, TX - JULY 17: David Ferreira of FC Dallas dribbles the ball against Real Salt Lake at Pizza Hut Park on July 17, 2010 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)" width="234" height="295"></figure></div></a></div>
The defending MLS champions were out-coached and outplayed in today’s first round matchup between the two Western Conference clubs, as FC Dallas got a late goal from Eric Avila to beat Real Salt Lake 2-1.
The match saw FC Dallas frantically try and win outright as they knew winning in Salt Lake City was something no club had done all season.&nbsp; Schellas Hyndman made some great tactical decisions throughout the match that ensured Dallas would go to Utah with an aggregate lead.&nbsp; David Ferreira, while he did not notch a goal or assist, helped set-up both goals and was the main cog in the Dallas offense.
The first half was Hyndman’s argument on why he should be the manager of the year.&nbsp; Salt Lake struck first in the fourth minute as Fabian Espindola took a pass over the top, fought off his defender and fired his shot past Kevin Hartman for the early 1-0 lead.&nbsp; And FC Dallas struggled early to equalize as RSL applied pressure on 3/4th of the pitch, harassing Dallas as soon as the defenders received possession. And every time Dallas was able to advance the ball into the offensive end, RSL prevented Ferreira from creating any chances; he and Kyle Beckerman became best friends in the first twenty minutes.
Hyndman responded in two ways, one planned and one unplanned.&nbsp; Halfway through the half he shifted Chavez to the right side of the pitch, which allowed FC Dallas to take advantage of Ned Grabavoy and create quality chances.&nbsp; The second change was replacing Milton Rodriguez with Jeff Cunningham in the thirty-second minute.&nbsp; Rodriguez was banged-up while attempting to score a few minutes prior on a close play in the box.&nbsp; Roughly ten minutes later Cunningham scored the equalizer by fighting off two defenders and making an athletic play to score.&nbsp; While it may have been the obvious substitution, it was a decision that would mirror another important decision later in the match.
The second half saw much of the same as the first: FC Dallas having a few chances at goal but Real holding on.&nbsp; Ferreira hit the post in the fifty-fifth minute in Dallas’s best chance early in the half.&nbsp; In the sixty-ninth minute, RSL’s second leading goal-scorer Javier Morales kicked Dax McCarty in the chest, leading to a yellow card.&nbsp; The problem was that he had received an earlier yellow for getting into a slap-fight, so Morales was sent off and will miss the return leg.&nbsp; FC Dallas returned the favor six minutes later when Atiba Harris went up for a ball with Will Johnson and threw an elbow that caught Johnson in the head.&nbsp; He was given a straight red, and will also sit out the next match.
FC Dallas continued to squander chances but apply pressure when in the eighty-seventh minute Hyndman took off Jair Benitez for Eric Avila.&nbsp; Just as the announcers were sharing that Dallas was going three across the backline for more offense, Ferreira found Avila who made a few moves and shot a bullet past a diving Rimando for the winning goal.&nbsp; Real Salt Lake challenged Kevin Hartman in extra time, but failed to score the equalizer.
So the teams will face off next Saturday with Dallas ahead in aggregate.&nbsp; But as I mentioned earlier RSL is undefeated at home and will need to continue that streak to have a chance at advancing in the playoffs.&nbsp; The loss today also ended their unbeaten streak but extended another one – they are 0-9-0 all-time in Pizza Hut Park.
But what do you think about the coaching decisions and both teams’ play?&nbsp; And did the crowd look as sparse as it did to me on Fox Soccer Channel, or was it just sparse on the sun side of the stadium?&nbsp; It certainly was not as loud as Colorado the other night.

FC Dallas Pulls Out 2-1 Win Over Real Salt Lake

FC Dallas Pulls Out 2-1 Win Over Real Salt Lake - World Soccer Talk

<div style="width: 408px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://rsltothecore.com/rslblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/ussf-logo-3.jpg" alt="USMNT Head Coach Bob Bradley annouces roster for January Camp" width="398" height="467"></figure></div>USMNT Head Coach Bob Bradley annouces roster for January Camp</div>
A pair of Scandinavian stand outs as well as few MLS emerging stars headline Bob Bradley’s 30 man roster for the annual January training camp.&nbsp; Rising MLS stars, Omar Gonzalez, Chris Pontius and Kevin Alston will have the opportunity to show their skills to Coach Bradley ahead of the opening of camp on January 4th. The camp leads up to the first match of a vital year for the US Men’s National Team, against Honduras on January 23rd.
The January camp typically includes the best players from MLS as well as the Scandinavian leagues which are on winter break. Although typically made up of players from MLS and Scandinavia, the January camp allows the brightest stars of the past MLS camp, a chance to show their worth with the national team. This year, such stands outs include MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton, MLS Champions Nick Rimando, Robbie Findley and Kyle Beckerman as well as MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham among others. In addition to their MLS compatriots, several Scandinavian players join the mix including, Marcus Tracy and Alejandro Bedoya who have earned a place on Bradley’s radar with strong seasons in their respective leagues.
Here’s the complete roster:
GOALKEEPERS: Kevin Hartman (Kansas City), Troy Perkins (Valerenga), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Zach Thornton (Chivas USA)
DEFENDERS: Kevin Alston (New England Revolution), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC), Brandon McDonald (San Jose Earthquakes)
MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Jeff Larentowicz (New England Revolution), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS: Justin Braun (Chivas USA), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake),&nbsp; Marcus Tracy (Aalborg)
What are your thoughts on this roster? Who do you feel should have been included? Who should have been excluded?
Testify in the comments below.

Bradley announces United States' January Camp Roster

Bradley announces United States' January Camp Roster - World Soccer Talk

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