Domestic Soccer 2011

[Don]

Absolutely brutal. They better play better Tuesday.

[BrySmalls]

Well if this porous result against Spain wasn't another eye opener for the US Men's National Team, then a potential loss to Canada, Panama, or Guadalupe in the Group Stage of the Gold Cup should be.

[WJMorris3]

You know, right now the Union might be leading the East, but leading the East is like being the tallest dwarf. Right now, San Jose misses the playoffs because they're the eighth best West team, and they're still better than DC United, the third best East team.

[NEW.ERA]

One more reason why the MLS needs to adopt a league wide table.

[B-Rich]

Went to my first-ever MLS game last night. We're on vacation in New York, so I got my family of four tickets to see the Red Bulls take on the Columbus Crew.

The game itself was pretty cool; NY got a goal early and held a 1-0 lead into stoppage time at the end of the game..... and proceeded to give up a goal a few seconds in, ending up with a tie.

Some impressions of the experience:

- Red Bull Arena is a top-notch, soccer-only facility. Great sightlines, beautiful field, concessions were good, plentiful, and at least somewhat varied. Good, rowdy cheering section behind goal.

- By the way, what's the etiquette with getting beers and such during play? One beer does NOT last me a half, yet without regular play breaks, I felt bad about getting up and going down the aisle for a beer run.... And there were no beer, soda or peanut "hawkers" in the aisles as in football and baseball games.

- Hard to believe that with a metro area the size of New York/New Jersey and its (1) number of ethnic groups/immigrants, and (2) number of kids playing soccer, that the place isn't sold out on a regular basis. But there were many empty seats, heck, even empty sections for this Saturday night game.

- That being said, the location of the arena is (to me) in an odd place. Within view of downtown Newark, but in an old semi-abandoned-appearing VERY industrial area. I wouldn't say it was OUT in the middle of nowhere, but it was in the middle of nowhere. I'm more in tune with the trend of downtown parks, with local restaurants and bars providing a synergy with gametime crowds. This did not have that feel at all.

- We took transit to the game-- a one-hour, two-train commute from midtown Manhattan. I'd hate to think what the commute would be for soccer moms (and dads) from points further west and north: Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Yonkers, and Long Island.

[Jer15]

Well if this porous result against Spain wasn't another eye opener for the US Men's National Team, then a potential loss to Canada, Panama, or Guadalupe in the Group Stage of the Gold Cup should be.

They'll be fine. Canada might give em some trouble but they'll get through....and nobody should underestimate Canada this time around. We're coming up! (blind patriotism)

[twi]

Anybody see the second half explosion Mexico had in the second half? 4 in just over 20 minutes I believe.

[WJMorris3]

One more reason why the MLS needs to adopt a league wide table.

Now NEW.ERA, you know that'd only work if everyone played everyone the same number of times.

Oh, wait...

Anybody see the second half explosion Mexico had in the second half? 4 in just over 20 minutes I believe.

And because that group looks to be two good teams and two crap, it pretty much guarantees that Groups B and C are going to send three teams. I wish they'd expand to 16 just to get rid of this crap and just make it four groups, 1st and 2nd advance.

[AJM]

Anybody see the second half explosion Mexico had in the second half? 4 in just over 20 minutes I believe.

Exciting to see some goals, but also poor goalkeeping (by El Salv) as well. Costa Rica downed Cuba 5-nil as well. Hopefully the USMNT can put the same number in the net.

[TFoA]

Anybody see the second half explosion Mexico had in the second half? 4 in just over 20 minutes I believe.

Exciting to see some goals, but also poor goalkeeping (by El Salv) as well. Costa Rica downed Cuba 5-nil as well. Hopefully the USMNT can put the same number in the net.

Talk about a team that needs a confidence boost, the USMNT needs a win tomorrow night like Kate Moss needed a hamburger a few years ago. Not saying that they're gonna get the same type of result that Mexico & Costa Rica got last night, but they really need a big win to start the Gold Cup campaign off after the turd they dropped in Gillette this past weekend.

[AJM]

Anybody see the second half explosion Mexico had in the second half? 4 in just over 20 minutes I believe.

Exciting to see some goals, but also poor goalkeeping (by El Salv) as well. Costa Rica downed Cuba 5-nil as well. Hopefully the USMNT can put the same number in the net.

Talk about a team that needs a confidence boost, the USMNT needs a win tomorrow night like Kate Moss needed a hamburger a few years ago. Not saying that they're gonna get the same type of result that Mexico & Costa Rica got last night, but they really need a big win to start the Gold Cup campaign off after the turd they dropped in Gillette this past weekend.

The defense has the most to prove...they all looked slow and outmatched. Mexico will run over them unless they step up. Oh how I wish Stuart Holden and Timothy Chandler were healthy.

[WJMorris3]

Hats off to Guatemala, holding on to the draw after being reduced to nine men.

[Don]

USA lineup: Howard; Cherundolo, Goodson, Ream, Bocanegra; Dempsey, Bradley, Jones, Donovan; Altidore, Agudelo

USA subs: Hahnemann, Bedoya, Edu, Kljestan, Lichaj, Onyewu, Wondolowski

USA scratches: Adu, Bornstein, Rogers, Spector

[WJMorris3]

Jozy Altidore! 1-0 USA!

[Don]

Tim Howard is so freaking good. Wish he got another shot at a big club.

[crashcarson15]

Tim Howard is so freaking good. Wish he got another shot at a big club.

I'd take him at Villa.

Oh wait, Villa's not a big club anymore...? .

/The possibility of Tim Howard going with him is why I want Moyes as the new head man at AVFC.

But yeah, USA! USA!

[NEW.ERA]

Well Canada seemed to turn it on late in the second half but Tim Howard proved why he's among the top keepers in the world.

Gotta go get that win against Guadeloupe on Saturday.

[TFoA]

Atlanta Silverbacks FINALLY win a game, beating the Montreal Impact 2-1. Took em 9 games, but they get their first win as an NASL team. They're still gonna be pretty bad all year, but good to see that they've finally got a positive result to build on.

Speaking of positive results...good win for the USMNT last night. That quick goal by Altidore was just what the doctor ordered coming off of the Spain disaster. Hell, a goal by a USMNT forward in a Cup competition is just what the doctor ordered PERIOD. It's well known that the Yanks haven't had a decent striker since Wynalda & McBride, so the fact that they were to start off the Gold Cup campaign with an Altidore goal was pretty special. Hopefully it's a good omen for the rest of the competition.

[-kj]

You been going to Silverbacks games, Flame? I've watched the stream of the two games the Stars have played down there, and it looks like the 'Backs have some talent, but just haven't gotten it together. Of course, when they came up here, they looked hapless.

[TFoA]

I went to the first 2 games of their 3 game homestand to start. The field was atrocious, but they resurfaced it in May & now it's acceptable. Then again, I'm just glad the Silverbacks are back in action so I can't really complain. But yeah, it's definitely a young team & they've got a LONG way to go as a whole (especially up front. Them getting 2 goals last night was a miracle ), but pretty much everybody following the team knows it's gonna be an uphill battle. Like I said above, I hope they can build off this & at least get out of the cellar. They'll have some more stinkers like the one they had in Minnesota, but it should definitely get better here.

Also, Ochoa & 5 other members of El Tri are about to go down for doping, it seems. I'd provide a link but I'm on a phone right now.