MLS

Power of 10: Movement in the Middle

As we continue to figure out who’s going to be elite and who’s going to be middling during this MLS season, we see a decent amount of movement in the power rankings again this week.

What we are seeing is a clear leader in the clubhouse emerge (appropriate for Masters week), but there aren’t a lot of other teams who seem to want to convince observers of the league that they belong in the top tier. And just when you’ve left a team for dead, they end up in the top 10 and make you reconsider.

Anyway, on to this week’s rankings. As usual, hurl insults at us in the comments.

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MLS, Weekend Review

Saturday Superlatives: What Raised Our Eyebrows Most On An Eyebrow-Raising Day

It’s that time of night again. All the MLS games are over. If you’re on the East Coast, you’re idly surfing the Web in hopes of finding something better than going to bed. If you’re out on the Left Coast, you’re debating whether or not you’re off to do something social or if you’re going to join your East Coast brethren in dreamland.

But better than any of that? A look at all the best from the day that was in MLS. Yes, my friends, it’s time for some Saturday Superlatives.

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United States

10Kit’s Top 10: Some Favorites from the Week

Here are 10 of our favorite pieces of writing about soccer from the week. There’s so much good stuff out there each week, and this list isn’t trying to be all-inclusive. With that said, please feel free to tweet suggestions @USA10Kit or at me during the week or just post a comment here – even if you’re just pimping your own blog.

Leander Schaerlaeckens at ESPN on why Hans Backe has kept a relaxed attitude despite New York Red Bulls’ uninspiring start

Michael Lewis at Tropigol reposts his 2010 story on Cubans who defected during tournaments in the United States in the wake of a defection in Nashville this year

Brian Phillips on Grantland asking if Peter Crouch is better than we all think he is

Brian Straus of Sporting News about why the U-23 elimination might not have surprised Jurgen Klinsmann

Neil Davidson from the Canadian Press on Brian Rowe’s life as one of MLS’ reserve goalkeepers

Jack Bell on the NY Times’ Goal Blog about Jesse Marsch’s unique challenge coaching Montreal

Duane Rollins at The Score’s Footy Blog writes about the potential of a U.S.-Canada rivalry breaking out

Rob Smyth for Life’s a Pitch on Leon Britton’s quiet excellence for Swansea

Jonathan Tannenwald from Philly.com on the task ahead for Freddy Adu upon returning to a struggling Union team

Dirty Tackle’s Brooks Peck with another intriguing installment on Andrei Arshavin’s odd life. This time he’s in a small accident and gets a grapefruit for his troubles

 

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USA10Cast

USA10Cast: Noah Davis on the U.S. U-23s’ failure to qualify for the Olympics

Noah Davis on the U.S. U-23s’ failure to qualify for the Olympics by USA10Cast

Noah Davis stops by the 10Cast to share his insight on the U.S. U-23s’ elimination from Olympic Qualifying in the group stage, which he covered in Nashville.

He tells us if there are any positives to be taken from the debacle and discusses whether or not Caleb Porter has a future with the team. Like the team itself, this podcast starts off full of talent with plenty of encouraging signs. Will it crash and burn a third of the way through as well? Listen and find out.

The new, fancier player wouldn’t work this week for some reason, so we’re kicking it old school with the wave form widget. Retro, baby.

 

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United States

Previewing Colorado-Chicago

 What needs to happen for Colorado 

Last week, the Colorado Rapids sorely missed Jeff Larentowicz and Pablo Mastroeni as the Rapides were thumped 4-1 by the New York Red Bulls. Larentowicz is back after his suspension and provides instant quality into the midfield, but Mastroeni is still out with a head injury.

Colorado will need Jaime Castrillon and the rookie, Tony Cascio, to play well in Mastroeni’s absence. The match also presents an interesting battle between the two fastest players in MLS: Marvell Wynne and Dominic Oduro. Wynne will need to stay with Oduro stride-for-stride as the striker has already scored twice this year.

If the Rapids are going to win they need three things to happen. Cascio must continue his stellar rookie form. The midfielder needs to link up with Omar Cummings and possibly provide a goal or an assist. Brian Mullan and Kosuke Kimura must provide width against the compact Fire midfield. Chicago’s two forwards might have pace, but their midfield doesn’t. if Kimura and Mullan can both provide width down the right, it bodes well for Colorado’s chances. Lastly, the backline cannot lose sight of Oduro and Patrick Nyarko for one second. If they blink they might have already scored. (more…)

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Africa, United States

Bob Bradley Update: Egypt tops Uganda in friendly

For a moment it looked as though Bob Bradley’s already voluminous troubles as manager of Egypt would be increasing, but Egypt scored a goal in the 60th minute and another in stoppage time to come back from an early deficit and win their friendly match with Uganda, 2-1, Thursday.

A defensive gaffe in the first half put Egypt behind in the 35th minute as center back Mahmoud Fathalla struggled to deal with a tame long ball from Uganda. He inadvertently played it past veteran Egypt keeper Essam El-Hadary and Fabian Derrick Kizoto was able to beat the keeper to the ball and put it into the back of the net.

While Egypt had been the better team all game and continued to have chances, that goal stood until the 60th minute when Mohamed Salah was the recipient of a superb pass from Shikabala. The young talent (who will be on display at the London Olympics if you’re looking for somebody to follow) took one touch to settle and slotted the equalizer into the back of the net. (Video at bottom of post.)

It appeared the teams would split the reward, but Bradley’s side got a little bit of the luck that has eluded them so frequently in 2012. Egypt earned a corner in stoppage time and took it short. Mohamed Aboutrica rose above the pack and scored a header from the resulting cross to secure the win for Bradley and company. (more…)

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MLS

MLS by the Numbers, Week 3

Everyone loves stats and analyzing numbers – from how many goals were scored over the weekend to the total attendance of MLS games. So, here are some notable statistics from week three of MLS play. (Click links for visual representation of numbers.)

183565 – Slightly lower than last week, but 183565 people attended MLS games the past weekend. Each stadium had an attendance of 10000 or more, and the average attendance was 20,396.

1000 – Mat Reis made 3 saves against the Portland Timbers to become the 6th MLS goalkeeper to reach 1000 saves.

458 – Real Salt Lake completed the most passes, 458, in week three; their opponent, Chivas USA, completed only 267. Real aslo had more shots, 10, to Chivas’ 4. RSL produced 10 keys passes, while Chivas only constructed 2 ,but Real Salt Lake lost the game 1-0. (more…)

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United States

The Power of 10: Already a New Leader

Well, that didn’t take long. We delayed the start to our MLS power rankings so we wouldn’t have to be drastically changing them around and seeing a new leader each week as another team falls from the ranks of the undefeated. But with last week’s leader, Real Salt Lake, losing to Chivas USA, a team that didn’t make our top 10, we really had no choice but to knock them from their perch.

First place wasn’t too tough of a decision, but after that it’s starting to get a little hairy. Feel free to tell us how wrong we are in the comments

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10 Kit Essay, U.S. Soccer

When The Beautiful Game Doesn’t Love You

Chances are if you’re reading this you love soccer. You don’t need anybody to explain the offside rule, and you certainly don’t need anybody to explain why the sport is called the beautiful game.

But like any other love, sometimes the beautiful game just doesn’t love you like it once did. When you go in seeking a feeling of euphoria, it rebuffs your attempt with a cold, icy shoulder. It’s been a long time since most U.S. fans have felt this rejection from the game more powerfully than tonight, with the United States U-23 team drawing 3-3 with El Salvador in their final group match, a result that sends the U.S. tumbling out of qualifying for this year’s London Olympics.

It was the rare instance that had members of both teams moved to tears – the Salvadoreans weeping tears of joy as coach Caleb Porter and the U.S. cried, presumably, at the cruelty of the whole thing. After losing to Canada during the weekend, the Americans needed a victory to advance to the semifinals where they would play another must-win match to attain Olympic qualification. It all started so well with Terrence Boyd scoring an early goal, but things quickly got darker when El Salvador notched two goals in quick succession – one in the the 35th minute, the next in the 37th. (more…)

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South of the Border

Cunningham Confident Cremas Can Win Title After Goal Helps Put Side Top

American forward Jeff Cunningham scored the opening goal for Comunicaciones in the side’s 3-0 victory against Juventud Retalteca on Sunday that put los Cremas on top of the Guatemalan Liga Nacional table.

He put away a left-footed blast that fell to him after a teammate ducked out of the way of a cross that developed after a corner was taken short in the 12th minute.

The goal, Cunningham’s fourth of the campaign, provided a boost for the forward who had hit a dry spell since starting off hot after going south of the border.

“Well, the match today is an important win for the team, and the goal is very important for me because it’s been very difficult the past three or four matches not scoring and having several chances to do so,” Cunningham told USA10Kit. “My confidence was a bit low coming into the match, but now I get a goal and I’m happy, and hopefully it will open the floodgates to many more goals.” (more…)

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