2011 MLS Power Rankings: Final Edition

The 2011 Major League Soccer season has finally drawn to a close and the Los Angeles Galaxy have been anointed champions for a third time in the league's 16-year history.As a result, they are at the top of this year's final MLS Power Rankings here on Bleacher Report, which sees the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps finish dead last and three of the five top spots occupied by the stronger MLS Western Conference.Let us take one more look at what has been a solid year in MLS.Begin Slideshow

Sporting Kansas City: Omar Bravo Left Exposed in Expansion Draft

Sporting Kansas City today unveiled the list of 11 players they are protecting from selection in this year's Expansion Draft. On Wednesday, the Montreal Impact will choose players from the other 18 MLS teams in preparation for their first MLS campaign in 2012. The draft will be 10 rounds and no team may lose more than one player.Mexican forward and Designated Player Omar Bravo is the biggest name left off of he list. Bravo tied for the team lead in scoring with nine goals. He also took the captain's armband the most often while Davy Arnaud was recovering from injury.Other players left exposed to selection by Montreal include: defenders Seth Sinovic and Michael Harrington; midfielders Birahim Diop, Jeferson and Craig Rocastle; forward Soony Saad; and goalkeeper Eric Kronberg.The following is a list of the players excluded from being taken in the draft. Homegrown Players Jon Kempin and Kevin Ellis are also automatically protected. Davy Arnaud—The club's all-time leader in regular season appearances, Arnaud has been the team's captain for the past two seasons. Matt Besler—An All-Star selection as a defender this past season, Besler led the team in minutes played. Teal Bunbury—Part of Sporting's potent attack, Bunbury scored nine goals ...

5 Reasons the LA Galaxy Won the MLS Cup

The LA Galaxy defeated the Houston Dynamo Sunday night 1-0 in fantastic MLS Cup Final.While the Dynamo put together a great late-season run to get into the playoffs and blaze a trail to the finals, the starpower of the Galaxy proved too much in the end.Here are five reasons the Galaxy are MLS Champions.Begin Slideshow

Sporting Kansas City Trades Ryan Smith to Chivas USA for 2012 Draft Picks

Sporting Kansas City announced Monday that they had shipped midfielder Ryan Smith to Chivas USA. for the club's first- and third-round picks in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft.The 25-year-old Englishman notched four goals and seven assists for the club in 32 matches over the past two seasons. Due to offseason knee surgery, Smith was limited to only six appearances in 2011. Smith's season was cut short, however, when he left the team in June for family reasons. He then appeared to be shopping himself around to clubs in Europe while still under contract to MLS.In exchange for Smith, Chivas USA will send their first-round natural and third-round natural selections in the MLS Supplemental Draft to Sporting Kansas City.The Supplemental Draft will be conducted January 17th.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

MLS Cup 2011 Final: David Beckham Caps American Mission with Triumph for Galaxy

It took five long, grueling and often controversial years, but in the end, David Beckham did right by the LA Galaxy, the MLS and the sport of soccer in America by delivering a trophy to the team that brought the world's most famous athlete across the pond.Beckham didn't do himself many favors in the process, nor did he accomplish those goals by himself. He struggled through all manner of injuries, took lengthy sabbaticals to Europe to play with AC Milan in Italy and, at times, feuded with Landon Donovan, his teammate with the Galaxy and America's favorite soccer son.All of which left growing legions of footy fans in LA and across the union resenting Becks for seemingly taking the money and, well, not running. In their eyes, he had accepted a $32.5 million deal—by far the largest in US soccer history—along with millions more in endorsements in bad faith, choosing to leave Europe more for the money than for the opportunity to grow the game in the most sports-crazed nation on the planet.Of course, Beckham's charge was never to lift the game all by his lonesome self and, in fact, he didn't. His mere presence lent the fledgling MLS a ...

Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy: 5 Terrible Things About the MLS Cup

The Beckham story ended in a fairytale. After five years of tribulation, David Beckham hoisted the MLS Cup high, and both MLS and LA Galaxy executives wiped their sweaty brows.Fans in LA will be rightfully celebrating their cup win.The LA Galaxy outclassed every other team in Major League Soccer this year, and it's about time that the best team won.The media will celebrate as well. The brilliant bit of passing play from David Beckham to Robbie Keane to Landon Donovan linked up the Galaxy's three designated players for the game-winning goal. That's a jackpot.ESPN might have just renamed the MLS Cup the Beckham Cup. Late in the game, their collective wish almost came true when Tally Hall stretched to deny Beckham's free kick. Had it gone in, commentators John Harkes and Ian Darke would have literally exploded.But not everything about the MLS Cup was kittens and gum drops. While we're all singing the praises of the MLS Cup (as we should), we might also take a moment to recognize the five most terrible things about the game.Begin Slideshow

LA Galaxy Claim Third MLS Title in David Beckham’s U.S. Swan Song

David Beckham ended his five-year MLS career with the Los Angeles Galaxy last night with a victory in the MLS Cup under his belt. The golden trio of Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan combined to seal the deal, with the American deftly chipping his shot over and around the out-rushing Tally Hall, the Houston Dynamo keeper. It looked like the footballing gods were not shining favourably on the team from Tinseltown after Adam Cristman missed at least a couple of glaring opportunities, while Scotsman Adam Moffat missed an equally gifted chance at the other other end for Houston. The Home Depot crowd were in top form with a record crowd packed into the Los Angeles stadium and on 74 minutes they went berserk after a Beckham head-flick was met by Keane who jinked one way, then the other, before releasing the ball into the path of Donovan inside the box who nipped the ball over the outstretched arm of Hall about eight yards out. Beckham tried to round of his Galaxy career with a tremendous free kick with moments remaining and although it was net-bound, Hall got his hand ...

2011 MLS Cup Final: 6 Lessons Learned from LA Galaxy’s Win over Houston Dynamo

The 2011 MLS Cup Final was billed as a battle of David vs. Goliath. Houston, missing their best offensive threat, Brad Davis, would be taking on the LA Galaxy, who could arguably be said to have better players than Houston in every single position.In the background, everyone, especially the commentators, seemed obsessed with the David Beckham story line.With David Beckham's five year contract with the LA Galaxy running out at the end of this MLS season, many almost seemed more interested in discussing Beckham's impact on the MLS' growth and his future rather than the actual MLS Cup Final.In the end, the LA Galaxy managed a tough 1-0 win over a gritty Houston Dynamo team, who's defense stood strong for much of the game. On the offense however, Houston were held firmly in check by a resolute Galaxy defense, and were unable to truly threaten the LA Galaxy.Let's take a look at some of the lessons we learned from the game.Begin Slideshow

MLS Cup Final Preview: Can Houston Dynamo Spring a Shock by Beating La Galaxy?

The MLS season comes to a head tonight when David Beckham's LA Galaxy face Houston Dynamo in what promises to be one of the most enthralling finals of recent times.Californian side Galaxy have home advantage as this highly-anticipated clash takes place in their fortress—the Home Depot Centre in downtown Los Angeles.The bookies have Houston as underdogs, and there is some substance behind their expectations. Galaxy have already won the prestigious MLS Supporters’ Shield, which is the league's award to the team who have earned the most points over the season before the playoffs.Galaxy's accumulation of 67 points this season is the second-highest points total in MLS history, and the team is tipped to deliver Beckham MLS gold for the first time. They have also seen off two of the league's most dangerous teams in the playoffs, New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake.It is widely expected that the former England captain will secure a move back to Europe in the coming weeks, most likely to French giants Paris St Germain. And having made his final season his best in terms of assists and appearances, Beckham will want to leave on a high note should he wish to leave the ...

MLS Cup 2011 Finals: History to Be Written in LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo Duel

The MLS Cup 2011, between the L.A. Galaxy and Houston Dynamo, will be one for the books as there are lots of possible records to be achieved when these two soccer clubs meet on November 20, Sunday night, 9:00 p.m. ET.It will be a battle of experience and talent on the pitch of Home Depot Center, as both clubs seek to annex their third MLS Cup title. The LA Galaxy vs Houston Dynamo match live stream will be broadcast through ESPN, Galavision and TSN 2.D.C. United has already won four MLS titles with its last coming in 2004. It could be either Galaxy or Dynamo joining United as the only franchises with three MLS titles.Dominic Kinnear and Bruce Arena have two titles on their sleeves and are both seeking their third. Arena has given D.C. United two titles. Kinnear has helped Houston win its two titles in 2006 and 2007, against the New England Revolution.L.A.'s poster boy, David Beckham, will be playing the last game of his multi-million dollar contract signed with the club in 2007. Beckham has won league titles in his final year campaign with Manchester United in 2003 and Real Madrid 2007. Could this be another title for ...