16Jul/120
A Few Minutes With… the Chicago Fire’s Patrick Nyarko
After the Chicago Fire’s 1-0 win versus the Vancouver Whitecaps Saturday night, I was able to catch up with the Fire’s Patrick Nyarko. During my conversation with the fourth-year forward from Ghana, we touched on a couple of topics. We discussed the team’s ongoing Twitter campaign, #pickpat, to have him placed on the MLS All-Star team and how his selection would help the team and his confidence. Also, I asked him about the Fire’s upcoming match with the New York Red Bulls this week. (Upon the release of this interview, Nyarko was not selected to the MLS All-Star team.) B/R: What are your feelings regarding the team’s twitter campaign #pickpat? Patrick Nyarko: It came as a surprise really. Generally, I think those that pick the team, they do that on merit. They take guys that they think merits the all-star team. My team thinks that I should be there. I believe in my abilities, I think that I can fit in those kind of games, play in those kind of big games. It’s all up to them, I’ll be perfectly fine if get picked. I’ll be perfectly fine if I don’t get picked. My main goal is to help this ...15Jul/120
Viral Video of the Day: David Beckham Curls Trademark Free-Kick Goal
David Beckham: Still got it.Fresh off his surprising ESPY award win last week (if you don't know, don't worry), Beckham turned in a vintage performance Saturday for the Los Angeles Galaxy against West Coast MLS rivals the Portland Timbers.At the ripe age of 37, Beckham scored twice as the Galaxy romped past the Timbers 5-3. And, yes, the goals were definitely worthy of such a zany scoreline.Not convinced? Just ask the Associated Press, which had this descriptive little tidbit to say about the match (Beckham was mentioned before this, of course):Landon Donovan had a goal and an assist for the Galaxy (8-10-2), who handled the Timbers defense.Well played, AP. But how does a team "handle" another's defense? To find out, take a look at Beckham's first goal, an all-too-easy 35-yard curler from open play in the 19th minute, right here.Then watch his second, a signature curling free kick, in the video slot above. It's the B/R World Football Viral Video of the Day.Vintage Beckham, no? It's a precision strike, an in-swinger that beats the wall then curls sharply into the net at the near post.That makes five goals for Beckham this season, tied for the most in a single season ...15Jul/120
San Jose Earthquakes Thrash Real Salt Lake 5-0, Consolidate First Place in West
In a match with crucial implications for the MLS Western Conference standings, the San Jose Earthquakes made an emphatic statement on Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium, where Chris Wondolowski's hat trick paced a 5-0 drubbing of Real Salt Lake. The encompassing win sees the Earthquakes (12-4-4) go four points clear of the 2009 MLS Cup winners (11-6-3) atop the West. Salt Lake remain in second place with 36 points on the season. “I felt we were in charge of the game from the opening whistle,” Earthquakes manager Frank Yallop said after the match. “I really didn’t feel any doubt that we weren’t going to win this game. I felt we bossed everything; we took charge of everything in the match. I felt really good about it.” Boss the game they did, particularly after the 57th minute, when Salt Lake were reduced to 10 men when midfielder Kyle Beckerman, a frequent inclusion in the U.S. men’s national team set up for several years now, chopped down Earthquakes midfielder Sam Cronin, who had just touched the ball out into play after seeing Salt Lake midfielder Javier Morales go down with an apparent injury. A scrum ensued, with Earthquakes players rushing to ...15Jul/120
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers: Rating David Beckham’s Performance
Had this occurred against the New York Red Bulls, Los Angeles Galaxy fans would expect David Beckham to be on Team Great Britain in lieu of Ryan Giggs or Craig Bellamy. Alas, it was not be. With his Olympic dream now a fleeting memory, reduced to meaningless dust, David Beckham left the Portland Timbers in the dust with his best performance of the season en route to a 5-3 goal festival victory for L.A. In the 19th minute, a few short passes by the Galaxy found Beckham, who delivered a strike from 35 yards out. Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins knew he was going to face the L.A. firing squad after Kris Boyd delivered the first shot three minutes in. And he was helpless to stop it. A blind dive, and Perkins could only watch as Beckham extended his arms to the heavens, his own personal Jesus made manifest in the flesh. 1-1. Then, five minutes late, Beckham delivered a curling set piece inside the bottom left corner. All throughout his career, Beckham's bending volleys have been a problem for many a netminder, and Perkins was no exception. 2-1. In the second half, Beckham was in provider mode. He delivered a ...15Jul/120
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers: Rating the Galaxy Players
A wild goal festival at Portland's Jeld-Wen Field saw Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy take home all three points in the 5-3 victory over Gavin Wilkinson's Portland Timbers.All of the stars on both teams shined in the Rose City: Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and David Beckham for the Galaxy, and Kris Boyd for the Timbers. Los Angeles' star power, combined with clutch defending late, proved to be too much for Portland to overcome as the Galaxy not only exorcised the demons from their first-ever league game at Jeld-Wen last season but swept the Timbers this season. But in spite of the victory, not everyone on the Galaxy is going to have good player ratings, as we will see in this piece. Josh Saunders: 3 I am giving Josh Saunders bonus points for making seven saves in the contest, but the first Kris Boyd goal and the goal by Kosuke Kimura are his undoing. Those were chances that were saveable, and he didn't have a lot of confidence heading into this match. You can't use a bad playing surface as an excuse for Saunders not bringing his A-game as a goalkeeper. The best netminders in MLS are solid on any playing ...15Jul/120
Chicago Fire Tackle the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0
A goal scored on a free kick by Pavel Pardo helped the Chicago Fire tackle the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 in a physical matchup.The game featured a lot of pushing, shoving and jersey holding. Several players received yellow cards, including Gonzalo Segares, Alex and Arne Friedrich (two) for the Fire, and Darren Mattocks for the Whitecaps. Friedrich was ejected after his second yellow card in the 69th minute when he and defender Austin Berry collided with Mattocks on a breakaway play. The game also had its share of good passing, defense and some terrific saves by Sean Johnson. On the last save of the match in the 86th minute, Johnson swatted a goal attempt out of bounds. It led to some rarely seen emotion from the Fire players. It was a symbolic save in a sense, a save that could send a message to the rest of the league that this team is for real. The Fire did a great job defensively on Mattocks, who earlier in the week scored two goals against Toronto FC. The second of those goals was a header that became an instant classic.Friedrich was given the task of shadowing the tough matchup with Mattocks and was ...15Jul/120
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers: 6 Things We Learned
It was a wild night of goalscoring in the Rose City. Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy won a 5-3 shootout over Gavin Wilkinson's Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Ore. With the victory, the Galaxy improve to 8-10-2 (26 points) and remain fifth in the MLS Western Conference. As for the Timbers, they drop to 5-9-4 and are dead last in the West.Braces from the top guns on both teams dominated this match: David Beckham and Robbie Keane for Los Angeles, and Kris Boyd for Portland.Here are six things we learned from Saturday's high-scoring tilt.Begin Slideshow15Jul/120
2012-2013 CONCACAF Champions League: Predicting How Each MLS Team Will Fare
In just over a month the first matches of the 2012-2013 CONCACAF Champions League group stage will take place. Many are wondering if this will be the year that an MLS side will finally be crowned champion of North America or if the Mexican domination of the league will continue.All five (except TFC) of MLS' representatives are capable of hoisting the trophy this time around.The LA Galaxy have several world-class players and with their veteran experience they know how to navigate a tournament of this caliber.The Seattle Sounders know how to win cup competitions—they are three-time defending US Open Cup Champions going for four this year—and have some crafty players offensively and solid players defensively.Real Salt Lake were in the final two years ago and were one goal away from winning it, so they have more experience in this competition than any other MLS side.Houston Dynamo have a defense which can keep them in games against the best of teams.As for Toronto FC, they have picked up form recently but being drawn with Santos Laguna ends any realistic hope of silverware from this competition.With a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup on the line, there is plenty at stake ...12Jul/120
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers: Analysis, Reaction and More
Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy continue their three-game road stand this Saturday when they face John Spencer’s Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Ore. The Galaxy have a record of 7-10-2 (23 points) and are in need of some positive results to remain in the Major League Soccer Western Conference race.The Timbers have had it even more difficult, managing just a record of 5-8-4 (19 points), but they are only four points behind Los Angeles and can get back in the thick of things with a win at home. The Galaxy will have all three of their stars available for action: Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Keane. A big question heading into this weekend’s match is whether or not defender Omar Gonzalez makes just his second start of the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET and will be televised by NBC Sports. Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of the 2012 MLS season and all things world football.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com12Jul/120