Best and Worst from MLS Week 8

Week 8 in MLS served as a reminder of many things. Landon Donovan prompted our World Cup memories. A pair of supporters groups reminded us that we are all one. FC Dallas continued their ascendancy over MLS competition. The Hoops now sit comfortably atop the Supporters’ Shield standings with 19 points. The Chicago Fire returned to the win column, while Adam Jahn salvaged a point at home with his late-game heroics. But that wasn’t enough to make the best and worst from Week 8 in MLS. Read on to find out who made the list.Begin Slideshow

Martins Leads Sounders over Rapids for First Win of Season

After a franchise worst 0-3-2 start, the Seattle Sounders FC have finally won a game this season. New designated player, forward Obafemi Martins, scored the only goal in the 27th minute against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver. The play began with Shalrie Joseph shooting from the top of the box.  That shot was saved by Rapids keeper Clint Irwin but returned by Martins.  Joseph impressed fans from both teams with a celebratory cartwheel-backflip. Unfortunately, Sounders fans have seen just three backflips this season—and the Sounders have played six of their 34 games. Martins, Joseph, DeAndre Yedlin, Marc Burch and Lamar Neagle were all acquired during what appeared to be a strong offseason.  Sounders’ star Fredy Montero was sent away on loan to Colombia, but between Martins, Joseph, Neagle and Eddie Johnson, that didn’t look like a big problem. Montero is the Sounders franchise leader in goals and assists with 47 balls finding the net and 36 assists.  He has led the Sounders with goals scored all but last year (Montero had 13, Johnson netted 14) and assists all four years (besides this season).  On loan to Millonarios in Colombia, Montero already has three goals in eight games. If ...

MLS Upset Watch: 3 Teams on Alert in Week 8

Sound the alarms, especially in Commerce City. MLS favorites are on upset alert in Week 8.Parody reigns supreme in American soccer. Head-scratching results have become synonymous with the league. How often does a Reading defeat a Manchester United? When was the last time Granada took down Barcelona?But the woeful Chicago Fire surprising the New York Red Bulls, now that’s feasible.If there’s one rule that will always ring true in MLS, it’s this: Don’t sleep on your opponent. You’ll be laid out if you do.So who needs to keep their head on a swivel in Week 8? Read on to find out. Begin Slideshow

Why L.A. Galaxy Are Early Favorites to Win the MLS Cup

It’s still early in the young 2013 Major League Soccer season with most teams only six or seven games into the 34-game season. With that being said, there are many signs that already point to an L.A. Galaxy three-peat for the 2013 MLS Cup. Here are five reasons the Galaxy are already the early favorites to win the title yet again.   They’ve been there beforeThe L.A. Galaxy have been the most dominant team in MLS the past four seasons, winning the Western Conference in 2009, 2010 and 2011, the Supporters’ Shield as the MLS team with the best regular season record in 2010 and 2011 and the MLS Cup in 2011 and 2012. Experience counts in MLS, and the Galaxy has loads of it. The only major loss from their 2012 championship season is David Beckham.   Omar Gonzalez Early in the 2012 MLS season, with Omar Gonzalez still recovering from an off-season ACL injury suffered while on loan with Nuremberg, the Galaxy struggled. Of their first 13 games, the Galaxy won only three and fell to last place in the Western Conference. After Gonzalez’s return to the starting XI, however, the Galaxy went 11-4-3 (win-loss-draw format) and made ...

6 MLS Youngsters Who Can Soon Make a Push for the US National Team

The United States Men's National Team is in a bit of a transitional phase. Older players like Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra and Demarcus Beasley, while still important, will slowly be phased out of the squad. With this inevitability comes the time for young talent to break into the team and assert their case for a starting position representing their country. The following is a list of domestic talent, playing in the United States, that might be able to break into the USMNT sooner rather than later. Begin Slideshow

San Jose Earthquakes Striker Alan Gordon Suspended 3 Games for Homophobic Slur

Major League Soccer has responded to San Jose Earthquakes striker Alan Gordon and his use of a homophobic slur on Sunday in a game against the Portland Timbers. As reported by the team's official site, Gordon has been suspended three games for his use of "unacceptable and offensive language" toward opponent Will Johnson in Sunday's match: MLS Commissioner Don Garber has suspended Gordon for three games and fined him an undisclosed amount for using unacceptable and offensive language towards an opponent in the 60th minute of the game against the Portland Timbers on April 14. Commissioner Garber also mandated that Gordon attend diversity and sensitivity training. This is in addition to the training that all MLS clubs attend at the beginning of each season. After the suspension came down, the team also announced that Gordon would not appeal the decision made by MLS commissioner Don Garber (via Twitter):With just under 60 minutes of action completed on Sunday, Johnson and Gordon got tied up near midfield with the score knotted at zero. Trash talking ensued, and the cameras clearly caught Gordon use a phrase we've unfortunately seen used (Kobe Bryant comes to mind) in sports over the past few years when things get heated.After ...

6 Current MLS Stars Who Would Thrive in Premier League

For years, Major League Soccer has been looked down upon by many European football fans for its supposed lack of quality and inability to produce top-notch players. That assumption has been almost wiped out by the amount of talent that MLS has sent overseas in recent years. The latest quartet of players to move to England included Roger Espinoza (Wigan), Kei Kamara (Norwich), Geoff Cameron and Brek Shea, both whom moved to Stoke City. With the talent level in MLS growing by the season, there is no doubt that some of its best current players could easily thrive in the world's most recognized league, the English Premier League.Here is a list of six current MLS stars who would not have a problem adapting to the game in England and succeed in the process. Begin Slideshow

Gordon’s Gay Slur Inexcusable but Reaction Has Been Swift, Decisive & Heartening

Major League Soccer’s “Don’t Cross the Line” campaign has been bringing the North American top flight’s message of equality, dignity and respect to television screens and stadiums for a couple seasons now. In the next few days, MLS disciplinarians will have the opportunity to put their words into practice. In Sunday’s match between the Portland Timbers and the San Jose Earthquakes at Jeld-Wen Field, San Jose forward Alan Gordon directed a gay slur at Portland midfielder Will Johnson, and given the hard line MLS has taken regarding this sort of thing in the past, the 31-year-old can expect to be handed a three-game ban before the same two sides meet in a rematch on April 21. (Gordon is banned from the match, anyway, after being ejected for a pair of unrelated yellow cards.) The incident, in which Gordon called Johnson a “F***ing faggot,” was picked up by television cameras broadcasting the match nationwide, and shortly after the final whistle, the once-capped United States international released a statement in which he apologized for his behaviour.Per SJEarthquakes.com: “Although I said it in the heat of the moment, that language has no place in our game. That is not my character, but there is still ...

MLS Power Rankings: Week 7

Major League Soccer returned to a full slate of nine games this weekend that was highlighted by a historic Sunday night in Houston.The Dynamo extended their home unbeaten streak to 35 games, which broke the previous record set by Real Salt Lake from 2009 to 2011, beating the Fire at BBVA Compass Stadium.In the other marquee game of the week, FC Dallas took down the Los Angeles Galaxy in a battle for Western Conference supremacy. Across the rest of North America, only Portland, Colorado and New York were able to earn victories as four games resulted in draws.Find out where your favorite team ranks in this week's edition of the MLS power rankings. Begin Slideshow

Best and Worst from MLS Week 7

Hold on to your beer bottles. Week 7 of MLS is in the books, and so is half the Toronto FC roster. Jack McInerney and Robert Earnshaw continued to stack the stat sheet this week. The two increased their regular-season totals to four and five goals, respectively. The Houston Dynamo set a new MLS record: The Orange Crush extended their home unbeaten streak to 35. The New England Revolution remain as disjointed as ever. The Revs have not scored since the season opener, yet managed to accumulate five points thus far.But neither made the list of best and worst from Week 7 in MLS. Read on to find out who did.Begin Slideshow