MLS Weekend Wrap

While most of the domestic leagues in Europe were closing up shop this weekend, Major League Soccer kick started the third month of their regular season with some thrilling action across North America.The most exciting, action-packed match of the weekend came from the Pacific Northwest as Seattle defeated FC Dallas in a six-goal shootout that had everything you could ask for in a soccer match.In the Eastern Conference, two clubs at the bottom of the standings pulled off shocking results with New England defeating Houston on the road and D.C. drawing with Sporting at home.Read on for comprehensive recaps of each and every match that was played in MLS this weekend. Begin Slideshow

How Can USA Keep Star American Players at Home to Play in MLS?

The American soccer scene, at its highest level, is obviously and clearly not up to the level across the Atlantic. The elite players find their way to the European leagues, and that leaves MLS searching for other marketable athletes to fill the ranks. Without question, MLS has improved over the years, but it was predicated on getting past-their-prime Europeans and young stars before they were discovered by larger clubs. Keeping top-level American talent at home will not necessarily help U.S. soccer immediately. After all, iron sharpens iron. Having the stars of tomorrow stay at home will help MLS continue to grow and that could pay dividends for U.S. soccer down the road. So, how do we keep them at home? There are two big obstacles that leap off the page.First, the paydays. Top-level talent has the best chance to make a big paycheck in the elite leagues. Those opportunities are not plentiful in MLS. Second, is the players desire to challenge themselves against the best in the world. The second is harder to convince anyone of at this juncture. It's a hard sell. How can MLS and U.S. soccer offer top-level American athletes more money to stay? MLS cannot simply ...

Why Landon Donovan’s USMNT Exclusion Will Make the Galaxy Title Contenders Again

It has been quite the week for Los Angeles Galaxy and United States midfielder Landon Donovan. On Tuesday, it was reported that the 31-year-old would not be a part of Jurgen Klinsmann's plans for the upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Germany as well as the three CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers in June (via Los Angeles Times). As is the usual with news about Donovan, the reaction surrounding Klinsmann's decision was polarizing to say the least. While it now seems like a foregone conclusion that the earliest American fans will see Donovan back with the national team is July's CONCACAF Gold Cup, he must now focus on the task at hand in Major League Soccer with the Galaxy.Just a day after the announcement was made by Klinsmann, Donovan lit the Philadelphia Union on fire with a stunning performance that included a goal and two assists in the Galaxy's 4-1 win. Donovan's impeccable partnership with the forward elevated itself to another level on Wednesday as the two combined on two of the four Galaxy goals in the match. The duo also showed signs of their continued dominance without the now-retired David Beckham against Sporting Kansas City on April 20 at the Home Depot Center as they ...

MLS Week 12: Complete Schedule and 5 Things to Watch for This Weekend

If you’re looking to send a message in MLS Week 12, you better put your money where your mouth is. Lord knows the New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy have.The mid-week action subsided in Week 12, but it did not disappear altogether.A second-half surge from the Galaxy led to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union Wednesday night. Union head coach Jack Hackworth was looking for respect ahead of LA's visit. His team will have to keep looking for it after conceding three goals in the final 20 minutes at home. Both teams—along with 16 others—will return to action this weekend. So, what warrants your attention in Week 12?Begin Slideshow

MLS Biggest Disappointments of the Season so Far

Major League Soccer is just about a third of the way through its 2013 regular-season competition. A chunk of matches this size is a decent enough sample to use when trying to determine trends and themes about the league and how the rest of the year might play out. Before looking forward, however; its always prudent to look back and discuss what has happened so far.  And in this case, specifically the biggest disappointments.  While there has been plenty of quality both from individuals and overall team performances, there has also been a good amount of letdown. The following players and clubs will likely hope to forget how poor they have been so far in Major League Soccer.  DC United Last season, manager Ben Olsen was considered one of the hottest young coaches after leading DC United to the Eastern Conference Finals.  That seems like a very, very long time ago for the Black and Red, who have lost seven straight matches in this year's MLS regular season.  They currently sit dead last of the 19 teams in the league and are dealing with a seven-game losing streak.The issues?  There are many, but poor goalkeeping, errors in the back and a lack of a ...

Week 11 MLS Power Rankings

This week in Major League Soccer, records were broken and goals upon goals were scored. With a slate of six matches played on Wednesday to go along with the usual nine-match slate over the weekend, MLS fans had plenty of action to take in and enjoy. The biggest headline from this week's action was the loss at home by the Houston Dynamo for the first time in 36 matches. Other headline-makers this week in MLS were the Portland Timbers, who extended their unbeaten streak to nine matches, and D.C. United, who continue to sink to new lows each week.Read on to find out where each MLS club ranks in this week's edition of the power rankings. Begin Slideshow

Manchester City’s Rumoured MLS Franchise in New York: Pros and Cons

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber has hinted that the league’s 20th franchise will likely be based in New York City (via Goal.com), and reports from NJ.com suggest that the team could well be connected with the same ownership that runs Manchester City. As always, fans and media share differing opinions regarding whether this would be an overall positive move for MLS. The pros are clear: a soccer stadium in New York City, America’s largest market, would immediately attract engaged soccer fans that are intimidated by the prospect of traveling to New Jersey to see a match.  Queens, the predicted location for the stadium, is one of the most diverse places on the planet.  Different ethnicities obsessed with soccer litter the borough, so finding consumers would not be an issue. There is also the bonus of adding another rivalry to Major League Soccer, a trend the league has made clear it believes is important to growing the game stateside.  Because of the proximity to Red Bull Arena, the new franchise would forever be associated with New York Red Bulls.Such a relationship would fit in nicely with the already established New York area rivalries like the Knicks and Nets, Devils and ...

MLS Weekend Wrap

Once again, the clubs of Major League Soccer gave their fans plenty of excitement and drama in their weekend matches. The most exciting match of Saturday came from north of the border with Montreal and Real Salt Lake going back and forth in a five-goal shootout. The other impressive result on Saturday came on the opposite end of North America as the Seattle Sounders brought plenty of life to CenturyLink Field in their win over San Jose.However, the most impressive result of all this weekend came from Houston where Sporting Kansas City ended the 36-match home unbeaten streak of the Dynamo.Read on for recaps of all the matches from this weekend in MLS. Begin Slideshow

Lack of Midfield Stars a Problem for the MLS and Chicago Fire

It's evident that Major League Soccer is missing something.As the Chicago Fire take on the Philadelphia Union in a league matchup, with both teams fighting for their playoff lives, the missing ingredient in the MLS is becoming slowly evident.The oldest argument in the book about the MLS is that the players are lower quality, so the games lack the excitement of European leagues.What's lacking, however, is not excitement. It's a game that is controlled by the middle of the field. Certainly in today's matchup, it's impossible to ignore the gaping hole in the middle of the field. This is evident when you view a game from the press box, as opposed to watching it on TV.If you're into tactical observations, the press box is the place for you. A birds eye view is how soccer is meant to be viewed.The recent world football era of small, attacking midfielders (mostly in Spain) may appear to have "ended" with Barcelona and Real Madrid getting worked into submission by the taller, air-attack heavy Bayern Dortmund sides. Maybe, though, America is just a few years behind Europe when it comes to properly utilizing our midfielders. What the MLS is missing—and what every major European league has—is ...

Why Foreign Flavor Is Improving the Popularity of MLS

Major League Soccer recently released information proving it is North America’s most diverse professional sports league.  Sixty-two nations are represented on the 19 teams that make up soccer’s top competition in Canada and the United States. Since its inception, MLS has seen foreign stars grace its fields and draw in the attention of fans both abroad and domestic. In the early seasons it was South American playmakers like Carlos Valderrama and Marco Etcheverry who won the hearts of supporters with skillful grace and eloquence. It was difficult to determine what was more appealing about them, their unique hairstyles or brilliant ability on the ball.  More recently foreign superstars like David Beckham (now at PSG) and Thierry Henry have made homes in the States and have done a fantastic job not only as players but as ambassadors of the game as well: bringing world-class résumés and skills to America and Canada’s version of the beautiful game. Contributions from the greats like those mentioned above are well-noted and documented.  However, it is not just big-name stars that are making the difference in Major League Soccer these days. The league is littered with young talents from South and Central America from countries like Colombia, Costa ...