Best and Worst from MLS Weekend

Week 5 of Major League Soccer continued to provide the same awe-inspiring and outlandish moments that have categorized the most paradoxical league on the planet. FC Dallas’ 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution propelled the Hoops to first in the Supporters’ Shield standings. The Portland Timbers were awarded a penalty kick for the first time since 2011, while the Seattle Sounders have failed to impress thus far this season. Yet for all of that excellence—or in Seattle’s case, a lack thereof—neither was able to make the list of best and worst from Week 5 in MLS. Read on to find out who did.Begin Slideshow

Picking the Top 10 MLS Player Performances in This Week’s World Cup Qualifiers

MLS is not a top competition in world football. But top talent like Tim Cahill and Omar Gonzalez made a significant impact in this week's World Cup qualifiers.In total, 38 MLS players across 15 countries were selected to represent their respective national teams. Brad Davis' last-minute inclusion upped that total to 39.No region was impacted greater by the influx of MLS talent than the CONCACAF. But the CONMEBOL, Asian and UEFA qualifiers were influenced as well.Soccer fans will have to wait until June for the next round of qualifiers. Until then, here's a look at the 10 best MLS-player performances in this week's World Cup qualifiers. Begin Slideshow

MLS Saturday Wrap

MLS' second week of action was highlighted by a pair of stunning upsets.The New England Revolution and Toronto FC found themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings last season. After impressive victories Saturday night, the two teams have cause for optimism in 2013—a sentiment the Chicago Fire cannot echo after two matches.Here's a detailed look at all of Saturday's action.Note: Be sure to check back for updated recaps and analysis from all of Sunday's action.  Begin Slideshow

MLS’ Best and Worst from Opening Weekend

MLS' opening weekend provided its viewership with a beautiful brand of soccer, coupled with farcical gaffes. Oddly enough, the New York Red Bulls and Portland Timbers managed to do the same in only 90 minutes.The Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy flexed their formidable muscle this past weekend. Both teams proclaimed their rightful dominance of MLS.But not every star shined bright in the first weekend of league action. Some teams lacked a star to begin with.With a multitude of storylines to cover, here are the best and worst moments of opening weekend.Begin Slideshow

MLS Saturday Wrap

Saturday's MLS action was the earliest start to an MLS season in league history. For some teams it couldn't come soon enough, while others still appear to be in preseason form.Now in its 18th season—one more than the original NASL (1968-84)—MLS kicked off with a slate of games highlighted by a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Final. The Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City each re-established the dominant form reminiscent of the 2012 season. FC Dallas and the Vancouver Whitecaps also satisfied their home crowds, starting the 2013 season with less-than-stellar victories. Here's a detailed look at all of Saturday's action.Begin Slideshow

3 DPs Who Could Step Up for David Beckham to Grow MLS Internationally

David Beckham came to MLS in hopes of aiding its international growth. It’s time designated players like Thierry Henry and Oscar Boniek Garcia step up and follow suit. MLS has grown substantially since its inception in 1996.  The league expanded from 10 to 19 teams. There are now 13 soccer-specific stadiums, and MLS signed its most lucrative television contract to date in 2011.  The three-year deal with NBC Sports was for a reported $10 million a year. All this progression has not changed the perception of MLS internationally. It's still considered by many to be a “sub-par” league “struggling to survive.” Not even Sepp Blatter could abstain from his habitual blathering when asked about MLS in an interview with Al Jazeera TV last year. "It is a question of time, I thought -- we had the World Cup in 1994. But it is now 18 years in so it should have been done now. But they are still struggling." In order for MLS to alter this warped perception it must rely on its biggest stars and unknown commodities. Current MLS DPs must carry out the protracted mission Beckham set out to finish when he signed in 2007. With Beckham embarking on ...

5 Current Stars Bound to Play in MLS Eventually

Whether it’s a big-name like Kaka or an up-and-comer like Alexander Lopez, MLS has increasingly become the desired destination for soccer stars. In the last five years, those stars have come in different shapes and sizes. For MLS cynics, there is the aging star looking to spend the twilight of his career in the United States. Somehow a handful of these transfers—Thierry Henry and David Beckham, for example—have defined MLS as a “retirement home.” For MLS purists, there is the hidden gem that develops in MLS and prospers in a top-tier league overseas. Just ask Sporting Kansas City/United States Men’s National Team fans the kind of player Wigan Athletic received in Roger Espinoza. Then there are the modest stars that are unheralded by the media, overlooked by the casual fan and essential for a championship run. The Houston Dynamo can attest to that after signing Oscar Boniek Garcia last year. All three construct the spectrum of MLS stars. Rather than fill an entire article with outlandish scenarios based on no credible traction, all three categories will be covered. There is no room for the “Cristiano Ronaldo to MLS in 2018” slide here. So from the big-name to the up-and-comer—and everything ...

Best, Worst Moves of the MLS Offseason

The MLS offseason encompassed a broad spectrum of transactions. Some masterful. Others perplexing—and that was just the New York Red Bulls. The Desert Friendlies have already provided MLS fans with a much needed fix of MLS soccer. The 2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic and Desert Diamond Cup will make available the year’s first competitive environment.  But not a single meaningful match has been played, and the MLS Cup may have already been decided. A championship team may have already been built. Front offices across the league have done their due diligence throughout the offseason to tweak—or in New York’s case, completely overhaul—its 2012 roster in hopes of capturing the MLS Cup.  Unfortunately, some teams will find out that not all moves are created equal.  Not every move pans out. Not every move is heralded by the media. But every move conducted this offseason has either helped or thwarted teams from hoisting the 2013 MLS Cup. So from best to worst, here are the five moves that will help determine the 2013 season.The New York Red Bulls Part Ways With Rafa Márquez The Red Bulls were the “kings” of the offseason, so expect multiple appearances on this list. New York dominated ...

MLS Rookies Who Will Make the Biggest Impacts in 2013

Few MLS rookies are able to make an immediate impact. That won’t be the case for No. 1 overall pick Andrew Farrell and a few others taken in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. History has shown that the draft is not an exact science. Not in MLS—or in any other sport for that matter.  For every Austin Berry, there is an Ike Opara. Teams cannot be sure whether they are drafting a potential Rookie of the Year or future trade bait for a low-end draft pick. But lackluster careers cannot only be attributed to a player’s inability to live up to potential. It takes the perfect combination of skill and opportunity for a successful rookie campaign—something not every home-grown signing or player taken in this year’s SuperDraft will be presented with this season. That lack of opportunity and playing time has led to an agreement between MLS and USL Pro to integrate the MLS Reserve League teams into the USL Pro Schedule.  As MLS executive vice president of player relations and competition Todd Durbin points out, it presents MLS teams with another opportunity properly develop its talent.  “This partnership represents the first step in a long-term alliance between MLS and USL Pro ...

Analyzing the Enigma That Is the New York Red Bulls’ Head Coaching Position

The New York Red Bulls are a team loaded with talent but no head coach. It is the perfect blueprint for yet another disappointing, trophy-less season.(Update: Mike Petke officially named head coach)  On-the-field preparations are already being made for the 2013 campaign. Cleats are laced. Fitness is being tested. Cohesion and team unity are carefully nurtured. Just not in New York. At least not in the traditional sense. The enigma that is New York's head coaching position has overshadowed what is—at least on paper—a championship roster.But games are not played on paper. They are played on the field. And there’s usually a head coach there, or so I’ve heard. Since the firing of Hans Backe last November, the Red Bulls have done a better job of being linked to potential head coaches than actually hiring one. Potential suitor No. 1 was Scotland’s own Gary McAllister. Following the appointment of Andy Roxburgh as Sporting Director, McAllister’s hire seemed inevitable. It fit the European model that New York has been synonymous with, and his connection with Roxburgh dated back to his days on the Scottish national team. But the hire never came to fruition. The Red Bulls never extended an offer to ...