2011 MLS Power Rankings: Week 32

The 2011 Major League Soccer regular season is officially done and dusted. We now know who are the contenders for the postseason, and who is ready to make plans for next year after their campaigns went kaput.The Seattle Sounders take the top spot this week, while Sporting Kansas City emerges as the biggest threat in the East. Let's take a look at the penultimate MLS Power Rankings for this season.Begin Slideshow

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo: Analysis, Reaction and More

Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy and Dominic Kinnear’s Houston Dynamo wrap up the 2011 Major League Soccer regular season on Sunday, October 23 when they clash at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Tex. (Kickoff: 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET, Galavision) This is likely to be a warm-up match for both the Galaxy and Dynamo, who have clinched berths to the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Galaxy come into the contest with a record of 19-4-10 (67 points) and have a chance to secure 70 points this season with a win. As for Houston, they are 11-9-13 (46 points) and with a win, could potentially gain a better wild-card seeding. Arena is likely to field a squad of fringe players to give them experience and preparation, while resting a number of key starters for the postseason. Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continued coverage of the 2011 Major League Soccer season and all things World Football.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Club Deportivo Motagua: Analysis, Reaction and More

For Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy, it’s win or go home as they take on Club Deportivo Motagua at the Estadio Nacional on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011 in the final match of the CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage. Currently, the Galaxy sit in third place with a record of 3-2-0 (nine points), but a win over Motagua will see the Galaxy leapfrog ahead of Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, who sit in second. Both La Liga and already-qualified Monarcas Morelia sit in the top two spots with 4-2 records (12 points). As for Club Depottivo Motagua, they are in a free fall. Having sacked their manager Ramon Maradiaga in favor of Mexican Jose Trevino, the Blue Eagles will look to play spoiler in what is sure to be a wet playing surface hit hard by the likes of Hurricane Jova. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel. Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of the CONCACAF Champions League.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Club Deportivo Motagua: Do-Or-Die In Tegus

Tegucigalpa. The epicenter of Honduran life. A city of over 1.1 million strong. On Thursday night, it will be the home of the biggest test to date for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy. That's right everyone it's the final match day of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League, and for the Galaxy, it is an absolute must-win. Of course, they will know that for sure when Alajuelense and Morelia clash. However, nothing should be left for chance against an opponent who may already be out of the running for the knockout stages, but can still play spoiler on Thursday night. Unfortunately for Motagua, they are facing some pretty long odds to defend their turf. It has been a sorry season for the Blue Eagles, who are currently 2-6-4 (10 points) and saw manager Ramon Maradiaga sacked in favor of Mexico's José Treviño. Furthermore, chaos in the locker room ensued, with Colombian striker John Palacios leaving the team after one month with his new club. In spite of the chaos, Jerry Bengtson remains the biggest threat to the Galaxy's chances of sealing qualification to the knockout rounds. Bengtson has six goals this season for Motagua. Galaxy forward Chad Barrett emphasized the need ...

2011 MLS Power Rankings: Week 31

The MLS Cup Playoff picture has become clearer and clearer with every passing match. Only one spot among the wild card berths remains in contention heading into the final week of the 2011 Major League Soccer regular season.The Los Angeles Galaxy return to the top spot after rebounding from a harrowing road defeat to New York earlier in the month, while a few other teams punched their ticket to the postseason.As the World Series looms near in Major League Baseball, and the NFL and NHL seasons continue to rumble on, we take a look at this week's MLS Power Rankings.Begin Slideshow

LA Galaxy vs. Chivas USA: Victoria Street is True Fortress for Galaxy in 1-0 Win

There are many fortresses in Major League Soccer that owe their reputation to a seemingly impenetrable home-field advantage. There's the fortress of Sandy, Utah known as Rio Tinto Stadium, where Real Salt Lake have been particularly tough to beat in. And there's Jeld-Wen Field, the New Fortress, known for its partisan atmosphere and the fearsome play of the Portland Timbers. And there are other cathedrals that have their own reputation, such as RFK Stadium, Columbus Crew Stadium and Pizza Hut Park. In the end, the true fortress of Major League Soccer, at least for the  2011 regular season is...the Home Depot Center. Victoria Street. “We’ve always said we want to make our stadium somewhere to come that’s hard to win, and I think we’ve done that," midfielder David Beckham told the press. "We’ve worked hard on that, and it’s important that we do that at home. The fans obviously are behind us, we got the support of them, so it’s important that we perform in our own stadium.” That fact was made very clear when Chad Barrett's 53rd minute goal from an Adam Cristman delivery secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy over Robin Fraser's Chivas ...

MLS: Ruthless Columbus Crew Flex Muscles, Crush New England Revolution 3-0

Robert Warzycha’s Columbus Crew needed a statement victory to make the point clear to the rest of Major League Soccer: We are America’s hardest-working team, and we will be a massive force to be reckoned with in the MLS Cup Playoffs. On Saturday, the Crew shut out the Eastern Conference cellar dwellers, Steve Nicol’s New England Revolution, to the tune of 3-0 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. With the win, the Crew return to the playoffs for the fourth straight year, tying a similar streak dating back to 1996-1999. “We’ve tried to be positive in every game we’ve played. We’ve tried to do that. We want to do all those things. We haven’t done it—that’s the facts of the matter,” Nicol told reporters. "And on the occasions we have made chances and scored some goals, we’ve let them in at the other end. And vice versa. We’ve had a tough time here; there’s no hiding from that fact." Andres Mendoza played a key role in the victory, recording a brace to add to his team-high 13 goals on the year. In the 31st minute, Emilio Renteria delivered a textbook through ball to Mendoza to open the proceedings for the road side. ...

MLS: FC Dallas Pick Up Steam Ahead of Playoffs with 2-0 Win over Vancouver

Schellas Hyndman’s FC Dallas received a big boost to their postseason standing on Saturday night, when they silenced the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Tex. Looking to build on their momentum from their 2-1 playoff-clinching win over Chicago midweek, the Hoops established the rhythm early and wore down Tom Soehn’s Whitecaps, who never looked to threaten much at the Over. In the 35th minute, a long goal kick from Kevin Hartman found Brek Shea, who delivered the ball to a streaking Marvin Chavez, who recorded his sixth goal of the season to open the proceedings. A would-be brace at the beginning of the second half for the Honduran international was called back due to an offsides call. In the 54th minute, Dallas put the game out of reach. Brek Shea took advantage of a mishit from Hoops captain Daniel Hernandez, who blasted the rebound past embattled Vancouver netminder Joe Cannon for his team-leading 11th goal of the season. With the result, FC Dallas improve to 15-11-7 (52 points) and are only out of the top three due to Real Salt Lake managing a superior goal differential (+8 to +5).Dallas wrap up the MLS regular season away ...

MLS: Chicago Fire Scorch D.C. United’s Playoff Dreams in 2-1 Victory

Talk about leaving it late. Frank Klopas’ Chicago Fire kept their MLS Cup Playoff hopes alive heading into the final week of regular season action on Saturday in a thrilling 2-1 victory over Ben Olsen’s D.C. United at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. “It was one of the toughest losses I have ever taken,” Olsen told reporters after the match. “[I told the team] I was proud of them, it was a good effort. “ Neither team was able to get on the score sheet for a good deal of the match until the 90th minute, when Dwayne De Rosario scored his 15th goal of the season, tying him for the lead with San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski. In the second minute of stoppage time, Sebastian Grazzini pulled home the equalizer for his fifth goal of the season. Just when it was about to be a 1-1 draw for D.C., Uruguayan international Diego Chaves scored his fifth goal of the season off a sequence by Gonzalo Segares and Orr Barouch. “It’s not good when you don’t have your destiny in your own hands, and we’re looking for other teams to lose and win,” said midfielder Santino Quaranta. “This was a great opportunity ...

MLS & Houston Dynamo: Jeld-Wen Fortress Pierced in 2-0 Victory over Portland

Dominic Kinnear’s Houston Dynamo inched closer to the MLS Cup Playoffs with a 2-0 victory over John Spencer’s Portland Timbers on Friday night at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Ore. With the win, Houston leapfrog the New York Red Bulls, the Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City for second place in the highly competitive MLS Eastern Conference with a record of 11-9-13 (46 points). The 36th minute saw Andre Hainault open his scoring account with a delivery from one of the league's top providers in Brad Davis. The assist was Davis’s 15th of the season. In the 59th minute, Danny Cruz made up for a yellow card caution eight minutes prior with a volley from Luiz Camargo. Portland are not eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoff picture just yet, since they have a game in hand over the Dynamo and Colorado Rapids, who were consigned to a scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake. However, the road ahead got a bit tougher for the Timbers, and they will need some help in order to stay alive. On Wednesday, Oct. 19, the Timbers will hit the road for a match against D.C. United before concluding their inaugural season away to Real Salt Lake ...