Week 21 of the MLS campaign was highlighted by several quality goals and a few intense matchups that went down to the wire. There were also poor officiating decisions and a questionable ejection.

Game Recaps

FC Dallas 1, Houston Dynamo 0

FC Dallas opened the week with a Thursday night victory over the Dynamo. Jeff Cunningham continued his torrid pace, connecting for a goal in the 9th minute. Brad Davis was shown a red card for leaving the bench, even though he managed to restrain himself.

LA Galaxy 2, New England Revolution 1

The Revs staged a frantic comeback, but fell short to the streaking Galaxy. Landon Donovan connected on a wonder goal in the 21st minute. Jovan Kirvoski put the visitors ahead by two after a poor clearance by the Revs backline. Steve Ralston converted a penalty kick in the 83rd minute but the Galaxy held off additional pressure to win.

Columbus Crew 3, San Jose Earthquakes 0

The Crew struggled to create chances in the first half, but three quick goals but the game out of reach. Substitute Alejandro Moreno found the net first, followed by Robbie Rogers and Adam Moffat. The Quakes controlled the first half but quickly fell apart after surrendering the first goal.

Real Salt Lake 1, Seattle Sounders FC 0

Robbie Findley used his blazing pace to get behind a lackadaisical Sounder defense to score the only goal. The Sounders failed to create many chances against the stingy RSL defense, which silenced Fredy Montero. The Sounders should have been awarded penalty in the dying minutes of the match, when Will Johnson slapped a ball down in the area.

Colorado Rapids 4, Chivas USA 0

Connor Casey and Omar Cummings picked apart the weak Chivas USA defense, which featured Jonathan Bornstein in a center back role. Pablo Mastroeni scored a rocket in the first minute and Casey added three more. Shavar Thomas was shown a red card in the closing minutes of the first half.

Houston Dynamo 3, Chicago Fire 2

The Dynamo rebounded from a loss in the Texas derby with a win over the Fire. However, it did not come easy as the visitors scored two quick goals after half-time. Stuart Holden powerfully converted the game winning penalty kick to give the Western Conference leaders the win.

Player of the Week: Connor Casey, Colorado Rapids

Casey returned from injury to score a first half hat trick, giving his team a comfortable lead. While none of his goals were spectacular, he managed to put himself in a quality position and convert his chances.

Goalkeeper of the Week: Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake

Rimando hit the pass on a dime that sprung Findley’s goal. He managed to turn away what few chances Seattle could muster and had a great read late in the match to ensure his team of three points.

Team of the Week

Goal of the Week: Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy

Donovan put his team ahead in the 21st minute with a cracking first-touch left footed volley. The Fire’s Peter Lowry has to get honorable mention, with his sweet first-time side volley while running at full speed.

Save of the Week: Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake

With his team nursing a 1-0 lead, Rimando snuffed out a chance late by coming off his line and calmly blocking the shot. He controlled the ball enough to scoop up the rebound and preserve the lead.

Assist of the Week: Robbie Rogers, Columbus Crew

Rogers unselfishly used his head to redirect a cross into the path of Moreno that led to the first goal for the Crew. He recognized he was not position to put the ball on frame while running at full speed.

Sub of the Week: Emmanuel Ekpo, Columbus Crew

Ekpo opened up the game for the Crew with his pace and quality distribution. His pinpoint cross to Rogers led to the first goal. He played both ways, contributing to the defensive effort as well.

Rookie of the Week: Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy

He did his part in helping his team to a 2-1 win over the Revs. The talented center back combined with his teammates to limit the Revs to only four shots on goal.

Best Coaching Performance: Robin Fraser, Real Salt Lake

Fraser stepped in for Jason Kreis, who was serving a one game suspension for being ejected, and led  RSL to a critical win. With several job openings looming, Fraser is sure to get an interview somewhere.

Worst Coaching Performance: Preki, Chivas USA

Preki had to somehow patch together a backline riddled by suspensions and injures, but the Goats came out of the gate with no energy and showed a lack of discipline. After giving up  a goal in the first minute, it was painfully obvious the game was destined to be a blowout.

Best Refereeing Performance: Alex Prus

Prus kept everything under control in Rapids-Chivas USA game, which is not always easy to do in a blowout and with Jesse Marsch on the field. He correctly sent off Thomas. His decision to give the PK was also correct, since the foul occurred outside but continued into the area.

Worst Refereeing Performance: Jeff Gontarek

The players in the Crew-Earthquake had no clue what was being called a foul and what was not. Gontarek was inconsistent with his calls and failed to apply advantage in two key situations for Columbus.

What are your thoughts on this past week? Was Lowry’s goal better than Donovan’s? Was the handball in the RSL-Sounder game a penalty or not? Comment below.

Editors Note: I apologize for not keeping the blog up to date over the last few weeks. I had to attend a family reunion and had some vacation time mixed in. In addition, I got behind at my real job and had to spend most of time on a few key projects. Things have settled down and I am looking forward to writing again.

Galaxy, Rapids, Real Salt Lake, Crew, and Dynamo Record MLS Wins

The MLS weekend featured plenty of exciting action. Connor Casey recorded a hat trick and Landon Donovan scored a cracking goal. MLS Recaps: MLS Week 21 Analysis, MLS Week 21 Recap, Domestic Weekend Wrap, The Weekend in Context, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Weekend Recap

Cooper’s goal highlights weekend for Yanks Abroad

Kenny Cooper scored in his debut for 1860 Munich, rising up for a header in the 17th minute. Charlie Davies made his debut for Sochaux and turned in a productive twenty minutes. More Yank Abroad Recaps: Americans Abroad in France and Germany,  Americans Abroad in England, Americans Abroad, Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind, Big Debut for Cooper

Real Madrid tops DC United 3-0

The new galacticos put three past DC United in front of 72,368 punters. The fans were treated to a display of football talent. United played well in the first-half, but were outclassed in the second stanza. More: Top 5 Things I Learned in Landover, United Rewind,

Howard, US Prepare for Mexico Match

Eighteen players, including goalkeeper Tim Howard, have arrived in Miami for a brief training camp before Wednesday’s critical away qualifier. The rest of the squad will arrive shortly. Howard tells the New York Times, “We Don’t Have the Luxury of Looking Back“. Additional coverage: USA-Mexico Update, US National Team Practice Report, Howard and Bradley Talk Qualifier, Donovan Wants the Win, Quick Training Camp Notes

Altidore Secures Work Permit

Jozy Altidore has been granted his work permit and will play this season with expected relegation battlers Hull City in the English Premiership. Altidore should be given plenty of minutes for the club, which has an option to buy him after the season.

Before the US begins its next international competition, let’s take one final look at the Confederations Cup. Below are the player grades for the tournament, which takes into consideration all five games. The grades:

Goalkeepers

Tim Howard - He deservedly won the Golden Gloves for the tournament. He was huge in the semi-final and final. He established himself as one the top goalkeepers on the planet. Grade: A

Brad Guzan – He only played in one match but had a good showing against Egypt. He firmly claimed the backup role for 2010. Grade: B

Defenders

Oguchi Onyewu – He had a little extra motivation, looking to earn a contract with a big club in Europe. He was the rock of the defense and won almost every ball in the air. His only fault was not being more dangerous on attacking set-pieces. Grade: A-

Jay DeMerit -He had an excellent tournament and elevated his status as a fringe player to a lock. A move the Premiership would bolster his chances of starting alongside Onyewu for 2010. Grade: B

Jonathan Spector – He turned the right back position into a competition and established himself as the front runner.  Regular time will benefit his cause. He could shift over and partner with Onyewu to form an interesting pair. Grade: B+

Carlos Bocanegra – He impressed in the Spain game but struggled against Brazil. His biggest problem is lack of holding the ball, when he just clears instead of looking to build. He is still the best option at left back. Grade: C+

Jonathan Bornstein – He proved to be a serviceable left back at the international level. But he did nothing to standout and had some break downs defensively. Never-the-less, he is a versatile player who probably did enough to earn a spot. Grade: C

Midfielders

Michael Bradley – He had moments of brilliance but also showed immaturity. His work ethic and play attracted interest from major European scouts. However, he must show more discipline at the international level. Grade: B-

Ricardo Clark – He recovered from his early red card and had an incredible game against Spain. He will most likely be on the 2010 roster, but a move to Europe will help his development. Grade: C+

Benny Feilhaber – He is back after dropping off the radar and showed the most skill on the ball. He proved he could be an effective two-way midfielder at this level. Grade: B-

Clint Dempsey – He started the tournament out horribly, but was a different player the last three games. A much needed rest will help for the qualifiers, and a proposed move to a bigger club will be beneficial. Grade: B-

Landon Donovan – He was the best field player for the US, and should have won the Bronze Ball. He showed that a MLS player can excel against the world’s best. Grade: A

Sacha Klejstan – He is struggling with confidence and this tournament did nothing to booster it. He needs to get out of his funk. Grade: D-

DaMarcus Beasley – Sadly, his days are likely done for the national team. He is still young enough to contribute, but injuries and lack of playing time have slowly taken a toll. Grade: F

Forwards

Jozy Altidore – He scored with great individual effort, but that was his only goal. His recent injury and lack of playing time showed, as he was usually spent by half-time. He needs to get regular first team football. Grade: B-

Charlie Davies – He is another player who improved his status from fringe to nearly a lock. His speed created all sorts of problems for opponents. Hopefully, he will break-out in the Gold Cup and move to a larger club. Grade: B

Connor Casey – He has been scoring goals and that warranted a call-up, but he played himself off the World Cup squad. He was lethargic and was never dangerous, which is not a good combination for a striker. Grade: D

Are these grades fair? Which players improved their stock? Which players should not be on the World Cup roster? Share below.

The US played a hard-fought game against Brazil in the Confederations Cup final. Unfortunately,  tired legs and some questionable coaching decisions led to a heartbreaking loss. But the US proved that they could play with world’s best when the spotlight is on. Here are the ratings:

Tim Howard [9] – He was fantastic. He made excellent save after excellent save. There was not much he could do on any of the goals. But he may have been able to get the third one. The back post is his responsibility if he does not assign a defender.

Jonathan Spector [8]  He made several good defensive plays and hit another great cross that led to Clint Dempsey’s goal. He showed some fatigue at the end, but it was probably the result of playing every minute and not being match fit coming into the tournament.

Jay DeMerit [7] – He made some big defensive plays in the first half and had a critical tackle late while the game was still tied. But he allowed way too much space on the first Brazil goal.

Oguchi Onyewu [8] – He won everything in the air as usual. He did a better job looking to possesses and not boot the ball up-field. He needed to put his header on target in the 88th minute.

Carlos Bocanegra [5] – He drew an early caution on a questionable decision to hold back Kaka. He just knocked the ball up-field with little pressure instead of looking to possess the ball. He could have redirected the cross on the second goal.

Landon Donovan [9] – He worked hard throughout the entire match. He began the counter-attack by running into his space and then used his speed and precision to finish the second goal. He created chances and was not afraid to look for a shot.

Ricardo Clark [6] – He turned the ball over too easily but had the pass to Donovan that sprung the counter-attack. He forced passes in the second half, instead of knocking the ball around to try to keep possession.

Benny Feilhaber [7] – He did a good job filling in for Michael Bradley, but looks more comfortable in an attacking role. He was a little careless with his tackles but worked hard to get back and defend. He held the ball for too long in the attacking third.

Clint Dempsey [7] – He had the early goal but disappeared for long stretches of the match. He was willing to take shots if he had space. He could have marked up better on the header that led to Brazil’s third goal.

Jozy Altidore [6] – He had a quiet match. He did draw a free kick with a nice turn on the ball. Fatigue was an issue, and he looked exhausted in the second half.

Charlie Davies [7] – He did well to get forward and setup the second goal for Donovan. He showed energy by getting back and defending. But he tried to force the attack in several situations, which resulted in turnovers.

Sacha Klejstan [5] – He continues to struggle with his confidence. He gave the ball way too easily. He made a bad pass after the US had gained possession in the closing minutes.

Jonathan Bornstein [5] – He showed impatience on the ball and failed to hold possession.

Connor Casey [NR] – He was not on the pitch long enough to generate a rating.

Are these ratings fair? Who was your man of the match? What did you think of the game, now that you have had time to reflect back on it?

Landon Donovan is facing his last chance to go to Europe.  He failed to catch on during a trial with Bayern Munich, but his excellent play in the Confederations Cup should spark a renewed interest.

He was the most impressive field player for the US during the run to the final, and showed he was good enough to play with the world’s best. He continually created chances by running up and down the field. He finished his opportunities and set-up others.

He is in the prime of his career. It is not about development anymore. He has already developed into a fantastic player. It is about challenging himself at the highest level.  He needs to go to Europe.

Donovan has to move now because he is getting older. He is reaching an age where clubs will no longer be interested in paying a transfer fee for his services. While there is a good chance he will have a strong World Cup next summer, he will be approaching 30.

La Liga seems to be the most logical choice for Donovan, but he would need to move to a side where he can get plenty of minutes. Atletico Madrid or Villarreal would make the most sense. There are other clubs that are possibility, such as Fiorentina in Serie A or Lyon in French Ligue 1.

The biggest hold-up to Donovan leaving is MLS demanding too high of a transfer fee. MLS reportedly evaluates him at $10 million. Is a club willing to pay that for a player who has struggled during his previous stints in Europe? The answer is likely no. A price tag of around $5 million is a figure that most European clubs would be willing to part with for his services.

Do you think Donovan should move to Europe? Is it time for MLS to part ways with arguably its most recognizable player? Should MLS hold out for the price it evaluates him at? Share below.

The US will play Brazil today in the Confederations Cup final. They have already faced Brazil in this tournament, losing 3-0. But this game is expected to be different, as they have been playing with more poise and grit since the embarrassing defeat.

The Americans will need to put pressure on the Brazilian defense during the first twenty minutes of the match. This will force them to respect the US’ attack and not throw as many bodies forward. One difference from the first game is that the US will lineup with two forwards, which should help keep the Brazilian fullbacks at home.

The US backline, bolstered by the return of Carlos Bocanegra, was outstanding in the 2-0 win over Spain. The unit will need to play even better today. Bocanegra did not get forward much and essentially set-in as the third center back. Expect more of the same. Jonathan Spector will likely provide an option to the attack, but he will need to be careful to not get caught out of position.

The midfield will need to replace its engine, Michael Bradley. He was sent off in the 87th minute of the semi-final.  Benny Feilhaber will likely get the start and pair up with Ricardo Clark. Feilhaber will need to play both ways, something he proved capable of the last two matches.

Landon Donovan will need to orchestrate the attack and exploit open space in the midfield. Clint Dempsey will need to continue to open things up with his through-ball ability. Both players are also expected to share in the defensive responsibilities.

Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies will benefit from having both Dempsey and Feilhaber in the midfield. Brazil will have to adjust to the strength of Alitdore and the pace of Davies. The forwards will need to finish any opportunities presented.

The Americans are playing with house money at this point, but a win over Brazil would set the table for next summer. They are playing with passion and confidence, with wins over Egypt and Spain to show. If the US can get the first goal, its theirs to lose.

Prediction: US 2 Brazil 1

How do you think the US will do? What are your keys to the game? Share below.

-While the victory over Spain is still fresh on our minds, the matter of deciding the Confederations Cup is still on the table. Soccer By Ives asks who should start against Brazil.

-MLS Week 15 Previews: Soccer By Ives, WVHooligan, 90^thMinute

-Jason Davis, of Match Fit USA, writes that MLS must take advantage when the USMNT is playing well.

-Soccer Insider is reporting that Greece powerhouse Olympiakos is interested in Jozy Altidore.

-The Montreal Impact are making a strong push to be included in MLS by 2011.

-ESPN has released their ESPY candidates for Best MLS Player: Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Landon Donovan, Jon Busch, Juan Pablo Angel, and Kenny Cooper. The US victory over Spain was also nominated, as the upset of the year.

What are you looking forward to about Sunday’s final? How should MLS ride the wave of the USMNT’s success? Should the Impact join in 2011? Who gets your vote for the ESPY? Share below.

The  US shocked the world on Wednesday, with a 2-0 win over Spain. The Americans used a combination of discipline, effort, and all-around solid play to defeat the Spaniards, ranked number one by FIFA. The ratings:

Tim Howard [9] – He was steady and made several correct decisions to parry instead of attempting to catch difficult shots. He set the tone with an important save in the beginning of the second half. He came off his line well, but his distribution was shaky at times.

Jonathan Spector [8] – He continues to impress. He did have a shaky moment early, when a bad touch led to a chance. But he stayed composed on the ball and made smart decisions on when to attack. He helped kill the game by staying compact and closing-down well.

Jay DeMerit [9] – He was the man of the match. He had several clutch tackles, and he threw his body around to block shots.

Oguchi Onyewu [9]- He was dominant in the air and quickly covered ground to thwart the attack. He was crtical down the stretch.

Carlos Bocanegra [8] – He positioned himself well. He helped to keep the back line composed. However, he did not get forward in the attack much and had an embarrassing foul throw.

Clint Dempsey [8] – His finish was pure effort. He opened the game up early with a long shot and combined well with teammates to set-up chances. He defended when called upon.

Ricardo Clark [9] – He ran with the ball well in the midfield, which helped to relive pressure off the back line. But he was everywhere on defense. He blocked at least three shots and was amazing in the closing minutes, highlighted by a bicycle clearance.

Michael Bradley [6] – His red card was unfair, but he has to show more discipline. He worked hard to pressure the ball in the midfield. He failed to connect on several through-balls.

Landon Donovan [8] – He put in another excellent, work-man type effort. He played box to box , and his set pieces were dangerous.

Charlie Davies [7] – He looked spectacular in the first twenty-five minutes. His bicycle kick would have been amazing. His pace caused problems, but he needs to work on his crossing.

Jozy Altidore [8] – He had a great individual effort on the goal, by using his strength to shield and then calmly converting. He won two corners and was a nuisance the entire match.

Benny Feilhaber [8] – His patience to hold the ball-up led to the run that created the second goal. He was smooth on the ball and worked hard to defend in the closing minutes.

Connor Casey [6] – He helped to kill some time, but should have held the ball in the corner.

Jonathan Bornstein [NR] – He was not on the pitch long enough to evaluate, but did block a shot late.

What did you think of the US’ historic performance? Who was your man of the match? Share your thoughts below.

The US will play Spain on Wednesday, after an unlikely run to the semifinals of the Confederations Cup. The Americans will have another shot at proving they can play with the world’s elite teams, after struggling earlier in the tournament against Brazil and Italy.

There is a bit of keeper controversy, as Brad Guzan performed admirably in the nets against Egypt. However, Tim Howard should start. Howard is the undisputed number one, and he should play in any important match.

The back line will remain the same, as the unit has developed cohesion throughout the competition. Jonathan Spector and Jonathan Bornstein will be instrumental in getting forward, as well as helping shut down the potent Spanish attack. Ougchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit will have to stay connected and balanced while patrolling the center of the defense.

The midfield will need to stay compact, in order to force Spain wide. Ricardo Clark will have to tuck in and destroy. Michael Bradley will need to be more cautions and pick the right spots to join the attack.

Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey will presumably be playing the outside positions in the midfield. Donovan will need to run at the Spanish defense to create opportunities. Dempsey will need to continue to play with creativity and vision, all while avoiding being dispossessed in the midfield.

The US could opt to use a 4-5-1, but will most likely start with two strikers. Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies combined for a goal against Egypt, and the pair will need to pressure the back line of Span into a mistake. That is not likely considering that Spain has been scored on in the last four games.

The key for the US will be creating space in the attack, but quickly clamping down once the ball is lost. The Spaniards know how to score when give time and space. The Americans will need to be cautions while defending, but the fullbacks will need to provide width to the attack when necessary.

The Americans showed spirit, discipline, and effort against the Egyptians, and the result was a 3-0 win. The US is through to the semifinal round, where they will face Spain. The ratings:

Brad Guzan [8] – He turned in a solid performance. He made an excellent save in the first half and was composed down the stretch. His distribution was on target, and he did a good job of looking to build out of the back.

Jonathan Spector [8] – His highlight of the match was hitting the wicked cross that led to the third goal. He did a good job staying compact in the final minutes, but he gave away possession twice in bad spots.

Jay DeMerit [8] – He had a critical tackle in the box that cleared a dangerous situation. He worked well with Onyewu to cover the outside backs, and he cleared out several chances in the air. But his passing was sketchy.

Oguchi Onyewu [9] – He was the man of the match for the US. He won almost every header, and he covered well for the full-backs. He read the game well and destroyed many chances.

Jonathan Bornstein [7] – He made himself an option on the left flank but had some questionable passes. He did well defending in 1 v1 situations, however he lost his man that led to an open header.

Clint Dempsey [8] – He had a gritty performance, with several excellent passes that set-up chances. His header was placed perfectly. He did turnover the ball over twice, but his overall contribution to the match overshadowed his mistakes.

Ricardo Clark [7] He had a quiet but effective game. He did well when forced to defend deep and blocked a shot in the 75th minute. He also had the flick to Bradley that sprung the second goal.

Michael Bradley [8] – He opened the game up by taking shots outside the penalty area and had some dangerous passes from deep in the midfield. His splitting run set-up the second goal, which was calmly taken. He worked hard to pressure the ball.

Landon Donovan [9] – He set the example by hard work on both ends. His runs forward were thing of a beauty and kept the Egyptians on their heels.  His set-pieces were dangerous, and his linking with Bradley on the second goal was sublime.

Jozy Altidore [6] – He should have finished the sitter. He did a good job of the holding the ball-up and sent in dangerous crosses. But he failed to link up with the midfield, when his back was to the goal.

Charlie Davies [7] – He used his pace to be pesky. His persistence paid off, which led to the first goal. He challenged the keeper with a well-taken cross.

Benny Feilhaber [7] – He did well getting back to defend. He could have struck the volley better, but showed awareness to get off a quick shot.

Connor Casey [6] – He did have an unnecessary turnover without much pressure but helped to clear a corner late in the match.

Share your thoughts on the player ratings below.