High School Game of the Week

Friday night featured one of the more anticipated matchups in local high school soccer as 9-0-1 Webster Thomas (now 10-0-1) downed the now 11-2-0 Brockport Blue Devils by the score of 1-0. Taylor Smith scored just after the halftime break to give the home side the only goal it would need to remain undefeated against a Brockport team that looks to be Thomas' chief adversary this season. While Brockport improved on their previous 4-1 loss to Thomas in the season opener, the win for Webster was certainly a statement win, sweeping the season series. Brockport, who has beaten every team it's faced not named Webster Thomas, will likely head into sectionals as the team most likely to down the so far undefeated Titans.

In other Friday night action, Greece Arcadia downed West Irondequoit 3-1, Rush-Henrietta held off Churchville-Chili 1-0, Brighton topped Eastridge 2-1, Fairport rolled on Gates-Chili 5-1 and Jared Toth tallied 4 goals in an 8-0 romp over a Greece Odyssey team that looked very tame despite their 7-4 record.

As the season winds down and sectionals approach, it's starting to come to do or die for many of the fringe teams. Let's hope the teams can stay healthy and all the real stories are played out on the field down the stretch. Will a surprise team step up for crunch time, or will powerhouses such as Thomas and Brockport steal the show? Let's hear your take on where the teams stand.

Rhinos Learn of Individual Honors

After staying within 1 goal in Charleston to secure their spot in the USL-1 semifinals, the Rhinos have now learned that two of their players have also been named Second Team All League. The fiesty and trustworthy defender Scott Palguta was one of four defenders named to the Second Team and crowd favorite Johnny Menyongar was named as a midfielder after playing in all 30 of the team's games and tallying 6 goals and 5 assists.

Now we must wait and see what Scott, Johnny and the rest of the Rhinos have in store for the semifinal round Friday night!

High School Updates

After watching the Brockport-Spencerport matchup in the rain last night I decided it was time to post an update on the local high school scene.

Last night in Brockport, I watched a strong looking Brockport team jump out to an early advantage over Spencerport with a nice mix of short passing and long balls opening up the game and leading to a nice individual effort opened the scoring. Spencerport would pressure late in the first half, but the last pass in the final third was lacking. Brockport goals were scored by Christian Zale, DJ Barnhart and Andrew McGinnis while Shane Dobles scored the loan Spencerport goal in the 3-1 game.

Also in action Tuesday were Webster Thomas and Webster Schroeder, with Thomas emphatically claiming bragging rights in a 8-1 thrashing.

These results left Brockport and Webster Thomas to remain ahead of the pack in Monroe County, as Brockport stands at 11-1-0 while Webster Thomas is the only undefeated team at 9-0-1. Fairport sits a small margin back at 8-1-2 overall.

I'll be back after the weekend to check in with sectional standings and comment on each team's shot at glory for 2008.

Rhinos Head South With Lead

In Friday night's playoff showdown between the Rhinos and Battery both teams would play conservatively in search of a positive result. Aside of a shaky moment or two on Battery crosses, the Rhinos seemed to have the better of play, but were unable to get on the scoresheet for most of the match. Vallow also bailed his team out early in the second half. On a night where the rain held off, the Rhinos seemed destined for a disappointing 0-0 draw in their home leg of the first round. Determined not to head down to South Carolina as equals, the Rhinos forced the game in the late stages, and came away with a pair of late goals to put themselves in prime position to advance. Guppy struck first in the 86th on an assist from Menyongar, and Delicate added a second after a poor clearance from Charleston in the 90th minute to wrap up the game.

The Rhinos will defend their two goal advantage in a 7:00 PM kickoff at Blackbaud Stadium on Sunday. Expect some conservative play from the Rhinos leading to a low scoring affair, as the Rhinos need only to stay within a goal of the hosts to advance to the second round. Check in tomorrow evening for a running commentary.

Here is another photo of Blackbaud:

High School Roundup

It's been awhile since I've posted an update as to where the local high school teams stand. Heading into the last week of September, it's the Brockport Blue Devils (8-1-0) and Webster Thomas (6-0-1) boasting the most impressive records. Fairport, Webster Schroeder, Spencerport, Churchville-Chili, Pittsford Mendon, Pittsford Sutherland, Penfield, Greece Odyssey, Greece Athena and Victor round out the Monroe County league teams with .500 records or better.

More Bad News for the Red Bulls

Coming off a disappointing road loss to Colombus, the Red Bulls were dealt another tough blow ahead of the RSL matchup. The team, already without Dave Van den Bergh who is recovering from a sports hernia surgery, will also be left without playmaker Jorge Rojas and center back Gabriel Cichero who have both been called up to the Venezuela national squad for a World Cup Qualifier. Juan Pablo Angel may want to bring a book, otherwise he's likely to get bored in the offensive third.

In other MLS action, Dallas smashed the Fire in Chicago, and DC was beaten handily by LA as the Galaxy flexed their muscles and reminded people they are not yet out of the playoff conversation.

Red Bulls Falter in Colombus

In Thursday night's MLS action the Red Bulls bid to move up in the Eastern Conference playoff positioning was thwarted as the club gave up a 1-0 lead by allowing 3 unanswered goals against a Crew team that lacked playmaker Schelotto. While on the subject of MLS games, if you are home late on a Saturday night with nothing to do, tune to FSC for the goalfest that is the DC United vs LA Galaxy game, currently led by the Gals 3-2 early in the second half. For a full report of the Red Bulls match check Metrofanatic's story.

Rhinos Stumble into Playoffs

While the Rhinos will participate in the USL-1 playoffs, they will do so after a disappointing home result in the final home game at Paetec. The Rochester side played host to USL leading Puerto Rico on Friday night with hopes of making a statement heading into the postseason. Unfortunately a flat team was dealt a 2-0 loss in a game they never really got into.

The Rhinos stand at 11-9-8 with the 2 away games left. With games at basement clubs Carolina and Miami, the Rhinos look to move up to at least 4th in the playoff seedings.

US Cruises Past T&T

After 3-0 win in Chicago over Trinidad and Tobago, the United States now sits at the maximum possible 9 points through 3 games. This is critical because it not only puts them in the driver's seat to qualify for the next round of World Cup qualifying, but it should allow them to give some other players a look during some heated battles. To take this one step further, hopefully other players seize that chance and get EJ out of the forward picture for the US.

In a game the US dominated for at least 70 minutes, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey got the US rolling in the first half, and Brian Ching's 2nd half goal sealed the deal. Bradley nicely redirected a free kick to open the scoring. Dempsey added the second when a ball got past a defender and reached him for a nice far post finish, and Ching iced the game when Onyewu managed a header over the keeper and the Hawaiian simply had to head the ball into an open net.

What's next? Let's hope some phone calls to Kenny Cooper, Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu!

Odyssey vs Cal-Mum

This evening I made the trip out to Caledonia to check out a non-league matchup between Cal-Mum and Odyssey in the Cal-Mum Tournament. The match was the first of two varsity games to be played for the tournament's final day.

The game got off to a slow start with the first real chance coming 20 minutes in when a long ball found the head of Odyssey striker Joe Walsh. Walsh redirected towards goal, but his header went just high of the crossbar. Shortly later in the 28th a thru-ball played in by Walsh was smothered by Cal-Mum's junior goalkeeper Erik Miles.

Cal-Mum found their first chance a minute later when confusion in the box lead to a dangerous chance with a portion of the net open after the ball was redirected, but the shot was sent over the crossbar. The first half continued rather unevenfully with Miles dealing with an Odyssey cross rather comfortably and no real chances coming for either side.

Early in the second half, Odyssey subsitute Chris Terwilliger made his presence felt in the midfield, adding some bite in the center third and winning tackle after tackle. The intensity picked up for the team from Greece as they continued to win the ball and maintain possession, looking quite unlikely to concede a goal. This added pressure led to a turnover that eventually set up a powerful volley by Jason Snook that went just wide. Shortly after Snook's opportunity, Adam Cottorone sent in a corner kick that found the head of Tim Alesio to break the deadlock.

In the 76th minute Odyssey midfielder Kevin Booth got free and sent in a nice shot on goal, but Miles, who looked solid throughout, again was up to the task and tipped the shot over the bar.

Odyssey would eventually add a 2nd goal just 2 minutes from full time as a long range shot from Alesio provided an unlucky bounce for the Cal-Mum keeper and found the back of the net. Led by Alesio's brace, Odyssey improved to 1-1 on the season as Cal-Mum fell to 0-2-2.

The win game senior goalkeeper Joe Scarlata his first shutout of the year after his first bid for a shutout was wiped out with a penalty kick goal. His goals against average stands at an anemic 0.50 early in the season. Joe provided his thoughts on the match as well as the state of his team after the game.

Thoughts on getting his first shutout of the season:

"It feels good to get the shutout, but I've got to credit alot of it to the defense because I only got two shots on me today. They played well and really stepped up and won the ball and that keyed us to the win."

Thoughts on this year's team:

"Well, I think we have an opportunity to be better than we were last year. Our leadership has improved and the young guys really listen and learn. It seems like guys know what to do with the ball instead of panicking, and we're more fundamentally sound than last year."

Thoughts on the team moving forward:

"We're definitely a more mature team this year. It was great to get the first win out of the way, and now we can get a few more practices in and build off of this game. This should be a good foundation for the rest of the season."

Goalscorer Tim Alesio added that he thought that the improved intensity in the second half led to winning the ball consistently and giving him the opportunities he needed to find the back of the net. This intensity is contagious and really leads to improvements throughout the team.

Saturday Soccer Action

There are plenty of games taking place today so here is an update on all the action:

Results of interest in WCQ's-
Slovenia managing a 1-1 draw with Poland
Turkey beating Armenia 2-0
Albania playing Sweden to a scoreless draw
Ukraine knocking off Belarus 1-0
England holds a 2nd half 2-0 lead over Andorra courtesy of a Joe Cole brace
The Romanians who had success in Euro 2008 trail Lithuania 1-0 in the 2nd half
Austria has an early 1-0 advantage on France due to an own goal
Italy is locked a 1-1 with Cyprus in the 1st half
Argentina trailing Paraguay 1-0 in the 1st half.

Still to come-
US Men take on Cuba on ESPN Classic at 8 PM EST, watch it there since it's highly unlikely you will be in attendance.

Red Bulls vs Fire on FSC at 8:30 PM EST, expect a heated battle from two teams that strongly dislike each other.

I'm off now to the Cal-Mum tournament to see some of the Odyssey vs Cal-Mum and Batavia vs Kendall games.

School is in Session

My apologies to everyone for the once again infrequent posts, school has resumed and with it a very busy schedule for me. Being that it was my first week at a new school an inordinate amount of time and energy went into my efforts, so pencil me in on those teacher of the year ballots.

In any event, my efforts on Soccer the Rochester Way have been less than adequate, and I will do my best to catch up a bit now. It's been 5 days since the Red Bulls managed a well earned 0-0 draw in DC for their first shutout in DC in franchise history. Perhaps the highlight for Red Bull fans was when the much maligned Jaime Moreno sent a late spot kick wide right blowing the chance for 3 points. The Red Bulls look forward to another interesting road game when they take on Chicago tomorrow night in what will be Juan Carlos Osorio's first trip back to the Windy City since he left the Fire. NY looks to take advantage of the World Cup Qualifying schedule that won't leave them shorthanded, but will see the Fire without star playmaker Blanco.

In one of the more unusual MLS stories you will see, Toronto FC will be hit hardest by the WCQ's yet forced to play despite Chivas USA agreeing to reschedule. For an interesting read check out Ives' piece on the incident. http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/09/help-wanted-if.html

The Rhinos have been out of action since my last post, but will host the Portland Timbers at Paetec Park tomorrow night. The game is scheduled for a 7:35 kick-off so come out and support the club.

As I'm sure everyone knows by now, US Men's midfielder Michael Bradley has been transferred from Dutch club Heerenveen to newly promoted German club Borussia Monchengladbach. For those unfamiliar with German football, the club has a history of being very respectable, and stays in the top division more often than not. It may not be a widely known club here in America, but I don't think the move is a bad one as many suggest.

Lastly, the high school soccer season is now most certainly underway, and I will be moving on my high school posts and player highlights as promised. For now it is far too early to get excited about team records, but Hilton and Fairport have each jumped out to 3-0-0 records while Penfield and Webster Thomas sit a 2-0-0. Remember, I am by no means everywhere at once, so if you have any stories, scores or player info on local high school teams, please send them my way via e-mail.

Rhinos Top Atlanta Again

A first half goal from Menyongar (assisted by Delicate) in the 29th minute was all the Rhinos would need as the early advantage stood up through 90 minutes and the Rhinos got the full 3 points on the road. The win, the Rhinos second straight over Atlanta, moved Rochester to 10-8-8 and a tie in third place with Charleston.

Additionally, the Rhinos also have recently signed former Minnesota forward Alen Marcina to add depth to the attack. Marcina has found the net 3 times and assisted twice so far this season.

Are the Rhinos poised to be dangerous in the postseason, or will they prove to still be a bit behind the best? Share your thoughts on the rebirth of the Rhinos below.

Friday Updates

I've been off the scene for awhile and wanted to post many things, so here is the condensed version:

Last Sunday the Red Bulls continued their strong play, totally dominating last year's champs, Houston Dynamo, en route to a 3-0 win. The win was New York's third straight, and they are now unbeaten in five straight.

Mac Kandji, the USL striker from Atlanta who had drawn interest from the Red Bulls, will apparently not be joining the MLS this year. The Red Bulls had sent Zach Thornton to Chivas USA for allocation money to be able to pay the $200,000 transfer Atlanta was asking, but reports have the league office blocking the deal as they don't want to see MLS pay so much for a USL forward. What happened to being able to use your money as you feel fit? Now, Ives Galarcep reports that Ivan Gazidis and Jeff Agoos (a worthless Red Bull suit) have both denied that the league blocked anything, but it seems very fishy to suddenly throw out a defense of the league office after Ives' initial report. UPDATE: In the wake of the Mac Kandji debacle, Sainey Touray of the Gambia has been signed to a developmental contract.

The New England Revs and Chivas USA each started their CONCACAF Champions league campaigns on the wrong foot, each falling in their away legs in Trinidad and Tobago and Panama, respectively.

Maurice Edu has officially joined Celtic and there are rumors of a Dutch interest in Sacha Kljestan, both of who will be playing for the US against Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba.

Speaking of qualifiers for the US Men, Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore and Kenny Cooper were all left off the roster, yet Eddie Johnson is again called in as an option for the two games. When will we be through with his futility?

Rhinos Blank Silverbacks

The above pictured Scott Vallow had a relatively simple night in the Rhino's nets on his way to a shutout as his team dominated play in a 2-0 victory over Atlanta. Ross Smith struck first, redirecting a Kreamalmeyer shot into the net in the 21st minute. The second goal came shortly after on a nice header by Tiger Fitzpatrick. There were a few flashes in the second half, such as Delicate receiving the ball all alone but splitting a pair of defenders to put himself in on goal (sadly his shot was straight at the goalkeeper), but most of the second half saw the Rhinos play possession soccer against an Atlanta team that failed to look threatening. The win moves the Rhinos to 9-8-8.

Also of note tonight was Macoumba Kandji's conspicuous absense from the line-up. The team's star forward made the trip, but never removed his track suit and seemed to be a man running out of time with the club. With him being withheld from the line-up I would suspect a deal is deep in the works to send Kandji elsewhere, presumably to the Red Bulls.

Share your thoughts on Saturdays game.

Top 3 Reasons to go to the Rhinos Game Tonight:

3. It's the home team, of course we should go!

2. There are many deals on tonights match, from family night buy one ticket get one ticket deals, to discounted prices for RDYSL teams that won their divisions. Also, the first 1000 through the gate will receive a free Scott Vallow disposable camera from Kodak. And lastly, on the way out after the game free Power Trip will be handed out again. Come take advantage, and if you show up early for the camera there will be music to enjoy!

1. Macoumba Kandji. The Atlanta striker is the most prolific in the USL with 10 goals and five assists. He is a major target of the New York Red Bulls to join Juan Pablo Angel up top, and Atlanta is asking for a $200,000 transfer fee. He is strong on the ball and incredibly fast. Sources in Atlanta claim he is good enough to draw serious European interest when he gets all his papers straightened out so he can travel overseas.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:35 at Paetec, hope to see you there!

It's About Time...

With the first week of high school preseason in the books, it's time for us to shift some of our focus over to the local scene. With the Olympics wrapping up, I will be doing player and team profiles over the course of the next couple of weeks for any local teams and local talents that I can find information about. Check back to familiarize yourselves with some of the brightest young talents. If you have any news about players or teams, please send me an e-mail to let me know so I can create a post.

Men's Gold Medal Game

After Brazil downed Belgium 3-0 to claim the bronze medal, all that is left in the Olympic tournament is the decision between silver and gold. Will it be mighty Argentina who boasts household soccer names such as Messi and Riquelme, or will the upstart Nigerians claim their spot on the highest platform? Don't forget Nigeria has a history of success with their younger teams. I still like Argentina tomorrow, they have too much class and it seems clear that they mean to win this. Don't forget to catch the match live on CNBC at midnight EST.

US Women Good as Gold

Quick, someone tell Hope Solo she came in first, not second!

In a gold medal match unlikely to have converted many outsiders to the soccer fanatic cult, the US did precisely what it needed to this morning (or night in China) to earn one of their most improbable championships. Tied 0-0 after 90 minutes of relatively ugly, tentative play from both sides (no one could make a quality pass consistently!) the game would be forced into extra time. From there it didn't take long for the US to stake their claim on the gold medals as Carli Lloyd struck in the 96th minute for the 1-0 lead. Brazil then pressured like crazy, but the US responded exactly the way I had hoped; they played a bend but don't break style of defense. Brazil is strong with the ball at their feet, but if you are content to let them dance but force them to less dangerous spots you give your keeper a chance. That's what the US did, and Hope Solo took care of the rest (making former coach Ryan look all the more idiotic). Lloyd almost sealed it with a nice move past the defense but her shot hit the far post. The insurance goal was not needed as the US weathered the final couple of minutes and got the win that many didn't think they could get. In the end we were treated with the shared joy of the team as well as Natasha Kai's best Brandi Chastain impression.

Earlier Germany downed Japan 2-0 to claim the bronze medals.

MLS Updates

From the seemingly unintentional and light elbow that earned Cichero a red card against Toronto, the league has handed him down an extra game suspension. This means Cichero will not only miss the Red Bulls game against Houston, but also against DC.

Houston mashed on Chivas tonight.

Revs beat DC tonight.

Bruce Arena is the LA coach.

His new acquisition was bloodied tonight in the US/Guatemala match.

Bruce Arena may be picking up where he left off with overaged stars surrounded by awful role players...

Nuff said!

US Men With Historic Night!!!

Eddie Johnson did not see the field!!!

And no, that is not what made this game in Guatemala historic. For the first time ever in WCQ's, the US team secured a win and 3 points in Guatemala.

Long story short:

Guatemala cheated. Guatemala took a dive. Guatemala whined about a call. Dempsey got a yellow for a light shove, but thankfully former Galaxy player Pando Ramirez also got a yellow for acting like Dempsey blasted him with a magnum. US got screwed on a throw-in call. Cherundolo got mad and got a yellow. Guatemala cheated some more. Guatemala took a dive and Cherundolo picked up a red. A Guatemalan came in way late lining up Eddie Lewis' head with his elbow, splitting Lewis open and earning a red. Guatemala cheated and cried several more time. Much to their chagrin, and Beasley corner found Bocanegra for a great header and a 1-0 win. Newly acquired (yay Toronto fans...) TFC forward Carlos Ruiz drew the ire of Tim Howard when Howard secured a ball only to be kicked by Ruiz. Howard told Ruiz what he though of him and go a yellow. Guatemala would continue to cry and complain while their fans spewed profanities...

GO USA!!! May Guatemala continue to suck and lose every game that Carlos Ruiz plays in!

For the US fans, don't forget to check out the women's team action in the gold medal game tomorrow at 9 AM EST! For good measure I offer Natasha Kai...

Abs!!! I knew I'd recognize them if I saw them!

US Women Down Japan, Will Play for Gold

The US Women overcame an early 1-0 deficit with a pair of goals late in the first half courtesy of Angela Hucles and Lori Chalupny, and finished strong with another goal from Hucles and a fourth coming from Heather O'Reilly to take the win by a final of 4-2. Ok, I admit it, Heather Mitts didn't score, I just wanted to get that picture into the post!

With Brazil romping a talented Germany side in the other semifinal, the US will certainly head into the Gold Medal match as underdogs. That said, I think anyone would have been happy to hear they would be playing in this match when Wambach broke her leg. Adding to the excitement will be the story of Hope Solo. Many will remember when Solo was unceremoniously benched by idiot head coach Ryan in favor of Scurry who was supposedly better equipped for Brazil's offense. Solo will now get her shot in a game where she will likely need to be sensational.

In other Olympic soccer action, Brazil will play Argentina in the men's semifinals at 9 AM EST tomorrow morning. Watch, or if you are working like me, dvr it! It is sure to provide some excitement as Messi goes head to head with Ronaldhino.

Red Bulls on the Charge

With Sunday's impressive defensive showing with Jeff Parke subbed off early and Cichero ejected early in the second half, the Red Bulls have consecutive victories for the first time after opening up their homestand with wins over DC and Toronto. Below is Metrofanatic's summary of the action.

"Coming into the homestand, Metro knew that wins were vital. So far, so good, as New York put on a defensive clinic against a morbid Toronto side. Even losing starting defenders Jeff Parke and Gabriel Cichero, the latter to a red card early in the second half, did not matter. Mike Magee scored the game-winner and Juan Pablo Angel added one in garbage time.
Juan Carlos Osorio trotted out the same lineup that trashed DC a week ago, but was forced to make an early change by putting in Andrew Boyens for the injured Parke just 25 minutes in. We usually trash on Boyens in this space, but the New Zealand behemoth had an unusually strong game tonight.
Metro dominated the entire first half; a give-and-go between Angel and Magee led to Toronto keeper Greg Sutton making a big save on the former and the on the follow-up by Dave van den Bergh. 37 minutes into the game, Metro broke through. With play deep in the Metro end, Seth Stammler cleared the ball a good 50 meters upfield. Angel, seeing he would have been offside, held off his run, but Magee didn't. Metro's longest serving citizen ran onto the bouncing ball, abused former Metro draft pick Marco Velez, and slotted the ball from the top of the box past the helpless Sutton.
The game changed just a minute into the second half, as Terry Vaughn gave a ridiculous straight red to Cichero for what looked to be a simple elbow on a jump ball. That there was no malice was obvious from any replay, but Vaughn did not have the benefit of that. And seeing how the game ended, we could give Terry the benefit of the doubt... but no. It was a terrible call.
So Metro bunkered for a bit. Kevin Goldthwaite went in the middle, van den Bergh and Luke Sassano shifted to become outside back. Soon after, Dane Richards, who was supposed to be out 4-6 weeks but came back much earlier after rehabbing in his native Jamaica, would come in for Sassano, with jack-of-all trades Stammler taking the right back spot.
Toronto had a couple of chance, the most dangerous off a long Chad Barrett shot of a corner kick, but this patchwork Metro defense made easy work of the obtuse Canadians. Two minutes into injury time, Richards broke through all alone and could have easily scored, but instead elected to pass to Angel, who tapped it in for the easiest of his Metro goals.
As we said above, so far, so good. Now let's keep it going."

Check them out at http://www.metrofanatic.com for all your Red Bull news with a humorous twist.

He's Back!!!

To the dismay of those of you hoping Cobi Jones would remain the LA Galaxy head coach following Ruud Gullit's departure, The Bruce will be named for the head coaching role. With the glass being half-full, the Galaxy land an experienced coach that many consider the best coach in US history. He has won several championships with DC United and knows the league very well. If you are more of a glass half-empty type like myself, you'll be quick to point out that everyone was saying just these things when Arena took the helm in New York. Will the frustratingly dismal fringe players rally around Landycakes, Goldenballs and The Bruce, or will it be yet another disappointing year where LA fails to reach the playoffs?

In unrelated MLS news, the Revs apparently will not land Benny Feilhaber as he has signed in Denmark, and Toronto may be looking for midfield help as they have reportedly agreed in principal to a $5 million dollar deal to send Maurice Edu across the pond to Scotland where he will join Demarcus Beasley at Rangers.

What do you think of these developments across the MLS?

US Men Eliminated

For those of you who woke up early today like myself, you were greeted with a very disappointing way to start your day. A mere 3 minutes into the United States critical match against Nigeria, Michael Orozco was sent off with a straight red card for an suspect elbow to a Nigerian player. It was a bit physical, but Orozco's extremely light elbow, normally unworthy of mention, was deemed to be a flagrant offense for the US left back. Thanks to some great acting by Solomon Okoronkwo, the Nigerian that dropped like he took a 12 gauge round to the chest, the US was forced to play a man short for the final 86+ minutes.

It looked like all was lost, but the American's put up a valiant effort for their part, with Rogers slid back to a left back roll (amazing for someone who lacks defensive skill even as a midfielder) and Jozy Altidore sliding back to left mid. Until late in the first half the US weathered the storm, but fell behind when Michael Parkhurst was beaten endline, allowing a ball played in to Promise for the easy finish. After some bizarre substitutions by coach Peter Nowak including Feilhaber for Altidore at the half, Szetela, who I loved, coming off for Dax McCarty (as opposed to Kljestan, the walking turnover who is a Nowak favorite coming off), and a good, but possibly exhausted Stuart Holden coming off, the US would fall behind by two. On a ball laid off to the left side of the box, a nice individual effort saw Parkhurst slip and fall while the Nigerian player finished well far post.

Charlie Davies (despite commentator Marcelo Balboa's insistance that he is Charlie Davis...) looked fabulous as a late game sub. I have seen him several times previously and thought of him as a fast player that will never succeed, as he goes to ground far too easily. Davies' response? Let's see what you've got Mr. Essig! Davies came on and made immediate impact, torching a the Nigerian defense and offering a dangerous cross, then setting up a penalty kick converted by Kljestan. He had his chance to place his name among US soccer heroes when in stoppage time he rose majestically for a header that fatefully found the crossbar instead of the back of the net.

Following 4 points in 2 games the US were not expected to have, and an unfortunate finish to tie the Dutch, this will certainly be seen as a huge disappointment and a blown opportunity for a US team that could have been dangerous in the knockout round. I had been down all day about the event and waited to write about it until now. In a more relaxed state, I will say that Orozco should not have been red carded, but also should have known better than to throw an elbow no matter how lighly in the opening minutes of a game. He left his fate for the ref to decide. After his departure the US team put forth an unbelievable effort and came oh so close to an improbably draw playing a man down for a full game.

Now we are left to wonder what could have been with Adu and Bradley playing and Orozco avoiding the red card. With a need to draw since the Netherlands would surely beat Japan (which they finally did in a game they were dominated and earned a very shake penalty kick late in the game to win 1-0 and seal the USA's fate) the US would have their olympic dreams ended. As a minority in the United States, we soccer fans cannot even mourn properly. When asked why I seemed sour today, I replied that I thought the most talented US olympic team ever blew their chance today. The response I received? "Oh, well did you see Michael Phelps last night?" Hopefully these young players will learn from this experience and make soccer more relevant to the masses in our country. For now, there's always the women's team to pull for!

USA vs Nigeria

Set those alarms again, after a sensational display against the Netherlands earned the United States only 1 point, it all comes down to this game against Nigeria. It's quite simple, secure a result and more on the the semis. Don't look for a US team that will be content to defend and play for a draw however. Nigeria has dangerous attacking play, and will be most vulnerable in the back where a pair of starting defenders will be out due to yellow card suspension. This is one of those games where the timeless ascertation that the best defense is a good offense might well fit the bill.

My question to you is without the services of Freddy Adu and Michael Bradley, who should the US turn to for a starting line-up? Think Szetela can fill Bradley's boots or do you prefer Feilhaber? Any predictions on this match? I like the United States to win 2-1 and follow their female counterparts into the knockout stage.

No Mas Sexy Futbol!

To the delight of fans in Galaxyland, Isiah... err, Alexi Lalas has been fired as GM. With a mixed reaction head coach Ruud Gullit also resigned. The Circus should now be over in LA as US legend Cobi Jones takes the reigns of the media crazed yet subpar club in salary cap hell. Tomorrow I will explain why I think the loss of both Lalas and Gullit will be great news for Galaxy fans.

Red Bulls Squash Scum!

Juan Pablo Angel and the New York Red Bulls turned in their best collective effort of the season in a 4-1 route of DC United at Giants' Stadium. It what was considered to be a crucial match to the team's playoff chances, a revamped Red Bull squad responded with their greatest victory ever over their biggest rival.

The Scum opened the scoring when Jaime Moreno scored on the NY franchise for the 1049283rd time and it looked like business as usual. NY vs DC, DC wins right? Not to be on this day, as Angel scored a sublime free kick goal, then added another on a nice touch over DC keeper Zach Wells. Between Angel goals was a Mike Magee goal... yes, Mike Magee still lives, and actually looked good in this match, perhaps he is back! Later in the match substitute Sinisa Ubiparipovic walked onto the field and scored almost immediately on a feed from Rojas to officially begin the party.

For a Red Bulls team with more home games coming up, this is a statement win that immediately positions them back among the playoff teams and based on this game has to give them the needed confidence. With Cichero and Rojas in the fold and looking strong, should we expect this team to secure a playoff spot, or is this just another fluke win that gives us fans encouragement between the frequent letdowns?

US Looks for Draw or Win to Advance

After one of the best Olympic performances in US Soccer history ended in a disappointing draw, the United States men now need to secure at least a draw against Nigeria to advance from the group stage to the quarterfinals. In a game the United States dominated for a good 65 out of 90 minutes against a Netherlands team considered a medal favorite, the US fought from a 1-0 deficit to earn a 2-1 lead courtesy of goals from Sacha Kljestan and Jozy Altidore. Unfortunately the scoreline did not hold, as a Kljestan turnover at midfield led to a foul and free kick for the Dutch about 45 seconds from full time. The subsequent drive from Gerald Sibon of the Netherlands went under a US wall that leapt, and found the back of the net. In what is still a fantastic result for the US, we were left with a bit of a sour feeling. Instead of looking at coasting into the quarters as group winner we now must beat or tie a tough Nigeria team, and do so without stars Freddy Adu and Michael Bradley who picked up yellow card suspensions.

I expect the US will be able to move on with Altidore and McBride up top and a capable Danny Szetela likely sliding into Bradley's midfield spot. Set those alarms and check out the deciding game at 5 AM Wednesday morning. Also don't forget the US women's match tomorrow morning at 7:45 AM (along with US men's hoops at 8).

Soccer Sunday- Wake Up and Watch the Nat's!

Sunday's Line-up:
7AM-USA v Holland
9AM-Breakfast
10AM-ManU v Portsmouth (Community Shield)
5PM-Red Bulls v DC United
6PM-Rhinos v Islanders
What a Sunday!

Set those alarms for Sunday morning whether you are out late Saturday night or not! Soccer fans unite and show that the US is a soccer nation. Get up and catch an enormous match for the US olympic team in their hunt for olympic glory on MSNBC. It is a much more reasonable hour than the Japan game at 4:55 AM last Thursday. For those who missed it, the US managed a 1-0 win against Japan, defending well and dodging a bullet with some bad misses by Japan. Combined with the Netherlands 1-1 draw with Nigeria, the US sits atop its group. They likely need one more win to advance. Up next, the star studded Dutch squad. The US will have their hands full with a team that is among the favorites to win the gold medal. The load will be lightened as forward Roy Makaay will be out with a foot injury and midfielder Evander Sno (Edgar Davids light) will be suspended after picking up a red card against Nigeria. The player to fear most will be Ryan Babel, the speedy winger who plies his trade in Liverpool and will line up against an American left side that looked suspect in their defending of Japan. Look for Jozy Altidore to start and have an impact against a Dutch side known more for their attacking football than their defending. If he needs any bulletin board material, the Dutch manager says "Nigeria is confident on the ball. They have two very good strikers. The Americans are more of a team on the same level. They don't have anybody extremely good. They're totally different than Nigeria, in my opinion."

If you are a soccer fanatic like me, you can then catch the Community Shield match on Fox Soccer Channel at 10 AM EST. Look for a Manchester team feeling extreme pressure to win this match and Cristiano Ronaldo going the full 90 (yes, that is a joke). Hey, it's still worth a watch if you want to make it a true soccer Sunday.

After lunch and a nap, tune in to MSG to catch the Red Bulls and DC United in one of the great rivalries of MLS. After a blowout in DC the Red Bulls look for revenge at home with a revamped squad featuring Rojas and Cichero while United hopes to welcome Gallardo back to their line-up. Expect a physical game that is fun for the fans.

Not an MLS fan and live near Rochester? Swing out to Paetec for a 6 PM kickoff as the Rhinos look for their own revenge from an away blowout as they host Puerto Rico. Similar to NYRB the Rhinos should be very motivated after losing badly on the road and now getting the same team at home.

Which matches will you be watching? Are you going to the Rhinos game? If you are getting up to watch the USA match where will you be watching?

Rhinos Fall in PR

In the away portion of Rochester's home and home series with Puerto Rico this weekend the Rhinos showed up, were shown up, and will now look forward to returning home to look for a better result. After a 4-0 drubbing courtesy of the Islanders the Rhinos should have all the motivation they need for an improved performance on Sunday. With very little positive to mention about this performance I will let it pass lightly by simply reminding everyone that if you can win at home regularly you will be a solid soccer team. Let's look forward to Sunday!

Barca Blasts Bulls

Those who watched Juan Pablo Angel and Thierry Henry walk side by side down the tunnel after the game were left yet another time in the dismal history of the New York club to think about the future. Will the two be playing up top together in a Red Bull uniform anytime soon? We can only hope considering the gap in talent between the two sides was evident from the earliest moments of the game until the final whistle.

In what became a 6-2 thrashing, the Red Bulls showed a lack of patience in possession, likely due to too few of players that are comfortable on the ball. Barcelona's star studded line-up danced and passed around the New York players seeming at will.

What I took away from the game:
A) Pietravallo is not looking like a good acquisition.
B) Angel needs help or he'll just be blanketed by opposing defenses.
C) Van den Berg can play with the big boys.
D) Mike Magee and Hunter Freeman didn't even see a minute in a game with additional substitutes being allowed.
E) Bojan Krkic should have become a US citizen.
F) At least Gabriel Cichero is now onboard hopefully spelling my last sights of Andy Boyens and Carlos Mendes this season!

First Round Knockout

No, team USA is not eliminated from the group phase, but I thought the title was an appropriate summation of a game that was decided in the early moments. Portrait of Passion provides this game report:

"QINHUANGDAO, China (Aug. 6, 2008) – The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to Norway, 2-0, in the first match for both teams at the 2008 Olympics as the Europeans stunned the U.S. with two goals in the first five minutes. The Americans pushed to pull a goal back in the second half, but an organized Norwegian side held on for the victory on a hot and steamy night at the Qinhuangdao Sports Center Stadium.

The loss was just the second-ever for the U.S. women in the Olympics, with the only other loss also coming to Norway in the 2000 Olympic Final in Sydney, Australia.Norway sits atop Group G with three points. Japan came back from a two-goal deficit to tie New Zealand, 2-2, creating a tie for second place with one point each. The USA will face Japan next in a critical match on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 5 a.m. ET live on USA Network and the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel.

"My glass is always half full. For us, it is a new experience to lose a game and the fact we tried to turn around and create some chances in the second half is positive,” said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage, who suffers her first loss as the U.S. head coach. “I'm happy that this is the first game and not the last. We still have two more games to go. We will take the good part of the second half going forward to play against Japan and New Zealand.” Norway’s dream start came in the second minute. After Christie Rampone cleared away a long throw in, Norway captain Ane Stangeland Horpestad swung in a looping cross from the left wing. Lori Chalupny was good position to try to win the header, but U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo charged off her line and collided with Chalupny as Leni Larsen Kaurin got her head to the ball, popping it over both U.S. players and into the empty net.Two minutes later Norway scored again. The goal came after Kate Markgraf played a back pass from the right sideline into the middle of the field, but hit it too softly, and it was picked off in stride by Melissa Wiik who dribbled into the penalty area and curved a fantastic shot inside the left post around Solo.After a few early build-ups and corner kicks, the best chance for the U.S. in the first half came in the 26th minute and was created by midfielder Heather O’Reilly. With the U.S. pressing, O’Reilly dribbled to the end line and cut back a pass that deflected to Carli Lloyd, who touched the ball forward to Angela Hucles, but her curling shot flew over the crossbar. In the 15th minute, Sundhage was forced to make her first substitution as Chalupny departed the match due to a blow to the side of her head in the collision with Solo on the first goal. She was replaced by Stephanie Cox. In the second half, Norway was content to sit back and counter-attack while the U.S. picked up the pressure, eventually firing 20 shots during the game. Norway’s best chance of the second half came in the 49th minute off a free-kick that Marit Christensen flicked just wide of Solo’s right post. Forward Amy Rodriguez came on at halftime replacing Lindsay Tarpley and helped the U.S. build numerous attacks through the final 45 minutes, but the Americans struggled to solve Norway’s defense with the final pass. In the 61st minute, forward Natasha Kai put a shot over the bar from a tight angle and in the 78th Lloyd had a pair of chances denied after her first shot came back to her off a defender.The USA also had two good chances in stoppage time, the first when Hucles hit a blast from outside of the area that would have dipped into the net if not for a great leaping save from Erika Skarbøe. A minute later, Lloyd’s strike from nearly the same spot went just wide of the post.

This was the 44th meeting in a rivalry that dates to 1987, with Norway having more success against the U.S. than any other team. Going into the match the U.S. had won the 10 previous meetings dating to 2002, and the win was the 19th in the series for the Scandinavian side.The game marked the first Olympic appearances for Solo, Chalupny, Lloyd, Kai, Cox, Rodriguez and Tobin Heath, who came on late in the game for Cox. It was also the first Olympic starts for Hucles and O’Reilly. Chalupny is listed as day-to-day for the USA’s next match against Japan.In other Olympic action, Germany and Brazil played to a 0-0 tie in a rematch of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. The hosts China were also victorious, surprising No. 3-ranked Sweden 2-1, and are tied for first in Group F with Canada who were 2-1 winners against Argentina."

Check out Portrait of Passion at their MySpace url, http://www.myspace.com/takeapictureofmesmiling for all your US Women's team news.

My Take on Reyna's Retirement

In what is now quite old news, I will offer up my view on the retirement of a Red Bull New York disappointment, but nonetheless, an American legend. As you likely know by now if you follow MLS, Claudio Reyna has decided to call it quits on his playing career midway through the MLS season. There has been much speculation as to the circumstances of his departure from the team. I hope I can put some of the rumors to rest in this post.

After 27 appearances with the Red Bulls and zero goals to show for his efforts, many were calling for Reyna to bow out with grace and allow the team to move on. While Reyna was certainly disappointing in his return to The States, we should have been more prepared for his statistics. We may have set the bar too high for a player that has been a career stopper and distributor. He wins the ball and makes the pass that maintains possession, and he did that as a Red Bull. Unfortunately in a designated player spot, he was expected to produce season numbers near 5 goals and 10 assists.

It is a difficult way to end a brilliant career, but I think it is far more important to remember all that we loved about Claudio. He was one of the best Americans to ever play the game, and has never been anything but the consumate professional. Many suspected he was more or less forced to retire. He will stay with the team in a lesser capacity to help with player development, and eventually hopes to be a coach. Staying on board does not sound to me like a player who was told to retire. I think Reyna expected better just as many of us did, and still hoped he could live up to expectations. Ultimately the nagging injuries caught up with him and the curtain fell on the final act of one of the more storied players in US history. Best of luck to Claudio as he moves on to the next stage of his life... GO USA!!!

Rhinos Keep Unbeaten Streak Alive!

With a draw and a win in last weekend's home and home series with Montreal the Rhinos unbeaten streak has soared to 6 in a row. What exactly happened with this team that started off with dismal performance after dismal performance and sank to the league's cellar? As impatient as myself and other fans may be, a big part of it may simply be Tilley's claims that the team was not fully fit and accustomed to playing together early in the year due to the uncertainty surrounding the team prior to this season. Added depth in the defense as players return to health has also been a contributing factor. Most importantly, however, was Tilley's ability to do what the Red Bulls have not, and sign useful players at the right times to lift the team. The signings have brought a new life to a team that was down, and with players returning from injury spirits are high and the team suddenly is in 4th place. What do you make of this change in momentum for the Rhinos? Think they can go on to win it all? The next few matches should be telling, because if the team can maintain consistency in their play they should be right there by season's end.

McBride's Homecoming

I bet the Toronto fans enjoying their chance to host the All-Star game last night didn't know that commissioner Don Garber was sitting only a few hundred feet away helping draw up the details of screwing TFC over in a trade. Brian McBride will reportedly be joining an already dangerous Chicago Fire attack, and Toronto will receive Chad Barrett, a draft pick and an allocation. That's Brian McBride, one of the most impressive forwards the US has ever produced, for Chad "Can't Even Finish His Lunch" Barrett. When will the MLS improve their rulebook and restrain themselves from tampering "for the good of the league"? Where are all my Real Salt Lake fans that are waiting for Garber to help them circumvent the rules to become a power?

While I Was Away...

There have been many developments I have missed since my last post. Again I apologize for my absence and plan to be posting with at least some regularity again. For now I am simply posting a brief summary of events from recent weeks.

Rhinos: The Rhinos have been on excellent form of late, going undefeated over their last five league games including recent road victories in Seattle and Minnesota. They now sit at 6-5-6 heading into tonight's home game againt Montreal. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:00.

Red Bulls: The Red Bulls staggered into the all-star game with a draw against LA when Landon Donovan netted a stoppage time goal to square the game at 2-2. Dane Richards was injured in the game and is expected to miss 6 weeks. Jorge Rojas made his debut and looked excellent, assisting on both Red Bull goals (scored by van den Bergh and Angel). Juan Pietravallo also saw his first action late in the game. Gabriel Cichero is expected to join the team shortly on loan, and Diego Jiminez is also expected to be cleared to play with the team in the near future, so expect a new look from the team over the second half of the season.

MLS: The All-Star team defeated West Ham United 3-2 last night with goals from Gomez, Blanco and De Rosario. Dean Ashton provided both West Ham goals. McBride is also expected to be headed to Chicago as it is reported that Toronto and Chicago have reached and agreement.

Olympics: The US announced their roster and the overage players are to be Michael Parkhurst, Brad Guzan and Brian McBride.

My Apologies...

Sorry to those of you checking back in for the past few days, things have been very busy for me the last several days and will continue to be busy in the near future, but I will do my best to post whenever possible. I thank you for your support and hope to have the office at Soccer the Rochester Way running smoothly ASAP.

Happy 4th of July!!!

As you can tell, this is a vacation for many in the world of soccer blogging (Ives, SF and Metrofanatic are all easing up on my daily reading for the weeked) and I too will not have much opportunity to post. Here is a little something to get your sense of nationalism going for the day however.

Also don't forget, Red Bulls at Colorado on MSG at 9:30 PM EST (Juan Pablo Angel did travel!) and Rhinos host Whitecaps Saturday night at 7:30 EST.

Red Bulls, Rhinos Bow Out in Open Cup Play

Alright, I admit it, I didn't follow the Rhinos vs DC United match and can't say much at the moment other than the fact that Marc Burch scored a second half brace to down the Rhinos 2-0 and eliminate them. I will update if I find out more information.

As for the Red Bulls... well, visit Metrofanatic.com if you want a better summary, but I'll use their favorite word for the result... pathetic! Losing 2-0 to a USL-2 side is nothing short of pathetic, but when you consider they had a man advantage for around 60 minutes it just gets worse. Sure many starters didn't play, but what does that say about the depth of the team. Not to mention, unless NY went into this without a care, why would you not have some of your top players at the very least available on the bench. The Red Bulls treated the game like a pre-season scrimmage and played like it, revealing their lack of talent lower in the depth chart.

Who would I like to see win the US Open Cup now? A better question, why didn't my men's league team attempt to enter if we knew we'd get a chance at Red Bull light...

Share your thoughts on these US Open Cup games or any of the others, including the only MLS side other than the bulls to go down, Chivas USA.

Euro Finals: A Look Back

After some nervous pre-game moments when ABC's broadcast was freezing up on us, the game was presented smoothly to it's viewers (a number that ESPN/ABC had to be impressed with throughout the tournament, but I'll get into that more in a later post). Spain started the first few minutes strong, followed by a 10 minute stretch of better possession for the the Germans. After that, Spain took control for the remainder of the half. Fernando Torres came close on a header that had goalkeeper Jens Lehmann beaten, but the ball struck the post and was cleared from danger. The Spanish fans would not be forced to wait long, however, as Torres outhustled Philip Lahm and lifted the ball over an onrushing Lehmann to find the side netting just inside the far post in the 33rd minute. The 1 goal advantage would be all Spain would need to wrap up it's first European title in 44 years. Germany had a stretch where they looked dangerous in the second half, and came close when Casillas just beat Kuranyi to a high ball, but the final 20 minutes or so belonged to Spain as they killed the game comfortably. I think it would be fair to say Spain missed David Villa a bit, and Michael Ballack did not appear to be functioning at warp speed for Germany. After such an exciting tournament I'd venture to say the final was a bit of a letdown, however the excite was upheld by the fact that the score remained close and the trophy was on hand. I think Spain looked better and had a great tournament, so congratulations to a deserved champion. Germany too should be proud of their efforts, far surpassing the low expectations many had for them at the conclusion of the group stage.

Euro Final

We now stand just one DC United vs LA Galaxy game away from the big showdown. I must say it was an intelligent decision by Garber and the MLS to showcase the league to fans that may watch soccer, but not so much MLS. A handful of people will at least catch the end when they are getting settled in for the Euro final and others will watch the whole game because of Donovan and Beckham. I'll pick a 2-2 draw in the MLS game.

As we near the Germany-Spain showdown, it is being rumored that Michael Ballack will in fact give it a go despite the calf injury. How effective will he be? On can only guess, but perhaps being in the starting 11 even at 90 percent would be enough to stabilize the midfield and maintain the confidence of his teammates. Everyone seems to like Spain to win this but I'm not so sure. I have been picking Spain 2-1, but Germany will be difficult to break down. Spain tends to be patient on offense to find the holes in a defense, but Germany's defense prevents many holes from opening up, and will defend with just as much patience. As I type this DC United has gone on top of the Galaxy 1-0 on a Jaime Moreno spot kick. So let's have it, who do you think will win either of today's games? Who will you be rooting for, and where will you be watching? For me I'll be watching in the comfort of my home today, and I'll be wearing a Germany jersey!

Rhinos vs Battery Running Commentary

Final: The Rhinos fall 3-1 and remain winless on the road. After giving up 2 quick goals, the red card to Loera made the rest of this match a bit of a foregone conclusion as asking for a multi-goal comeback a man down is quite a lofty task. The Battery have swept the season series with the Rhinos. The Rhinos must now hope to get more players fit to play and look forward to their US Open Cup match against DC United.

90th: GOAL: Rhinos get a late consolation goal to cut the lead to 3-1. Ze Roberto puts it in and the assist is from Kreamalmeyer.

84th: Sembaluk also in for Salles, and Lester More (the famous Cuban defection that was the star of their team) is on for Randi Patterson for the Battery.

83rd: Vallow with a save to prevent further damage. JP Reyes and Rey Martinez are ready to come into the game. Menyongar and Earls are coming out.

80th: GOAL: 3-0 Battery, King with a chip under the crossbar.

77th: The Rhinos have calmed down again on attack, and look like they may be finished for the night. It is a very hot night in Charleston to be playing a man down.

72nd: Salles with a nice side volley on frame, but the shot is saved.

70th: Rhinos show a little life as Salles gets behind the defense, but his ball across to Delicate is just out of reach and harmlessly rolls out for a goal kick.

68th: In MLS action right now, the New England Revs lead Toronto FC 2-0 on a pair of Steve Ralston goals 62 minutes in, Colombus and Colorado are tied at 1-1 60 minutes in, and Kansas City and Real Salt Lake are tied 0-0 at halftime.

65th: Corner to the Battery as Vallow knocks a dangerous ball out of play. Vallow punches the corner clear.

61st: Alright, I admit it, I'm losing interest rapidly here. Battery is withstanding the Rhinos light attack to this point, and seems content with their current advantage. They aren't taking many chances at this point, and the Rhinos aren't creative enough themselves. This all combines for very little excitement so far.

51st: Rhinos substitution, Delicate on for Milward. Definitely a sub made with trying to get a goal in mind.

46th: The second half has begun, let's see what tactical adjustments the Rhinos will make.

Halftime: Just when I thought things were bad enough when the Battery scored twice in quick succession, Loera took Patterson down on a breakaway and the Rhinos were reduced to 10 men. Charleston is certainly in control up 2-0, and can play patiently and make the Rhinos chase in the second half. Can the Rhinos rally from behind with a man down like the Railhawks did at Paetec? Count me as one vote for "I doubt it".

42nd: Dangerous free kick now just outside the box. A nice shot goes just wide and spares the Rhinos further frustrations.

41st: Red Card: Loera takes down Patterson from behind and gets a straight red. The Rhinos now must fight from behind with a man less on the field.

39th: This may go without saying after giving up 2 quick goals, but this recent 10 minute stretch or so has really been bad for the Rhinos, the few times they do have the ball they seem panicked and they try to force. They need to hold the ball better even if they aren't scoring just to alleviate the pressure.

34th: GOAL: 2-0... wow! A free kick is sent to the far post and Patterson gets enough on it to score.

32nd: GOAL: 1-0 Battery. Armstrong fires just inside the post, beating Scott Vallow.

30th: Vallow turns a shot over the crossbar, corner for the Battery. The Rhinos clear easily.

26th: Can't say there has been a great deal of excitement in the early going here, but I will say I've been impressed with the Rhinos in transition. They've shown they can go from defending the attacking very quickly with quick passing, and may be able to take advantage with the counterattack.

20th: Still 0-0, Guppy setting up another 35 yarder. The big defenders are up, Millward shoots on goal but a great save keeps the Rhinos off the board.

15th: Vallow missed on a punch attempt from a corner kick, but the Battery head the ball wide.

10th: Battery on the attack, but Patterson is offsides.

7th: Neither team has settled in much, possession has been very back and forth. Free kick from about 35 yards out for the Rhinos now. Guppy is setting it up. The ball to the back post is headed out for a Rhinos corner. Salles connects but fires wide.

1st: The have kicked off, here we go! Don't forget about Randi Patterson for the Battery, who can be dangerous. He was a Red Bull reserve last year.

Pre-game: Rhino starters are Vallow, Kreamalmeyer, Loera, Palguta, Earls, Guppy, Menyongar, Ze Roberto, Salles and Milward.

Pre-game: John Ball is still suspended so he won't see action today, and Nate Craft picked up a knock against Pittsburgh and will not start today. He may see limited action later in the match. Bonseu is also out as he is still with the Uganda national team.

Ballack in Doubt for Final

We already know that Spain will not have the services of David Villa when they take the field tomorrow against Germany. What German fans will not like to hear, however, is that Michael Ballack is being called doubtful for the final after sustaining a calf injury that has kept him out of training. What kind of impact should we expect this to have on the game? Well it takes a very skilled player out of the midfield for Germany as they face a skilled Spanish midfield that utilizes 5 midfielders. I would expect the possession balance to be tilted towards Spain if Ballack cannot go. Additionally it will force lineup adjustments including possibly sliding Bastian Schweinstieger into Ballack's spot, which takes away his freedom on the sidelines. This is really a nightmare for Germany who will have to be considered the underdogs for sure now. I'll have my Germany jersey on and I'll be pulling for them, but unless they can defend comfortably and score against the run of play it might be a disappointing final for the Deutschland. Be prepared in case when you see Ballack tomorrow he is dressed as shown above and not in uniform.

Rhinos in Charleston Tonight

The Rochester Rhinos will be at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston tonight to take on the Battery. The 2nd place Battery have been difficult to beat at home with only one loss at Blackbaud on the year (5-1-2 home, 6-3-3 overall) while the Rhinos who currently sit in the cellar with 11 points have yet to win on the road (0-3-3 road, 2-4-5 overall). They will look to continue their strong form in the attack to try to change their fortunes in the league standings. An offense that really had struggled to produce in the early going has now scored 3 goals in 3 straight matches (counting US Open Cup play) and may be ready to help provide a move up the standings. The game is scheduled for a 7:35 EST kickoff, and you can follow along with the running commentary here.

This Weekend's Soccer on TV

This weekend will obviously be highlighted by the Euro 2008 Final at 2:45 Sunday afternoon, however there will be other games to catch to help get into soccer mode leading up to Sunday.
This weekend's action includes:

MLS- Colorado at Colombus, Saturday @ 7:30 EST (Fox Soccer Channel). The Crew at 2nd in the East look to win at home following a 3 goal performance in LA after a bit of a dry spell. Colorado lists Pablo Mastroeni, Christian Gomez and Jose Burciaga Jr. all as questionable for this match. I love Colombus at home here, and I'll go with 3-1.

NY Red Bulls at Chivas USA, Saturday @ 10:30 EST (MSG). The Red Bulls look to continue their good form from recent matches despite their lack of stars. Angel will still be missing, and Reyna is unlikely to return for this match, but a team that has put forth the total team effort in their past 3 matches (counting a friendly against Chivas Guadalajara) will look to continue their inspired play. Chivas USA will also be missing key players, including Alecko Eskandarian and Maykel Galindo. I like a 1-1 draw in this match.

LA Galaxy at DC United, Sunday @ noon EST (ABC). The match that leads you into the Euro finals should feature plenty of offense. David Beckham and a red hot Landon Donovan (and do I dare say a red hot Edson Buddle?) go into DC to take on a United team that is really on a role with Luciano Emilio suddenly playing like an MVP again. I'll choose a 2-2 draw here.

Euro 2008:

Germany vs. Spain, Sunday @ 2:45 EST (ABC). We now know Germany will face Spain in the final after Germany knocked off Turkey with the last goal in a series of late goals to win 3-2, and Spain dominated Russia 3-0. We also know that David Villa will not be available for Spain. Spain has several skill players in the attack, and we can expect Cesc Fabregas to get the start now. They feature a patient build-up with many options, but Germany features a disciplined enough side to stick with Spain. Spain has looked great, but I like Germany in big time games like this. This is a very difficult one to call, and my brain says Spain but my heart says Germany (yes, I'm Irish and German). Germany 2, Spain 1.

Share your thoughts below on these matches or any of the non-televised MLS matches.

Rhinos Down Pittsburgh, Advance in US Open Cup

The Rhinos won in convincing fashion tonight in front of the home crowd by a score of 3-0. The final scoreline makes for encouraging viewing, combining a multi goal game with a shutout from the defense. More to come later.

Rhinos Host Pittsburgh Tonight, 7:30

After managing to get by RWB Adria in the first round of the US Open Cup, the Rhinos earned the right to host their second round game against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds tonight. Pittsburgh is in the cellar of the USL-2 division, winless so far with 7 losses and 4 draws. Averaging less than a goal a game, scoring has been a problem, so look for the Rhinos to try to limit their opportunities and in doing so make a one or two goal effort for themselves stand up for a win tonight. US Open Cup is getting into full swing with the big boys of the MLS joining the competition and the smaller clubs being eliminated. The Rhinos will not survive long with efforts like the previous nailbiter against RWB Adria, so they will have to elevate their play. I will be interested if they advance to see them play an MLS side and discover if they play to the level of competition (like they played down to Adria). Kick-off is set for 7:30 PM EST at Paetec Park. Are you going to the game? Care less about US Open Cup than league play? Share your thoughts

McBride back to Chicago?

In what has been one of the most widely speculated moves for the MLS, Brian McBride appears set to rejoin the MLS and it is no secret that he would love to play in his hometown and that Chicago would of course love a player of his caliber to pair with the playmaking skills of Blanco. Standing in the way is Toronto, who stands to inherit the rights to McBride if he signs with MLS. The ensuing trade talks has of course led to Toronto wanting multiple players and Chicago offering a ham sandwich and telling Toronto to be nice guys and let McBride play in his hometown. In what seemed like a stalemate, the most recent development reported is that a deal has been struck between the two sides, awaiting only a final approval from the league office. The supposed deal would said disgruntled defender Wilman Conde, a conditional draft pick and a partial allocation to Toronto in exchange for Chicago gaining the right to sign McBride. The deal makes sense and I think would be reasonable for both sides. Chicago gets a major impact forward that would immediately push them to my favorite to win the championship this year, where Toronto gets the younger talent in Conde, also filling a position of need for Toronto, as well as the draft pick and allocation for future players. I think this could well be true because it sounds to me like a Mo Johnson type of trade. Think this is the real deal this time an McBride will be wearing Fire red in the near future? Too afraid to bite just? Personally I this makes too much sense to me for it to be just another rumor, and I expect McBride will in fact be heading to Chicago, which as a Red Bull fan makes me cringe... Share your thoughts below... Happy for McBride, happy for the league, angry fan from another team in the East? Let us know

This Weekend's Soccer

After a long list of soccer action, I am left feeling smarter than usual. I told many people I thought Russia would have a good chance against the Netherlands side, and they proved me right. I'll admit I didn't see that kind of domination coming, but I didn't think the Dutch would run away with it. While I know the scoreline doesn't reflect that it was an overtime game that obviously remained close until the end, what impressed my most was the quality of chances Russia generated. Nearly all the opportunies from the run of play belonged to Russia, with the Dutch typically only presenting danger on set pieces. I wish these teams hadn't played until semis as they both play a fun style to watch, and I think either could have knocked off some other teams (see Italy). In any event, after today's Italy vs Spain we'll know what the semis will look like. Spain does not have history on their side, but I like them to win today. They just have too good of a team to be knocked out today I feel. Cassano is said to be pairing with Luca Toni again (that sound you hear is a groan from Italian fans), but that said even with the typically boring Cassano, Luca Toni will face a rather small back four against Spain and may take advantage in the air.

On Saturday night, the New York Red Bulls scored early and held on for a 1-0 win over FC Dallas. Kevin Goldthwaite got a backpost header, then had to leave almost right away with BOTH hamstrings strained. New York defended well, Jon Conway had 1 nice save, and the one goal proved to be enough. Impressive for New York was their ability to possess the ball and make Dallas chase in the late stages of the game. Without JPA we knew goals would be scarce, but the Red Bulls controlled most of the game and limited the FC Dallas opportunities.

In other MLS action Toronto tied Kansas City 0-0, Colorado tied Houston 0-0, Real Salt Lake knocked off New England 2-1 and LA Galaxy and Colombus tied at 3. The on fire Landon Donovan added 2 more goals to his season tally. DC United hosts San Jose at 3 PM EST today.

For those of you thinking perhaps Belize would pull the shocker and eliminate Mexico following Mexico's rather meak 2-0 win in the first leg, Mexico finally flexed their muscles in a 7-0 drubbing to advance with the 9-0 aggregate advantage. The United States are in Barbados for their second leg today at 2:55 PM EST on ESPN Classic. They will sport a greatly adjusted roster so they can get a look at other players. They must stay within 7 goals of Barbados to hang on...

Rhinos and Railhawks Draw

The Rhinos played to a draw at home tonight to move to 2-4-5 in league play. They struck first almost immediately, when Menyongar played Mauricio Salles in and he was taken down in the box. Salles stepped up and converted the penalty in the 4th minute for the 1-0 lead. The Railhawk defender (former Rhino Sanfilippo) was shown a straight red for the challenge, and the Rhinos knew they would have a man advantage for the length of the game. It also set the stage for a very physical game. The Railhawks tied the game in the 17th minute when a clearing attempt was blocked and Carolina's Santiago Fusilier calmly slotted the ball home. Matthew Watson added a 2nd goal for the Railhawks later in the first half on a ball played in behind the defense. Despite the early goal and the man advantage, the Rhinos stared at a 2-1 defecit heading toward halftime. Shortly before the half, however, Delicate headed a cross down for Scott Palguta who hammered in home to draw even at 2 for halftime. The Rhinos took the lead on an own goal in the 2nd half when Danny Earls corner kick was deflected just over the goal line. In the 90th minute Jamil Walker, formerly of DC United, and back even further formerly of McQuaid High School, nearly tied the game at 3 for Carolina, but he fired just high. Caleb Norkus headed home a cross in stoppage time to manage a draw for the Carolina club. For a team that started so slowly, a point is acceptable in most circumstances for the Rhinos, but to falter when given an early lead and a man advantage is not commendable. The additions of new players probably plays a role in the team organization as they get more used to playing together, but based on tonight's match alone, I would say the 3-3 draw at home qualifies as the glass being half empty.

Turkey to Meet Germany in Semis

Wow! I can't think of another word here. 118 minutes without a goal scored, then Croatia seems to seal the win with a last minute goal, only to see Turkey score in about the last second of overtime to send it to penalties, where Croatia chokes big time. What an awful way to lose, if you are a Croatian fan, well... sorry! I would like to say Germany should look good to win that semifinal, but I can't say anything against Turkey just yet, they play with a ton of heart and never fold, at least to this point. Their diminutive captain Nihat seems to embody the spirit of the entire team with his drive and desire.

I do expect to be with you tomorrow during the Netherlands vs Russia match, at least to do occasional updates. I expect a better game there than many think, as Russia with Arshavin is a different team as we have recently witnessed, and while I like the Netherlands to win tomorrow, I think their defense will be vulnerable. Don't forget the match tomorrow will be on ABC.

Soccer Roundup

Good morning everyone, this will be my only post of the day at least until later tonight, as I will be away much of the day. I just wanted to post a few updates to the soccer world.

In last night's MLS action, first of all I lied, no players were away for international duty yet. Blame MLS.com's information as that is where I got it from. In any event Chivas USA scored a pair of first half goals before Nagamura was sent off for a foolish second yellow right before the half. They managed to hold on for the 2-0 win as the Chicago Fire, and in particular Chad Barett, were a nightmare when it came to finishing. Sacha Kljestan opened of the scoring and Justin Braun added the second. Ante Razov received an assist on both goals.

The United States women, following a 1-0 win over Brazil, knocked off Italy 2-0 on a pair of Wambach goals to advance to the finals of the Peace Cup where they will face Canada late tonight/early tomorrow starting at 1 AM EST.

The Manchester United/Real Madrid battle continues as Cristiano Ronaldo admitted it is a dream of his to play for Real Madrid. Manchester United made it clear they are not entertaining offers. Will they eventually give in to his wishes?

The Rhinos play at Paetec Park tonight, where they face the Carolina Railhawks. Can they build on their most recent 3-0 win over the Whitecaps?

Lastly, todays Euro quarterfinal pits Croatia against Turkey. The Turkish team may be riding an emotional high after reaching the quarterfinals against all odds. Or they may plain be tired, today we will see. Remember the Turks will be playing without their starting keeper who was sent off previously. What do I expect? I think the Croatian team has the better players and is playing confidently right now. I like Croatia to win 2-1 (I'll give Turkey a goal in a come from behind bid) and set up a great rematch against Germany in the semis.

Germany vs Portugal

The Euro 2008 quarterfinals get underway today when Germany and Portugal square off on ESPN. Coverage starts at 2:30 EST, with a 2:45 kick-off expected. As in all the matchups from now on, this should be a great one. It features the dynamic attack of Portugal against the disciplined, patient approach of Germany. Many like Portugal in this game, but I like Germany to win, but this could go beyond regular time easily. I will not be doing a running commentary on this but will post halftime and postgame thoughts on here. Anyone following along feel free to post game events in the comments section. If you have no outlet to follow along, try ESPN360.com. Today I'll throw the ladies a bone with a shirtless picture of Cristiano.

Final: It's Germany who has held on and will advance to the semi-finals. They added a goal from Ballack, then Postiga came on and drew a goal back for Portugal late, but Germany weathered the storm to get the win. They now will get their rematch with Croatia if they can take care of business tomorrow against Turkey.

Half: Through the first 45 Germany leads Portugal 2-1. Each team has shown moments, but Portugal didn't use theirs well enough early on. Germany got off to a 2-0 lead by succeeding in quickly transitioning from defending to attacking, and Schweinsteiger got them on the board then Klose added the second. Nuno Gomes finished the rebound of a Ronaldo shot to get Portugal back in it. There is plenty of action, and either team could still very well take the result here and move forward.

Greece Athlete of the Year: TBA Tonight

At tonight's banquet at the Greece Town Hall, Brad Shelofsky and Jessica Shufelt will be announced the male and female Athlete of the Year, respectively. This honor is awarded after a vote by coaches in the district. Each high school (Arcadia, Athena, Odyssey and Olympia) nominate their best, and this year there were plenty of great choices. Brad and Jessica made themselves stand out from the pack for a variety of reasons.

Brad Shelofsky will be graduating from Greece Athena this year after representing his school in all three sport seasons this year. Brad was the team captain and MVP for the soccer team in the fall season, and the senior defender helped lead Athena to the sectional semi-finals with a record of 10-3-5. From the backline Brad still led the team in assists on the season. His efforts were recognized by the league as he was a First Team AGR selection and was selected to the Sectional Tournament Team for his continued success in the post-season. In the winter Brad moved on to the basketball court, where he again displayed his positive leadership in the role of team captain. Again the team MVP, Brad helped his team in a playmaker role, leading them in assists and sending them to a league title and sectional semi-final birth. For his efforts he was recognized as Second Team All-County. In the spring season Brad was a doubles player for the tennis team and helped them to their deepest sectional run in 11 years. With all his athletic commitments Mr. Shelofsky has still managed to shine in the classroom, earning a 4.2 GPA. Brad will graduate with Valedictory honors.

Jessica Shufelt will soon be a graduate of Arcadia but she is not likely to be forgotten by the school in the near future. Jessica was a starter on the varsity basketball team and earned Second Team All-County honors. Basketball is a great sport... but now, soccer! The 2007 New York State Player of the Year has led her team to two sectional titles and a state championship which was in her senior year. Oh yeah, she scored the winning goal. After leading Monroe County in scoring for three straight seasons, she holds the Greece Arcadia record for goals scored. She has also been on the high honor roll all through high school. Jessica has been named a top 75 college recruit for women's soccer by Soccer Buzz Magazine, and has represented her country against the likes of Brazil and Holland. Don't forget her name as you will be likely to hear more from this young woman in the near future!

Congratulations to Brad and Jessica, and best of luck to them as they continue on past their high school careers. Brad will attend RPI and continue his soccer career, as will Jessica at UCONN, where they will no doubt both be successful.

Thursday Night MLS

Tonight's MLS action gets kicked off at 10:30 PM EST on ESPN 2 when Chivas USA play host to the Chicago Fire, who have embarrassed some a team or two on their home field this season. At the Home Depot Center don't be shocked to see a Blanco fan or two, particularly sporting his Mexico jersey. Both teams will be seeking to end 2 game skids so the motivation should be high in each camp. Chivas will be without Eskandarian and Galindo in the offense due to injury, and will be missing Brad Guzan, their regular in the nets, due to his national team duty. Gonzalo Segares will also be away from the Fire as he is with Costa Rica. I would pick the Fire for an away win here, but wonder if any players are effected knowing at least one starter is likely to be heading to Toronto shortly to open the door for acquiring Brian McBride. I'll go with a 1-1 draw.

Red Bulls vs Revolution

For the MLS fans out there, don't forget the New York Red Bulls are in New England tonight at 7:30. The game will be on MSG Plus. Hard to know what to make of this game being that each team is missing key players. For New York, we of course know that Jozy is gone. Out of action tonight will be Claudio Reyna (to the surprise of few), Juan Pablo Angel and Jeff Parke. Osorio hopes to give Parke some well deserved rest and shake up a lineup that was miserable against DC. Look for Magee and Ubiparipovic to start as well as Oscar Echeverry up top. Chris Megaloudis may also see his first MLS minutes tonight as he is back from his national team with Puerto Rico. New England on the other hand, is without Twellman due to injury as well as Shalrie Joseph and Khano Smith who are away for World Cup qualifying. Ralston and Dube still put fear in my heart as a Red Bull fan, and I don't think we'll see a sudden turnaround without a healthy team and hopefully reinforcements in the trade window. 3-0 New England. Your thoughts/predictions?

UPDATE: The Red Bulls earned a point on the road by scoring first off a nice Seth Stammler volley from a Dave Van den Berg cross. They looked the better team for much of the game, but Steve Ralston equalized in the 79th, then New York scrambled the final minutes to hold onto the draw. In the other MLS game of the night, Real Salt Lake and San Jose tied 0-0 with Real Salt Lake unable to take advantage of an extended man advantage after Jason Hernandez of the Earthquakes was sent off just before halftime for a second yellow. San Jose was outshot an incredible 24-7, but RSL mostly failed to shoot on frame.

Final Day of the Group Stage

We will learn very shortly that last of the 8 teams that will compete in the quarterfinals at Euro 2008. Today is the last day of play for Group D, and it features one meaningless game and one that means everything to the teams involved. Spain takes on Greece as Greece plays for pride, but this match features the formally eliminated Greeks and the confirmed group winners. The other match, which I will be following intently, features Russia and Sweden. The winner of this match will move on the the quarterfinals. Sweden may also advance with a draw. Sweden has looked good and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is always dangerous. Look out for Russia however, who will be getting back their star player, Andrei Arshavin. Post your thoughts if you are following along.


Running Commentary (Sweden vs Russia):

Final: Russia has won 2-0 and will be the final team to move on to the quarterfinals. Sweden will be disappointed, but the scoreline may well have been worse. Russia was very dangerous looking all day, and may manage an upset if they continue this form now that Arshavin is back. Spain has scored late to beat Greece 2-1 and go a perfect 3-0 so far. Check back later as I post the quarterfinal matchups and see if you can pick the winners.

90th: We have 3 minutes of stoppage left.

87th: Russia on the attack again, they are certain to go through now. Guus Hiddink has once again waved his magic wand and brought success to a national team.

82nd: Time is running out on Sweden here. They are spending time defending when they need to get goals. Russia is close again as Sweden's marking has become awful.

80th: Russia comes close again hitting the post and chaos ensures in front of the goal. Eventually an offsides call ends the action.

76th: Dangerous free kick coming up for Sweden, looks like it may be Ibrahimovic. Around 30 yards out. His shot is well off target.

71st: Spain has tied their game 1-1 with a goal from De La Red.

67th: Arshavin held up, not a huge foul but it was the last defender which could have been trouble. The ref lets it go.

62nd: Corner for Sweden, they come close but the header goes high. That was a good chance to get back in this game.

52nd: I must say these goals today have been absolutely fabulous, anyone wanting to learn attacking soccer should study the buildup for the two goals Russia has to this point.

50th: GOAL: 2-0 Russia!!! What a goal! Fabulous sequence leads to an Arshavin goal, and Sweden is in trouble.

46th: The second half has begun. Russia with some early possession.

Halftime: Russia leads 1-0, but Sweden ends the half more positively and will look to build on that in the second half. If things stay this way Russia moves on, but remember, Sweden will only need to come away with a draw to send themselves into the final 8.

44th: Corner to Sweden after Ljungberg's shot is saved, suddenly Sweden is looking much better. Greece has just taken a 1-0 lead on Spain courtesy of a goal from Charisteas.

36th: Some more great stuff and Pavlyuchenko hits the crossbar/post at the upper corner.

35th: Corner for Russia, their 5th so far. They've certainly looked strong today.

27th: Sweden comes close to getting it back as Old Man Henrik makes himself dangerous.

24th: GOAL: Russia gets the first goal and leads 1-0. A nice passing sequence shreds Swedens defense and Pavlyuchenko one times it in from around the penalty spot.

15th: Russia is slowing things down and putting together a nice buildup. Not much from it, but Russia looks good here.

7th: If the first few moments belonged to the Sweden side, Russia has owned the last few minutes. That said there have been no scoring chances for either team in the early going.

1st: And we're underway, look for Russia to force the tempo early as they know they must win, anything less will see Sweden through

Pre-game: We're nearing kickoff, Arshavin of course is in the starting 11 for Russia. Russia is lining up in a 3-5-2, while Sweden will go 3 up top in a 4-3-3. Off the topic of this game, Greece gets to play Spain's backups today... those backups include Cesc Fabregas, Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso.