Donovan is the first domestic Player of the Week winner in 2011 25 Apr 2011 It’s taken until week six of the season. But, finally, there is a domestic Player of the Week in MLS. Landon Donovan was named the winner of the weekly honour after the votes from the North American Soccer Reporters were counted. He was in on all three goals as the Galaxy thrashed Portland 3-0 on Saturday.
Leathers doesn’t deserve extra scrutiny because of Mullan tackle 25 Apr 2011 Jonathan Leathers shouldn’t become a victim of bad timing. Each and every week during the season, the league’s disciplinary committee reviews the goings-on of the previous week’s games. Of course, the red cards are looked at, but so are all of the other incidents. General managers will ask the league to review plays; those requests are always agreed to. That means that Leathers’ tackle Saturday on reigning MVP David Ferreira is being reviewed. That shouldn’t be news.
RSL win over Monterrey could be soccer’s “Lake Placid moment” 25 Apr 2011 Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey knows that Wednesday’s second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final could be a watershed moment for U.S. Soccer and MLS. “We weren’t able to finish. We haven’t had the Lake Placid moment,” Lagerwey said in a conference call Monday ahead of the second leg.
Impact vs. Whitecaps: Looking at the “other” NCC semifinal 25 Apr 2011 But the Montreal-Vancouver matchup is more than a rekindling of an old, bitter rivalry. It’s fascinating test for the staggering Impact, which moves to MLS next season. So, far, this NASL campaign, the Impact hasn’t won in three matches. The club has scored only once. No member of its current roster is signed to a deal that would take him into MLS in 2012.
FC Dallas loses MVP Ferreira, rallies to stun Whitecaps 24 Apr 2011 Ferreira was hurt on what looked to be a rather innocuous play; as he charged to get to a ball deep in Whitecaps territory, defender Jonathan Leathers slid and got all ball with the challenge. No foul was called. Ferreira went over and was down for several minutes, clutching his ankle in pain. He was sent to hospital for tests to his ankle.
Tchani both hero and goat for Toronto FC 24 Apr 2011 After 12 matches and still no wins against the Columbus Crew, Toronto FC's rivalry with it Trillium Cup foes is starting to resemble Wile E. Coyote's rivalry with the Roadrunner. Just when it seems the Reds might have a bit of an edge over the Crew, some unusual circumstance arises to cost TFC a victory. Case in point, the opening goal in Toronto's 1-1 draw with Columbus on Saturday. In the 41st minute, TFC midfielder Tony Tchani was the point man off a series of fine passes from Alan Gordon and Julian de Guzman, and Tchani made no mistake ,scoring his first goal of the season.
FC Edmonton begins final push for landmark TFC matchup 23 Apr 2011 FC Edmonton’s final push to promote Wednesday’s Nutrilite Canadian Championship opener at Commonwealth Stadium begins on Monday. The club is hosting a meet-the-team event at Sports Central Bar and Grill (9221 34 Ave.) Monday at 6 p.m. Edmonton products Shaun Saiko and Chris Lemire, Trinidad and Tobago striker Conrad Smith and coach Harry Sinkgraven will be on hand to meet fans. FC Edmonton’s new all-white road jerseys will be available for sale for the first time at the event; here’s to hoping that the new home blue strip also is at the event. On Tuesday, Toronto FC coach Aron Winter and Sinkgraven will attend a press conference at Commonwealth Stadium. For the pair, it will be a reunion of sorts. The two took classes together to get their coaching certifications in the Netherlands.
Impact has to settle for draw in blustery home opener 23 Apr 2011 The Montreal Impact was hoping to record its first victory of the 2011 campaign over FC Tampa Bay in front of 13,000 fans this afternoon — but inclement weather kept the attendance down as the home team had to settle for a 0-0 draw in front of considerably fewer spectators. Near-freezing temperatures and winds that regularly gusted beyond 30km/h combined to make for an afternoon during which only the 36 media folk on the press gallery and the Ultras in section 114 — their drums banging, flags flying and vocal cords fraying — seemed to be immune. It was weather more appropriate to November than late April.
Edwini-Bonsu and Whitecaps part ways 22 Apr 2011 Edwini-Bonsu, an Edmonton native, has been on the wish lists of FCE fans since the club started playing friendlies in 2010, long before it kicked a ball in NASL play. But the former Canadian U-20 standout hinted on his Twitter account that it might be time to go “back to Europe.” And he also pledged not to play with the Montreal Impact, the Whitecaps old hated Div. 2 rival.
Ex-TFC defender Nick Garcia finds some Magic 21 Apr 2011 Nick Garcia has found a new team. The ex-Toronto FC defender and whipping boy has signed a one-game deal to play an indoor exhibition game with the Kansas Magic, which will enter the Professional Arena Soccer League in the 2011-2012 season.