And you'd be wrong... Visa's are rejected for a multitude of reasons, most of which aren't political particularly non-problematic countries like El Salvador.. While not an example for a US visa being rejected, my wife recently had to get a visa to go to India and it was initially rejected because the person that submitted the paperwork spelled her name wrong on the application.
I'm not trying to say it doesn't exist -- I don't have a clue. I hate the idea that any players are not allowed to come play here because it harms the competition. I just can't see what sort of political bias could drive those decisions and I know that the "sheer number" of events proves nothing.
Perhaps the State Department was completely justified with all its rejections. Perhaps political bias and the corresponding profiling are completely absent from the decision making. Unfortunately we don't have access to the information. I for one have my doubts. Political bias isn't limited to Syria or Iran and these days you don't need to share a name with a terrorist to undergo a sometimes humiliating process of applying for a visa. The very nature of the visa approval process is political and reflects how the applicant's nation is deemed. In short, international relations and pecking order come to light. I don't think it's outragous to assume that an application from a poor Central American country starts in the less favourable pile with a much lower tipping point in terms of a negative decision. If El Salvador were "non-problematic" you wouldn't see the requirement of a visa in advance and citizens of El Salvador would be treated as equals (US Citizens traveling to El Salvador simply have to purchase a tourist card on arrival.) I have been blessed with a passport that allows for easy movement but I don't assume for a second that the process is fair to others, be it the US or the Schengen area for that matter.
From Paul Calixte Blog https://www.bigsoccer.com/soccer/usa...eague-2012-13-matchday-3-review/#comment-1056 IF THE GROUPS FINISHED TODAY… LA Galaxy (USA) vs. Xelajú MC (GUA) Seattle Sounders (USA) vs. Herediano (CRC) — Santos Laguna (MEX) vs. Houston Dynamo (USA) CF Monterrey (MEX) vs. Tigres UANL (MEX) Remember how 2 years ago many people (myself included) were talking shit about Concacaf fixing the draw to help MLS teams.
Pretty horrible game RSL - Tauro. RSL with many chances and they could not shoot straight, Tauro at the end with a 5 on 2 break away and can;t even get a shot on goal, at the end a bad play by the Tauro GK giving up a PK to RSL. RSL stays alive winning 1 - 0 over Tauro FC.
Seattle advance out of the group stage with a 3-2 win at Marathon. The remaining games in that group are pointless now except for Seattle trying to get a better seed for the knock out rounds. I think Seattle cares more about how they finish league play for the season though. So expect all reserves for that final game against Marathon in Seattle. Marathon is likely to do the same with the travel and nothing to play for. So I expect Seattle to still win that game with the potential for a lot of goals, but it probably stays close.
I watched this match last night. I think there were more people at my High School soccer matches in the late 1980's then were there last night. I also wasn't a big fan of the refereeing. I don't think he was biased at all but he sure did fall for the Marathon players diving and flopping a lot.
Usually you can throw the fact that it wasn't at Marathon's home stadium out as an excuse since it was at the national stadium, but the national stadium is in the same city as Marathon's home stadium, so that shouldn't be an excuse.. I'm thinking it has more to do with the lack of Mexican teams in groups with US teams. I haven't seen an away game this CCL involving a US team that had decent attendance. Granted, I haven't seen them all, but attendance in general seems pretty crappy. I wonder how it compares to previous iterations.
Attendance has always been crappy in general. Only sometimes will there be a good crowd, I guess only in rare instances when the local club decides to advertise it a bit more.
It's been a good year for US teams but I still see one of them exiting in the group stage. And right now it looks like RSL.
You might be right, RSL has a job to do. But I see a two goal win at Rio Tinto as being very very doable. Just like a two-legged cup tie, if my team loses the first leg away by only one goal I feel pretty good about my chances.
Herediano 2 - 1 Tauro Last game in Salt Lake will decide this group, RSL needs a win. Even with a RSL win if Herediano scores 1 goal, then RSL must win by 2 goals.
Raining cats & dogs at FAS v Olimpia. Olimpia is going to have a hard time scoring three goals the way it is going. Its a slog-fest.