In my opinion, yesterday's performances by the Houston Dynamo and DC United were a shot in the arm for MLS. Big Soccer and the media seem to always portray MLS as such an inferior league, when compared to other leagues in latin America, especially the Mexican league. Two blowout losses yesterday would have given the naysayers fuel to add to their fire, but DC and Houston both turned in respectable performances. Even though Chivas enjoyed the majority of possession and had more quality chances, DC had several stretches of quality football and fought to the death to earn the draw. Although many have written them off for the return leg in Guadalajara, they are quite capable of playing well on the road (Olimpia '07; Universidad Catolica '05). Chivas is still the favorite to advance, but don't count United out. Houston had a courageous performance in the second half which led to their 2-0 triumph despite being badly outplayed in the first half. It will still be a tall order to hold off Pachuca in Mexico, but the Dynamo, under Dom Kinnear's leadership, is in a great position to advance. Losing closely to the Mexican clubs will still be an accomplishment. Blowout losses will probably deter the current momentum that the league enjoys. I believe that the entire league can take pride in yesterday's performances. You don't see the kind of pace and intensity in your average MLS match that you saw yesterday, which is why the Champions' Cup provides some of the best matches of the year.
Before you get too happy, I would wait for the return legs. MLS teams have done pretty well in years past at home, but received spankings on the road. MLS will still be considered the same it always was if Houston and DC perform in Mexico as other MLS clubs teams have in the past. Andy
what I would like to know is one thing. does being overly pessimistic hurt the soccer community, or does it help it? U.S. soccer will keep suffering big defeats until everyone in the soccer community rallies behind it's teams in big events such as these. screw work, go take a sick day and go to mexico and watch the game. you only live once on this earth. I'll go, anyone want to join me?
The MLS sides are still in preseason. You could see it in Moreno DC was out of breath. The Mex teams should have blown MLS out But they did not. This tells the story the two leagues are NOT that far from each other in quality! MLS would do much better in Mexico if they are in mid season form. The last 20 minutes in a game could have been giving up two or more goals but they did not.
I'm a major Dynamo fan. That being said, us beating Pachuca at home was a big win, and it was good seeing DC United tie Chivas (though the Chivas goal looked more like a DC United mistake/own goal). Now in terms of MLS, the "shot in the arm" will come the first week in April. If either MLS team wins in Mexico, that will be the day that we can say that we're equal quality-wise as the MFL. Pachuca and Jalisco are some of the toughest places to play in all North America. I think both MLS teams are capable of winning there, but they have to come through. Winning one game is one thing, but winning a series proves everything, and winning in Mexico is the day tables are turned (never been done by any American team before).
Didn't a few years ago, DC earned a brave 1 - 1 draw with Pumas at home, and then got blown out like 5 - 0 down south?
Yuppers.....just like the USMNT's ability to beat a supposedly superior El Tri here in the states, yet complete failure to do so in Mexico. Smog, elevation, home support......it all factors in. The whole pre-season, in-season thing is a player, but I don't believe it's as big as some make it out to be. I suppose we'll find out this summer in the Superliga. Mexican club teams are good. They have the $$$ to buy the quality South American players that MLS clubs typically can't. In my mind, that's the big difference right now. I think the relatively even results between our two national teams shows that the Mexican player isn't heads and shoulders above the American. The difference is the foreign talent. MLS clubs can only afford to bring in South American and Central American talent on the cheap. Some are diamonds in the rough, like Christian Gomez, others aren't that great. The Mexican clubs can buy and buy and buy until they find the right guys. They are just stronger, overall. That doesn't mean MLS is some kind of crap league.....it just means we have some work to do.
We had just lost our best defender to the Premiership. We started a fresh new lineup in defense that included David Stokes who is no longer on the team. Total inexperience throught that game, out of shape, total sham. We will do better against your best in a tougher environment this time around.
I don't know whether nyrmetros means a relationship to RedBull, but if it is, his best isn't what we're talking about here...
So, that explains all 5 goals?? Come on....DCU was outclassed, plain and simple. It almost seems like these Mexican clubs don't exactly put it all out there for the away leg, knowing they will crush the MLS sides back in Mexico.
MLS teams never get a break in the excuse area.. When DC United destroys a EURO Champions League team like Celtic 4-0, it's "Well, Celtic is not in season form." .. When an MLS team loses out of season or in an almost impossible environment.."They were outclassed.".. I guess it will be that way for a long time.
Friendly vs real Competition. Celtic's roster in that game was a joke. Yes, there are some BS excuses that fans around the world try to make. Even if the Superliga results are good for MLS clubs, Mexican fans are going to say that all the games were played in the US...that's unfair. Then they are going to say they aren't in-season. Then they are going to claim they never cared about this tournament, so the results don't matter. But in the end, it's hard to argue against the history of MLS vs MFL competition.
To me, that's because the Celtic game was an exibition. If DC United REALLY wants to make a loud statement that they're one of the two best teams in North America, they will beat Chivas in Jalisco with the best squad they can possibly muster. There will be no excuses for anyone then. Same goes for my team, Dynamo. Even though we won at home, winning the series over there would be the respect-earner. Beating the defending Suda champions in their home stadium in a country where no U.S. team has won before? Like I said, no excuses for any of the 4 teams come early April...
has anyone read the spanish reports. www.Foxsportsespanol.com has Chivas forgives in the title. the whole article is about how they completely dominated the game and how they are superior team yadda yadda yadda that had the game won. superior teams dont win 1-0 away they blow them out. I also watched the telecast and god is that jorge ramos a homer or what i seriously cant stand the guy. Then i go to watch game highlights to see what they said about the Houston Pachuca game. The announcer goes on to say the 2-0 scoreline doesnt reflect what happened on the field. insinuating Pachuca dominated this game as well. Go to the site. Not a single report on that game. hmmmm. Talk about arrogance do they live in denial down there or what im not saying MLS is better than the mexican league but geez throw us a frickin bone. No unbiased reporting down there.
I think the passion is growing in this country, and that is what we need the most. we can practice, workout properly, eat properly, and do everything the physical science community tells us we should. but you cannot win football without passion. passion is seeing or at least hearing more Chivas fans in the RFK than D.C. passion is seeing little kids in the streets of columbia playing with dirty bare feet in the middle of a desolate street. the Passion is growing, but unless the soccer community eats, sleeps, and breathes soccer (I know, it's a cliche) then we will have hard times making it to our long awaited destination. I think I might make it to both games, I feel I should represent the U.S., a job is a job, but 1 soccer experience can create a lifetime of memories. God Bless North America, and God Bless my children with the gift of the foot.
The respect will come with victories, but they GOTTA win. That's the bottom line 'cause Stoned Cold said so...
Well, frankly, I think Chivas outplayed DC. While a tale of two halves, I can't say the same about the Pachuca game. Dynamo deserved the win.
huh? What does RB have to do with this? I was just thinking that the 1 - 1 scoreline at RFK sounded familiar from a few years ago....
DID ANYONE notice how on Fox sports espanol headlines do not say anything about Houston beating the pachangas. Man its irritating to see these kind of biased telecasts and reporting FOX SPORTS in our country. They are just talking about the tie with UNITED and how they got dominated. a team that dominates wins and wins big, a team that plays better wins and or ends up tied.
hey maybe NEWmetros guy should worry about relgation instead of our tie, oh wait there lucky mLS has no relegation. Well win a championship any (open cup,eastern conf crown,supporters shield) anything please let talk. Its like when parents say hey your 5 years old you can't talk when adults are talking..lol
hey now, i think we can all agree mexico fields the better side at the national level too, it's just they've been unlucky with the results against us over the past ten years or so. but im not sure the mexican nats or a mexican club have ever been outplayed. by anyone. ever.