Califf, © 2011 Earl Gardner

Mwanga. McInerney. Torres. Okugo. Williams. What do these names have in common?

Besides all being under the age of 23, as of today they are the only remnants of the inaugural 2010 Philadelphia Union season.

The Union continued with their theme of trading away veteran fan favorites today, as they dealt 32-year old defender Danny Califf to Chivas USA for midfielder Michael Lahoud and a wad of allocation money. It would seem that the Union now have quite a treasure trove of allocation dollars, though it’s impossible to know because this currency is quantified only on a “need-to-know” basis. Major League Soccer continues to operate under the premise that the average, everyday MLS supporter does not need to know.

That debate deserves a different day, however. In terms of the Califf trade, there is little need to rehash the details of the odd induction period between the early rumblings, the Califf goodbye at a local pub after Sunday’s loss to the hated Red Bulls, all the way to the official announcement. In fact, it wasn’t far-fetched back in March to think Califf was next on the transfer list, given the controversy surrounding his omission from the first home match of the season. At this point, the bridging weeks are history now; Danny Califf is back in California, and the Sons of Ben have lost another of their favorite players.

This one might be the toughest though. After all, Califf was the Union’s first captain. A veteran of the US Men’s National Team returning from a stint in Denmark, Califf stepped onto a team with very little veteran swagger. By the end of the inaugural 2010 season, the role of “star” had been laid on Sebastien Le Toux’s shoulders, but the tattooed Califf became a leader defined by his action on the pitch. His defense wasn’t quite as flashy as the art that adorned his body, but to the fans he was the captain, and that meant their undying support.

When the Union acquired veteran Colombian netminder Faryd Mondragon from Cologne, Califf handed over the captaincy. That allowed his partnership with newly-signed Carlos Valdes to blossom in 2011. Their pairing led Philadelphia to its first playoff experience in only its second season. Then, after Mondragon headed to his homeland, it was thought Califf would grasp the armband firmly without question. And that leadership would come in handy with the other big trade of the offseason: Le Toux to Vancouver.

But that strand of leadership was frayed early on. Leave it to the early Colorado debacle to firmly put Califf’s status with the Union into question. It may not have come out in Peter Nowak’s postmatch insistence that Califf was injured, but it was clear that something was awry. As the weeks progressed, it appeared only a matter of time before their captain would be gone.

Philadelphia has struggled mightily this season in many aspects of their game. They have scored the third fewest goals in the league, while attempting the fewest shots on goal. The Union could make inroads with fans edging towards restlessness by hanging onto the few players who continue to resonate with the supporters. Even if trading Califf was necessary, finding a logical solution to the offensive woes would also placate any malcontents. Michael Lahoud has scored three goals in three years for Chivas USA in all competitions – not exactly the missing link using a surface glance. But as with every entry into the team, the Sons of Ben surely will welcome Lahoud with open arms.

Of the originals who remain after Califf’s departure, the only one who finds consistent time on the pitch is Sheanon Williams (and while he isn’t an original from the First Kick, he certainly has developed a strong following). Danny Mwanga, the team’s first pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, has found it hard to gain a long-term starting role up front. He started in 17 matches in 2010, then 15 in 2011, and 3 thus far this year (which extrapolates to about 11 over a 34 match season, a troubling trend). The same can be said for the other 2010 forward drafted by Philadelphia, Jack McInerney (no starts to date in 2012).

It doesn’t help when players like Carlos Ruiz, Lionard Pajoy, and Josue Martinez are brought in. They create an effective barrier to precious minutes with the first team for these younger squad players. The other of those original draft picks, defensive midfielder Amobi Okugo, also looks upwards at consistent starters Brian Carroll and Gabriel Gomez. He waits for the traffic jam to clear so he can prove that his selection for numerous Youth National Teams was merited (the same can be said for McInerney as well). His future with the senior National Team may rest on his ability to play first team soccer. That’s not happening at the moment.

And as the Union continue to preach the development of this youth, the fans are left watching international veterans of varied abilities falter to two wins in nine matches. They are left hoping that their only Designated Player, Freddy Adu, can resurrect an offense that has desperately missed Le Toux. But it also leaves them wondering if these Generation Adidas projects will ever be given the opportunity to face enough first-team competition to learn their trade properly. Losses and draws can be understood if the youth on the team are struggling but growing; at the current rate Mwanga, McInerney, and Okugo appear to be stalled in their development.

And so it goes for Union supporters. The direction of the first team is rarely clear, which forces fans to cling to the few players that have who directly relate to them. Califf was one of those players, and he’s the latest selloff for the Philadelphia organization. Now more than ever, the plan for the future of the Union needs to be crystal clear. Without more confidence in the true course of this team, a season of losing games and favorite players will continue to eat at the connection to the fanbase.

There was a buzz going around Red Bull training as rumors were flying around about a potential trade in the works with Chivas USA. Some thought it was going to be for Rafa Marquez, as some thought a change of scenery would be good for him, but that was not the case.

The New York Red Bulls have wasted no time to make a deal to help out their situation on defense. They acquired Heath Pearce from Chivas USA in exchange for budding youth forward Juan Agudelo.

Ives Galarcep reported on his site as well as for FoxSoccer.com that Chivas USA will pay a portion of Pearce’s salary, and will also receive a significant amount of allocation money, so they will bring in some new players in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The consensus has been that the fantastic production from Kenny Cooper since being traded to the club gave the Red Bulls a great partner for Thierry Henry. Besting his goal totals from last year on the Portland Timbers, Cooper has looked strong, making fantastic runs to convert chances.

Now with Agudelo being sent to the West Coast, what does that mean for the Red Bulls going forward? Henry will make his return on Wednesday, May 23rd against Chivas USA at Red Bull Arena – and some possible tweaking is in the works.

Rumors are that former AC Milan defender/midfielder Alessandro Nesta will sign a two year deal with the Red Bulls once the window officially opens. With this move, will Dane Richards move up top with Cooper for their road trip to Montreal, with and Jan Gunnar Solli playing in a natural midfield position? Does this signal the end of Roy Miller playing as a starting left back for the club, or will Pearce be positioned as a center back with Markus Holgersson (since Wilman Conde might face a suspension from his current run in with the Fort Lee Police)?

It’s a real shame not to see Juan Agudelo grow into the player he can be for the Red Bulls. It also seems that Chivas USA needs forwards. At the moment it looks like Agudelo will reunite with Juan Pablo Angel as the striker partnership, as they were in New York two seasons ago.

Red Bull supporters saw him convert his first goal with the US National Team on a road trip to South Africa at the end of the 2010 season, then his first MLS goal in the 2011 home opener against the Seattle Sounders, then a Thierry Henry like goal at RFK against DC United that’s still being used in Adidas commercials.

Right now this trade helps the Red Bulls solidify their defense. There might also be a glimmer of hope that the Luke Rodgers situation may be rectified. If that is the case, then expect the firepower to become even better as the club competes in the US Open Cup as well as the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Team: Chivas USA

Coach: Robin Fraser
Last Season: 8 – 14 – 12 = 36 points, 8^th Place Western, 15^th Overall
Twitter Hashtag: #ChivasUSA

Back to the drawing board - that seems to have been the theme for the 2011-12 offseason for Chivas USA.

Robin Fraser’s team seemed to make some strides in 2011, bouncing back from a 2010 campaign directly influenced by the loss of Sacha Kljestan to R.S.C. Anderlecht. But after another bout of turning over the roster, fans will be wondering if they could be in a constant state of rebuilding.

Before we cover the coaches and front office, let’s run through the litany of roster moves.

KEY PLAYERS LOST - The roster for Chivas has undergone a lot of turnover. The biggest losses were experienced at the time of the 2011 Expansion Draft. Zarek Valentin, Justin Braun, and Gerson Mayen all ended up with the Quebecois entrants. Michael Umana signed with Guatamalan club Comunicaciones on a free transfer. Marcos Mondaini also left MLS.  Andrew Boyens will remain in Los Angeles, but will instead wear the kit of SuperClasico rivals Galaxy.

KEY PLAYERS GAINED - After trading away Braun, Chivas drafted a guy they hope can be a long-term contributing forward in Casey Townsend. They also traded a couple of supplemental picks to Kansas City for Englishman Ryan Smith, who couldn’t breakthrough for Sporting KC. To replace Valentin and Umana, who shared the right back duty in 2011, James Riley was acquired in the Braun and Mayen trade. The former Seattle Sounder is a veteran right back who should provide some stability at the position. They’ve also signed Oswaldo Minda from Ecuador. Minda appears to be a skillful holding midfielder who will provide cover for the defense. Two other international signings who could make an impact this year include Colombian defender John Alexander Valencia, and another Ecuadorian midfielder, Miller Bolanos.

COACHING STAFF AND FRONT OFFICE - Reports have it that Robin Fraser is looking to implement a more attacking style, 4-3-3 to be exact. This may explain the reason they traded Braun, since he is more of a traditional No. 9. Even with that, it gives the impression that the changes made were simply attempts to make the system the scapegoat. Perhaps it is a simple diversion to draw attention away from one of the most head-scratching trades of this offseason. Another factor could be the addition of Angel at the end of last season, who is making a designated player wage. Angel is not a spring chicken, and Fraser and company certainly hope that Chivas fans ignore Montreal – especially if the Goats struggle for goals.

PROJECTED STARTERS - This is a crapshoot because of the major turnover. If Fraser wants to shape the squad into a 4-3-3 system, the likely forward line will consist of Angel with Alejandro Moreno and either Smith or Townsend. A three-man midfield should comprise of Minda as the holding midfielder. Certainly Nick LaBrocca should be one of the box-to-box midfielders, while there should be a position up for grabs between the likes of Blair Gavin, Michael Lahoud, and Miller Bolanos. The defense should be centered by Heath Pearce and DJ Lopes, with Valencia potentially breaking through. Riley would seem to be the choice for right fullback, and Ante Jazic on the left. At the moment the only goalkeeper on the roster is Dan Kennedy.

PLAYER TO WATCH - With the shake-up, all eyes seem to be on LaBrocca now. He made significant strides towards being a pivotal player in the Chivas midfield. Without Braun to connect on those timely goals, LaBrocca will be under the spotlight even more.  He earned his first All-Star selection as a reserve in 2011, and with all of the flux, he needs to continue to assert himself as both a goal scorer and creator.

BEST CASE SCENARIO - The West hasn’t gotten any easier, and I don’t see Chivas really challenging for a playoff spot. But let’s give them the benefit of the doubt – Angel finds his form early, the new players gel, and perhaps they can enter mid-October with a chance of sneaking into the bracket.

WORST CASE SCENARIO - The more likely scenario is the worst case, which is an aging lineup begins to breakdown. A lot of money is tied up in Angel, which has forced the team into having a number of journeymen on this team. With all of this uncertainty, and the difficulty of their schedule, this team could finish dead last in the league in a tough conference.

PREDICTION - I think realistically the Goats will finish in 8^th place in the West again. With last year’s expansion teams improving in a tough conference, Chivas USA will escape the basement – but only barely.

Chivas USA had a new head coach and a new system last season, but after a slow start the team looked to be set in neutral in the competitive Western Conference.  However, the acquisition of Juan Pablo Angel and a too late run at a playoff spot gave this team a bit of life and fans a reason for optimism.  As the club watched cross-town rivals the Galaxy celebrate with the MLS Cup in their stadium, the future looks mixed for the franchise.

Next up in our 3 Questions series is Chivas USA, a team who has not qualified for the playoffs in two years after a nice run of success to begin the franchise’s history.  Is next year the year when they begin a new streak?

1. Is management committed to this team?

The key to this question is who is making the personnel decisions.  Chivas decided to pass last season on every big name that came through the allocation process.  The speculation was that they were saving their powder for a big signing, and although they took on Juan Pablo Angel from the Galaxy, that big signing never came.  It may come this offseason, but the way the club has gone about building has been confusing.

This offseason so far has not settled those “cheap management” rumors.  Losing Zarek Valentin to Montreal in the expansion draft was very confusing considering that he is a young talent, but as noted here he was coming off his Generation Adidas and the team might have had to take on his entire contract.  If money is the deciding factor on player moves, management has to reconsider the business they are in or begin to realize that good players do cost money.

2. Will “breakouts” Kennedy and Angel carry over into 2012?

To call Juan Pablo Angel a “breakout” is a bit misleading, but Chivas fans haven’t seen that much of a revival since season one of The Walking Dead.  After being ineffective for the Galaxy, LA unloaded him on Chivas to make room for Robbie Keane.  Angel proceeded to score seven goals in nine appearances for the Goats.  Can he do the same in 2012?  First the team has to work out compensation: his New York-signed contract paying him $1 million is way too much, so he and the team have to come to an agreement.  This is even more critical considering Justin Braun was traded to the Impact.

The other shock of 2012 was keeper Dan Kennedy, who quietly put together one of the best seasons in MLS.  I remember seeing him play at DC United this summer and was incredibly impressed with his poise.  He has inked a new contract with the team so he will be set as the unquestioned starter in 2012.  But as a bright spot for the team last season, can he carry over his form in 2012?

3. Are the newcomers the key to success?

Like New England, Chivas has been replacing some of their departed players with MLS veterans.  The club grabbed Arturo Alvarez from RSL in the first stage of the re-entry draft and made trades for midfielder Ryan Smith (Sporting KC) and James Riley (Seattle/Montreal).  As I mentioned previously, it looks like there is help coming from overseas but again that is untested talent in MLS (although definitely it is talent).  You can argue that injuries and inconsistent play really hurt this team’s chances last year, but the acquisitions to this point don’t seem to address these issues.  But like the Revs maybe a few veterans will help with a playoff push.

Fans who saw the scoreline of September 10th’s 3-0 win by DC United over Chivas would assume that DCU would win handily against the Goats at home and, with New York’s loss, would move into the driver’s seat with their playoff push.  But as the excellent fan blog Black and Red United noted, Chivas actually dominated possession in the first game and bombarded DC with 29 crosses.  A couple of early goals turned the tide arguably against the run of play, and DC could cruise to a 3-0 victory.

Last night, the same trend continued but the result was not a DC victory.  Despite DC jumping out to a 2-0 lead early in the second half and looking like the better team, the Goats dominated the midfield and used two Juan Pablo Angel goals to take a much needed road point.  Chivas had an edge in almost every statistical category including possession and shots, but from about the fiftieth minute to the seventieth minute of the game it was all Chivas USA, and that made the difference.

Instead of a tale of two halves, the match was actually a game of three periods.  The first 35 minutes of the game saw both teams aggressively going forward, taking chances and trying to draw first blood.  Chivas had the edge in possession and DC needed Bill Hamid to save a early deflected chance from Marcos Mondaini, but neither team established dominance early on, a bad sign for the home team.

But beginning with Dwayne De Rosario’s goal in the 39th minute, the second period (from roughly the 35th through 50th minutes) saw the Black and Red with control of the match.  In a positive for DC, both goals came off of set pieces.  The first was Andy Najar’s free kick from outside the box which found De Ro’s head and the back of the net.  The goal was DC’s first headed goal of the year incredibly and gave the home side the momentum.  Two minutes into the second half, DCU struck again off a set piece.  This time, Santino Quaranta’s corner was put on goal by De Ro and the save deflected into the net by defender Ethan White for his first MLS goal.

At this point in the match, it looked like DC would cruise to victory just like they had ten days ago.  But some critical mistakes by DC and some smart substitutions by Chivas USA turned the tide of the match.  After the first Chivas goal, Ben Olsen sent on Steven King for Josh Wolff in hopes of grabbing more midfield possession.  Instead, the exact opposite happened.  Chivas subs Justin Braun and Laurent Courtois provided a major boost to the Goats lineup by adding some bite to the attack while the Chivas midfield began to dominate possession.  The visitors from the fiftieth minute on looked like the more dangerous team, with probing runs and smart one-time passes through the DC midfield while all DC could do when they got possession was clear.  In the 57th minute Angel scored his first goal of the night and Chivas kept up the pressure.  His second in the 69th minute was no surprise, as Chivas was dominating the run of play.  For DC, they had trouble mounting a comeback as Olsen’s substitutions had removed Charlie Davies and Wolff from the lineup, leaving just Joseph Ngwenya as the only offensive substitution he could have made.

The controversial moment in the match came in stoppage time, when Angel seemingly pushed De Rosario to the ground in the box.  Replays showed the push was rather weak and the contact was likely not a penalty.  Regardless, referee Chris Penso pointed to the spot, and De Rosario botched the penalty by sending a low shot to the right that was expertly saved by Dan Kennedy, preserving the draw.

The draw basically kept Chivas USA’s playoff hopes on life support, and Robin Fraser’s team had some positives to take from the contest (in addition to the road point).  Juan Pablo Angel continued his good run of form since his “move” from the Galaxy.  Their next two games (Toronto and Philadelphia) are absolute must wins because they close the season against LA and Seattle.

After the game, Ben Olsen went on a rant about the lack of urgency on the team, according to Steven Goff.  ”Up 2-0, now we think the game’s easy. Now we think we don’t have to tackle, we don’t have to win second balls: Let’s just roll the dice and hope we get lucky. It’s absolutely gonna stop — it has to stop or we will not make the playoffs.”  The combination of letting off by DC and poor substitutions by Olsen hurt DC in this game, but regardless this was a must win for DC.  Saturday’s game against Real Salt Lake, who demolished New York, is now another must win for DC to keep up in the playoff race.  Another draw or loss could mean desperation time in the nation’s capital.

The Philadelphia Union had gone nearly a month since their previous victory. The home side overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Chivas USA 3-2.

For the second match in a row, manager Peter Nowak fielded a combination 4-1-4-1/4-1-3-2 shape, with Carlos Ruiz as the lone forward when out of possession. This was the exact lineup fielded by Philadelphia in their scoreless draw with Sporting KC, a match the Union dominated.

Chivas USA came out in a modified 4-4-2 diamond formation, with some similarities to Philadelphia’s formation. Paulo Nagamura returned to his usual defensive midfield position, with Ben Zemanski playing on the right side of the midfield formation. Zarek Valentin started at right back in place of Michael Lahoud.

Starting Formations

Chivas’ main task was dealing with the five advanced players in the Union formation. In that, you had four players who identify more as forwards, with newcomer Veljko Paunovic and Sebastien LeToux in advanced midfield positions. Additionally Justin Mapp is an attack-minded midfield player, so Philadelphia was setup to be aggressive from the opening kick.

The trouble for the Union, in this attack-minded tactic, was that the players were often to quick to jump ahead and into the play, and it caused trouble. After the match, Nowak said, “I think in many situations we tried to push the ball through the defenders too fast. There were always 4-5 guys running, and then the ball was intercepted and (it created) a big hole in the middle.” When the play built successfully into the final third, chances came, such as a through ball from Ruiz to LeToux which was directed away by Dan Kennedy. On the ensuing corner, Paunovic nearly netted his first goal on a header, but Nagamura was guarding the post and cleared the ball off the line.

The danger came from the visitors’ counterattacks, and several opportunities presented themselves, including an early chance by Marcos Mondaini. Faryd Mondragon came out of net, and Mondaini chipped the Colombian keeper, but the ball fluttered away from goal. Another chance was taken by Nick LaBrocca from 22 yards in the 27th minute, and Mondragon had to be alert to stab the ball over the bar.

The opening goal came following the ensuing corner, as a scramble in front of net allowed Zemanski to head the ball across the face of goal to center back Michael Umana. The Costa Rican headed the ball home for the lead.

Nowak made an adjustment at around the 30th minute. The two wing midfielders, LeToux and Mapp, switched sides. This was one of the ways Nowak addressed the issues in the center of the pitch. LeToux explained, “We like to come inside, and not stay too much on the sideline. He’s a lefty and I’m a righty, and we can come inside to our good foot.” The natural inside wing runs helped to keep the team compact, as well as gave Jordan Harvey and Sheanon Williams the opportunity to provide the width in overlap. Even with those adjustments, the match went to the half with Chivas leading 1-0.

The second half saw Nowak make two personnel changes. Danny Mwanga, the team’s rising star forward, replaced Jack McInerney, while left midfielder Keon Daniel replaced Jordan Harvey at left back in an interesting substitution. For Chivas, Andrew Boyens replaced the goal scorer Umana.

Chivas tried to thwart the Union’s forward play by holding a high defensive line. This tactic not only shrank the attacking midfield, forcing strikers deeper in the formation, but also required perfect timing from the main targets. In this case, Carlos Ruiz was that man, and he struggled to contend with the trap. Mapp commented, “They played a high line, and it worked on several occasions being just a step offsides and the ball wasn’t played on time. It was effective sometimes, but in the end, we got our goals.”

And the Union did, striking less than three minutes after the break. Paunovic, in only his third game after returning from a two year retirement, settled Mapp’s cross off his chest near the penalty spot, and volleyed the shot past Kennedy. The Serbian newcomer said, “The coaches, in my week here, have told me to get close to the goal. I did what they asked, and was there when Mapp crossed the ball from the side. I was lucky to have the opportunity to control the ball.”

One of the factors that played into Paunovic’s goal was the leftback Daniel, playing out of position at fullback. He inserted a level of speed and danger to the position. It was Daniel who overlapped with LeToux on the left, which drew Zemanski’s attention enough to allow the Frenchman room to send the diagonal cross to Mapp. Daniel spoke of his versatility, saying, “It’s football, it’s common sense. I’ve played in plenty of places, and I feel I can play anywhere. It was a choice of the coach, and I just did my best.” Daniel’s width and speed nearly netted the Union another tally, in the 68th minute when he got free down the left. He passed through a defender’s legs from the byline, and Ruiz got the ball before it reached Kennedy. He passed to Paunovic whose shot from 7 yards was cleared off the goal line by Boyens. The rebound was then sent over the bar by Mapp.

The high line continued to pester Ruiz and the Union, until a breakthrough in the 69th minute. Ruiz had a head of steam, and this time he was fortunate to have Ante Jazic play him onside. Paunovic launched the ball from the midfield stripe. Ruiz broke onto the ball, staved off Boyens, and shot the ball through Kennedy’s legs for the 2-1 lead.

The Union couldn’t hold off Chivas though, and a giveaway by Brian Carroll allowed Jorge Flores to play Justin Braun into the area. He fought through Danny Califf’s grab, and beat Mondragon in a footrace to the ball. He slid the ball past the keeper to equalize at 2.

Philadelphia did have some heroics left, in the form of Danny Mwanga. The hard-working LeToux gathered the ball on the right side of the field, and he played the ball to Mwanga just outside the area. The 20 year old worked himself into space, turned, and fired a low liner to the left of the keeper to break the deadlock, 3-2. Mwanga said of his recent string of long-range tallies: “Teams are coming here and know how good we are, so they sit back and try to defend. The more they are dropping, that gives us space to take shots. We took many shots last game, and tonight we were lucky to finish our chances.”

The game finished 3-2, but for one player this game was an opportunity to show fans that, at 33 years of age, he still has the ability and desire to play at a high level. The journeyman Serb earned a goal and an assist on this night, and put himself in great scoring positions throughout the match. Paunovic added, “This is what I expect. I hope the people can see now that I can be very valuable for the Union. I’m here to help and enjoy playing soccer.” This is likely what Nowak was thinking when he called on the former Atletico Madrid striker. Paunovic seemed genuinely thrilled to be playing competitive football again, and he appears to have the trust of his manager. For a team that’s struggled for goals this season, the home fans certainly took notice of this productive effort.

Jaime Moreno was not the only big-name retiree this weekend; the Chicago Fire said goodbye to American soccer legend Brian McBride and longtime defender C.J. Brown.  The club’s overall record was disappointing to fans, but by getting ten points in the last six matches the club has some optimism going into the offseason.

Swedish international Freddie Ljungberg was the star of the show, finishing with a goal and an assist.  It was his assist that gained the attention rather than his match-winning goal.  In the fortieth minute he provided a cross in the goal area that for the eightieth time Brian McBride slide into the back of the net, this time with his right foot.   McBride remained on the field long enough to watch Ljungberg slot the game’s second goal inside the right post to take a 2-0 lead, which was expanded to 4 Fire goals later in the match by Carr (67) and Husidic (90+).  Maldonado notched a goal for Chivas, but their season ended as it did so often this season – on the wrong side of the ledger.

McBride, quite possibly the greatest U.S. national player in the past few decades, was substituted off in the 51st minute to applause from the home fans.  Rather than rehash his illustrious career in MLS, the national team, and England, I want to just point out some of the amazing highlights (you can see the summary here).  He was the first player selected in the MLS Inaugural Draft and went on to be named one of the MLS All-Time Best XI.  Since his retirement from international soccer, the US has had problems finding a consistent threat at striker, helping build his international legacy.  He is a legend for his first club the Columbus Crew and his hometown team the Chicago Fire, and MLS will lose another major star next year.

McBride was not the only player playing in his last game, however.  C.J. Brown, one of the “Fire Originals” selected in the 1998 Supplemental Draft, also played his last match.  The defender had a solid international and domestic career, and witnessed all of the Fire’s great moments on the pitch, including one MLS Cup and four U.S. Open Cups.  In a testament to his work in the community, Brown also won three Humanitarian of the Year Awards.

The offseason will be a critical one for both clubs.  Chicago, who is used to contending for the playoffs, could have only one starter back after a number of retirements, contracts expiring, and unprotected players in the expansion draft.  On the other side of the pitch, Chivas fell from four straight playoff appearances to utter miserableness and now face the loss of Jonathan Bornstein to Mexico.

Playoff schedules, analysis, and awards coming later today!  Share your Brian McBride memories below in the comments section.

All you ever wanted was two strong semi-final matches that were going to lead into an interesting and intriguing big championship final that had the pomp and circumstance. Well who would’ve thought that one man would play a role in US Soccer’s version of England’s FA Cup? But here it is folks, Sigi Schmid, who lead the Columbus Crew to the 2008 MLS Cup Championship and won the US Open Cup at our Nation’s Capital last year for the Seattle Sounders, will play each other on Tuesday, October 5th at Qwest Field.

DC United 1:2 Columbus Crew A.E.T.

After the terrible league season that DC United had to endure as well with a mid-season coaching change, the US Open Cup was their last chance to earn a title of any kind. It looked like fate would be on their side in the 13th minute as it looked like Gino Padula took down a DC player and a spot kick was awarded. Pablo Hernandez calmly took the shot and converted for the one goal to nil lead.

Throughout the match DC and the Crew had plenty of chances to score to either get an equalizer or a two goal lead. But in the 59th minute cards were flying out from referee Chris Penso. Danny O’Rourke and Pablo Hernandez had a bit of an argument during a challenge. O’Rourke saw yellow while Hernandez saw red and DC United shockingly were down a man thru the entire match.

As the clock was ticking towards the 90th minute it looked like DC United was on their way to another miracle victory in the US Open Cup and we’re ready for their third consecutive final match, but in the 89th minute Marc Burch tried to stop Andy Iro’s shot. Unfortunately he deflected the ball by accident and into his own net. Heartbreak at RFK as the match was moving on towards Extra Time.

But the Crew would get that game winner from their top play maker Guillermo Barros Schelotto in the 98th minute when Carey Talley fouled a Crew player in the area. Got his booking and Schelotto converts his spot kick for the lead and the victory. This was a very tough defeat for DC United as they had one minute of regulation left and whatever stoppage time was going to be added for the second half to move on into their third final match. But now they will have to sit at home and watch the final.

Seattle Sounders 3:1 CD Chivas-USA

The defending US Open Cup Champions had a tough opponent for themselves as well since Chivas-USA was also having their troubles in the league. A tough season for first year head coach Martin Vazquez saw his side go down a goal early as Steve Zakuani was terrorizing Chivas-USA all match long. He made a solid pass to Nate Jaqua who converted his first of the match in the 10 minute.

But the Sounders sensation that is Fredy Montero once again came up big for a goal in the 58th minute with the help of Zakuani once again as he made a nice cross into the area and a sliding Montero converts past Zach Thornton for the two goals to nil lead. There was a sense of fear from the Sounders supporters when Jesus Padilla pulled on back in the 68th minute.

But Jaqua converted his second goal of the match in the second minute of three in second half stoppage time to seal the victory and hosting the US Open Cup Final at Qwest Field. Not only will the winner advance to the Qualifying round of the 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League, but the Sounders will get a shot at becoming the first back to back US Open Cup Champion since the NY-Pancyprian Freedoms of the Cosmopolitan League in 1982 and 1983.

But at the same time this will be the battle between the Master and his pupil, as current Columbus head coach Robert Warzycha was Schmid’s assistant with the Crew from 2006 thru 2008 till he took over the reins last year. This year’s US Open Cup Final will be very exciting to see when Tuesday, October 5th comes. I know that I’m excited for it.

After some heart pounding matches in the Third Round of the US Open Cup we have our elite eight getting ready to duke it out in the Quarterfinal Round. Once again we saw a tough favorite from the lower levels pushing their MLS Opponents into the Round of Penalties and somehow stopping all three of them to advance.

It had to take a hundred and seventeen minutes for an upset to happen and then hold on till the end to advance. Several times it would take only a goal to win, or the end of story for a troubled side to make their magical run end.

CHICAGO FIRE 0(0): 0(3) CHARLESTON BATTERY

All throughout the match whatever chances both sides had the keepers came up big or shots were missed from Regulation and into extra time. But once the round of penalties came around something strange happened for Chicago, none of them went in.

Brian McBride’s penalty sails high over the crossbar, while Lamar Neagle converted. Second attempt for the Fire was by Krzysztof Krol and he was stopped, Mike Zaher for Charleston scored. But once Wilman Conde nailed the crossbar, all Ian Fuller did calmly and coolly convert his chance and the Battery advanced.

COLUMBUS CREW 2:1 ROCHESTER RHINOS

The Rhinos would make a return to the stadium that they won their only US Open Cup title back in 1999. Andy Iro got the Crew on the board in the thirtieth minute, but Darren Spicer got his equalizer in the sixty-ninth. But for Alfonso Motagalvan a hard and reckless challenge was shown a straight red in the eighty-fifth.

With the Crew up a man and four minutes of second half stoppage time being added there were already thoughts of extra time looming, but once again Steven Lenhart comes up clutch late in matches and he scored inside the final minute of four in stoppage time and the Crew advances.

PORTLAND TIMBERS 1(3):1(4) SEATTLE SOUNDERS

The Northwest derby returns again inside the US Open Cup when these two bitter rivals meet. An early goal by Nate Jaqua in the thirteenth put the Sounders ahead, but Bright Dike (DEE-KAY) scored his fourth of the tournament to equalize the match in the thirty-eighth minute. Taylor Graham would get booked in the forty-third and when they got into extra time, the Sounders were down to ten men as Graham got a second yellow and automatic red in the one hundred minute.

No other goals going in it would be the round of penalties. First round had Portland going first and Ryan Pore was saved by Kasey Keller, while Nathan Sturgis converts. Second Round Doug Martin converts while Steve Zakuani did the same.  Third Round Mamadou Danso ties it, but Fredy Montero gave Seattle the lead again.

But in the fourth round both sides would miss as Ross Smith was stopped by Keller while Patrick Ianni hit the crossbar. Then Rodrigo Lopez converts his chance to make it level again, but the hopes for Zach Scott to miss were dashed as he got the winning penalty to help the Sounders advance.

Other Round 3 Matches
Harrisburg City Islanders 1:0 New York Red Bulls (A.E.T.)
DC United 2:0 Richmond Kickers
Los Angeles Galaxy 2:0 AC St. Louis
Houston Dynamo 1:0 Miami FC
Chivas-USA 1:0 Austin

2010 US Open Cup Quarterfinals

July 6th: Columbus Crew Vs Charleston Battery 7:30PM EDT
At Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

July 6th:  Houston Dynamo Vs CD Chivas-USA 7:30PM CDT
At Robertson Stadium, Houston, Texas

July 7th: Seattle Sounders FC Vs Los Angeles Galaxy 7:30PM PDT
At Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, Washington

July 21st: DC United Vs Harrisburg City Islanders 7:30PM
At Maryland SoccerPlex, Boyds, Maryland

For the New York Red Bulls, this match is the last before the World Cup break came and after a fantastic finish against the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night, the club was looking to put in a good performance and earn another three points.

The only goal of the evening came in the 27th minute as Seth Stammler made his tally count. The Red Bulls with a corner at the near side, Joel Lindpere sent it into the area. Headed away by the defender and Stammler got the ball. He settled it and ripped a low laser that smashed the inside of the near post for his second of the season.

There really wasn’t much for Bouna Coundoul to be tested on as the backline came up big every single time Chivas-USA would put an attacking run together. No matter who slipped or lost their man, backup was there for the defense. Once again rookie centerback sensation Tim Ream was up to the task and made sure super striker Maykel Galindo would never get a solid chance to convert.

There was a solid play in the 49th minute as Galindo attacked down the near side and avoided two defenders, he was able to get Bouna Coundoul off his line as he approached the end line and then avoided all three. He took a shot at the open net, but it was Ream to the rescue as he cleared the chance.

Chivas-USA’s defending was pretty good as well on Juan Pablo Angel. They limited him to at least two or three solid chances, but when they blocked the lanes they forced Angel to become a passer than his usual title as a scorer. Once again though injuries would hit the Red Bulls again as Sinisa Ubiparipovic was making a run in the 10th minute as his left hamstring tightened up on him and he went down in a heap.

Chivas-USA would get a great chance on goal in the 13th minute by Steve Zemanski. After the corner was cleared Zemanski would take a solid rip and the ball looked like it was going in, nails the crossbar and later it went over the end line for a goal kick. After the match Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe admitted that it was a sloppy performance from the players today, but the dedication was there to get the three points.

After a grand total of twelve league matches, three US Open Cup qualifiers & two friendly matches against Santos FC & Juventus the club was deserving of a break and they will get a good eight to ten days off before their next friendly match on Friday, June 18th against Brazilian side Cruzerio and then they continue league action away at the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday, June 26th & waiting for their Round three opponent on Tuesday, June 29th of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Right now they have more wins and the same amount of points this season, unlike the record they had ending last year. There is marked improvement from this season, the hell they got themselves into last year. But once again, there are still some holes to fill on this club and that will happen once the MLS summer transfer window opens on July 15th.

Have a good two week break Major League Soccer and to everyone else, let’s have a great World Cup.