Team: San Jose Earthquakes

Coach: Frank Yallop

Last Season: 8-12-14, 7th Western Conference, 14th Overall

Hashtag: #SJEarthquakes

Although it is an overused phrase, this year is a critical year for the San Jose ‘Quakes.  The team is at a crossroads and this season will show if the newer franchise with the classic name can create a permanent  and financially successful presence in the San Jose area.  Is this a bit alarmist, considering that they are two years removed from making a deep playoff run and have as the face of their franchise one of the five best goal scorers in MLS?  Maybe but consider the circumstances surrounding this team:

• Shirt sponsor since 2008 Amway and the club parted ways in the offseason and, as can be seen on the jersey, the team is keeping its main sponsor spot open for either Amway or a new partner to sign up with the team.
• The San Jose Planning Council has approved the team breaking ground on its new soccer specific stadium, a major win for the team that promises not only a major financial windfall (the team has sold 10 of 12 field-level suites in the new stadium according to The Sporting News) but creates a shiny new home to keep current fans and attract new ones.
• Head coach Frank Yallop seemingly lost his team in the middle of last season before ending 2011 making a very late playoff push.  Despite his pedigree and past success, this could be a definitive season for him.

This time last year, the San Jose Earthquakes were riding high.  They had upset the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference playoffs and had seen the emergence of Chris Wondolowski as a bona fide goal scorer.  Although the team had definite weaknesses and was not at the level of, say, Real Salt Lake, this was certainly a team that could be a playoff contender.

The outlook could not be more different this year as opposed to last.  Wondo is still a goal scorer, tying Dwayne De Rosario for most goals scored this season, but his goals came in bunches and he was not a consistent threat.  There are question marks throughout the roster including whether the head coach will last through the upcoming season.  This is a team in flux, and if they fail to seriously contend for the playoffs this season we could see a massive roster overhaul this time next year (which arguably is a good thing).

Let’s limit ourselves to the key three questions that will tip the balance on San Jose’s 2012 season:

1. What is the status of Steven Lenhart?

We know he is signed.  He was a critical scoring option for the team last season, partnering well with Wondo to provide a second up-front scoring option for a team that at times desperately needed goals.  But the death of his father took him away from the game for an extended period of time, which coincided with their funk.

I personally will never judge someone for how they deal with the death of a parent, so I will simply say how he is mentally and physically fit for 2012 will be important for this team.  To be blunt, absent signing a big money striker, this team will fail without him.  As many goals as Wondo scores, he is inconsistent and cannot be relied upon to lead a team’s offense if that team is competing for a high-seed in the playoffs.  Lenhart is the perfect partner for him, and San Jose knows this.

2. Can the ‘Quakes run their way into the playoffs?

To address some of their issues from this past season, Frank Yallop is rebuilding his midfield around speed.  And not since Keanu Reeves tried to drive a bus has such a desire for going fast been so confusing.  San Jose made a great trade to bring Marvin Chavez over from Dallas but also this offseason they acquired Jean Alexandre from Real Salt Lake.  Alexandre has been a backup at RSL but has shown some flashes of being a productive midfielder if he gets regular playing time.  Undoubtedly Chavez is a great pickup but time will tell if Alexandre and their additional acquisitions this offseason can make them a faster team that can quickly get the ball up front to Wondo and Lenhart.

Looking at their depth as a whole, however, you wonder if these moves make sense.  In addition to the two players mentioned, the ‘Quakes have also picked up Shea Salinas while re-signing Khari Stephenson.  Looking at the current roster, it is composed of players who would be good depth players on a MLS Cup contender, not ones that can be counted on to drive a team to the Cup.  Maybe the new speed will change this.

3. Can the ‘Quakes count on Ike Opara?

The injured Opara was symbolic of the San Jose defense last season: underachieving and made worse by the loss of Brandon McDonald via trade to DC.  The once rising U.S. star was not even invited to Caleb Porter’s U-23 camp this offseason as he continues to recover from injury.  He was named an “honorable mention” for the MLS “24 under 24″ list but this could be a make or break season for him.  If he stays healthy and helps solidify a bad SJ defense, he will be back on track to be the next U.S. up-and-coming defender.  More injuries or sporadic play and we could be lamenting “what if”.

As promised, here is the second half of this weekend’s preview, where we review the late games Saturday night and the one Sunday game.

Colorado Rapids v. San Jose Earthquakes (Saturday, 9 PM ET)

This game may be the hardest to predict this weekend.  It is no longer unthinkable that Colorado could fall out of the playoffs: not likely but not impossible.  After their poor CCL performance mid-week, the Rapids are reeling.  Their MLS losing streak has reached four and their goal in last week’s loss to Toronto was their first MLS goal in 270 minutes.  San Jose meanwhile remains mathematically alive after their midweek draw at Portland.  A key for both teams is how they can contain the other team’s offensive weapon.  Obviously, Wondolowski has to be contained by the Rapids defense to stifle the Quakes but the Quakes have to be able to contain the speed of the Rapids forwards, one of which likely will be Omar Cummings.

Prediction: Colorado 1, San Jose 1.

Vancouver Whitecaps v. Seattle Sounders (Saturday, 10:30 PM)

Seattle is flying high right now, minus CCL action.  The Sounders have a chance to clinch a playoff berth and keep their Supporters Shield hopes alive.  But also on the line is the Cascadia Cup: a Seattle victory means they win the annual three-way rivalry between the Pacific Northwest clubs.  The key for Seattle short term is to do what they did against DC – pressure the midfield and convert their chances.  The long term goal is to keep healthy.  The Whitecaps are certainly the underdogs but playing at home against a rival should inspire them.  Using the crowd’s energy could propel them to an important three points and deny Seattle the Cascadia Cup for now.

Prediction: Seattle 2, Vancouver 1.  

Chivas USA v. Toronto FC (Saturday, 10:30 PM)

The Goats kept their faint playoff hopes alive with their midweek draw at DC, and but to continue a playoff run they absolutely need three points today.  They have been successful when their midfield can hold possession and get the ball to Juan Pablo Angel, as he gives their offense a new dimension.  However, the key to this game is Danny Koevermans.  Three goals in the past two games means he is the man to watch in this one.  When he scores, Toronto gets results.

Prediction: Chivas 2, Toronto 2.  There will be goals in this one but I don’t see Chivas coming out of this match with three points.

Chicago v. New England (Sunday, 4:00 PM)

These two teams are the type that benefit most from a ten team playoff: loser sees their playoff hopes dashed while winner lives to play another day.  The Fire lose Corey Gibbs to a red card suspension, so that is a concern for the Fire defense.  Offensively, Dominic Oduru has quietly snuck into the Golden Boot race as he has 10 goals.  The key for Chicago is to not hurt themselves: when they miss open goals or commit dumb fouls they lose games, as they don’t have the talent to overcome those mistakes.  New England is coming off a beat down by Portland and are without Rajko Lekic.  A win would only be their second on the road, so they need to find a way to get ahead early and put the pressure on Chicago.

Prediction: Chicago 3, New England 1.

Photo by Structures:NY

It’s catch-up time.  In both games in hand and playoff positioning.

In the shadow of the CONCACAF Champions League matches six MLS clubs will take the pitch tonight in critical games for playoff positioning.  One of the matches is a match-up of heavyweights, while the other two look to be mismatches that could be surprises.  What do all three have in common?  All three results could go a long way to helping or even ending the playoff hopes of three teams, while boosting the playoff positioning of a fourth.  Below is a breakdown of each match; all three can only be seen on Match Day Live or Direct Kick.

DC United v. Chivas USA – 7:30 PM ET – RFK Stadium

Coming off their resounding loss at Seattle, DC faces a struggling Chivas side they dominated less than two weeks ago in Los Angeles.  However, there are two differences this time around – no Chris Pontius for the home side and DC’s miserable home record.  Bill Hamid should be back for tonight’s match which will help DCU in net; Joe Willis was solid but not great in net this weekend.  The key will be to secure the home field – DC is 1-1-2 in home matches since July, a record that will keep them out of the playoffs if they keep it up.  Chivas, meanwhile, is seeking its first win since August 6.  Chivas will have Marcos Mondaini back for this match, which could prove useful against a DC midfield that looked suspect against Seattle.

Bottom line: DC needs 3 points to remain in the playoff race.  A loss effectively puts their hopes on life support, a draw could do the same depending on other results.  I see DC squeaking out a close 2-1 win here.

New York Red Bulls v. Real Salt Lake – 8:00 PM ET – RB Arena

Their win versus Dallas this weekend has reinvigorated a New York team that had hit a major slump.  That win basically set up this week perfectly for New York: wins versus RSL and Portland mean they have an inside track to the playoffs.  Their defense shone this weekend after some shaky recent performances but maybe the benching of Rafa Marquez has given them a spark.  The key question is will the team’s depth allow them to play at the highest possible level in back-to-back-to-back must win games, to say nothing of the rest of the season.

Real Salt Lake will be looking to repeat its 3-0 beat down of the Red Bulls in early August.  The visitors are riding a four-match winning streak and could conceivably clinch a playoff spot by Sunday if the various playoff scenarios play out.  The visitors will critically be missing Kyle Beckerman due to yellow card accumulation, and Tony Beltran will also miss this match due to an abductor strain.

Bottom line: RSL will miss Beckerman against a possibly resurrected New York side, which needs a result more than the visitors.  Still, I’m not 100% sold that NY is back on track and I think the backline will struggle against the RSL attack.  I predict a 2-2 draw on this one.

Portland Timbers v. San Jose Earthquakes – 10:30 PM ET – JELD-WEN

The quotes are flying in this one, which Lovel Palmer saying, “(this) game makes or breaks our season,” a sentiment John Spencer only somewhat disagrees with.  The Timbers are riding a four game unbeaten streak and have won three of those matches, but have only two matches left at home while playing four of their final six on the road, where their record is not quite so good.  Much like DCU needs to begin racking up wins at home, Portland needs some road wins.  Darlington Nagbe will start again after a good performance against New England, and if Kenny Cooper is hitting a hot streak, this team can score with the best of them.

San Jose is likely battling for respectability in this one, as even their home town paper is saying their playoff chances are “slimmer than a pair of skinny jeans“.  The ‘Quakes actually had the lead against Houston at the half this weekend, but gave it away to continue their slide.

Bottom line: This is an absolutely must win for Portland, and at home they will get it. 2-0 victory for the Timbers.

Jon Busch was having quite a game.  The San Jose keeper had made a few really good saves and the ‘Quakes were hanging on against Real Salt Lake.  Despite being outplayed, it looked like the home visiting team could grab a point from the match to help their playoff run.  Then in the 61st minute Alvaro Saborio was played through with a great pass and made a move to avoid the San Jose defenders.  Bobby Burling came in front of Saborio, missed the ball but looked to clip his thigh, and down went the RSL striker.  The official pointed to the spot, sent off Burling, and Real Salt Lake converted the penalty then punished the 10-men side by scoring three more goals.

Problem was, Saborio was barely touched.  He fell in the box with little to no contact and got the call.  And San Jose was mad at the time and mad after the game: “Our boys are putting the effort in up until that point,” said Busch according to the San Jose Mercury News. “It’s frustrating that a call like that changes the whole game when we are busting our tails for points right now.”

Diving has been an issue in MLS this year, most notably in regards to two questionable calls received by Charlie Davies to set up penalty kicks, including one against RSL.  Steve Davis, one of the beat’s best writers, points out that this particular incident puts Jason Kreis in an awkward spot due to his past advocacy against diving.  To his credit, Kreis has said he would talk to Saborio about the incident after re-watching a replay.

But in this case Kreis is wrong.  Diving always has been and always will be an integral part of soccer, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

When soccer fans think of diving, they think of leagues like Italy’s Serie A, where players flop and fall all over the place in hopes of duping referees into giving them calls.  Diving is one of the major reasons cited why American sports fans will not embrace soccer; it’s dishonest, cheating, and wimpy they say.  The Brazilian women’s soccer team was roundly booed by German fans in their match against the U.S. due to some questionable injuries.  And ESPN even got into the action with a funny take on the issue with a Sportscenter ad.

So why do players dive?  In his excellent book The Dark Heart of Italy, Tobias Jones links diving in Italian soccer to a deeper hatred of authority; players dive because they know the deck is stacked in favor of the big clubs and maybe, if they can convince a referee they have been fouled, it will make up for the other times the foul was not called.  It’s a matter of justice: referees are either corrupt or incompetent so it behooves a player to try and overcome this natural disadvantage.

I think we can all agree that officials in MLS can be, at times, incompetent and I am sure San Jose fans are arguing David Gantar falls into that category.  Does that justify “cheating” though?  Sports are not built on equality, but on competitive advantage.  Not all teams and players are created equal, and the “lesser” ones have to do what they can to keep up.  In some cases, this is blatantly illegal (prohibited steroids), immoral (throwing games), or both (buying off players).  But in other cases, players use human shortcomings to even an advantage.  Keepers will slowly walk by a player about to take a penalty and whisper something to unsettle them; defenders will often clip or subtly use their hands to unbalance a player when they know an official isn’t looking.  Small tricks are a part of any sport, soccer included.

Diving also isn’t for soccer alone.  Watch American football and you will see a wide receiver who can’t catch up to a pass fall if the defender makes any contact.  The best NBA players are usually those who can best “draw” fouls and act as if they have been horribly assaulted.  Even taking charges in basketball often means falling a little easier on contact than someone will admit.  We call these things the cerebral part of sports: a player knowing how to gain an advantage using the rules.  Ask Kobe Bryant when he positions his arms inside a defender to get a hand check call.

But let’s take the specific case of Saborio.  Is his dive justified?  There did look to be contact with Burling, probably not enough to cause a complete fall but a little.  Burling also ran in front of Saborio to try and block his advance, a really clumsy play that easily could have been an obvious foul.  So while the actual result was not a foul, it certainly could have been.  To wildly speculate, maybe Saborio saw what was happening and anticipated colliding with Burling, so to protect himself he positioned his body to fall.  Remember, his teammate months earlier was seriously injured while trying to score, and Saborio himself is recovering from offseason knee surgery.  His dive may have been nothing more than an attempt to protect himself from serious injury.

In a perfect world, diving would be unnecessary.  Referees would make every call correctly, players would play a graceful style of soccer, and serious injuries would be a rarity.  In reality, soccer is beset by human failings, and a smart player will use whatever is in his arsenal to counteract these frailties.  After all, we expect nothing less: if RSL had drawn that game, ink would have been spilled about their shortcomings.  In an imperfect world that demands perfection, shortcuts must sometimes be taken.  Should it go without punishment? At times, no.  But we have to admit it is a necessary and understandable part of the game.

MLS fans were treated to four games last night instead of the usual one or two, as the schedule makers begin to crowd in a few more league games in anticipation of international friendlies and late-season CONCACAF Champions League matches.  In a cool twist, all four had some playoff implications as the results had a definite impact on positioning for the playoffs and may prove critical down the stretch (although with ten teams making the playoffs that is an easy statement to make).

For those watching So You Think You Can Dance or enjoying an evening free of television, here is a recap of the action from last night.

Vancouver Whitecaps 0, Columbus Crew 1: The ‘Caps continued their miserable inaugural season with a case of what could have been, while Columbus continues to solidify a top three spot based on Jeff Cunningham’s milestone goal.  The striker scored his 133rd MLS goal in the 90th minute to not only give his team the victory, but to tie him with Jamie Moreno for the all-time lead in MLS goals.  The home team had plenty of chances in the first half, dominating possession but failing to convert, and had a great chance in the second half when Alain Rochat was dragged down in the box in the 72nd minute.  However, Terry Dunfield’s penalty was easily saved and, when Shea Salinas was sent off with a red five minutes later, it was a matter of time before the Crew would score the game winner.

New York Red Bulls 5, Toronto FC 0: On their most recent road trip, New York had a record of 0 wins, 1 loss, and 3 draws.  They took out their frustration at home against a hapless Toronto side.  Thierry Henry scored his ninth goal of the season in the 33rd minute and it was all New York from that point forward.  More coming soon from Daniel on this one.

Chivas USA 2, San Jose Earthquakes 0: This match could come back to haunt San Jose as the two teams will be battling for a wild card slot at the end of the season.  It was Robin Fraser’s decision to insert Ben Zemanski in the 58th minute that turned the tide and gave the Rojiblancos an energy boost in midfield.  His goal (seen above) in the 64th minute broke a scoreless tie and Nick LaBrocca’s strike in the 84th minute put this one out of reach for San Jose.  Speaking of the ‘Quakes, they will have to face Philadelphia this weekend without Steven Lenhart, who will miss the game due to yellow card accumulation.

Sporting Kansas City 1, Colorado Rapids 1: Colorado is quickly approaching the Chicago Fire’s tie record and Kansas City extended their unbeaten streak to 9 as these two teams battled to a draw at Livestrong Park.  Conor Casey did what he does best in scoring his goal in the 32nd minute: he used his strength to corral a long free kick and placed a shot just out of Jimmy Nielsen’s reach.  Again, it was a good substitution by a manager that made the difference, as Peter Vermes brought on C.J. Sapong in the second half for Teal Bunbury and it was the rookie Sapong who scored the equalizer.

Seven or eight games into the season and teams begin to take a hard look at their position at the table.  It’s still too early to declare teams out of the race especially with a 34 game schedule, but the table is beginning to shake out and as the next few weeks go by, teams that are underachieving find themselves farther and farther away from the playoffs or their team’s preseason goals.  At this point, management takes a hard look at the head coach and tries to figure out if a new man would make a difference and inspire the team to go on a run.

So today let’s take a look at five head coaches who are starting to feel a little warm on the bench and should either be thinking about updating their resume or shaking up the lineup.  Managers are ranked in order of how close they are to being unemployed by their current club, but feel free to vote in the poll and share your thoughts in the comments section:

5. Robert Warzycha, Columbus Crew: Early in the year, the heat was rising around Sigi Schmid’s former assistant as Warzycha had no place for Robbie Rogers, lost in the CONCACAF Champions League and looked impotent early in the season.  A team record shutout streak and a nice undefeated streak later, the heat has been turned down immensely on Warzycha.  Yet the team is walking a fine line – they are tied for the second fewest goals scored this year and their offense is still not clicking 100%.  Adrés Mendoza is still not playing up to his DP contract and if the team’s defense falters, this team could find themselves sliding down the standings.  For a franchise with such a storied history in a conference with only one dominant team, that would be unacceptable, so Warzycha is walking a fine line.

4.  Steve Nicol, New England Revolution: The Liverpool legend and once-future USMNT head coach is someone I think could make the jump to England and manage a top-flight side in the near future.  But currently his seat in Foxborough is getting a little toasty.  The Revs are a team that have seen tough times in recent years after a great run in the beginning of last decade.  With the addition of Benny Feilhaber, a scoring threat the team was seeking since the beginning of the season, they have the talent to compete for one of the three automatic playoff spots.  But remember this team went through the process of a rebuild at the beginning of the year, and if they begin to falter management may begin to look in a new direction.

3.  Peter Vermes, Sporting Kansas City: There are plenty of excuses for Sporting KC’s struggles, beginning with their extended road trip and obvious rebuilding effort.  But don’t let the excuses cloud the way this team is playing right now – they have given up the third highest number of goals and have vacillated between terrible defense with potent offense and stout defense with lacking offense.  Vermes is one of the new wave of MLS coaches who were the league’s first stars, and he may be one of the first ones to learn that being on the bench may come with more pressure than being on the field.

2. Frank Yallop, San Jose Earthquakes: The former MLS Coach of the Year is hitting hard times this season.  Arguably a goal away from making the finals last year, the ‘Quakes have stumbled badly this year.  Their offense is weak even with Wondo (they’ve scored the second fewest goals) and their last three results are arguably all bad losses (blown out by New York, beaten at home by Chivas, and 1-0 loss to 10-man Philadelphia).  This team looks disorganized and it may take a new direction to right the ship.

1.  Carlos de los Cobos, Chicago Fire: This is only the Mexican head coach’s second season, but the Fire are not showing any signs of hope.  Last season they finished fourth in a weak East and this season, despite a quick start, they have begun a slide down the standings.  The backline is reorganized practically every game, the team scores but leaks goals like a sieve, and there is no direction to the franchise.  If Chicago can’t get results in their next two very winnable games, de los Cobos may be the first manager let go.

Photo by Greg Hickman

On March 19, the Columbus Crew dejectedly walked out of RFK Stadium in Washington on the wrong side of a 3-1 game.  The team allowed two Charlie Davies goals (one a penalty kick) and looked outclassed, out played, and in for a long season.  The result came after they were shown the door from the CONCACAF Champions League by losing 4-1 to Real Salt Lake.  After an offseason where the team jettisoned many of its bigger named players to make room in the salary cap and committed to a rebuilding effort, the team looked destined for a long, long season.

A month later, Columbus sits in a playoff spot.  The team has not allowed a goal since the second Davies’ goal and this weekend held the highest-scoring team in MLS to no goals.  While not an offensive juggernaut, the team is scoring enough to get results.  So are the Crew back to their normal spot near the top of the Eastern Conference for good, or is this an illusion that will wilt away in the summer months?  The answer is, of course, not that simple.

At first glance the schedule up to this point for the Crew has been daunting, but upon closer examination looks to have been quite easy.  After the trip to DC, the Crew hosted the Red Bulls and Dallas, two 2010 playoff teams and teams expected to compete for an MLS Cup this season.  But the Crew played New York during an international break and essentially forced a draw with a “B” team, while Dallas has struggled mightily this season and is still sorting out personnel issues.  The trip to Chivas led to a scoreless draw, not surprising how bad Chivas is, and while Sporting Kansas City is promising, they have a horrendous defense to go with a great offense.  So the schedule has not been a good guidepost to the season so far, except to say the Crew don’t lose to bad teams.

One constant this season has been the defense, which should not be a surprise considering that was one area the team didn’t unload their star power.  MLS star Chad Marshall was retained and paired with a number of new players who have excelled to this point.  Julius James was picked up off the smoldering heap that was DC United’s 2010 backline and has seen a career resurgence.  Rookie Rich Balchan has started all five games and played extremely well.  In net, Will Hesmer has played very well after some uncertainty this offseason as to who would be the starter due to injuries.  The team has not allowed a goal in four matches, a team record and an incredibly accomplishment.  In their last match, Dilly Duka had as many shots on goal (2) as all of the Kansas City players combined.

Another reason for their positive play has been Robbie Rogers, their one consistent offensive threat.  The rift that existed between Rogers and head coach Robert Warzycha has seemingly been resolved; the Crew team on the pitch in DC looked lost and without a real offensive threat until Rogers stepped on the pitch.  So far this year Rogers has scored as many goals (2) as he has the past two seasons.

The upcoming schedule also should be a reason for optimism among Columbus fans.  This weekend, they visit a Toronto team in flux then host the expansion Whitecaps and struggling Sounders (although the Sounders may be finally turning their season around).  Things get tough with back-to-back trips to San Jose and Portland, but they end May by hosting Chivas.  Conceivably, the Crew should pick up at least 12 points through the end of May.

But the reason why Rogers has been so good for the Columbus offense is that the play of the Crew forwards and midfield have been terrible.  Consider that Portland scored as many goals in its home opener as the Crew have scored this season, and that two of those goals came from penalties.  Eddie Gaven has been ok but not really good up front, and while it is still early Andres Mendoza has been a disappointment.  Jeff Cunningham looks his age and fails to convert quality chances.

So can the Crew continue this run and qualify for the playoffs?  In an Eastern Conference with few clear favorites, it is not out of the realm of possibility for them to grab a top three spot if their defense continues to play well.  But for this team to challenge New York for first or even challenge a resurgent Philadelphia or DC, they need to find more consistent offense.  Without a goal scorer either emerging or being acquired this summer, Columbus could be on the outside looking in this September.

Photo by Mafue

MLS could not have asked for a better opening weekend of soccer than this weekend.  After a somewhat pedestrian first match between the Galaxy and Sounders, there were a ton of story lines to follow in this weekend’s games.  While it may be a lot to ask for every weekend to be this exciting (although we can hope) there is no doubt that this season is looking like a great one.

Just like Don Garber planned it.

Vancouver 4, Toronto 2

What a tale of two cities.  Expansion Vancouver certainly kicked off their first first-division season in style.  The fans were decked out in white as part of the “White Out”, celebrity fan Steve Nash sat among the masses and led the cheering, and the action on the pitch could not have been better for the home team.  Eric Hassli started the scoring in the 15th minute and, after Dwayne De Rosario equalized, it was all Whitecaps.  The Toronto defense was exposed and the Reds looked pretty bad; it may be worst case scenario for them at least in the near future.

For more weekend reviews…..

Colorado 3, Portland 1

I was intrigued by this match because I wanted to see how Colorado looked in their first match that counted after their MLS Cup win, as well as see how our other newest club looked.  Kenny Cooper contributed a goal (and points for my MLS fantasy team) but otherwise it was all Colorado.  The Cummings/Casey duo again looked dangerous in front of the goal, a must for the Rapids, and it was last year’s key pickup Jeff Larentowicz who got the scoring started for Colorado.  A tough first match for Portland, but their next three matches are very winnable: at Toronto, at New England, versus Chicago.

Dallas 1, Chicago 1

If you stepped away to the fridge for a beer, you missed the scoring in this one.  Milton Rodriguez for Dallas and Diego Chaves for Chicago scored within two minutes of each other, and defense carried the game.  Hats off to Dallas for selling out their stadium, after receiving so much criticism for their poor draws last year.  Let’s hope that they are building a tradition of being a tough ticket to get.  Kevin Hartman picked up where he left off last season, facing 12 shots (5 on goal) and conceding one goal.

D.C. United 3, Columbus 1

I did a story for the site on this match, but I want to make a few follow-up points.  Can any Crew fan fill me in on Robbie Rogers absence for most of the match?  He had a discernible and positive impact when he was subbed on in the 65th minute, and he may have made a difference playing the full 90.  Charlie Davies is getting the attention from this one, but the DC backline (which was horrendous last year) played very well in this match.  But with Perry Kitchen called up to the U-20s and Jed Zayner picking up an injury, their depth may be tested (find more information here).

New York 1, Seattle 0

Daniel did an excellent job covering this match for MLS Talk, so I will refer you to his analysis.  But allow me to continue heaping praise on Juan Agudelo.  The guy will be something special if he is allowed to grow properly both in a playing sense and media sense.  I also hope the European clubs dismiss him as an overrated American so he plays in MLS for a while longer.  I’d like to hear from Sounders’ fans – what can your team do to generate some goals?  Goalless now in two matches.

Real Salt Lake 1, San Jose 0

RSL is a very efficient team.  They manage only two shots on goal and that’s all they need for Kyle Beckerman to find the winner.  It was a good win in bad weather and there was nothing in this match that doesn’t make you think RSL may be the best team already.  For San Jose, they are in a tough spot like we expected.  They need to win home games against the favorites in the West to be considered playoff contenders; this match will do nothing to make anyone think that they are one of the better Western Conference teams.

Sporting KC 3, Chivas 2

Newcomers shined for Kansas City in this quality away win.  James Madison University rookie C.J. Sapong scored the first goal in the second minute and newcomer Omar Bravo added two more in this match.  Both teams should be very concerned about their defense, however.  Sporting KC allowed two goals on only four shots on goal, while Chivas obviously had some defensive lapses.  Does this match assert the Eastern Conference’s dominance over the Western Conference?  Probably not, but it is a good win for a potential playoff contender.

Philadelphia 1, Houston 0

Another match where if you turned your head you missed the goal, as Danny Califf scores off a long throw-in.  Kudos to Houston for another good crowd of almost 20,000 to begin the season, but a disappointing offensive output.  They needed some points from this match, as their next two (at Sounders, at Red Bulls) could see them trailing early in the season, never a good place to be.  The Union also needed this one, as five of their next six matches are against 2010 playoff teams and the sixth is against Vancouver.

Los Angeles 1, New England 1

Paging Mr. Angel, please pick up the white courtesy phone.  The Galaxy need him healthy or need other players in their midfield to step up if they want to create more scoring chances.  Again it was Juninho who salvaged the point for LA, and the good news for their supporters is that they have taken the early lead in the Supporters Shield race.  It is good that New England salvaged a point from this match, but they showed some concerning tendencies in the match.  Joseph’s third minute goal was their only shot on goal.  Their home opener is DC United, so that will be a good test of where they stand.

Photo by Mafue

MLS could not have asked for a better opening weekend of soccer than this weekend.  After a somewhat pedestrian first match between the Galaxy and Sounders, there were a ton of story lines to follow in this weekend’s games.  While it may be a lot to ask for every weekend to be this exciting (although we can hope) there is no doubt that this season is looking like a great one.

Just like Don Garber planned it.

Vancouver 4, Toronto 2

What a tale of two cities.  Expansion Vancouver certainly kicked off their first first-division season in style.  The fans were decked out in white as part of the “White Out”, celebrity fan Steve Nash sat among the masses and led the cheering, and the action on the pitch could not have been better for the home team.  Eric Hassli started the scoring in the 15th minute and, after Dwayne De Rosario equalized, it was all Whitecaps.  The Toronto defense was exposed and the Reds looked pretty bad; it may be worst case scenario for them at least in the near future.

For more weekend reviews…..

Colorado 3, Portland 1

I was intrigued by this match because I wanted to see how Colorado looked in their first match that counted after their MLS Cup win, as well as see how our other newest club looked.  Kenny Cooper contributed a goal (and points for my MLS fantasy team) but otherwise it was all Colorado.  The Cummings/Casey duo again looked dangerous in front of the goal, a must for the Rapids, and it was last year’s key pickup Jeff Larentowicz who got the scoring started for Colorado.  A tough first match for Portland, but their next three matches are very winnable: at Toronto, at New England, versus Chicago.

Dallas 1, Chicago 1

If you stepped away to the fridge for a beer, you missed the scoring in this one.  Milton Rodriguez for Dallas and Diego Chaves for Chicago scored within two minutes of each other, and defense carried the game.  Hats off to Dallas for selling out their stadium, after receiving so much criticism for their poor draws last year.  Let’s hope that they are building a tradition of being a tough ticket to get.  Kevin Hartman picked up where he left off last season, facing 12 shots (5 on goal) and conceding one goal.

D.C. United 3, Columbus 1

I did a story for the site on this match, but I want to make a few follow-up points.  Can any Crew fan fill me in on Robbie Rogers absence for most of the match?  He had a discernible and positive impact when he was subbed on in the 65th minute, and he may have made a difference playing the full 90.  Charlie Davies is getting the attention from this one, but the DC backline (which was horrendous last year) played very well in this match.  But with Perry Kitchen called up to the U-20s and Jed Zayner picking up an injury, their depth may be tested (find more information here).

New York 1, Seattle 0

Daniel did an excellent job covering this match for MLS Talk, so I will refer you to his analysis.  But allow me to continue heaping praise on Juan Agudelo.  The guy will be something special if he is allowed to grow properly both in a playing sense and media sense.  I also hope the European clubs dismiss him as an overrated American so he plays in MLS for a while longer.  I’d like to hear from Sounders’ fans – what can your team do to generate some goals?  Goalless now in two matches.

Real Salt Lake 1, San Jose 0

RSL is a very efficient team.  They manage only two shots on goal and that’s all they need for Kyle Beckerman to find the winner.  It was a good win in bad weather and there was nothing in this match that doesn’t make you think RSL may be the best team already.  For San Jose, they are in a tough spot like we expected.  They need to win home games against the favorites in the West to be considered playoff contenders; this match will do nothing to make anyone think that they are one of the better Western Conference teams.

Sporting KC 3, Chivas 2

Newcomers shined for Kansas City in this quality away win.  James Madison University rookie C.J. Sapong scored the first goal in the second minute and newcomer Omar Bravo added two more in this match.  Both teams should be very concerned about their defense, however.  Sporting KC allowed two goals on only four shots on goal, while Chivas obviously had some defensive lapses.  Does this match assert the Eastern Conference’s dominance over the Western Conference?  Probably not, but it is a good win for a potential playoff contender.

Philadelphia 1, Houston 0

Another match where if you turned your head you missed the goal, as Danny Califf scores off a long throw-in.  Kudos to Houston for another good crowd of almost 20,000 to begin the season, but a disappointing offensive output.  They needed some points from this match, as their next two (at Sounders, at Red Bulls) could see them trailing early in the season, never a good place to be.  The Union also needed this one, as five of their next six matches are against 2010 playoff teams and the sixth is against Vancouver.

Los Angeles 1, New England 1

Paging Mr. Angel, please pick up the white courtesy phone.  The Galaxy need him healthy or need other players in their midfield to step up if they want to create more scoring chances.  Again it was Juninho who salvaged the point for LA, and the good news for their supporters is that they have taken the early lead in the Supporters Shield race.  It is good that New England salvaged a point from this match, but they showed some concerning tendencies in the match.  Joseph’s third minute goal was their only shot on goal.  Their home opener is DC United, so that will be a good test of where they stand.