First XI: Reflections across the pond

First XI is lucky enough to be in London for Wednesday's friendly between the U.S. and England. So here's a rundown of notes heading into the showdown, which should provide American players and fans with an almost fantasy-like experience.

11. It's like a reunion: Walking through the lobby of the team hotel is like attending an MLS reunion. By my count, the U.S. has five current MLS players and 11 MLS alumni on its 22-man roster. Always great to see the likes of Eddie Lewis, who I wrote about in ESPN The Magazine's 1999 MLS Preview, where he was pictured alongside Clint Mathis, Ben Olsen, Ross Paule and C.J. Brown under the headline, "Will Play for Food."

10. Away is the way: Talking to the players, there's a thrill they'll get out of playing this match at Wembley that could never be duplicated playing a game like this on U.S. soil. And it's not just that Wembley is ... Wembley ... it's knowing that U.S. fans will be watching the game during the afternoon, while they're playing under the lights, the way they've watched so many games from Europe. It's hard to describe, but I sense they feel it will be like playing on Monday Night Football, even though it's Wednesday Afternoon Soccer. We've developed a cultural thing in the States, I believe, where soccer fans seem to know that Wednesdays at 2:30 or 3:00 is when big games are on.

9. What Beck-ons: I've been here for over a week now and can tell you that Brits are keen to know how David Beckham is doing in "The MLS." In fact, one cab driver was quick to point out to me that the Galaxy are leading the league in goals. In the lobby of my hotel on Sunday, where I was covering a golf event, I was showing anyone I could find the video clip of Beckham's empty-net goal.

8. The Holy Grail: Like the players, I'm thrilled to be making my maiden voyage to new Wembley. I never got to the original and can only list Old Trafford, Anfield, Villa Park and the no-longer-with-us Maine Road as the stadiums I've seen in England. You could actually see the disappointment in the players faces on Tuesday when they were told their training session would be at Watford as Wembley's pitch attempts to mend from playoff matches on three consecutive days. When the players walk on to the field on Wednesday, it'll be their first time on the grass. If I'm not mistaken, the only U.S. player on the current roster who's ever played on this field is Lewis.

7. Not the American way: Speaking of the playoffs, it never ceases to amaze me how thrilling it is for clubs and their fans to "move up." I've learned that the American expression that "second place is for losers" -- and all related American-isms -- is, as they say over here, rubbish. After watching three football playoff matches this weekend, where teams (and their cities) were fighting simply for the right to play at a higher level next season, I've come to the clear conclusion that there's more to life than first place. Saturday's 1-0 victory for Hull City over Bristol City was thrilling. Never in their 104-year history have Hull City's Tigers played in England's top division, but they'll get their chance next year because of a wonder goal struck by (get set for this name) Dean Windass, who is 39 years old, roughly 39 pounds overweight, and who grew up in Hull.

6. On the tee: As I stated earlier, I've been over here for a week working on a golf story and there's something really fun about working the range at a European Tour event. The players and caddies talk way more about soccer than they do about golf and it seems every player has a club he lives and dies with. Paul McGinley was talking Celtic. Paul Lawrie lives and dies with Aberdeen. Ian Poulter actually places an Arsenal flag behind his spot on the range. I watched the Champions League final with a tour vet named John Bickerton who's a devout Aston Villa fan. Oh, and by the way, I did see one youngster at the Wentworth Golf Club with his LA Galaxy jersey on ... No. 23, of course.

5. Landon at 100: Congrats are in order for Landon Donovan, who will join Joe-Max Moore, Tony Meola, Earnie Stewart, Kasey Keller, Eric Wynalda, Paul Caligiuri, Claudio Reyna, Marcelo Balboa, Jeff Agoos and Cobi Jones in the 100-cap club. He will also become the fourth-youngest player in the world to reach 100 caps for his country. Only Cha Bum-Kun (South Korea), Sami Al-Jaber (Saudi Arabia), Mohammed Al-Khilaiwi (Saudi Arabia), reached the century mark at an age young than Donovan, who turned 26 on March 4. How old does this note make you feel?

4. Was it really three years ago? Had to look twice at this one to believe it. Remember the U.S.-England match at Soldier Field? The one that England won 2-1, where Clint Dempsey scored his first international goal? I could not believe that was already three years ago. Guess time flies when you're having fun. It also made it hit home that qualifying is just around the corner, and before we know it, hopefully South Africa 2010.

3. How about? I'm even old enough to remember the U.S. beating England (no, not in 1950), 2-1 in 1993 at Foxboro Stadium, on goals by Thomas Dooley and Alexi Lalas. I went searching Youtube for a clip of that Lalas goal but it's not up yet. We'll test the powers of First XI and see how long it takes for a soccer fan to get that goal up for all of us to see. In the meantime, here's an Alexi video that'll take you down Memory Lane.

2. Over here. I must admit, much as I fancy myself as a soccer and MLS historian (kinda, sorta) I had no idea that the U.S. has only played England once in England. That was in September of 1994, and the U.S. lost 2-1. Current U.S. assistant coach and former Wizard/MetroStars/Fire player Mike Sorber went the full 90 in that one.

1. It should be fun. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes the English Premier League stars almost seem like TV stars to me, since I never get the chance to see them in person and the only time I've ever interviewed any of them was 10 years ago when I did a piece on an 18-year-old Michael Owen and also got a chance to talk to Alan Shearer and David Seaman. So, it will no doubt be thrilling to see the Americans face off against the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and John Terry, not to mention Owen and others. Enjoy the show.

Wheldon steps out of car, onto field

First XI: E-mail lessons

Guzan hopes to seize opportunity

TFC, LA both missing key pieces

TORONTO --- One of these seasons, Toronto FC fans will finally get to see a full-strength match between their club and the Los Angeles Galaxy. That match, however, won't be this Saturday.

With the international schedule in full swing, the Reds will be missing several prominent names from their lineup on the weekend. Midfielder Carl Robinson is playing for Wales in a friendly against the Netherlands on June 1. Amado Guevara will be gone for much of the next two weeks as he leads his native Honduras into its World Cup qualifying effort against Puerto Rico, as well as two friendlies. Goalkeeper Greg Sutton is playing for Canada in a friendly against Brazil in Seattle on May 31, and maybe also play in a June 4 friendly against Panama.

Defender Jim Brennan, who has 43 caps for Canada, will also play for his national team in the June 4 match, but asked out of the Brazil game in order to stay with TFC.

"Seeing as we're missing a lot of players, I didn't feel it was right for myself to go out there and play that game and leave us a bit short here," Brennan said. "Dale [Team Canada head coach Dale Mitchell] was very good about it. Sutts had to go since I think they were lacking a little bit in that department, but [Mitchell] said I could just come down to the Panama game."

In additional to internationals, Toronto has also been bitten by the injury bug. Danny Dichio and Tyrone Marshall are both questionable for Saturday's match due to nagging injuries. Dichio came out of Tuesday's CONCACAF Champions' League qualifier against Montreal after 41 minutes due to a groin injury that has bothered the striker for the past several weeks.

Marshall, meanwhile, missed the Montreal game after being taken off in last Saturday's 3-2 loss to D.C. United. TFC head coach John Carver said Marshall was battling both a hamstring strain and a possible foot infection. Carver said both Marshall and Dichio would be re-evaluated on Friday.

With all of these absences plus Laurent Robert's suspension after being sent off in injury time of the D.C. game, there are suddenly several holes in what had been a very stable Reds lineup. It is reminiscent of the Galaxy's only other visit to BMO Field, last August 5. TFC was missing several regulars with injuries, but still played well in a one-sided 0-0 draw.

The situation won't be as dire this season when Los Angeles comes to town. Carver said his club has been preparing for such a scenario of international duty colliding with the team's fitness, particularly since the L.A. game will be TFC's fifth match in a 15-day span. Carver said he doesn't expect much of an adjustment period for the new faces in the starting XI.

"I think the guys who are coming into the system ... have been on the bench waiting for a chance," Carver said. "We don't do anything different to what the first team does in the reserve team, so they understand how we want to play. It shouldn't be much of a difference."

Carver pointed out that some of the reserve players will be motivated by what in some cases is their first extended game action of the season, and by their desire to steal a spot in the lineup. He noted that defender Olivier Tebily, who came on for Marshall last Saturday and played the full 90 minutes in Montreal, has already earned more playing time.

"I thought [Tebily] was our best player [against Montreal]," Carver said. "I thought he was outstanding. Again, here's another player who's been waiting for an opportunity ... if somebody comes in and plays well, they keep the shirt. I don't care who it is or who they are, they keep the shirt. Olly, for me, has done enough to keep the shirt."

Tebily seems set for another start at center back, while Brian Edwards will make his second start of the season at goalkeeper. Up front, TFC will likely play a traditional two-striker formation in the absence of attacking midfielder Guevara, which means forwards Jeff Cunningham and Jarrod Smith will see the field, especially if Dichio isn't fit.

Maurice Edu will return after his own international duty with the United States, and will probably be joined in the midfield by Kevin Harmse and Todd Dunivant, the two likeliest candidates to fill in for Robinson and Robert in the midfield.

Dunivant, for his part, is ready to contribute. The veteran has 122 starts in his six-year MLS career, but just one start and 129 minutes this season. Dunivant has accepted his reduced role as a by-product of the team's success, but is still itching to prove himself worthy of being a starter once again.

"I'm out here training every day. I'll be ready to go when the time comes," Dunivant said. "When things are going right, why switch it up, you know? But it's a long season and being a veteran, I know you're going to need all the guys to play. There's going to be injuries, there's going to be international duty, and so you'll need a full squad like you'll see this week. It's not easy being on the sidelines, but roles change throughout the year and I don't plan on staying there."

While TFC won't have its ideal lineup on Saturday, things are far from gloomy on the Toronto side. The Reds have an unbeaten 3-0-2 record at BMO Field this season and haven't lost a home match since Sept. 22, 2007. Toronto also won their first match of the season against Los Angeles, a 3-2 result on April 13.

And, while the Reds are missing several key players, the Galaxy will be without a major piece of their attack in David Beckham. The midfielder is scheduled to play for his native England in a friendly against Trinidad & Tobago on June 1. It will be the second consecutive year that Beckham has missed a date at BMO Field. Last year's game on August 5 was supposed to be Beckham's first official MLS game with L.A., but an ankle injury delayed his league debut to August 18.

Toronto fans might have to wait until the MLS All-Star Game on July 24 to see Beckham on the BMO Field pitch. Carver, for his part, isn't too upset about missing the English superstar.

"I'm disappointed for the fans and the ladies in the crowd," Carver joked. "But I'm absolutely over the moon that he's not here because he's a top player. We saw that [in England's 2-0 friendly win over the United States] with the service he provided for John Terry's goal. Deep inside I'm delighted he's not here."

Toronto still winless at RFK

Competition intense in friendly

FCD's 'Bird Man' starts to take flight

FRISCO, Texas -- Known as the "Bird Man," FC Dallas forward Dominic Oduro is flying high at the moment. The 22-year-old native of Ghana comes off the first two-goal performance of his MLS career on Saturday night against Real Salt Lake that led to a 2-1 win at Pizza Hut Park, FCD's first triumph in the month of May.

Oduro's brace last weekend came after he scored the Hoops' lone goal in the 5-1 loss to the L.A. Galaxy the Sunday before. In just those two games, Oduro has already equaled his season high for goals, which he set last year in 29 games, 10 of those as a starter.

A second-round pick (22nd overall) in the 2006 SuperDraft, the former Virginia Commonwealth standout has made big strides since his rookie campaign.

"I think I've really developed and come very far," Oduro said. "I think that I continue to work on it but won't stop because there's always room for improvement. Hopefully, I will keep getting better and better."

Oduro's second tally in the 91st minute against RSL, that proved to be the game winner, was nominated for Sierra Mist Goal of the Week. But he didn't enter the match until the 65th minute as a substitute, something he has done in all six matches he has played so far in the 2008 season.

Oduro, however, is not content just to play the role of "super-sub."

"That's a good thing, for me to be able to come in and run at defenses when they're tired," he said. "But as a player, that's not a dream for me because I don't want to be coming off the bench the whole time. If I'm given more time, which hopefully I will, then I think I can get some more out of it. It's great to come off the bench to score goals but it's my dream to be in the starting 11. I'm looking forward to it."

He scored his first goal in the 83rd minute, a tally which drew the match level after RSL's Fabian Espindola put the visitors ahead 1-0 in the 69th minute. Oduro did a somewhat subdued version of his Bird Man goal celebration after that goa, but after the second, he ripped his shirt off in jubilation.

"I didn't do it (the celebration) in the L.A. game because we were down 4-0 and I didn't think that was a good time to do it," Oduro said. "In the Salt Lake game, I did it after the first goal but didn't do it after the second goal because it was just a great relief. After what happened when Steve Morrow left, I think the group was down a little bit. After that second goal, I wasn't even thinking about the Bird Man, I was focused on us winning. It's still here and hopefully, I will score more goals and we will see it more."

Oduro's performance might have earned him a spot in the starting 11 for Wednesday's match against two-time defending MLS Cup champion Houston, where he could start up top alongside Kenny Cooper, who leads FCD with five goals. His teammates have clearly noticed how well the Bird Man is playing.

"He's been playing great," FCD defender Drew Moor said. "He's just so dangerous. I hate training against him and as a defender of an opposing team, I would hate playing against him because he's so fast, is a threat and his feet are getting better."

Moor has definitely seen a different Oduro than what he saw in 2006, when he was an MLS rookie.

"I think when he first came here, people would criticize him when he was on the ball," he said. "But he's cleaned that up and is an extremely dangerous forward right now. The way that he's playing right now, we need to ride stuff like that. He's getting us goals and points. We want him to keep that up."

FCD can’t find answers for Galaxy

Galaxy attack explodes in rout of FCD

Dynamo pressure results in victory

Return to first overdue for Galaxy

CARSON, Calif. -- When the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Kansas City Wizards 3-1 over the weekend, it was more than just a rare win for the Western Conference against an Eastern Conference foe. It also pushed the Galaxy into first place in the conference -- a place where they haven't been since early in the 2005 campaign.

For a team that has missed the MLS Cup Playoffs the past two seasons and has finished below .500 in each of those years, it's certainly nice to be back on top. But complacency isn't about to set in down amongst the Galaxy. While it's nice to be playing well right now, there are still a lot of games left to be played.

"(First place) means nothing right. We don't look at the table so much," said Galaxy head coach Ruud Gullit. "It feels good for the players. There are a lot of games left. We know this is going to be a long season."

If history is any lesson, it's been proven that how a team is playing in the first few months of the season has very little to do with who wins the MLS Cup in November. Still, being on top early has its advantages in the long run.

"It's means we're playing well lately, but (being in first place) means very little to be quite honest. We want to keep playing well. We want to keep gaining points," said Chris Klein. "What this team showed last year is that you can't give away points early because you get to the last game of the season and you may need them."

While it is still very early in the season, this year's Galaxy team is looking much better than the past two seasons. The team's relative health can be attributed to the good start, especially when it comes to David Beckham, who is enjoying his first full season with the Galaxy.

"The biggest thing is David's healthy. That just gives us another soccer player with a good mind and good brain that can play," said Landon Donovan. "Obviously other people need to play, but the more soccer players you have on the field that know how to play, the easier it is."

It's not just Beckham's health either. Barring any injuries this week, when the Galaxy travel to Toronto this weekend for their next league game, the only player unavailable due to injury will be reserve goalie Charles Alamo. That's a far cry from last season, when the Galaxy locker room looked more like a triage unit than a soccer team.

As good as they are playing right now, there is the potential for them to come crashing down to earth in a hurry. Several of the Galaxy's regulars, including Donovan, Beckham and a recently healthy Carlos Ruiz, will miss time with international duty this summer. How that affects the team remains to be seen, yet even there is a dip in form, it seems unlikely that this club will get knocked off of its even keel.

"A few years back Columbus went like 20 games without losing and then lost in the first round of the playoffs. That's the way this league is," said Donovan. "The key is to get into the playoffs and hopefully be playing well at the end of the year."

Galaxy looking for scoring balance

Crew oust RSL from U.S. Open Cup

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Crew continued their hot 2008 on Tuesday night, this time topping Real Salt Lake 2-0 at Crew Stadium in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in match. The Black-and-Gold got goals from rookie Steven Lenhart in the first half and Robbie Rogers in the second half to take a step closer to the U.S. Open Cup field.

With the victory, Columbus advances to play the Chicago Fire in both teams' final play-in match on June 10.

Both Columbus and RSL have extra busy schedules this week, playing three matches in seven days. With the extra game in mind, Crew head coach Sigi Schmid mixed a few new faces in his lineup, hoping to keep some of his players fresh. Lenhart, a 2008 MLS SuperDraft pick from Azuza Pacific University got the start at forward in his first appearance with the first team.

The Crew opened the game by booting the ball long down the left sideline. Rogers used his speed to track it down just before it rolled over the end-line, sending a cross back to Crew forward Adam Moffat. Moffat ripped a shot but had it blocked by the Real Salt Lake defense. The rebound bounced out to Emmanuel Ekpo, who too saw his shot blocked by the Real defense, keeping RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando's net safe for the moment.

Lenhart would make Schmid's decision to start him look good in the 26th minute. Ryan Junge took a deep throw-in for the Black-and-Gold and tossed it into a dangerous area of the box. Crew forward Alejandro Moreno went up to battle for the header but two RSL defenders collided with him and each other, knocking the ball loose. Lenhart sprang into action and beat everyone to the spot, unleashing a low, hard and gave the Crew the lead when Rimando couldn't handle it.

The Crew looked to double the lead in the first half, attacking often. Lenhart had a chance to sneak past the defense and double his tally but was caught offside. Rimando seiezed the opportunity to counter-attack and started his team back in a hurry, but the Crew defense was able to get back just in time to thwart the RSL attack.

As the second half opened tempers began to flair a bit on the field. In the 49th minute, RSL midfielder Dema Kovalenko collided with Ekpo while battling for a loose ball near the endline. A foul was called on Ekpo and, as both players got up off the ground, an exchange of shoves ensued along with some words, after which Kovalenko tossed the ball at Ekpo, hitting him in the face. Referee Jeff Gontarek held a conference with his line judge and dismissed Kovalenko with a straight red card, sending RSL a man down.

Rogers continued his campaign for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team by netting another scorcher of goal in the 53rd minute. This time the 21-year-old winger stood 25 yards from goal, rolled the ball to his preferred right foot and blasted a rope to the far post. Rimando could not react in time to reach the well struck ball, and the Crew had a two goal lead.

Going a man down almost seemed to open up the attack a little more for Real Salt Lake, as they began to work the ball forward better than they did with 11 players. Schmid gave the start in goal for the Crew to Andy Gruenebaum, who was barely tested in the first half. The second half was a different story as RSL began to throw players forward down two goals. Gruenebaum made diving saves in both the 61st and 71st minutes, first to stop Kyle Beckerman and the second to keep Andy Williams out of the net.

Gruenebaum and the Crew defense continued to hold their lines and keep the RSL attack out of the net through the final few minutes of the game, giving the Black-and-Gold the shutout and a ticket to the next round of U.S. Open Cup play.

Unlikely heroes shine for Columbus

RSL again can’t find mix on road

Quakes’ offense awakens in loss

Dynamo force draw with FC Dallas

FRISCO, Texas -- On two occasions, FC Dallas drew ahead but they couldn't hold their leads and had to settle for a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo before 8,541 fans Wednesday night at Pizza Hut Park.

The Hoops got a first half goal from Kenny Cooper and another from Drew Moor in the second. But both times, Houston answered. First it was Corey Ashe in the 59th and then it was Dwayne DeRosario in the 93rd minute.

Both sides finished with 10 men after Houston's Eddie Robinson got his second yellow of the game in the 80th minute and FCD's Andre Rocha was shown a straight red after a pushing match between Robinson and Saragosa inside the Houston box. Saragosa also got a yellow for his role.

Cooper's tally, his team-leading sixth of the year, was assisted by Pablo Ricchetti. After Houston forward Kyle Brown was called offside, Ricchetti took the restart near midfield and floated a great ball to Cooper, who was on the left flank and about 20 yards from goal.

The Dallas native corralled the ball with his right heel and then dribbled about three yards inside the box with Houston's Craig Waibel in pursuit. Cooper then hit a curling ball that landed in the right side of the net just past an outstretched Pat Onstad to give the home side a 1-0 edge.

As for Ashe's goal, the first of his MLS career, it came after some great ball movement by two of the Dynamo's marquee players. Dwayne De Rosario worked his way free and dashed up the right flank before sending a great ball to Brian Ching inside the FCD box. The Houston striker trapped the ball beautifully before spotting Ashe on the left side. Ashe then pounded it into the left side of the goal to tie the match at 1-1.

FCD struck pay dirt again in the 69th when Moor headed one home for his first goal of the year. Rocha got his fifth assist of the year after serving in a great corner from the near flag. Moor, who was left unmarked from about 10 yards out, headed the ball perfectly, which bounced before going into the right side of the net.

But the Orange weren't finished. After Ashe hit a great cross from the right flank in the 93rd minute, Ching got off a header that was saved by Sala. The rebound fell to the feet of DeRosario, who punched it home for the equalizer.

Both sides were forced to make several changes to their starting 11. With starting left back and team captain Wade Barrett unable to because of a left adductor strain, Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear inserted Craig Waibel into his spot.

Kinnear also inserted rookie Geoff Cameron in at right back and moved Richard Mulrooney to the central midfield to take the spot of Ricardo Clark, who is away with the U.S. National Team. Up top, the Dynamo gave Brown his first start since joining the team on March 4 after being claimed off waivers from Colorado.

FCD interim head coach Marco Ferruzzi also made several changes to his starting 11 from a 2-1 win on Saturday over Real Salt Lake. At left center back, Adrian Serioux returned after missing the RSL game on suspension for a red card he received after a hard tackle on L.A. midfielder David Beckham in a 5-1 loss on May 18.

Blake Wagner, who just returned from playing for the U.S. Under-23 team at the Toulon Tournament in France, returned for the Hoops at left wingback, replacing Anthony Wallace. Also, Andre Rocha moved from the central midfield to the right flank with Saturday starter Bobby Rhine serving a suspension following a first half red card. Ferruzzi also put 2007 MLS All-Star Juan Toja back into the starting 11 in the midfield. And Dominic Oduro, who has scored all three of FCD's goals in the last two games, started up top for Abe Thompson.

It was actually FCD who got the first chance of the game when Cooper got a nice look in the seventh minute but saw his attempt go high and wide right over the Houston goal and Onstad.

In the 11th minute, Mulrooney took the first corner of the game for the visitors from the far flag. A perfectly-placed ball landed at the feet of Stuart Holden but his shot was saved by FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala at the left post.

Three minutes later, Holden nearly capitalized on a miscue by the Hoops backline. Holden got the ball well inside the FCD box but his shot went wide left. In the 18th, Holden was issued a yellow card after a hard foul on FCD's Marcelo Saragosa near the midfield.

After a 19th-minute shot by Toja went wide right, the home side blew a golden opportunity when in the 26th minute, Cooper found some room on the left flank and sent a great left-footed cross through the box. Saragosa was streaking unmarked toward the far post and had a great look at the net, but the Brazilian midfielder chose to try and hit it with his left foot, didn't hit the ball squarely and the shot went wide right.

Houston midfielder Dwayne De Rosario lined up to take a free kick for the visitors in the 29th minute about 30 yards from goal but his shot went high. Another effort by the Canadian international in the 37th sailed to the left of goal.

About seven minutes after the goal, the Dynamo attack finally looked to awaken. Holden had a shot deflected in the 41st, just before Mulrooney, who was with FCD in 2005 and 2006, hit a great shot from long range in the 42nd that was saved by Sala but went over the endline.

Houston nearly converted on the ensuing corner, which was also taken by Mulrooney. His kick was headed at the left post and then landed at Robinson's feet but his shot at the equalizer went high.

Just before the first half whistle, Cooper shot one wide right. At the break, Houston had eight shots to FCD's five. One shot was on frame for each side in the opening 45 minutes.

Both coaches had to go to their benches early in the second half. Houston brought on Ashe for Brian Mullan to start the second half after Mullan complained about feelings of exhaustion at halftime.

Ferruzzi also had to make an early sub when captain Duilio Davino left the pitch in the 47th for Aaron Pichkolan. Davino had been kicked in the first half and suffered a right ankle injury. Ricchetti took the captain's armband for the Hoops as he left the field.

After being quiet for the entire first half, Ching was finally heard from in the 48th minute. It wasn't much of a chance and he wasn't able to muster a serious bid at a tying goal and his shot went high. In the 57th, Robinson was shown yellow for a deliberate handball.

FCD had a great chance to pull ahead again in the 60th minute. Toja showed great pace in dribbling up the left flank and sent a great cross toward Ricchetti, who was just in front of the Houston goal. Toja's ball hit Ricchetti in the back and Onstad had the presence of mind to swat the ball away and out of danger.

In the 75th, DeRosario made another bid to find the back of the net but this time was thwarted by Sala. In the 76th, a Houston corner by Brad Davis was brought down by Cameron but his shot went wide right.

Both sides return to action this weekend. Houston hosts New York at Robertson Stadium on Saturday night while FCD travels to Colorado to face the Rapids at Dicks Sporting Goods Park on Sunday afternoon.

Dynamo settle for draw with Chivas

Dynamo on unlucky side of draw

Dynamo breathe easy after first win

Unlikely heroes shine for Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Columbus Crew Sigi Schmid has always believed that his squad had quality depth beyond the starting 11. After Tuesday night, he has some evidence to back that claim up.

Fielding a lineup that featured a number of usual Reserves and left several notable stars on the bench, the Columbus Crew opened their 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup season with a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake at Crew Stadium. MLS rookie Steven Lenhart netted the lone first half goal and Robbie Rogers struck a boomer in the second to round out the scoring for the night. The win moves the Crew into the next round of play-in games against the Chicago Fire.

"It was their mixed line-up against our mixed line-up so it was comparable," Schmid said. "But that's the thing I've been saying -- I think we have some depth and we have people that come off the bench and can play, and I think that's shown tonight."

"I thought Steve [Lenhart] played well," said Schmid. "He got some good chances and he scored a decent goal. With a little more composure at certain times he may have had two or three goals."

The Crew's final selection of the 2008 SuperDraft, Lenhart had never lived far from his native California before joining the Crew - choosing to stay in-state and attend Azuza Pacific. Upon hearing that her son was making his first start with the senior club, his mother flew to Ohio for Tuesday's match.

"My mom actually ended up coming to the game. She flew out from California so I had to go up there to say Hi to her," said an obviously excited Lenhart, who did indeed make trips to the corner where his mother was sitting after both his goal and the end of the game.

Perhaps more impressive than Lenhart's night were the nights of reserve defensive backs Jed Zayner and Ryan Junge. With reserve goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum in goal, the Crew only fielded two normal starters in the back five.

"All the guys that filled in did a great job today keeping the zero and limiting their chances," said Chad Marshall of the mix-matched back line.

"Anytime you get a shutout and you have three out of five players in the back are guys that haven't played any minutes, I think it's great," said Danny O'Rourke who, along with Marshall, was the only regular in the back five. "I think Andy played well, apart from trying to take me out of the game."

While barely tested in the first half, Gruenebaum was called upon several times in the second half, most notably on a Kyle Beckerman header from closer range.

"It feels good just to be on the field in a big game, finally," said Gruenebaum. "Reserve games are fine as well, but that felt more like a bigger game so it was good."

After losing the man early in the second half, the field opened up a little bit for RSL, on both ends. While they were working the ball forward much more than the first half, they did not get enough guys back to cover the speedy Robbie Rogers, who netted the cushion goal in the 53rd minute. This time the Crew's leading scorer did not use his speed, but the strength of his right foot, firing a blast off the right post and past Salt Lake 'keeper Nick Rimando.

Rogers tagged his goal Tuesday night his favorite, so far, of the young year.

"Maybe that was my goal so far this season, for me at least," Rogers said. "I didn't score in the last two games in league, so it's nice to get back on track."

Coach Schmid spoke highly of his young winger, who is improving his chances of getting a ticket to the 2008 Olympic Games with every goal he scores.

"We talked about it after the last game and said, 'Everything was good in the last game but you didn't get any shots. You need to shoot,' and so tonight, especially after he scored the goal, I think he tried to shoot everything that came to him," Schmid said. "He's a player that every game, if he gets three or four shots, he's going to get goals. It's not just the goals, he's confident with the ball. He's confident taking people on."

Stoic Moreno providing Crew big lift

Crew show toughness in earned draw

Crew look to reassert dominance

Rapids' impressive grit opens doors

CARSON, Calif. -- Tuesday was a night of triumphant returns and stellar debuts for the Colorado Rapids, but more importantly it was the first of several possible important steps for the visiting side.

Behind Conor Casey's goal and Preston Burpo's goalkeeping, the Rapids beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match at The Home Depot Center on Tuesday. With the victory, Colorado moves on to Kansas City for a match on June 4 that will determine a participant in the tournament proper.

"It wasn't necessarily the prettiest game but we hung in there and found a way to win," Casey said. "It was a great feeling to be able to contribute directly to that too."

Casey is recovering from a knee injury and has not played much since the end of 2007. Casey has seen just six minutes during the regular season and in fact was not supposed to have played more than one half on Tuesday, Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo said.

But the former Bundesliga player showed his worth throughout the match.

"We expected 45 minutes to be truthful," Clavijo said. "He might be physically fit to play but mentally it could take a bit longer. He's a completely different player. He holds the ball extremely well and it allowed us to get forward and again we're not in sync yet with him but overall I think he did very well."

For his part, Casey said his fitness held out well despite his long layoff.

"I was tired in the end but just tried to keep working. My legs carried me about 80 and that was enough." Casey said.

If his legs got him to the 80th minute, then his will carried him for two more crucial minutes. In the 82nd minute, Terry Cooke swung a ball into the penalty area from the right flank. The rest, Casey said, was textbook finishing.

"Cookie whipped in a great ball and I was able to get my timing right and get in between defenders and get my head on it, get a piece of it and go to the back post," Casey said. "That's really it."

The match was also the first-team debut for Burpo, who played in a reserve match on Sunday. Burpo was in San Jose a week ago but joined Colorado in a trade that saw Kelly Gray and Jovan Kirovski head to Northern California. With first-choice 'keeper Bouna Coundoul in Senegal with his national team, Burpo seemingly has the reins for quite a while to come.

"That's just the way it goes," Burpo said. "Bouna went to Senegal. I'm expecting to play here the next month. From there we'll see what happens."

Burpo escaped some harrowing moments in the first half. Edson Buddle lined up a shot midway through the first half that forced Burpo into a diving save. Burpo stopped the ball but the rebound hit the right post, bounced off Burpo's back and hit the post again before crossing the end line.

But the Rapids dodged a bullet in the 41st minute when Carlos Ruiz launched a ball from the center circle on goal. The ball carried over Burpo's head but again hit the post.

"There were a couple hectic moments, a couple panic-button moments," Burpo said. "The Ruiz thing, yeah, it wasn't like I was falling asleep. I wasn't asleep. He turned and banged it. As it went past me, I'm thinking 'I could be in trouble.' As I turned around, it hit the post again. That's just the way it goes, luckily."

Despite not having spent much time with the club, Burpo said the move from San Jose to Colorado has been rather effortless.

"I know the guys in the league. I know who they are. It's been an easy transition," Burpo said. "I got a reserve game in against Chivas and played with the first team tonight. The guys have been good with me and they've been accepting. Things have been good so far."

Colorado trotted out just two players who started against Chivas USA on Saturday. Christian Gomez did not travel with the Rapids as Clavijo chose instead to use younger players against Los Angeles.

The move paid off.

"We have a very talented roster. We don't really have a superstar so we have a very hard-working team," Clavijo said. "You look at some of the younger players... that come in from our reserve system, and you give them an opportunity. I thought we put in a very competitive team out there."

Rapids take command of West

Dynamo earn first victory of 2008

RSL again can't find mix on road

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No matter the competition, Real Salt Lake just can't seem to find the right mix on the road.

RSL's struggles away from Rice-Eccles Stadium continued Tuesday night in a 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in match at Crew Stadium. Real still has not won a match on the road since the start of the 2008 MLS season, and with Tuesday's loss was eliminated from Open Cup play.

"We are in a bit of a road slump," RSL captain Kyle Beckerman said after the game. "We just can't find answers right now. The fight is there, the right attitude is there. We will keep working at it and hopefully it will come around soon."

Head coach Jason Kreis saw reason for encouragement from his side, pointing specifically to the way Salt Lake responded following midfielder Dema Kovalenko's red card early in the second half. Kovalenko got into a scuffle with the Crew's Emmanuel Ekpo, ultimately throwing the ball in Ekpo's face following an exchange of shoves and words.

"From our standpoint, we have to try and look at some of the positives from the match," Kreis said after the game. "It could be space or it could just be a little bit about attitude," Kreis said of his team. "They realized they were going to have to work a little harder and show for each other a little bit more."

Goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who shined in the second half in the face of constant Columbus pressure, is also not ready to worry about RSL's long-term outlook just yet in the face of their road struggles.

"Absolutely, we will put this behind us," Rimando said. "We will add up all the plusses [of this match] and pretty soon we will get a full game and some victories on the road."

As it seems, the near future is not cutting any slack for RSL. They will catch a flight out of Ohio tomorrow to head back home for this Saturday's match with San Jose.

"We are only going to have basically one training session before this weekend...right now all our guys are focusing on Saturday," commented Kreis on the unforgiving schedule.

Rimando, along with his teammates, knows the importance of every game in conference play.

"Every game we go in to win, especially for the confidence [that winning brings]. Every point you get gives you confidence for the next game."

Crew look to reassert dominance

RSL lets shot at first place slip away

Dube, Revs steal share of MLS lead

COLUMBUS -- Kheli Dube scored the only goal of the match in the 89th minute to give the New England Revolution a 1-0 victory against Eastern Conference leaders Columbus Crew on Saturday night at Crew Stadium.

Dube poked home the rebound after William Hesmer saved a Shalrie Joseph penalty kick. Steve Ralston drew the foul after Ezra Hendrickson lunged in on the veteran playmaker and caught his foot as he dribbled across the top of the penalty area.

The result didn't reflect the chances Columbus created, but the Revs improved in the second half and looked likely to earn a point before Hendrickson's tackle dropped all three into their laps with a minute left in regular time to bring the Revs into a tie for the Eastern Conference lead with the Crew.

Crew midfielder Adam Moffat trained this week after returning from a right knee injury, but coach Sigi Schmid opted to keep Brad Evans in central midfield. New England head coach Steve Nicol named the same side in back-to-back games for the first time all season.

The two teams struggled to create incisive chances in the opening stages, though Crew winger Robbie Rogers drew multiple fouls in the attacking third with his ability to run into the spaces permitted by the Revolution's three-man backline.

But those free kicks went astray as Guillermo Barros Schelotto failed to find touch in the opening stages. When not over a free kick, Barros Schelotto threatened with his passing and lashed a volley just over the bar.

New England emerged into the game after a quarter of an hour, earning a free kick at the edge of the penalty area that saw Mauricio Castro's effort diverted out for a corner kick by Ezra Hendrickson.

Columbus' pressure yielded the match's first real chance after 26 minutes. Brian Carroll sent Frankie Hejduk deep into the corner and Hejduk's skimming cross to the near post found Alejandro Moreno. The Venezuelan striker did well to turn the ball into the near post, forcing a smart save from Revolution keeper Matt Reis.

Eddie Gaven went close soon afterwards after nicking the ball from a ponderous Shalrie Joseph in midfield. Gaven's run took him to the edge of the penalty area before he dragged his shot inches wide of the near post.

New England had a pair of free kicks before the half ended, the second of which drew the Crew's ire after Gaven looked to be headed clear only for a late whistle drew the play back for a Hejduk tackle.

Gaven created an opening for Moreno soon after the break. Barros Schelotto played Gaven through and watched the right winger slide a ball across for Moreno. The expected effort on goal never came after Moreno couldn't get the ball out of his feet.

While Columbus continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides, New England improved after the break by winning more of the 50-50 battles in the midfield and attempting to spring the ball wide. Halftime substitute Sainey Nyassi drove an effort just wide after wriggling free inside the penalty area as the Revs tried to cement their resurgence with a goal.

The Crew never relented and the impressive Rogers continued to urge his team forward. His cross found Hejduk at the far post and the Crew captain's volley flew over the bar.

Better chances would present themselves for the home side. Gaven met Hejduk's cross at the near post and forced Reis into a diving one-handed save. Minutes later, Moreno slammed his close-range effort off the right post after Hendrickson bounced his header from a Barros Schelotto free kick across the face of goal.

Late luck shined on the Revs after Hendrickson brought down Ralston and Hesmer's save fell right to Dube to tap home at the far post to give the Revs a late victory.

The Crew nearly grabbed a late equalizer when Rogers picked out Evans with a well-weighted cross, but his header flashed just over the bar.

Revs’ early offense dooms Quakes

Homecoming extra sweet for Burling

CARSON, Calif. -- It took more than one year for Bobby Burling to crack the Chivas USA starting lineup as the budding central defender toiled as an unused reserve since joining the club in April 2007.

Now that he has played consecutive 90-minute matches for the Red-and-White, it's only fitting he goes home to commemorate his major step forward.

When Chivas USA plays Colorado on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Burling will have a chance to play before loved ones some 40 miles from where he spent most of his teenage years.

"I'm really excited to say the least," Burling said. "I should have lots of families and friends there."

With injuries ravaging Chivas USA, Burling has finally received his opportunity to play. He made his MLS debut in a 2-1 loss to New England on May 11 and went the distance against D.C. United on Saturday.

Though he said he had some "natural first-game jitters" against the Revolution, playing against D.C. United was a much calmer situation for him.

"The second game was a lot better. We got a win too which was real nice," Burling said. "I definitely feel a little more comfortable now and looking forward to getting on the road."

Claudio Suarez and Shavar Thomas have each been hampered by hamstring injuries while fullbacks Jonathan Bornstein and Lawson Vaughn have also been sidelined with injuries until mid- to late June.

The absences have given Burling a chance to play. While the transition from playing in reserve games and simply training to playing with the first team in a regular-season match might have been difficult, for Burling the move went rather smoothly.

"A lot of these guys have been doing this a while and have helped me through most everything on the field," he said, "guys like Jesse (Marsch) and Ante (Razov), playing with Jim Curtin, Shavar, everyone is talking me through things and helping me out a little more. It helps a lot. It means so much more when it's in a game. It settles me down."

More importantly, Burling said he feels like an equal on and off the field because the atmosphere in the locker room allows for it.

"All the guys are real supportive. The locker room in this team is really tight," he said. "There are no cliques or anything. No one puts each other on a pedestal or anything so that makes it easier to when you step on the field with these guys."

While Burling's main task now is to focus on opposing forwards and man the club's backline, his job was quite a bit different in college. With Loyola Marymount University, Burling was a forward. But Chivas USA coaches moved him to defense upon inking him to a developmental contract in April 2007.

At 6-foot-5, Burling can be imposing figure on the defense. Finding his way on the backline has been aided by coaches and fellow defenders but also at home, with his older brother's tutelage.

Jimmy Burling has served as Bobby's mentor and confidant for years. The two played together on the same club teams and wound up playing for LMU together. The brothers live together now and Jimmy, who was a defender in his playing days, routinely gives Bobby pointers on marking and playing defense.

"We're pretty close and it's nice to share all those years playing with him," Bobby said.

Burling's ultimate personal goal is to land a senior roster spot and continue moving his career forward. The only way to do that is seemingly to play impress in regular season games, and Burling at least now has the opportunity.

"It is a grind. I'll be the first to say that. You ask other guys on the team and they'll say it too. The goal is to make the roster at some point," he said. "This is my second year ... and it feels rewarding to be on the field."

Houston homecoming goes awry

United hopes to shake road woes

Chivas hope to use win as springboard

Guzan hopes to seize opportunity

CARSON, Calif. -- When the United States national team takes the field against England at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday, Chivas USA might have a presence.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan is with the United States national team with the hope of playing in his second U.S. match of the year.

"It's an awesome opportunity and an awesome honor to be involved with the national team," Guzan said. "Anytime you are involved with the national team it's a big deal and to be able to be part of the team and being able to play England at Wembley, it should be exciting and it should be fun and hopefully we'll get over there and get it going."

Following Saturday's match in Colorado, Guzan left the club to join up with his country. Guzan joined former Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley and former club goalkeeper coach Zak Abdel in London. While his familiarity with the two former Chivas USA coaches likely helps, whether Guzan's opportunity to play arrives on Wednesday or future matches likely depends on his league form and what he shows in training more than anything else.

Guzan is also in the mix for U.S. games against Spain (June 4) and Argentina (June 8). If and when his number is called, Guzan said he would be prepared. And really, he said there was only one thing he could do to ensure his inclusion on the squad.

"Continue to work hard. If the opportunity is given, you've got to be able to get a hold of it and prove you belong there," Guzan said. "Whether it's this game or a later game, a game in two years if that's my next call up or whenever, anytime you are with the national team you continue to try and prove yourself to the coaching staff and prove you belong there."

Guzan has proved he belongs on the international level while starring for Chivas USA. A year ago, Guzan capped off a brilliant individual campaign by winning the 2007 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award. He also played in Copa America for the United States. This year, he shut out Sweden on Jan. 19 as the U.S. won 2-0.

However, his form in league had been shaky at the start of the season. Guzan yielded four goals at Columbus and five goals to the Los Angeles Galaxy as the club sputtered out to a 1-4-2 start. But Guzan and Chivas USA have recovered as the Red-and-White has won consecutive matches with the fourth-year goalkeeper having played a key role in each game.

During the season's low points, though, Guzan did not doubt his ability or his stance on the national team.

"During those tough times you try and get back to what you're good at, try to get back into that groove," Guzan said. "There was never a point there where I was doubting myself or doubting my abilities. That was just a point that all professionals go through, some low times. Once you kind of get through those times -- low times are always followed by high times -- being able to get through that period and stay confident and being able to help the team, that's important."

Whether he is there as the starter or stays on the bench during the entire match, Guzan said he will remain focused on the task at hand.

"When you go, you've got to be able to focus on the match. It's not about going on vacation or getting away from Chivas or anyone else getting away from their club team. It's about going and representing your country and putting your best foot forward," he said. "And that means staying focused not only during the 90 minutes in the game but also during the days leading up to the game. You have to make sure you stay focused on the task at hand. If you start thinking about all that other stuff -- a 'vacation' and all that -- then you can get in big trouble."

Dynamo settle for draw with Chivas

Chivas gets ‘Goofy’ for team photo

Chivas hope to use win as springboard

United rallies to top TFC, snap skid

WASHINGTON -- Mired in a demoralizing slump and desperate to resuscitate their fading campaign, D.C. United finally put together a winning performance on Saturday night, showing grit and resolve to defeat Toronto FC 3-2 at RFK Stadium for their third league victory of the year.

Paced by a man-of-the-match display from Jaime Moreno and a slump-breaking gamewinner from Luciano Emilio, United twice came from behind and eventually captured a hard-won victory to snap their four-game losing streak. TFC striker Danny Dichio scored two goals in defeat.

Embattled United coach Tom Soehn kept with the same 4-4-2 shape and identical starting lineup from Wednesday night's 1-0 setback in Toronto, while his opposite number John Carver followed suit with TFC's first XI as the Reds looked to continue their six-game unbeaten run.

Mindful of their team's four-game losing skid, United's Barra Brava supporters' group provided a forceful display of support -- and perhaps an urgent appeal -- to the squad in the moments before kickoff, producing a massive banner urging D.C. to "Fight For Our Colors" above a sea of black, red and white flags.

The home side finally got forward with some conviction in the 11th minute as Fred's crafty backheel earned a corner off Marvell Wynne and Jaime Moreno saw his low shot deflected just wide of goal shortly after the set piece.

But after a brief attacking flurry by United, Toronto raced back the other way and drew first blood with surprising ease. Laurent Robert rewarded TFC captain Jim Brennan for his aggressive run down the left channel with a defense-splitting pass and the left back duly clipped a tidy cross over United 'keeper Zach Wells and into the goalmouth, where Danny Dichio nodded home from close range -- his second goal in as many games.

After seeming shellshocked for some time after the goal, United were finally looking dangerous in the attacking third and after a fluid passing move in the 28th minute TFC netminder Greg Sutton was called upon to make a sharp block of Moreno's blast from 19 yards out, then was helped by Wynne's deflection of Emilio's scuffed effort on the rebound as the Reds scrambled to clear their lines.

The home team threatened again in the 35th minute when Gallardo rode Guevara's challenge before unleashing a knuckling blast that was too hot for Sutton to handle -- the Canadian international palmed it away from goal but was nearly punished as Namoff ran onto the loose ball and hammered a half-volley just high and wide.

D.C. finally broke through in the 41st minute, scoring their first goal in more than two hours of play as a leaping McTavish flicked Moreno's delivery toward the back post, where Gonzalo Peralta stooped to head home his first goal in a United uniform.

The equalizer lifted Black-and-Red spirits dramatically -- both on the field and in the stands -- and four minutes later Clyde Simms almost grabbed a second tally for his team in the half's dying moments as he capped an intricate passing sequence with a low first-time shot destined for the lower corner of goal, only for Sutton make a superb reaction save.

But United's newfound confidence sustained a devastating blow mere seconds later as Dichio burned them again to restore Toronto's advantage. The big target man exchanged passes with Guevara at the top of the D.C. box before taking advantage of the yards of space given to him by the defense with a well-aimed, side-footed shot that skipped past Wells and nestled just inside the left-hand post.

Despite the 2-1 deficit, United began the second half with renewed vigor. McTavish got into the attack some seven minutes after the break and earned his side a dangerous set piece. Gallardo stepped up to the dead ball and belted a dipping blast past Sutton, only to watch in frustration as it caromed off the crossbar and out of play.

United took a stranglehold on possession and probed the TFC defense constantly as the second period unfolded, but time after time found the finishing touch lacking as Sutton patrolled his area with authority.

Controversy erupted in the 67th minute when Emilio seemed to have drawn D.C. level, racing in to hammer home the rebound after Sutton had palmed Moreno's shot away, but the home crowd was dismayed to see the linesman standing with his flag raised, as Moreno had strayed offside at the play's outset.

But the Black-and-Red kept pushing and five minutes later earned the second equalizer they'd been seeking so desperately. Quaranta hustled into the box behind Wynne and though the sharp angle meant the D.C. winger's options were limited, he earned a penalty kick as the young TFC right back rashly knocked him to the turf with Gonzalez well-positioned to spot the infraction.

As usual, Moreno stepped up to the spot kick and sent Sutton the wrong way, driving his finish into the right side of the net to level matters at 2-2. The Bolivian's goal incited wild celebrations among the RFK faithful as it brought long-awaited relief from the pain and pressure of United's losing streak.

The euphoria reached a crescendo barely two minutes later when a TFC turnover allowed Quaranta and his mates to race forward again -- and after a second's consideration the Baltimore native elected to launch a dipping shot from 20 yards out.

Sutton was well-placed to stop the stinging drive but he palmed it down onto the turf and looked up in dismay as the hard-charging Emilio arrived to poke it past him into the net for a sudden 3-2 United advantage, the home side's first lead of the night. The Brazilian wheeled away in delirium to rejoice over his first goal in nearly two months.

Toronto fought back gamely, however, creating danger with several set pieces and corner kicks. Guevara boomed a deep, searching ball into the D.C. box that left Wells frozen on his line as Jarrod Smith stabbed Dichio's layoff just over the crossbar. Then defending a TFC corner kick, Peralta nearly gave the home fans a collective heart attack when his header looped backwards and flew inches over his own crossbar.

On the ensuing corner kick the Reds threw everyone -- including Sutton -- into the D.C. box and chaos ensued as the ball took several deflections around the danger area before the home side finally lumped clear. Spotting his linesman's raised flag, Gonzalez trotted over and conferred briefly before brandishing a red card in Robert's direction, apparently for a serious foul somewhere in the goalmouth turmoil.

The referee finally blew for full time shortly after, handing a badly-needed victory to Soehn's side and snapping Toronto's unbeaten run.

Toronto still winless at RFK

Stoic Moreno providing Crew big lift

Toronto still winless at RFK

WASHINGTON -- After squandering two leads and losing 3-2 to D.C. United on Saturday, Toronto FC have now lost all three visits to RFK Stadium and have given up 11 goals in the U.S. capital. Of the 12 goals TFC have conceded this season, seven have been at RFK.

"I'll be honest with you before the game I was a little bit concerned about it. I've been here three times now and not won," said a partially joking Carver, who was also with the Newcastle United side that lost to D.C. United 3-1 on July 22, 2000.

The loss snapped TFC's 6-game unbeaten streak, but unlike their last visit to Washington, the team is brimming with confidence and regardless of the outcome it appears it will stay that way.

"We created our chances and scored our goals," said captain Jim Brennan. "We were full of confidence and we'll be full of confidence in our next game. We know we have a good squad and we've been playing good football."

"Confidence," said Danny Dichio, who scored both of Toronto's goals, of the differences from the team that came to RFK just more than a month ago for United's home opener. "Confidence always breeds when you are winning and we came in here with confidence tonight. We had a slightly different team than our last appearance here and we thought maybe we could get something out of it."

Toronto came into Saturday's match in unfamiliar territory, looking down at United in the standings. United had scored just one goal in their last four matches, all losses and sat firmly at the bottom of the conference standings. Consequently, Toronto was prepared for anything and everything United was ready to throw at them.

"I fancied this because there has been a lot of pressure on D.C. really and to be fair to the players and their staff, they stepped up to the plate and they didn't give up," said Carver.

But the same can be said for Carver's own players as well. A sure sign that his team's mentality has changed is that they expected to win and are disappointed that they lost a road game in a building they have never won in before.

"Huge disappointment from our point of view -- in the lead on two different occasions and then conceding two goals within two minutes of each other," said Carver. "The pleasing thing is that we are very disappointed that we lost the game and that we came against a really good side and put on a decent performance. ... Other than Greg's (Sutton) mistake we could have gotten something from the game. If we hadn't played well and we hadn't scored goals then I would have a problem."

Sutton, who was brilliant in despite giving up all four goals in their last visit to Washington, could not cleanly handle a knuckling shot from distance by Santino Quaranta in the 72nd minute that Luciano Emilio pounced on to give United the lead.

Two minutes earlier, Jaime Moreno equalized on a penalty kick after Marvell Wynne shoved Quaranta in the back with both hands, sending him sprawling to the turf for an easy call by referee Jorge Gonzalez.

Toronto scored on their only two shots on goal in the first half, spending the majority of the time fending off United's ambitious attack. Carver made a subtle tactical change to start the second half that seemed to work until Tyrone Marshall went out with a hamstring injury.

"I said to the guys (at halftime) we needed to put a bit more pressure on the ball higher up the field so the wide guys needed to get closer to stop them from delivering balls into the box and we did that," Carver said. "But losing Tyrone Marshall was a huge blow for us."

At that point he inserted Olivier Tebily, the 2001 African Footballer of the year, who was making his first appearance with the team.

"We had to put somebody in who hasn't been in the team yet and we conceded two goals so quickly and the game changed," Carver said. "But we didn't give up; we had a right go at them and I changed the team's shape and to try and get two strikers up there and went with three at the back and they had to change their team to bring on defensive players."

TFC did have an opportunity to equalize in the final moments during a mad scramble in the penalty area that include a potential handball that went uncalled by Gonzalez. To the team's credit they didn't make any excuses.

"I've been in enough trouble lately so I'm not going to comment on things I can't really comment on because I have to be honest, from the position I'm in (on the sidelines) I really can't see it," said Carver. "They (TFC players) are honest guys so I'd be very surprised if it wasn't but I have to take a look at it."

D.C. United unable to find spark against Rapids

Commitment to defense fueling Fire

Houston homecoming goes awry

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- It wasn't the sort of homecoming the Houston Dynamo were expecting. Back in the place where many in the club had called home until following the 2006 season, the Dynamo lost 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes on Thursday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.

"I don't think we had a good game tonight. We were sluggish in the first half, a little hesitant going for the first and second balls. And when we got the ball we weren't clearing our lines quickly enough," Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said. "Even in the second half we really didn't start pushing forward until the 70th minute or so. We made some mistakes and they punished us."

With seven of Houston's starting 11 having strong ties to the Earthquakes, there was a great deal of talk about the Dynamo's first regular season game in San Jose as the start of a new rivalry of sorts. But Kinnear said that wasn't an excuse for his team's performance.

"There will always be a buildup with us coming out here (to San Jose), questions about us returning, but I don't think it was a distraction in any way to our preparation," he said.

The Dynamo came into the game riding two consecutive wins and would have climbed atop the MLS Western Conference with a win. But second half goals from San Jose's Kei Kamara and Ivan Guerrero gave the Earthquakes an insurmountable lead, although Brian Ching answered back with a late goal.

"We were bad tonight," defender Eddie Robinson said. "We've got to be sharper, and we've got to have a little more pride. We were pathetic tonight."

The first goal came just after Robinson left the field with an injury in the 64th minute.

"I got a hip pointer or something," he said. "It's just a knock. I went for a ball and Ryan Johnson just caught me with an elbow. I was waiting for the pain to go away to subside and it never did, so I had a hard time standing up straight."

Two minutes later, a flick-on from Ned Grabavoy found Kei Kamara in the box with his back to the net. Kamara trapped the ball, turned and shot quickly, beating Pat Onstad cleanly.

"Anytime you lose Eddie, you're losing a good player, a good guy in the air," Kinnear said. "On that play, there was a little too much room when the ball fell. We were a little bit hesitant in going for the ball, and that hesitancy cost us."

In the 81st minute, San Jose doubled their lead. Onstad made a diving save on a Ryan Johnson shot, but the rebound fell to an onrushing Ivan Guerrero who slammed it home.

Houston mounted a comeback, and got the goal from Ching in the 88th minute.

"I think we decided to start playing after it was 2-0," Kinnear said. "That's when we started feeling a sense of urgency."

Ching turned home a Brad Davis cross from the right, volleying it inside the near post. But Ching said it was a recipe that could have led to earlier success.

"We play best when we get balls wide and put them in the box, and unfortunately we didn't start doing that until we were down 2-0," Ching said. "We were out of our rhythm tonight. We didn't come to play, and we got punished for it."

Ching almost scored an equalizer in injury time, but his header from 15 yards out went just wide.

"I'm not going to say it was a for sure goal, but I think I could've done better with that," Ching said of that chance. "I just missed the post by about a foot. If I put a little more into it I probably would have put it in the side netting."

"We'll have to look at the tape and see what we did wrong," Dwayne De Rosario said. "The way we started, the first half, was just not the way we usually go about things. We didn't get stuck into tackles and we didn't move the ball around sharply, and it was like we were being too nice. We need to let the past be the past and anytime we come here we need to focus on doing one thing: work hard and get your tackles and get a result."

Before the game, the pregame introductions of the Dynamo players were met with some cheers, some boos. But Kinnear was bothered by the reception of the men in orange during the game.

"The one thing I can say is that I was pretty surprised at some of the things that were said to the players and the staff (by the San Jose fans)," Kinnear said. "A lot of these guys put a lot of effort to put those stars on (the Earthquakes') jerseys. Anywhere around the world, when players have had good careers, at other places when they come back, they get a good reception. I understand rooting for your team, I totally agree with that, but some of the things that were said, really kind of caught me by surprise.

"I'm disappointed. And I think the guys should feel slighted by the way they were treated. The time that they spent here really made (the Earthquakes) franchise a super success in the early 2000s," Kinnear continued. "The players didn't ask to leave. The players had nothing to do with it. I understand you have to vent your frustrations somewhere, but to vent it at the players that were here and won championships and went out in the community and made friends, I think it's really disappointing and very, very unfair."

Dynamo breathe easy after first win

Quakes upend returning Dynamo

Dynamo on unlucky side of draw

Competition intense in friendly

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.-- The Chicago Fire's friendly on Wednesday might have looked like a quiet scoreless draw vs. Polish side Wisla Krakow. But within the squad, a number of otherwise reserves got some quality playing time. And Fire original C.J. Brown made his first appearance of the season.

"They don't call these games friendlies anymore -- I thought both teams went out there to compete and try to win," Fire head coach Denis Hamlett said. "Usually in a friendly game you don't see seven yellow cards thrown out, that just shows you both teams went out to try to win the game.

"It was a good game for some of our young guys to be thrown in a real game that was very competitive, so I was happy with their performance."

Andy Herron and Wilman Conde played a full 90 minutes. Herron was all over the field, while Conde had a number of strong defensive plays.

"I count this game as my first game back with the Fire," Herron said. "It's a friendly, but we tried to push tonight. I feel overall I did pretty well. I didn't get a clear chance to finish, but I feel happy with the way I performed today."

Conde made a few key plays, including slowing down Wisla's attack with a key tackle in the 34th minute.

"I am thankful that I had the chance to show the coaching staff and the fans how I am and what I can bring to the team as I await the chance to play on this team," Conde said. "I would've liked for the Fire to win the game but I was pleased to be part of a good game. It was exciting and even fun to see the fans running on the field."

In the second half, Brown started warming up and Section 8 began chanting "C.J. Brown." And in the 64th minute, Brown entered the game.

"It's such a great feeling to hear the fans," Brown said. "I work so hard for this club. When I was warming up and the fans started cheering, it was great. They appreciate what I do. It's really nice to have them in my corner.

"It was a fun game, but exhausting to get back out there. I'm not used to that pace anymore."

Fire midfielder Brian Plotkin also entered the match in the second half, making his first appearance of this season.

"It's been a long time, since I played," Plotkin said. "It was fun to get back out there. It was a physical game -- more physical than most games. But it was a chance for a lot of guys to prove themselves."

Hamlett said he was pleased overall with the play of his club. Now the team will regroup and get ready for Sunday's match at New York.

"I think it's important that these guys are training, hard throughout the season, and now they have a game in front of a good crowd and good opponent," Hamlett said. "It's a good exercise to see how they measure up. All in all it was just good."

Cordeiro shines in D.C. United debut

WASHINGTON -- D.C. United let another match slip away under dispiriting circumstances in California over the weekend, but fans and observers looking for bright spots from the 3-1 loss to Chivas USA can point to Ryan Cordeiro's professional debut.

The rookie produced a capable display in 90 minutes on the left wing in his first-ever MLS appearance, an encouraging sign for a club which has largely banked on veteran savvy this season.

"I just wish we would've gotten a better result," said Cordeiro. "It felt good out there, though."

The first-team action marked another step in his steady forward progression this year. Cordeiro's labor on the practice field was rewarded with inclusion on the 18-man game day roster for United's previous three matches before getting the starting nod against Chivas.

"You don't always get the verbal feedback that you might have a good practice or a good week of practice," said Cordeiro. "Nothing might get said, but then once you get to the 18, that's like coach telling you you're doing good, and then once you make it into the starting 11, there's another pat on the back. It's good to see that your hard work is being noticed and then it's up to me to go out and prove that the hard work wasn't for nothing."

An adventurous attacker by nature, Cordeiro was given a defensive brief by D.C. head coach Tom Soehn, prompting a cautious approach at The Home Depot Center. But the match offered a solid foundation for the left-footer from the Hudson River valley community of Highland Mills, N.Y.

"For his first start, we talked a little bit about defensive positioning and he took it to heart," said Soehn. "I think for his first performance, it was pretty good. You'd like to see him get involved in the attack a little bit more, but that was probably us force-feeding him how to play defensively."

Cordeiro kept Chivas USA dangerman Sacha Kljestan in check for most of the match, but he and his teammates allowed United's hard-earned lead to crumble in the final half hour as the home side poured on the pressure and took advantage of their struggling opponents' nerves with three late goals.

"I learned that you've got to play 100 percent the whole game," said United's third-round 2008 SuperDraft pick. "If you take plays off, goals happen. Mistakes are magnified out there -- it's a lot different than reserve games and practice. Guys are out there fighting for their jobs so everybody's playing really hard, and you've got to match them and step it up a notch."

Fred's hamstring injury, combined with United's return to a 4-4-2 formation, helped hand Cordeiro his opportunity but Soehn was quick to hail Cordeiro's work on the training ground and in reserve team action.

"At the end of the game, after they scored it went into disarray and Kljestan got in behind him a couple times, but it wasn't just him, it was the whole team that collapsed. But for his first performance it wasn't bad," noted the D.C. boss. "He's just been working hard in training. We reward guys who train well and he's been doing a good job of competing."

Cordeiro got plenty of veteran support as he worked through his pregame jitters.

"It's just normal that you're going to be nervous your first game," said Santino Quaranta, who manned the opposite wing on Saturday. "I just told him, you've got to try to enjoy it as much as you can, because you don't get that back to play it over again, the [first] game. So you've got to embrace it as much as you can. I thought he did OK for his first time on the big stage."

Circumstances may force Cordeiro to wait for his next turn in the first XI. After United's Monday training session, Soehn confirmed that Fred will make the trip to Canada for Wednesday night's showdown with Toronto FC and if the Brazilian's hamstring is ready, he'll certainly step right back into the left wing spot. Cordeiro is serene about the situation.

"No, I think I should get the starting spot," he deadpanned on Monday. "Nah, I'm just kidding. I know that's a possibility. I'm sure Fred will jump back into the starting spot and I've got to be there ready to back him up, if need be. I'm fine with that. It's my job."

D.C. United unable to find spark against Rapids

D.C. United’s depth a strength

Rout of RSL may turn corner for D.C.

Quakes upend returning Dynamo

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- While most homecomings are festive occasions, Thursday's get-together between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Houston Dynamo was always going to have an element of the bittersweet, given the latter club's painful departure from San Jose in 2005. But the Quakes duo of Kei Kamara and Ivan Guerrero found a way to erase at least some of those painful memories, as each player scored in the second half to give San Jose a 2-1 win against the city's former tenants.

The result not only snapped San Jose's winless streak at four games, but it was also their first home win of the season. The Dynamo's Brian Ching scored a late consolation goal, but it wasn't enough to stop Houston's modest winning streak from ending at two games.

Houston's lineup was unchanged for the third match in a row, while San Jose, in a bid to get their league-worst offense on track, gave forward Ryan Johnson just his second career MLS start in place of Joe Vide. Defender Nick Garcia also returned to the lineup at the expense of James Riley.

The first 15 minutes were devoid of any sustained attacks, as the ball spent more time in the air than it did on the ground. But when the game did settle down, it was San Jose who created the better openings with Johnson in the middle of the Quakes' best attacks.

Kamara latched on to Guerrero's cross in the 16th minute and touched the ball back to Ramiro Corrales. But his subsequent shot was palmed away by Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad.

Houston defender Bobby Boswell gifted the Quakes an opportunity in the 25th minute, stumbling over the ball and allowing Johnson to steal. The San Jose forward attempted to curl the ball high around Onstad from 20 yards, but the Dynamo 'keeper touched the effort over the bar.

San Jose kept the pressure on, and came painfully close to scoring in the 33rd minute. Johnson once again found space on the left wing, but his perfectly weighted cross was nodded goalward by Kamara then deflected off the post by Guerrero.

Johnson then had another chance a minute later, but his thunderous shot struck Houston's Dwayne De Rosario in the face and went out for a corner kick.

After being on the back foot for most of the half, Houston staged a mini-revival late. Stuart Holden was released by a Ching flick-on in the 37th minute, but his weak header was easily saved by Cannon. Ching found space again two minutes later, but his header from a Brian Mullan cross was hit straight at the Quakes 'keeper.

The second half began with Houston seeing more of the ball. A Franco Caraccio layoff near the top of the box found Holden, but his low shot was snared by Cannon.

The Dynamo continued to have the better of play in the second half, but suffered a blow in the 62nd minute when defender Eddie Robinson was forced off with an abdominal injury.

Robinson was replaced by Patrick Ianni, and the move was to have dire consequences for Houston just five minutes later. A deflected cross from Ronnie O'Brien was flicked over his head by Ned Grabavoy, finding Kamara deep in the box. His quick shot on the turn not only beat Ianni, but Onstad as well, giving the Quakes a 1-0 lead.

Houston nearly hit straight back, with substitute Kyle Brown latching onto a long ball and seemingly having a clear look at goal. But a desperate tackle from San Jose defender Ryan Cochrane took the sting out of Brown's shot, allowing Cannon to make the save.

Any hopes of a Dynamo comeback were dashed in the 81st minute. On the counter, Guerrero played Johnson through on the right side of the box, and while Onstad did well to parry his blast, Guerrero was on hand to slot home the rebound, doubling San Jose's lead.

The goal proved invaluable as Ching volleyed home a cross from substitute Brad Davis in the 88th minute. And nerves were put further on edge when the Hawaiian's deflected header from an Ianni cross went narrowly wide two minutes into stoppage time. But San Jose was able to see out the remainder of the match, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Revs’ early offense dooms Quakes

Dynamo settle for draw with Chivas

Five-a-side: What's hot around the league

MLS Five-a-side:The skinny on five things that matter this week in Major League Soccer:

1. He's surely seen worse: David Beckham seemed a bit amused with the question. And you can probably understand why.

The scene was a postgame news conference last Sunday after his LA Galaxy had ambushed hapless hosts FC Dallas 5-1. So Beckham was in a cheery mood anyway, and didn't hide a smile very well when a reporter asked about some boo birds at Pizza Hut Park.

Beckham had gotten a little hot following Adrian Serioux's nasty tackle, which resulted in the FC Dallas defender's immediate expulsion. Beckham had some words, did a little pushing and later made "shushing" gestures to the crowd when the Galaxy struck for No. 5. Nothing too out of the ordinary, really, but a few fans took offense and booed the Galaxy superstar.

So, did it bother him, he was asked?

But let's think about this for a second. Beckham has waged soccer wars in some passion pits that can be truly unkind to visitors. Here's a guy who has fought it out at Leicester and Leeds, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, etc. Later, in Spain's La Liga, he was front and center in the bitter Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry. Think those fans can't be punishing, especially for a fellow who plays out wide as Beckham does, usually roaming near the touchline stands?

So, upon further review, was it really necessary to ask if a few derisive shouts from soccer moms and dads in the Dallas suburbs were going to unnerve soccer's global icon?

"Of course, you always hear when people shout things at you," Beckham said politely. "But trust me, I've heard a lot worse things said about me, shouted at me, than people booing. That's part and parcel in soccer. It's what happens. It's all friendly sort of banter that goes on. It's not soccer without that."

Beckham noted how he appreciates that supporters are passionate about their side and he respects how that they desperately want to see the visitors go home unhappy. What's the most hostile environment he's ever encountered? Beckham demurred, mentioning only that lots of fans love to hate Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Safe to say, his answer will never be "Frisco, Texas."

2. Earning their pay in tough times: There are times when you or I could be a manager. When clubs are winning, when the team trainers and docs are bored with inactivity and things are generally swell, it's really just a maintenance job. The lineup selects itself. The locker room polices itself.

All that is to say, the real test of a manager starts when things begin to unravel. How does the boss cope with the pressure of a couple of bad performances or increasingly wobbly job security? How does he deal with a locker room malcontent? Does he dole out internal discipline equally regardless of star power? These are the tests of leadership and mettle.

So, we're watching it unfold dramatically at RFK and at The Home Depot Center, where D.C. United and Chivas USA are dealing with issues aplenty.

Chivas USA manager Preki seems to be coping well. He has a little history of doing so.

Whether you think he was right or wrong last year to jettison Amado Guevara without compensation, he acted decisively, and that counts for a lot. It settled the team and Chivas USA was off and running. The Red-and-White were relatively unbothered by injuries or any other issues until ailments undercut the starting forwards around playoff time, so Preki had a relative smooth ride until the postseason.

Not so in 2008. Already, Preki has helped Brad Guzan through some struggles, and the side is staying afloat despite an implausible number of injuries, especially in defense. Last week, six defenders who could be starters were on the shelf. And yet, his team found a way to beat back United, albeit against the run of play.

Which brings us to Tom Soehn, whose team is under all manner of duress. There are injuries, slumps and flagging confidence to deal with up and down the roster. Soehn takes a four-game losing streak into Saturday's critical RFK match with Toronto.

3. Six Degrees of Ezra Hendrickson: Kelly Gray is settling into his fifth MLS club (assuming you count San Jose of old and new day San Jose as two organizations) following this week's trade from Colorado to the Earthquakes. That's a lot of address changing for the versatile defender/midfielder who only recently turned 27.

But he's hardly the leading contender for a cracking version of "Six Degrees of MLS Separation." Lots of fellows (more than you care to know, really) have played for five clubs.

Some have done so in more orderly fashion. Others have been all over the map, literally and figuratively. For instance, Raul Diaz Arce spent time at five organizations, but he made seven changes along the way (most of them involved coming or going from D.C. United, where he had three separate stints).

Now, six clubs. That's accomplishing something. In Columbus, Ezra Hendrickson is at his sixth MLS organization in his 12th MLS season.

But the all-time MLS frequent changer has to be John Wolyniec. He has just five clubs on his resume. But with multiple stops at New York, Chicago and Columbus, "Woly" has actually changed MLS addresses nine times. In 2005 and 2006 alone he went from Columbus to New York, back to Columbus, then to Los Angeles and back to New York.

Surely, at some point, he's gotten on the wrong team bus heading out of the stadium.

4. Armchair manager: Watching Houston midfielder Brian Mullan these days, I'm wondering if a move to the defense wouldn't help shake some of the offensive malaise that has settled over camp Dynamo? Mullan, who turned 30 in April, can still do the hard work up and down the flank.

But he doesn't beat defenders one-on-one with anywhere near the frequency of earlier career days. So, could he perhaps be more effective attacking from overlapping runs, a little more like Chris Klein does so effectively for Los Angeles? That gets him going at defenders in a greater variety of situations.

It's not that Richard Mulrooney isn't getting forward from his spot. Rather, Mulrooney probably has some central midfield duty in his future as Ricardo Clark and Dwayne De Rosario have international duty upcoming. And generally, Mullan has more pace than Mulrooney.

Plus, it can't hurt Dominic Kinnear's club to have some different offensive options, and inserting Mullan at right back would make room to get dynamic young attacker Stuart Holden on the field more regularly.

Houston, still not getting enough production from its forwards despite Brian Ching's lone effort Thursday, is on pace to hit for 33 goals this year. That would represent a significant drop from 43 for the league champs a year ago.

5. Yep, they do sometimes work: SportsCenter anchor Steve Bunin wasn't at his best on Thursday's ESPN2 halftime broadcast. During highlights of an Italian Serie A match, as viewers saw a well-executed bicycle kick, he asked rhetorically, "Have you ever seen one of those work?"

Hmmm. He must not have been watching as Taylor Twellman struck magnificently on a "bike" in what turned out to be the game-winner for New England (on a Thursday night national showcase match) in last year's Eastern Conference championship. With apologies to a few successful bicyclists who won't make the list (Miklos Molnar, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Dwayne De Rosario and a few others that might escape me, but that I'm sure I'll be reminded of in short order) here are the top five MLS bicycle strikes of all time:

5. Hugo Sanchez: This one from 1996 goes on the list just because of the showmanship involved. The San Jose defense was so horribly bad on this particular centering pass, leaving Sanchez so implausibly unmarked, he could easily have headed in from a short distance on the far post. Instead, Sanchez opted for his signature move, turning his back and slamming home dramatically.

4. Brian Ching: Distance and accuracy spotlighted his 2006 effort, which was later voted Sierra Mist Goal of the Year in MLS. It was also a game-winner and the game's only goal in a Dynamo win against D.C. United.

3. Marcelo Balboa: His fabulous strike in 2000 was another Goal of the Year, and deservedly so for the power and precision involved. (Besides, he had it coming after such a narrow and nearly famous miss on just such an effort in the 1994 World Cup.)

2. Carlos Ruiz: He has two to choose from, one with L.A. back on his first go-round with the Galaxy. But the better one, due to degree of difficulty, came on a night at RFK, where he rose high and quickly to meet a short pass from Roberto Mina. It was named Sierra Mist Goal of the Decade.

1. Taylor Twellman: Considering the stakes, Twellman's big effort in last year's huge playoff contest may be the biggest yet. Twellman is another two-timer, having hit one from close range back in 2002 against Kansas City.

LA Galaxy storm past Wizards