Angel to miss third consecutive game

MONTCLAIR, N.J. -- Juan Pablo Angel had targeted Saturday's game against FC Dallas at Giants Stadium for his return from a strained hamstring that kept him sidelined from the last two New York Red Bulls' games.

But the club's leading scorer a year ago had a setback in training the last two days and will miss his third consecutive game.

Angel, who has also suffered from a nerve-related back injury and had two herniated discs in his back, trained with Claudio Reyna off to the side Friday at Montclair State University while his teammates prepared to take on FC Dallas.

"I was always making progress this week, but then yesterday and today I felt sore again," Angel said. "I was starting to step up a little bit and yesterday and today it was getting tighter again. I've got to start to slow down a little bit and look toward the beginning of next week."

While there was some confusion as to the nerve-related back injury he suffered because it caused hamstring pain, Angel is currently sidelined with a strained hamstring he suffered in the dying moments of a 1-0 home win against Chivas USA, the team's lone victory in its last six games.

"I was compensating by playing with the injury that I had before and I ended up making it worse. I knew at some point it was going to happen, so the blame is on me that I didn't want to stop," Angel said. "Now obviously I've got to get it right. In a sense I feel better because I know what it is, where before I didn't know what it was. Now we know what to treat, what to do with it."

Reyna, the Red Bulls' other designated player, will miss his fourth consecutive game and there's no timetable for his return. Reyna declined interview requests Friday.

"At the moment he is doing individual work, extra work on his own with (the trainers)," Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "That's all I know."

So the Red Bulls will head into their third game in eight days with the same roster they brought to Foxborough, Mass., where they forged a 1-1 draw with the red-hot Revolution Wednesday night.

And it's most likely that the Red Bulls will field the same starting XI against FC Dallas Saturday night.

That means a backline without Jeff Parke, who is expected to sit for a second consecutive game with nagging ankle and hamstring injuries, and Carlos Mendes playing in front of the defense, assigned to shut down FC Dallas' playmaker, Juan Toja. In the same role Wednesday, Mendes gave Steve Ralston fits and the Red Bulls' diamond formation in the midfield stymied the Revs attack.

"That's a position that suits Carlos' strengths -- he's quick, competitive, aggressive and he likes the 1-v-1 situations," Osorio said. "In this league, as we all know, center backs have to be very good in the air. Most teams play long balls and that's not his strength."

Dane Richards should start up front for the second game in a row. Richards, who started alongside Oscar Echeverry Wednesday, caused the Revs' fits all game and his brilliant 40-yard knifing run through the New England defense nearly led to an Echeverry goal that would have given the Red Bulls' a 2-0 halftime lead.

"It worked out well," Richards said. "When I'm playing on the right I always stay on the right and just look for balls, try to get crosses in. up front I can move from right to left and go into open space for the ball. I'm more dangerous when I can move all over. The defender has to keep following me into the open space and I can tell them on from both the right and the left."

Richards played forward in college, scoring 11 goals in 20 games at Clemson University, where he was named a second team NSCAA All-American.

"One thing is to go on the board and say you play here, you play there, and the other thing is how comfortable the players are playing in those positions," Osorio said. "When I asked him he says he fancies his chances. He was good. I think he put a great ball to Oscar that could have killed that game. He gave them also problems. They couldn't really handle their pace."

One reason why Osorio is leaning toward using the same lineup is that FC Dallas has played the same 3-4-1-2 formation as the Revs. That helps in the short turnaround from Wednesday's draw.

"What we did on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for New England also applies for the game tomorrow providing they play that way," Osorio said.

Of course that's easier said than done when Kenny Cooper is on the field.

"I think he's probably among the best two target men in this league," Osorio said. "For a big man, he's got two good feet, good control in tight areas, good finisher. He plays football by instinct and I think he's quite good at it."

Revs' Joseph makes surprise return

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Surprises generally aren't welcome the day before a match. But New England Revolution head coach Steve Nicol will make one tall, dreadlocked exception -- for the return of midfielder Shalrie Joseph.

Expected to miss Wednesday night's home game against New York while on duty with the Grenada national team, Joseph flew back to Boston and joined training on Tuesday morning in advance of Wednesday night's contest against New York.

Nicol said he didn't have any idea that Joseph was planning to return until he saw him at the Gillette Stadium complex on Tuesday morning.

"He walked in this morning," Nicol said. "He decided to come back to us. It's a good surprise."

Nicol said FIFA regulations generally prohibit the team from making a claim on a player, but the player can ask to return to his club side with the federation's approval.

"It's not our call," Nicol said. "We have no say in the matter. We have to abide by the rules. The Grenada Football Association has priority during World Cup qualifiers. Now if a player decides to come back in between games, that's different."

Joseph said he wanted to get back into his club environment and get a game in ahead of Saturday's crunch qualifier with Costa Rica at Estadio Saprissa in San Jose. Grenada pulled off a stunning result in the first leg in St. George, getting a 2-2 draw.

"There were a lot of things going on down there and I decided to come back here," Joseph said. "They weren't training the way I wanted to. I wanted to come back here and train with the Revolution. I thought the team could use me, whether in the starting lineup or off the bench."

Joseph's return will bring the return of the side's preferred 3-5-2 formation, eschewed for a 4-4-2 scheme last Thursday in Houston. Newly acquired Pat Phelan started in Joseph's place in Houston but will drop to the bench upon his return.

One player who won't return is Taylor Twellman. Despite training off to the side, Twellman isn't likely to feature in either match this week.

Nicol said the veteran striker is not injured, but the team wants to make sure Twellman is back to full fitness before reinserting him back into the fold.

"He's basically had 20 minutes injury-free all season," Nicol said.

The injuries that have ravaged Twellman have also ravaged the Red Bulls. Key attacking cogs Juan Pablo Angel (back) and Claudio Reyna (herniated disc) have struggled with injuries and Juan Carlos Osorio's side has struggled to cobble together points with one win in its past five games.

Nicol said he couldn't pinpoint why New York has struggled this season.

"When you're not winning, it's hard on everyone," Nicol said. "Half the problem is getting the confidence back after you've been losing. They have good players. But they've had some injuries and they're missing a few guys. It's tough."

Clark experiences highs and lows of soccer

HOUSTON -- Over the past two years, Ricardo Clark has experienced the highs and lows of soccer. The midfielder has had the low of missing the MLS Cup Final in each of the last two years through suspension, missing last year's repeat championship as part of a nine-game suspension levied after he kicked FC Dallas midfielder Arturo Alvarez late in the regular season.

But this year, Clark has felt the high of competing against world powers such as Spain and England in friendlies for the United States national team.

Clark has shown great promise on the Houston Dynamo squad and on the national team, but in order to compete at the highest level, he knows he must improve.

"Just playing at a higher level. When you get to play against good teams like England and Spain, you have to think and react, be at a higher level," Clark said. "Those guys are playing fast-paced every single day, so when you get there, it is like jumping into something new because you have to adapt very quickly. Every aspect of the game is quicker, so that's what I have to add to my game."

Clark said playing against England at Wembley Stadium on May 28 was both challenging and fun, but it was an experience he will learn from.

"Those guys are playing at a high level day in and day out," he said. "They are playing at the highest level you can think of. I think a couple of those guys came off the Champions League finals the week before. That just goes to show you the type of players you are playing against. You just soak in the experience and learn from the game and playing against them."

The experience is one Clark hopes to bring to the biggest stage of all -- the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"Even though it is far away, I definitely have that in my sights," he said. "Only time will tell, but I have to keep working hard and hopefully get that opportunity."

For now, Clark, who has started and played in 10 games this season and has an assist to his credit, is trying to help fill the void created with midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and forward Brian Ching playing for their respective national teams.

With Ching expected back in the lineup Saturday against Colorado, the void won't be as big, but Clark knows it's there.

"You have to elevate your game to fill the void because those are key players on your team, especially De Rosario," Clark said. "You have to step up your game because he's an engine on this team. We've dealt with it in the past -- missing key players and having the younger players stepping up when their chance comes. That's what it's all about come Saturday."

The international experience he has had this year and in years past has helped him improve with the Dynamo, Clark said. Now, he wants to take his game to the next level.

"It's definitely helped out because you are playing at a higher level when you get to the international team," Clark said. "That helps out your game and every aspect of your game. Then, you get back here, and it's like you are helping your team out even more because you are able to compete better. I am just trying to get more call-ups with the international team. I'm just trying to make the most of my opportunities when I get there."

After a slow start, the Dynamo have turned things around and are competing for the top spot in the Western Conference with Los Angeles. Slow starts are nothing new for Clark, who joined the Dynamo in 2005.

"I guess typical Dynamo year. We started off kind of slow," Clark said. "Ever since San Jose in that first year, we start off kind of slow. We have kind of the same core, so every year we started off slow, but we have picked it up as season goes by."

With the ship appearing to be righted in recent weeks, Clark and the rest of the team have a third consecutive MLS Cup in their sights.

"We have a lot of experience on this team," Clark said. "We have a lot of guys. We have a lot of energy on this team from the younger players. That's what we expect to see. We expect to be top of the league. We just need to keep this going for the rest of the year. Hope to get a repeat."

D.C. still searching for first shutout

WASHINGTON -- D.C. United can credit some excellent midfield play, an improved work rate and the resurgence of goalscorer Luciano Emilio for their four-game undefeated streak.

But even as the positive results pile up, the squad continues to chase another important marker of progress: a clean sheet. United have not held an opponent scoreless this season.

"I was disappointed that we gave up a goal," said D.C. coach Tom Soehn after Saturday's 4-1 victory against New York. "We're working hard on getting a clean sheet, but we haven't gotten a clean sheet yet and that's troublesome."

A hard-nosed defender in his playing days, Soehn would be expected to pay close attention to his back line's quest for perfection and the United defense is clearly eager to notch that achievement as a point of pride.

"It's something that's kind of driving us crazy," said Devon McTavish, whose move from midfield back to central defense has paid dividends. "We practice it every week and we're trying to get better but for some reason we always have some little letdown that lets a ball in. But it's getting better -- I don't think we're letting [in] soft goals as we had been earlier in the season."

Much of that improvement can be traced to an increasingly compact defensive shape -- but the Black-and-Red have also waded into physical battles with more enthusiasm.

"[Sometimes] the best thing you can do is get a body on someone and force them to make a spectacular play," said goalkeeper Zach Wells, "and that's what we're doing on those high balls, those balls in to the forwards' feet. We're putting bodies on people and making it hard for them to play simple stuff."

Perhaps the most important development has been a more assertive approach from Wells. The 27-year-old 'keeper looked hesitant in his early appearances for United and struggled to provide the communication needed to organize the back line. But in recent weeks he's gained a better understanding of his role within the team, one that he compares to his highly-decorated college career at UCLA, where he led the Bruins to an NCAA championship in 2002.

"I think now I understand what's expected of me as the goalkeeper for D.C. United. It's a little bit different than what was expected of me at New York and [Houston]," he said. "I think we're just starting to figure out where I fit in with the team and we're doing a better job of communication between myself and the coaches and what's expected, and that's translating on the field in success and confidence."

Earlier in the season, Soehn called on the tall Californian to pick up his game and the United boss was duly pleased with what he saw in Saturday's win against Wells' former team.

"He's manning the box a little bit more," said Soehn. "He's more decisive in the decisions he makes and that's what we've asked of him. He's starting to do that."

Troy Perkins, United's No. 1 netminder over the past two seasons, was known for patrolling his penalty area with authority and Wells is learning the importance of such assertiveness, especially in light of the direct, physical approach many opponents have used against his team.

"I feel like I'm seeing plays before they happen a lot better now. I'm able to read the game a little bit better and it makes it easier when the defense is organized," said Wells. "It becomes obvious whose ball is whose, as opposed to maybe when we're all over the place, it could be his, it could be mine. I'm trying to communicate earlier to clean up the situation."

His teammates have taken notice.

"He was definitely talking to us the whole time and when he needed to come out, he came out," said left back Marc Burch on Saturday. "He made some big saves today."

At one point during their spring skid, D.C. was leaking more than two goals a game on average. Enhanced trust and cohesion along the back line has seen those numbers drop off significantly during the past month, but the squad is keenly aware that sustained success will require virtually error-free defending.

"We have a good relationship back there," said McTavish. "For the past couple of games I think we've just been unfortunate to let goals in, but that's kind of the way it goes. If you give people in this league opportunities, they're starting to finish them now, so we just need to get tighter back there."

Back in form, Emilio leading D.C.

WASHINGTON -- It's been said that success has a thousand fathers, while failure is a motherless child. Luciano Emilio might be able to relate.

After his award-laden debut campaign in Major League Soccer a year ago, the D.C. United striker stumbled out of the gate this season, short of fitness and looking well off the pace in D.C.'s early matches.

Unsurprisingly, United's results suffered correspondingly and soon an eight-game goalless drought had made Emilio the poster child for his team's 2008 struggles, drawing derision from some fans and even prompting rumors of a midseason transfer.

But suddenly the Brazilian is back in scorching form, scoring six goals in D.C.'s last four matches to pace the Black-and-Red to a four-game unbeaten streak, and he's become a hot commodity again.

Mexican side Monarcas Morelia, who met United in the group stages of last year's SuperLiga, have apparently renewed their interest in the striker. Having originally inquired about a potential transfer move over the winter, two Morelia officials, including head coach Luis Fernando Tena, attended United's 4-1 win against New York last week.

"I wasn't really surprised, since they showed interest in me since last December," said Emilio, who notched his first MLS hat trick that night. "I saw them during the game and then afterwards the coach wanted to meet me."

The intriguing turn of events bears out the United brain trust's decision to bump up Emilio's salary considerably a few weeks ago -- perhaps a surprising move, given that it came in the depths of his slump -- and after Thursday's training session general manager Dave Kasper was full of praise for his team's most prolific hitman.

"Even through his goalscoring slump, he was playing well," said Kasper. "[Now] both parts are working together: he's playing well and the team is playing well, so he's benefiting from quality service now. But he was fighting through it, and credit to him. He stuck it out and we knew once he got his first one, they were going to come in buckets."

Kasper has rejected Morelia's approaches so far, and plans to take the necessary steps to keep Emilio in a Black-and-Red uniform for years to come. So while Tena is clearly interested in luring Emilio south to join his Liga Mexicana outfit, and did get to meet him on Saturday night, it looks as though it will require substantial financial inducements to player and club alike.

"I talked to him and I told him that I have a contract here and if anything, they would have to talk to management here," said Emilio, "and I think they did."

Calling Morelia's interest "part of the business," D.C. head coach Tom Soehn was dismissive of the matter on Thursday.

"It's all rumors," he said. "You know what? That's not the only team that comes here. A lot of teams come to watch D.C. United -- as we go watch other teams. That's part of the business."

United captain Jaime Moreno noted that Emilio "did well to just concentrate on the game and score goals" and said that the rest of the team has not been affected by the situation, while Fred offered a positive take of his own.

"In my opinion, it's a kind of motivation to play better, to have coaches looking at you and scouting you," said D.C.'s Brazilian playmaker.

Emilio admitted that he enjoyed his brief stint in Mexico two years ago, when he chipped in 10 goals to help Queretaro FC win the second-division Clausura title before rejoining Honduran heavyweights CD Olimpia. But even though he expressed curiosity about Morelia's potential offer, he's more than content to stay in Washington, where his continued goal-scoring could put him in line for an even more lucrative contract in the months to come.

"I have some good memories [of Mexico], because I won a championship with Queretaro," he said, "and I always dreamed about playing with a first-division team. But I have a lot more happy memories here with this team."

FCD players relieved with hiring of new coach

FRISCO, Texas -- For the FC Dallas players, the announcement that Schellas Hyndman would be the club's new head coach was met with relief, more than anything else.

Nearly a month had passed since Steve Morrow was dismissed as head coach. Assistant Marco Ferruzzi filled in admirably on an interim basis, but the club announced Monday the 58-year-old Hyndman, who had coached at nearby SMU since 1984, had accepted the job.

"It's funny because before today, I didn't feel like we didn't have a coach," Hoops defender Drew Moor said. "It was just a feeling of not having a clear direction. You prepare for each game the same for yourself but it's a little different when you have a head coach. You know your direction and know who he is. It's definitely a feeling of relief that we have a leader. I think we're ready to go. Guys will respond to him. This is such a talented team. I think we could go on a little run here and Schellas is the right man for the job."

FCD veteran Bobby Rhine, who has played for four different head coaches since being drafted in 1999, agreed.

"It was kind of hanging over our heads, wondering what was going to be next," he said. "That being said, I think Marco did a great job in his time just setting up the ship and we all took personal responsibility among ourselves to make what could be a rocky time less difficult. To have this now really puts it to bed and now we can go forward. That being said, I think Schellas inherits a team with really good players and a lot of guys with great ability. I think many coaches would like to be in his position."

One player on the FCD roster, second-year developmental midfielder Chase Wileman, has played for Hyndman. That made him a popular guy once the Hoops heard his name surface as the likely choice as many of his teammates wanted more information about the man who would be their new coach.

"I think it's great," Wileman said. "I played four years under him at SMU and that was a great experience. He's a staple here in Dallas. He's been here a long time and has built a great program there. When he comes here, he's going to do a great job. He's a disciplinarian who expects the best out of everyone. I think that can only be good for us."

Another player very familiar with Hyndman is Dallas native Kenny Cooper, who nearly went to SMU before joining the Manchester United youth system a few years back.

"I'm excited for the team and for him," Cooper said. "He has a great reputation and I have a ton of respect for him. I'm looking forward to him coming in. It's great to know. Marco has done a great job in the past month and it was great to get a win (Sunday)."

Dallas native Moor wasn't heavily recruited by Hyndman but still has an immense amount of respect for his new boss.

"I think in the past, he has had very disciplined teams and I think that is one thing that our team could use," he said. "It's not that we're not disciplined, but a clear path and direction for the rest of the season is good for a team that has been without a head coach for the last month. Players have really learned to step up and hold themselves accountable. I think that is Schellas' philosophy. You go in, do the dirty work and do the little things right. The past has shown that successful coaches do the little things right."

Current starting goalkeeper Dario Sala agreed that Hyndman will bring much-needed leadership to the Hoops.

"I think he has a lot of experience coaching," he said. "I don't think it matters right now that he's jumping from the college to the pro level. He knows what players can play and at what level. We respect a coach who has a good eye and who can command leadership. They hired him because of his leadership and that is what we were looking for."

U.S. dominant in World Cup qualifier

CARSON, Calif. -- The U.S. national team kicked off World Cup qualifying in emphatic fashion Sunday at The Home Depot Center. Heavily favored heading into their first match toward South Africa 2010, the USA didn't disappoint, setting two new national team records en route to an 8-0 drubbing against Barbados.

It was expected that the tiny Caribbean nation would bunker in and try to hold the U.S. as close as they possibly could. For much of the contest, the visitors dropped 10 men into their own half to try and stifle the Red, White and Blue.

But any hopes Barbados had of frustrating the U.S. into a poor result were erased almost immediately. Clint Dempsey opened the scoring after just 53 seconds, scoring the fastest goal in World Cup qualifying history for the USA. It was exactly the kind of start they were looking for.

"The longer you go without scoring, the other team gets the belief that they can do something," said Dempsey. "It was good to go ahead and set the tone early. You couldn't ask for a better start than that in these types of games."

In addition to Dempsey's quick strike record, the eight-goal win was the largest in U.S. men's national team history. Brian Ching and Dempsey each scored twice and Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley and Eddie Johnson each added a tally of their own. The U.S. also picked up an own goal, although Ching was right there to tap the ball home had it gotten past the defender.

The result renders the return leg in Barbados all but meaningless, which is exactly what the U.S. was trying to accomplish.

"I think it was extremely important. In these games, sometimes you can get lulled into maybe not playing your best," said Ching. "We put them on their heels and kind of just attacked them all day. I think that's good as far as the team mentality. We know how important these games are. If you slip up, you're done. We made a good statement today, and we look forward to doing it again next Sunday."

If there was anything to be disappointed by, it was a 40-minute spell between the third U.S. goal and the fourth. After Brian Ching scored on a deflected shot from Pablo Mastroeni, the USA seemed to let up a little bit. It wasn't until Donovan scored on a free kick in the 59th minute that the U.S. again looked like they were going to completely run away with things.

"I think it was a little bit of taking the foot off the gas. I think we let down a little bit. We came into the locker room (at halftime) and (head coach) Bob (Bradley) pointed that out and said 'Hey, let's stick together, and stick with what we're supposed to do,'" said Ching. "I think we responded in the second half."

Donovan's goal might have been the biggest indicator in the gulf between the two sides. After Freddy Adu earned a free kick from about 25 yards out, the Galaxy striker indicated to the referee that he didn't want him to march off 10 yards and wait for the whistle. The referee allowed it, and while Barbados was trying to organize a wall, Donovan shot the ball into the net for the fourth goal.

As unprepared and unorganized as the Bajans were on that particular play, they didn't fare much better throughout the contest, as the U.S. was just better in all facets of the game.

It's not likely that the same lineup will take to the field in Barbados next week. The result gives Bob Bradley the luxury of giving some players a look, while letting several MLS players return to their club sides. The national team manager wouldn't exactly commit to that as his plan, but he definitely hinted as much following the match.

"From about the 80th minute on I started changing gears and thinking a little bit about rosters," said Bradley. "Certainly, as everyone knows, there is at times a need to cooperate with MLS. I think the coaches in MLS have been great, but nonetheless, it's still a qualifier. So we still need to think it through a little bit and make some decisions."

Crew's Hernandez nearly set to return

COLUMBUS -- Before Nicolas Hernandez can repair his reputation as a goal scorer, he first must mend his body.

After two lengthy injury rehabilitations, the Argentinean forward is close to being back to full capacity in a first season with the Columbus Crew that has seen him make four appearances for just 34 minutes. The last came for the final 60 seconds or so against Kansas City on Saturday after recovering from a left knee bone bruise that sidelined him for nearly three weeks.

He followed that with 73 minutes in a reserve match the next day.

"Last week I started training with the group," he said. "I'm not 100 percent yet. With more minutes on the field I start to feel better. I need more minutes, with the reserve team, maybe friendly matches, to get more fitness."

His objective is to score goals as he did in his initial MLS season with Colorado in 2006 when he had seven -- along with six assists -- in 30 regular-season games to earn the team's MVP award. He slumped to one goal in 17 matches last season and although he was known for his hard work and willingness to play a midfield position, the Rapids shipped him to Columbus in February for Tim Ward and a draft pick.

The Crew are still waiting for the move to pay dividends since Hernandez has yet to take a shot.

"It's tough for me because I come here with a lot of expectations and I get an injury in my foot first then my knee," he said. "I've never been 100 percent with my possibilities to play and now it's starting to come together in practice and I hope to start playing more.

"I'm an offensive player, everybody knows that. I can play forward, on the sides, wherever they need me I can play to show what I can do on the offensive side of the field."

Cracking the starting lineup will be tough. Fellow countryman Guillermo Barros Schelotto was named to the MLS Best XI last year and is not going to be unseated. Forward Alejandro Moreno scored twice against the Wizards and has a team-high six goals. Meanwhile, in the midfield Robbie Rogers has scored five times patrolling the left flank and Emmanuel Ekpo has shown improvement on the opposite side in his first season in the league.

The return of Hernandez was one of many welcomed by the Crew recently, who seem to be getting healthier heading into summer. Defender Ryan Junge, midfielder Duncan Oughton and forward Jason Garey logged minutes last week in both the U.S. Open Cup match against Chicago and the game in Kansas City.

Also, midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi (left quad strain) was running and cutting at practice this week in anticipation of his coming off the injured reserve list next week; forward Guilherme So (back strain) is scrimmaging again and defender Gino Padula (left knee MCL sprain) played the first half of the reserve match vs. K.C. Sunday and is ready to return to the full team. His last MLS appearance was April 26.

"I know I'm not 100 percent because I've been out for awhile," Padula said. "I'm happy. I tested it in the reserve game and it felt good."

The Crew will also be bolstered for Saturday's match at Los Angeles by the return of midfielder Brad Evans from a one-game red card suspension and defender Frankie Hejduk after a stint with the U.S. national team.

"We've got a lot of guys coming back now. Hopefully, they'll be able to contribute," Moreno said.

However, it's not all sunshine beaming over the Crew camp. Midfielder Adam Moffat had season-ending knee surgery June 10 and defender Ezra Hendrickson will miss his second consecutive match due to a groin strain. Still, even the bad news has been tempered. When midfielder Eddie Gaven suffered a left ankle sprain during the Open Cup loss to Chicago it was feared he would be out 6-8 weeks. He said Wednesday that estimate has been halved.

A relatively healthy squad comes at a good after a tough schedule. The Crew bussed eight hours to and from its Open Cup match June 10 against the Fire in Peoria, Ill., and was at K.C. last Saturday. The upcoming match vs. the Galaxy at The Home Depot Center marks the team's third on the West Coast since May 10.

After Saturday, the Crew have only one away match (July 12 at Real Salt Lake) until after the All-Star Game.

Disastrous stretch dooms Crew

Tactical change pays off for Revs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- After a first half that saw the New England Revolution fall into the same trap of letting the opposition pack the midfield and stifle their possession-oriented attack, they knew a tactical shift was in store for the second half.

"We were trying to change it," Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph said. "In the first half, we were pushing and we were working hard, but we were getting beat to second balls. We weren't getting into good spots."

But how the Revolution would change those tactics would jolt them into an equalizer and surprise one of the team's most versatile players.

It started when Adam Cristman limped off the field with 18 minutes to play. With only little-used striker Argenis Fernandez in reserve, Revs head coach Steve Nicol opted to throw on defensive midfielder Pat Phelan in Cristman's place, shifting Steve Ralston into Cristman's spot and moving Joseph into Ralston's attacking midfield role.

"We were hoping that maybe we could make them think differently," Nicol said. "One of Rally's big attributes is his passing and holding the ball. We were trying to pull them in tighter and get some more room wide. We were hoping to get the ball wider more often."

No one was more surprised than Ralston, who has played fullback and across the midfield for the Revolution but could not recall a time when he was asked to play striker.

"I haven't played forward since my sophomore year in college," Ralston said. "In practice every once in a while, I'll step up and play there. The ball just found my foot and I was lucky enough to get it in."

Ralston scored in the 79th minute after Kheli Dube cushioned a Jay Heaps crossfield ball, setting up the veteran for his fourth goal of his season. Ralston could have doubled his haul but Red Bulls 'keeper Jon Conway denied his diving header with two minutes to play.

"I got on the end of one [goal]," Ralston said. "I could have had another one. If I was a real forward, I could have had two. Obviously, Conway made a great save on the followup. We could have snuck out of here with three points. To be fair, it's probably what we deserved."

Nicol thought the shift helped his team spread out New York and earned his team the point he felt it deserved.

"Over the last 10 minutes and injury time, we got the ball wide more in that period than we did in the rest of the game," Nicol said. "We caused them problems. We could have gotten another one. We would have stolen the points if we'd gotten the second one."

Revs embrace return to normalcy

Revs searching for consistency

Despite easy win, Nicol not pleased

'Sons of NASL' look back at youth

Alecko Eskandarian's childhood memories are vivid.

There were the days he'd accompany his father to work and get to hang out with his father's co-workers at the office.

"The clearest memories I have is being in the locker room and juggling with Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer, Eusebio -- all these guys who were incredible players," the Chivas USA forward said. "I had a ball at my feet wherever I went. It was pretty funny."

Alecko's father wasn't too shabby, either. A standout defender for the Cosmos from 1979 until 1984, Andranik Eskandarian played for Iran in the 1978 World Cup.

"I remember I would come from practice, he would take a ball and he would go outside and he could call me. 'Come kick around with me,' and I'd say I'm tired," Andranik said. "He would want to play a couple more hours. It would be a second practice for me, but I would enjoy it. There's nothing like kicking around a ball with your children."

Alecko Eskandarian is a son of the NASL, part of an exclusive group of Major League Soccer players who literally followed in their fathers' footsteps, playing top-flight soccer in the USA.

Alecko is joined by New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman, whose father Tim played for the Minnesota Kicks, Tulsa Roughnecks and the Chicago Sting, Real Salt Lake midfielder Chris Wingert, whose father, Norm, was a goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Atoms and FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper, whose father, Kenny Sr, was an all-star goalkeeper with the Dallas Tornado.

"We both played professionally, at a high level in college and there's a certain common thread," Norm Wingert said. "I'm sure the Coopers and the Twellmans feel that way, as well as Eskie and his dad. Chris knows that I have a feeling and a understanding for what he's going through and that's kind of a neat, special bond."

Alecko has that connection with his father -- he calls him after every game he plays.

"He's the best soccer brain I've ever talked to, to be honest with you," Alecko said.

Alecko, though, doesn't always like what he hears when he dials the phone. The same was true when Andranik served as a trainer for the Pasco Thunder youth club and Alecko scored five goals in a 5-0 victory. When they got in the car to go home, Andranik said Alecko was the worst player on the field.

"I told him one time I'm never going to lie to you," Andranik said. "Sometimes he plays an excellent game and he calls me and I say unbelievable, I loved the way you played today. You didn't score, but you were one of the best players on the field. He calls and I give my opinion. I'm not going to say anything to make him happy. He knows that."

There was no question what sport ruled the Eskandarian home in Montvale, N.J.

"We were 100 percent a soccer family," Alecko said. "My mom, who you'd think would be the least involved, is probably the biggest soccer fanatic. If we ever need stats or the latest news updates in world soccer, she's the one who knows about it."

The same was true for Kenny Cooper's home in Dallas.

"Our house was basically a locker room," Kenny Cooper Sr. said. "Everything we did revolved around soccer."

Like Alecko, Kenny Cooper spent part of his childhood in a professional locker room, only it was when his father coached the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The U.S. international said he also learned about being a professional from his father's former teammates, guys like Mike Renshaw and Charles DeLong.

"It's a unique experience to be able to grow up around those guys," Kenny Cooper Jr. said. "I know that they're all great professionals and great ambassadors for the game. I certainly want to do the same thing that they did. "

Even at a young age, Kenny Cooper showed his father some special skills.

"I saw that he had soft feet, good balance and awareness," Kenny Cooper Sr. said. "He always had a love affair with the game. I could see early on it was something he fell in love with. He had a passion for the game and he always had an eye for the goal."

Today, the roles are reversed. It's Kenny Cooper Sr. watching his son play at Pizza Hut Park and then the two watch a tape of the game.

"He's always been an incredible father and always so supportive," Kenny Jr. said. "When I lived in Europe, he went over there a lot and spent a lot of time with me. It's nice to be playing in my hometown, but also his own stomping grounds, too."

Taylor Twellman also used to be inside the locker room when Tim played in Tulsa and Chicago. And when his father played an away game, Taylor wanted to know the result as soon as he woke up the next morning.

"Every night my wife had to post the score on his bedroom door so he could see it when he first woke up," Tim said. "He was really into it."

But Taylor, whose grandfather, Jim Delsing, played against Babe Ruth, whose father played against Pele and whose uncle, Jay Delsing, plays against Tiger Woods, wasn't predestined to be a soccer player.

"I had no choice but to be some sort of athlete," Taylor said. "When I was born I had a soccer ball in one hand and a baseball glove in the other."

The biggest thing Taylor said he learned from his father was the importance of being flexible on the field.

"In the NASL era, there were three Americans on the field so if you wanted to play, you played where they needed you," Tim said. "When Taylor was in Germany he was asked to play right midfielder and instead of moaning about it, he just did it. It makes you a better player."

Like Twellman, Chris Wingert grew up playing a variety of sports. Norm never pushed him into soccer.

"All parents live a little bit vicariously through their children," Norm said. "That's why I try not to be too pushy in that regard. I think the most important thing is that whether Chris was a little kid or at St. John's University, I wanted to make sure Chris was having a good time because life is short."

"I think if I would have really focused on something else he would have been cool with it," Chris said.

But when Chris started to get serious about playing soccer, his father was always there.

"We'd go out and train together and I think that's a huge part of separating yourself from the competition because you get so many more touches. Everyone is going to team practice, but that was something my dad stressed," Chris said. "To this day I don't know if he ever turned me down."

Hoops struggling to regain form

Ruiz highlights strong MLS WCQ efforts

The "Little Fish" scored some big goals for Guatemala in a 6-0 drubbing of St. Lucia in Guatemala City Saturday night.

Carlos Ruiz scored four goals for Guatemala in the opening leg of Stage 2 of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Lois Angeles Galaxy striker was one of several Major League Soccer players who were on international duty on a busy weekend of World Cup qualifiers.

Mario Rodriguez and Abner Trigueros also scored for Guatemala, which is all but through to the third round of qualifying. Barring a meltdown of historic proportions in the return leg on June 21, Guatemala will join Honduras, which wrapped up its aggregate series with Puerto Rico Saturday night.

Leading 4-0 heading into the second leg in Bayamon Saturday night, Honduras played Puerto Rico to a 2-2 draw, becoming the first nation to move on to the semifinal round in CONCACAF qualifying.

Toronto FC midfielder Amado Guevara played the entire 90 minutes for Honduras, which jumped in front on a 22nd-minute goal by David Suazo. New York Red Bulls forward Chris Megaloudis leveled the game for Puerto Rico in the 31st minute and former MetroStars midfielder Petter Villegas put the hosts in front 2-1 on 40 minutes.

Wilson Palacios tied the match at 2-2 in the 52nd minute for Honduras. San Jose's Ivan Guerrero was on the Honduran bench, but did not play.

Canada is confident about advancing following a 3-0 victory against St. Vincent and Grenadines Sunday in Kingston. Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad earned the clean sheet for Canada, which also had FC Dallas defender Adrian Serioux and Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, who set up two goals, each playing 90 minutes. Toronto FC defender Jim Brennan played the final five minutes for Canada, which hosts the return leg Friday at brand-new Stade Saputo in Montreal.

Grenada and Costa Rica are all level heading into the second leg of their qualifying series, playing to a surprising 2-2 draw at Grenada National Stadium Saturday night. New England midfielder Shalrie Joseph started for Grenada, which played the final 40 minutes with 10 men after a straight red card to Ricky Charles. Chicago defender Gonzalo Segares came off in the 66th minute with Costa Rica trailing by a goal.

The United States should have little problem advancing to the third round following an 8-0 shellacking of Barbados Sunday at The Home Depot Center. Houston's Brian Ching had a hat trick, Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan added one and Chivas keeper Brad Guzan earned the clean sheet in the rout. Perhaps the only sour news for the U.S. was that Colorado midfielder Pablo Mastroeni left the match after 26 minutes with a strained left gluteus.

In the biggest upset of the second stage of CONCACAF qualifying, Bermuda, featuring New England Revolution midfielder Khano Smith, defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 Sunday at Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya.

Smith played the entire 90 minutes for Bermuda, which received a first-half brace from John Nusum. Former Columbus Crew striker Stern John scored the lone goal for the Soca Warriors.

Real Salt Lake's Andy Williams made his triumphant return to the Jamaican national team, scoring in his first World Cup qualifier following a personal hiatus. The veteran midfielder, who struck in the 66th minute, started for the Reggae Boyz, as did Toronto FC defender Tyrone Marshall, in a 7-0 drubbing of Bahamas in Kingston Sunday night.

In African qualifying, Senegal remains atop Group 6 following a 2-2 draw against Liberia Sunday in Monrovia. While Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul did not play for Senegal, which has five points in three matches, D.C. United striker Francis Doe came off the bench to play the final 37 minutes for Liberia, which rallied from a 2-0 deficit with a pair of goals in the final 12 minutes to earn its first second point of the group stage.

A 22nd-minute penalty kick lifted Sierra Leone to a stunning 1-0 victory against South Africa Saturday in Freetown, its first win in Group 4. San Jose's Kei Kamara started for Sierra Leone and played 90 minutes, picking up a yellow card in the 88th minute. Sierra Leone now move into a three-way tie for second place in Group 4, six points behind first-place Nigeria.

New England Revolution rookie Kenny Mansally came off the bench for The Gambia in a 1-0 win against Algeria Saturday in Banjul. The Gambia, with five points out of three games, is tied atop Group 6 with Senegal.

Wizards search for consistency

McCarty returns to field with Hoops

FRISCO, Texas -- After missing six games while recovering from sports hernia surgery, third-year midfielder Dax McCarty returned to the field for FC Dallas on Sunday.

Coming on in the 64th minute for Marcelo Saragosa, it didn't take long for McCarty to leave an impact on what ended up a 1-0 win against the Chicago Fire on a sultry day at Pizza Hut Park. McCarty nearly got his second assist of the year when he served a great corner toward the far post. That cross was met by speedy Hoops forward Dominic Oduro, who headed the ball with authority toward the net before being robbed by Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch. But the great ball served notice that McCarty was back.

"I felt good," he said. "For me, it seems like it's been a while since I've been out and the whole rehab process has been a frustrating one. I just feel good to get back out there and be able to help the team. We played pretty well throughout the entire game as a team and (interim head coach) Marco (Ferruzzi) wanted to give me a run out to help kill the game off by keeping possession a little bit. I felt like I did OK.

"I only had a couple of training sessions under my belt but felt that the best way for me to get back in shape was to play, especially in that type of heat, where I would get a little bit of fitness back," he continued. "I felt pretty tired towards the end of the game even though it was only 30 minutes. I felt like I came on, helped the team and that we achieved what we wanted to."

So far this year, he has appeared in seven games, four of those starts. McCarty has one assist in 2008, the secondary assist on Kenny Cooper's fifth-minute goal in a 2-0 win at Chivas USA on April 20. His last start came in a 1-0 loss to New England on April 24 and his last action before Sunday was in a 0-0 draw at San Jose on May 3, when he played the final 21 minutes after coming on for Andre Rocha.

In 2007, McCarty broke out with one goal and a team-leading seven assists in 25 games, 18 of those starts for the Hoops. He posted those numbers despite missing five games while with the U.S. at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada.

Before last season, he went to Germany for surgery to take care of a sports hernia on his right side. McCarty saw the same thing flare up this year but on his left side and had the same procedure performed the week of May 15. He admits that he has progressed well but isn't quite back at 100 percent.

"I'd say that I'm still at 75 to 80 percent," he said. "I'm still feeling a tiny bit of pain in there and it has to do with a little tendonitis that I've had in my groin. That's something that we're looking to take care of as well, but I don't feel like I'm getting worse, which is where it was earlier in the recovery. When I came back, I felt like it was worse some days. I feel like I've hit a good point right now where I'm at 75-80 percent and fitness-wise, I'm still not there. But that's going to come with games and I feel like if I keep playing and try to push that threshold of where I'm at right now, then I will be good to go."

The last time that McCarty had the surgery, it was during the offseason and it also wasn't an Olympic year. But he admits that being in contention for a spot on the U.S. under-23 team that will go to Beijing in a few months have made him rush a little bit to return.

"The last few weeks have been really frustrating for me," he said. "FC Dallas is my first priority but the Olympics are one of the biggest sporting events in the world and that's always in the back of your mind. There's nothing I can do to not think about that.

"At this point, it's probably about a month or month and a half away. It's a race to get fit and reach that peak fitness level. For the coaches to choose me, I can't be going in there at 80 or 90 percent. That was in the back of my head about whether I will be ready in time or not," McCarty continued. "I went through the setback, kept working hard and the trainers were great through this in not forcing me to do anything. I feel like I'm on the right track not just to help Dallas but also to possibly go to the Olympics."

While McCarty's rehabilitation has taken a bit longer than expected, the young midfielder has learned a valuable lesson from the entire experience.

"The reason for that is that the last time I had it done, it was during the offseason," McCarty said. "Getting a surgery done in the offseason (as in 2007), there was no pressure to come back and to rush things. With this surgery, since it's in the middle of the year, it was a pretty frustrating decision to make but I felt like it was a decision that I had to make. It's just been tough because I felt like I tried to get back into things a little bit too early.

"I tried to start doing things before I was ready but those are the little setbacks that you go through," he said. "I feel like this surgery has taught me that patience is the best way to go in terms of energy. I learned my lesson. I'm starting to get back into it and am feeling better. I'm looking forward to playing some more."

Hoops hoping to reignite attack

Hoops struggling to regain form

Fire eager to return to pitch

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- All coaches look forward to a long midseason break as an opportunity to get he team's batteries recharged for the next long haul on the schedule.

But when your team defeats a rival 5-1 in a road game, a two-week break isn't exactly what the doctor ordered.

When the Chicago Fire play host to D.C. United Saturday night at Toyota Park, they will have had 13 days of preparation following their remarkable 5-1 demolition of the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium. Because an exhibition match with a Polish club team was cancelled for May 31, the Fire has had two weeks off between games.

Hamlett, who is smart enough to know it pays no dividends to complain about the schedule, still admits it would have been nice to jump back in the MLS hopper the next weekend following that big win against New York.

"Yeah, obviously, you would love to do that," Hamlett said. "But this is the schedule and that is what you deal with. You can't get caught up with that. It's easier to be off when you have won 5-1 than when you are coming off a loss."

The Toyota Park fans are obviously going to be looking for a similar result tonight as the Fire play a United team that is puling itself up after a horrendous start. The last time the local faithful saw the Fire was May 17, when they came into the game with a three-game winning streak and laid an egg against the Houston Dynamo, losing 2-1.

The Fire are just one point behind first-place New England in the Eastern Conference standings (ahead of the Revs' Friday game with FC Dallas), but the Revolution have played two more games. There is a sense that something remarkable is possible in Chicago, and that doesn't take into account the current hot topic of Brian McBride joining the club in July.

Hamlett gave the Fire two days off during the two-week stretch.

"We tried to get some balance between work and rest; we got some guys healthy, and we pushed some guys along," Hamlett said. "We had a good month of May, it is a long season, and when you get these moments where you have a chance to rest, you need to get the rest but also continue to work harder when they do train."

The only real health concern on the team was midfielder John Thorrington, who missed a pair of games with a bad back. Hamlett said Thorrington trained all week and is available for selection.

It is also possible to see veteran defender and team captain C.J. Brown as a reserve choice against United after missing the entire season so far with an adductor muscle strain.

It will be interesting to see how Hamlett designs his team. The Fire has the best defense by far in MLS, with only six goals given up, including one that was an own goal. The next best team in the league has given up 13 goals.

That would seem to mean the back line of Brandon Prideaux, Bakary Soumare, Diego Gutierrez and Gonzalo Segares will remain intact. The question is whether he keeps Wilman Conde in a defensive midfield position.

The rest of the lineup (Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Logan Pause, Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett and Justin Mapp) does not figure to change.

Buddle hat trick lifts LA past Quakes

OAKLAND, Calif. -- An Edson Buddle hat trick powered the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 3-0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes, in front of a crowd of 39,872 at McAfee Coliseum.

With Landon Donovan (United States) and Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala) called away to national team duty, and Alan Gordon suspended after being sent off last week, LA's offense needed someone to step and carry the load. Enter Buddle, now the second leading scorer (after Donovan) in MLS with eight goals.

There were others who stepped up: Ante Jazic, getting his first start of the season, and Josh Tudela, who had all of 90 minutes of playing time previously this year, also added assists to help keep the Galaxy atop the MLS Western Conference.

It was a disappointing loss for San Jose, who came into the game having won two of their last three matches, and were playing in front of the second-largest home crowd in club history.

Like LA, San Jose also had to juggle their line up a bit, with Kei Kamara (Sierra Leone) and Ivan Guerrero (Honduras) away on national team duty. John Cunliffe got the start alongside Ryan Johnson at forward for the Earthquakes, while Adam Smarte made his MLS debut at right back.

It didn't take long for LA to get on the scoreboard. In the sixth minute, David Beckham served up a cross to Josh Tudela in front of the goal. Tudela headed the ball down to Edson Buddle at the top of the box, and Buddle slammed a volley past a diving Joe Cannon inside the left post for a 1-0 lead.

LA almost got another goal in the 18th minute as Buddle, out on the right wing, worked his way in along the goal line. Buddle slid a pass to Ely Allen inside the six-yard box. Allen's quick turning shot beat the goalkeeper but banged off the near post before being cleared away and came out the other side.

San Jose's best chance in the first half came in the 24th minute, when Ryan Johnson's diving header was saved by goalkeeper Steve Cronin.

In the second half, San Jose pressed for an equalizer, but couldn't find the net. In the 60th minute, Kelly Gray stole the ball and fired a shot from 25 yards out, but it sailed wide right.

The rest of the night belonged to LA. The Galaxy doubled their lead in the 63rd minute, when Allen flicked the ball into the left-wing corner for Ante Jazic. Jazic's line-drive cross found Buddle, who acrobatically headed it home from 10 yards out.

San Jose tried to answer in the 65th minute, as a through ball sprung Shea Salinas up the middle of the field, but his shot sailed wide right.

In the 68th minute, it was the Galaxy again working the left side with good results. Jazic played the ball to an overlapping Mike Randolph down the wing. Randolph's cross found Buddle, again about 10 yards in front of goal, and his leaping header finished his hat trick. It was the second hat trick of the season for Buddle, who earlier had netted three goals in a game against Dallas.

Buddle almost had a fourth goal in the 86th minute when he broke in alone on the goalkeeper, but he fired just wide of the far post.

Gray tried in vain to put the Earthquakes on the scoreboard with a turning shot from the top of the box in the 88th minute, but he couldn't get in on target.

The Galaxy have now won four out of their last five, and are atop the West with 20 points, heading into next weekend's home game against Columbus. San Jose remains on 10 points, in seventh place in the conference, with a midweek trip ahead to Real Salt Lake.

Buddle gives Galaxy needed jolt

Crew's Iro adapting to pro ranks

For every Jeff Cunningham, Chad Marshall and Kyle Martino who had success after being taken as the Columbus Crew's first-round SuperDraft pick, there were top choices such as Matt Chulis, Marcus Storey and Diego Walsh that didn't.

As the Crew's No. 1 selection and sixth overall in this year's SuperDraft, UC-Santa Barbara defender Andy Iro knew the transition from college to the professional game would be tough. However, the step up was big for even someone the size of the 6-foot-5 Liverpool, England, native.

"There's a reason why rookies don't play that much," he said. "Even second-year players don't play that much. It takes time."

He had played only three minutes in the first 10 league matches until subbing for the injured Chad Marshall in the 27th minute of last Saturday's loss to San Jose. He then played the full 120 minutes Tuesday in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match against the Chicago Fire.

Saturday night, when the Crew meet the Kansas City Wizards, Iro is expected to make his first MLS start because of a groin injury to defender Ezra Hendrickson. He'll join veterans Marshall and Danny O'Rourke on the backline along with Ryan Junge, the second-year player who has appeared in two league matches.

That Iro could be paired with Marshall at center back would be a touch of irony. The Crew drafted Iro in large measure because of a series of concussions Marshall suffered that kept him out of 17 matches last season.

"The reason we drafted him is we had a little concern with Chad and his problems last year," coach Sigi Schmid said. "We felt he could be a good replacement for Chad if something happened. He stepped in and played all right against San Jose and played the whole game against Chicago. He's a young player and did what he needed to do."

Sunnier times might be ahead for Iro after a gloomy start.

"It's what I've wanted all along. I understood it's going to be a process -- the transition," he said. "I was frustrated with myself. I was so used to playing. It's a whole different ballgame here. I'm definitely a lot happier now. I can actually contribute and keep that progression going."

He credits phone calls to a college teammate, Andrew Proctor, with helping him get out of his funk.

"The best advice I got was from a friend of mine I played college with who was a good player but suffered really badly with confidence. He would be on the bench and I would be like, 'How do you get past thinking you should be playing but you're not?'" Iro said. "He said it's one of those things where you keep telling yourself you're good enough and deal with other things to keep your mind off it. The time will come. You have to be 100 percent confident it will come."

With numerous injuries to the defensive corps it appears the time is now for Iro and Junge, a Creighton University product who also went the distance against Chicago.

"You only learn from being out there. We haven't gotten the results we've wanted the last two matches so the learning process needs to be quick for them," Schmid said. "Basically, process all that information and get to the point where they make the play a little better the next time. They're coming along. They're going to be good players.

"Ryan Junge physically has all the abilities, all the tools. He's getting better on his focus and concentration. He's certainly a big guy. He's got speed. He adds a long throw which is something we haven't had on this team in a long time. He helps us in those ways."

Junge has been hindered by hamstring injuries in his brief pro career, missing more than four months last season and three weeks in 2008. By stretching four times daily he said he is fully recovered, although he has to be wary of a relapse.

"My hamstrings are like little violins right now. The strings are really tight,' he said. "I'm trying to get them loose again. The heat is helping."

Maybe the simmering temperatures in the Midwest will also thaw the frigid Crew attack that has not scored during a 0-3-1 stretch. The scoreless drought stands at 367 minutes, 54 minutes shy of the club record; the four consecutive games without a goal is a Crew record.

Yet, to a man, there is a lack of concern because the chances have been coming. New England's Matt Reis and Matt Guzan of Chivas USA were stellar in blanking the Crew. In the San Jose match, the Crew felt a penalty should have been called when Alejandro Moreno was pushed from behind while going to goal and Jed Zayner blistered a strike from 35 yards off the crossbar.

"We've been a little unlucky in the MLS games. I don't think anyone has their heads down about that," said midfielder Duncan Oughton, who is coming off bone spurs surgery and could make his first start of the season. "We're not too worried about it. We're still positive. We've got guys out there that can bang in goals. Hopefully, we'll get a nice tap-in to get us going. Or, a 40-yard ball."

Kansas City has its problems, too. The Wizards have scored 10 goals, only five from the run of play. Of course, San Jose was the lowest scoring team until scoring twice against the Crew last week to run its season total to nine. Schmid said the Crew must be cognizant of defending the Wizards' set pieces while also being more focused at the other end.

Forward Jason Garey agrees.

"We're playing well. We're just not finishing our opportunities. It's not like we're not getting shots or chances," Garey said. "We're getting shots on goal, hitting the crossbar, having shots blocked. It's a matter of keep playing well and the goals will come. A little more concentration in the final third is all it takes."

Fire add chapter to Open Cup lore

Unlikely heroes shine for Columbus

Crew trying to regroup after letdown

The Columbus Crew had eight hours on a bus Wednesday to reflect on another gut-wrenching Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup loss to the Chicago Fire the previous night in Peoria, Ill., while looking for an upside as it prepares for Saturday's MLS match in Kansas City.

"It's disappointing because the guys put in a lot of effort and a lot of heart," Crew coach Sigi Schmid said.

Andy Herron scored for the second time in the match, converting a penalty kick in the 116th minute, to lift the Fire to a 3-2 victory and advancement to the round-of-16. Maybe the outcome shouldn't have been surprising: Chicago has won all three Open Cup games against the Crew in extra time.

While Columbus rediscovered its offensive mojo, got more playing time for youngsters such as defenders Andy Iro and Ryan Junge and welcomed the return of forward Jason Garey and midfielder Duncan Oughton, another injury hangs over the team.

On the same day that midfielder Adam Moffat had surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be lost for the season, midfielder Eddie Gaven was carted off in the 75th minute with an ankle injury. Schmid is unsure how long he will be out.

"It's definitely gut-check time going into Kansas City. We're pretty banged up," Schmid said.

The Crew is winless (0-3-1) and goalless in the past four league matches but at least it knows it can put the ball in the back of the net after twice rallying from one-goal deficits against the Fire as midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo and Garey scored in the second half.

"We showed some fight and we never quit. We kept fighting to find a way back into the game," Crew forward Alejandro Moreno said. "I thought we were going to go to penalty kicks (shootout) but they got that late goal. It's a tough way to lose. You play 120 minutes and have nothing to show for it."

The defeat might be eased by the appearances of Garey (groin) and Oughton (bone spurs), each of whom had been limited to reserve matches.

"It's good to have those guys healthy. They add a lot to the team. It certainly gives us an option with them off the bench or starting a game," Moreno said.

For Garey, the match was bittersweet. Yes, he scored on his first touch to tie the match at 2-2 less than a minute after entering in the 66th minute but he also coughed up the ball on the play that led to Herron's penalty kick.

"I'm glad coach gave me a shot and I was able to score a goal," Garey said. "Jed (Zayner) made a great play down the right side and put the ball there for me. Jed put it there on a platter.

"I was disappointed I didn't do a better job holding the ball there at the end. It might have been a different result. If I don't lose the ball all the way up the field none of that happens. I'm taking the fall for that one. I'm going to work on it, get better at it. Unfortunately, I had a negative impact on the game as well."

Herron dribbled unmarked into the right side of the penalty area only to be met by sliding goalkeeper Will Hesmer, who took down the Costa Rican forward with a tackle.

Schmid, who thought Moreno should have been awarded a penalty in the 50th minute after being pushed down and Chicago's Justin Mapp could have been given one as well after a collision in the box, was philosophical about the decisive call.

"It's one of those where the guy is coming down on the breakaway; whether the goalkeeper touches him or not, an experienced player like Herron is going to push it and dive," he said. "Most referees are going to call it because of the angle they're coming from and what they see. How much Will got Herron I don't know. I don't think Herron would have gotten to the ball because he pushed the ball out of bounds. That's one of those bang-bang plays."

Scoring from the spot has not been easy as MLS foes have learned this season. Hesmer has stopped three of four attempts but Herron made it look easy as he stuttered then deftly deposited the ball into the left corner of the goal as Hesmer dove the opposite way.

It was a cruel end for a Crew team that outshot the Fire 21-14, had 10 of the 17 shots on goal and dominated play for large patches of the second 45 minutes and into overtime after a sluggish start.

Some of that running-in-sand feel might have been attributed to a youthful lineup that didn't have the right approach. Iro and Junge -- with a combined five MLS career matches between them -- got the start in the back while usual reserves Ekpo, Brad Evans, Zayner and Steven Lenhart were also in the first 11.

"We didn't come out with the right mentality," Garey said. "The first 20, 30 minutes we weren't ourselves. After that we were able to turn it around. Anytime you score in any game it's good for the confidence. I wish we would have finished better and got a couple of more goals."

The Crew trailed 1-0 at the break on a 10th-minute goal by Stephen King and it was no mystery why they did.

"The main talk at halftime was we have to be men out there," Schmid said. "We were too tentative and played a little naïve. Lenhart and Evans played better as the game went along and Eddie Gaven was having a real good game until he got hurt. It was good to have Iro and Junge out there at the end of the game. We dominated the second half. Duncan had three opportunities to win the game but you've got to get one on frame to have a shot at winning."

Besides the intermission tongue-lashing Schmid made some tactical adjustments. He had Ekpo play wider on the flanks to allow Gaven more freedom on the inside and also inserted leading scorer Robbie Rogers into the mix in the 56th minute.

The Crew had not scored in a team-record 368 minutes of MLS play but struck for goals by Ekpo (63rd minute) and Garey (67th) with a responder by Herron in between.

"At times we were not comfortable pressuring the ball, pressuring as a team. They were finding a lot of space in the middle of the park," Moreno said of the opening 45 minutes. "We started pressing the issue a little bit more in the second half. We put pressure on their backline and forced them to turn the ball over in their half of the field. We had some momentum going into overtime and we carried it the first 15 minutes where we actually created some quality chances and we didn't take advantage of them. In the end we didn't react well to a turnover."

The Crew paid for their mistake as always seems to be the case against the Fire.

Columbus and the Fire can't match the longevity of the 95-year-old tournament but they have accumulated some history since competing against each other in Cup competition over the past 10 years. Unfortunately for Columbus, the previous two results were not good, beginning with the first encounter in 1998 when the teams played for the championship in Soldier Field.

The events leading to the Fire's 2-1 overtime win were bizarre. The title match had been scheduled for late August in Virginia Beach, Va., but Hurricane Bonnie roared up the eastern seaboard and forced a one day delay then a postponement for two months.

In the interim each team lobbied U.S. Soccer officials to host the match, assuming a home-field advantage could make the difference. They were right. A raucous crowd of 18,615 in the Windy City not only celebrated the expansion Fire's MLS Cup victory five days earlier but local hero Frank Klopas' extra time score that completed an unlikely double.

The second meeting in the round-of-16 in 2004 had less at stake but was just as dramatic when Damani Ralph scored twice, including the winner in the 106th minute to take a 2-1 win in Columbus Crew Stadium.

Columbus has won the tournament named for its founder once -- in 2002 against Schmid's Los Angeles Galaxy -- but has failed to reach the round-of-16 for the third time in four years.

"The Open Cup is certainly important for the team. They know it was named after Lamar. It's an important ingredient for them to go after it," Schmid said. "You want to do well because of what Lamar meant to this organization."

Fire add chapter to Open Cup lore

Buddle gives Galaxy needed jolt

OAKLAND -- With Landon Donovan and Carlos Ruiz called away to national team duty and Alan Gordon sitting out a red-card suspension, the Los Angeles Galaxy offense needed someone to step up and carry the load Saturday night against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Enter Edson Buddle, scoring his second hat trick of the season to lead LA to a 3-0 road win at McAfee Coliseum.

"We have a lot of quality players on this team and we are capable of playing like this every week. I got some great service tonight and I was able to finish," Buddle said after the game. "I have been working hard in training and just getting a lot of repetitions in. The balls that I get in training and in the game are on time and if I time my runs well I will have opportunities."

Saturday night, Buddle made the most of those opportunities. In the sixth minute, David Beckham served up a cross to Josh Tudela in front of the goal. Tudela headed the ball down to Buddle at the top of the box, and Buddle slammed a volley past a diving Joe Cannon for a 1-0 lead.

Buddle scored again in the 63rd minute. Ely Allen played the ball into the left-wing corner for Ante Jazic. He whipped in a cross to Buddle, who headed it home from 10 yards out.

In the 68th minute, it was an almost instant replay for LA. Jazic played the ball to an overlapping Mike Randolph down the wing. Randolph's cross found Buddle, again about 10 yards in front of goal. Buddle's leaping header finished his hat trick, and the game's scoring.

Buddle earlier had netted three goals in a game this season against Dallas in a 5-1 win on May 18. He nearly had a fourth goal in the 86th minute when he broke in a lone on the goalkeeper, but he fired just wide of the far post. Buddle is now the second leading scorer (after Landon Donovan) in MLS with eight goals.

"Of course I'm happy, but (the win) doesn't just come by itself," LA head coach Ruud Gullit said. "I think it was a team effort. We practiced all week on certain things, and of course I'm happy with the development of Edson Buddle.

"We worked very hard with certain individuals. I think the best example of improvement would be the third goal, how Mike Randolph crossed the ball. We practiced a lot on that," Gullit continued.

Said David Beckham: "Edson's finishing tonight showed what a quality player he is and what he can do. Edson is a player that is getting better all the time. He is a hard worker. He proved tonight how good he is and he proves it in training every day. He is scoring goals and creating opportunities. He is a handful to play against." For the Galaxy, the win was their fourth in the last five games, and puts them atop the MLS Western Conference with 20 points. They return home to face the Columbus Crew next Saturday.

"We showed togetherness tonight. We were missing quite a few players due to national team duty, as well as suspension and injury, so we came together as a team," Beckham said.

Just ask San Jose.

Buddle adds dimension to Galaxy

Yanks draw with powerful Argentina

E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The United States national team bounced back from a pair of losses to England and Spain in Europe to play Argentina, the top-ranked team in the world, to an entertaining scoreless draw in front of 78,682 at Giants Stadium on a steamy Sunday night.

Argentina dominated the opening half-hour, but was stymied by the brilliance of Tim Howard. The Everton goalkeeper came up big on five minutes, making a kick save on Julio Cruz and then parried the rebound away.

A minute later a back heel by Maxi Rodriguez freed Cruz in on goal, but Danny Califf slid in and knocked the ball out for a corner kick, one of three for Argentina in the half.

Cruz again found himself with space in the box, but Howard was big off his line, diving at the Inter Milan forward without drawing a foul in the 15th minute.

Gabriel Heinze's open header two minutes later was wide of the net. In the 28th minute, Lionel Messi put Cruz through into the box, but Howard came up big again. He kicked away the shot for a corner kick. On the half hour, Messi couldn't find the target on a free kick from 26 yards out.

After surviving the initial Argentine onslaught, the U.S. slowed the game down, got more of possession and started to get scoring chances of its own. In the 32nd minute Clint Dempsey received the ball from Michael Bradley and his deflected shot from distance just missed the far post.

Three minutes later, Heath Pearce took a bouncing ball and unleashed a difficult shot that forced Robert Abbondanzieri to make a diving stop.

Two minutes before halftime, Eddie Johnson latched onto a Dempsey cross, but his diving header bounced into Abbondanzieri.

Howard wasn't done with his heroics, though. He stuck out his left arm and again robbed Cruz, time this thwarting his shot from 12 yards out.

Argentina boss Alfio Basile made two changes at the half, bringing on Martin Demichelis for Nicolas Burdisso and Jose Sosa replaced Messi.

U.S. manager Bob Bradley made one change, taking off his son Michael for Maurice Edu.

The U.S. reversed its first-half form and attacked from the outset after halftime. Landon Donovan had an inch of space at the top of the box off a deflected ball. But his shot was deflected out for a corner kick in the 47th minute. On the ensuing set piece, Oguchi Onyewu headed Donovan's ball off the crossbar.

For Donovan, it was his 100th national team apperance. Prior to the match, goalkeeper Kasey Keller was honored for his 100th national team cap, earned June 21, 2007.

Argentina came right back on a counter, with Cruz turning Califf around before freeing Sergio Aguero in the box. But Howard raced out, slid at Aguero, who went flying over the keeper. The Argentineans, as well as many in the crowd, appeared for a penalty, but Salvadoran referee Joel Aguilar Chicas emphatically waved play on.

In the 61st minute, the U.S. made a double switch, with Freddy Adu replacing Dempsey and Jay DeMerit coming on for Onyewu. Basile's third substitution came in the 64th minute with Lisandro Lopez coming on for Cruz.

Adu played Johnson behind the Argentina defense into the left side of the 18-yard box, but Abbondanzieri slid out and knocked the ball away in the 67th minute.

With Argentina preparing for a free kick following an Edu foul, Pablo Mastroeni was sent off by referee Aguilar with a straight red card as the Americans played the final 19 minutes with 10 men.

In the 74th minute, both teams made a change. Sacha Kljestan came on for Johnson while Fernado Cavenaghi replaced Rodriguez. Three minutes later, the crowd roared when Javier Zanetti made his appearance, replacing Pablo Zabalesta. In the 78th minute, Pearce left the match for Eddie Lewis and Frankie Hejduk replaced DaMarcus Beasley in the first minute of second-half stoppage time for the USA's final change.

Aguilar leveled the playing field in the 86th minute, sending Argentinean captain Javier Mascherano off for his second bookable offense for a kick to Donovan in the middle of the field.

The U.S. had a few quality scoring chances in the final eight minutes of the game, which was played under a driving rain. But Argentina cleared away a pair of Donovan corner kicks and DeMerit's header deflected out for a corner.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Donovan played the ball ahead to Kljestan, who cut the ball back and his shot deflected out for a corner kick.

Both teams returned seven starters from friendlies on Wednesday. Argentina thrashed Mexico 4-1 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego while the U.S. lost 1-0 at Spain.

LA Galaxy storm past Wizards