International clubs look to impress in PPC

CARSON, Calif. -- The second edition of the Pan-Pacific Championship, which begins Wednesday with a doubleheader at The Home Depot Center, features an intriguing mix of talent from outside the United States.

The Japanese entry in the event, Oita Trinita, is the J-League's Yamazaki Nabisco Cup champion. They also are the first J-League side to conduct their preseason training on the U.S. mainland. Yokohama F. Marinos of the J-League did train in the U.S. in 2005, but that was during a league break.

Oita also has been boosted by the recent return of midfielder Masashi Miyazawa, who had been on loan with the league's Vegalta Sendai, and includes defender Masato Morishige, a 21-year-old who recently signed a two-year contract and was a member of the Japanese team in the Beijing Olympics.

Head coach Pericles Chamusca said he is anxious to show the Home Depot Center crowd what his team is capable of.

"We hope to show our type of soccer to the U.S. fans," he said.

The tournament's Korean entry, the Suwon Samsung Bluewings, recently signed Chinese national team defender Li Weifeng from the Chinese Super League's Wuhan Guanggu. The Bluewings also finished in the Lunar New Year Cup in Hong Kong, where they lost to Sparta Prague of the Czech Republic.

The club recently extended the contract of coach Cha Bum-Kun, who is the South Korean national team's all-time leader in goals and was the first player from his country to play in the German Bundesliga. Bum-Kun is expected to remain with the team through 2011.

"We are looking forward to competing on an international level," Cha said. "It will be very good for our young players and help them improve."

The Chinese side, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, has been busy in its preseason preparations with three one-sided scrimmages -- but on the wrong side -- against MLS teams. The Chinese Super League champions lost to Chivas USA 5-1 just more than a week ago. They also had closed-door scrimmages against the Seattle Sounders (a 2-0 loss) and Real Salt Lake (an 8-0 loss).

Head coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic of Serbia said he and the team are thankful to be in the competition, despite some less-than-ideal circumstances.

"We are in a difficult situation because of injuries," he said. "We are not well-prepared right now."

The first game of the doubleheader matches the Suwon Samsung Bluewings against Shandong Luneng Taishan FC at 5:30 p.m. PT, followed by the Los Angeles Galaxy and Oita Trinita at 8 p.m.

Smith familiar with Red Bulls' confidence

Khano Smith has had only had two training sessions with his new club, but he can already tell there's a buzz about the New York Red Bulls. That's because it's a feeling he said was similar to when he was with the New England Revolution.

"Losing in the final like they did last year, I know exactly what they're going through," Smith said. "I know the hunger."

Smith spent three years with the Revs, losing in the MLS Cup Final each season. He said there was a confidence in training camp after each run to the Cup, which is what he has noticed with the Red Bulls.

"Now they have the belief that they can get there and that they can win it," Smith said. "Hopefully that belief will carry over because I think that had a lot to do with our success in New England."

The Bermudan international, who was selected by Seattle Sounders FC in the MLS Expansion Draft, was acquired by the Red Bulls in exchange for allocation funds on Feb. 12.

"I'm really happy to be here," he said. "It's close to home and it's really convenient for me to get back to Bermuda and for family to come visit. I've heard good things about (Red Bulls coach) Juan (Carlos Osorio) for a long time and I heard the organization does things the right way."

While he has yet to train for Osorio, who was in El Salvador on a scouting mission, Smith said he already has his marching orders.

"Juan told me he wants me to produce more on the attacking end, whereas in New England I had a lot of defensive responsibilities," Smith said. "I'm still going to have some (defensive responsibilities) here, but not as much. I think I'm going to be able to get forward and express myself a lot more, which I'm really looking forward to."

One of Osorio's biggest complaints about the Red Bulls last year was that the team was too predictable. That is something that Smith noticed as a member of the rival New England Revolution.

"In the past I guess you could say as long as you took care of Angel then you shut down a lot of what they were trying to do," he said. "A lot of their stuff went through him before."

Angel is still going to be the target forward, but Osorio went out and acquired forward Dominic Oduro from FC Dallas, drafted Maryland's Jeremy Hall and traded for Smith to go along with late-2008 acquisitions Mac Kandji and Matthew Mbuta to get a more varied and athletic attack, which Smith is looking forward to joining.

"I think we'd have a pretty good relay team out there and we have Juan (Pablo Angel) up there, one of the best forwards in the league," Smith said. "I think we're going to be a real attacking team with all the speed we have and we're going to cause teams a lot of problems."

Most of all, Smith said, he is thankful for not having to deal with Dane Richards' speed down the wing.

"I'm real excited I won't have to chase Dane up and down the flank anymore," Smith said. "I can just stand on the other side and watch somebody else chase him."

Wizards hail Hirsig signing as coup

KANSAS CITY -- The Kansas City Wizards feel like they pulled off a bit of a coup on Wednesday in agreeing to contractual terms with Argentinean midfielder Santiago Hirsig.

Wizards technical director Peter Vermes said the club wanted to obtain the 31-year-old in the past, but didn't want to pay the substantial transfer fee. But letting the hard-working and skilled midfielder play out his contract with San Lorenzo in Argentina's Primera Division was a bit of a risk as a "major club" in Greece nearly nicked him away, making a "very significant offer [for Hirsig]," said Vermes.

"He knows a lot about our team, our organization, our training facility, and what our vision is, so I think that [knowledge] had a lot to do with [him signing with us]," he said. An eight-year veteran of the Argentinean top flight, Hirsig has notched 18 goals in 276 professional appearances. The Wizards got their man, and in doing so, came one step closer to becoming the team Vermes and head coach Curt Onalfo envision. Hirsig will join the team upon receipt of his international transfer certificate and completion of his visa paperwork.

"We felt that we needed to get stronger in the midfield still," Vermes said. "We needed someone who could play a couple of positions. He can play in the middle or on the right."

The Wizards' midfield group now includes: Davy Arnaud and Jack Jewsbury, who are both on U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley's radar; apprentices Kevin Souter and Kurt Morsink; young Honduran international Roger Espinoza; and Hirsig.

"We wanted a guy who could go both ways from 18 to 18 and has that creative ability as well. I would label [Hirsig] as a 60-40 guy in the midfield -- he goes forward more than he defends," Vermes said. "[The addition of Santiago] gives us another really good soccer player that we can, if we need to, move people around. We have so many guys now who can play multiple positions and play them very well."

Hirsig joins fellow Argentinean Claudio Lopez on a Wizards roster that also has, on paper, more punch upfront than last year's attack. Former U.S. international Josh Wolff, Lopez, the recently obtained Adam Cristman, Abe Thompson, Arnaud and Herculez Gomez provide a variety of potentially dangerous combinations.

"We have to have a very strong roster to participate in the three competitions we're in this year," said Vermes, referring to Superliga, the U.S. Open Cup, and MLS league play.

Now, Kansas City can field a solid side each match without putting a fitness burden on its roster.

Though Vermes and Onalfo are still looking at various trialists, including 26-year-old Hungarian striker Ferenc Tomas Beres, there will likely be no further significant moves, Vermes said.

Meanwhile, Gomez's rehab from surgery performed on a lateral meniscal tear suffered during the first week of preseason is going very well according to Vermes. The versatile attacker who sparked the Wizards in their playoff run after being obtained late last season from Colorado will require no other surgeries and will travel to Guadalajara, Mexico, as the Wizards continue their preseason training there through March 4.

Hoops' Hyndman wants more scoring

FRISCO, Texas -- On Tuesday afternoon in Florida, FC Dallas won their second consecutive preseason match, a 1-0 decision against fellow MLS Western Conference side Colorado. However, in their three games against league opposition -- two against the Houston Dynamo and one against the Rapids -- FCD has yet to score once in the run of play, which is a bit concerning to head coach Schellas Hyndman.

The Hoops prevailed Tuesday thanks to a converted free kick by Kenny Cooper in the 57th minute.

"Yes, of course (it's a concern)," Hyndman said. "I've also made it very clear to everyone that we've spent a lot of time in our shape, a majority of our time in defending principles. So we're just starting to work on attacking principles. It's much easier to destroy than it is to build and the attacking phase is usually focused on building-combining, beating someone, doing something creative and then putting the ball in the goal. In the defensive phase, it's a little more about destroying."

The Hoops did manage to find the net regularly in a 5-1 win Saturday against the University of Memphis. After going scoreless for nearly the entire first half, FCD got two goals from striker Jeff Cunningham, his first two tallies of preseason. The Hoops also got two-assist performances from midfielders Dax McCarty, who also scored, and new acquisition Dave van den Bergh.

After arriving late to preseason camp because of a visa issue, Andre Rocha made his 2009 debut Monday, playing approximately 20 minutes.

"Andre did fine," he said. "Andre is a very skillful, very technical player. It's just that he came into camp late and his fitness level is what's holding him back. We're taking this week and probably next week to try and help him with his fitness level. Right now, Andre is trying to get himself fit again."

FCD will face Florida International on Thursday afternoon but Hyndman doesn't see Rocha's minutes increasing in that preseason affair.

"I think his level of fitness has got to improve," Hyndman said. "One of the things that happens when you play players that aren't fit, miraculously, they end up getting an injury that will keep them out of there."

A player fighting for a roster spot is forward Jamie Watson, who had a goal on Saturday despite suffering from a stomach virus that forced him to miss training on Friday. Watson has continued to be bothered by the same virus in Florida and played only the final 10 minutes in Tuesday's match.

"He's not (feeling too well)," Hyndman said. "He didn't play too much yesterday and part of that was because he didn't have a good training yesterday morning because he wasn't feeling really well. I think he's still recovering from the stomach virus. He's got great character and great heart. But at the same time, he's competing for a roster spot. He's hungry and realizes that he's got an opportunity."

While the attack remains a work in progress, there has been marked improvement on the other side of the ball. In their last three preseason games, FCD has allowed a grand total of two goals. That came after a resounding 3-0 defeat in Houston on Feb. 6. Since then, the Hoops kept a clean sheet in the return match against the Dynamo three days later in Frisco and allowed one goal each against Memphis and Colorado.

"I think our defense is getting better," Hyndman said. "It's a combination of not just our defenders getting better, it's our whole team coming together in some type of structure and understanding their roles to defend. I think that has helped us a bit.

"I think our goalies have done a good job. Ray (Burse) did a really good job yesterday in the second half when they were really putting on a lot of pressure and we were making a lot of changes. I thought Dario (Sala) did a really good job for us when we played Houston at home. I think it's a combination of defending structure, people taking a little bit of pride in it and I think our goalies are coming up with some big opportunities to make a difference."

Those Bradley Boys

COLUMBUS -- If there was a time for any man to be boastful about his son, this was it.

After all, it isn't every day that your son scores twice in a World Cup qualifying game, let alone against archrival Mexico.

But this is much more complicated than than just a father saying how proud he is about his son.

The father is Bob Bradley, coach of the U.S. national team. The son, Michael, a midfielder on the team that defeated the Mexicans for the third consecutive time in this city by a 2-0 score.

Beyond Michael becoming only the fourth U.S. player to score two goals against Mexico in qualifiers dating back to 1934, Michael played a fine all-around game as holding midfielder, helping key a midfield that dominated the Mexicans.

But when he was asked whether he was proud of his son's performance, Bob did his best to downplay the question.

"Right now I'm the coach, it's about the team," he said during Wednesday night's postgame press conference after watching his team outbattle the Mexicans and the wind at Columbus Crew Stadium. "When you coach at a professional level there's a way that you want to do the work. There is an environment that you create and you want to establish a high level of being a pro in terms of what the right mentality is. The one thing that happens with Michael is that he gets a steady dose of that, not only when he's in with the team but in terms of the father-son relationship that we've had.

"I have three children and I have to say that I'm proud of all my kids. I have a great family and I'm a lucky man."

Bob Bradley doesn't like to single out or talk about his son. He has been walking a tightrope about the subject since 2004, when as the MetroStars coach, he selected 16-year-old Michael 36th overall in the MLS SuperDraft. Michael had just completed his time at the U.S. under-17 residency camp in Bradenton, Fla. He was ready for the next challenge -- professional soccer.

Michael was hampered by an injury in 2004, but became the starting defensive midfielder the next season. Ironically, he did not score his first professional goal until after Bob was dismissed as coach, in a playoff-clinching victory against Chivas USA in the regular-season finale.

Some MetroStars fans felt there was nepotism involved. The same thing happened when Michael started to play for his father on the national team in 2007. Hence, Bob not trying to boost or boast about his son.

A few years ago, there was a rare comment about how proud Bob was of Michael after he joined Heerenveen of the Dutch Eredivisie (Michael currently performs for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the German Bundesliga).

"I am happy for him," Bob said. "To go to a club in Europe and to establish yourself very quickly, earn the respect of the coaches and your teammates, so that you're playing and starting in the most important games of the season, that says a lot.

"For me, it's just with what we saw the last two years, especially last year. He's got a strong mentality, understands the game. He plays well beyond his years. I really felt that last year as the season moved along that he got stronger and stronger. And that's not something you see that often with young players in MLS, especially with ones who are asked to cover that much ground and be a factor in the center of the field, where things are really hard."

In many ways, they are so much alike and the similarities are not lost on Michael's teammates.

"He and his dad are just alike," said former New York Red Bulls forward Jozy Altidore, who helped set up Michael's second goal Wednesday. "Bob's just a bit older than him. On soccer they're both very intense. They have so much passion for the game. They really just eat, breath and sleep soccer.

"Michael loves the game. He loves talking about it. He loves talking about new ideas. The subject for them never gets old. And it's really refreshing to see that in American players and coaches. I think he's a great kid, has a great head on his shoulders and loves to work hard. What more can you ask?"

When asked about his performance against Mexico, Michael Bradley spoke of the team, rather than himself.

"I think everyone on our team was really excited to play tonight," he said. "Anytime you can play against Mexico it's great, it's also a really important World Cup qualifier. To be a part of a team effort like that and come away with three points is a great feeling."

When pressed about how he felt personally, Michael responded, "I'm happy we won. We got three points and we beat Mexico so that's important."

The thing is that he's only 21 years old and still learning the beautiful game. But already Michael Bradley has left his mark. With Heerenveen in 2007-08, he scored 21 goals, the most by an U.S. player in Europe.

On Wednesday night, Michael went into the U.S. history books as the fourth man to tally twice against Mexico in a qualifier. He joined Aldo "Buff" Donelli (hat trick in a 4-2 win in a 1934 qualifier), Eddie Murphy (in a 7-2 loss in a 1962 qualifier) and former California Surf and New York Cosmos forward Steve Moyer (in a 2-1 win in a 1982 qualifier) in this exclusive club. This from a player who had scored three goals in 25 previous matches prior to Wednesday night.

His performance certainly left his teammates impressed.

"It's great," said Landon Donovan, who set up both U.S. goals. "People forget he does a lot of hard work. He gets in [passing] lanes. ... He's dangerous going forward. He's a good, smart player."

Added goalkeeper Tim Howard, who survived a nasty hit by Mexican defender Rafael Marquez to record a shutout: "I think he was fantastic, aside from the goals. He was up and down the field, side to side, staying in the tackles, winning balls, collecting second balls. He did everything right."

Howard said that Bob "probably demands more of [Michael]. He treats us all equally. We trust all in the relationship that we have with Michael as a teammate and that Bob Bradley has with Michael as a player. We trust in our relationship. Michael doesn't take any short cuts. He is the hardest working guy on the team. He demands a lot of himself, which I think is the epitome of a big-time player, which I think Michael will be."

Perhaps someday Michael will accomplish something so grand (a national team hat trick or a spectacular or dramatic game-winning goal, maybe?) that we'll hear the father and not just the coach speak.

Until then, we'll have to let Michael's actions speak for themselves.

Arena hoping for swift Beckham resolution

CARSON, Calif. -- Count Los Angeles Galaxy head coach/general manager Bruce Arena among those who would be pleased to see the David Beckham transfer saga come to a close this week.

On Wednesday, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said he has sent a letter to AEG, investor-operator of the Galaxy, and told club officials any transfer of Beckham to AC Milan must be completed by Friday.

Garber wrote to AEG chief executive Tim Leiweke and told him the league would support such a move, but only if it is completed by Friday.

"We think it's best to come to a conclusion," Arena said Wednesday after practice. "Either David is going to stay or he is going to remain at AC Milan. In order for our team to move forward, for the league to move forward, it's best that we get a decision made as soon as possible.

"I think AC Milan understands where we're coming from and we understand the situation they are in and hopefully we can work something out over the next couple of days."

Arena wouldn't predict whether or not the 33-year-old Beckham will return to the Galaxy -- he scored two goals and had two assists in his first five games with Milan -- but he did say the club would move on should the English standout stay in Italy.

"Certainly you lose a great player," Arena said. "He brings a lot to the team, both on and off the field. However, this is a team sport, and it's not like basketball where one player can make such a difference on the team.

"There's 11 players and we have a bunch of good players. With David, without David, we're optimistic that we are going to have a good team this year."

Garber, speaking to reporters at a press conference surrounding U.S. Soccer's bid to host either 2018 or 2022 World Cup, said MLS is interested in cooperating with Beckham's desire to stay with AC Milan -- but only if any agreement meets the league's designated timetable.

"If David believes that he wants to continue his career in Milan and Milan wants to purchase him, we're interested in accommodating that request," Garber said. "But right now it just continues to go around in circles and it needs to come to a conclusion by Friday.

"There's no reason why this should drag on. They either want to do it or they don't want to do it."

Beckham began training with the Serie A powerhouse on Dec. 29 as part a loan agreement that expires March 9, two weeks before the MLS regular season starts, and to help him stay in shape for a possible call-up to the English national team.

Milan officials, led by general manager Adriano Galliani, and their Galaxy counterparts reportedly entered into discussions late last week about making Beckham's move permanent, but Leiweke said the Italian club's initial offer was too low and likened the drama to a "circus" and a "zoo" to the Los Angeles Times.

"We are prepared to be supportive of transferring David to AC Milan for a transfer fee that acknowledges the value of his services to the Galaxy and the league," Garber wrote. "However, if the issue is not resolved by the end of the week, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for us to go forward with the transfer."

Lambo sitting in limbo with Hoops

FRISCO, Texas -- One position where FC Dallas is squared away is at goalkeeper. Veteran Dario Sala is entrenched as the starter and it appears that third-year 'keeper Ray Burse will be his backup.

That leaves the question of the status of 19-year-old Josh Lambo. The U.S. under-20 national team regular could be going out on loan to a USL First Division side once that league's season begins in April -- which would be just fine with the Wisconsin native.

"I think it would be great, especially for me being a young goalkeeper," Lambo said. "The most important thing is experience because that was teaches you more than practice. In practice, everything is controlled but in a game, you have to be ready for anything. If I can get a game every week when I'm 18, that's going to do nothing but positive things for me down the road."

Lambo has yet to see any first team action with FCD. After a concussion and broken jaw sidelined him for several months last year, he did start three reserve games and went 0-1-1 with a 2.77 goals-against-average.

"It's really out of my hands," Lambo said. "(FCD head coach) Schellas (Hyndman) told me that they are considering putting me on loan this year to get me some experience. I was really happy about that. As of now, I haven't heard anything else on it. I'm not positive about anything yet.

"Either way, it's a win-win. If I stay here, I will get lots of practice and great training from our goalkeeper coach, Drew Keeshan. I get loads of experience from Dario. He helps me out a lot. If I go to Portland, it will be great because I will be getting experience for myself. I will be able to get it firsthand and get things I can't always necessarily get here."

One possible destination for Lambo could be the Portland Timbers of the USL top flight. Burse appeared in 13 games while on loan to the Timbers in 2008 and posted solid numbers: a 5-3-5 record with seven clean sheets and a goals-against-average of 0.70.

"(Burse) told me he really enjoyed it," Lambo said. "He said it was good to get first-team time. He said he loved the club and that Portland is a great town. He got the experience of playing every week, traveling and getting used to that. He's helped out loads."

Burse also offered a ringing endorsement of his time spent in the Northwest.

"It was awesome, playing every week, getting the confidence, first-team experience and all that comes with it," he said. "That's all valuable to a goalkeeper. It's something I have definitely advocated to him. He has asked me about it already. Portland is a great city and the team is great. I think it's something Josh should try and do."

Hyndman has said that in the past, sending Lambo out on loan would be best for his young 'keeper and the team. However, he isn't in any hurry to do so, especially since the USL won't begin play for some time.

"I think there is some time left on it but at the same time, we want to do the right thing for him and get opportunities for him to get games," Hyndman said. "Right now, it's a situation where going out on loan, I don't know if the other teams have started yet. So it would be ridiculous to send him out on loan now if they're not training for another month. We'll do everything we can to do the right thing."

The Hoops will also be hosting MLS emergency pool 'keeper Bryant Rueckner during 2009, which essentially gives the club three 'keepers, a number that grows to four with Lambo in the mix. Hyndman said over the weekend that he felt having three was the ideal number in order to ensure that each player receives an adequate amount of work in training.

Another possible destination a little bit closer to Frisco is about three hours to the south in Austin, a club that is joining USL's top flight in 2009. FCD does have some ties to the Aztex as current forward Jamie Watson spent much of the 2008 season in the Texas state capital before signing with the Hoops last summer.

"I'm not sure (about whether or not I could go there)," Lambo said. "I know it's their first year in. I think the coach wants to get an experienced goalkeeper in for the first season. That's what I've heard. Maybe there is a possibility there but I'm not sure."

Ricchetti honored to wear armband

FRISCO, Texas -- There was little surprise last week when FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman selected veteran holding midfielder Pablo Ricchetti out of three candidates to serve as the Hoops captain for 2009.

Being captain has been nothing new for Ricchetti, who has worn the armband on several occasions since joining FCD in 2007. Last season, he was named the team's top defender for his solid play in the middle and also FCD's Humanitarian of the Year for his great work off the field.

The 32-year-old Argentinean was honored to be Hyndman's choice.

"I am proud," Ricchetti said. "It's an honor. It's a big responsibility. I have worked since I've been here as a captain but without the armband. Right now, I have it and its a little more responsibility and I have to do different things. It's nice."

Before coming to FCD two years ago, he had played for famed Argentinean side River Plate before heading to Italy and Spain. But through all of those experiences, he had never been named captain.

"With different teams, I had been captain sometimes but it had never been a regular thing," Ricchetti said. "This is the first time."

In his two-plus seasons in Frisco, not only has the veteran commanded the respect of opponents for his stellar play, but more importantly, he has also earned the respect of his FCD teammates.

"I think everyone in this locker room watches Drew (Moor) and I," he said. "I don't think anyone was surprised when I got it. We will work together. I have the armband right now but very easily, it could have been him. We have two or three players who could have gotten it but I was sure I was one of them. It could have been Drew or it could have been another guy but it was his decision. I like it."

Last year, he earned some additional praise from his teammates by making two starts at center back, a position he hadn't played since his days at River Plate. Ricchetti moved to the back line for two games in September when the defensive options for FCD were limited due to injuries.

His fellow Hoops definitely agree that Hyndman made a solid choice.

"I'm really happy he's the captain," midfielder Eric Avila said. "There are a couple of other guys who could be great captains as well. But I think Pablo is a guy that steps up and tells it how it is. He demands that everyone respects him and that's what we need in a captain."

FCD forward Kenny Cooper, who will now see his club's fourth different captain in his four MLS seasons, is equally pleased with Ricchetti getting the armband.

"I'm excited for Pablo," he said. "It's well-deserved. He has a lot of experience and is a great leader within our team. I know he'll do a great job wearing that armband."

In the offseason, there was some off-field controversy surrounding Ricchetti as he asked the FCD front office for a raise even though he was under contract. That request was rebuffed and rumors surfaced of him possibly being traded to another side.

To his credit, Hyndman smoothed things over because he valued the experience Ricchetti brought to his team both on the pitch and the locker room.

Ricchetti is now crystal clear about what Hyndman's expectations are for him.

"He wants most of the same things I did last year for him," he said. "But he also wants a few different things from me. He wants me talking directly to him about certain situations in the locker room. It's basically the same as it was but only with some added responsibility."

Last week, Hyndman said he sees a captain as being a conduit between the players and the coaches and is a firm believer in open and honest communication between both sides. Ricchetti figures to deliver that, something that had been missing at FCD for the last few seasons.

Thompson hoping for expanded role

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England midfielder Wells Thompson would have struggled to improve on 2007.

Thompson's statistical line during that campaign: 27 appearances, 11 starts and four playoff starts, including a trip to MLS Cup. Not bad for a rookie winger out of Wake Forest.

"My first year was almost as good as it got when we went to the championship game," Thompson said.

The only problem with starting off well is the need to come up with an encore. By the statistics, Thompson regressed a bit in 2008 after making 19 appearances, eight starts and two cameo appearances. In this case, the stats reflect Thompson's slip down the pecking order.

Thompson's problems started during preseason after he picked up a heel injury. Instead of preparing his encore and improving his game, Thompson hobbled into the start of the season by missing the first four games.

By the time Thompson got healthy, Sainey Nyassi had entrenched himself in Thompson's right midfield spot.

"It's important that you start well," Revolution coach Steve Nicol said. "Sainey started well and there's somebody else in [Thompson's] place. That's the way it goes. If Sainey's doing well, it's up to the other guy to do better."

Nyassi's emergence left Thompson on the bench, resigned to making the occasional substitute appearance. When he earned his opportunities, Thompson didn't do enough to dislodge the speedy Gambian from the lineup.

"He had a couple of opportunities during the season," Nicol said. "As far as we're concerned, he didn't take them. That's the way it is."

After a solid rookie season, the Revolution coaching staff expected Thompson to continue his improvement during the 2008 campaign. Thompson didn't progress as robustly as the team would have hoped, with Nicol particularly citing Thompson's need to improve his passing.

"There's no doubt he can run at players and take people on, but there are other parts to his game that need to be better in order for him to be playing on a regular basis," Nicol said.

Thompson said he hadn't discussed what he needs to do to regain his spot in the lineup, but thinks he needs to improve on his consistency in order to carve out more playing time in 2009.

"We haven't sat down and talked about it too much," Thompson said. "It's just the little things and doing them on a consistent basis. I can do it, but it's whether I do it day-in, day-out. I need to work on my crossing game with my left foot. When you get to this level, it's the little things that separate the good players from the great players."

A new season brings a new opportunity for Thompson to stake his claim for a place in the team. This year, Thompson has managed to avoid injury in the opening stages of camp in order to give himself a better chance. Nicol said Thompson needs to stay off the treatment table and play well during preseason to vie for playing time.

"Every year starts the same," Nicol said. "Everybody has to prove what they can do and show what they can do on the field. It's up to us to give him a fair crack of the whip. That's the biggest thing. If it has to do with working hard, then he'll make it. He's been working his socks off."

Thompson said he has faith that he can force his way into the starting lineup and return to the form he showed during his first season.

"Last year, I didn't get to play as much as I wanted to play," Thompson said. "That's the last thing I want to do this year. I feel like I belong out there. I want to be out there. I will do whatever I can to fight hard to get my spot back."

Arena, Jones reflect on USA-Mexico

CARSON, Calif. -- Athletes say it's an honor to represent one's country in the athletic arena. But throw the U.S.-Mexico rivalry into the mix, and it's much more than an honor. It's a privilege.

Galaxy head coach/general manager Bruce Arena, assistant coach Cobi Jones, defender Tony Sanneh and midfielder Eddie Lewis are veterans of the border war, which resumes Wednesday in a World Cup qualifier in Columbus, and have had the bumps and bruises to show for it.

Jones, in particular, seemed to be a popular target of the Mexican team -- who can forget him being on a receiving end of a head butt from Mexico's Rafael Marquez in the 88th minute of a round-of-16 showdown in the 2002 World Cup in Jeonju, South Korea?

Marquez was ejected and the Mexicans lost 2-0.

"When they know they've pretty much lost the game and have given up, they resort to certain tactics," said Jones, who predicted the U.S. would win 2-1 this week. "As far as I'm concerned, on the biggest stage in the soccer world to come up with one of the best matchups there is and to come out on top 2-0 ... it's a great experience.

"These are the games you live for as a soccer player. No holds barred."

The USA is 4-0-3 all-time in Columbus, including a 2-0 victory on Feb. 28, 2001, when temperatures dropped to a frigid 29 degrees, and are 8-0-2 at home vs. Mexico since 2000. That includes the most recent meeting, a 2-2 tie last Feb. 2 in Houston's Reliant Stadium.

Arena, the former U.S. national team coach, remembered the days when the USA had ulterior motives regarding the game.

"I think at one time U.S. Soccer used the rivalry as a means of gate receipts and revenue, as opposed to a competition that means something," Arena said. "They often filled the L.A. Coliseum with 90,000 people not thinking about the importance of competing and winning.

"We turned the corner on that over the last 10 years. When we play Mexico, we play to win. We don't play to take care of the budget for the next few years."

Lewis, who set up Landon Donovan for the final U.S. goal against Mexico in South Korea, said there used to be even more animosity between the countries, although opposing players still are not on particularly friendly terms.

"I want to say now the competition is probably greater between the two, but there's also a greater level of respect," he said. "In so many ways, both teams are desperate to beat each other, but at the same time, I don't think any American would ever underestimate the ability of the Mexican players. And I think if you ask the Mexican players, they'd say the same thing about us.

"In a lot of ways, the rivalry has grown but at the same time the level of respect has grown as well. It continues to get bigger and bigger."

Sanneh went so far as to say the U.S. holds the upper hand in the competition.

"I think we're on top now," he said. "They were a top 10 team for many, many years. It's special to have somebody that you have to get up on your toes and match up with in the biggest games."

Arena said he doesn't get caught up in the hoopla surrounding these meetings -- Wednesday's game sold out in 90 minutes -- but that's not to say his victories over Mexico weren't any less special.

"I'm not as engrossed in the rivalry as others are," he said. "Because I've never thought it was not possible to beat Mexico or to be superior to Mexico. I wasn't dancing in the night over the fact we beat Mexico.

"I'm not as crazy about our success in the rivalry as some others are. However, I'd be foolish not to admit it's been significant in recent times, and it's still a great rivalry. I'm sure Wednesday will be another great game between these two countries."

It also will be a game Sanneh expects the U.S. to win 3-1. And you can be sure the USA will enjoy the victory, he said.

"When you beat Mexico," he said, "you're smiling for a month."

United happy to have Gomez back

WASHINGTON -- Friday was a joyous day at the office for D.C. United employees as club sponsor Volkswagen brought a bevy of their new models out to sunny RFK Stadium, inviting players and staff on test drives across the vast parking lots that surround the venerable facility.

Meanwhile, down in the basement, United's locker room was the site of a happy homecoming as Christian Gomez, one of the team's biggest stars in recent memory, was once again handed the keys to the D.C. attack after a year of exile in Colorado.

Monday saw Gomez traded back to the club where he began his MLS career in exchange for winger Ivan Guerrero, a Designated Player roster spot and a second-round pick in the 2010 SuperDraft, and on Friday the Argentinean was warmly welcomed by his old teammates before joining them for a lively midday training session.

"I feel good," said Gomez after a workout where he looked a bit short on fitness but still sharp with his touches on the ball. "I feel good with my teammates, to see them again. I'm ready to begin a new season."

A proven performer in the clutch, Gomez was the heartbeat of United's attack in his first stint with D.C. and he returns to a club in need of his assertive mentality since the exit of designated player Marcelo Gallardo, his replacement in the team's playmaking role.

"I think he's really happy to be back," said head coach Tom Soehn. "He's got a locker room full of friends and we're happy to have him back."

Gomez and United have endured substantial trials and tribulations in their year apart. Gallardo was plagued by injuries during his time in the nation's capital and the team's form suffered badly as a result, causing the proud club to miss the playoffs for only the fourth time in MLS history. While Gallardo owns a more illustrious international resume, United believe that Gomez's proven MLS track record can help them return to prominence in a competitive Eastern Conference.

"The way he plays, you surround him with the right players and the right formation, and he'll excel," said Santino Quaranta, himself a prodigal son in his second stint with United. "He's one of the best players in this league, still, and there's so many different ways you can play Christian: as a second forward, in a 3-5-2, in a 4-4-2 -- whatever way you want to play him. I think that's going to be a good thing about our team this year: we're going to be unpredictable."

Conversely, Gomez's Rapids career began brightly but the midseason departure of head Fernando Clavijo saw him fall far out of favor as new boss Gary Smith imparted a new philosophy to the side.

"When Fernando Clavijo was there, the game plan was to play through me," said Gomez, when asked about his fading fortunes in Colorado. "And obviously when he was let go a new coach came on board and he wanted to play more of an English style, and that doesn't suit me."

Gomez's 3-1/2 seasons in D.C. were studded with success. His August 2004 arrival in Washington sparked United to an MLS Cup championship run, while the next three seasons featured sustained regular-season excellence with back-to-back Supporters' Shield trophies in 2006 and 2007 and league MVP honors for the playmaker in '06.

But when he and the United front office were unable to agree on terms of a new contract a year ago, the Black-and-Red sent Gomez west in a blockbuster trade that set him up as the centerpiece of Clavijo's Rapids squad -- and laid the groundwork for D.C.'s capture of Gallardo. Yet on Friday Gomez showed little sign of the bad blood that reportedly lingered at the time of his departure.

"No [there were] no hard feelings," said Gomez. "I was looking for a contract that was in the best interests of me and my family. There was another team that was interested in me and obviously I couldn't reach a deal with United, so I had to do what was best for me and my family."

Gomez was a centerpiece of United's brightest moments this decade, so it's little surprise that the rest of the Black-and-Red are also more than happy to go "back to the future" as they search for a more effective formula in 2009.

"Getting the gang back together slowly!" joked United veteran Ben Olsen. "I think him coming back is a big step for us going forward, and hopefully the chemistry is still there with everybody. He's the type of guy who is an unselfish player. He can hurt you both with his passing and vision, and scoring."

The Spanish phrase gran expectativas (great expectations) kept popping up in Gomez's many interviews on Friday as he made clear that he acknowledges -- and welcomes -- the pressure created by his illustrious United past.

"When you first arrive to a club -- or in my case, I am coming back for a second time -- I would call it good pressure because you want to have a good season and win a championship," he said. "It's something a player cherishes, to have that sort of pressure."

Columbus' Hejduk may feature for US

COLUMBUS -- He is the unofficial mayor of Columbus and the way people in these parts complained lately about the snow and ice removal on the streets, Frankie Hejduk would probably win in a landslide over Columbus Mayor (and ardent Crew supporter) Michael Coleman if the election were held today.

Hejduk represents the hard working image of the MLS Cup champions in a city that's part blue-collar, part white-collar and all supporting of any winner.

The Crew captain is not only for the people, he is among the people. Who can forget the YouTube video of a suspended (yellow card accumulation) Hejduk tailgating in the Crew Stadium parking lot before a game against the Los Angeles Galaxy in September? That image prompted a paper in the United Kingdom to wonder why captains of so many Premiership teams are so stodgy and aloof from their supporters compared to Hejduk.

U.S. Soccer has a video on its website of Hejduk hanging with the fans at a pub in Columbus while they cheer the Yanks during their match against Sweden last month.

While Hejduk, 34, will always be known as a California surfer dude, he has made Columbus his second home with his wife, Elissa, and 13-month-old son Coasten.

However, if national team coach Bob Bradley starts Hejduk on Wednesday in the opener of the final round of FIFA World Cup qualifying against Mexico at Crew Stadium it won't be for sentimental reasons.

Hejduk will have earned his spot at right back through his exceptional play for the Crew last season, including the final goal in a 3-1 win against New York in the MLS Cup, and a wealth of international matches (81 caps, six goals).

He's played in five matches against the Mexicans since 1998 and has two goals.

"Throughout qualifying we've relied heavily on a core of veterans," Bradley said. "In the first game of a final round against a rival like Mexico, I think that kind of experience will be very, very important."

Hejduk is glad the match is in Columbus, where the U.S. defeated Mexico in qualifiers by 2-0 scores in 2001 and 2005. In the first match -- dubbed "La Guerra Fria" (The Cold War) because the kickoff temperature was 29 degrees on a bitter Feb. 28 night -- he sat on the bench but four years later was on the field as the U.S. clinched a spot in the 2006 World Cup.

Either he or Marvell Wynne of Toronto FC will be in the first XI on the backline Wednesday.

"As a competitor and as a professional you always want to be out there playing and starting," Hejduk said. "My job is to make it as hard on the coaches as I can and be in that position. At the end of the day it's their call and as a player you respect whatever decision they make. I'm here for the team as we all are. It's a great group of guys and we're really looking forward to it because these are the games you want to play in."

Bradley allowed Hejduk to stay home the first three weeks of the training camp in Carson, Calif., but his presence at training in the week prior to coming to Columbus was felt.

"He's so willing to share what he knows and is so easy to talk to you can't help but pick up some good advice," midfielder Sacha Kljestan of Chivas USA said. "Frankie brings a lot of experience and stories to the younger players."

One of those is Crew teammate Robbie Rogers. The midfielder and Wynne are the only two on the 20-man roster not to have prior qualifying experience with the full team.

"Frankie's helped me a lot. He's been in so many big matches throughout his career," Rogers said. "He's played here in Columbus for the national team and tells me what an awesome experience it is."

Hejduk has seen the passion grow in Columbus since joining the Crew in 2003. It exploded in 2008 when the Nordecke supporters section was formed in the northeast corner of the stadium. The Crew didn't lose an MLS match the final five months of the season and the raucous fandom was a factor.

"Dude, it's going to be rockin' Wednesday," he said. "You've not only got our supporters in the Nordecke, who are second to none, but throw in Sam's Army and there's going to be a lot of Mexican supporters chanting as well.

"We've done well here in the past and it's like we said this last season (with the Crew), 'This is our fortress.' We want to protect it. We've done well here and the crowd is behind us."

While many on the U.S. side were hoping for another freeze out to make the Mexicans as miserable as they were in 2001, the temperature should be in the 50s, although thunderstorms and high wind are in the forecast.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on the perspective, the cold air (high of 41) doesn't return until Thursday. Hejduk is of the belief that Mexicans' non-success in Crew Stadium will be more important than the elements.

"I think it's in the back of their minds because all of their press is constantly talking about it," he said. "I think it is in their minds a little bit but once the whistle blows it's a different ball game. We're going to leave everything on the field as we've done in the past and we're going to battle. We're going to fight for our country."

It's Hejduk's goal to make Columbus a red, white and blue-collar city on Wednesday.

Ricketts angling to man Galaxy goal

CARSON, Calif. -- It doesn't take much of an effort to determine the Los Angeles Galaxy's major weakness last season.

They allowed a league-high 55 goals in 2008, 11 more than the next team, D.C. United. That helped explain why head coach/general manager Bruce Arena undertook a major overhaul of his team and his defense, including in goal where Jamaican international Donovan Ricketts is the odds-on favorite to man the nets when the regular season starts on March 22.

The 31-year-old, who was signed Dec. 23, is a veteran of just under 70 national team appearances and helped lead the Jamaicans to the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He almost led them to the final stage of 2010 World Cup qualifying, only to lose out on goal differential to Mexico. Ricketts also played more than 100 career games with Bradford City, a fourth-division side in England, and played a major role in Jamaica's winning the 2008 Digicel Caribbean Cup with a 2-0 victory against Grenada.

What made Ricketts so attractive to the Galaxy was not only his size -- he's listed as 6-feet-4 and 203 pounds -- but his experience. Last year's Galaxy netminder, Steve Cronin, often looked overmatched and finished last among MLS goalkeepers with a 2.03 goals-against average.

"We've been a little up and down in goal for the last year or two," Arena said. "I think Ricketts brings an experienced goalkeeper that brings us a consistent performance game in and game out.

"He has imposing, physical abilities in goal. I think he's a shot blocker and a player who performs at a consistent level."

Toronto FC also was interested in Ricketts, who played the last four seasons with Bradford City, but the Galaxy were his first choice for sentimental reasons. Ricketts had followed the club because of Tyrone Marshall, another fellow Jamaican who played in Los Angeles for several years. Ricketts even called Marshall, who then played for Toronto FC, for his advice on the potential move and Marshall told him to pursue it.

He said it's the best place to be," Ricketts said with a grin. "When I had a chance to come to the Galaxy, I said, 'Please, let me in.'"

Marshall was later traded to Seattle.

Ricketts wasn't in the best of shape when he arrived in camp just under two weeks ago -- he had been away from the game for about a month -- but he quickly left his impression on coaches and teammates.

"First, his attitude is really good," goalkeeper coach Ian Feuer said. "You never know with an experienced 'keeper coming in whether he'll accept being coached or not. He's very accepting of the points that I give him and he's appreciative of it. He has a very good attitude along with a lot of ability, too. That's a nice combination.

"Goalkeepers usually come into their own around 27. It's a position not just about shot-stopping but reading the game and all that stuff. He comes in with a lot of experience. I think he's looked really, really good."

Ricketts said his goals are simple: he wants to start and help the club end its surprising playoff drought of three seasons.

"I came here to win," he said, "and I like playing for Bruce (Arena) because he makes you want to play hard for him."

He also figures he'll at least get more of a chance to see the sights. The last time he was in southern California was in 2000 with the Jamaican national team for two games against Saudi Arabia. His coach, Rene Simoes, kept a tight rein on his players.

"He was very strict," Ricketts recalled. "All I can say is it was a beautiful hotel. That's all I saw."

Kirovski embracing return to Galaxy

CARSON, Calif. -- Jovan Kirovski said he is thrilled with not only being back in southern California -- he is a native of Escondido, just north of San Diego -- but especially as a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he got his MLS start in 2004.

Some of his memories with the club aren't very pleasant, however. There was his rookie season, for example, when head coach Sigi Schmid was let go despite the team being in first place at the time. There also was a year later, when he clashed with Schmid's replacement, Steve Sampson, and was traded to the Colorado Rapids for a first-round pick in the 2007 draft.

Kirovski still doesn't like to talk about the year he was traded -- "That's in the past," he said -- but he was more than happy to return in November, when the Galaxy reacquired him from the San Jose Earthquakes for a conditional pick in next year's draft.

"I missed being here, sure. It's been fantastic so far," said Kirovski, who turns 33 in March, "especially with (David) Beckham being involved, high profile all over the place, big games. It's great to be involved with a team that's all over TV.

"I'm looking forward to being back. The fans are great here, the support is great and it's a good club to be with."

The Galaxy have had their share of struggles lately. They haven't even made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and there has been no shortage of preseason drama in 2009. Two of their best players stand a chance of playing elsewhere when the regular season starts on March 22. Landon Donovan has stated his intention of staying with Bayern Munich when his loan agreement expires early next month, and Beckham has expressed similar sentiments regarding his stay with AC Milan.

Kirovski said the club's downward slide has surprised him.

"When I was here my first year," he said, "we were in first place and Sigi got fired. We were not only expected to win, but win with style. This team has always been known about winning championships.

"The last three seasons I've been following them it's been disappointing. But (head coach/general manager) Bruce (Arena) has been involved with U.S. Soccer, he knows the game and he knows the players, so hopefully he'll get us back on track."

The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder, who scored a goal in his first MLS game in 2004 and has 24 career goals, is exactly the kind of player the rebuilding Galaxy need, according to veteran Chris Klein.

The two of them go back to when they played together as 17-year-olds.

"That was a few years ago as kids," laughed Klein, who recently turned 33. "He's a unique type of player, a guy that's been around the game at the highest level. To have him and his personality around the young guys and the veterans is a primary reason why they brought him in here.

"In MLS, it's very tough to find 18 very good soccer players. You can find 11 really good ones, and then a few athletes and prospects. But with Jovan, you just have a really good soccer player, a guy that can play up front, a guy that can play midfield and a guy that just offers exactly what he is, a guy that knows exactly who he is and knows how to play the game.

"He's a very smart player and he's still got it in him to help this team push forward to where we want to go."

Kirovski said he already likes what he has seen in camp.

"Every spot is competitive," he said. "Everybody wants to win. I think we're headed in the right direction, for sure."

Hoops face Memphis before trip to Florida

FRISCO, Texas -- FC Dallas conclude the opening portion of their preseason training camp Saturday when they take on the University of Memphis at Pizza Hut Park.

FCD's two preseason games have been somewhat of a mixed bag: a January 31 intrasquad scrimmage aside, the Hoops were soundly beaten 3-0 at Houston last Friday before rebounding for a scoreless draw at home on Monday. Saturday's game is the club's final outing at Pizza Hut Park before heading to Florida on Monday for six days.

"We had the intrasquad game, which was basically a kick around," FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "I thought the first game with Houston showed how far behind we were and that some of the players we were trying are behind. Getting Dario (Sala) into goal was a big change for us in the second game. Getting Marcelo (Saragosa) back on defense, I thought was a big help for us. I thought Dax (McCarty) had a very good game at attacking midfield. Already we have made some improvements. With Andre (Rocha) and Danny Torres fighting for spots, I think we will put ourselves in a pretty good shape for preseason."

The FCD coach clearly wants to see one thing from his team against the college side.

"What we have concentrated on the last week was the principle of attacks, which is penetration," Hyndman said. "I thought we did a pretty good job of that against Houston in the second game. This week, we're concentrating on a different principle -- width. So the exercises are designed to get the ball out wide, to play combinations on the flanks, to get crosses and to get people forward. So we'll continue that for the next few days. So what am I looking for in the Memphis game? I think all I'm looking for is continuing improvements in the area we're working on."

Saturday's match should mark the preseason debuts of midfielder Andre Rocha and defender Danny Torres, both of whom arrived in camp this week. Rocha had been in Brazil with visa issues while Torres was playing for the Costa Rican national team.

"I think all the players we're counting on need to play," Hyndman said. "As a coach, I don't think I want to be in a position saying that you're late, so you're not going to play. He (Torres) was away with the Costa Rican national team and I don't think we want to punish him for that like we didn't punish Kenny (Cooper). I don't think Danny is ready to step in and be in the top 11. He's going to have to go through training and put himself in a position maybe to beat somebody out. I think Danny can also compete as a left back. He's naturally left footed, so we'll be looking to see how he does there."

It's a similar story for Rocha, who last year, led FCD in assists.

"I think he'll play in the game but right now, Andre is going to have to work a little bit to regain his fitness level," Hyndman said. "We haven't measured it. And then, I think he has to work his way back into the team. I think Eric (Avila) has worked so hard for us from day one. It's not going to be an easy situation. It's got to be one where you can't be as good as Eric, you've got to be better because if not, Eric is going to get depressed, feel like he's not getting a fair shake and we don't want that. I think we've got time yet."

And there is still some question about where Rocha will fit. Last year, he played out wide but late in the year, got a look up top.

"I think Andre is more of a central midfield player," Hyndman said. "I don't know if that fits in well with our team with the 4-4-2. But I think Andre is also potentially a good flank player that comes into the center. And if you have a fullback on that side, he really creates opportunities. If you remember how well Adrian (Serioux) overlapped and got forward in the attack on Andre's side, it was because Andre was moving into the center. I think we got the best soccer we saw in Andre the latter part of the year. So we're hoping that it picks up from there and we can even encourage him to get forward more."

Monday's scrimmage with the Dynamo marked the first preseason action for FCD forward Kenny Cooper, who was away with the U.S. national team. Cooper is itching to get back onto the field this weekend.

"It's nice having another game and is nice to have a bunch of games in this preseason," he said. "Hopefully with every game, we can apply the things Schellas is wanting from us and can just continue to improve with every game."

Cooper is also looking forward to sharing the field with Rocha and Torres against Memphis.

"I'm really excited," he said. "I was really impressed with Torres when he was training with us last year. I think he brings great intensity to our team and I'm excited to have him here. I'm also excited to have Andre back. I really enjoyed playing with him last year and he provided me with some incredible service. The group is coming together now. It's nice to have a lot of the people in. Hopefully we can work hard and improve every day."

Preseason roundup: PK lifts Red Bulls

The New York Red Bulls picked up their first victory of the MLS preseason, defeating Eastern Conference rival Toronto FC 3-2 on Friday at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. In California, the San Jose Earthquakes edged the Seattle Sounders 3-2, while Real Salt Lake made short work of Chinese squad Shandong Luneng Taishan at Oxnard College.

New York Red Bulls 3, Toronto FC 2: The Red Bulls rallied from an early two-goal deficit to defeat Toronto FC, 3-2, Friday afternoon at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

The teams played four, 25-minute periods and Toronto jumped in front on 13 minutes as defender Marvell Wynne played the ball through to Chad Barrett, who ran at goal before sliding it to an unmarked Pablo Vitti, who put it away from eight yards out.

A minute later, Toronto FC doubled their advantage. Amadou Sanyang regained possession in the midfield and passed it to Barrett, whose 25-yard blast beat goalkeeper Danny Cepero.

After Dwayne De Rosario was called for handling a cross in the box, the Red Bulls got a goal back when veteran John Wolyniec converted a penalty kick in the 31st minute.

The Red Bulls got the eventual game-winning goal in the 87th minute when Danleigh Borman cut into the center of the field and played a well-weighted through ball to Mbuta, who slotted it past goalkeeper Brian Edwards.

Then, with three minutes remaining, Mbuta was tripped up in the 18-yard box heading towards goal and the referee pointed to the spot. Lionel Saint-Preux scored on the ensuing penalty kick, giving the Red Bulls, which improved to 1-2-2 in the season, its first victory.

San Jose Earthquakes 3, Seattle Sounders FC 2: Ryan Johnson struck for a first-half brace and rookie Quincy Amarikwa scored the game-winner early in the second half to lead the San Jose Earthquakes to a 3-2 victory against Seattle Sounders FC in the Major League Soccer Central Coast Showcase at Alex G. Spanos Stadium in San Luis Obispo Friday.

Johnson struck in the eighth minute, receiving a cross from Ned Grabavoy and slotting a left-footed shot past Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Fredy Montero tied the game for Seattle three minutes later as former Quakes defender James Riley found Nate Jaqua on the wing and he centered the ball to Montero. Montero then found the net with a shot past Quakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon.

Johnson struck for his second in the 22nd minute. Newly signed forward Cam Weaver headed a ball down to Johnson in the box and he slotted a shot past Keller to put San Jose back in front.

Johnson nearly had a hat trick in the 31st minute after striking a shot from a narrow angle on the left that swung past Keller. But the ball clanged off the crossbar and away from the net.

Montero added his second just before the stroke of halftime, taking a pass from Sebastien Le Toux and heading a shot to the far post past Cannon.

Amarikwa netted the winner for the Earthquakes with an unassisted goal less than 40 seconds into the second half. The third-round draft choice out of UC Davis beat Keller one-on-one in the box for his first goal of the preseason.

Goalkeeper Andrew Weber came up clutch for the Earthquakes in the 85th minute, stopping a point-blank shot from Sanna Nyassi to secure the win.

Real Salt Lake 8, Shandong Luneng Taishan 0: Real Salt Lake took a 3-0 lead in the opening 15 minutes and cruised to an 8-0 victory against Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng Taishan at Oxnard College on Friday.

Tino Nunez struck for the first of his two goals in the first minute and Will Johnson put RSL in front, 2-0, in the 10th minute. Yura Movsisyan gave Real Salt Lake a 3-0 lead on 15 minutes and Nunez capped the first-half scoring with his second goal in the 40th minute.

Arthur Aghasyan got his name on the scoreboard in the 55th minute and Alex Nimo added the sixth goal from the penalty spot seven minutes later.

Luis Miguel Escalada made it 7-0 for RSL in the 80th minute and, to add insult to injury for Shandong Luneng Taishan, the Chinese squad allowed an own goal two minutes from full time.

Five-a-side: What's hot in MLS

1. Early start equals ... late start?: No MLS team needs to settle into the sweet spot of preseason efficiency like Houston.

That's because Houston starts its 2009 run of competitive matches sooner most clubs; The Dynamo have a Feb. 24 date in the ongoing CONCACAF Champions League. Dominic Kinnear's club meets Mexico's Atlante at Robertson Stadium as the quarterfinals commence, with the return date set for a week later in Cancun.

So how did Kinnear react to such an early, important date? Ironically, he had players report later than most clubs.

The Dynamo opened preseason camp on Feb. 2 -- about 10 days later than some MLS sides. So, while most clubs had nearly two months to prep for their initial competitive match of 2009, the Dynamo chose to do so in just over three weeks.

"We know Atlante has a little bit of an advantage, because they've played some games already," Dynamo defender Eddie Robinson said. "But we'll be ready."

Kinnear says he's taking the CONCACAF Champions League opportunity quite seriously, and he's challenging his team to do so, too.

But he also has to look at the big picture -- and that could stretch well into November. Plus, Houston isn't too far removed from a hectic slate of 50 matches a year ago. So, instinctively, Kinnear just felt his club could use a bit more time off than normal. He asked players to come in fit, but extended their winter break a bit.

Ongoing club stability in terms of personnel and tactics permits him such latitude with the schedule.

"We've had some player movement, but not a ton," the manager said. "Everything kind of sustains itself. We've got the same coaching staff, the same formation, there's no drastic changes in how we do things, everybody knows what to expect from the first day. So I don't think it was necessary to start early."

Apparently, it wasn't such a bad idea. The Dynamo opened preseason with two wins and a tie against Dallas (two matches) and Los Angeles. And that was without several starters -- although Stuart Holden did get his first minutes of the preseason in a 2-0 win Thursday over the Galaxy in Los Angeles.

2. If you can't beat 'em, sign 'em up: Khano Smith is now a midfielder for the New York Red Bulls; the longtime New England Revolution linkman is Juan Carlos Osorio's answer to shoring up the left side of midfield following Dave van den Bergh's departure.

Smith came via trade from Seattle although he was barely ever a member of Sigi Schmid's team. Smith, taken in last November's expansion draft, was on the Sounders' roster just a couple of months before this week's trade to Giants Stadium.

It's got to come as some relief for the Red Bulls faithful to see Smith -- well, really, any former member of the Revolution -- finally pulling their way. Since 2005, no MLS rivalry has been so lopsided. Smith has done his part as New England has run up a 10-game unbeaten streak against the Red Bulls. Smith hasn't gotten into the scoring column frequently, but he has had some respectable matches during the long torment.

And it was a huge goal against New York back in Smith's rookie season that pointed the lanky left-footer's career in the right direction. The Revs trailed by two goals on aggregate in the teams' 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinal Series. Smith came on late for the injured Marshall Leonard. Blazing down the left side and beating Tony Meola from a tight angle in the 83rd minute, he claimed the series for New England.

3. Left side no longer left out: It has been mentioned in this space before that the left side is no longer the barren MLS wasteland begging to be supplied, as it once was.

It's true that left-sided players were once scarce in MLS. But in the midfield, at least, the Major League Soccer racks are stacked with talent these days. And it's getting stronger, still.

Bobby Convey's introduction to the Earthquakes camp gives manager Frank Yallop yet another option. Yallop is talking about using Convey centrally, which would seem to best fit the team needs. With holding presence Francisco Lima gone and Darren Huckerby already a force on the left at Buck Shaw, Convey would be a welcome addition if he can pass muster centrally.

On the other hand, Convey was generally a left-sided player at Reading, where he spent the last four-plus years.

And you get the feeling that Huckerby could be a menace along the right side, too. As it is, sophomore attacker Shea Salinas seems to have the first shot at starting duty on the right. But as he's still a bit young, it's not hard to see Convey lining up on the left with Huckerby on the right at some point this year.

Either way, Yallop should know how to get the best from Convey. They have great history and a solid mutual respect; Yallop was an assistant with D.C. United in 2002 when Convey, just 16 at the time, signed on to play at RFK.

Still looking at the left side in the big MLS picture, there's always a chance that DaMarcus Beasley, starting for Bob Bradley's national team but languishing on the bench at Rangers in Scotland, could make his way back into the league. He would immediately become one of the premier MLS left-sided talents -- assuming he lands at a team that wasn't already set at the spot.

San Jose previously sat at the top of the allocation order for returning U.S. ex-pats. With the Earthquakes having used that important chip to secure Convey, Los Angeles now tops the list, followed by FC Dallas.

4. Fun with preseason personnel experiments: The emphasis of preseason is definitely on the "pre." That is to say, it's always dangerous to read too much into coaching moves. After all, everybody has six weeks or more to tinker, and bored managers can sometimes do strange things.

Still, it's all we have. So, without attaching too much weight to the personnel machinations, here are some interesting moves that spilled out of friendlies this week:

Toronto coach John Carver deployed Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario as a second forward, playing off Chad Barrett for the Reds. Carver has said he wants to look at several options in identifying the best way to use the man they call "De Ro."

The week's "what?" moment came when Wade Barrett lined up at left midfield for Houston. It was mostly a stop-gap, as several injured or unavailable midfielders had Kinnear scrambling to fill out a first-choice foursome across the line. Still, Kinnear said it was good to see how Barrett, the club's longtime, steady left back, handled the role.

Seattle manager Sigi Schmid chose to play rookie Steve Zakuani, the league's No. 1 overall selection in last month's draft, along the left side in a 4-4-2 for the club's muddy friendly against the Galaxy. He was active, drawing a penalty kick and generally appearing eager to take on defenders.

In Dallas, manager Schellas Hyndman had longtime central midfielder Marcelo Saragosa stationed at right back. Incumbent Adrian Serioux is dealing with multiple injury issues, and Drew Moor is set to start in the center, so the in-need Hyndman was eager to experiment. He said Saragosa was happy to try the spot and looked pretty handy in his first stab at it.

5. Mr. Versatility -- again: Looks like Geoff Cameron is set to be a super utility man around Robertson Stadium once again. As a rookie in 2008 he played center back, right midfield and forward at different times last year in south Texas.

He even spent one match of his debut season at right back, and Kinnear said Cameron looked pretty good there, too.

Kinnear would prefer to have the big fellow settle into a role, of course. But with reduced rosters and Houston already looking at 39 matches this year -- with a likelihood of more, depending upon whether they advance in CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup -- Houston will probably lean on Cameron's versatility once again.

Where will the second-year man ultimately land?

"I think he's got a future in this league in midfield," Kinnear said. It will probably be on the outside, although Kinnear said Cameron's good feet, mobility and range make him a candidate for minutes in the middle, too.

WCQ Roundup: Historic night for Beckham

While all eyes in the home country were on Crew Stadium, where the United States defeated Mexico 2-0 in Columbus Wednesday night, Major League Soccer players competed in World Cup qualifiers throughout the region and in friendlies around the globe.

At Saprissa Stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica also claimed all three points as Andy Furtado's brace lifted the ticos over Honduras, 2-0. Chicago Fire defender Gonzalo Segares was on the substitute's bench for Costa Rica, while Toronto FC midfielder Amado Guevara and Ivan Guerrero from the Colorado Rapids were in the Honduras starting lineup.

Guevara, the Honduras captain, nearly brought the visitors to within a goal in the 73rd minute when he beat goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez, but he fired wide.

In the other CONCACAF qualifier Wednesday night, El Salvador rallied from a 2-0 deficit after 27 minutes to play Trinidad & Tobago to a 2-2 draw with a pair of goals in the final 11 minutes at Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador.

It was a historic day for David Beckham, as the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder equaled Bobby Moore's England record of 108 caps when he came on as a substitute at the start of the season half of a friendly against Spain in Seville Wednesday.

Beckham, who is on loan to AC Milan of Italy's Serie A, came on for Stewart Downing, but he was unable to prevent his side from falling to the defending European champions, 2-0.

In London, Jamaica and Nigeria played to a scoreless draw at the New Den. Seattle Sounders FC defender Tyrone Marshall played the entire 90 minutes for the Reggae Boyz, who were without Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who picked up a preseason knock. Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards was called up to the Jamaican team, but visa issues didn't allow him to travel to London.

Another Red Bulls midfielder, Jorge Rojas, came on at halftime for Venezuela in a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Guatemala in a friendly Wednesday in Maturin, Venezuela. Columbus Crew forward Alejandro Moreno played the full 90 minutes for Venezuela, while Marco Pappa of the Chicago Fire started for Guatemala and was replaced in the 63rd minute by Jaime Vides.

Chicago Fire defender Bakary Soumare earned his first cap for Mali and was in the starting XI on Wednesday as Mali thrashed Angola, 4-0, at the Bois-Guillaume in France. News accounts gave Soumare a 9 rating (out of 10) as he played in central defense for the Aigles.

First XI: Back to Ohio

Let's change the format of First XI a bit this week, with Wednesday night's U.S. vs. Mexico World Cup qualifier as the impetus for a new approach. Today, we'll put the list up first, then give the thoughts later. Keep in mind, since the author of First XI -- me -- has unabashed rooting interest in this game and will probably spend the entire 90 minutes with his head buried in a pillow and his hands clinging to a bottle of Maalox, the thoughts in this column are more an exercise in burning nervous energy - 1 day, 8 hours, 27 minutes (uh, how many seconds?) 'til kickoff -- than in trying to truly enlighten anyone. How can I enlighten anyone on a game that I'll barely be able to keep my eyes on?

So, here goes.

Below, you'll see a countdown of the last 11 times the U.S. has played host to Mexico at a site other than Los Angeles, Calif. The World Cup qualifiers are bolded:

11. June 24, 2007, Chicago: USA 2, Mexico 1

10. Feb. 7, 2007, Glendale, Ariz.: USA 2, Mexico 0

9. Sept. 3, 2005, Columbus: USA 2, Mexico 0

8. April 28, 2004, Dallas: USA 1, Mexico 0

7. April 3, 2002, Denver: USA 1, Mexico 0

6. Feb. 28, 2001, Columbus: USA 2, Mexico 0

5. June 11, 2000, East Rutherford, N.J.: USA 3, Mexico 0

4. April 20, 1997, Foxborough, Mass.: USA 2, Mexico 2

3. June 18, 1995, Washington, D.C.: USA 4, Mexico 0

2. Oct. 13, 1993, Washington, D.C.: USA 0, Mexico 0

1. Nov. 23, 1980, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: USA 2, Mexico 1

As you can see, that's a 9-0-2 mark for the U.S., in case anyone was wondering why the U.S. has once again elected to play El Tri in Columbus, at cozy Crew Stadium.

Was anyone actually questioning the U.S.'s decision to play this match in Columbus? I doubt it. Personally, having been at both U.S.-Mexico tilts at Crew Stadium, I wouldn't want the game to be played anywhere else ... but let's keep the thought going.

Will there come a day when the U.S. will be ready to take a leap, not to Los Angeles (no way), but to a stadium bigger than Crew Stadium, to take on Mexico in a big game? Is there a big stadium ready to step up and become the host of one of these games? Remember, if the other nations in CONCACAF are going to do everything in their power to create a difficult environment to play in, it's only fair for the U.S. to do the same ... so long as it's not beyond the realm of good sportsmanship. Is there a place that would provide the U.S. with a better home-field advantage than Crew Stadium?

Well, for starters, let's cross the rest of California off the list.

And while we're at it, wipe Chicago and Soldier Field off the list, for while the U.S. was able to defeat Mexico in the Gold Cup Final in 2007, that was clearly not the pro-U.S. crowd a national team deserves in an important final. Could the U.S. fans dominate Mexico at Toyota Park? That's a great question, but is it worth it for the U.S. to make the move from Columbus, where it's a given that U.S. fans will take control, to nearby Chicago? Probably not. So, Chicago is probably on the outs for U.S.-Mexico for now.

How about New York? I sat in Giants Stadium in June 2000 and saw the U.S. take Mexico apart 3-0, and I'd say it was a 70-30, pro U.S crowd. Not good enough. And let's not forget that Giants Stadium has to put a makeshift grass field in place. However, I think when Red Bull Arena opens up, if RBNY does its job well, you could almost guarantee a 90-10 U.S. crowd in Harrison, N.J. Keep that one in mind for the future.

And while we're on the East Coast, I think Philadelphia would be a decent option. Can't say the same for Washington, D.C., not after what we witnessed when the U.S. hosted Honduras in Qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. Charlotte? That's a possibility. But you'd have to give Charlotte a Gold Cup chance before trusting it with a qualifier.

Moving across the country, Birmingham, Alabama, has always done itself proud when hosting U.S. Soccer games. Are they ready to host a U.S.-Mexico game? We'll certainly learn a little more about Nashville, when it plays host to the U.S. and Trinidad & Tobago on April 1. But let's remember, T&T isn't Mexico. Nothing is.

Texas? Too risky. So, sorry Houston and Dallas. Ditto, Arizona. I consider Denver to be a gray area for a U.S.-Mexico matchup. Not sure I'd trust Invesco Field, but think Dick's Sporting Goods Park might work as another "small" option. A nice cold night in Denver wouldn't be the worst place for the U.S. to host Mexico in a big game.

How about Kansas City? The only problem I see in K.C. is that the field at Arrowhead is a bit narrow (so is Giants Stadium, by the way). The U.S. fans in K.C. are rock solid. I'd consider throwing them another bone though probably not for Mexico, as I would consider Salt Lake City (did a bang up job in the past). Seattle and Portland? No grass.

And what's the point of this exercise? Just to further illustrate that when it comes to the U.S. and Mexico, in a big match, there's still no place like Crew Stadium. While most people remember the cold night in 2001, when Mexico didn't even want to take the field to warm up, let's not think it needs to be frigid for the U.S. to take care of business as their 2-0 victory in September 2005 proved.

Crew Stadium might as well be called our National Stadium at this point.

The U.S. is 4-0-3 in seven games at CCS and 3-0-2 in World Cup qualifying matches. They've outscored their opponents 10-1. With home points historically so important in the World Cup qualifying process, why mess with success?

One day, six hours and 20 minutes til kickoff ...

Rivals vie for CONCACAF supremacy

Arguably the best national team rivalry in all of soccer resumes Wednesday night in Columbus, Ohio.

Unless you have been sleeping since MLS Cup or been hiding in a cave, you already know that the United States will take on Mexico in a key (aren't all of those games key in a short season?) World Cup qualifying match (ESPN2, 7 p.m.).

While three points are at stake in the race to soccer's promised land -- South Africa in 2010 -- so is the pride of both countries and CONCACAF supremacy.

If the USA wins, it will continue solidify its claims to be CONCACAF kings and add to an unbeaten home streak on U.S. soil that stands at 10 games (8-0-2) since a 2-1 loss in San Diego on March 13, 1999.

If the Mexicans prevail, it will restore their pride, at least until the next game, and keep embattled coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in power at least until the next crisis or loss.

A tie? That will give each team a point and confuse things on who's the best team in all of the CONCACAF land until August, most likely.

If you're under 30, you probably have become accustomed to the United States holding its own and then some against its neighbors south of the Rio Grande. But for anyone born prior to 1975, they know that it wasn't always this way.

Back in the day, it wasn't anywhere near a rivalry. Back in the old days, the Mexicans owned the series. It usually went like this: When the U.S. played in Mexico City, the hosts would win and win decisively. When the game was in the U.S. -- many times in Los Angeles, when the home crowd overwhelming cheered for the visitors and not for the old red, white and blue ... who would be fortunate just to register a draw. A victory was unheard of.

Slowly, but surely, things started to change.

During a meaningless 1982 World Cup qualifier in November, 1980 -- the U.S. already had been eliminated -- the USA bested the Mexicans in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2-1, its first triumph against Mexico since the very first meeting (and qualifier) -- a 4-2 U.S. qualifying triumph in Rome just days prior to the 1934 World Cup.

The U.S. literally started to get its legs after it qualified for Italia '90, after 40 years in the World Cup desert.

First came a 2-2 tie in L.A. in 1991 and a 2-0 victory in the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals. That was followed by a 1-0 win before 91,123 at the Rose Bowl only weeks prior to the 1994 World Cup. The first major turning point came in a 4-0 stomping at RFK Stadium in June 1995 that served as Claudio Reyna's coming out party as an international impact player. A month later in the Copa America quarterfinals, the U.S. overcame their rivals once again after a scoreless draw, prevailing in a shootout behind the heroics of Brad Friedel.

When MLS was born in 1996, the new league gave fuel to the USA's fire to turn a one-sided series into a true, honest-to-goodness rivalry because players had a league in which to play and improve and prep for international matches.

In November 1997, despite playing a man down for most of the match (Jeff Agoos was red-carded), the U.S. managed a point in its chamber of horrors, Estadio Azteca, securing a valuable and precious qualifying point.

While the U.S. continued to struggle in the rarefied air and smog of Mexico City (that point in 1997 is still the only one ever taken in Mexico by the USA), they made sure the Mexicans paid on their own soil, especially when it counts.

Take, for instance, a pair of World Cup qualifiers held in the capital of Ohio.

The first one was a classic. A half hour into a match that was played in 29-degree weather, the U.S. found itself without two key players who were forced from the game due to injuries -- Brian McBride and Reyna. In their place came Josh Wolff, who scored one goal, and Clint Mathis, who set up another (Earnie Stewart also found the back of the net), it one of the high points of U.S. soccer history.

The second confrontation might not have had the drama of 2001, but the result was just fine for the hosts -- another 2-0 victory, this time on a warm, summer September night in 2005. Steve Ralston, better known for his crossing than scoring, and the ever-elusive DaMarcus Beasley did the dirty work up front with goals, while Oguchi Onyewu, did his dirty work on Mexican Jared Borguetti in the back, keeping the Mexican striker literally on his back when push always came to shove.

And it wasn't just the results, but the aftershocks that were left by U.S. performances.

Mexican coach Manuel Lapuente was given the heave-ho after losing to the U.S., 2-0, in the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Miguel Mejia Baron was fired shortly after the '95 match. Coach Bora Milutinovic was shown the door after the Azteca fiasco in '97 (will Eriksson suffer a similar fate if his side loses?).

The Mexican media traditionally comes down hard on the team and whichever poor soul has to endure the pressure of coaching a team that has lost to someone, sooner or later. It has been difficult for Mexicans -- players and citizens -- to come to grips with the fact that the U.S. and the rest of CONCACAF has caught up or is catching up to them. The days of rolling over every foe is over.

The ultimate test for CONCACAF superiority came on neutral turf in Jeonju, South Korea in the 2002 World Cup on June 17 when the U.S. produced a stunning 2-0 result in the second round. Hampered by injuries, suspensions and possible yellow-card bans in the next match, the USA played their collective hearts out as Friedel again did his magic in the back and Landon Donovan and McBride supplied the offensive fireworks.

End of discussion of which team was the best in CONCACAF.

Since then, both sides essentially have held serve on their home court, including qualifiers.

Incidentally, the USA's score of choice for the really, really big confrontations that truly mean something has been 2-0.

Knowing U.S. coach Bob Bradley, he could care less about what the score would be on Wednesday night. Two-zip once again would be nice for him, although 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, etc. etc. would just as suffice.

Regardless which side prevails at Columbus Crew Stadium on Wednesday night, there will be much talk and hype about the rematch in Mexico City on Aug. 11. The full U.S. team will be seeking its first win in Mexico, while the Mexicans will try for another three points. That confrontation should be a doozy as well.

Cooper excited to be back in Hoops

FRISCO, Texas -- Just 48 hours removed from rejoining FC Dallas, striker Kenny Cooper saw his first game action with his club side in Monday's scoreless draw with Houston Dynamo.

"I want to improve upon the performance and hopefully as a team, we can improve upon it," he said. "From the score, it was an improvement from the game before (a 3-0 loss to Houston on Friday). It's still early on in the preseason. Hopefully we can take in everything Schellas is telling us and apply it. Hopefully we can just continue to improve."

The Hoops striker had missed much of preseason because he was in camp with the U.S. national team. Against the Dynamo, Cooper started and played 71 minutes.

"I thought he did OK," FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "I've seen him play better. He's been training with a different group for three weeks and I don't know what they've been doing because I haven't been involved with their training sessions. But I think he's missed the timing and the things we've been doing. Some of his decision making wasn't what we wanted because it was more things we were working on. But he's a quick learner and we're back on it today."

For much of Monday's scrimmage, he was paired up top with veteran Jeff Cunningham.

"It's nice to be back here training on a daily basis and being around Jeff and all the other players," Cooper said. "It's an opportunity to communicate and get a better understanding of each other. I thought Jeff and I looked to combine a couple of times in the game. He's such an amazing player and has so many different qualities. He's so explosive and a lot of fun to play with. Hopefully in preseason, we can get an even better understanding of each other and hopefully be dynamic together."

Last season, Cooper connected for 18 goals, second in MLS. He earned a spot on the league's Best XI, was also named Comeback Player of the Year and was named FCD team MVP by members of the local media.

However, with FCD adding one of the best crossers in the league in Dave van den Bergh, Cooper knows those numbers could go up in 2009.

"Before he got here, I knew he was a player with a lot of quality and very competitive," Cooper said of the Dutch international. "I always admired all of his qualities when he wasn't on our team. I have had a chance to practice with him a couple of times and really see how good he is. I'm really excited about having him on the team. He's a great guy and I know he's settled in well with the team. He appears to be comfortable with everybody. I'm excited to work with him this year."

The 6-foot-3 Dallas native had missed the start of preseason practice while with the U.S. national team in preparation for the friendly against Sweden. Cooper then returned to Frisco for a few days and participated in several workouts with FCD before his return to the national team.

While he would love to have been involved in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Mexico, Cooper was happy to be back in hoops.

"I'm excited to be back there and to join up with the guys," Cooper said. "It's fun to see some new faces and see some old faces again. It's nice to get back out here and train with them again too."

Cooper relished his time in camp with the national team and knows participating in those sessions can only make him an even better player in MLS.

"I hope it benefits me a lot," he said. "I've been with them for about four weeks and it's high quality and intense training. Hopefully that will serve me well coming back here now."

Preseason roundup: Fire, Real beat USL clubs

The Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake each disposed of USL opposition in the first full weekend of MLS preseason action. The Fire defeated the USL1 Puerto Rico Islanders 1-0 on Saturday, while RSL battled to a scoreless draw against the PDL Ventura County Fusion on Sunday.

Also over the weekend, the Kansas City Wizards played MLS competition for the second time in a week, battling to a wild 4-4 draw in a preseason game played at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. on Saturday morning.

Chicago Fire 1, Puerto Rico Islanders 0: Former U.S. international Brian McBride scored the lone goal, slotting home an eighth-minute penalty kick to lift the Chicago Fire to a 1-0 victory against the Puerto Rico Islanders of the United Soccer Leagues First Division in a preseason match at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. on Saturday.

After Patrick Nyarko was fouled inside the box, the Fire was awarded the penalty and McBride stepped to the spot and calmly placed the ball low to the right of the Islanders' goalkeeper for the game's lone goal.

The Fire nearly doubled its lead in the 62nd minute when C.J. Brown headed Justin Mapp's corner kick toward the right post where McBride nodded the ball into the goal. But the goal was called back when the assistant referee ruled McBride to be in an offside position.

The Fire will return to the field to face Toronto FC Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the IMG Academy.

Real Salt Lake 0, Ventura County Fusion 0: Real Salt Lake and Ventura County Fusion of the United Soccer League's Premier Development League played to a scoreless draw in a preseason match at Buena High School in Ventura, Calif. Sunday night.

Alex Nimo had RSL's best scoring chance, firing a shot past Fusion goalkeeper Trevor Styles, bit Rodrigo Lopez pushed the shot off the line with his right foot in the 25th minute.

Kansas City Wizards 4, New York Red Bulls 4: Trialist Lionel St. Preux had a second-half brace, the second goal coming in the 84th minute to give New York a late 4-3 lead, but defender Raushawn McKenzie had the 89th-minute equalizer, finishing off Michael Kraus' flick of a Kevin Souter corner kick to forge the 4-4 draw.

Claudio Lopez gave the Wizards a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute, latching on to Josh Wolff's through ball and beat Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero with a left-footed kick following a 40-yard run.

The Red Bulls leveled the match three minutes later when veteran Mike Petke volleyed Jorge Rojas' free kick past goalkeeper Boris Pardo. Dominic Oduro headed in a Dane Richards cross in the 42nd minute to give the Red Bulls a 2-1 lead at the break.

Receiving a well-timed diagonal ball through the defense from Josh Wolff, Graham Zusi flicked the ball over Jon Conway from 10 yards out to equalize in the 56th minute. Zusi then turned provider on the hour mark, feeding Wolff, who played a perfect through ball to Lopez. The former Argentinean international rounded Conway and slid the ball into the open net to give the Wizards a 3-2 lead.

St. Preux equalized nine minutes later, capitalizing on a Wizards mistake in the defensive third. The Haitian international tapped in a rebound six minutes from full time to put the Red Bulls back in front 4-3.

But McKenzie scored his second goal in two preseason matches to tie the match as the Wizards improved to 2-0-1 in the preseason after beating the U.S. under-17 national team 7-0 and besting the Chicago Fire 3-2 in the midweek.

The Red Bulls are now 0-1-1 after losing to the U-17s 1-0 on Wednesday.

Central midfielders emerging for US

COLUMBUS -- Sacha Kljestan said something strange is going on with the U.S. national team and it was never more exemplified by the player who scored twice in a rousing victory against Mexico in a World Cup qualifying match on Wednesday night.

Midfielder Michael Bradley scored both goals, including one in stoppage time, that gave the USA their third successive 2-0 win against Mexico in Crew Stadium, following victories in 2001 and 2005 qualifiers.

"This is going to become National Stadium pretty soon," Kljestan said. "We need to play all our home games here if we win 2-0. I'm pretty proud we got three points to start qualifying."

Bradley's gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute and helped it win the opening game of the final round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

His scores came after Kljestan, a midfielder for Chivas USA, scored all three goals in the USA's previous game on Jan. 24, a 3-2 win against Sweden.

"It's not common the two deep-line midfielders would get all the goals and be the leading scorers on the team but that's how it worked out. I got three and now he got two," he said. "I'm sure Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Brian Ching are going to be the leaders moving forward this year.

"(Bradley) is a good player. He's had a lot of good performances for us the past year. He's getting better. I'm getting better. Our partnership is getting better every day. We have a good relationship on and off the field. He's easy to play with. I'm very proud of him. I'm happy he did it in front of the home crowd in a huge game."

Papa Bradley was happy, too. U.S. national team manager Bob Bradley has seen his son ply his trade in Europe and develop into a complete player yet didn't give Michael any extra kudos.

"I have three children and I'm proud of all my kids," said Bob Bradley. "I have a great family and I'm a lucky man. That's got nothing to do with whether we win or lose tonight."

Battling a fierce wind throughout the match, the U.S. controlled the center of the park as Bradley had hoped.

"Our midfield tonight, we needed to impose our game on them, in particular Pavel Pardo, who I think is the key player on their team," Bradley said. "Our midfield play, our work ethic was really important. That set the tone.

"It wasn't a night we got our best performances from each guy but collectively there was an understanding what kind of game it was. It had something to do with Mexico and something to do with the conditions."

Kljestan said he and Michael Bradley were just following orders.

"Overall defensively we were pretty good. It was a good effort by everybody," he said. "In the middle of the field between Michael and I we wanted to make it really hard on Pardo tonight and I think we did a good job. He turned it over a lot tonight."

The sellout crowd of 23,776 was largely a red, white and blue affair but the Mexicans had a good following as well. Nothing less would be expected in this border rivalry.

"Anytime you play against Mexico it's special. I really enjoy playing qualifiers. To be part of a team effort like that and get three points is a good feeling," Michael Bradley said. "In the locker room before the game tonight you looked around and you knew we were ready to play. It's not one guy. It's not Landon. It's not me. We have 11 guys who went on the field to make sure we got three points."

Crew defender Frankie Hejduk said the team continues to feed off the support from the fans.

"Columbus fans made it hard for them again. The weather came in. The fans were there and it was crazy like it was supposed to be," he said. "The fans were behind us. It's as close as were going to get to a pro-American crowd. They were chanting the whole time. The weather was an issue but it was the same for both teams.

"That's why you have a home-field advantage. We're lucky to have this type of venue. Here in Columbus. It's just been crazy that every time it's been 2-0, 2-0, 2-0. It's been a great venue. It's been awesome for the players and U.S. soccer."

Goalkeeper Tim Howard agreed.

"We knew coming to Columbus it was going to be a good crowd, sold out. It's always good to see the U.S. in large numbers and tonight was no different," he said. "Obviously, we got a good result and that made them that just louder and rowdier. We enjoyed it. They enjoyed it."

Howard made a save on Giovani dos Santos from close range in the third minute before the U.S. settled down.

The winning goal came after Hejduk forced a corner kick by getting the ball off a Mexican defender at the end line.

"I timed it," Hejduk said. "Ching made an incredible pass and placed it in there and luckily I was able to get there and get a corner out of it."

DaMarcus Beasley sent the corner past the far post to Donovan, who headed it into the goal area where Oguchi Onyewu put a header on goal. After Oswaldo Sanchez made the save, Bradley was there for the rebound.

"DaMarcus served a great ball. Landon sent a great ball back. There were a bunch of guys there. It bounced loose to me," Bradley said.

On the insurance goal, the U.S. had survived several threats after Mexico went down a man after defender Rafael Marquez was given a red card for going in studs-up on Howard in the 64th minute.

"I am sorry. I apologize publicly, in the locker room and to the Mexican FA," was how Marquez was translated by Mexico coach Sven-Goran Eriksson afterward.

With time running out, Bradley's long, low strike gave the U.S. a 2-0 score again.

"Jozy (Altidore) and Landon made a good play to cut back behind the defense. I moved forward, got the ball and shot on target," he said.

The U.S. is now 9-0-2 on home soil vs. Mexico since 2000.

"We did our job. That's why we play the game. The boys battled hard," Hejduk said. "I have so many emotions right now. I had so many before the game, during the game. We were always around the ball and made it hard for them to play. That was the plan."

There was a postgame scuffle in the tunnel to the locker rooms and Hejduk said he was knocked on the head by a Mexican official.

"There were some words said," he said. "I think they thought I said something I didn't say. It was a little love tap from someone on the head. It wasn't one of the players. It was one of the administrators."