Pool 'keeper Rueckner ready to go

FRISCO, Texas -- Since last summer, Bryant Rueckner has been a regular in and around Pizza Hut Park. The 21-year-old goalkeeper, who last played at Cal-Santa Barbara in 2007, trained with FCD for a big part of 2008. He is doing so again but this time as one of the MLS pool goalkeepers, meaning he is soccer's answer to a doctor that is always on call.

"Whatever team needs me, I could go to them," he said. "I'm just based out of Dallas. I'm not on the roster but Dallas is giving me some free practices. It's been fun. I just started in September and the season was almost over. This year, I'm looking to see some action."

Being based in Dallas allows the "league employee" to hang out with former teammate and close friend, Eric Avila, now a second-year midfielder with FCD.

"We knew each other from club," Rueckner said. "We both went to residency at the same time and got to know each other there. I was going to UCLA and changed my mind after Avi convinced me to go to Santa Barbara because he liked it over there. I was good friends with them, so I decided to go there. We did everything together and he was my best friend there."

After leaving USCB last year, Avila was one of the first people he called.

"I called him since John Ellinger was our head coach back in residency and is the assistant coach here (with FC Dallas)," Rueckner said. "I asked him (Ellinger) if I could come out, train and get ready for the combine. Avi helped me out. He did everything and got everything together. Since then, we live not even a mile away now and hang out every day."

Avila agrees it's good to have his close friend around.

"Having him around is great because I've known him since I was 15 or 16," Avila said. "I basically grew up with him. He was in residency with me and from there he took off to college at Santa Barbara with me. He roomed with me there and everything. At the beginning of the year, when he was staying here, he roomed with me. Now he has his own spot but he's still close."

After redshirting in 2006, when UCSB won the national title, Rueckner made his debut for the Gauchos in 2007. He posted a 13-4-4 record in 21 games with a 1.04 goals-against-average and six clean sheets in his only season of collegiate play.

He remembers when the thought of being a pool 'keeper first entered his mind.

"When I was over here (last summer), FC Dallas had a reserve game against Colorado," he said. "I think Preston Burpo was playing the first half and another pool 'keeper was playing the second half. He was in and then, he got hurt in the first few minutes of the second half. Burpo couldn't play the second half because he had already played the game before. So they asked me to play because I was the only other available goalie that was here. It took me five minutes to sign the contract and all that so I could play."

Rueckner admits he doesn't really know what to expect from this experience, but he is heading into it with an open mind.

"I don't really know how it works yet," he said. "I think you've just got to train your butt off here and wait for someone to call you when they need you. If you're not up to it, then that would be your fault. You need to do all you can here so you can be ready for when someone calls me. It's kind of like being on call every minute."

So at least for now, he will be content working out with FCD, where he trains with a talented group of 'keepers including starter Dario Sala, backup Ray Burse, second-year player Josh Lambo and goalkeeping coach Drew Keeshan.

"They're great guys," Rueckner said. "I knew Josh from residency too. I've gotten used to Drew and Dario. Dario is great and it's the same with Ray. It's been cool. Drew used to come to Bradenton for the coaching clinic in residency when I was there."

Already in this preseason, he has accompanied FCD on a weeklong trip to Florida, which the team just returned from on Sunday. On Wednesday, Rueckner will be among the traveling party heading to Brazil for some 10 days to train with South American partner, Clube Atletico Paranaense.

Johnson looks to make impact for Quakes

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Almost since the league's inception, there have been questions if the MLS offseason is too long. The conventional wisdom is that too much sharpness is lost in the roughly three months that ensues between season's end and the start of training camp. Yet the approach has at least one fan in the form of San Jose Earthquakes forward Ryan Johnson, who by all appearances has used the just concluded offseason to great effect.

The San Jose attacker caught the eye of Quakes fans last year, scoring five times as a super-sub and spot-starter while also splitting time between forward and left midfield. But with Quakes scoring a league-low 32 times last season, the competition for the two forward spots in 2009 was always going to be wide open, especially given the departure of Scott Sealy to Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv.

So from the moment the season ended, Johnson set about doing everything he could to make one of the forward positions his own, often engaging in solitary workouts to improve his game.

Given the offseason's duration, such sessions can get monotonous, but Johnson said he didn't mind. Perhaps the fact that he got married to fiancйe Donna Sione had something to do with it, although Johnson claims there were other reasons as well.

"I actually enjoyed the offseason," said Johnson. "It was good to get away from all the stress of winning games in the regular season. I got to just focus on me, and not just focus on results and other things around me. It was good to just get my body to where I wanted it to be."

That included sharpening up the more technical aspects of his game, something that was driven home during some conversations with manager Frank Yallop.

"[Yallop] talked to me about being better in front of goal," said Johnson. "I would get chances and get myself in situations, but I needed to do a better job of putting them away, and that's one thing I've been focusing on during the offseason. It's starting off good."

Indeed, at last week's Central Coast Showcase held on the campus of Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, the Jamaican scored twice in a 3-2 win against expansion Seattle Sounders FC before adding another in a 2-0 win against Houston. And it's clear that his current form has made an impression on Yallop.

"[Johnson] has kind of continued what he did last year," said Yallop. "I thought he had a great first year for a guy coming in and basically playing up front, not for the first time, but getting used to that position. He's worked himself in the offseason and he's comes back ahead of the game. I think he's looked really good in the games, really good in practice, and I think he's going to have a good year."

Another change that has benefited Johnson is the different role he's being asked to play this season. There were times in 2008 when the Jamaican was expected to provide a powerful presence up top, holding the ball up for his teammates. But with the acquisitions of 6-foot-4 Cam Weaver, as well as 6-foot-3 Pablo Campos, Johnson can now use his pace more often.

"It helps me a lot," said Johnson of playing alongside Weaver and Campos. "I don't have to exert so much extra energy being that physical guy every play of the game. I can worry about being the sneaky guy getting behind defenders, and I have the speed to do that. It's going to be tough for other teams because we're going to have two strong forwards who can do both."

Of course, duplicating his current form in the regular season is a different challenge entirely, as MLS has been littered over the years with spring training wonders that fizzled once the games began for real. But it's a task that Johnson is eager to take on.

"It's a good start," said Johnson of his preseason displays. "But I've got to keep it going."

Bluewings advance to final with win

CARSON, Calif. -- It wasn't quite the goalfest some were perhaps expecting to open the 2009 version of the Pan-Pacific Championship, but Suwon Samsung Bluewings will take the result.

The reigning K-League champion beat Chinese club Shandong Luneng Taishan FC 1-0 Wednesday in the first game of the event at The Home Depot Center.

After 80 minutes of play that featured few scoring opportunities and little excitement on the pitch, Bluewings forward Cho Yong-Tae found the back of the net in the 81st minute to break the scoreless tie.

Cho's score not only gave the South Korean club the win but helped clinch a spot in Saturday's title match against either Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy or J-League champion Oita Trinita.

Shandong will play the losing club in the third-place game.

In its second version, the Pan-Pacific serves as a preseason event for participating teams. Perhaps that is why the Suwon-Shandong affair Wednesday lacked action early on.

The game's only score came when Cho sent a soft rolling shot into an empty net. Shandong goalkeeper Li Leilei was left kicking air when he attempted a sliding tackle on Bluewings defender Lee Kwan-Woo just outside the penalty area.

Lee leaped over Leilei then sent a short rolling pass to Cho, completing a counter attack fueled by quick touch-and-go passes.

The Bluewings held momentum for most of the second half after coach Cha Bum-Kun went to his bench. He substituted Lee and Cho at the start the second half.

Suwon outshot Shandong 10-5 with most of those coming in the second half. Shandong survived a series of Bluewings shots late in the match, including a Cho blast from about 25 yards out in the 75th minute.

Lee could have had a second score if it wasn't for Li's left fist. He redirected Cho's shot with a punch, sending it to his left just wide of the post.

Wide right, wide left. That was the story for Shandong strikers early in the match.

Li Jinyu sent a header just wide of Bluewings left post in the 15th minute. That was the Chinese Super League champion's clearest attempt at goal before Li Jinyu sent another header wide left 12 minutes later.

Shandong would not create another play threatening the Bluewings' goal until Yong-Tae had his blast stopped by Leilei.

Shandong came into the Pan-Pacific opener after falling in three one-sided scrimmages, all against MLS teams. Shandong lost to Chivas USA 5-1, Seattle Sounders FC 2-0 and Real Salt Lake 8-0.

Sounders debut at Qwest Field with rout

SEATTLE -- In a preseason tune-up for both teams, Seattle Sounders FC blanked the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0 in front of an empty Qwest Field. Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero each tallied twice in the closed-door scrimmage.

In their first competitive match in Qwest Field, Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid trotted out a lineup closely resembling a possible opening day lineup.

After a back-and forth first 20 minutes, Seattle took control of the game and started taking the lion's share of the goal-scoring opportunities. Montero, who had been retreating into midfield to find space in front of Vancouver's back four, orchestrated the first goal in the 37th minute with a diagonal ball to Jaqua. Jaqua received the lofted ball with his chest at the top of the area before coolly slotting it home with his left foot.

Just two minutes later, an opportunistic Jaqua doubled the advantage. Sanna Nyassi, who created plenty of chances on the right side of midfield, sent a cross to a streaking Sebastien Le Toux. Le Toux's header was saved by Vancouver goalkeeper Jay Nolly, but Jaqua pounced on the rebound for his second goal.

For their part, Vancouver held possession ably but struggled to get up the field, with Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans proving to be a tough barrier in the middle of the pitch.

Whitecaps striker Charles Gbeke nearly provided the game's first goal after blocking a clearance from Seattle's Tyrone Marshall clearance. The rebound fell invitingly in the penalty area but Keller, dressed in all black and wearing the captain's armband, got a foot on Gbeke's low drive to the far post.

Besides tipping a chip over the bar in the first minute, Keller did not see much action as Seattle's back line was solid.

Schmid stayed with his first string in the second half and he was rewarded with several more chances. Le Toux's empty net goal off a pass from Jaqua was called offsides, while Montero's knuckling free kick minutes later was barely saved. It became clear the Vancouver defense could not handle the Colombian and it did not take long for him to find the net.

Montero's first goal came off a counter-attack, as he coolly skipped past a defender and netted with his right foot in the 66th minute. Two minutes later, a deflected Seattle shot fell to him behind the defense. The Colombian completed the brace with another right-footed shot, this time finding the side netting from a sharp angle.

After Montero's second goal, Schmid cleared the bench and brought in nine new field players. They joined Roger Levesque, who entered the game for Nyassi minutes earlier. Sounders FC continued to control the game but were not able to find the net.

Seattle Sounders FC departs for Argentina in two days to finish their preseason preparations. They are scheduled to play four games in 10 days before returning home for their final preseason game, March 12 against the Colorado Rapids.

Fernandez eyes better fate with Revs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Last season didn't go as planned for New England Revolution midfielder Argenis Fernandez.

The Revolution signed Fernandez from Costa Rican side Santos in March after he impressed during the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Fernandez, 21, expected to compete for time in midfield once he arrived in April.

It didn't happen.

Fernandez, like many other foreign players, had troubles adjusting to the pace and power in MLS. After making just two MLS appearances and playing 61 minutes for the Revs, Fernandez slipped down the pecking order to the point where it was clear that he wasn't going to feature.

The Revs approached Fernandez and offered the possibility of heading back to Costa Rica on loan. By early July, the young Costa Rican was on his way to play for LD Alajuelense.

"We loaned him out last year because we felt he wasn't going to play," Revolution head coach Steve Nicol said. "He wasn't ready to play. The physical nature, coming from where he did, was probably a surprise to him. So we loaned him out and brought him back to see where he is."

As a young player, Fernandez needed first team action to develop his game. He found it with Alajuelense, which handed him starts in the CONCACAF Champions League and in Costa Rican league play.

"I got to play a lot of games," Fernandez said through a translator. "I thought I did the things that I needed to do well. I was able to start many games and the continuity is something that is very important for a soccer player."

Back in the United States, Nicol and the Revolution were monitoring Fernandez's progress. An untimely red card scuppered Nicol's plans to see Fernandez in person at the end of the Costa Rican season, but the Revs opted to bring him back to training camp to see if he could compete at the MLS level.

If Fernandez wants to make an impact in MLS, he will have to find a way to adapt to the league's physical style. Listed at 5-foot-6, 125 lbs., Fernandez simply doesn't have the stature to fight toe-to-toe with MLS centerbacks. It will take some time for him to adapt to the rigorous physical demands, Fernandez said.

"In the United States, it's more force and more of an aerial game," Fernandez said. "In Costa Rica, we play more on the ground. It's been a little bit of a challenge. I'm trying to get accustomed to that kind of style."

Nicol dismissed the notion that Fernandez's physical limitations will impact whether he makes it with the Revolution.

"At the end of the day, it's about ability on the ball," Nicol said. "Lionel Messi isn't much bigger than you or I, but nobody can get near him. It's not really all about [the size]. It's about first touch, when to move it, when to keep it and when to go at people. We'll see if that's changed any."

The circumstances may help Fernandez settle this season. After signing for New England on March 11, Fernandez didn't have the opportunity to go through preseason with the Revolution. A full preseason with the team will give Fernandez the chance to bed in with the team and stake his claim for playing time.

"Obviously, he has to have improved since we let him go last year," Nicol said. "That's why we let him go -- because he wasn't going to play. Now we're going to see what he's all about. We can't tell that indoors. It's unfair. Once we get outside, we'll see what he's got."

It won't be easy for Fernandez to seal his place on the roster. With only one international slot available and the Revs scouring Latin America for defensive help, Fernandez will have to distinguish himself quickly if New England signs multiple foreign players. Fighting with Steve Ralston and Mike Videira for playing time at attacking midfield won't be easy either.

Even with the challenges ahead, Fernandez said that he wants to stay with the Revs and make his mark in MLS.

"That's the goal," Fernandez said. "I want to stay here. I want to play in the games and be a part of this group."

De Oliveira shines in Bluewings win

CARSON, Calif. -- Suwon Samsung Bluewings FC coach Cha Bum-Kun was unhappy with his team's first half in Wednesday's opening game of the Pan-Pacific Championship at The Home Depot Center. The Korean club's manager didn't have to look far to find the solution for his team's struggles.

Brazilian forward Eduardo De Oliveira put on an impressive second-half performance in the Bluewings' 1-0 victory over Chinese club Shandong Luneng Taishan FC with at least three near-misses. De Oliveira, in fact, came close just two minutes in with a free kick, and he came even closer only two minutes later with a half-volley one-timer from deep inside the penalty area that was deflected just wide of the net.

The more he touched the ball, it seemed, more dangerous the Bluewings became. De Oliveira said that not only was by design but to his liking.

"I'm the type of guy who likes to touch the ball and be in contact with the ball," he said through an interpreter. "I didn't have a lot of touches in the first half, but my teammates started to get me the ball more.

"When I get more chances, we tend to play better."

Bum-Kun said his intent was to have his players force the ball more into the middle of the field in the second half, and that strategy played to De Oliveira's strengths. He perhaps made the play of the night in the 89th minute with an impressive back-heel pass to Park Hyun-Bem, whose 20-yard shot was turned away only by a brilliant save from Shandong Luneng goalkeeper Li Leilei.

Cho Yong-Tae scored the game-winner in the 81st minute, sending a soft rolling shot into an empty net after Li missed a clearance attempt.

"If we keep playing like we did in the second half," De Oliveira said, "we'll be ready for the (Asian) Champions League. I think we're going to have a good roll."

De Oliveira's play made things even more difficult for the Chinese team and coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic, who has seen his team ravaged by injuries and had been winless in three preseason scrimmages against MLS team. The Chinese team had been outscored 15-1 in those matches.

Shandong Luneng were also missing at least three starters on Wednesday because of injuries.

"It's taken some time for our team to come together," Tumbakovic said. "We have so many new players ... it's been quite a strain on our team."

Angel enjoys return to Argentina

PILAR, Argentina -- In a sport in which players come and go at an astonishing pace, it isn't often when one can return to a former club as a conquering hero.

Juan Pablo Angel lived that moment at a River Plate home match at El Monumental on Sunday night.

For three seasons Angel was one of the key players for River Plate as a scoring terror in the Argentina Primera Division. He filled the net and the hopes and hearts of the River Plate supporters.

Sunday turned out to be the first time that Angel returned to the stadium where he forged so many memories and scoring so many goals for the Argentinean powerhouse.

You might say that a river -- River Plate, that is -- runs through his heart.

"It was a great feeling," Angel said after practice on Monday morning. "Obviously a lot of memories went back to my head. It was great to be back to see old friends, to come back to a place where I enjoyed great times. It was beautiful. The whole experience was great."

Angel, the Red Bulls striker and captain, admitted it was an emotional experience. When he played at River with such stars as Marcelo Salas and Javier Saviola from 1997-2000, Angel was nicknamed Angelito. Fans showed their appreciation and adoration by wearing angel wings.

"You try not to get too emotional, but I think it was great experience for me to be back here," he said. "I did not come to watch River Plate play for almost nine years. It was a great to see the club, old people, old friends."

During his tenure at River Angel scored 46 goals in 96 matches, almost a goal every other game strike rate.

River supporters did not forget what Angel accomplished and what he meant to the team. On Sunday night, he was asked for his autograph and to have his picture taken with fans. In fact, he needed a police escort to get from one end of the stadium to the other side, according to the Red Bulls.

"People were going crazy over him," said Herman Naumann, who owns a meeting planning company and has helped coordinate the Red Bulls' two-week stay in Argentina. "They were saying, 'Come back!'"

"It is great that people still remember you," Angel said. "They welcome you back again. I wasn't expecting that. Overall, it was a great experience for me. The love from the supporters, the club, the way they treat me. Fantastic. I couldn't ask for more."

Asked what was his most memorable moment wearing the red, black and white, Angel replied, "It was a lot of moments. We won championships here. We won derbies, important games. I always said that my experience with River Plate was going to be the best one because I always wanted to play for this football club. It was a dream come true. I remember everything that happened to me here."

Prior to the game, Angel visited his old team's locker room. "I just went to say hello," Angel said. "I had a lot of friends here. I wanted to wish them well. Thank God they won the game."

The final score was River Plate 2, Banfield 0. It certainly was far a memorable match, but it was worth three points. Colombian international forward Radamel Falcao scored an insurance goal in the 83rd minute. Angel, a former member of the Colombian national team, talked with his countryman before the kickoff.

"When I played here, he had arrived to the club to play with the lower divisions in the [club's] academy," Angel said. "So I didn't have a chance to see him play. Obviously he's doing great, scoring goals. He's a great guy, a great kid."

Falcao turned 23 on Feb. 10, about the age when Angel forged his reputation at River Plate. Angel moved on to Aston Villa in the English Premier League in 2000 before he joined the Red Bulls in 2007. Angel, now 33, has scored more goals (33 in 47 games) than any other player the past two MLS seasons.

He is only nine goals away from breaking the Red Bulls/MetroStars team record of 41, set by Giovanni Savarese during the team's first three MLS seasons. Angel probably doesn't need to set a record to make Red Bulls fans to appreciate him. He already has accomplished that. Setting a record will solidify his place in club and MLS history, not unlike what he did with River Plate.

The trip to El Monumental started off the Red Bulls' venture to Argentina in style. Tuesday, they will take on Velez Sarsfield in a preseason encounter -- at 9:30 p.m.

Not surprisingly, coach Juan Carlos Osorio scouted the first team only hours after he flew into Argentina on Saturday to prepare the Red Bulls on the team's tendencies. The team will eat breakfast at 6 a.m.

The trip to South America might also have already settled one preseason debate. There has been talk already as to who is the fastest Red Bulls player. Midfielder Dane Richards and forward Dominic Oduro have been mentioned as the leading candidates, but so far, no match race has been planned.

However, there is a winner when it comes to water sports. As part of an after training swimming pool session at the Sheraton Pilar Hotel, the Red Bulls held a series of unofficial races. Defender Andrew Boyens, a New Zealand international, emerged as the best swimmer. He defeated defender Kevin Goldthwaite not once but twice. He won the butterfly and also the mini-medley (freestyle and backstroke).

Dynamo, Atlante meet again

HOUSTON, Texas -- Over the last fifteen years at the national team level, the rivalry between Mexico and the United States has solidified into one of the best rivalries in all of soccer. With Superliga and the various CONCACAF competitions, the rivalry between the two nations has seeped into the club level. The next chapter of that rivalry will be written when the Houston Dynamo and Atlante FC meet in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

The first leg of the two-game, aggregate goals series opens Tuesday night at Robertson Stadium (9 p.m. CT), with the return match set for Estadio Quintana Roo in Cancun on March 3.

The two teams first met at Robertson Stadium just more than six months ago in SuperLiga 2008. Houston thrashed Atlante 4-0 in a game where the Mexican team didn't force Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad to make a single save. Atlante will be out to show that their form last summer during their preseason was a fluke and hope to take advantage of the fact that, this time around, Houston is in preseason.

Houston will see several similar faces to the one they defeated last summer. Atlante are led by striker Luis Gabriel Rey and dynamic risk-taking goalkeeper Federico Vilar, although he is suspended for Tuesday's first leg. Rey is off to a fast start in the 2009 Clausura with four goals and two assists in only seven games.

Rey's fast start however hasn't translated into success for his team. After starting out their season with a tie and a victory, in their last five games, Atlante has three draws and two losses. Seven points total in seven games has left the 2007 Apertura champions at the bottom of their group in the Clausura.

For the Dynamo, they have played a much more condensed preseason this year. Despite the shortened preseason and the fact that defender Eddie Robinson will be out Tuesday due to a red card received in the final game in Champions League group play, Houston coach Dominic Kinnear thinks his team will be up to the task.

"We are very happy with the way things have been going so far and I think we'll be ready when the whistle blows on Tuesday," Kinnear said. "All our focus goes to Atlante. It's a great opportunity."

The team is also chomping at the bit to get things started.

"(We're) definitely excited. Most teams now are going through preseason and we have a game that matters so early in the preseason. It's good to be able to do that," said Ricardo Clark. "So we're excited. ... (It is) good to have a game that has actual meaning and will hopefully take us far in the tournament."

While Atlante are in the midst of their regular season, their game against Houston will mark its third game in less than seven days. As a result, the game plan according to Kinnear will be to jump on the opposition early.

"They have a game on Wednesday and a game on [Saturday], so the message has been put out by ourselves to the team that's important for us for the first 10-15 minutes to give them all we have and see if they're fatigued a little bit," Kinnear said. "Hopefully they will be. But they are a good professional team, and it won't be easy. So we have to make sure that our mentality is one of, I wouldn't say desperation, but it would be nice to get a win in this first game."

Clark, along with forward Brian Ching, recently returned from the U.S. national team's 2-0 victory against Mexico in World Cup qualifying. Ching hasn't spent too long celebrating as he is focused on the task at hand.

"We're getting ready for the game on Tuesday. It's a game that is going to be extremely difficult because [Atlante] is in the middle of its season," Ching said. "... We look to get out on top of them from the start and hopefully we start the season on a positive note."

Clark expects the best from Atlante on Tuesday night.

"We obviously had a successful result against them last time and we hope to repeat that," he said. "They're going to be gunning for us, for sure, so we just have to be ready to step up."

Galaxy look to continue strong play

CARSON, Calif. -- Chris Klein understood his role when Bruce Arena was signed last August to coach the Los Angeles Galaxy.

He knew revamping the team was in Arena's plans. That meant there was a chance new and younger faces would be part of the squad heading into a new season.

The 33-year-old entering his 12th Major League Soccer season seems to be soaking in a leadership role.

That's something Klein would have to embrace with or without David Beckham and Landon Donovan in the lineup and a handful of newcomers.

Klein got a taste of what could be in store for the future during the club's preseason opener Wednesday night -- a 2-0 win in the opener of the Pan-Pacific Championship against Japanese club Oita Trinita.

It was a win that helped the Galaxy clinch a slot in the four-team tournament final Saturday against K-League side Suwon Samsung Bluewings at The Home Depot Center.

Klein and company hope to see more of what the Galaxy produced on the pitch against Trinita, this time against Bluewings.

The Galaxy midfielder blended with newcomers Dema Kovalenko and Jovan Kirovski. Add Josh Tudela, in his second season with the Galaxy, and Klein could be looking at his supporting cast at midfield.

"It feels like a group now and a lot of that comes from the themes Bruce is trying to instill within our locker room," Klein said of the new personnel. "He's demanding the older guys not only are they inclusive of the younger guys, but take responsibility for the locker room and if something is not right it's up to us to fix it."

And there was plenty to fix this offseason, including strengthening a back line that allowed a league high 62 goals in its 2008 campaign. Arena made it a priority to toughen up the defense. He stocked up with a list of players with size and some muscle.

Arena brought in 6-foot-5, 210 pound Omar Gonzalez, Tony Sanneh (6-2, 195) and A.J. de la Garza, who stands 5-foot-9 at 145 pounds. They seemed to mesh in well with team captain Eddie Lewis in the shutout of Trinita -- something the Galaxy were able to achieve just twice in the 2008 regular season.

"I saw more of a team (Wednesday) than I saw in a number of games last year," Arena said. "We have a lot of new faces and there's always a lot of unknowns at this time of year. To have a start like this in February with a positive result is good."

For his part, Bluewings head coach Cha Bum-Kun would have liked to have seen the entirety of the Galaxy squad facing his team in the final. But like his team, it's still a work in progress.

"It would have been great to have all of the Galaxy's best players available ... another great opportunity to experience the world soccer," Cha said. "But I don't think there will be much of a difference whether they were here or not."

Klein likes what he's seen but he's not looking too far ahead.

"It's early in the season but it's something we can build on," he said.

And it's something he's beginning to embrace, much like he expected.

'One that got away' returns to D.C. fold

WASHINGTON -- Between new stadium developments and the return of former star Christian Gomez, there's been plenty for D.C. United fans to buzz about as the 2009 season opener approaches. The reacquisition of a unique playmaker and former league MVP certainly deserves its share of attention, but another, less-heralded arrival to the United engine room could pay important dividends this year as well.

Andrew Jacobson, once known to the D.C. faithful as "the one that got away," has made a strong impression in preseason workouts thus far (notwithstanding his current hamstring injury) and some teammates have already tipped him as a potential contributor in the center of midfield.

In fact, his displays have played a role in United's decision to release Joe Vide, a well-liked holding midfielder who earned ten starts in all competitions last year, scoring one goal and generally performing yeoman's work for the club during some of its darkest times of 2008.

"We have a competitive roster and one of our young guys [Jacobson] has shown really well there," said head coach Tom Soehn on Tuesday. "I knew there were going to be some hard decisions, and I still think there's some hard decisions to come. ... It's been competitive in every part of the field."

Jacobson's progress is particularly encouraging given the fact that, like Gomez, he's spent the past 12 months struggling in a distant locale. United selected Jacobson with their top SuperDraft pick a year ago, but the lanky Californian elected to try his hand in France's top flight with Lorient FC instead. A promising start to his time in Brittany was derailed by a foot injury and most frustratingly, life off the field proved difficult for him and his longtime girlfriend Kelly, who accompanied him on the trans-Atlantic move.

"I was always encouraged by the coach; he would always say I was playing well," said Jacobson of his stint with the Ligue 1 side. "It wasn't really soccer, it was more the culture. It was very keep-to-yourself, very family-oriented. Everyone on the team had families and we were a little bit isolated there."

So when the international transfer window opened in January, he decided to make a move. A Danish club expressed interest, but "it looked like more of the same" to Jacobson and he soon returned stateside in the hopes of catching on with United, where he received a warm welcome despite his year away.

"I think all of us have that goal where we want to do as much as possible in our soccer careers," said Clyde Simms, D.C.'s incumbent in the holding midfielder spot. "As a matter of fact I was in the same position this offseason, thinking about going overseas. So I'm glad he did it and kind of got it out of his system, and I think that experience that he had over there will help us as a team."

Despite the struggles he and his girlfriend endured in France, Jacobson calls it "a great experience" and believes it dramatically improved his tactical acumen and overall professionalism. Now he and Kelly are quickly warming to life in the capital city, having moved into one of the many new apartment buildings constructed in the neighborhood near Washington's new baseball stadium.

"I'd never really been here before I came a few weeks ago," he said. "My view of it was, there's the capitol area and everything else is a little dangerous. But I find it's a great city, I really like it. [...] It seems like every day we get more oriented with the city, adjust better with the life, and we're both happier here."

On the field, he's looking forward to learning the MLS ropes under veterans like Gomez and Simms.

"There's very talented center mids on the team and if I can watch what they do and learn from them, whenever I get my chance to play then I can hopefully perform with them, up to their level," said Jacobson. "I'm just happy I'm in a place where I can look at players in my position and strive to play like them. That gives me room to progress."

The respect is mutual. United have several other contenders for playing time at defensive midfield with Simms, Ben Olsen and Devon McTavish all in the frame, but Jacobson also possesses an attacking dimension that could lead to opportunities further up the field as well.

"Offensively I think he's great with the ball," said Simms. "He's going to add a lot of versatility to our midfield, for sure. If you put him in there -- say Christian's injured -- I think he'd be able to fill that void pretty good."

Jacobson is taking a more modest outlook towards his new surroundings, focusing on his own day-to-day learning experience as United looks to dramatically improve its fortunes in '09.

"My goal is for the team to win. If that means me sitting on the bench and watching them win, that's fine with me," he said. "Personally, my goal in life is to have a good career -- it's not a one-year career. So I want to progress this year. If that means getting a lot of playing time than that's what it takes, and if it means getting better in practice than that's what it takes."

Hoops to face FIU in preseason match

FRISCO, Texas -- After getting their Florida trip off to a positive start with a 1-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas returns to preseason game action Thursday when they take on Florida International University.

It will be the second college team that FCD has faced this preseason. Last Saturday, the Hoops handed the University of Memphis a 5-1 defeat at Pizza Hut Park thanks to two goals from Jeff Cunningham and two assists each from Dax McCarty and Dave van den Bergh.

"FIU is the home team and a good, skillful team," FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "They are team that likes to play with each other. We hope that they will give us a match that we need to improve in."

One player who will likely see his first preseason action for the Hoops is defender Michael Dello-Russo, who suffered a broken nose early in preseason after a collision in practice with Cunningham and is locked in a battle for a roster spot.

"Dello is a great guy," Hyndman said. "He's a warrior and has got a fighting spirit. It will be his first game back. We'll see how he does."

However, one player who might not return this week is Adrian Serioux, who was first bothered by a hernia but has since suffered from knee and hip issues.

"Adrian is a player that is working hard on his recovery," Hyndman said. "He gets into the gym, does his cardio and takes care of his treatment. He's religious in all the things he needs to do to take care of himself. The season is starting up in a few weeks and he needs to get out there and play a little bit more to overcome the setbacks, the injuries and the pain.

"It's more of the recovery -- getting fit again and how much can your body do without it swelling? We don't worry about Adrian," Hyndman continued. "We put him on his own timeline because he's the kind of player who wants to be on the field. I'm not sure if he'll play this week. It's kind of a gauge where he gauges himself. At the same time, you don't want to put him out there too soon and force him out there. If he can get some time, we encourage it."

FCD's lone goal against the Rapids came off a free kick in the 57th minute when Kenny Cooper converted to give his side their first goal of the preseason against a league foe and Hyndman saw a number of good things from that performance.

"I think there were a few positives," he said. "I thought it was a fantastic free kick taken by Kenny. And I thought we had a pretty good number of services, especially from Dave (van den Bergh). We had some great overlapping on both sides of the field. Again, the coordination in the attack with the strikers is not there yet. But that will probably be the final piece that we will develop.

"Dax (McCarty) did a good job with Pablo (Ricchetti) in the middle. The defense got a shutout. There were a lot of positives out there and some players helped themselves. So it's encouraging. I think we're a better team than we were last year. But the ingredients and the pieces all still need to continue getting stronger."

The Hoops boss, however, did have some concerns.

"I would have liked to have seen us put some more of our opportunities away in the run of play," he said. "I think there are still a couple of players not understanding their role or the team structure. That's something they've got to take and embrace. I think that's about it. Those are the only two issues that I have right now that I should be concerned with."

FCD will play their final game of the trip on Saturday when they face BK Hacken of Sweden.

So far, so good for Torres in Dallas

FRISCO, Texas -- When FC Dallas signed 31-year-old defender Daniel Torres to bolster their back line, they knew they were getting a seasoned player who could help their team.

Torres saw his first action for the Hoops on Saturday in a scrimmage against the University of Memphis, playing the entire second half at left back, his debut delayed a bit because of international duty.

"Danny has only been with us for less than a week," FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "We saw him last summer and liked him. We brought him in as a center back but at the same time, I wanted him to get some left back position play. I thought his distribution was very good and his decision making was very good. The thing I don't know yet is his defending because against Memphis, there weren't a lot of concerns. So we'll have a chance to evaluate him here in the next three weeks."

Because of responsibilities with the Costa Rican national team for World Cup qualifying, Torres wasn't able to begin preseason practice until last week. He admits he is still adjusting to his new surroundings.

"I've been here only for three and a half days and so far, so good," he said. "I'm comfortable and know most of the guys. I'm trying to adjust to them and they're trying to adjust to me. It's part of the process. It's a brand new team with a lot of young guys. There is a lot of responsibility with having to pull this thing together."

He first surfaced with FCD last November when Hyndman and assistant coach John Ellinger, who Torres played for while with Real Salt Lake in 2006 and 2007, brought him in for a look.

Most recently, he played for Swedish side Bodens BK and Torres feels the experience he has gained from playing in Europe can benefit his new team.

"I can give this team the experience that I gained from playing in Europe," he said. "I learned so many great things, especially last year when I was in Norway and with good coaches. That gives me confidence and a little something extra to give to this team."

While he has been with FCD for less than a week, Torres already likes what he sees.

"The youth of the team is a big plus," he said. "It's a double-edged weapon as well because there is some inexperience. That's where guys like Pablo (Ricchetti), Dario (Sala) and I come in. That's why we have the responsibility to help this team in leadership by being vocal during the games and stuff like that. The potential is pretty huge. There are some really good players here. They need to grow up and get better. We are going to try to make it happen this year. We want to make the playoffs this year for sure."

A center back by trade, Torres was shifted to left back for Saturday's scrimmage, a spot that is by no means foreign to the seasoned defender, who began his MLS career with Columbus, playing there from 2001-03.

"That's a position that I've played in the past," he said. "It's not the one that I feel more comfortable playing at but I know how to do it. I have played that position many times in my life. Regardless of where the coaching staff is going to use me, I'm going to do my best."

Other than Ellinger, he also knew two of his new teammates, forwards Jeff Cunningham and Jamie Watson, from his days back in RSL.

"I do know Jeff from a few years ago because we played together back in Columbus. I know his personality, the kind of player he is and his potential," Torres said. "Jamie was my teammate back in Salt Lake. We always had a really good relationship and a good friendship. That helps when you're adjusting to a new team."

On Monday morning, Torres departed with his new mates for Florida, where FCD will spend the entire week, playing three games and getting closer as a team.

"We're going to play three games over there and it's going to be interesting," he said. "It's going to be important to bond, to get together and to get to know each other better and better. These experiences are important to bring the team together. The better we know each other off the field, it's going to be reflected in better play on the pitch."

Cha finding redemption with Bluewings

CARSON, Calif. -- His name is mentioned amid the best athletes out of Asia.

Cha Bum-Kun is the all-time leading scorer for South Korea's national team. He's recognized internationally for his success in the German Bundesliga. As a player, he's icon in his country.

Not so much as a coach. His unsuccessful stint as South Korea's national coach during the 1998 FIFA World Cup left a stain in Cha's career. It ultimately led to a five-year ban from coaching in his native land.

But things have gradually changed for Cha since returning to South Korea in 2003. He now coaches the Suwon Samsung Bluewings who opened Pan-Pacific Championship play Wednesday with a 1-0 win against Chinese club Shandong Luneng Taishan at The Home Depot Center.

It was the early cap of a double header on the tournament's opening night. With the win, the Bluewings move on to Saturday's title match against Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-0 victors against Japan's Oita Trinita.

The Pan-Pacific is a preseason tournament for the Bluewings and gives Cha a glimpse of what he can expect from his squad in the next K-League tournament.

"Overall, I am satisfied with the result. We were a little short in the first half, but we were able to make some changes and I think we did well," Cha said after the opening game victory.

Cha, known as "Cha Boom" for his booming ball-striking skills as a player, has helped build the Bluewings into one of Asia's elite clubs, winning K-League titles in 2004 and 2008, and a runner-up outing in 2007. A repeat will be in Cha's mind when South Korean league begins playing next month.

Against Shandong, last year's champion of the Chinese Super League, Cha's squad displayed some flashes similar to the fluid brand of soccer their coach became famous for as a player.

Quick touch-and-go passes, looking for the forwards was the dominant theme for the Bluewings.

The tactic paid off when Cho Yong-Tae scored in the 81st minute. Yong-Tae sent a soft rolling shot into an empty net after Shandong goalkeeper Li Leilei was left kicking air when he attempted a sliding tackle on Bluewings defender Lee Kwan-Woo just outside the box.

Lee leaped over Li then sent a short rolling pass to Cho, completing a counter attack fueled by quick touch-and-go passes.

The Bluewings held momentum for most of the second half after Cha Bum-Kun, to his benefit, subbed in Lee and Cho to start the second half.

"This is a great opportunity for us to participate in this tournament and try out new players and different ideas. It worked pretty well tonight," Cha said.

Cha benefited from a similar style of play in Germany where he was a standout forward during the 1980s. Most of his success came with Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen where he won UEFA Cup titles with each team.

He retired in 1989 after 308 career Bundesliga matches while scoring 98 goals. South Koreans remember him most for his accomplishments with the national team.

Cha raked in 121 international caps, scoring 55 goals. He helped South Korea qualify to its first World Cup in 1986. South Korea failed to reach the second round after facing a gruesome group schedule with losses to Italy and eventual champion Argentina and a tie against Bulgaria.

For those accomplishments and his work in the Bundesliga, the International Federation of Football History named him Asia's player of the century.

But that wasn't enough to keep Bum-Kun from leaving the country with his wife when he was fired as national team coach before his team could complete the group stage of the 1998 World Cup in France.

Cha was fired after an embarrassing 5-0 loss to the Netherlands. Stunned by the Korean federation's move, Cha lashed at his bosses by criticizing the federation. He accused federation officials of fixing matches in Korea. He was later banned from coaching in his country.

The ousted coach then took a job as a broadcast commentator in China after an 18-month stint coaching Shenzhen Pin'an in China.

"Three things are most important in my life," Cha said at the time to a Korean newspaper. "Football is my life's work but when I've suffered setbacks in my career, my family and religion has always helped me recover."

Cha never lost his reputation as a player. He's restored respect as a coach. His plan is to keep it. The Pan-Pacific championship -- and another K-League title -- might help.

Oita Trinita frustrated by Galaxy

CARSON, Calif. -- When asked to describe what he witnessed on a penalty call against his team, Oita Trinita coach Pericles Chamusca smiled.

The Brazilian-born coach then chuckled a little before answering the question in Portuguese.

"There were a lot of fouls they committed on our forwards that weren't called," Chamusca said about his team's 2-0 loss to the LA Galaxy in a Pan Pacific Championship match Wednesday at The Home Depot Center. "On that play the ref decided to call a penalty but there were plenty others to call on the other end. It's just the interpretation of the referee."

What Chamusca was referring to was the call that set up the Galaxy's second score of the night.

Referee Kevin Scott whistled Trinita defender Roberto De Figueiredo for holding Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez in the penalty area in the 52nd minute.

Gonzalez was trying to reach a centered pass when replays showed D Figueiredo tugging on Gonzalez' arm.

Chamusca thought it was a play that perhaps shouldn't have been called. It was.

Jovan Kirovski converted the penalty kick a minute later for the final score of the night.

Chamusca said the penalty probably didn't change the face of the game but it took out some life from his team.

It could have made a difference he said because Trinita, the J-League reigning champion, was facing "a team with some quality players and players of high level who seem to give a lot on the field."

That was Chamusca's description of a Galaxy team without David Beckham and Landon Donovan.

But regardless of the line up, Chamusca set some blame on his team.

"We didn't have a good first half. In the second half we improved somewhat," he said. "In the first half we made a fatal error. We were pressured and we gave up the goal."

The goal he referred to was the one Edson Buddle converted in the 44th minute to give the Galaxy a 1-0 halftime lead.

Trinita team captain Daiki Takamatsu was caught off guard by a rolling pass from a teammate deep in his own territory.

Buddle intercepted the pass and dashed up field with the ball, sending a left-footed blast past Trinita goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa into the back of the net.

"I was able to make a turnover and beat the outside back," Buddle said of the play.

Chamusca said, although the plays resulting in goals ultimately cost his team the match, he wasn't happy about Trinita's lack of offensive production. He hopes that changes when his team faces Chinese Super League champion Shandong Luneng in Saturday's third place match.

Part of the lack of Trinita's attacking production had to do with the Japanese team preparing for the upcoming league tournament next month and some of it has to do with a Galaxy defense that stood its ground.

"Our opponent played well," Chamusca said. "I was expecting a tough match."

And he expected better things to smile about.

United focus on defensive chemistry

WASHINGTON -- Playmaker Christian Gomez has returned to the D.C. United fold. Inspirational veteran Ben Olsen and his troubled left ankle are gradually easing back into the daily grind of team training sessions. A stable of young talent has been secured with new contracts.

As D.C. United's technical staff works its way through the 'to-do list' for its 2009 squad makeover, one pressing item remains a very open question, however: improving the stability and rigidity of a defense that ranked second-worst in Major League Soccer last season.

"We went from a year [2007] where we were in the top as far as allowing goals -- we were very good -- to a year where we were at the bottom," said head coach Tom Soehn in the early stages of preseason. "That came from several different areas, but that's something that we're going to pride ourselves on, to make sure we defend better as a team, from front to back, through the goal."

Even the club's most attacking-minded players are echoing those sentiments. On Gomez's first day back in United colors, Santino Quaranta took pains to put the Argentinean's arrival in perspective.

"When you got guys like him and Jaime [Moreno], Luchi [Luciano Emilio], our attack is going to be something else," said Quaranta, who presently tops the D.C. depth chart at right winger. "But we've seen before that we have to try to steady this defense first before we try to win games 4-3. We're trying to start from the back and go to the front."

As Soehn noted, the back four are certainly not the only ones responsible for defending in United's system, but that group is presently under the most scrutiny given its 2008 struggles, relative youth and dearth of high-profile new arrivals.

First-round SuperDraft pick (and Generation adidas member) Rodney Wallace offers ample potential along the left flank, and the club has shown its faith in Bryan Namoff, Marc Burch, Devon McTavish and Greg Janicki with new contracts. But Soehn and his staff continue to stoke competition among the current crop of defenders, especially in the center back slots, with trialists Kyle Veris and Mamadou Danso under evaluation amid a continuing hunt for potential veteran acquisitions.

However, those efforts hit a setback earlier this month when Roger, a well-traveled Brazilian capable of playing centrally or on the left, elected not to sign with the Black-and-Red after spending more than a week with the team.

"We're working on the guys we have, but potential signings, we're always going through the process," said Soehn last week.

In retrospect, last year's decision to bring in the talented but unfamiliar South American duo of Gonzalo Peralta and Gonzalo Martinez backfired considerably, leading to a greater focus on chemistry and cohesiveness this time around.

"Last year our organization, defensively, was a disaster. No one ever really seemed to be on the same page and I think from day one this year we need to start working on that, because obviously if you let in goals it's tough to win games," said McTavish, a utility player who spent most of his time at center back down the stretch last season.

"We have good one-on-one defenders, we have good people who read the game well -- as long as we can get everyone on the same page and defending as a unit."

McTavish, Janicki and Burch were just three of more than a half-dozen players to see time at center back in the course of the marathon '08 campaign as injuries, suspensions, fatigue and ineffectiveness forced Soehn to constantly rejigger his back line down the stretch. But the Black-and-Red hope that experimentation can pay off in the form of a clearer focus and stronger start this time around.

"Get a group of guys and let us play together every day," said Janicki. "I know it was an injury here, an injury there -- they were kind piecing things together back there for a while for most of [last] season. I think once you just get used to playing with the same guys in the back, communication gets better and you play better as a group. So I think just finding those core guys and sticking with it for a while is more the biggest thing."

This week Soehn said that tactical awareness and collective understanding are a high priority for the team's week-long stint in Puerto Rico, which began on Wednesday.

"We're going to work on tactics a little bit more," said the third-year boss. "Every day we get closer to the [season] opener, we start talking about tactics and making sure that we're understanding what we're about and each person knows their role within a system -- not just one system, but several systems so you can adjust."

Midfield battle could decide US-Mexico match

COLUMBUS -- Whichever side wins the battle of the midfields could walk away with a victory when the United States plays host to Mexico on Wednesday. The match opens the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"The center of the field is important, and we hope to make it hard for them in that part of the field, that's certainly something that I think we've done well in some of our important games leading up to this point," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "We know that Pavel Pardo is an incredibly important player for them so we need to close him down quickly, put him under pressure and make the game difficult for him.

"When I watch them I still see the qualities of all the good Mexican teams, players that are good on the ball, mobility and the way they do things as a group and there are some individually talented guys, so we prepare for that."

The match is the first of the 10-game final hexagonal for South Africa 2010. Six teams are vying for three spots with a fourth going to a playoff, against the fifth-place team from South American qualifying.

"The Mexico game is always big for us, that's our main rival and we're their main rival," defender and U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra said. "This match though is pretty special just because it starts off the last round of qualifying and we want to start off on a positive note. That makes it even more important."

Bradley hasn't revealed his starting lineup but it's a good bet that his midfield choices, depending on formation, would include young but experienced players such as DaMarcus Beasley, Clint Dempsey and Bradley's son, Michael, and possibly Landon Donovan in an outside spot. All have European experience while Sacha Kljestan of Chivas USA played well in the Beijing Olympics tournament and had three goals against Sweden last month.

Forward Brian Ching said the key against Mexico is to not let them get into a rhythm.

"If we come out and play a good team game as far as coming out and putting pressure on them, not giving them time on the ball, disrupting their flow and not letting them get into a flow, then we'll be effective," he said. "We understand the game is probably not going to be pretty soccer due to the rivalry and the amount of pressure that's on both teams. The team that reacts best to loose balls and second balls will probably have the advantage and win the game."

Both teams in this bitter rivalry will be missing players. The U.S. will be without injured defender Steve Cherundolo (strained hip flexor) and midfielder Pablo Mastroeni due to yellow card accumulation. Mexico will be minus suspended Carlos Vela, Fernando Arce and Gerardo Torrado while Andres Guardado and Jonny Magallon are injured.

Those absences won't provoke sympathy from either side.

"I don't know, hate is a strong word," Bocanegra said of the rivalry. "They're trying to win and we're trying to win. It gets heated, you guys can see that but I think that's because the countries are so intertwined off the field as well, it makes it that much more of a special match."

Mexico has been in poor form lately and the heat is on Swedish coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. He replaced Hugo Sanchez and immediately disenfranchised many followers by bringing in several naturalized Mexicans, all but a first in Mexican history. Despite a lackluster showing in the previous qualifying round and a loss to Sweden last month, Eriksson, the former England and Manchester City manager, is undeterred.

He selected four naturalized (two Brazilians, one Argentinean, one Spaniard) for the match Wednesday. Among those to watch are Villarreal forward Guillermo Franco and Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez, who battled through injuries in January to be named to the squad.

The pressure is always on Eriksson, as it is any Mexican national team coach. Rumors abound that he will either be fired if his team loses Wednesday or he will shortly be named the new manager for Chelsea. He spent much of Tuesday's press conference fielding queries about his status.

"I never think like that because it is negative," he said. "I have a contract until after the World Cup in 2010. We will qualify. I'm not thinking about losing tomorrow. Of course, I feel pressure. Why I want to be a football coach is to have pressure. It's not a distraction. Myself and my team are focused on tomorrow.

"If Chelsea wants me they can call me. They haven't called. I am happy where I am. Extremely happy."

Bradley doesn't think the talk of Eriksson's future will be a factor.

"I'm sure that within the team they have a good mindset," he said. "Sven-Goran Eriksson has an excellent track record everywhere he's coached and I'm sure they are not allowing too much of what is flying around to interfere with their mentality. He is an experienced coach and you always try to find ways to prepare your team accordingly. You guys all get to hear me talk about the work that gets done on the inside and you have to create an inner circle. You rely very heavily on all of that during these moments."

It is a formidable challenge facing the Mexicans. Columbus was chosen for two reasons: the smaller venue in Middle America makes it more difficult for Mexicans to get tickets and the possibility of cold weather was too much of an allure.

On Feb. 28, 2001, the teams played the infamous "La Guerra Fria" or "Cold War." It was 29 degrees at kickoff in Crew Stadium for the qualifier, but the wind chill was in the teens. The Mexicans didn't bother coming out of the locker room prior to the game and the USA rolled to a 2-0 victory behind goals from Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart before a very pro-U.S. crowd.

That planted the seed that Columbus would not be a desired location for the Mexicans. The stigma grew even more four years later when the U.S. won 2-0 again to clinch a spot in the 2006 World Cup. At least the Mexicans couldn't blame the weather this time: The Sept. 3 night game was about 40 degrees warmer.

Overall, the Yanks are 3-0-2 in qualifiers and a 4-0-3 overall mark in Crew Stadium. The U.S. has scored 10 goals while yielding only one.

The U.S. is 8-0-2 on home soil vs. Mexico since 2000, with a 17-3 scoring advantage.

"We have to do better," Eriksson said. "The first time to do better is (Wednesday)."

There are no worries about it being cold for the match but the forecast calls for it to be in the 50s at kickoff with a possible of thunderstorms and very high winds, possibly over 50 miles an hour.

Eriksson repeatedly said the field is in very good shape and Bradley hopes a little wetness will make it an advantage for the U.S.

"There is the possibility of rain on Wednesday and I expect that the field is going to be fast," he said. "I think that early in the game it will be important to try to be the team that is aggressive in an intelligent way, trying to play in the other team's end, connecting passes and finding a rhythm, trying to jump on the loose balls. Certainly in a game like this, beginning this round, the expectation is that the game will start out at a very fast tempo and we want to be ready for that."

Just as important could be the aura surrounding Crew Stadium that has the Mexicans wondering if they will score, much less secure a tie or win.

"Part of the mystique is that we've gotten really good results here over the last few years; so that always makes the players feel a lot more comfortable. It seems to be a good turnout, the crowd is always behind us so that always helps," starting goalkeeper Tim Howard said.

Wednesday could provide another epic encounter, said Donovan. "I enjoy these games because they are so special," he said.

Chivas, Crew among preseason winners

With MLS First Kick a month away, it was a busy midweek for several Major League Soccer clubs. The Chicago Fire and Chivas USA have taken their training to Mexico. Both squads had positive results, with Chicago tying Queretaro FC, and Chivas defeating Irapuato.

In another international friendly, the Houston Dynamo played Swedish side Hammarby IF to a scoreless draw at a Home Depot Center practice field Wednesday.

The defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew were victorious in a pair of 60-minute scrimmages against the University of Tampa and Central Florida on Wednesday at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., while FC Dallas defeated the Colorado Rapids, 1-0.

Chicago Fire 1, Queretaro FC 1: Justin Mapp gave the Chicago Fire the lead on 34 minutes, but Queretaro equalized in the 90th minute on a goal by Edwin Castro Leo in a preseason exhibition match at "La Corregidora" stadium in Queretaro, Mexico on Wednesday.

Mapp received a pass from Chris Rolfe, took a touch with his left foot, stopped and then fired a right-footed shot from 25 yards out past Queretaro goalkeeper Jose Guadalupe Martinez to give the Fire the 1-0 lead. Leo tied the match when he slipped a low shot inside the right post from six yards out after an indirect free kick in the area.

Chivas USA 1, Irapuato 0: Chivas first-round draft pick Michael Lahoud scored the lone goal of the match as Chivas USA defeated Mexican Primera 'A' club Irapuato on Tuesday morning in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The match, which took place on Field 2 at Chivas de Guadalajara's Verde Valle training complex, was scoreless until the 65th minute, when Lahoud took a long pass from defender Ante Jazic off his chest and volleyed home a shot from 20 yards. Trialists Romбn Cuello, Eduardo Lillingston, and Diego Scotti all started the match for the Red-and-White.

Houston Dynamo 0, Hammarby IF 0: In the last match of their nine-day preseason trip to California, the Dynamo played Swedish club Hammarby IF to a scoreless draw at a practice field at The Home Depot Center Wednesday morning.

The Dynamo's best chance came in the 45th minute, when a Brad Davis cross found Brian Ching for a header, but his shot was saved. The game marked the first preseason appearances for Brian Ching and Ricardo Clark, who were with the U.S. national team, as well as third-round pick Danny Cruz, who was with the U.S. under-20s.

Ching and Clark started, while Cruz came on in the last 10 minutes and set up Chris Wondolowski for the game's final chance in the 90th minute, but the shot was saved and the match finished 0-0.

Columbus Crew 2, University of Tampa 0: Emmanuel Ekpo and Brian Carroll scored for the split-squad Crew in a 60-minute exhibition victory against the University of Tampa at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Wednesday.

Ekpo tallied his first goal of the preseason, as Robbie Rogers sprung him loose for the match's opening goal in the 11th minute. Carroll notched the Crew's second goal on an unassisted score in the 46th minute as new coach Robert Warzycha fielded the same lineup that played against the U.S. under-20 national team.

Columbus Crew 6, Central Florida 0: Six different players scored and Steven Lenhart had a pair of assists to lead the Crew to a 6-0 victory over Central Florida in a 60-minute exhibition match at the IMG Academy Wednesday.

Pat Noonan started things off in the 8th minute with Steven Lenhart picking up his first assist. Kevin Burns, who made his return to the pitch after sitting out all of last season with an ankle injury, tallied for the Black & Gold in the 20th minute, and was followed by a goal from veteran midfielder Duncan Oughton in the 44th minute, thanks to another assist from Lenhart.

The Crew next got goals from two of its trialists, Ty Shipalane in the 52nd minute and Jordan Seabrook in the 57th minute, before fourth-year forward Jason Garey capped things off just moments before the final whistle by capitalizing on an Alex Grendi corner kick for the Crew's sixth and final goal of the match.

FC Dallas 1, Colorado Rapids 0: Kenny Cooper converted a second-half free kick to lift FC Dallas to a 1-0 victory against Western Conference foe Colorado in a preseason game Tuesday at the Central Broward Regional Park Cricket Stadium in Sunrise, Fla.

Cooper broke the scoreless tie in the 57th minute when his right-footed strike from 20 yards out curled over the Colorado defense and inside the left post past a diving Matt Pickens. Jeff Cunningham earned the set piece when he was fouled by Colorado's Stephen Keel on the edge of the penalty area.

The game opened up after the Dallas goal and Colorado nearly leveled five minutes later. Greg Dalby took Kwame Sarkodie's pass inside the 18-yard box, but FCD goalkeeper Ray Burse denied his lunging attempt from point blank range.

Pushing forward for the late equalizer, the Rapids had two more solid goal-scoring chances in the 85th minute. Sarkodie fired a shot from 18 yards out, forcing Burse to make a diving save. The deflection bounced to Jordan Harvey, but he was also denied by Burse.

Bradley's double leads US past Mexico

COLUMBUS -- Michael Bradley, the son of national team manager Bob Bradley, scored a goal late in the first half and then added a second deep in stoppage time as the United States held off a short-handed Mexican squad for yet another 2-0 victory to continue its dominance in Crew Stadium, opening the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup before a roaring sellout crowd.

The USA has won all three World Cup qualifiers in Columbus vs. Mexico by a 2-0 count.

Bradley knocked home a rebound from a corner kick to the put the USA ahead two minutes before halftime, then with 10-man Mexico pressing at the end, Bradley unleashed a long strike that goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez misplayed to cap another U.S. whitewash.

Veteran Mexican defender Rafael Marquez, who plays for FC Barcelona in Spain, was sent off in the second half after a dangerous challenge on U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard after he came out to claim a cross.

Overall, the Yanks are 4-0-2 in qualifiers and a 5-0-3 overall mark in Crew Stadium. The U.S. has scored 12 goals while yielding only one. In another streak, the U.S. is 9-0-2 on home soil vs. Mexico since 2000, with an 19-3 scoring advantage.

After being denied several times by Sanchez in a frenetic first half, the U.S. took a 1-0 lead into the break thanks in no small part to the hustle of a hometown hero.

Columbus Crew defender Frankie Hejduk outran Carlos Salcido to the end line to the right of Sanchez and forced the defender to knock the ball out of bounds after Hejduk attempted a cross before tumbling into the end boards.

On the ensuing right corner kick, Beasley sent the ball past the far post where Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy) headed it to the middle of the box. Awaiting the cross was 6-foot-4 defender Oguchi Onyewu. His header was stopped by Sanchez by the ball came out of a pile right to Bradley for the quick put-back.

It was Bradley's fourth goal in 26 international appearances.

Just over a minute later Beasley had a long-range strike go wide right near the conclusion of the half that started with a bang.

If Mexico was intimidated it didn't show early when forward Giovani dos Santos found the bouncing ball on his left foot eight yards from goal in the third minute but Howard was there to make the stop, one of three in the first half.

The initial prime opportunity for the USA came in the 21st minute when Donovan stepped into a free kick at the top of the arc and sent a screamer two yards to the left of the post. Beasley had chances in the 27th and 31st minutes but Sanchez was able to get in front of the strikes each time.

He also had three saves in the first half as the U.S. effectively worked the flanks to free Beasley or Clint Dempsey.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when Mexico saw the ball skitter from one end of the goalline to the other twice in front of Howard off a free kick. First Santos then Israel Martinez had chances before the ball was cleared.

However, the ball was served back in and when Howard went up to get it Marquez also went airborne but put his studs into the right leg of Howard and was shown a red card.

Yet, Mexico had two chances to tie the match off a corner in the 80th minute but Carlos Bocanegra was able to clear the ball off the goalline and Howard grabbed the subsequent cross.

The weather occupied as much of the pregame hype as the match itself.

Columbus in February can be unforgiving as the Mexicans found out on Feb. 28, 2001, in the "The Cold War." It was 29 degrees at kickoff and getting colder as the teams squared off in a qualifier.

Under those circumstances, the visitors didn't even bother coming out for warm-ups. It was little surprise they lost 2-0. A little more than four years later on a balmy September evening the USA prevailed 2-0 once again to reinforce the Mexican notion that Crew Stadium is the "House of Horrors."

When the date of this year's opening qualifier was announced, Columbus seemed like the perfect spot for another Columbus chill. Instead, two violent storms ripped through the area after a balmy, spring-like afternoon with a high of 63 degrees. The average high for Feb. 11 over the past decade was 33 with a trace of snow.

The first thunderstorm at 5:20 p.m. produced cyclonic water spouts on the field for about a minute and winds were in excess of 50 miles per hour.

The downpour moved on as quickly as it developed but at 6:45 p.m., 30 minutes prior to kickoff, another equally fierce combination of wind and rain drenched the fans and both teams as they warmed up.

By kickoff, the temperature was a breezy 52 degrees but the elements were not a factor.

Having the match in Columbus in a smaller stadium allows a pro-U.S. unlike any other stadium in the country. Still, the Mexican fans were able to come out in numbers and were in pockets around the stadium, especially in the portable bleachers behind the south goal.

Yet, they were no match for the record throng of 2,400 from Sam Army's and the Crew's famed Nordecke supporters section that swarmed the north end of the stands.

Mexico started Sanchez in goal with the backline consisting of Aaron Galindo, Salcido, Rafael Marquez and Ricardo Osorio. The midfield was led by Pavel Pardo with Alberto Medina and dos Santos and Leando Augusto out wide. Up top were Carlos Ochoa and Nery Castillo.

Castillo suffered a leg injury the 34th minute and was replaced by Martinez. Antonio Nelson subbed for Medina in the 60th minute and the final player off the bench was forward Omar Bravo for dos Santos in the 72nd.

There were no surprises to the first XI. Howard was in the nets and Heath Pearce (left) and Hejduk (right) supported center backs Carlos Bocanegra and Onyewu.

Beasley manned the left flank with Bradley and Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) in the middle while Dempsey moved from the right side to also working with forwards Donovan and Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo). Jozy Altidore took over for Ching in the 83rd and Ricardo Clark replaced Kljestan three minutes later.