The good news was that American goalkeeping legend Kasey Keller had another clean sheet and his eighth shutout of the season.  He had three saves on the evening.

The good news was that the Seattle Sounders kept their MLS unbeaten skein alive, extending it to six games.

The good news was that the Sounders’ FC defense has conceded but one goal in the last 450 minutes of MLS play, dating back to July 15.

The good news was that the Sounders went on the road and achieved one point, which enabled them to hopscotch into fourth spot in the Western Conference.

There was conflicting news of a different nature as well, leaving the Sounders’ Saturday night venture into Home Depot Center in Carson, California before a crowd of 13,839 one of mixed results with a 0-0 deadlock with host Chivas USA.

The tie left the Sounders at 8-8-5 with 29 points and in fourth place.  The team is unbeaten against all competition for its last nine matches.

Seattle came into action hoping for more, considering that the host Chivas USA squad approached Saturday’s action in last place.  They remained there at the match’s conclusion, one point behind the Houston Dynamo with 19 points and a 5-10-4 league mark.

The Sounders had hoped to accomplish two objectives against the home team, both of which were unmet.  The Rave Green has yet to defeat Chivas USA and has also been unable to score a goal.

The visitors had 10 shots on the evening and there were some narrow misses in the process.

Sanna Nyassi nearly found the net in the 62nd minute. Blaise Nkufo served a cross to the far post.  Nyassi then sent a bouncing header off the frame.

Fredy Montero, coming into the match with a blistering hot streak and MLS July Player of the Month honoree, tested Chivas USA keeper Zach Thornton.

The Colombian Comet delivered a free kick in the 70th minute that the alert Thornton was able to prevent from hitting the net.  

Osvaldo Alonso came close to scoring his first MLS goal with a long-range shot in the 89th minute that Thornton was able to deflect from reaching goal territory.

Chivas USA also mustered 10 shots.

Montero collided with Thornton in the box as he lept to meet a Nathan Sturgis cross in the 38th minute. After a six-minute delay, Montero remained in the game with a thigh contusion.  Considering Montero’s recent value to the club, those six minutes might have been the longest in franchise history.

The physical play continued as Seattle’s Leo Gonzalez and Chivas’ Mariano Trujillo were both sent off with red cards during second half stoppage time.

Recently acquired Uruguayan flash Alvaro Fernandez made his first start for Sounders FC.  Fernandez played 67 minutes before being replaced by Miguel Montano.

The draw left Seattle still looking for its first win over Chivas USA, which holds a 2-0-2 advantage in their series.

Sounders FC now begins CONCACAF Champions League group stage play.

The Sounders travel to Honduras to face Marathon on Thursday.  They will then host Mexico's Monterrey on August 25th.

League play resumes August 28th against the Chicago Fire on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, which marks Freddie Ljungberg’s first return to Seattle since his recent trade to the Windy City club.

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Fresh from their recent battles with the IFA and the SFA, the Football Association of Ireland are turning their guns towards U.S. Soccer over the services of 18-year-old Conor Doyle.

The Texan recently signed for Championship side Derby County after impressing Nigel Clough in a three week trial during the summer. Clough Jr. was so impressed with the physique and technique of the youngster that he awarded the player with his debut against Crewe Alexandra just four days after Doyle signed on the dotted line.

Doyle began his career in Texas with the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. The club have a huge standing in American soccer and were named second in America's Top 40 soccer clubs for boys and in first place for girls.

Always one of the most progressive clubs in the states, the Dallas Texans recently agreed a coaching exchange with Manchester United where the two clubs will send ideas and advice each others way. It has caused great excitement in Texas, where Manchester United will offer advice and expertise on the development of junior players.

Likewise, players and coaches that are identified by Manchester United as having great potential will also be invited to Carrington for exclusive training sessions with the Red Devils.

During Manchester United's recent Tour of North America, they played against the MLS All-Stars. Before the game, players from the Texans got their chance to train with the Red Devils first team. The video can be seen here.

Over the last 20 years, Texas has become synonymous with American soccer with the state producing many players who have gone on to the professional ranks of the game. Names like Clint Dempsey (England), Jared Jeffries (Germany), Gregory Garza (Portugal), Lee Nguyen (Holland), Hunter Freeman (Belgium), and Conor Doyle (England). In addition to these, countless Texans players have also gone on to play professionally in the MLS.

Doyle played for the Texans at schoolboy level before moving on to play for McKinney Boyd High School. The school only opened in 2006 but has already become a major player in volleyball, American football, wrestling, and cross country. With Doyle's move to England, the reputation of the school has only been enhanced.

The Kansas-born youth only graduated from McKinney last year and went on to earn a scholarship with Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. However, upon the news that Derby County were willing to offer him a two-year deal, the striker understandably decided to give up on his studies.

Conor had this to say on the decision, "It was a big decision to make and I talked to my parents and a lot of family members about it," he said. We decided that school will always be there but this is my dream and I need to follow it.

"It was tough at the beginning but, in the end, it was an easy choice to make. It's always been a dream of mine to play over here, since I was about two or three. Now it's come true and it's unbelievable that it's happened at 18.

"I'm hoping to push on now and move on to bigger things."

Creighton University Bluejays head-coach Jamie Clark could understand the decision completely saying,

"It's our job to help student-athletes prepare both on the field and for a career after school. Conor has been offered a job in the same division as World Cup starters, so this is a big opportunity for him.  We will continue to sign and bring in student-athletes that will have the opportunity to move on and play at the highest levels of professional soccer when they leave Creighton."

The Bluejays also have something of a fantastic reputation for producing professional soccer players, with the college contributing 45 players to the professional ranks since 1993 with 10 of those coming in the last four years alone.

With the move to Derby County, young Conor Doyle came into contact with Irish international Paul Green, who has immediately alerted the FAI of the youngster's eligibility.

Doyle's father was born in Ireland before he moved to America to take up a professional soccer career in the now defunct Major Indoor Soccer League. Between 1987 and 1998, David Doyle played for the Kansas City Comets, Dallas Sidekicks, St. Louis Rush, and Wichita Wings, where he scored an incredible 637 goals in 520 games.

His father went to college in Campbell University where he excelled at soccer, making the All-American side in 1986 and setting records that stand to this day. 

Doyle now has a coaching role with the Dallas Texans.

With the Irish links, and passport, Derby County did not have to go through many of the formalities they would normally have to travail to sign the American born youngster. As he carries an Irish passport, he is a UK resident as far as the FA is concerned.

The FAI are watching the youth's progress as we speak and with the news that he already has an Irish passport and has so far been overlooked by the USSF's youth set-up it is believed that the FAI may approach the youngster for an U-19 or U-21 international in the near future.

Paul Green only came to the FAI's attention after Giovanni Trappatoni ordered a search of England and Scotland for eligible players. The 27-year-old midfielder is Yorkshire-born and has only been with Derby since 2008. The central midfielder has been one of the Rams' most impressive players over the last two seasons and has won the man-of-the-match award twice in just three internationals for Ireland.

Over the last couple of seasons, the FAI have become embroiled in a number of disputes with rival federations over players.

The SFA took umbrage with the FAI over how they "poached" James McCarthy and Aiden McGeady even though the SFA only started to take notice of the prodigious youths after they had been called up to Sean McCaffrey's underage teams.

Both players may have been born in Scotland, but they were both raised in the Irish way of life and never even considered declaring for the land of their birth.

Back in the '80s, Ray Houghton declared for Ireland after what he described as poor treatment by the SFA who purposely refused to pick players who were not 100 percent Scottish.

More recently, the FAI ended up in the Court of Arbitration of Sport after the IFA deemed their Southern counterparts as poaching their best talent.

Over the last couple of years, three players born in Northern Ireland who have represented the land of their birth at underage level—Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson, Shane Duffy, and Daniel Kearns—have all either declared or stated their desires to declare for the Republic.

This forced the IFA to take a landmark case against the FAI over Daniel Kearns' inclusion in one of McCaffrey's U-19 squads.

The FAI have taken advantage of FIFA's new ruling which states that players who have not played at senior level, regardless of how many underage caps they have, can declare for a country in which they are eligible to play. Shane Duffy captained Northern Ireland through every rank and even sat on the bench for an international, but never played.

The ruling by FIFA came into play after countries like France, Italy, and Germany began playing youth footballers from Africa to tie their nationality up.

The new dictate has left a political loophole open for the Republic of Ireland that they have so far pursued. After the Good Friday Agreement in 1999, it was declared that any person born on the island of Ireland could hold an Irish passport.

Since Northern Ireland has a hugely nationalist population, it immediately opened the door for such declarations.

The landmark ruling by CAS has come as a huge blow to Northern Irish football and could effectively reduce their playing pool by up to 40-percent.

After the case CAS said, "The ruling upholds the right of individual choice on this matter for players born north of the border. I would like to recognise the determination of Daniel Kearns and his family to uphold his right as an Irish citizen to play for his country."

Following the Irish food shortage in the late 1840s the population of Ireland was reduced from almost nine million to around four million through deaths and mass emigration.

As a result, Ireland is now the only country in the world whose population is lower than the figure it had in Napoleonic times. The mass emigration also means that Ireland has one of the widest diaspora's of any nation on Earth.

In some cases such as Kilburn, Liverpool, and Manchester, there is a larger Irish population in these areas than in many major cities in their home country.

For instance, there are an estimated 700,000 people in Argentina of Irish ancestry, approximately 16 percent of Ireland's current population.

That figure grows substantially when you reach the USA. In the last census, around 41 million people declared themselves as either fully or part Irish.

These figures have had a major say in the way the FAI will scout potential Irish players in the future and they have already declared their intent to scout the MLS.

It would seem that Conor Doyle may prove to be a test case between the FAI and the USSF.

"To be honest, I was expecting to have two weeks here before going back to college," he admitted.

"But then I started playing in more and more games and they started talking to me (about signing). It was only then that I started to realise that this really could happen. It's a lot more than I expected.

"My expectations have been raised and now I will be aiming to get on the field a little bit longer," he added. Being young and coming in the team only a couple of weeks before the season starts, you don't necessarily expect to play much.

"But to train with the squad every day is a great experience. I am just hoping to get some games and when I do play, to take that opportunity."

One thing is for sure, he will be given the opportunity to play international football sooner rather than later.

But for whom?

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The energy drink Red Bull, based off a Thai formula of the same name, is known for its slogan, "Red Bull gives you wings."

Unfortunately for the New York Red Bulls, it was the Los Angeles Galaxy's Edson Buddle who stole the wings and helped the visitors fly away from Harrison, New Jersey's Red Bull Arena to the tune of a 1-0 victory.

Finally, Los Angeles supporters can breathe easily. The best team in Major League Soccer is playing like the best team in Major League Soccer.

And lo and behold, speak of the pink cow: the Galaxy backline did something right for once. The 25,000 who came out to the Red Bull Arena on Saturday can't say that they didn't see this one coming: the defense ending its slump of poor form and horrid results.

Never mind that Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and Juan Pablo Angel underimpressed against their distinguished guests. Bad breaks off the volleys combined with a plethora of offside calls made this nothing short of a miserable night out.

This is a Red Bull side that was hoping to utilize Henry as a boost to New York's chances. Ultimately, it was nothing more than a sad foil to Buddle's 13th goal of the season.

I don't believe Buddle will catch Roy Lassiter's career mark for the most goals this season (and once again, I blame Bob Bradley and the FIFA World Cup for this), but he may get second-most all-time, so we'll have to wait and see.

But this is a game where I have to tip my hat to the Galaxy backline without a doubt.

After matches upon matches of inepititude and poor form, the combo of Sean Franklin, A.J. De La Garza, Omar Gonzalez and Gregg Berhalter pulled it all together. I was very impressed with Gonzalez's dispossessions.

Chris Birchall will also get some plus points from yours truly with his defensive abilities and clearance skills. Perhaps this is why he's still in the lineup as a central defending midfielder. Hah. I see what you did there, Bruce.

By the way, Arena was not on the sidelines due to recovery from a viral infection, but he did speak to the players at the break. That's recovery right there. More on Bruce Almighty later on the ins-and-outs.

The Galaxy had their best chance to break open the scoring early in the second half, when Buddle whiffed on an easy tap from Landon Donovan in the 50th minute.

Six minutes later, the Galaxy were stumbling on the pitch and had a golden opportunity to get a second past Bouna Coundoul.

And in the 77th, Buddle was just a fraction offsides. This is a team that is improving on their perfection of the offsides trap, but it needs a bit more polishing.

Needless to say, the Galaxy needed this victory. I can't stress this any further. With the likes of the Columbus Crew and Real Salt Lake pressuring the G's, it was important that the defense awaken, and that's what this backline did.

And for their efforts, three points and a successful Red Bull wing heist courtesy of the wingman donning the No. 14 of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

INS AND OUTS:

Streaker on the field

What would a sporting event be without a streaker running down the field unannounced in the 89th minute of play? But that's exactly what happened down at the Red Bull Arena.

I wouldn't be surprised the least bit if his facebook profile is inundated with requests to add [insert random flack's name] to his Friends list.

Well done earning you fifteen seconds of shame, young man...

The Next Three Matches

I will take this time first to apologize for not posting this in my recent Play-By-Play. It's customary for me to indicate the next three matches involving the Galaxy and their opposition. So here it goes.

The Galaxy will conclude their recent road sojourn with the second leg of the 2010 California Clasico against the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium on August 21. They will then return to the Home Depot Center for an August 28 contest with the Kansas City Wizards before a September 4 trip to Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois to face the Chicago Fire.

As for the Red Bulls, they will travel to BMO Field to face Toronto FC next Saturday, host the San Jose Earthquakes on August 28 and hit the road against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on September 4.

Call him "Bruce Hall of Fame Almighty"

Galaxy manager Bruce Arena was named on Tuesday to the National Soccer Hall of Fame at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Arena was named to the Hall of Fame alongside Kyle Rote, Jr., Thomas Dooley and Predrag "Preki" Radosavljevic. Paul Gardner of Soccer America earned the Coline Jose Media Award for his work as a columnist.

Preki's U.S. career included the game-winning goal against Brazil in the 1998 Gold Cup semifinals only months he represented the USA at the World Cup in France.

Dooley was a Bundesliga standout when he joined the U.S. national team in 1992. He played every minute of the USA’s four matches as a midfielder at the 1994 World Cup and captained the USA four years later in France.

Rote was the only American-born player to lead the NASL in scoring. He won the made-for-television ABC Wide World of Sports Superstars competition in three out of the four years he competed, making soccer relevant in the eyes of many during the heyday of the NASL.

“I’m very appreciative of the recognition," said Arena on Tuesday. "It’s a diverse class, for sure. Kyle Rote and I are about the same age and we grew up actually with similar backgrounds.

"We started in the game so late and then you have Preki and Dooley who obviously learned their trade in other countries and have come here to help build the game. So it’s really a diverse and unique class and a class I’m proud to be a part of."

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T-180 minutes to kickoff: Before I begin this play-by-play (and other miscellany) I wanted to note that I will be using "Red Bull New York" for the headlines, and score announcements in my pieces. Otherwise it will be "New York Red Bulls." They are, of course, one and the same, but I wanted to give you this heads-up as you read this piece.

T-170: Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy now enter the home stretch of the 2010 Major League Soccer campaign, and up next is a trip to the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey to take on Hans Backe's New York Red Bulls, a club that used to be called the New York/New Jersey MetroStars until the a company by the name of Red Bull GmbH showed up to purchase the club from the Anschutz Entertainment Groip in 2007.

T-160: A little history on the company. The co-founder of the company with a 49 percent stake is Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian entrepreneur who had the idea to introduce the drink to, and market it in Europe. Mateschitz was international marketing director for Blendax, a German toothpaste company, when he visited Thailand in 1982 and discovered that Krating Daeng (literally "red bull"), a Thai energy drink, helped to cure his jet lag.

T-150: Between 1984 and 1987, Mateschitz worked with TC Pharmaceutical (a Blendax licensee) to adapt Krating Daeng for European consumers. At the same time Mateschitz and Chaleo Yoovidhya, the owner of Krating Daeng, founded Red Bull GmbH; each investing $500,000 of savings and taking a 49 percent stake in the new company. They gave the remaining two percent to Chaleo's son Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company. That left the Thais as silent partners.

Red Bull GmbH launched the “Austrian” version of Red Bull in 1987, which is carbonated and not as sweet as the original Thai recipe. It is the Austrian formula that has taken almost half of the U.S. market for energy drinks, and up to 80 percent of the market in some other countries.

In 2006, Forbes Magazine listed Chaleo as being the 292nd richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of over $2.5 billion while Mateschitz was listed at number 317.

T-140: And now it's time for a little discussion on the new stadium in Harrison, the Red Bull Arena. Erected in March 2010, this stadium has has 25,000 seats, all covered by a translucent roof that is intended to protect fans from rain. When the team was acquired from AEG, changes to the stadium's original design were made and after further disagreements with AEG, Red Bull opted out of the plan to construct a stage in the stadium for performances.

T-130: Construction of Red Bull Park began in late December 2007 with an undetermined 2009 completion date. The updated design was completed by Rossetti architects from Los Angeles and was built by New Jersey-based Hunter Roberts Construction Group, LLC. The new design featured a roof extending just past the field's touchlines with 60 feet (18 m) of the roof being translucent to allow for natural light. The first row of seating is approximately 21 feet (6.4 m) from the touchlines.

Red Bull Arena's design is on par with those of soccer stadiums around the world. It looks similar to the Hypo-Arena in Klagenfurt, Austria in appearance. The stadium has 30 luxury suites and 1,000 premium seats.

For your information, there is another Red Bull Arena, located in Salzburg, the home of Red Bull Salzburg (owned of course by Red Bull GmbH).

T-120: Two hours to kickoff here in Harrison and not a single empty seat can be seen in the house. It's a sellout. Line-ups!

LOS ANGELES GALAXY

Manager: Bruce Arena

Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond

Colors: Dark blue tops with gold accents, dark blue shorts, dark blue socks

1 Donovan Ricketts

28 Sean Franklin ---- 4 Omar Gonzalez ---- 16 Gregg Berhalter ---- 20 A.J. De La Garza

11 Chris Birchall

26 Michael Stephens ---- 10 Landon Donovan (C)

19 Juninho

17 Tristan Bowen ---- 14 Edson Buddle

Substitutes:

12 John Saunders GK

2 Todd Dunivant DEF

22 Leonardo DEF

88 Alex Cazumba DEF

8 Dema Kovalenko MID

9 Jovan Kirovski MID

27 Bryan Jordan FWD

RED BULL NEW YORK

Manager: Hans Backe

Formation: 4-1-3-2

Colors: White tops with Red Bull logo and red accents, red shorts, white socks

18 Bouna Coundoul

3 Chris Albright ---- 44 Carlos Mendes ---- 5 Tim Ream ---- 7 Roy Miller

4 Rafael Marquez

19 Dane Richards ---- 23 Tony Tchani ---- 20 Joel Lindpere

14 Thierry Henry ---- 9 Juan Pablo Angel (C)

Substitutes:

24 Greg Sutton GK

6 Seth Stammler DEF

11 Danleigh Borman DEF

12 Mike Petke DEF

8 Sinisa Ubiparipovic MID

33 Carl Robinson MID

10 Macoumba Kandji FWD

T-60: In other action, FC Dallas defeated Philadelphia Union 3-1, Chicago Fire and the Red Bulls were locked in a scoreless draw, Seattle Sounders defeated Houston Dynamo 2-0, the Red Bulls defeated Toronto 1-0 and Philly tied Real Salt Lake 1-1.

T-50: Later today, D.C. United takes on FC Dallas, New England Revolution meets the Dynamo, RSL faces the Columbus Crew, the San Jose Earthquakes face the Kansas City Wizards and in the nightcap, Chivas USA takes on the Sounders.

T-30: 30 minutes to kickoff, and the fans continue to file in. Kobe Bryant is here. David Beckham is here. And several other personalities have stopped by the RBA.

T-15: The series is currently ties at 14-14-5.

T-10: I will concede that NYC has its share of gastropubs and youthful foodies of unbound spirit as well as bums, serial killers and drug dealers. Proportional capitalism, that.

T-5: Mark Geiger is officiating his 70th match today.

FIRST HALF START: 3:06 P.M. PT

1' - And we are underway.

2' - The Big Cat from Montego Bay, Donovan Ricketts, was out on international duty for Jamaica this past week. Of course, the likes of Donovan, Buddle, and Gonzalez were playing against Brazil earlier this week.

3' - Oooh, a dangeous chance came for the Red Bulls.

4' - Here is Thierry Henry, the man, the myth, the legend, resetting the next sequence. And now it's Juan Pablo Angel but he's offsides.

5' - The Galaxy are forced to retreat for their next sequence. Roy Miller with the awareness for New York.

6' - Here's Joel Lindpere. Doesn't amount to much, except for a Sean Franklin throw.

7' - And Donovan Ricketts will grab that one for a goal kick. Not sure why he is choosing to give it back to Bouna Coundoul. Must be one of his idiosyncrasies. That chance bounces off the crossbar.

8' - Interesting pass from Birchall. Edson Buddle is marked. Tony Tchani had to clamp down there. It's a corner for Landon Donovan.

9' - Offsides, Gregg Berhalter after the corner is cleared. Goal kick, Coundoul.

10' - This is A.J. De La Garza. Throw-in forces Juninho to reset the sequence.

11' - GOAL! Los Angeles Galaxy! 14 Edson Buddle

There you go. Breakaway for Edson's 13th of the season. This will force the Red Bulls into a hole. Let's see what happens.

12' - There was a "Edson Buddle Day" in his hometown of New Rochelle, New York earlier this week. Well, they have to be liking this...unless they support the New York Red Bulls.

13' - Here's Dane Richards. That was a good run on the right side from the Great Dane, However, his pass to Henry amounted to nothing. Ambitious one-timer from Tristan Bowen. Sean Franklin should have done better controlling his touch.

14' - Here is Rafael Marquez. Settling the troops down will be a wise deicision on the part of the Mexican international.

15' - Now it's Lindpere and Marquez on the attack.

16' - What was that from Sean? Not sure where he was passing that to. Here comes New York again, but the Big Cat from Montego Bay is there.

17' - Foul on Edson Buddle, and it will be a free kick for Rafa Marquez. Juan Pablo Angel butchered that header. Goal kick Ricketts.

18' - Now here's New York on the attack, and Landon Donovan was marked. Unscrupulous touch from A.J. De La Garza becomes scrupulous. How about that.

19' - This is Michael Stephens with the pass to Franklin. The Red Bulls draw men to the back to give Coundoul a chance to reset the sequence.

20' - We are 20 minutes in, and it's 1-0 Los Angeles. Are the Galaxy playing on intimidation here? Hmmm. Trying to find Henry, but misses wide.

21' - Bouna Coundoul with a save on Stephens. He's gonna do his share of the dirty work tonight in Harrison.

22' - Mr. Beckham looks on with intentions. Bruce Arena is in the press box due to a viral infection. He was able to recover, but as a precaution...he is above the Jersey skyline tonight.

23' - Offsides, Dane Richards. Empire Supporters Club soaks up the atmosphere while assing to it.

24' - Chris Birchall continues to struggle with his touch. I still don't get why he is still starting. Header for Angel misses.

25' - The only way the Galaxy will have their passes broken up is if they take a chance downfield, as seen ion this minute. And now the Red Bulls go on the attack as Angel is fouled.

26' - Here's a free kick for Marquez. Buddle lets that one roll away for a goal kick to Mr. Ricketts.

27' - Edson and the gang have to win the possession battle to stand a chance here. So far so good, but the New York Red Bulls have been dishing out some nice looks themselves.

28' - Offsides, Michael Stephens. Goal kick, Bouna Coundoul. 28 in and it's 1-0 G's with the local supporters in pursuit of an equalizer.

29' - The game time temperature at Red Bull Arena is similar to that at the Home Depot Center. Marquez should have equalized there.

But back to the temperature. Usually, opposing teams would suffocate, but since this is near the evening, this accomodates to the Galaxy quite nicely.

30' - And so, as Chris Albright makes the throw-in, the G's play on their own terms. Here is Joel Lindpere, and Omar Gonzalez clears that for the Red Bulls' first corner, Marquez to take.

31' - Tristan Bowen with the initial clearance, Chris Birchall with something gone right for him for once.

32' - Juninho overpursues, and back come the Red Bulls. Here is Albright, with the pass to Richards. And Birchall got tackled hard.

33' - Hans Backe is off of his bench, and he's not getting carded for this. And Dave Sarachan is not a happy camper, either. Ahhh, the emotions of professional football that is not gridiron. Or rugby.

34' - Come on, Mark Geiger. I know this is your 70th game, and you want to mellow things down, but you gotta get some order here!

35' - Clint Mathis was also recognized prior to today's game. He did play for the Red Bulls prior to the Galaxy. Not so fast Thierry, says Donovan Ricketts.

36' - Awful first touch from BUddle, and Omar Gonzalez stops Juan Pablo Angel from succeeding on the transition.

37' - 37 minutes in and it's 1-0 Los Angeles. Coundoul with the goal kick. Shirt pull by Gonzalez results in a Juan Pablo Angel free kick.

38' - Misses wide left. The Big Cat from Montego Bay rides his luck.

39' - The Galaxy cannot settle for a 1-0 win. Consolidation is crucial. Not sure what Edson Buddle was doing on the transition but it's forced the Galaxy to retreat.

40' - Now it's the Red Bulls who are winning the possession war as we enter the 40th minute.

41' - Another throw-in for Albright. Turf proving to be a bit slippy, though Angel had something to do with that.

42' - By the way, the Galaxy do not have Alan Gordon on board; he has been picked up by Chivas. The View wishes Alan all the best. God speed, fellow Long Beach denizen. Goal kick, Ricketts after Angel was called offsides again.

43' - The fans are clamoring for an out-on-bounds but they won't get it. The Buddlevan Connection didn't amount to much, but the Galaxy get possession back.

44' - Getting close to first-half stoppage time, and it's still 1-0 LA. Arena was inducted on Tuesday in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Congratulations, good sir. By the way, we can hear the walkie-talkie feedback. Turn it off, CSC Staff person, you.

45' - All right. How many minutes of stoppage do we got? Only one.

Handball, says Mark Geiger. Here's a free kick for Rafael Marquez.

45' + 1' - Off the crossbar, and Landon clears for the last corner of the half.

Bad luck has ensued for the New York Red Bulls this half as wel enter the break.

HALFTIME

Los Angeles Galaxy 1

Edson Buddle 11'

Red Bull New York 0

SECOND HALF START: 5:07 P.M. PT

46' - The second half begins. Here's Landon Donovan, and the first sequence from the G's is stopped. Sean Franklin with the delivery.

47' - And here is Dane Richards with the counter, with Chris Birchall marking him for a throw.

48' - Ricketts will grab that shot from Henry.

49' - And Henry is offsides. And Bruce Arena talked with the team at the half.

50' - And come on Edson. That's a makeable tap! Have mercy, Miss Percy! It's a goal kick for Bouna Coundoul. And Rickets gets another goal kick to continue the end-to-end action.

51' - How many more bullets will the Red Bulls dodge before they get their first big break? Tristan Bowen slipped on the delivery, but is otherwise all right.

52' - Here's Roy Miller looking to get the Red Bulls on track.

53' - I believe this is the only redeeming quality from Birchall: he can clear and he can dispossess. Actually, that was two as the offsides flag is raised.

54' - Seems so far the Galaxy are learning their lesson from the offsides trap so far. Foul on Juan Pablo Angel and Rickets had to go off his line to clear that chance.

55' - And it was a good thing he got the ball, and not the man. Otherwise, it's a straight red. Corner for Landon Donovan.

56' - A series of scrambles. Men falling on the pitch. And a great save from Bouna Coundoul. Best of the night. Some intense action on the Red Bulls end.

57' - Here's Henry, and now it will be a corner for the Red Bulls. Marquez to take. High. Over. And it would count for three in gridiron; not so much here; in fact it's nothing. Goal kick Ricketts.

58' - Bowen should have done better. Henry stymied again. A chance for Roy Miller is cleared.

59' - Some good defending by the Galaxy inside their own box, and the fans are accusing Geiger of bias.

Yellow card 9 Juan Pablo Angel

Red Bull New York

60' - Some arguments from Gregg Berhalter. Makes you wonder. Back come the Red Bulls on the attack. Sub time.

61' - Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy

IN 18 Mike Magee

OUT 17 Tristan Bowen

62' - Sean Franklin with the dispossession of Joel Lindpere. Henry seems to be doing as little too much, with the tap on Gonzalez.

63' - Juan Pablo Angel will be walking on a thin line for the rest of the match. Offsides on the Colombian international.

64' - Los Angeles needs to get their second goal right now. Good stuff from the Red Bulls defense on Michael Stephens's opportunities.

65' - Roy Miller keeps that inbounds while Juninho is turned. And De La Garza is fouled on the Dane Richards elbow. Dame Richards, the same guy who arguably ended Preston Burpo's career with New England.

66' - Macoumba Kandji will be coming in shortly for the home side.

67' - In the meantime, back come the New York Red Bulls. And I'm not sure why Joel Lindpere chose to give that to Henry: he had space to get one past Ricketts.

68' - I'm not sure of anything, I don't think. But I am sure of this: the Los Angeles Galaxy are leading 1-0, and the New York Red Bulls are pushing for the equalizer.

69' - The positional minute, and it's a goal kick for Ricketts.

70' - Rafa Marquez is dispossessed. Seems to me that they are taking a page from the Islanders playbook in defending.

71' - Substitution Red Bull New York

IN 10 Macoumba Kandji

OUT 4 Rafael Marquez

Here comes Mac Kandji. Can we call him MacKandji for short? No, I fancy that's the same thing.

72' - Here's a Lindpere corner, and that should have gone in. I think Henry was in the way.

73' - Henry's right calf seems to be strained. Good defending.

74' - I think the backline is doing the job tonight. Still some more football to go, but right now, I can say that so far, so good. But let's see what happens from here.

Throw-in for Sean Franklin. No dice for Mike Magee.

75' - Red Bulls on the offensive. Here's Mac Kandji, and Mike Magee looks to counter. A possession sortie ensues, and here is Roy Miller. And that dubious from him.

76' - Yellow card 7 Roy Miller

Red Bull New York

77' - Edson Buddle almost was onsides. Haven't mastered the offside trap yet, it looks, but the G's are making strides.

78' - Dane Richards's pace is matched by A.J. De La Garza's dispossession. This is a corner for Lindpere.

79' - Edson keeps that inbounds, and that will be a throw-in.

Yellow card 4 Omar Gonzalez

Los Angeles Galaxy

80' - Dubious tackling from Omar, and this will be a free kick for the Red Bulls. Let's see what Juan Pablo Angel does. Handball by Juninho. Take two.

81' - Blocked. And Dane Richards butchers the second chance as Beckham sneaks a smug expression while the bad luck for the Red Bulls continues.

82' - Corner time for the Galaxy. Tony Tchani does the work. Landon Donovan should have done better on the crosses and follow-throughs.

83' - Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy

IN 7 Chris Klein

OUT 11 Chris Birchall

84' - Bouna Coundoul wins that ball from Edson Buddle, and here comes New York.

Substitution Red Bull New York

IN 8 Sinisa Ubiparapovic

OUT 9 Juan Pablo Angel

85' - 85 minutes in, and it is still 1-0 Los Angeles. Carlos Mendez with the mark on Edson Buddle. He's done his part for the home side.

86' - Here is a corner for Joel Lindpere. Michael Stephens clears. Mike Magee wonders why Mendes didn't get carded for that professional foul.

87' - Getting close to stoppage time, and it's still 1-0 to the G's.

88' - Sean Franklin with the throw-in. Omar Gonzalez cuts out the chance from Sinisa Ubiparapovic.

89' - And where the heck was he shooting that to? Juninho is down, and Bruce Arena looks on in disbelief. A streaker enters the Red Bull Arena. Allez! Ola! Ole! Hogtie that boy Alabammy style will ye!

90' - Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy

IN 9 Jovan Kirovski

OUT 19 Juninho

Juninho is okay, though, and returns to the bench.

90' + 1' - Four minutes of stoppage time. Donovan Rickets eliminated the initial chance from Ubiparapovic. (That's a fun name to say: Sinisa Ubiparapovic.)

What a save from Bouna Coundoul. He's made things difficult for the Galaxy attack.

90' + 2'- Here is a corner for Landon Donovan, which is taken short for a goal kick.

90' + 3' - Carlos Mendez has been a beast in the backfield, and here he is again.

90' + 4' - Dane Richards won't get to that one. Goal kick Ricketts. And here is one more chance for the Red Bulls, and that won't work. The Galaxy are back online!

FINAL

LOS ANGELES GALAXY 1

Edson Buddle 11'

RED BULL NEW YORK 0

Stay tuned for my take on this match on the View from Victoria Street and on Bleacher Report.

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The Phildaelphia Union managed to avoid losing to the Colorado Rapids with an equalizer. Mwanga received the ball from Le Toux and then proceeded with a right foot kick into the left side of the goal net in 73 minutes.

The equalizer was done at a close range surprising Le Toux, Mwanga, and the goalie for Colorado Pickens. It also gave a much needed boost to a team whose first MLS Season left it at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference.

It was a classic response to the first goal of the game by Larentowicz for the Rapids in 59 minutes after kicking the ball from a far distance to the left side of the net surprising Seitz who was the goalie for the Union.

The Union and Rapids gave the crowd at PP, Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania a very exciting game competing for possession. It was a game that was fought with every moves although some mistakes cost the Rapids some yellow cards.

Both teams also made mistakes in their attempts to score by losing the ball or kicking above the goal post. Regardless, it was a great game with Le Toux being the most valued player.

Philadelphia Union 1-1 Colorado Rapids

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Seattle Sounders FC announced Friday that midfielder Brad Evans has been placed on the Disabled List due to a left patellar tendon injury.

As a result, Evans is required to miss the next six MLS games. He is eligible to return to league play for the October 2 match versus Toronto FC on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.

Evans, 25, is entering his fourth season in MLS. He started 11 of 12 appearances this season.  He scored one goal and achieved three assists. His last appearance was June 10.

Evans started 25 of 27 appearances in 2009, recording three goals and two assists.

Sounders FC midfielder/forward Mike Fucito has been removed from the club's Disabled List.  The move, also taken on Friday, makes Fucito immediately eligible to participate in MLS games.

Fucito, 24, was placed on the Disabled List May 7. He has appeared in two Major League Soccer games, both as a reserve, with Seattle this season.

Fucito, playing in his second MLS season, scored the game winner in extra time of a 1-0 win over Kansas City in Seattle on April 17, which also turned out to be his last game.  

Saturday night at 8 p.m PT the Sounders play at Chivas USA.  The match will take place at Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

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This is Part 26 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy.


The name David Beckham evokes images of success and of failure in the knock-down, drag-out world of association football. 

It evokes images of the highest highs with Manchester United, and the lowest lows with injuries at AC Milan.

It evokes images of celebrity stardom and celebrity scrutiny.

It evokes images of a career that has not only seen him compete for the Red Devils and the Rossoneri, but also for Real Madrid before his final destination with his current club. 

It evokes images of an experiment whose only redeeming factor came in the form of reconciliation. It evokes images of a new precedent that has changed the landscape of Major League Soccer forever.

It evokes all of that, and more. Not even a neophyte to the world can mention in the most casual of conversations the game of soccer without mentioning one of the most accomplished players in our lifetime.

The son of David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham (b. Edmonton, London, July–September 1948), a kitchen fitter, and wife (m. London Borough of Hackney, 1969) Sandra Georgina West (b. 1949), a hairdresser, David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE was born on May 2, 1975 at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, located within the London borough of Waltham Forest. 

Beckham spent his childhood growing up in nearby Chingford, situated 10 miles (16.1 km) northeast of Charing Cross.

In his youth, Beckham attended the Chingford School while playing for Ridgeway Rovers F.C.

"At school whenever the teachers asked, 'What do you want to do when you're older?' I'd say, 'I want to be a footballer,'" Beckham said in a 2007 interview. "And they'd say, 'No, what do you really want to do, for a job?' But that was the only thing I ever wanted to do."

Not even Ridgeway coaches Stuart Underwood and Steve Kirby knew that they would have a star in the making. 

But that was typical David Beckham. A player fueled by a passion for football. His parents were loyal Manchester United supporters, the supporters of the club that many fans will associate the Galaxy's No. 23 with.

It wasn't an easy path for Beckham en route to his contract at Old Trafford. He attended Bobby Charlton's football schools in Manchester, trained with FC Barcelona, and had trials with his local club Leyton Orient, Norwich City while attending Tottenham Hotspur's School of Excellence.

From 1987-1991, Beckham played with the Spurs youth sides after a stint with the Brimsdown Rovers. He could have been a scholar after attending Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but Beckham loved the game too much to let it go.

So, on May 2, 1991, Beckham signed with Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United and he would also sign a Youth Training Scheme contract on July 8 that same year. His childhood dream would become a reality.

In May 1992, Beckham helped lead Manchester United to the FA Youth Cup, scoring in the second of the final against Crystal Palace. That same year, he started for United's first team in a Football League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion. and would sign his first professional contract.

Beckham would lead the Red Devils to the FA Youth Cup Final in 1993 and the Premier Reserve League title in 1994. He made his UEFA Champions League debut on Dec. 7, 1994, scoring in a 4-0 win over Galatasaray.

After a loan to Preston North End during the 1994-95 campaign, Beckham made his Premier League debut on April 2, 1995.

Beckham was part of a group of young talent Ferguson entrusted to hoist hardware. Known as Fergie's Fledglings, the group included Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and brothers Gary and Phil Neville.

At first, the idea was looked upon as a risky gamble on Ferguson's part. But as the Red Devils manager stayed the course, Beckham eased into his position on the right side of the midfield, and he flourished.

During the 1995-96 campaign, Beckham helped United earn the Premier League and FA Cup double.

During the 1996-97 season, Beckham again led Manchester United to the Premier League crown en route to PFA Young Player of the Year honors.

In that campaign, he scored on a scintillating volley from the halfway line against Wimbledon (now Milton Keynes Dons). It ranked 18th on a list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments in a 2002 Channel 4 poll.

While the 1997-98 season saw Manchester United finish second to Arsenal in the Premier League table, the 1998-99 could be seen as Beckham's breakthrough season with the Red Devils winning the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

In the final match of the Premier League season against Tottenham, a crucial equaliser by Beckham helped United win the match and the first part of the Treble.

Against Bayern Munich in the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, David Beckham rallied the troops in second-half injury time with two corners which led to a 2-1 victory.

As a result of his accomplishments, Beckham would finish second to Rivaldo for European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year.

Also that year, Beckham married Victoria Adams, a former lead singer of the Spice Girls. The couple now have three sons and currently reside in Beverly Hills, Calif.

However, the importance of raising family became a difficult responsibility for David Beckham. It was a challenge that drew the ire of Ferguson in the 2000 season, who fined him £50,000 and dropped him for a match against Leeds United.

"[David Beckham] was never a problem until he got married," Ferguson said in a 2007 interview. "He used to go into work with the academy coaches at night time, he was a fantastic young lad.

"Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing; from that moment, his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity, football is only a small part."

Nonetheless, Beckham helped United run away with the 1999-2000 Premier League title by 18 points and during the 2000-01 campaign he helped the Red Devils defend their crown yet again.

In the 2001-02 Premier League season, Beckham scored 16 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, by far the best tally of his career.

It could have been more, had it not been for a deliberate injury by Deportivo La Coruña's Aldo Duscher in UEFA Champions League play prior to the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

However, the 2002-03 season would be Beckham's last year at Manchester United after Ferguson threw a boot at Beckham over the eye, causing a cut that would require stitches. The fallout was irreparable, and Beckham would sign a four-year contract with Real Madrid.

Before he took off to sign with Los Blancos, Beckham led the Red Devils to the Premier League crown and earned an Order of the British Empire distinction for services to football on June 13, 2003. 

All in all, Beckham made 265 Premier League and 81 UEFA Champions League appearances for Manchester United, scoring 76 goals.

In his 12 years, he hoisted six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, one European Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, and one FA Youth Cup.

By this point, Beckham's star status had risen to its nadir as he joined a Real Madrid side that featured Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raúl González, and current mainstay Iker Casillas.

In the 2003-04 season, Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup over RCD Mallorca while finishing fourth place in La Liga. In the 2004-05 season, Real were in a state of flux, with three managers in one season and a second-place finish to FC Barcelona.

The following year, Real Madrid finished second again to Barça while Beckham led La Liga in assists. At this point, he began to establish football academies in Los Angeles and east London.‌

With the establishment of the David Beckham Football Academy at the Home Depot Center, the possibility of Beckham's time at the Santiago Bernabeu looked to be counting down.

Finally, on Jan. 11, 2007, David Beckham announced that he has signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Real Madrid went on to win the 2006-07 La Liga in his final year with Los Blancos. Beckham scored 13 times in 116 appearances for Real Madrid.

"I'm coming there not to be a superstar," Beckham said in a 2007 interview with ESPN. "I'm coming there to be part of the team, to work hard and to hopefully win things. With me, it's about football. I'm coming there to make a difference. I'm coming there to play football.

"I'm not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, they've been around. But I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could make a difference."

The windfall from a five-year contract worth $32.5 million proved to be strong. 

The Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owners of the Galaxy, signed a five-year shirt sponsorship deal with Herbalife worth $20 million. 11,000 new season ticket holders and sold-out luxury suites became all the rage. 

A new logo for the team was erected. TV specials upon TV specials were broadcast on the airwaves.

Endorsements for Victoria's brand of fragrances and deals from Pepsi, video game bigwigs, clothing designers, health and fitness specialists, fashion magazines, perfume and cosmetics manufacturers, hair stylists, exercise promoters, and spa and recreation companies ran rampant.

And celebrities like Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Eva Longoria Parker, Mary-Kate Olsen, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Alicia Silverstone and Drew Carey welcomed Beckham to the Home Depot Center in the 2007 World Series of Soccer on July 21 against Chelsea.

After the debut, there was a welcoming party at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the Beckhams that was attended by many A-listers and was fodder for Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood.

Nagging ankle and knee injuries prevented Beckham from being a major force on the football pitch during the Galaxy's 2007 campaign. 

August 5 of the 2007 MLS season saw the G's experience life with Beckham on board. The team was treated to a charter flight and a stay at a five-star hotel prior to their match with Toronto FC.

Beckham earned a series of firsts from his August 15 match against DC United in the 2007 SuperLiga. The Galaxy's No. 23 earned his first start, first yellow card, first team captain armband, first goal and first assist en route to a 2-0 victory. 
2008 was a disappointing year for the Galaxy, who failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs under Ruud Gullit. 

However, Beckham scored his first-ever MLS goal on April 3 against the San Jose Earthquakes and on May 24 scored an empty-netter from 70 yards away.

Beckham would go on to spend some more time in Europe. During the 2009 and 2010 MLS offseasons, Beckham was loaned out to AC Milan, where he has made 29 appearances for the Rossoneri and scored twice. A torn Achilles tendon suffered against Chievo Verona in the 2009-10 Serie A sidelined him for six to eight months. Currently, he is close to recovering from this injury.

After Beckham's first stint with Milan, the Galaxy supporters expressed their reservations against his "timeshare" deal with the Rossoneri. 

In 2009, a book by Grant Wahl called "The Beckham Experiment: How the World's Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America" discussed how his designated player status caused major repercussions in terms of chemistry between Beckham and the rest of the team, specifically Landon Donovan.

However, both Donovan and Beckham reconciled their differences, and as a result, the Los Angeles Galaxy went on to win the MLS Western Conference regular season crown and finished runner-up to Real Salt Lake in the 2009 MLS Cup. In that contest, Beckham converted his penalty in the shootout that the G's went on to lose.

So far, Beckham has scored seven goals in 41 appearances for the Los Angeles Galaxy, and will hope to sneak in at least one near the end of the season.

As a member of the England national team, Beckham scored 17 goals in 115 appearances for the Three Lions and even assisted the 2010 FIFA World Cup side in South Africa. But it's not just his work for club and country that makes David Beckham the man that he is.

From the 2002 Commonwealth Games, to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, to work with UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham has become a global ambassador to the game of soccer. 

He is a spokesman for Malaria No More, a New York City-based non-profit launched in 2006 that was created to reduce malaria deaths in Africa.

Beckham is active in MLS W.O.R.K.S and conducted a youth clinic in August 2007 that taught football skills to disadvantages youth in Harlem.

The honors are staggering.

It's distinctions upon distinctions that are a long cry from his childhood days in Waltham Forest.

But one can never know how far his or her love for football can lead. Perhaps not even Beckham realized that his skills as a midfielder has seen him accomplish many things in and out of the beautiful game, the world game as we know it.

A long storied career with Manchester United. An integral part of a star power consortium that fuels Real Madrid. A trailblazer for Major League Soccer, a celebrity among celebrities, and one of sport's most storied plenipotentiaries.

These attributes are what separates David Beckham from the rest. It is part of the ever-burgeoning mystique of the Los Angeles Galaxy's No. 23.

A certain chant to the tune of "Guantanamera" may not be ringing today within the hallowed walls of Victoria Street, but when it does, you can be sure of this:

There's Only One David Beckham.

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The political landscape surrounding US/Mexico borders and legal and illegal immigration is surrounded by strong emotions, loud arguments, and both educated and ridiculous opinions.

Luckily, this is a soccer blog, not a political blog. My opinions on the US/Mexico immigration issue are not the focus on this post.

I won’t be talking about whether Arizona’s attempts at a stricter new state law should mean they never see an MLS team or that we patriotically move them up to next in line for expansion and award them the Arizona Cosmos tomorrow.

I won’t discuss whether lettuce will cost us $24 a head if we cut off the cheap labor influx or if finally jobs will open up for hard-working Americans.

Well, actually, there are some cross-border jobs worth discussing here.

That of Mexican soccer players coming to MLS, and (more importantly) the American players heading to Mexico to play professionally—potentially as the Mexican Football Federation’s version of cheap imported labor?

Mexican players have always played a part in MLS as those of us around that first season remember Jorge Campos and his acrobatic and unpredictable goalkeeping.  But starting with Cuauhtemoc Blanco, and now followed by Nery Castillo and Rafa Marquez, and Omar Bravo in 2011, it feels as if MLS has gained a new relevance for Mexican players.

On the flip side, more American players are finding options in Mexico as attractive.  This too, is nothing new.  In fact, Tab Ramos, Mike Sorber, and Marcelo Balboa all had stints in the Mexican first division before MLS was even up and running.

But with American World Cup players José Francisco Torres and Herculez Gomez playing in the Mexican first division, USA’s Jonathan Bornstein having decided to play in Mexico after this season, and the USA going as far as to persuade former Mexican player Edgar Castillo to switch allegiances and play for the USA, things are getting more and more interesting with this cross-border soccer trade.

I like having the best American players playing in MLS—among other reasons, this is because most (not all) international experiences don’t seem to bring as much development as they promise. 

But I certainly do not get upset by players trying their luck elsewhere, and find it interesting that so few end up in Mexico, especially give the nearby location, easier travel to US National Team’s home and CONCACAF games and historically good pay ranges.

The question then becomes: When does it make sense for a US player to look to play in Mexico, as opposed to MLS or whatever European options are open to them?

Obviously, there is no black and white answer here.  I think there are a number of interesting reasons that American players might choose the Mexican league.  Including the fact that they:

- Can often make more money than other options, like MLS.
- Simply want to try something different.
- Have gotten overlooked by MLS.
- Think their skill sets are more suited for the Mexican league game.
- Are looking to better develop (or round-out) their skills.

For this discussion, I think the last reason is most interesting.

Comparing league skill and style is certainly no simple task, but to move forward we can at least make an assumption or two that seems reasonable.   Here are two that seem to be generally accepted:

- The soccer played in the Mexican first division is more tactical, patient and (often) skillful than MLS.
- The soccer played in MLS is typically faster, more physical and more direct than in Mexico.
- Mexican first division rosters tend to be “deeper” with talent than their MLS counterparts.

If there were more of an MLS/Mexican league melting pot, one might think the ingredients exist for better player development by combining the strengths of each individual league.  This development would help prepare players for the rigors of National team duty or for grooming future stars that want to head to Europe and conquer bigger challenges.

For instance, what if some of our current crop of young players, whose pace outweighs their tactical awareness or ball skills, had spent or would spend a couple years in Mexico?

If there were a program (either between clubs or leagues) that would allow players like Robbie Rogers, Kevin Alston, Corey Ashe, Robbie Findley (and we could go on) to spend time on loan, or otherwise, playing in the Mexican League, I would think they would all end up better players for the experience.

Even better could be a program that swapped young Mexican talent with young American talent for a year.  The Americans would hopefully get the tactical skill development they need, and the Mexican players would get a taste of a more rough and tumble game that would prepare them for different experiences they might see in Europe or elsewhere.

Of course, the challenge is that none of these players would be guaranteed playing time, or to break into a starting lineup in Mexico.  But if the program were a rotational program and the player knew he wasn’t “stuck” in a bad situation, they would likely be less disheartened by such struggles.

A much more out-of-the-box idea for overcoming the playing time challenge—and one undoubtedly fraught with countless issues, but nonetheless interesting—would be to find a way for a “traveling only” (no home stadium) club of young up-and-coming stars to play in the opposite country’s league for a year.  They would dually represent their country (USA) and their MLS club.

Sure, there are countless reasons why this might not work, but even if you inserted an “MLS Junior All-Star Team” into the Mexican league only once every four years (pick any number, since we are out to lunch anyway) and did the opposite insertion of a “Mexican Junior All-Star Team” into MLS, it would be rather interesting for player development.

There would probably also be increased interest in MLS from the Mexican population in the US, and increased rivalry between the leagues.

I know this will never work.

I know we want to grow our own development capabilities (and need to).

I know I’m alone on Mars here.

I just hope other people are thinking outside the box on how to leverage these two differing skill sets, interest levels and marketing potential in new ways that do make sense.

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This is Part 25 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy.


Wheelings and dealings are an inevitable part of this nuance of football we like to call the transfer window.

In association football, the transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff.

Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA. "Transfer window" is the unofficial term commonly used for the concept of "registration period" as described in the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Player.

An example of a player going through the motions is Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Perk

Perk is a recent acquisition to Bruce Arena's Galaxy, having been acquired from the Philadelphia Union. A local product, Perk will look to add depth and stability between the woodwork for the G's this season.

Brian Perk was born on July 21, 1989 in Yorba Linda, California but spent most of his life in Rancho Santa Margarita.

Rancho Santa Margarita is one of the state's youngest cities and is a master-planned community. The city was named for Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores of San Diego County but is neighbored by the cities of Mission Viejo, Las Flores and Ladera Ranch.

The band Velvet Revolver, Olympic gold medalist Joy Fawcett, film/TV/radio personality R.J. Adams, author Martin Dugard and former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jim Everett call Rancho Santa Margarita home.

The television series "The Real Housewives of Orange County," although based in Coto De Caza, is mainly filmed in Rancho Santa Margarita where many of the housewives do business, shopping, commuting, and dining.

Situated in nearby Las Flores is Tesoro High School. The Titans are known for their sports programs, with a shining example being the boys soccer team.

At Tesoro, Perk earned 2006 Parade All-American and Top Goalkeeper honors to go with an NSCAA/adidas All-American distinction in 2005.

As a youth player, Perk played club soccer with the Pateadores from 1998-2006. He was also a member of the Cal-South (2002-04) and Region IV (2005-06) ODP teams, as well as the PDP (2005).

UCLA's Jorge Salcedo gave Perk the big break he was looking for, and it paid dividends.

In 2006, Perk was named to the Top Draw Soccer All-Freshman second team, making seven starts for a 3-1-3 record, 29 saves and a 1.27 goals against average.

Perk showed his clutch ability in the net, making nine saves in a match against UC Santa Barbara and seven in a double-overtime thriller against the Washington Huskies.

In his sophomore year, Perk started 20 matches and made 84 saves to go with five shutouts and a 1.06 GAA. However, a shoulder injury in the

closing minutes of the first round of the 2007 NCAA tournament would end his season. A preseason All-American by Soccer America, Perk earned an All-Pac-10 honorable mention.

In his Junior year, Perk earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors with 75 saves, seven shutouts and a 0.97 GAA in 19 appearances in goal for the Bruins. During UCLA's eight-game unbeat streak late in the 2008 campaign, Perk only allowed a penalty kick in 711 minutes of action.

In Perk's senior season, he became a second-team NSCAA All-American and first-team All-Pac-10 honoree while earning a Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Season first team selection. Perk started 15 matches and had a 0.87 GAA to go with 53 saves, 13 goals allowed and four shutouts.

Perk graduated from UCLA with a 1.01 GAA, 16 shutouts and a 29-18-12 record in 61 appearances. His 241 career saves rank him fourth on UCLA's all-time list.

Perk could have added more to his career numbers in 2009, but he had to start in goal for the US Under-20 men's national team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

As a member of the Stars and Stripes, Perk recorded shutouts in four straight games with the U-20s in 2009, including three in as many games at the CONCACAF Championships.

In the summer of 2008, Perk recorded shutouts against the U-20 teams from Mexico and Belgium, as well as the Bolton Reserves. He also played with the Under-18 men's national team at the Lisbon International Tournament in June 2007 and at the SBS Cup in August 2007.

Perk was also a member of the U.S. U-17 residency program from 2004-06 and was part the U-17 Team that placed fifth at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championships.

In the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, Brian Perk was selected as the 49th pick overall by the Philadelphia Union. However, he did not get any playing time and sat on the bench as a backup to starter Chris Seitz and backup Brad Knighton.

On August 4, Perk was waived by the Union and picked up by the Los Angeles Galaxy. It was, in all essence, a homecoming.

Now the Galaxy's new No. 24 will aim to push for playing time and help lead Los Angeles to the 2010 MLS Cup.

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Harrison, NJ - With tonight's hard fought 1-0 win over Toronto FC, the New York Red Bulls ended a five-game winless drought to remain in second place in the Eastern Conference. For the Red Bulls, this was their third straight game in which they dominated a game with their defense and were able to dictate the flow of the game.

Despite their recent positive play, the Red Bulls were only able to record four draws and one loss. With the win, the Red Bulls (9-6-4) now trail first place Columbus Crew (11-4-4) by six points and are in good position to finish the season strong and win the Eastern Conference.

Playing without Dane Richards (Jamaica), Bouna Coundoul (Senegal), Roy Miller (Costa Rica), and newly signed Rafa Marquez (Mexico), because they were called up for international duty, the Red Bulls bench rose to the occasion.

Making the most of this opportunity, goalkeeper Greg Sutton recorded a shutout while Danleigh Borman and Tony Tchani played solid defense. Their performance tonight demonstrates that the Red Bulls bench is one of the deepest and is potentially dangerous for opposing teams.

Making his MLS Home Debut game in an enthusiastic crowd of 19,035, Thierry Henry played a pivotal role in the Red Bulls much needed win against Toronto FC. In three MLS games, Thierry has recorded three assists and tonight's assist was simply spectacular.

In the 23rd minute, Thierry beautifully broke down Toronto's double-team to pass to Seth Stammler, who passed off to Joel Lindpere for the Red Bulls only goal. For Lindpere, it was his second goal of the season and his first since scoring in the season opener against the Chicago Fire.

Up next for the Red Bulls will be Major League Soccer's best team, the Los Angeles Galaxy. Standing on top of the league with a 12-3-4 record, the Galaxy hasn't been playing well. With a record of 2-2-1 over their past five games, the Galaxy will be coming to a sold out Red Bull Arena.

Along with the team's recent acquisitions of Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez, the Red Bulls are in position to make a powerful statement on Saturday. A loss or tie following this game will be unacceptable and a disappointment to their fans.

Cesar Diaz writes for Latino Sports. Please send him your questions and comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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