Tight as a Trappist Monk’s Lips – MLS Weekend Review

The 2009 MLS quarter finals are all at the half way stage and there isn’t a single tie that people will be able to unanimously pick the winner. Two of them were drawn, in Seattle and Los Angeles, and in the other two, home sides grabbed the narrowest of victories.

To complicate things a little, there isn’t really a significant home advantage in the Chivas USA/Los Angeles Galaxy fixture as both sides share the same stadium, and obviously neither is going to be suffering any of the downsides of travel.

Overall, it was a pretty good weekend (counting Thursday) of MLS football. The most disappointing game was perhaps the 1st v 4th encounter in the Eastern Conference between Real Salt Lake and Columbus Crew. RSL went into this with an astonishing home record of just one defeat in their 15 regular season MLS games and perhaps more than any of the other fixtures, home advantage had to be taken, as the Lakers’ away record is conversely as dismal as their home is good. A visitor from the moon would have thought that penalties were the only legitimate method of scoring for much of the game as both sets of forwards tried to take shortcuts by penalty box theatrics. Luckily referee Mark Geiger was not easily impressed and players and coaches who repeatedly moan about referees should perhaps look at this game to see that their own house is in order first.

But just as observers were about to conclude that the country’s best side, Columbus Crew, were going to take a significant advantage to Ohio after surviving Utah with a draw, up pops Robbie Findley to secure the narrowest of leads for Real Salt Lake. The Crew might start marginally as favourites for the return leg, but the lateness of the goal might just provide that ‘momentum’ thing for Salt Lake. Also it was the Crew’s third MLS defeat in a row, a run only interspersed with a 1-1 draw against USL Puerto Rico Islanders. Columbus have only won one of their last seven competitive games. Maybe, just maybe, rather than having taken their foot off the pedal, there is a form slump to deal with. After all, since they finally nabbed their first win of the season, the Crew haven’t gone more than two games without a win, so they are due a form slump. Every other club had a bad one. But this would be really unfortunate timing for Robert Warzycha’s men, and this likable club.

Sounders FC and Houston Dynamo had a bruising battle at Qwest Field. The player who came closest to breaking the deadlock was neither a forward nor expected to play at all. Sounders reserve centre half, Pat Ianni, has had a good season but has struggled to break the deadlock that Jhon Hurtado and Tyrone Marshall had had on the starting berths. Numerous suspensions have given him ample opportunity, including a previous match against Houston, where he scored the winning goal with a bicycle kick! Once more, he was the scourge of the Dynamo and his rattling of Pat Onstad’s cross bar was the closest either side came. A combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping was responsible more than a lack of creativity. Both sides had plenty chances, though Houston seemed especially reliant on Brad Davis who seems to make a habit of performing well against this opponent, and indeed at this stadium.

So you may think that having obtained a creditable draw in the hotbed that is Qwest Field, Houston would be strong favourites to progress. We are not so sure. In an editorial entitled “Heads up Seattle. This is Far from Over,” we explore several factors that suggest Sounders have a reasonable fighting chance of staying competitive down in Texas. One thing is certain, Dominic Kinnear and Sigi Schmid have won the last three MLS Championships between them, and have a rivalry and a mutual respect that will continue to fascinate for quite some time in MLS – at least and until, Uncle Sam decides he wants to enlist the services of either of the two European born adopted Americans after the World Cup.

The New England Revs versus Chicago Fire game was probably the pick of the bunch. Chicago started the stronger, scored an early goal, and for a while it looked that they would bury their North Eastern opponents in the away leg. Brian McBride was winning headers freely in the Revs box, woodwork was hit and Steve Nicol’s boys were in disarray at the Gillette Stadium. But the Revs have shown character this season if nothing else. We had the privilege of being around this squad the day before their match in Seattle, and the squad harmony is as good as anything we’ve seen. They rallied, dug deep and fought their way back into this. Perhaps they were fortunate at the timing of their equalising goal, mere seconds before half time, but no-one can say it wasn’t thoroughly merited.

Nevertheless, there were periods when Chicago looked comfortably in control and with a little more application could overturn the slim deficit very quickly, especially if McBride continues to find such space as he did in Massachusetts. Jeff Larentowicz was absolutely outstanding in the Revs midfield, for once overshadowing Shalrie Joseph who is usually the recipient of that accolade. Larentowicz was absolutely everywhere both going forward and falling back. He’s out of contract at the end of this MLS season and looks more than good enough to illuminate one of the second tier European leagues, or perhaps even the German Bundesliga.

The LA derby between Chivas USA and Los Angeles Galaxy was exciting, but not a great advert for the quality of MLS. The goals that were conceded were all as a result of defensive disasters, with (former) Rookie of the Year candidate, LA’s Omar Gonzalez having a personal horror show. Maicon Santos scored a fine goal and then undid that work by inexplicably lobbing the ball into his own penalty area from 35 yards out. It was an interesting clash of styles, aside from the errors, with LA’s slick passing, notably involving the on form Landon Donovan and David Beckham, contrasting with Preki’s 4-5-1 relying heavily on the pace of the Brazilian Santos. Chivas’ plan was clearly to swamp the midfield to contain the Beckham and Donovan threat, which they at time struggled to do. They can reasonably claim though that both the goals the conceded were partly of their own making and if they iron that out, they have a fair chance of restricting LA’s scoring chances in the second leg. Not that the Galaxy can’t say the same.

Despite the glaring errors though, it was a thoroughly enjoyable match, and leaves fans salivating for the second leg in the same venue. All four ties are delicately poised, leaving fans of all eight clubs counting the days nervously until the next four installments of this incredible MLS season.

Match reports:
Chivas USA 2 : 2 LA Galaxy

New England Revs 2 : 1 Chicago Fire

Real Salt Lake 1 : 0 Columbus Crew

Sounders 0 : 0 Houston Dynamo

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