DC United drop another one & RSL vs. Toronto Preview
April 17, 2008 by f4denz.
The Crew top the east
Well fresh of the beat down they suffered at the hands of RSL, DC United got a chance for redemption with a home match against perennial eastern conference whipping child Columbus Crew. But in week 4 the Crew appear to be anything but a whipping child, more like a child with a whip, and topped the DCU boys 2-1, to capture 3 more points and take the top spot in the east with 9 points from 12 possible. DC had their chances, but as we have seen before this season, finishing is the problem, despite having a full available line up, a rested Wells in goal, and their million dollar man Gallardo, United simply could get the victory. The Crew looked to try playing long balls over the top to beat the United back 3, but it was solid attacking football and a Padula (you know the guy Beckerman owned last weekend) own goal. The Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles were loud and proud in support of their teams losing effort, and the handful of Crew fans were celebrating a well deserved victory.
Real versus Team Facing Changes
TFC panicked all last season making roster change after roster change, all to no avail. This season they suffered two early losses and continued making more roster changes, in come MLS’s bad boy Amado Guevara who went from MVP to MIA in two years. Then they pull in international player Laurent Robert the French player who was recently released by Derby County of the English Premier League, and in the past 7 days they have added Rohan Ricketts from England
Now rumors say TFC are looking to add a couple more international players to the 12 already on their roster. Soccer by Ives is reporting that TFC are looking to sign Oliver Teliby from the Ivory Coast and rumors that Dutch player Patrick Kluivert will not be coming to TFC but they are looking for a striker during the summer transfer market. It appears they are even willing to use their DP slot to pick up a big time name as their striker. Will the revolving door that is the TFC roster be able to repeat their success from last week when they downed the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center? Can they calm the savage beast that is the TFC home crowd? Can they improve on last years result at BMO field (a 0-0 draw)?
The only common opponent so far this season for the two clubs is DC United, which beat TFC 4-1 at RFK a couple weeks ago, and got beat by RSL 4-0 last weekend in Salt Lake City.
RSL is coming off the biggest victory (margin wise) in their history and 3 matches into the season have 4 points, most people associated with or fans of RSL are considering that disappointing, but consider RSL has faced 3 teams that made the playoffs last season and both last years best team in both the Eastern and Western conferences. Last season it took RSL until the middle of May to get 4 points and did not secure their first victory until June 23rd, in comparison you would have to count this seasons 1-1-1 record a vast improvement over last year, but we as fans want more, they players want more and next up is a team that came to Salt Lake City and stole a victory on the 4th of July last season. I expect fireworks in Toronto on Saturday as both teams appeared to have found their finishing touches (together they put 7 goals on the scoreboard last weekend) after RSL scored 1 goal in each of their first two matches, and TFC had 1 goal total in their first two matches. Will RSL have to face this season’s curse of former players? Having given up goals to both Esky and Atiba, will Cunny get a measure of revenge against the coach who traded him north of the border?
Despite the very early starting time 10:30 am MST, I expect a very loud and active crowd at BMO field. RSL is hosting a viewing party downtown (details) but I am sure the crowd will probably be smaller than the last watching party, the early hour and Salt Lake marathon will keep some people away. I know that I am looking forward to what should be a very exciting match, tomorrow I will post my prediction for this match as well as the rest of the weekend MLS action.
Some update from the mainsteam media
“RSL on KSL” back for season four KSL.com
“RSL on KSL” kicks off its fourth consecutive season this Saturday, April 19, from Toronto, Canada, as Real Salt Lake (1-1-1, 4 points, T-3rd West) today announced that Utah’s NBC affiliate, KSL-TV Channel 5, will televise 12 of the team’s local regular-season broadcasts in 2008, with KSL having rights of first refusal for additional international, exhibition and post-season games. Real Salt Lake is featured an additional nine times in 2008 on three of Major League Soccer’s national television partners - ESPN2, Fox Soccer Channel and HDNet.
RSL practice observations, etc
James Edwards Deseret News.com blogger
Real Salt Lake held its final practice today before departing for Toronto Thursday morning, and not surprisingly coach Jason Kreis kept his line-up pretty much intact with the one he used in last weekend’s 4-0 triumph over D.C. United.
TFC Hopes for better things this season The Canadian Press
Standing on the pitch at BMO Field on opening day last year, while a jam-packed stadium of fervent soccer fans sang O Canada while holding their scarves aloft, is something Jim Brennan won’t soon forget. “It was special, it will stick in my head forever,” Brennan said Thursday. Two days before Toronto FC hosts Real Salt Lake in its home opener Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET), Brennan couldn’t wait to get back on his home field.
MLS Power Rankings Foxsoccer.com
This week saw Columbus outshoot Chivas USA in a seven-goal thriller to prove the curse of being number one in the rankings is alive and well. We also saw surprise victories for Toronto and Colorado, while RSL trounced a struggling D.C. United.
See how all these crazy results affected this week’s MLS Power Rankings …
OFF MY SOAPBOX
