MLS week 8 review II
May 18, 2008 by f4denz.
Houston makes it two in a row
In what normally would be an expected result with the Dynamo beating Chicago, this one was a real surprise given Houston’s struggles and Chicago’s hot start. Houston from the starting whistle were in the attack and not looking like a team with only 1 win in their first 7 matches, the confidence of last weeks victory has made a huge difference in how they played all match long. A shot from distance by Clark, took a couple bounces and ended up in the back of the net, credit was given to DeRo the last Houston player to touch the ball, but this one deserves to go to Clark it was his effort that gave the lead to Houston. Calen Carr answered back for Chicago in the 28th minute to tie the score at 1-1, the assist goes to Blanco. Both teams really did play a fairly aggressive style and chances were had by both sides but the defense and keepers were up to the tasks, Houston was the more attacking side and in the 82nd minute off a free kick Bobby Boswell headed the shot into the back of the net as the Dynamo took the lead 2-1. Chicago had a final chance to get a point at home and keep soul possession of 2nd place in the East, but a Blanco free kick from 30 yards out with time running out fell helplessly into an Onstad basket catch to end the game. It was a wet night in Chicago and the Fire could not keep pace with Columbus who remain atop the MLS at the end of week 8.
Dead on prediction
OK I had a bad week with my picks but I did get one dead on, the New England Revolution faced off against expansion side San Jose who are looking more and more like an expansion team as the season move along. In the 6th minute the Rev’s had a free kick from about 40 yards out it dropped into the box and another of Steve Nicol’s imports from Africa Kheli Dube put it into the back of the net for the first goal of the night. The second goal should be the goal of the week, it won’t because it was James Riley heading the ball over his own keepers head for one of the greatest own goals in MLS history, wow as if San Jose didn’t have enough other problems. 2-0 Revolution at the half, and in the end it stayed that way, but this match was very one sided as San Jose got off just 4 shots and only 1 on goal, the only areas that San Jose put up bigger numbers was in fouls (16-6), and yellow cards (3-2). So the question remains what Revolution team will show up next?
Score first and win
This year in MLS only one time has a team scored first and not won the match, it happened last week when San Jose lost after scoring first against Columbus, and it happened again on Saturday night as DC United got an early goal from their DP Gallardo got his third goal of the season in the 30th minute of a match that DC United appeared to be back to their old form in the first half. The second half however would be a very different story starting in the 73rd minute when RSL castoff Atiba Harris kept a ball alive by rushing the keeper, and Jessie Marsh cleaned up the lose ball and put it in the back of the net to get Chivas on the board. In the next 9 minutes Chivas would score two more times and each time the goal was facilitated by the play of Atiba Harris (Jason he is a striker not a defensive midfielder). The first came 3 minutes later as Atiba put a great pass on the feet of a rushing Sasha Kljestan who put it past the keeper for Chivas goal number two, Chiavs continued to attack and almost scored again just 3 minutes after their second goal on another play started by Atiba. The final nail in the United coffin came in the 82nd minute when a very clearly offside Atiba Harris (horrible MLS officials continue to influence match outcomes) passed the ball to Jorge Flores for the third Chivas goal of the night. Chivas had a couple more chances in a match that saw Chivas pick up their second win of the MLS season and pull even with RSL in the West with 8 points.
More to come
I will be watching the KC vs. NY match here in a bit and later tonight the Galaxy’s romp of Dallas, I will post those reviews later this evening.