By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) So goes conventional thinking in regards to a two-game series that advantage goes to the home team of the second leg, since its task to advance is clearlydefined. The away goals rule, used extensively around the world and adopted by MLS last year, alters the dynamics of each conference semifinal […]
d.c. united
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Remembering Eddie Johnson's good times
By Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) Eddie Johnson has officiallyretired from soccer. The announcement came as no surprise — he has been suffering for a medical condition that kept him out of action since the end of the 2014 season — but he said it didn’tentirely sink in until the halftime ceremony that was held during Sunday’s […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
D.C. United-NY Red Bulls Takeaways: Dax finds room
The New York Red Bulls showed why it entered the MLS playoffs with the league’s best record, gaining a 1-0 win over D.C. United in the first leg of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Dax McCarty scored the game’s only goal on a header in the 72nd minute, but the Red Bulls would have won […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Breaking down MLS's Sunday extravaganza
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) After two incredible days of knockout games in the MLS playoffs, the four survivors jump right back into action Sunday. All of the third andfourth seeds advanced, though only one game — Montreal’s 3-0 defeat of TFC — was a mismatch. Portland endured an epic penalty-kick shootout (7-6) to eliminate […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
D.C. United-New England Takeaways: Fabi and Bill show
D.C. United fell behind to a fast start by New England but came back from an early deficit to down the Revs, 2-1, in their Eastern Conference Knockout Round match at RFK Stadium Wednesday. Unitedfell behind in the 15th minute to a spectacular overhead goal by Juan Agudelo and fought off several more attacks before […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
MLS Playoffs: Quick turnaround will be followed by quick exit
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) The 2015 MLS playoffs differ from the previous few years in that fourteams, rather than two, in each conference have landed in the knockout round. Yet the first postseason game between D.C. United and New England at RFK Stadium Wednesday is the same matchup of No.4 and No. 5 teams, respectively, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Ben Olsen
“It’s an ego shot. It’s a punch in the face. But we seem to respond over the last two years when we have moments like this.” — D.C. United coach Ben Olsen after United fell, 5-0, in their MLS regular-season finale, matching the worst defeat in the club’s 20-year history, against Crew SC, which was […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Decision Day: How Eastern Conference played out
While New York Red Bulls waited to see if they could hold serve to win the 2015 MLS Supporters’ Shield, the major questions in the Eastern Conference on Decision Day circled around the battlefor second place — a four-team affair — and whether the Revs — in sixth place but not secure as a playoff […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS vs. Liga MX: CCL battle royale is set
The LA Galaxy’s 1-1 tie against Comunicaciones in Guatemala City set up four MLS-Liga MX clashes in the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals. The Galaxy had gone ahead on Alan Gordon‘s goal in the 84th minute, but Rolando Blackburn‘s goal three minutes into stoppage time evened the score anddropped the Galaxy from the No. 1 […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Power Rankings: FC Dallas jumps to the top
That was quite a week in MLS and set things up nicely for blanket coverage of all 10 games when the regular-season concludes on Sunday. FC Dallas took over the top spot in the PowerRankings by beating Vancouver at home and snuffing RSL’s playoff hopes on the road. The Galaxy tumbled down the ladder after […]