[MLS] D.C. United’s Andy Najar paved new ground, becoming the first home-grown player and at the age of 17 the firstteenager to be named MLS Rookie of the Year, while Los Angeles Galaxy goalie Donovan Ricketts is only the second foreigner to be named Goalkeeper of theYear. Najar, signed at age 17 after spending pre-season […]
los angeles galaxy
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Please, No Encore for Kovalenko
By Paul Gardner A mere three minutes into Sunday’s playoff game between the Seattle Sounders and the L.A. Galaxy, we had the familiar sight of Dema Kovalenkoengaged in a physical pushing-and-shoving altercation with an opponent. But the incident was unusual in one respect: This time it was the opponent, Osvaldo Alonso — who had committed […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Buddle's bomb
[VIDEO PICK] “I don’t think anyone thought I would shoot from there – that’s why I shot it,” said Edson Buddle after his long-range strike gavethe Los Angeles Galaxy’s a 1-0 win over Seattle in the first leg of their MLS quarterfinal clash. Buddle, who scored 17 regular-season goal, caught Sounders keeper KaseyKeller off guard […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Dallas and Real Salt Lake light up the playoff scene
By Paul Gardner Last time, you may recall, I was bitching about the sheer tedium of the playoff game between Colorado and Columbus. I asked the question: Does playoffsoccer have to be like this? Well, I got my answer, didn’t I ever. A resounding No! delivered and gift-wrapped by Dallas and Real Salt Lake on […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Dallas and Real Salt Lake light up the playoff scene
By Paul Gardner Last time, you may recall, I was bitching about the sheer tedium of the playoff game between Colorado and Columbus. I asked the question: Does playoffsoccer have to be like this? Well, I got my answer, didn’t I ever. A resounding No! delivered and gift-wrapped by Dallas and Real Salt Lake on […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Donovan is No. 1 set-up man
[MLS] Landon Donovan, who also scored seven goals in 24 appearances for the Los Angeles Galaxy, led the league in regular-season assists in2010. Donovan now has 103 goals and 91 assists (regular season) in his MLS career, which started in 2001. His previous highs in the assist column were in 2007 (13), 2005 (10),2004 (10) […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham does comedy on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show'
[VIDEO PICK] David Beckham did a funny candid-camera bit on the “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in which DeGeneres had him saysilly things to an unsuspecting masseuse. The hidden camera prank required Beckham to say everything DeGeneres told him, including to be to be called “Ricky” and to sing during themassage. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Buddle, Ferreira and Wondolowski on MVP short list
[AWARDS] Edson Buddle, David Ferreira and ChrisWondolowski — none of whom has ever even been named to the MLS Best XI — are the three finalists for MLS’s Volkswagen Most Valuable Player. For the finalists in all 10 award categories … Landon Donovan, last year’s MLS MVP, is the surprise omission from the MVP short […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
MLS Playoffs Could Use Extra Officials
By Paul Gardner The MLS playoffs are upon us, accompanied by various organizational hiccups that could be quite embarrassing. I’ll look at those in a moment, butfirst let me jump in immediately, with a suggestion to MLS that might help to reduce the red-face factor. There is always an ominous cloud that hangs over the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Who will be 2010's scoring king?
[MLS] The race for this season’s top scorer title — the Budweiser Golden Boot – comes down to a San Jose Earthquakes striker who scored just seven goalsin his five previous MLS seasons and the league’s seventh all-time leading scorer. The 27-year-old striker Chris Wondolowski saw sparse playing time for the Quakeslast year after arriving […]