Union
After Philadelphia Union’s big 3-0 win over Chivas USA on Saturday, here’s what the coverage:
Union manager Peter Nowak called it the team’s best showing of the season. We agree.
Here are the overall playoff standings. The Union sit in 11th place, 11 points out with five games left to play. They’re not mathematically out of the race, but it’s going to an epic run by the Union and a total collapse by Colorado or Seattle for the Union to reach the postseason.
From the “no shit, Sherlock” department, Goal.com thinks Brad Knighton has staked a claim for the starting goalkeeper job. A Captain Obvious headline for a decent post-game feature on Knighton, but — Uh, guys? I think the job’s his. Two shutouts in three games after none in your team’s first 22 will get you that. All bets are off for next season though.
Independence
The Philadelphia Independence’s title run ended in a 4-0 loss to FC Gold Pride in the WPS championship match Sunday. Three games in a week against the league’s top teams proved to be too much, but it was a great season for the first-year team.
Here’s more coverage of the game from the AP.
MLS
Big matches from around the league over the weekend — at least big insofar as they apply to the Union’s playoff hopes:
Dallas knocked off a hot Kansas City team 3-1.
Seattle pretty much ended Chicago’s playoff hopes with a 1-0 win.
Colorado drew with Real Salt Lake.
A Q&A with Portland Timbers head coach John Spencer.
Goal.com’s Kyle McCarthy says the big Red Bulls – Galaxy match was a dud. Eh, I watched it, and I thought it was a decent match (particularly early on), but what did you expect with the Galaxy starting two backup center backs?
Is Rafa Marquez bringing back the libero role? Say it ain’t so. (And say that Stefani Miglioranzi wasn’t already doing similar for the Union.)
Abroad
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia picked up an elbow injury in his club’s 3-2 loss to West Brom and won’t travel for a Champions League match against Partizan Belgrade. That elbow injury may be of the “elbowed to the bench permanently” variety after his showing.
If you like tactical breakdowns, check out Zonal Marking’s review of the upset.
That was just one of two notable upsets in the EPL this past weekend, with Chelsea suffering its first loss of the season, 1-0 to Manchester City. Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel won the duel of American goalkeepers against Wolverhampton.
The LA-NY game was horrendous. Listening to the announcers, you would think they were playing 2v2 with Marquez and Angel against Donovan and Beckham. The Beckham love was vomit inducing, actual quote: “If that ball he had played over the top had gotten to its intended target, there might have been a scoring chance.” If only that defender hadn’t been standing there…
And the game itself was barely watchable. Few moments of real quality. I’d love to know the stats on completed passes in the final third and completed forward passes. I bet there were few of either. Watching Becks and Marquez try to serve 65 yard balls to guys that couldn’t bring them down got old really fast.
As far as MLS games on TV this weekend, the Union game and the RSL-Colorado game were both much more entertaining. And there weren’t even any designated players…
I think the Union could have beat Arsenal on Saturday…