Union

Peter Nowak after Friday’s loss to Portland: “I thought we were going to win the game.”

Amobi Okugo on the goal: “The only way they were going to score was off a corner kick or a set piece, and they did.”

This piece from the Union website says, “there has to be a minor cause for concern with the offense.” Minor concern? MINOR concern? Five goals in eight games. “Minor concern,” my ass.

Nowak says, “We need to work very hard on the many things that happened today and the past week because anyone who plays against us right now, the free kick is going to be a weapon.” Maybe the Union can start by working on getting Carlos Ruiz some plane tickets back to Guatemala.

• The Brotherly Game: “[T]he Philadelphia Union once again produced an anemic offensive display away from home.”
• Philly Union Talk: “Much like every other match, disjointed offensive play, strong defensive play, and suave, charismatic goalkeeping characterized the Blue and Gold.”
• The Union Dues on Peter Nowak: “I have no idea how this man thinks, period.”

The only central defender on the Union roster other than Danny Califf and Carlos Valdes is Juan Diego Gonzalez. Despite the fact that Califf was to ill to play on Friday, Gonzalez did not travel to Portland with the team and, thus far, his only appearance was in the Reserve League win over the Energy Drinks. The Brotherly Game calls him the $193,000 paperweight.

The Oregonian says, “The Portland Timbers beat Philadelphia at its own game.”

The Timbers blog Stumptown Footy says, “The Portland Timbers used patience and some of their best possession game to crack the vaunted Philadelphia Union defense.”

For some reason, Goal.com thinks the Farfans were midfielders on Friday night.

The Brotherly Game critiques the production values of the first Soccer Night in America telecast and comes away reasonably impressed.

You’ve probably already read the PSP’s analysis of the salary figures for the Union and the league. More analysis here and here.

Camden’s Birnis Adames, an 18-year-old forward, is the winner of Sueño MLS 2011. He will receive an invitation to join one of the Union’s Youth Academy teams.

Independence

The much anticipated home opener for the Independence ended as a 2–0 win for Philadelphia and included a gutsy goal from Tasha Kai. Lianne Sanderson’s goal was a nice one, too. Look for the PSP match report later this morning.

Local

Princeton’s Matt Sanner scored a hat trick in Reading United’s 3–1 win over the Brooklyn Knights on Saturday. Reading dressed only 13 players for the season opener.

The Harrisburg City Islanders played FC New York to a 1–1 draw away.

MLS

The consequences of Friday’s loss for the Union’s standings in the Eastern Conference could have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for the fact that not a single team in the East save Toronto won a match in Week Eight. The Union (3) and the Crew (2) are both at 13 points and equal in goal difference with the Union having a game in hand. Thanks to the Energy Drinks (1) 1–1 draw with LA, New York is only two points ahead with 15 points. Columbus came from behind to draw 1–1 with Seattle. Chicago (8) increased its winless streak to six with their 0–0 draw against Vancouver. New England (6) also drew 0–0 against Colorado. DC United (5) drew 0–0 at home against FC Dallas. Houston (4) lost 2–1 at home to Toronto (7). Sporting Kansas City (9) had the weekend off.

A bad tackle from Chivas USA forward Marcos Mondaini resulted in a fracture dislocation of the left ankle and accompanying ligament tears for Real Salt Lake midfielder Javier Morales on Saturday. RSL captain Kyle Beckerman believes Mondaini will receive a suspension similar to that handed to on Colorado’s Brian Mullan after Mullan broke the leg of Seattle’s Steve Zakuani.

Soccer America says ESPN disrespected MLS with their “Greatest highlights of the month” halftime segment “which led with two confrontations, two challenges and a player nursing a bloody head in its first six shots.” SA concludes, “The segment was all too familiar, hammering home the point that soccer is not a sissy sport. Would anyone who bothered to stay up to watch the broadcast really believe that it is?”

Here’s an update on some of the friendlies happening this summer, including the recently announced meeting between LA Galaxy and Real Madrid.

Alaska Airlines has unveiled one of the new Portland Timbers jets. Anyone wearing a Portland jersey will be granted early boarding on the airline’s flights out of of Portland International Airport throughout the 2011 season.

US

The US roster for the upcoming Women’s World Cup will be announced this morning.

Elsewhere

Here’s a look at the hustory of the earliest soccer films, two silent movies from Germany made in 1927.

Photo: Courtesy of Portland Timbers