Photo: Courtesy Philadelphia Union

Union

Ah, a 6–2 road win. So, how was your weekend?

Not so good for Toronto coach Aron Winter and goalkeeper Stefan Frei. “We were humiliated,” said Winter. “When my first touch is getting the ball from the back of the net, that’s not good,” said Frei. I don’t know, Stefan, it was pretty good for me.

SOBs representing in Toronto

It was also pretty good for the Sons of Ben who made the trip north for the game. “Not all the 20,122 fans went home disappointed as the Union saluted some 30 of its supporters in attendance after the match.”

MLS Talk says, “The Union sit atop the Eastern Conference and, with New York losing players to international play, they have a chance to build some impressive momentum.”

Justin Mapp’s two goals earned him Player of the Week honors from MLSsoccer.com, Goal.com and North American Soccer Reporters.

Mapp was also named to Goal.com’s Best XI for Week 11.

Vote Mapp for Goal of the Week.

The wee people of Toronto are powerless to stop the towering Mechafarfan from rampaging in the box.

Gabriel Farfan said, “I promised [assistant coach John Hackworth] I’d get a goal this game. Luckily, I was able to deliver.”

Talking about the goal explosion, Farfan continued, “That shows we have depth within our team. Anyone can come on and score goals and do the job…We understood our positioning on the field. We understood everyone’s tendencies today. We never took our foot on the pedal. We just kept attacking, attacking.”

The Early power rankings are in. At Deseret News, the Union move up one spot to third. At US Soccer News, the Union move up two spots to third. And at the Examiner, the Union move up three spots to second.

Union City Blue calls Saturday’s win “Goalapalooza“.

Independence

The Independence are 2–2–2 after a tough 2–1 loss at Widener on Sunday to WYN Flash.

Local

Reading United topped Bermuda Hogges 3–2 on Friday with Brian Holt coming up big with a PK save in the 90th minute to preserve the win. Reading host the Union in a friendly this evening at 7:30 p.m. at Exeter’s Don Thomas Stadium.

MLS

In the Eastern conference, the Union are in first place with 20 points, two points above New York and five points above Houston. The Energy Drinks’ 1–1 draw in Vancouver meant they finished the month of May winless with a 0–1–4 record. After losing 1–0 to LA last Wednesday, Houston drew 2–2 with Dallas on Saturday. Columbus drew 3–3 with Chivas and New England lost 1–0 to LA . Chicago drew 2–2 with San Jose and Kansas City drew 1–1 with Colorado. DC broke Portland’s unbeaten home record with a 3–2 win on Sunday.

Saturday’s 30 goals was the most goals scored on a single day in MLS history.

Vancouver’s Teitur Thardarson and Chicago’s Carlos de los Cobos are now ex-coaches.

Elsewhere

“Crisis? What is a crisis?” FIFA president Sepp Blatter after his opponent for re-election Mohamed Bin Hammam and CONCACAF president Jack Warner were suspended following a hearing inf front of FIFA’s ethics committee on Sunday.

Interim CONCACAF president Lisle Austin of Barbados is trying to quiet whistle blower Chuck Blazer. This report says, “Austin gave the American 48 hours to explain by what authority he appointed Chicago-based lawyers Collins and Collins to conduct investigations into the members of CONCACAF” and “to produce minutes or documentation to show the decision was taken by the confederation’s executive committee.” Blazer had called attention to possible ethics violations in a meeting between Warner, Hammam and members of the Caribbean Football Union, of which Austin is a member.

Les Murray, a member of the FIFA ethics committee from Australia, says, “I think the reform has to be very deep…there probably has to be complete structural and also constitutional reform.”

FIFA’s corporate sponsors are beginning to react to the ongoing corruption scandal. Coca Cola, adidas and Emirates airline have all expressed concern.

The FA and the SFA have called for the election for the FIFA presidency, for which Blatter is now unopposed, to be postponed.

UEFA president Michel Platini says he will not run against Blatter.

Qatar denies it bought the hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup after details emerge from a leaked email from FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke.