Real Salt Lake‘s bad week continued as they lost to the expansion Timbers while the NYRB and Philadelphia Union continued their run with good wins.
Portland Timbers 1 Real Salt Lake 0
Kenny Cooper goal in the 22nd minute from a Kalif Alhassan cross was enough as the Portland Timbers hand Real Salt Lake its first Major League Soccer loss of the season.
The expansion Timbers (3-3-1) recorded their first shutout, improving to 3-0-0 at home.
In a move that should excite its fan base the New England Revolution have acquired US national-team member Benny Feilhaber.
Feilhaber who is 26, who has played the last two seasons for Denmark’s AGF Aarhus, signed with MLS on April 15, and as a returning U.S. National Team player, was available to teams through the allocation order. The Revolution was ranked third in the current order, based on a recent performance, behind Chivas USA and the Philadelphia Union. Both teams passed, leading the way for the Revolution to select Feilhaber.
The folks over at MLSSoccer.com have update their weekly power rankings. No surprise that Real Salt Lake is in first place. The Portland Timbers are one of the big winners moving up to four places after a week that consisted of two home games, seven goals and six points.
Major League Soccer Week 5 Rankings
1. Real Salt Lake
No. 1 in the MLS power rankings, and fighting to be No. 1 in CONCACAF as well. The next 10 days will determine whether this RSL bunch go down as a great team, or a truly legendary one. Win or lose against Monterrey, this is still the best team in MLS until someone proves otherwise.
Last Four: WWWW
The New York Red Bulls got their first win since the opening week of the season while Charlie Davies continued his remarkable goalscoring recovery for D.C. United.
New York 3 San Jose 0
Luke Rodgers scored the first two goals of his MLS career and added an assist to lead the Red Bulls to a victory over the Earthquakes.
The win for the Red Bulls (2-1-2) snapped a three-game winless streak. It also came at the expense of the Earthquakes (1-2-2), who shocked and upset the Red Bulls, the MLS Eastern Conference regular season champions, in the opening round of the 2010 MLS Cup playoffs.
A review of the action in Major League Soccer this weekend.
D.C. United 1 LA Galaxy 1
Charlie Davies converted a disputed 90th-minute penalty kick as D.C. United tied the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-1.
The goal, Davies’ fourth of the year and third on a penalty, came 78 minutes after Mike Magee put the Galaxy ahead on a header off David Beckham’s corner kick.
Davies drew the penalty by falling to the ground inside the 18-yard box after pushing the ball past Omar Gonzalez. Television replays showed Gonzalez stretched his arm and made contact with Davies, but that Davies made the most of it. Several Galaxy players rushed toward referee Abiodun Okulaja to protest after he blew for the foul.
There’s no doubt about who’s ranked number one this week. Real Salt Lake thrashed the LA Galaxy to show that they are the class of MLS at the moment.
MLS Rankings: Week 2
1. REAL SALT LAKE (2-0-0)
Last week: Beat Los Angeles, 4-1, on Saturday.
This week: Idle.
Outlook: Is there any doubt which team deserves the top spot after RSL‘s rout of the Galaxy at Rio Tinto? Granted, the Galaxy was without Landon Donovan, Omar Gonzalez, Greg Berhalter and Donovan Ricketts, but RSL didn’t have key starters Alvaro Saborio and Will Johnson, either. Javier Morales was the star of the show, and RSL looks to ride its momentum into its CONCACAF Champions League semifinal second leg at Saprissa next Tuesday.
Even with players away on international action this weekend there was still a full slate of MLS games. The headline game was the match between RSL and the LA Galaxy, which RSL easily one. At the other end of the table, the Columbus Crew are still winless to begin the season.
Real Salt Lake 4 LA Galaxy 1
Javier Morales scored twice and added an assist as Real Salt Lake strolled bast the LA Galaxy. RSL got off to a great start when Morales assisted on Andy Williams’ goal in the 2nd minute. Morales then made in 2-0 after only 10 minutes when he scored for the penalty spot. Morales then beat Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders from 20 yards out in the 41st minute to send RSL into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
We have had one week of action in Major League Soccer which means it is time to update our MLS Power Rankings.
After a season-opening victory, Real Salt Lake maintained its spot atop the MLS Power Rankings, and RSL faces a huge game this weekend against the number 3 ranked LA Galaxy, who will be without Landon Donovan, Alvaro Saborio because of international duty.
MLS Power Rankings Week 1
1. REAL SALT LAKE (1-0-0)
Last week: Beat San Jose, 1-0, on Saturday.
This week: vs. Los Angeles Galaxy, Saturday, 9 p.m.
Major League Soccer polled players throughout the league to find out the most difficult place to play. Whose supporters make their stadium the toughest place to go and get a result? While you can probably guess that Seattle is number 1, some of the other results might surprise you.
1. Qwest Field (Seattle Sounders)
Is there any way 36,000 fans can’t make a difference? When defenders can’t hear their ‘keeper, even within the 18-yard box, it’s a problem.
2. Rio Tinto Stadium (Real Salt Lake)
They may not be as hyped as the fans in Seattle or Toronto, but RSL’s loyalists make Sandy, Utah, a true fortress (and the team has the home record to prove it).
Major League Soccer clubs have either opened up their training camp or about too. So it is a perfect time them for the first MLS rankings of 2011, courtesy of the MLS Soccer.
There is little surprise that the team who made the single biggest splash this offseason is ranked number one. Couple of surprises for me in that the Philadelphia Union is ranked #10 as they enter their second year while the Revs are ranked #17, below the expansion Portland Timbers. Do you agree or disagree with the rankings?
