POV-FS Mail it in Friday Video – 2011 MLS Cup Final

    With the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo set to meet in a rematch of last season’s final on Saturday afternoon, it is the perfect time to revisit that match with these extended highlights.

Beyond POV-FS – "MLS: Twelve Points, Twelve Matches, One Left" at The Shin Guardian

    New column up, hosted by my friends at The Shin Guardian, looking over the story lines that have arisen from the first twelve playoff matches, while looking forward to the MLS Cup Final this Sunday.

    MLS: Twelve Points, Twelve Matches, One Left.

MLS Weekly Review – Playoff Edition – Semifinals (Conference Championship) – Of Conference Champions Decided, Moving on to the Cup, a Clash of Takers, some Canadian Content, a Honduran Finish, Penalty Kicks Revisited, Off the Wood, Connect Again & Irish Eyes Are Smiling.

    The final two matches in the lead up to the MLS Cup Final took place on Sunday evening as the Conference Champions were decided. The East was won first, a technical duel and contest of strength between home side Kansas City and Houston. The West followed; a run-and-gun meeting between hosts Los Angeles and Salt Lake. Six goals, one devastating injury, a penalty kick, some woodwork being struck, another goalmouth defensive header, and the final pairing are set.

MLS Weekly Review – Playoff Edition – Quarterfinals: Second Leg – Night Two – Of Leaving as You Came, Familiar Territory, Experience Gained, Words Turned to Action, the Golden Ageless Midfielder, & Home Sweet Home.

    The final two quarterfinals ties were decided on Thursday night, as both Houston and Los Angeles took one-goal leads back home where they hosted Philadelphia and New York respectively. Four goals, two home wins – without any further handbags or red cards, two more teams see their season’s end, while the four teams to contest the semifinals (conference finals) are set.

MLS Weekly Review – Playoff Edition – Quarterfinals: Matches Two through Four – 1st Legs – Of a Super-Sunday Triple-Header, Handbags at Twelve Paces, a Flurry of Red Cards, Road Teams Taking the Advantage Back Home, & Juicy Second Legs Still to Come.

    Three matches on a Super-Sunday of MLS action. Six goals, three red cards, several scuffles, and three road wins.

    With Salt Lake vs. Seattle out of the way on Saturday night, the remaining three quarterfinal (conference semifinal) matches took place one after the other for a triple-header from afternoon to evening making for a rather enjoyable lazy Sunday’s viewing.

MLS Weekly Review – Playoff Edition – Quarterfinals: Match One – Salt Lake v Seattle 1st Leg - Of Keller Keeps It Close, a Risk of Offside Followed by Some Back-Heeled Class, Ossie Going Off But Not Going Off, Key Injuries, & a Salt Lake Long Not Seen.

    Salt Lay-ake; come out and play-ay. The brash Seattle side entered the contest brimming with confidence, believing that despite missing the dynamic Mauro Rosales – still nursing that knee injury suffered in the final match of the season - they could bring their fine regular season form into a struggling opponent’s home ground.

MLS Weekly Review – Playoff Edition – Wildcard: Match Two – Colorado Rapids v Columbus Crew – Of Blustering Cold, a Playoff Rematch, Tactical Changes, a Death Blow, & the American Scott Parker.

    On a clear, chilly night in the lofty confines of DSG Park with the temperature hovering around freezing Colorado and Columbus took to the field in the second wildcard match to determine who would move on to face Kansas City in the quarterfinals of the MLS Cup playoffs.

MLS Weekly Review – Playoff Edition – Wildcard: Match One – FC Dallas v NY Red Bulls – Of Unexpected, Unheralded Heroes, Solli Loses his Head, Backe Realizing the Value of Substitutions, & the Impending Long-Desired Battle of Heavy-Weights.

    The 2011 MLS Playoffs began in front of a less than sold out crowd on a cool night at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. A disappointing attendance of just over 10 000 dotted the stadium despite rumoured attempts to flog tickets at the cut rate of six dollars hours before the match kicked off.

Rookie of the Year – The Drafting of Joao Plata

    Preposterous… ridiculous… impossible?