Beyond POV-FS – MLS Week in Review: 2014 MLS Cup Final at Canadian Soccer News

A full review of the MLS Cup Final between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the New England Revolution is up over at Canadian Soccer News.

Like most finals, it was a close-fought affair, rather than the run-and-gun encounter fans always hope for – at least the winner proved to be a moment of pure class – check it out.

Also, never got around to posting the link for the review of the second legs of the conference finals, which can be viewed here, if one is so inclined.

This endeavour, recapping every match played throughout the MLS season is a massive undertaking – the end of the season comes with a certain amount of relief. That said, thanks so much for following along, it has been a fun season and with two new clubs joining the league in 2015 it looks to be getting even better.

Beyond POV-FS – MLS Week in Review – Playoffs: Conference Finals First Legs at Canadian Soccer News

The review of the first legs of the MLS Conference Finals is up over at Canadian Soccer News, covering all the action from the two weekend matches – check it out.

Beyond POV-FS – MLS Week in Review – Playoffs: Conference Semifinals Second Legs at Canadian Soccer News

With the MLS playoffs set to return this weekend, why not review how it is that the final four clubs got this far. The Week in Review, over at Canadian Soccer News, covers the second legs of the Conference Semifinals – check it out

Beyond POV-FS – MLS Week in Review: Playoff Edition – Knockout Round and Conference Semifinals, First Legs at Canadian Soccer News

The usual weekly MLS review went up at Canadian Soccer News yesterday, covering the Knockout Round and the First Legs of the Conference Semifinals of the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs.

No separate Canadian Content post for the playoffs, as Tesho Akindele was the lone Canadian to see the pitch – he did score a goal though, which was something, helping Dallas to knock out Vancouver last Wednesday.

Check it out

Beyond POV-FS - MLS Week in Review: Playoff Edition – 2013 MLS Cup Final at Canadian Soccer News

    The first post-MLS 2013 weekend has come to pass – miss it yet?

    Relive the glory of a hard-fought final decided via penalty shootout at Canadian Soccer News

    Check it out.

Beyond POV-FS – Know Your Enemy: MLS Cup Final Flashback Compilation – Sporting KC vs. Real Salt Lake

    With the MLS Cup Final set for Saturday evening, it seemed a good time to provide some links for the extra studious.

    In that vein, here are all of the Know Your Enemy previews for the two teams from the 2013 season. Granted these are a touch dated – especially for Salt Lake (with their only meeting with Toronto coming back in June), but they should still provide a nice overview of the changes to the team, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

Sporting KC - Meeting the First; Meeting the Second; Meeting the Third

Real Salt Lake – Part One; Part Two

Beyond POV-FS – MLS Week in Review: Playoff Edition – Conference Championships, Second Legs at Canadian Soccer News

    With the MLS Cup Final set to kick off on Saturday, why not refresh the mind on how the last round ended by checking out the Week in Review summary at Canadian Soccer News.

    Kansas City overpowered Houston to earn the right to host the final, while Salt Lake dispatched Portland easily after a devastating first-leg performance.

    Check it out

Beyond POV-FS – Know Your Enemies: 2012 MLS Cup Final Preview at Waking the Red

    Preview of this afternoon’s MLS Cup Final at the Home Depot Center between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo is up over at Waking the Red.

    Check it out.

    Also, highlights of last season’s final and a behind-the-scenes feature.

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 – Know Your Enemies: Eastern & Western Conference Finals Previews at Waking the Red

    Preview’s of today’s conference finals are up over at Waking the Red.

    Check them out – East and West.

On the Race to Be the First Canadian Team in the MLS Playoffs, Measuring Success, & Long-Term Planning

    The Vancouver Whitecaps, should they make the playoffs this season, will become the first Canadian club to gain entry to the MLS postseason, much to the chagrin of Toronto FC and their fans, who have long used the playoffs as their stated goal, or as a measuring stick of success.

First Person View - MLS Cup Final Preview – Late, Long-form and Long-winded.

    The boys over at Waking the Red asked me to contribute to an MLS Cup Preview, as I began writing I realized I had way too much to say to fit into the proper format, so I decided to expand on my points with a longer, sister-post.

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.

From a Different Point of View - 1st Week of November Edition

Some Things You May Have Missed From the Last Week

MLS Weekly Review – Playoff Edition – Quarterfinals: Second Leg – Night One – Of a Storm Brewing in Kansas City, the Luck of Champions Gone Bad, Weathering the Early Onslaught, a Decisive Clearance, Emerald Hope Ignited, & Farewell to Two More.

    The first two return legs of the quarterfinal pairings took to the field on a dark, wet Wednesday night. A matter of chance granted the viewers the two matchups closest to having been decided, with Kansas City holding a two-goal advantage returning home, while Salt Lake carried a three-goal lead into Seattle. Four goals – one a penalty; both home sides victorious, seven bookings from seventy-one fouls, one spectacular game-saving clearance, and a final clean sheet for Kasey Keller.

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.