Seattle Sounders only recently came against Vancouver Whitecaps

Seattle Sounders only recently came against Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS and the game ended in a resounding 3-0 success for the away team.

Sigi Schmid is back at the club after a few health problems and he is determined to lead the club to a victory against Vancouver once again. This time around, the two teams come up against each other in the CONCACAF Champions League. Given that Seattle Sounders had achieved an emphatic victory only a couple of days ago, he may be lured into fielding the same team in the hope of getting another positive result.

There is also the consensus that Vancouver will be prepared to play against the same Seattle Sounders. Hence, the need for making some changes in the crucial areas of the pitch will not only help bring the element of uncertainty to the field but it will also help refresh the team in terms of energy.Schmid says that there is the element of Champions League competition bringing a new edge to the game. He is aware that Vancouver Whitecaps will be a formidable opposition irrespective of the recent results between the two teams. Both teams are at the same number of points but Seattle Sounders have played a game more than Vancouver.

“It’s a game that if they win, they advance, and if we win, we advance. A loss or a tie doesn’t get us anywhere, and a loss or a tie for them makes their final group game at Olimpia that much more important. Both teams are going to try and come out and win the game.The more we keep possession, the better form of defense it is. We have to make sure not to give them chances to counter and stretch us, because they’re a counter-attacking team,” said Schmid.

Frank Yallop received a lot of praise for managing

Chicago Fire manager Frank Yallop received a lot of praise for managing to transform the destination of the points in the recent match against Columbus Crew.

Columbus had managed to secure a 2-0 lead in the match and were seemingly heading for three points. However,Yallop had other ideas on his mind after he managed to introduce two substitutes who were very crucial in the overall result. The match finished as a 2-2 draw after goals from the two substitutes gave Chicago Fire a point from the match. Jason Johnson andAmarikwawere brought on in the second half in order to chase the game.

The second half was extremely one-sided after Columbus Crew succumbed to the pressure from Chicago Fire. They eventually had been made to pay for the defensive mentality in the second half after the opposition celebrated coming back from being two goals down. Veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch was celebrating his 300th MLS appearance, and it was one that gave a happy ending despite a yield of just one point. This is the second consecutive 2-2 draw that Chicago have been involved in and this is unlikely to pleaseYallop, whose team sit sixth in the table. (more…)

Michael Parkhurst says that the club are fully aware of the difficult run

Columbus Crew captain Michael Parkhurst says that the club are fully aware of the difficult run of matches – especially in terms of the distance travelled – that they have in the next couple of weeks. The team will be making the trip to Vancouver to take on the Whitecaps.

Following this match, there will be a straight trip to the East coast in order to take on New England Revolution. These two matches will provide a stern test towards Columbus Crew’s ambitions of moving into the play-offs before the end of the campaign. The team has started in a disappointing fashion after managing just one victory in the three matches.

Their 2-0 win over Toronto came in front of their own supporters, but this was not enough to see them carry on the confidence against New York Red Bulls last weekend. A 2-1 defeat against one of the top teams in the MLS sees Columbus set just outside the play-off places after three matches. Even though they already trail the likes of Orlando City and New York City, the team will be feeling relatively confident since they have at least two matches in hand over these clubs. Berhalter is aware that he must rotate and fully use his squad in order to get the best out of them in the two matches. (more…)

Colorado Rapids disappointing 2014 Season

Colorado Rapids endured a disappointing 2014 season after managing only an eighth place finish. It was just two points above San Jose Earthquakes at the bottom of the league.

This was the debut season for coach Pablo Mastroeni, who feels that he has learned a lot from the mistakes made. Mastroeni came in on an interim basis initially and he has since been made as the permanent manager. This prevented him from making changes to the squad. This factor alone will see Colorado Rapids perform well this season according to the coach.

The club has made some crucial signings during the off-season. Even though they have not managed to bring in top young names, the arrival of Juan Ramirez is a major boost nonetheless. He is expected to be the replacement for Vicente Sanchez, who can no longer be regarded as a regular first-team player.

The 35-year-old may not have the legs to deal with top-level European football, but his experience could be crucial in the MLS. Hence, Colorado Rapids are likely to depend upon Ramirez for the dynamics options in the wing.Mastroeni is also likely to expect more out of his playmaker, Dillon Powers, who finished last season with nine assists in five goals to his name. (more…)

Erick Torres signed 5 Season Deal with Houston

The 21 years old Mexican forward Erick Torres signed a 5 season long deal with the MLS side Houston Dynamo and performing in the American League will increase the youngster’s options on playing with Mexico in the upcoming matches which are scheduled to take place in the next few years.

Even at his young age, Erick Torres has already represented and played for Mexico at the international stage on a few occasions and now that he decided to remain in the MLS, his chances on performing on a more consistent basis for his country are higher according to the coach Miguel Herrera.

(more…)