The Good
Javier Morales:
A 2-1 loss in Monterrey would have been a decent result for Jason Kreis and company after spending much of the match on the defensive, but Real Salt Lake left Estadio Tecnologico with an even better 2-2 draw thanks to a late moment of brilliance from Javi Morales. The Argentine’s poised finish, set up by some good hustle by Arturo Alvarez, has RSL in the driver’s seat headed into tomorrow night’s second leg and could very well prove to be the difference when all is said and done in whether or not MLS is represented at the FIFA Club World Cup this December.
NY making a statement:
After a rocky start to the season, New York has shown their class in recent weeks, turning in a comprehensive drubbing of DC United at RFK. The 4-0 win was capped off with one of the best goals of the young season, as Juan Agudelo showed off his inner Henry with this beautiful flick and volley with a defender on his back.
Benny’s debut:
It didn’t take long for Benny Feilhaber to have an impact in his MLS debut. The subtle feint and lay-off for Marko Perovic showed off the kind of skill that has kept him in the USMNT picture over the last couple of years. By all accounts, Feilhaber’s distribution was strong throughout the rest of the match, as well. His presence in the Revs’ midfield could take Steve Nicol’s side to the next level.
Landon Donovan:
After missing the last couple of league matches due to injury, Donovan looked good and, most importantly, healthy in LA’s 3-0 win over Portland, a reassuring sight for USMNT and Galaxy fans alike.
The Bad
After putting together a solid campaign in 2010, the Earthquakes find themselves at the foot of the Western Conference. They’ve taken just two points from four home matches, including a 2-1 loss this weekend in which a previously woeful Chivas USA controlled long stretches of play. Things don’t get much easier for Frank Yallop’s men in the coming weeks either, with trips to Philadelphia and the unfriendly confines of Jeld-Wen Field on the schedule.
Vancouver’s home form:
After beating TFC in their home opener, the Whitecaps have dropped points in each of their last four home matches. Their 2-1 defeat at the hands of FC Dallas was the team’s first loss in front of the Empire Field faithful. Needless to say, if Vancouver is to make the playoffs in their inaugural season, they’ll have to improve on their suboptimal, draw-heavy home record that looks a lot like what the Philadelphia Union put together last year.
The Ugly
I won’t rehash the same points that others have made much more eloquently than I could, but there really hasn’t been anything that has happened this season that is more fitting of the “ugly” label. And shame on any websites that have used video of the incident to drive traffic. It will be interesting to see what kind of discipline MLS hands down in the next couple of days.
Here’s hoping that Steve Zakuani is back on the field as soon as possible.
David Ferreira's ankle:
While it hasn’t drawn the same kind of backlash as Steve Zakuani’s injury, the broken ankle that MVP David Ferreira suffered at Vancouver is still quite unfortunate. Another good week of MLS and Champions League play has been overshadowed by injuries to two of the more entertaining attackers in MLS, but the league now has the opportunity to really address the level of physical play going forward. Hopefully their decisions don’t end up in the “Ugly” section next week.
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As always, feel free to add on below.
