With a win tonight in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, the United States can take the first real step towards qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. While three points won't earn them a spot in the finals field, it will guarantee a top four finish; barring a collapse in their remaining two matches (away to Honduras and home to Costa Rica), the Americans should be on their way to their fifth consecutive World Cup.

The last time the Yanks faced off against the Soca Warriors, April 1st in Nashville, Jozy Altidore held his coming out party. The young striker, in the lineup despite being unable to get a game on the club level, scored a hat trick. The Americans did what they were supposed to that day, thumping T&T at home. It would stand to reason then, that the US is due for another comfortable win; T&T isn't in Central America, after all, so that dreaded record of poor away form shouldn't be an issue.

Bob Bradley has re-molded his team since that night in Nashville, with several players staking their claim to first eleven places. Three starters in that match, DeMarcus Beasley, Frankie Hejduk, and Pablo Mastroeni, did not even make the training roster for this round. Charlie Davies, who wasn't a major factor in the National Team picture at the time, has come on rapidly, and is now an almost sure selection.

Still, even with so many positive changes, things will not be easy. The Americans are the better team, that much is clear and certain; whether they can bring their superior talent to bear on the match tonight is another issue altogether. Despite being at home and superior to El Salvador, the US did have a few issues on Saturday, and might be a little lucky to have escaped with three points. Simply controlling the game does not always bring victory, as a few critical moments can turn a match on its head and produce an unexpected result.

Are the Americans both confident and focused enough to dominate on the road tonight? The answer to that question could very well determine if they leave Port of Spain with a triumphant three points and the guarantee of at least a fourth place finish in the Hexagonal, a disappointing draw (which still might guarantee fourth is El Salvador lose to Costa Rica), or a deflating loss. Saturday in Utah, at least for many, did nothing to assuage fears that the US loses themselves a bit when facing inferior competition; the expectation of a resounding win is tough to carry confidently when the team fails to live up to them.

Trinidad & Tobago will be looking to avenge their humiliating loss to the Americans in April, and restore some pride to their terribly disappointed Hexagonal campaign. They will come out with purpose, buoyed by the home crowd, and they might even push the action for the initial phase of the game. If Bob Bradley has properly prepared his team, and if the US has learned from the El Salvador match in recent days, then they will absorb the pressure, take the game by the neck, and dominate the rest of the way. If they truly are the superior team across the board and want to assert themselves, they'll go even further and push the islanders from the start. Either way, they need to do something to restore some of the lost faith; three points is three points, but style matters to many. Beat who you should, and do so convincingly, and the naysayers lose some steam.

The phrase "trap game", while not often applied to soccer, is nonetheless a worn and aged sporting cliché; any game where one team is a prohibitive favorite but faces a few challenges could be easier give the label. For the US, coming off the Saturday match with El Salvador, travelling to an island nation where distractions abound (see Jozy's Tweet from poolside yesterday), and missing one of their strongest defenders (Jay DeMerit) could make tonight's match a classic trap game. Over-confidence or complacency would be disastrous.

Bob Bradley's task then, is to not only set his team out with the best possible chance for victory through lineup and tactics, but to gauge his side's mental health and direct his energies accordingly. To abuse another cliché, it's crunch time, and all parties involved must step up their game.

Anything less than a victory against the bottom team in the Hexagonal standings should not be acceptable.

I full expect the US to win tonight, and I'm hoping they do so in resounding fashion. With Oguchi Onyewu back in central defense, the back line should be much stronger than they were against El Salvador. Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies continue to develop a dynamic partnership up top, and Landon Donovan is at the height of his powers. If they can limit mistakes and stay away from silly, rash fouls (i.e. cards), tonight should be more of a cakewalk than a trap game.

We hope. USA 2, T&T 0.

According to a report on the Kanasas City Star website, the Wizards are pursuing a new site for their proposed soccer specific stadium.

The economy has seriously affected efforts at the original site, the Bannister Mall area in south Kansas City. The new site, which would place the stadium in Kansas' Wyandotte County near the Kansas Motor Speedway rather than in Missouri, would move the team west. A $400 million dollar development plan has been proposed by the Wizards owners, OnGoal LLC, which would include youth facilities and office space for a medical software company owned by members of the club's ownership group.

The Wizards fan blog Down the Byline includes a drawing of the newly proposed stadium.

With the Wizards continuing to place in the tiny Community American Ballpark that is ill-suited to soccer (still waiting for a player to tear every ligament in their knee on the pitcher's mound), getting them into a soccer specific stadium as soon as possible is crucial to their success in the market. The Bannister Mall plan seemed solid and the artist's renderings were intriguing; the team shifting their focus to a new site is disheartening, although it is encouraging to see them exploring alternative possibilities. As we've seen in San Jose and DC, getting one stadium plan together is tough enough.

The shift to a less-centralized location could be a problem for some of the Wizards' fan base, so it will be interesting to see what the reaction might be from their supporters.



Down the Byline also reports that the Bannister Mall site is not completely dead yet, and that OnGoal pursuing another site may be a way to prompt renewed movement at that location.

Thanks to a tip from Ed Serner at Football in Miami and Beyond, comes word from Miami FC President Aaron Davidson that eight organizations will break away from USL to create an owner-controlled league in 2010.

The Team Owners Association, a group of USL-1 owners dissatisfied with the sale of the United Soccer Leagues to NuRock, have been making noise in this direction since the transaction was completed. For many, the sale of the league to a group not previously connected to the league was a shock, and is causing a ripple effect across the division.

Joey Saputo, the owner of the Montreal Impact, a team seemingly headed to MLS in the near future, has also voiced some of the owners' concern. Saputo did not hold back in his criticisms of USL, and the sale of the league to an third party has only raised the acrimony.

The TOA, made up of Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Louis, Tampa and Vancouver, is clearly intent on gaining some measure of control over USL-1, and Davidson's comments indicate that any discussions with NuRock over a workable relationship between club owners and the league owners have not progressed in a satisfactory manner.

Read the Team Owners Association press release for more information.

Miami FC's Davidson is just the latest in a group of USL-1 club executives and owners who have made strong statements relating to the future of the league.

Match Fit USA will be your go-to place for National Team coverage, as the Yanks face off against the Soca Warriors with another three points on their minds.

I'll have posts throughout the day on the match, with whatever news may break plus my thoughts on the game.

Also, in conjunction with Epic Footy, we'll have a live blog in this space during the game, where myself, Ginge, and other bloggers will be reacting to the game as it happens.

Then, join Zach and I immediately following the match for a post game wrap-up Match Fit USA Soccer Show live on UStream.

We'll be looking for your feedback on the match through Twitter, Skype, and chat, so make sure to bookmark the Match Fit USA UStream page now so you'll know where to go for your post game coverage.

Edgar Castillo's switch to the US National Team has weaved its way through the mystery-filled halls of FIFA, and the young Mexican-American fullback will now be available to play for the country of his birth next month.

A massive coup for Bob Bradley, Castillo's reversal gives the Americans a new, and potential much better, option at the tricky left back position. While Castillo's abilities immediately put him at the top of the list for a starting spot, it's incumbent upon Bradley and his staff to work the young player into the lineup, rather than to allow him to walk into the team without first earning his place.

During the calendar year of '09, Bradley has slowly worked the players available to him into a solid team; while still likely an unfinished product, the first eleven as they are now constituted give the Americans a chance to win every game they play. Still, the back line has been tricky, especially at the outside back positions, and turnover there has been significant; Jonathan Spector would appear to be the first choice on the right with Steve Cherundolo behind him, while the left side has seen several different players come and go without any real answers being found.

Carlos Bocanegra has filled in admirably there in recent months, and it is the position he plays at Rennes in France; but Boca's natural position in the middle, and even with the emergence of Jay DeMerit, there's no reason to believe that he will be the permanent solution there. What Bocanegra adds in defensive know-how is offset by his lack of speed and attacking contribution. Jonathan Bornstein, a more natural left back with decent attacking skills, has been proven to be out of his depth in international competition to this point, and cannot be relied on going forward.

Which brings us to Castillo. Faster than Bocanegra and a better threat in attack while more seasoned and comfortable on the ball than Bornstein, Castillo appears to be an immediate candidate to start, simply because he is an upgrade over the other available options in almost every regard, even if his defensive talents are still rather raw. With speed and crossing ability, and potentially playing behind the ultra-active Landon Donovan, Castillo could be dynamic. It's an intriguing possibility, and many of us can't wait to see it in action.

But does that mean Bob Bradley should just hand over a starting spot to a new player?

Of course not.

Trust me, I want to see Castillo in action as much as anyone; if nothing else, he's a different player and a new wrinkle added to a team still growing into itself after an up and down 2009. Castillo's abilities are numerous, and while the fact that he's an unknown-yet-much-hyped quantity for many of us may skew our view of his quality, it certainly can't be wrong to give him a run out.

But handing over the keys to the left back spot without any "vetting process" would be the wrong way to go. Although the National Team is together only sporadically, there is a team dynamic; players consistently picked create an identity and a camaraderie that can easily be disrupted if the head coach does not carefully manage personalities.

I certainly expect Bradley to put Castillo into the team slowly and with purpose. Despite his talents, Castillo has not as of yet made a senior appearance on the international level; butterflies will be in high supply for at least his first few matches, something that the Americans cannot afford in meaningful game (or as long as qualification is not secured).

Castillo might be the best American left back. He may very well end up starting for the United States in the World Cup next year. He could be the answer to a difficult question that Bob Bradley has yet to truly crack.

He just can't be allowed to "walk into" a starting job. He should have to earn it.

An ancillary question that came to mind as I wrote this: When all of Bradley's defensive options are available, and provided Castillo breaks into the starting lineup, who sits? DeMerit or Bocanegra?

It’s great to have the EPL back. The famous names and great teams have returned - Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool - as have the not-so-great and not-so-famous - Bolton, Wigan, Fulham, Burnley. Still, even at the bottom, you won’t see my team there.

Dig deeper. Drop lower. Have a peek through the Premier League’s trap-door down at the Championship table. Again, there are some big names here – Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United... It’s a good league, the Championship. Separated from the EPL by just a promotion/relegation corridor it’s not hard to see how some of the shine of the top flight has rubbed off. You won’t see my team there, though.

Keep descending, keep dropping through the lower divisions of English football. It’s getting murky, and with each step away from the EPL’s dazzle it grows a little grimmer. We’re in a strange land now, a land filled with Huddersfield Towns, Accrington Stanleys and Dagenham & Redbridges. The third and fourth levels of English football come and go in a blur of Pukka Pies, hoofed clearances and creaking terraces, but, still, you will not see my team.

We’re here! Far beneath the bright, shiny Premier League, deep below the fresh, ultra-competitive Championship, and even below the muddy, muggy no-man’s land of League 1 and League 2 is a strange division. Amazingly, even at this depth football blossoms. Congratulations – you have just reached the Blue Square Premier, England’s fifth division – a bustling, quirky 24-team skirmish that grips its dedicated but slightly misguided fans every Saturday from August to April.

And, yes, half-way down the table, you will find my club: Rushden and Diamonds FC - the 103rd best-team in England.

I’m aware that a site mainly intended for American soccer fans is probably a bad choice of platform for an article on the BSP. But down here in the warm, serene half-light of non-league football we fans enjoy an unusual position in English football, and an unusual perspective. At the lowest point of the English professional game, in a league overshadowed by the EPL, nowhere is the divide in the modern game reflected upon more than down here.

Attendences and monthly wages are often triple-figured, while, without wanting to fall into the trap of patronising the league, strikers can deliver the goals on Saturday and deliver the neighboroughood milk on the Sunday. Retirement signals employment wilderness – a thirty-something year-old with nought but “footballer” on his CV is a worrying position to be in. Fans, too, must sacrifice. Travelling hundreds of miles on a wet Tuesday evening to see Barrow play Eastbourne instead of enjoying a cosy evening in front of televised Champions League football can be as unrewarding and uninspiring as it sounds.

Don’t get me wrong. Non-league football is great, full of idiosyncrasies and local heroes and memorable incidents. Like the time a striker for my club has his goal ruled out due to a combination of poor eyesight on the referee’s part, and a poor quality goal net. Or that Pancake Tuesday when a group of fans were pelted with eggs and flour thrown over the terrace wall (someone forgot the milk, it seems). A picture doing the rounds of the non-league forums (below) shows how a group of fans made full use of the ample space in the terrace to tell the opposition goalie what they thought of him. Only in non-league.


Allow me to make a barely tangible link to the Little Mermaid song:


“You dream about going up there,
But that is a big mistake,
Just look at the world around you,
Right here on the ocean floor,
Such wonderful things surround you,
What more is you lookin' for?”

It’s true. All teams aim for promotion but, simply, the BSP is not that bad. It’s competitive, it’s got great fans and the best mix of teams and quality than is most other leagues. What’s not to like? Yes, if I was offered the chance to see my team promoted to the heady heights of League 2 I’d jump at the chance. But, right now, it’s not too bad at all.

Other than the clearly inappropriate reference to the ocean floor, there are few better pieces of music that sum up life in the lower-league than the one sung by a talking Jamaican crab. And that, I can’t help but feel, is entirely suitable.

The LA Galaxy still have six league games remaining in the 2009 MLS regular season, appear to be headed for the playoffs, and could still overtake Houston for the Supporters Shield; simply put, David Beckham and company have everything to play for, a shocking turn of events after last years complete and utter debacle.

But instead of discussing his club's chances for the MLS Cup or Supporters Shield, LA's English superstar is covering anything but. His potential destination after the American season has concluded is a hot topic; throw in some rumblings about his possible involvement in the ownership of an MLS club when his career is over, and we seem to have veritable "flurry" of distracted Beckham news this week.

First, the loan: that Beckham is bound for European shores come January is not news, but which club he ends up with is a hot topic for some. Most of us assumed it would be back to AC Milan, and the Italian giants are at the top of the player's list; but other teams have been mentioned, and Beckham himself claims that "three or four" other clubs are interested. Beckham is desperate to get into Fabio Capello's England World Cup squad, of course, and heading back to Europe is therefore a necessity.

Beckham has also hinted that a return to the Galaxy after the World Cup is not necessarily a foregone conclusion, despite his earlier statements that he was committed to a return; the Englishman's MLS contract has an option in his favor after this season, one he could use to get out earlier than expected.

That Beckham is considering leaving America early isn't much of a surprise, especially in light of the negative response he's received since returning to MLS this year. At this point, it's almost impossible to take anything he says at face value, with his consistent flip-flopping on his "commitment" having become the most reliable thing he does.

The other bit of Beckham news revolves around his potential involvement in MLS as a team owner. According to Jack Bell at the New York Times Goal Blog, Beckham and the various entities that surround him have reached out to Montreal Impact owner Joey Saputo to partner in the Canadian club's MLS future.

Saputo danced around the subject of potential partners when questioned, and the league stated that they have no knowledge of Beckham's interest in Montreal. The timetable on the Impact entering MLS (something which is viewed as a certain eventuality) is still undertermined, with most observers believing 2012 is the best bet. Saputo, interestingly enough, has registered domains for both 2011 and 2012 (following the MLS model for expansion teams of "montrealmls20XX.com").

Beckham "owning" the Impact in some capacity is an interesting is a possibility that I had never considered, though I suppose it's as good a place as any for this option to be exercised. MLS would still like to place a second team in the New York market, and it's believed that Garber would push Beckham in that direction.

Either way, I question exactly how "involved" Beckham would be, no matter which franchise he becomes involved with; I suspect that he would be a silent partner trotted out on occasion for a photo op every now and then, rather than a integral part of the club's operations.

What do you make of Beckham's most recent volley of Europe talk, and his potential involvement in a Montreal MLS team?

First, let me apologize for the neglect over the past week; I took a psuedo-vacation, focusing my energy on the MFUSA Soccer Show and some things surrounding it. I hadn't intended to slow down so much on the posts here, but the time "away" was probably necessary.

Still, just because I'm away doesn't mean the world stops (even if I wish it would), so I feel the need hit a few things that I neglected over my break.


I babbled somewhere else.

I made an entirely under-publicized (by me) appearance on the Soccerlens podcast last week, and while I was clearly not the headliner (that would be Tom Dunmore of Pitch Invasion), I highly suggest you take a listen. We discuss MLS, Beckham, and the way we in America get our soccer content.


The US got three needed points at home in World Cup qualifying.

Anything less than a win would have been a disaster, both because it would have drastically increased the degree of difficulty for qualification, as well as because the heat under Bob Bradley's seat would have skyrocketing (again). The general consensus seems to be that the US didn't play well; I don't quite see it that way, though I will admit that it was a tougher three points than it should have been. The Yanks controlled the game for the most part, with one defensive lapse and a few missed chances the most glaring issues. The tight scoreline was certainly not what we wanted to see, but as the cliche goes, "A win is a win".

The officiating in the game is getting a bit of attention, and I'm still unclear as to why Altidore's second goal was waved off; Dempsey's "foul" didn't look like one to me, and with the ball well gone by the time the Salvadorian player made contact with Dempsey, the goal looked legitimate. If the scoreline was 3-1 instead of 2-1, I suspect that the sense that the Americans didn't play very well would be much more subdued.


MLS played some games.

A light MLS schedule (not quite the way an international break should be handled, but better than nothing) meant only three matches this weekend, though all of them had playoff implications. New England failed to keep up their recent momentum by going down to Kansas City at home, a terrible result that will probably bite them before all is said and done. DC drew with FC Dallas on the road, a game I attended; United should consider themselves extremely lucky to get a point, as the penalty earned by Santino Quaranta that gave them their second goal was a supreme gift. United now sits tied with New England in the East on thirty-three points, though the Revs have two games in hand. Both are in trouble, however, with two Western Conference teams ahead of them in the playoff race. One of those teams, Colorado, helped their cause and seriously hurt Toronto's with a 1-0 win on Golden Boot leader Conor Casey's twelfth goal of the season.

It should make for an interesting remainder of the regular season.


Zach and I did a show.

I was out of my comfort zone, but there's a new Match Fit USA Soccer Show nonetheless; The Black Cloud and I covered the US victory, the tendency of Americans to whine about the refs, and the US Open Cup final. If you haven't already, be sure to check it out, either by downloading it or listening through the CSRN media player. I'm also tentatively planning a post-game reaction show after the Trinidad & Tobago match tomorrow night live on UStream and with your participation (via Twitter, email, and Skype), so look out for that.


I doubt it will take long for me to work back into my regular schedule, so be sure to check back often for updates.

This week on Match Fit USA, Jason and Zach break down USA-El Salvador, discuss officiating, review the current state of the Hexagonal and the American chances of qualification, and close out talking about the US Open Cup final.

Match Fit USA Soccer Show, part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

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I apologize for the slight delay; as I write this, I am in Texas, taking care of some various site business.

But I'd be remiss if I didn't post a little something on Wednesday's US Open Cup final.

Quite a final, wasn't it? On it's own, the actual play would have made the game an instant classic, as least in terms of the US Open Cup. Two fairly strong MLS teams intent on winning silverware, putting out the best sides they could in light of the rules that govern the tournament. Add in the Josh Wicks-inspired drama, and the final enters the realm of "much talked about". It's a condition that the Open Cup doesn't always possess.

Wicks' actions, with the Sounders victory as the other story, are dominating the discussion. What Wicks did, and there is little question as to his intent as he "stomped" Freddy Montero after the Columbian's goal, was terrible and inexcusable. Frustrations boil over, and players are human, so "blow ups" are always only moments from happening; but for Seattle's first trophy as an MLS club to be overshadowed by Wicks is unfortunate.

Montero avoided injury, however, and so Sounders fans should be happy to move on and celebrate their Open Cup win. They've achieved one of their states goals for their inaugural top-flight season, and will now head into the CONCACAF Champions League next year. That's a massive thing, not just for them but for that competition, as (if they are able to carry over their momentum in the stands) they will surely bring bigger crowds to their CCL matches than any other American club.

The other battle, the one over the site of the final and whether or not DC United could draw a crowd "worthy" of winning that bid, was of just as much interest to many observers as the game itself. 17,329 fans filed into RFK Stadium, a number that represents a massive success considering the midweek date and the non-league nature of the match. That crowd represents the fourth best attendance for United in 2009, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that DC's marketing department should be applauded for all they did to make it happen. Their investment in the game, spurred by the war of words between Kevin Payne and Adrian Hanauer, was impressive.

I'm sure, however, that Sounders fans would still claim they would have sold out the match and almost doubled United's crowd; but their team won the match, and that should be the most important thing.

Congrats to the Sounders; if Major League Soccer's most successful club couldn't win their 13th trophy, then having the newest gold standard of American soccer clubs win their first is a fine alternative. Hell, it might even be a better result for the future of the tournament.

Feel free to post your thoughts on the match, the "success" of United in the stands, or the fallout that might/should come from Josh Wicks ill-advised foul.

Highlights, courtesy of DCUnited.com

Courtesy of Stephen Goff of Soccer Insider comes word that the US Soccer Federation has suspended three referees for the remainder of the 2009 MLS season.

Former Referee of the Year Jair Murrufo, he of the two match suspension early in the year when he accepted a Cuauhtemoc Blanco jersey after officiating a Chicago Fire-Columbus Crew match, has been sidelined for "poor performances" over the course of the season.

Michael Kennedy and Abby Okulaja have also been removed from action, though their suspensions have been put down to failed fitness tests rather than bad refereeing.

Maruffo's suspension is the most interesting of the bunch for obvious reasons, as it's finally some acknoledgment by US Soccer that the referees here aren't living up to standards. Whether we'll see any actual improvement in the area is more down to continuing efforts to train referees properly, but Murrufo's suspension indicates that the problem is recognized and that the powers that be are not going to sit on their hands.

While the reasoning is different, the removal of Kennedy and Okulaja, neither of whom have officiated a game this month, could be "addition by subtraction". Fans may think that those two should have been suspended for the same reasons that Marrufo was removed, but the details matter less because the effect is the same.

What do you make of the suspensions? Do you believe that USSF is actively working to fix the refereeing issues we all seem to believe exists?

After all of the cattiness, the hurt feelings, the back and forth, and the clever marketing, the 2009 US Open Cup final is almost upon us. The Seattle Sounders, looking for their first trophy as an MLS club, will take on the defending cup holder DC United in front of an as-yet-to-be-determined crowd at RFK Stadium.

The day before kickoff, and the game itself somehow seems secondary.

The focus still seems to be on the location of the final, and each team's ability to draw a significant crowd; Seattle, through GM Adrian Hanauer, continue to maintain that they would have sold out the final, despite an afternoon kickoff. United is working hard, though creative marketing efforts like WeWinTrophies.com and tour of the city with some of United's significant trophy collection, to drum up as much interest in the game as possible in the Nation's Capital. Even with those efforts, however, word is that the club has only sold 11,000 tickets thus far.

Is it enough? Will United get a significant walk up crowd and push beyond the 15,000 mark? Tough to say, and disappointing if they don't. Sounders fans will certainly revel in the "failure", and depending on the outcome of the match, could have more than a few shots to lob at United fans tomorrow night.

Will a "failure" on DC's part to draw a good crowd have a lasting effect? Hard to say, with the process that US Soccer runs in regards to the host sites for this tournament, but I would expect that Seattle and their management would make some more noise; add to the Sounders heat the participation of others (namely Bryan of the Sons of Ben, whose has taken to their potential and natural rivalry with DC with abandon) in the DC-bashing, and it could be both a good night (provided they win) and a bad one for United.

Hell, it might even affect some change if attendance is disappointing tonight. How could US Soccer continue with the sealed bid process as it exists if DC fails to live up to what Seattle might have been able to provide?

Believe it or not, despite my natural bias, I might be on the side of Seattle here. The Open Cup is an afterthought for American soccer fans, even the ones emotionally invested in MLS and USL, and needs all the excitement it can get. Will 15,000 fans in a mostly-empty RFK Stadium, no matter how good the game itself is, help push the tournament to a new level? Probably not. If the game was at Qwest Field, and 30,000 Sounders faithful "packed" that stadium, the game might get the kind of atmosphere it deserves. Say what you will about the prospects of a sell out at 1 PM on a weekday (the scheduled local kickoff time if the game had taken place in Seattle), and I myself have serious doubts about that possibility, it would be shortsighted to sell the Sounders and their fans short by assuming it couldn't happen.

Nonetheless, the game will go on, and receive (hopefully) a little more attention than usual thanks to the battle over the final site. It might now be the dawning of a new era for the US Open Cup and the final itself, but it could be a step in the right direction.