Good weekend for MLS teams

It was a good weekend for MLS teams against some of the best club competition around.

First, the Red Bulls put a 3-1 hurting on a Juventus team that was, admittedly, without most of its star power. Scoring were newbies Hall and Chinn and veteran Juan Pablo Angel. MLS’ Insider blog had a pretty funny interview with an Italian-American about the embarrassment Juve should feel losing to a NYRB team.

(Side note: Can we please get the huge Italian-American soccer playing and watching contingent to care about the #USMNT? For like, two seconds? Cause we could really use their passion and knowledge of the game.)

Later, the Galaxy beat CABJ – Boca Juniors, 1-0. Boca reportedly felt they controlled most of the game, but ended up on the short side of the sheet anyway. Isn’t that code for “We’re not supposed to lose to an MLS side”?

Put it all together, and if MLS sides can do things like this consistently, they could start to be viewed as a force to be reckoned with. I’m not saying that the RBs could ever hope to beat a full-strength Juve team right now, or that the Galaxy could hold their own in Argentina. What I am saying is getting two results in these games equal two big steps in the right direction for soccer in America.

Now MLS teams need to start winning the Concacaf Champions League and SuperLiga with regularity. When that happens, we’ll really start this discussion.

Rapids scouting in Ghana

Two sites are reporting that the Rapids, along with DC United, Portland and Vancouver, have sent some people out to Ghana on a scouting mission.

Read the reports here and here.

This sort of thing was unheard of even three years ago except for the biggest sides in MLS. Obviously, if the single-entity wants to be competitive against the biggest leagues, they need to mine football crazy countries for talent. Really, it’s a win-win for teams that join these academies – and if the Rapids don’t swoop in, an English side will.

Rapids Agogo.

MLS All-Star 11 for May 18

So July 28, the MLS All-Stars will take on (hated) Manchester United at Reliant Field. All Star balloting is now open – click here to cast your ballot.

Below is my first vote. (Looks like it’s forcing you to choose a 3-5-2 formation.)

—–Donovan-Buddle——
–Schelotto-De Rosario-Davis-Larentowicz-Convey–
—–Pearce-Hejduk-Gibbs—–
———Hesmer———

Putting Donovan as a striker on this ballot is a joke, but that’s where MLS has him. So he takes away a spot from Kamara, who’s playing fantastic football. Buddle might be the most in form striker in America, outside of Herculez Gomez.

Schelotto is his usual self, De Rosario has found his groove, Davis is all over the field for Houston, Larentowicz has been a rock in the middle for the Rapids and all of San Jose’s offense has gone through Bobby Convey.

Pearce, Hejduk, Gibbs – you get the idea. Pearce gets a call up, Hejduk is left off but is in good form, and Gibbs makes his living by keeping offenses quiet, even when he himself is.

Hesmer is a no-brainer. 5 goals against, by far the fewest for any team in MLS.