The Official Major League Soccer Thread

[LittleOzzy]

MLS stars called up for international duty

Here is the full list of MLS players called up for national team duty for next week's international dates:

Gold Cup call-ups

Canada
Julian de Guzman - Toronto FC
Dwayne De Rosario - New York Red Bulls
Terry Dunfield - Vancouver Whitecaps
Andre Hainault - Houston Dynamo
Dejan Jakovic - D.C. United
Will Johnson - Real Salt Lake

Costa Rica
Álvaro Saborío - Real Salt Lake

El Salvador
Arturo Alvarez - Real Salt Lake
Steve Purdy - Portland Timbers

Grenada
Shalrie Joseph - New England Revolution
Craig Rocastle - Sporting Kansas City

Guadeloupe
Stéphane Auvray - Sporting Kansas City

Guatemala
Marco Pappa - Chicago Fire
Carlos Ruiz - Philadelphia Union

Honduras
Roger Espinoza - Sporting Kansas City

Jamaica
Omar Cummings - Colorado Rapids
Ryan Johnson - San Jose Earthquakes
Tyrone Marshall - Colorado Rapids
Dane Richards - New York Red Bulls
Donovan Ricketts - LA Galaxy
Jermaine Taylor - Houston Dynamo
Shavar Thomas - Sporting Kansas City
Je-Vaughn Watson - Houston Dynamo
Dicoy Williams - Toronto FC

Mexico
Rafa Márquez - New York Red Bulls

USA
Juan Agudelo - New York Red Bulls
Landon Donovan - LA Galaxy
Benny Feilhaber - New England Revolution
Tim Ream - New York Red Bulls
Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake
Robbie Rogers - Columbus Crew
Chris Wondolowski - San Jose Earthquakes

Non-Gold Cup call-ups:

Ecuador
Joao Plata - Toronto FC

Gambia
Mamadou "Futty" Danso - Portland Timbers

Uruguay
Álvaro Fernández - Seattle Sounders

Venezuela
Alejandro Moreno - Chivas USA

[LittleOzzy]

Toronto FC are back from a fruitful road trip where the Reds held the MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids scoreless on Sunday, but not before taking an important away goal through Maicon Santos last Wednesday, drawing Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1-1 in the first leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. That outcome sets up Toronto well for the mouth-watering return fixture at BMO Field, it's Toronto vs. Vancouver, NCC Final Second Leg (8 pm ET on Rogers Sportsnet).

This is the most important match to date for either side in 2011. Toronto have won the NCC title two years running and a three-peat would put the Reds in a favorable position to return to the group stage of the 2011-12 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL). A scoreless draw or an outright victory would put Toronto through to the CCL preliminary round against Nicaragua's Real Estelí FC in the Preliminary Round of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) in late July and early August. Real Estelí qualified for the CCL after a 3-2 aggregate success over Deportivo Walter Ferreti in the two-leg Nicaraguan Primera División Clausura final.

It would also mark the first trophy for head coach and technical director Aron Winter since arriving in Toronto in January with a view to long-term success. Toronto captain Maicon Santos is the leading goal scorer in the four-team NCC knockout tourney with three from as many games.

Teitur Thordarson's side need to score at least once in the second leg to cancel out TFC's away goal from last week's first leg in Vancouver and boost their chances of winning the four-club competition.

Wednesday's Nutrilite Canadian Championship final, second leg, between Whitecaps FC and Toronto FC from BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, kicks off at 8 pm ET and is live on Rogers Sportsnet ONE and on sportsnet.ca. TorontoFC.ca will host a live chat with Asif Hossain from 7:45 pm ET. You can comment on the match and watch exclusive highlights from the game.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/20 ... fc/preview

I can't wait for tonight's game!

[CanuckPete]

Dude! I'm psyched. Wore my TFC t-shirt today and all.

(Is that you I see popping up on the Red Patch Boys board sometimes?)

[Clutch Carter]

Very cool that this is online at sportsnet.ca, very cool.

[LittleOzzy]

Dude! I'm psyched. Wore my TFC t-shirt today and all.

(Is that you I see popping up on the Red Patch Boys board sometimes?)

It is, I post rarely but I read the forums daily.

[CanuckPete]

Dude! I'm psyched. Wore my TFC t-shirt today and all.

(Is that you I see popping up on the Red Patch Boys board sometimes?)

It is, I post rarely but I read the forums daily.

Same here.

[Clutch Carter]

Looking at the radar, the rain is going to be an issue all night.

Oh balls, 1-0 caps on a deflection.

[LittleOzzy]

Just hope for no thunder and lighting and the game will continue.

Damn... Vancouver up 1-0.

[Geddy]

they need to put a roof over the stands considering the way the weather is outside of June-August

[Geddy]

TFC dominating the possession but they are too sloppy when they get close to the box. Need to hold it more before going for goal.

[LittleOzzy]

TFC dominating the possession but they are too sloppy when they get close to the box. Need to hold it more before going for goal.

I agree, then they simply get impatient and shoot from way too far out.

The wind is blowing too much for that.

[LittleOzzy]

New York/Colorado tied 2-2 currently, sounds like an exciting game.

[Clutch Carter]

With these conditions, I'd be getting Plata the ball more often and letting him run at the d.

[LittleOzzy]

Just mentioned that the lightening has started... This could be a long night.

How many corners has this been for Toronto now? All pretty horrible results.

[Clutch Carter]

I guess the game has been delayed?

[LittleOzzy]

I guess the game has been delayed?

1/2 hour because of lightening.

Should be about another 10 minutes.

[Clutch Carter]

Great, the stream just died. Good job sportsnet.ca!

I'm guessing it's designed to cut out after a set time, not taking to account any weather delays or extra time. Brilliant.

EDIT: and it's up again.

[Clutch Carter]

Looked like that may have crossed the line to me! Game delayed again.

[LittleOzzy]

Closed door meeting happening right now to decide what is going to be done.

What a disaster of a game.

[Clutch Carter]

Yeah this is a bit of a joke. The CSA doesn't know what to do? hah.