Remember how earlier I was raving about the Red Bulls and defending champions, Real Salt Lake, and how both of them would be likely candidates to go deep into the playoffs, maybe even winning it?
Well, about that…
New York was knocked out by San Jose (who feature Geovanni, once of Hull City and Barcelona), despite winning the first leg in San Jose. They only won, though, 1-0, due to Jon Busch, the San Jose goalkeeper who made several fantastic saves in the first and second legs. San Jose started quickly, and Bobby Convey finished after 6 minutes, after a cross and knock down. It was a deserved lead, as San Jose had been pressing for the first 6 minutes.
New York came back into the game, but several fantastic saves from Busch prevented an equaliser. San Jose scored again in the 76th minute, with that many Convey, who was playing left back, scoring, completing a lovely move that he started. New York got a goal back, with 17 year old Juan Agudelo (just called up for the US National team), replacing Theirry Henry, who had been injured, crossing for Juan Pablo Angel to nod home, scoring his last goal for the Red Bulls. With no away goal rule, extra time was looking necessary until top scorer Chris Wondolowski scored a lovely header to seal the tie for San Jose. It’s been a great year for Wondolowski, having scored 18 goals in 26 matches, and surely a call up to the national team isn’t far away.
Meanwhile, my other pick to reach the final, Real Salt Lake, crashed out against FC Dallas. They only lost 2-1 away, and then Dallas went to Salt Lake, got the first goal, and FC Dallas defended extremely well, with the goalkeeper making crucial saves. Robbie Findley would score in the 79th minute, but it was too late for Real.
In other results, Los Angeles completely outplayed Seattle, and will now face FC Dallas, while Colorado, who beat Columbus, will play San Jose. My predictions so far have been bad, but I think Los Angeles and San Jose will go through, and give a Californian feel to the final, which is in Toronto.
Thanks for the update L’arsenal
I saw brief highlights on Eurogoals from the New York game and Mr Henry did not look too impressed! Would be quite nice to see Beckham win something before he retires from the game.
Don’t worry about predictions, mine from the start of the season haven’t proved to be too hot… 1 out of 10 are looking positive! Thank the lord for Shakhtar Donetsk
New article? Hallelujah! Good work L’Arsenal:)
Is Angel retiring or moving elsewhere? I always had a soft spot for him, although I guess it’s fair to say he never fulfilled the potential he once showed at River Plate.
According to the Norwegian press, the Red Bulls will sign Brann midfielder Jan Gunnar Solli in the January transfer window: he’s 29 years old, has 40 caps and once had a trial at Milan.
I’ll try to post a Norway seasonal review either this week or next, by the way.
Mole, Angel is moving somewhere else. Where, not sure, but he can plug away for a few more years in MLS.
Just to further my brilliance in predicting, LA lost to Dallas and San Jose lost to Colorado.
So I got all of them wrong.
Chin up L’Arsenal!
Agreed about Angel – I always thought that he was unlucky to be at a poor Villa side.
Mole – Just had a look at the Norwegian league table, what has happened to Brann?!
The short answer is that they’ve disintegrated: days after securing the 2007 League title, they lost captain Martin Andresen to Vålerenga (where he’s now, of course, manager). The next season, they sold star striker Thorstein Helstad to Le Mans (he’s now among the top scorers in Ligue 2) a mere days before the Champions League qualifier with Marseille (which, of course, they lost). Then, the investment company Hardball, who financed most of the club’s transfers, decided to tighten the purse-strings, they sacked Mons Ivar Mjelde – only the most successful coach in the club’s history – under a cloud of acrimony. This term there’s been another change of coach, as well as the usual infighting and a frankly obscene number of injuries – at times they’ve been forced to play with former Leeds and Villa midfielder Eirik Bakke as the lone striker (!) – and now Solli is leaving on a free transfer, as is goalscoring midfielder Petter Vaagan Moen (to QPR). Unless they can somehow turn the tide, they’ll be prime candidates for relegation in 2011.
I see Agudelo scored the winner on his international debut. How good is he/can he become?
From what I’ve seen he looks very good. Got decent pace, good awareness. He’s only 17, and while I don’t want to make him seem like he’ll be the next big thing (like Freddy Adu), I think he’ll be in Europe by age 23
Thanks for the update. Whether it’s from MLS or Tippeligaen, I think it’s vital that talented youngsters don’t move too soon. Although Adu is probably just not as good as he was made out to be by some, surely he must have greater potential than what he’s shown so far in Europe?
Caught the highlights last night of the Rep Ireland/Norway match. Great finish from Gamst! Also saw Huseklepp score (I presume that if he moves on Brann are really screwed?!)
I think they’re screwed either way, to be honest. For his own sake I hope he gets to move in January: a top-six club in Ligue 1 would be the perfect level.
Replacement for Gervinho – Lille at the end of the season…
No bad suggestion: a potential Hazard/Huseklepp partnership could be dynamite in my view.