2013 – Week Eighteen Report

Four of our boys’ teams got dumped last night, and only some patented Goonie magic – seen in frequently this season – kept it from being an oh-for-five whitewash.  Despite all the losing, there certainly were a lot of goals, but none from our Clevelanders.  Here’s how it all went down:

DC UNITED  L 0-1  v  Vancouver Whitecaps

Chris Korb [Gates Mills/University School] started and played 90 at left back.  It was scoreless until the 60th minute when a questionable call resulted in a penalty kick that the ‘Caps converted, and then had to do it with defense for the remainder to earn the three points.  I’m still not sure about that foul call.  Check out the highlight here and decide for yourself.  NEXT MATCH: @ Seattle Sounders, Wednesday, 3 July, 10pm

MONTREAL IMPACT  L 3-4  v  Colorado Rapids

The words “shock home defeat” are what come to mind with this one.  While the Rapids have proved that they are no slouches this season, the Impact has been at the top of the Eastern Conference since March and never gave any indication that they would allow someone to come into their house and pull off this kind of heist.  But Colorado bunch did just that.  Evan Bush [Concord Township/Lake Catholic] was the backup goalie for this one and did not get in, while Sinisa Ubiparipovic [Mentor/Mentor] was not in the gameday 18.  NEXT MATCH: @ Toronto FC, Wednesday, 3 July, 7pm

COLUMBUS CREW  L 2-3  @  Sporting Kansas City

Down 1-0 at halftime, the Crew tied it, gave up a goal and then re-tied it all within eight minutes after the break.  But then the hosts got their winner in the 82nd minute and that was that.  More frustration for the Crew.  Josh Williams [Copley/Copley] started at center back and played all 90.  Ben Speas [Stow/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy], all recovered from the illness that excluded him from last week’s game, subbed in at forward with 14 left.  Kyle Hyland [Bay Village/Bay] is out injured with a strained left adductor.  NEXT MATCH: @ Los Angeles Galaxy, Thursday, 4 July, 1030pm

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES  W 3-2  v  LOS ANGELES GALAXY  

The Crew allowed theirs in the 82nd, the Impact allowed theirs in the 94th and the Galaxy allowed theirs in the 93rd.  We’re talking late-game, match-winning goals here and they were evidently the order of the day in games that concerned our fellas.  Not a good trend.  Kenney Walker [Wickliffe/Wickliffe] was not in the gameday roster of 18 for the visitors in this edition of the CaliClásico.  At least for this match, we can turn things around and look at it positively and talk about Justin Morrow’s [Cleveland/St. Ignatius] team’s never-say-die attitude to turn the tables on their bitter rivals from SoCal.  Heck, the Earthquakes did it with ten men.  Morrow played all 90 of this one, and it’s going to be one he’ll remember for quite a while.  SJ NEXT MATCH: @ Chicago Fire, Wednesday, 3 July, 830pm    LA NEXT MATCH: v Columbus Crew, Thursday, 4 July, 1030pm

PHOTO CREDIT: sjearthquakes.com

Week 18 Preview

Before the previews, an announcement – if you’re in Cleveland and tired of watching the MLS action  on your computer or all alone in front of your TV, why not head on down to Parnell’s Pub at Playhouse Square [1415 Euclid Ave. – 216/862-8953] to catch a match with other soccer fans?  The Cleveland-area Columbus Crew supporters are having a watch party there for Saturday night’s match and the fun starts at 8pm (or earlier, depending on you).  It’d also be a great place to go and watch the USMNT in its upcoming Gold Cup matches, or even the EPL matches starting in August.  You may be familiar with the Charles Stewart Parnell on Lee Road, next to the Cedar-Lee Theatre.  Well, this place is that place’s little brother – same owners, same feel, same perfectly-poured Guinness.

And now, as always, here are the weekend’s previews in chronological order:

SATURDAY

DC UNITED  v  Vancouver Whitecaps, 7pm

Don’t look now, but someone is picking up some momentum.  DC is rolling in the U.S. Open Cup and got its first win in months last weekend.  They’ll look to win back-to-back league contests for the first time this season when the Caps come a-callin’.  Here is the dcunited.com Tale of the Tape for this one, along with the match preview from mlssoccer.com.

MONTREAL IMPACT  v  Colorado Rapids, 7pm

It’s been more than a week since their last match, and the Impact should be right and ready to take on the Rapids in the friendly confines of Stade Saputo, where the home side is undefeated this season.  Click here for the Match Preview from impactmontreal.com and click here if you want to see the preview from mlssoccer.com.

Sporting Kansas City  v  COLUMBUS CREW, 8pm

Two weeks ago, the Crew ripped visiting Montreal 2-0.  Last Saturday, the Crew fell 2-1 at home to Chicago.  In what’s been an up-and-down season for the Black and Gold, Sporting KC Park isn’t a great place to visit when you want to get back up on top of your game.  But that’s exactly the challenge ahead of Columbus.  Here is thecrew.com’s Match Preview, and also the preview version posted on mlssoccer.com.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES  v  LOS ANGELES GALAXY, 1030pm  

Chivas USA fans like to tout their rivalry with the Galaxy as the SuperClásico, and the side that comes out on top of that series can call itself the best team in the City of Angels, but there is some palpable enmity between these two teams and their fans.  The CaliClásico is not one for the squeamish and this one will certainly be worth staying up late for… or at least worth setting the DVR if you can’t stay up that late.  Here’s the mlssoccer.com preview.  The Five for Friday from sjearthquakes.com and the lagalaxy.com’s Match Preview will set you up with everything you need to know for this one – a match so big that San Jose is hosting it at Stanford Stadium and they’re expecting more than 45,000 fans.

PORTLAND TIMBERS – idle this weekend

PHOTO CREDIT – Parnell’s/Parnell’s Facebook page; Morrow/Victor Decolongon; Getty Sports Images