STORY LINES
1. A busy summer for the U.S. » With 2010 World Cup qualifying matches, the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa and the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the next two months will be busy for the U.S. national team. But most MLS-based players will likely miss out on the first two competitions, as Bob Bradley made very few changes in the mostly European-based roster — including Olney native Oguchi Onyewu, former D.C. United member Freddy Adu and former Terp Maurice Edu — for World Cup qualifiers next week at Costa Rica and in Chicago against Honduras. Only six of the 26 players called in by Bradley currently represent MLS teams, including forwards Landon Donovan (Los Angeles) and Brian Ching (Houston), midfielder Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado) and defender Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas).
2. Howard making history, but not for the first time » Tim Howard is expected to anchor the U.S. defense this summer — and next in the World Cup, by the way — but first the American goalkeeper will start for Everton this weekend in England’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium in London. In the build-up to the match — and to promote its U.S. coverage this summer — ESPN did a feature on Howard, who left MLS’ New York MetroStars for the English Premier League in 2003 and has been there ever since. But not once did the usually diligent Chris Connelly mention in his piece that Howard has already started, and won, an FA Cup final — with Manchester United in 2004.
3. Fit to be tied » With four more draws out of seven matches last weekend, a total of 31 (41 percent) of Major League Soccer’s 75 league games this season have ended in ties, a pace that would be nearly 15 percent higher than 2008. Every team has at least two draws, with a league-wide average of over four per team. What’s the point? Nothing, really. It’s way more embarrassing that Columbus, Los Angeles, Dallas and San Jose all only have one win.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Josh Wicks, D.C. United
He didn’t end up with as many saves as Chicago’s Jon Busch (10) or preserve a road result like Busch in New York or Seattle’s Kasey Keller in Colorado, but Wicks’ first MLS shutout couldn’t have come at a better time after D.C. United’s potent offense went into a shell at home against Real Salt Lake. Wicks secured the 0-0 draw by snuffing out Robbie Findley twice — on a first half one-on-one and a second half header — and tipping Kyle Beckerman’s quick strike over the crossbar. The performance might earn Wicks the outright starting nod at United, and it could spell the end for Louis Crayton, whose contract expires in a little over a month.
KEY GAME
Chicago at Chivas USA, Thursday, 10:30, ESPN2 » ESPN couldn’t be happier about the coincidence of what feels like its first Thursday night broadcast in ages, as the top teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences collide. With Josh Thornton (league-best 0.55 goals against average) in the net, Chivas has the top defense while Chicago’s Brian McBride (6 goals) paces the best offense. It’s a bit like the Champions League final — well, not really.
HE SAID WHAT?
“Some guys are mental midgets.”
– San Jose defender Nick Garcia, referring to Houston forward Kei Kamara, who ended up with the last word, scoring in the Dynamo’s 3-1 win over the last-place Earthquakes.
