Reflections on SuperLiga

Well, we now know that the SuperLiga Final will be another Dynamo - Revolution rematch. But in the wake of Chivas' reaction to getting bounced and the reaction of both Atlante and Pachuca after losing in the Semifinals, there seems to be many of a prediction that we might not see SuperLiga 2009 because the FMF or at least its clubs won't want to participate.

My response - Whatever . . . Look if Pachuca, Atlante, and Chivas are so besides themselves about getting bounced, then their reaction should be, if they're really the top flight clubs they fancy themselves as, would be to return next summer and redeem themselves. Chelsea lost to ManU on penalty kicks in the ECL Final, I don't hear concern they won't participate in the ECL this year - or that the Gooners, or Real Madrid, or Barca won't compete either.

What the Mexican clubs need to realize is that their style of play can result in more fouls being called in international competition then in their fixtures, and then adjust to that. Complaining and pouting won't change that, and they know it. But, they do have to save face at the hands of a local/national press that can make life look easy for the New York Yankees when dealing with the NY press during a ten game losing streak. Fine, but that's still no real excuse for post match dust-ups or taking your ball and going home.

As for Chivas . . . You claim you didn't understand the rules?? Too bad, so sad, I don't believe you. You thought Atlante would be a cake walk, afterall you just beat Houston who demolished Atlante. Guess what Chivas, you're lucky the scoreline wasn't bigger, Atlante understood the rules and didn't back down.

And you apologists who want to always point out that the Mexican clubs are in preseason, well that doesn't hold much water seeing that the 2008 Clausura ended on May 31, SuperLiga started on July 12, and the 2008 Apertura began on July 26, these squads don't have the luxury of taking it easy during June, even if there wasn't SuperLiga - this isn't like the Serie A clubs who get all of June off and don't report to camp until late July, and don't start their fixtures till the end of August.

SuperLiga 2007 was fun, SuperLiga 2008 has been great (game I most wanted to be at was Chivas v. Atlante).

I'm looking forward to an even better SuperLiga 2009, and if some Mexican clubs aren't interested cause they don't want to be defeated at the hands of an MLS side, well too bad, so sad, guess you're not a big jersey club afterall.

My biggest complaint about SuperLiga 2009, the true travesty is that the final will be in the empty cavern in New England, not at Robertson Stadium in Houston. Seeing that Houston won the MLS Cup, they should have home field advantage over the Revs.

Dynamo defeat Pachuca, Advance to SuperLiga Final

In a rematch of last year's SuperLiga Semifinal, the Houston Dynamo hosted Pachuca tonight, a team which the Dynamo faced three times last year, creating an enduring rivalry. Last year the Dynamo were unable to advance past Pachuca, but tonight the Dynamo managed a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Bobby Boswell and Corey Ashe, as well as great games from Geoff Cameron and Bobby Boswell (looking good in the defense).

My initial impression, Pachuca came in thinking they had already won and played a conservative, defensive match. The only serious offensive push from Pachuca came early in the second half, but they were shut-down by the Dynamo. Meanwhile, the Dynamo using a 3-4-3 or 2-1-4-3 formation was looking to score and getting very dangerous on set pieces. Boswell scored the winning goal on a set piece in the 77th minute, a goal that enabled the Dynamo to play for possession - not 10 men behind the ball like some teams, but a keep control and grind the game out. Ten minutes later, Corey Ashe, making up for last year's red card, sealed up the match for the Dynamo.

Sadly, Pachuca were poor losers and some post-match dust-ups occurred on the pitch. But all in all a great and historic night of soccer here in Houston.

Episode 20 of World Soccer Wrap: Serie A

This week's episode is in the can so to speak, or more appropriately in the producers' inbox. The show should be available, for free, on iTunes late Sunday or early Monday. Be sure to go into the iTunes store, search World Soccer Wrap, and subscribe to our podcasts.

The feature of this week's show will be a look at the 2008/09 Serie A Fixtures, with an eye towards which matches to focus on each week.

Topics also touched on include:

The Mexes Carjacking/Kidnapping
Roma's Mutu Bid
Giorgio's continuing legal problems with Italian authorities
And the entertaining transfer market, which has been slow this week.

Come May 31, 2009, what do you think the table in Serie A will look like? Send me your predictions at: brian.zygo@gmail.com

Serie A Fixtures for the 2008-09 Season

The Italian FA released the fixtures for the 2008-09 Serie A Season, here you go folks:

Week 1 (31/8/08 - 25/1/09)
Atalanta-Siena
Cagliari-Lazio
Catania-Genoa
Chievo-Reggina
Fiorentina-Juventus
Milan-Bologna
Roma-Napoli
Sampdoria-Inter
Torino-Lecce
Udinese-Palermo

Week 2 (14/9/08 - 28/1/09)
Bologna-Atalanta
Genoa-Milan
Inter-Catania
Juventus-Udinese
Lazio-Sampdoria
Lecce-Chievo
Napoli-Fiorentina
Palermo-Roma
Reggina-Torino
Siena-Cagliari

Week 3 (21/9/08 - 1/2/09)
Cagliari-Juventus
Catania-Atalanta
Fiorentina-Bologna
Lecce-Siena
Milan-Lazio
Palermo-Genoa
Roma-Reggina
Sampdoria- Chievo
Torino-Inter
Udinese-Napoli

Week 4 (24/9/08 - 8/2/09)
Atalanta-Cagliari
Bologna-Udinese
Chievo-Torino
Genoa-Roma
Inter-Lecce
Juventus-Catania
Lazio-Fiorentina
Napoli-Palermo
Reggina-Milan
Siena-Sampdoria

Week 5 (28/9/08 - 15/2/09)
Bologna-Napoli
Catania-Chievo
Fiorentina-Genoa
Lecce-Cagliari
Milan-Inter
Palermo-Reggina
Roma-Atalanta
Sampdoria-Juventus
Torino-Lazio
Udinese-Siena

Week 6 (5/10/08 - 22/2/09)
Atalanta-Sampdoria
Cagliari-Milan
Chievo-Fiorentina
Genoa-Napoli
Inter-Bologna
Juventus-Palermo
Lazio-Lecce
Reggina-Catania
Siena-Roma
Udinese-Torino

Week 7 (19/10/08 - 1/3/09)
Bologna-Lazio
Catania-Palermo
Chievo-Atalanta
Fiorentina-Reggina
Genoa-Siena
Lecce-Udinese
Milan-Sampdoria
Napoli-Juventus
Roma-Inter
Torino-Cagliari

Week 8 (26/10/08 - 8/3/09)
Atalanta-Milan
Cagliari-Chievo
Inter-Genoa
Juventus-Torino
Lazio-Napoli
Palermo-Fiorentina
Reggina-Lecce
Sampdoria-Bologna
Siena-Catania
Udinese-Roma

Week 9 (29/10/08 - 15/3/09)
Bologna-Juventus
Catania-Udinese
Chievo-Lazio
Fiorentina-Inter
Genoa-Cagliari
Lecce-Palermo
Milan-Siena
Napoli-Reggina
Roma-Sampdoria
Torino-Atalanta

Week 10 (2/11/08 - 22/3/09)
Atalanta-Lecce
Cagliari-Bologna
Juventus-Roma
Lazio-Catania
Milan-Napoli
Palermo-Chievo
Reggina-Inter
Sampdoria-Torino
Siena-Fiorentina
Udinese-Genoa

Week 11 (9/11/08 - 5/4/09)
Bologna-Roma
Catania-Cagliari
Chievo-Juventus
Fiorentina-Atalanta
Genoa-Reggina
Inter-Udinese
Lazio-Siena
Lecce-Milan
Napoli-Sampdoria
Torino-Palermo

Week 12 (16/11/08 - 11/4/09)
Atalanta-Napoli
Cagliari-Fiorentina
Catania-Torino
Juventus-Genoa
Milan-Chievo
Palermo-Inter
Roma-Lazio
Sampdoria-Lecce
Siena-Bologna
Udinese-Reggina

Week 13 (23/11/08 - 19/4/09)
Bologna-Palermo
Chievo-Siena
Fiorentina-Udinese
Inter-Juventus
Lazio-Genoa
Lecce-Roma
Napoli-Cagliari
Reggina-Atalanta
Sampdoria-Catania
Torino-Milan

Week 14 (30/11/08 - 26/4/09)
Atalanta-Lazio
Cagliari-Sampdoria
Catania-Lecce
Genoa-Bologna
Inter-Napoli
Juventus-Reggina
Palermo-Milan
Roma-Fiorentina
Siena-Torino
Udinese-Chievo

Week 15 (7/12/08 - 3/5/09)
Atalanta-Udinese
Cagliari-Palermo
Chievo-Roma
Lazio-Inter
Lecce-Juventus
Milan-Catania
Napoli-Siena
Reggina-Bologna
Sampdoria-Genoa
Torino-Fiorentina

Week 16 (14/12/08 - 10/5/09)
Bologna-Torino
Fiorentina-Catania
Genoa-Atalanta
Inter-Chievo
Juventus-Milan
Napoli-Lecce
Palermo-Siena
Reggina-Sampdoria
Roma-Cagliari
Udinese-Lazio

Week 17 (21/12/08 - 17/5/09)
Cagliari-Reggina
Catania-Roma
Chievo-Genoa
Lazio-Palermo
Lecce-Bologna
Milan-Udinese
Sampdoria-Fiorentina
Siena-Inter
Torino-Napoli

Week 18 (11/1/09 - 24/5/09)
Bologna-Chievo
Fiorentina-Lecce
Genoa-Torino
Inter-Cagliari
Juventus-Siena
Napoli-Catania
Palermo-Atalanta
Reggina-Lazio
Roma-Milan
Udinese-Sampdoria

Week 19 (18/1/09 - 31/5/09)
Atalanta-Inter
Cagliari-Udinese
Catania-Bologna
Chievo-Napoli
Lazio-Juventus
Lecce-Genoa
Milan-Fiorentina
Sampdoria-Palermo
Siena-Reggina
Torino-Roma

Dynamo sign Forward Kai Kamara

In an effort to address their front line and offense, the Houston Dynamo, who have been resorting to pushing midfielders into forward positions, obtained Forward Kai Kamara from the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for a first round pick in the 2009 draft.

Kamara, 23, is a Sierra Leone national who played for the Columbus Crew prior to joining the Earthquakes. Kamara has scored two goals against the Dynamo this season.

The Dynamo are coming off two victories against D.C. United at RFK, one in SuperLiga and one in a MLS fixture, and will be facing Pachuca in the SuperLiga Semifinals on Tuesday. Both Kamara and Nat Jaqua are scheduled to suit up for the Dynamo against Pachuca.

http://houston.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080724&content_id=175412&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&team=t200

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/5906441.html

DCU v. Dynamo - Finally

They managed to get the match underway again, and while D.C. United tried to take advantage of the swamp the Dynamo defense found itself in, Brian Ching scored on a header in the 79th minute, putting the Dynamo up by two goals, and that's how the scoreline stayed into the early hour of Thursday morning.

Honestly, my biggest concern during the last minutes of the match was that nobody would get injured cause of the conditions.

They're going to try to restart the match at 11:40 D.C. time. We'll see what happens.

Refs are back out to inspect the pitch.

Sounds like there is more lightning in the area. Remember, most of the last Metro runs are midnight if not a little earlier, so even if they get started again, many fans will be leaving by midnight.

Around 10:10 D.C. time, the parties agreed to wait 30 minutes, but it's still raining in D.C.

Lights working, lightning passed, but still raining. We'll see what the refs say.

Word coming from someone at the stadium is that there was an announcement that they have until 1:00 a.m. D.C. time to finish the match.

Here's a look at what the pitch looks like thanks to the folks at http://behindthebadge.com/









Sounds like the lightning has passed, but they are still having trouble with the lights. I think it's time to call this match.

Well, know we get an episode of Married with Children.

Radar shows the entire District of Columbia covered in strong storms.

Joy of Joys . . . now a bulk of the lights have gone out due to a power surge, and the Ref has sent everyone off the pitch in the 54th minute.

Sounds like the rain is very, very heavy, but no lightning at the moment. Still no video from channel 55.

The second half has started, with rain coming done. Unfortunately, it seems that while the game is ongoing, Channel 55 has lost the video feed due to the weather.

Halftime --- Dynamo lead 1-0

Patrick Ianni comes in in the 42nd minute to replace an injured Eddie Robinson . . . again (left hamstring strain).

After two postponements, the DCU v. Dynamo match is finally under way at RFK in Washington, D.C. They were scheduled to play last month, but the field was soaked with too much rain. The match was rescheduled for last night, but power outages in SE D.C. delayed the game till tonight.

But there is bad weather in the area, a Tornado and Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Prince William County, Virginia, while D.C. is under a Thunderstorm Watch till late in the evening. So keep your fingers crossed the storms will avoid RFK.

Brian Mullan has already put the Dynamo on the scoreboard with a goal in the 20th minute.

Dynamo Win Group A - Advance to SuperLiga Semi-Finals

For the second year in a row, the Houston Dynamo have advanced to the Semi-Finals of SuperLiga. This year, Houston won its group with 2 wins and 1 loss. The first win came against Atlante last Saturday, 4-0, then lost to Chivas on Tuesday, 1-0, and then defeated DC United, 3-1, on Saturday night. Saturday's victory over United ensured that Houston would move on to the Semi-Finals, but it was thanks to Atlante for beating Chivas, 2-0, despite the pro-Chivas atmosphere in Santa Clara, that pushed Houston into the spot of winner of Group A.

The outcomes of Sunday night's matches in Group B will determine who the Dynamo face in the Semi-Final, a match that should be in Houston.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5897459.html

http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=783833

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/19/AR2008071902167.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/20/sports/SOC-Dynamo-DC-United.php

http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=784363

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/20/sports/SOC-Chivas-Atlante.php

Pictures from Free Kick Masters

I've finally developed and uploaded pictures from the Free Kick Masters event held in Houston on July 5, 2008:

http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c145/bzygo/Free%20Kick%20Masters/

Dynamo Round-Up

As most readers know, last Saturday the Dynamo beat Atlante 4-0 and then lost 1-0 to Chivas on Tuesday. On Saturday, the Dynamo square off against D.C. United for the third and final group stage match of SuperLiga 2008.

Franco Carracio started for the Dynamo on Tuesday night, but, despite a good performance, he will not be with the Dynamo on Saturday because he has been released and placed on waivers.

Brian Ching should be available for Saturday night's match.

Former Dynamo forward Nate Jaqua will be returning to the squad after spending this past Spring playing for SC Rheindorf Altach of Austria's Bundesliga. Some Dynamo fans had been hoping that Joseph Ngwenya would be returning from Austria too, but he's on trial with Bayern Munich. Expect to see Jaqua suited up at RFK on Tuesday the 22nd.

Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad and midfielder/forward Dwayne De Rosario will be representing the Dynamo in the MLS All Star game in Toronto next week.

Dynamo's Stuart Holden and Patrick Ianni have been selected to represent the United States in the Olympics next month.

Chivas Comes Town

On Saturday night, the Houston Dynamo soundly defeated Atlante, 4 - 0, in their opening match of the group stage of SuperLiga 2008. Three of the Dynamo's goals came within a nine minute span during the middle of the first halft.

Tonight, Tuesday July 15, the Dynamo host Chivas de Guadalajara, in what could be one of the toughest matches of the tournament for the Dynamo. The Houston club will be hampered by the fact that Dwayne De Rosario is suspended due to a red card in the Atlante match, and Brian Ching, Richard Mulrooney, and Eddie Robinson are all sidelined with injuries.

We'll see if the victory over Atlante will give the rest of the Dynamo squad the confidence to step up and beat Chivas.

New Episodes

Of World Soccer Wrap and World Soccer Wrap: Serie A, are now available for download at iTunes or at:

http://rss.mac.com/rayharatian/iWeb/Site/Podcast/rss.xml

This week's flagship show includes an interview with Kasey Keller and an exclusive with Jozy Altidore.

This week's Serie A show features an interview with Inter Milan's Francesco Toldo.

Battery beat Dynamo on Penalty Kicks

The match ended in a 1 - 1 draw, with Charleston Battery beating the Houston Dynamo 4-3 on penalty kicks.

Charleston v. Houston update

1-1 as the 2nd half draws to a close.

Stephen Wondo gets the goal in the 89th.

Charleston v. Dynamo - 2nd Half

The second half of tonight's U.S. Open Cup Round 3 matchup between the Houston Dynamo and Charleston Battery. The Battery who knocked the Dynamo out of last year's cup, currently hold a 1 - nil lead as the second half is barely underway.

Dynamo started:

Tony Caig (g)
Erick Ustruck
Geoff Cameron
Stephen Wondolowski
Mike Chabala
Nick Hatzke
John Michael Hayden
Corey Ashe
Chris Wondolowski (cap.)
Kyle Brown
Franco Caraccio

You can watch the match at:

http://www.usllive.com/