High challenge. Puncture wound. Staph infection.
Those aren’t necessarily the terms you would associate with a preseason match in the serenity of Arizona. But after Vancouver and Seattle tie 1-1 in their respective preseason opener, it was language that Sounders manager Sigi Schmid used to describe the injury suffered by his forward Mike Fucito following a “high tackle” by Vancouver’s Martín Bonjour.
Fucito called it the worst he’s ever been fouled and Schmid was worried about the injury leading to infection: "It was a little bit of a high challenge," he said. "He's also got a puncture wound there so you've got to make sure there's no infection and stuff like that because that could lead to a staph infection. We've got to be careful.”
The final disciplinary tally from the match: 10 cards, including one straight red card on Sounders draftee Jason Banton, which you can watch at minute 2:30 of this highlight pack from the 120-minute match. (VIDEO)
The hard challenges had Whitecaps goalkeeper Joe Cannon in a great mood: “I’m glad to see us come out intense like that. It really sets the tone for a great season.” (VIDEO)
The match may have finished 1-1 after 120 minutes, but new Whitecaps forward Sébastien Le Toux wants Seattle fans to know this: “We won 1-0 against the starting lineup of Seattle.”
It looks like there’s yet another former Carolina RailHawk in camp with the Whitecaps. Find out the name of the trialist, who appeared in yesterday’s game against Seattle.
The match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas in Cancún, Mexico, was pushed to later today (1:30 pm ET) because of field conditions (watch this Red Bulls preview). And the two LA teams will also be in action. The Galaxy face the Portland Timbers in a closed-door match (1:30 pm ET) and Chivas USA battle the Colorado Rapids (3 pm ET).
Returning Galaxy striker Edson Buddle met the media for the first time yesterday and confessed that he got homesick while in Europe for the last 13 months. He talked to MLSsoccer.com’s ExtraTime Radio and revealed the story behind his stay at Ingolstadt, his trials in Europe and his final decision.
Now with Buddle rejoining the fold the Galaxy are unbeatable, right? "People are getting real excited about the fact we look real good on a piece of paper," says manager Bruce Arena. "I want to see if we look good on the field. ... It remains to be seen how good we are as an attacking team.”
While the crowd in Toronto for the Galaxy’s CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal on March 7 approaches 40,000, the LA Galaxy will be force to cap their attendance at The Home Depot Center to 7,500 for the return leg because of an agreement with Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Speaking of stadiums, D.C. United president Kevin Payne provided the latest update on his club’s stadium search and a potential arrangement to play at RFK Stadium for 2012.
D.C. manager Ben Olsen also spoke to media yesterday and confessed that he thought, “We were a little bit soft last year in general and we needed some guys who had a little bit of that X-factor, a little bit of that anger.” Two players who fit the bill: Marcelo Saragosa and the midfielder they now call “Crash.”
Who knew that Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall and the club’s SuperDraft pick Colin Rolfe had family ties? Hall’s aunt is married to Rolfe’s uncle: “Since he's kind of family, then he'll be my front-runner on who's going to kind of have a breakout year for the rookies," says Hall.
An unusual situation is the one being experienced by forward Ali Gerba who, despite having a contract with the Montreal Impact, has not been invited for a tryout with the club. This article claims that he will still be paid by the club through the end of 2012 although it’s not an MLS contract. (FRENCH)
The Philadelphia Union have moved training camp to Florida and Danny Mwanga an Keon Daniel are there. Find out which two Supplemental Draft picks didn’t travel because they didn’t make the cut.
Remember former MLS Combine MVP Luke Kreamalmeyer, who was drafted by Real Salt Lake back in 2005? He’s looking to make the New England Revolution squad, joining four other new trialists.
There is speculation from Europe that South African Lance Davids could be leaving Belgian side Lierse to play in MLS for the Portland Timbers. (DUTCH)
Next we head to England, where the live TV action comes from today: It’s the FA Cup fourth-round replay between Sheffield Wednesday and Blackpool (2:30 pm ET, Fox Soccer Plus).
There’s also a tripleheader of Copa Libertadores action on Fox Deportes beginning at 4:30 pm ET, including Chivas Guadalajara’s 2012 debut in the tournament at home against Deportivo Quito (9 pm ET).
Get your Garzas straight. There’s Earthquakes rookie Sam Garza, Tijuana’s American Greg Garza and you may not have heard of Victor Garza, who made his Copa Libertadores debut with Tigres UANL. He’s still holding out hope to join the US Olympic team: "It’s more complicated for us American players that regularly play in reserve games in Mexico than for players in college, MLS or Europe," he says.
In case you missed it from yesterday, here’s an ESPN.com feature story on Sporting Kansas City forward C.J. Sapong, who intrigued many USMNT fans in the latest January camp. Apparently he also impressed US manager Jurgen Klinsmann … with his rapping abilities.
We leave you with a pretty bicycle kick goal scored by Alexandre Oliveira of a club name Londrina in Brazil’s Paranaense championship: He pops it up with one foot and delivers a bike with the other. (VIDEO)
MLSsoccer.com Must-Reads:
Montreal continue to hold their breath on the injured Nelson Rivas
Dwayne De Rosario’s contract extension is a priority for D.C. United
Real Salt Lake preach patience during injury-riddled preseason
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