Preview: Red Bull vs. Fire

The New York Red Bull will see if their many off-season changes will pay off tonight when they kick off their season tonight against the Chicago Fire. The most notable change will not be any player on the pitch, but the pitch itself. Red Bull Arena opened March 20 with a 3-0 Red Bull win over Santos. The new stadium eliminates the gripe that the Red Bulls were third-rate citizens and victims to a poor pitch in Giants Stadium, and can hopefully give the Red Bull a boost. Coming off of a horrendous 2009 season, the Red Bull still have several gaps in their squad. Juan Pablo Angel is the clear star of the squad, but he has little support in the midfield and up top. Forward Mac Kanji needs to step up this season, while center mid Joel Lindpere has the opportunity to set the tone in the center of the field.
Unlike the Red Bulls, the Chicago Fire have a consistent history of success. They’ve made it to the semifinals of the MLS playoffs in four of the last five seasons, but have yet to recapture the brilliance of their inaugual season in 1998. That year, as an expansion team, the Fire not only made the playoffs, they won the MLS Championship and the U.S. Open Cup. They’ve yet to reach those heights since. However, it doesn’t appear that 2010 will be their year either. After losing their star Blanco, the Fire are left with a talented yet inexperienced midfield. Marco Pappa will need to lead the team with his creativity and flair. A bright spot is up front where veterans Brian McBride and Collins John have the ability to put a significant amount of balls in the back of the net.

Sounders shut out Union in MLS Opener

If the first 90 minutes of the Seattle Sounders season is any indication of their level of play for the rest of the year, the rest of the teams in the Western Conference should prepare themselves for a long, long season. The Sounders came out brilliantly, putting the plucky Philadelphia Union on their heels with precise passing and fluid ball movement. Sounder midfielders Brad Evans and Steve Zakuani controlled the midfield and crossed the ball into the box, while forwards Freddie Ljungberg and Fredy Montero were dangerous up front. In the 12th minute, Zackuani telegraphed a cross to Brad Evans who put a blistering low shot past keeper Chris Seitz. The Sounders almost doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Levesque pushed a wide open shot high above the cross bar. The Union were resilient, battling through the messy northwest rain, but they couldn't keep up with the Sounders' ball movement. LeToux almost had a goal in the 38th minute but was whistled offside. Philadelphia's Tony Stahl was sent off in the 40th minute after a rough foul on Montero, making the Union's comeback more difficult. Seattle might have very well finished the Union off in the 43rd minute when Montero headed in an Alonso shot. The second half saw some good chances from both teams, but no game-changing action. Overall, the Sounders appear to be firing on all cylinders already. They did well to spread the field and used smooth ball movement to get past the Union defense. Although the Union's first official match as a franchise resulted in a loss, they still have several things to feel good about. Sebastian Le Toux and Torres looked promising and it might just take a little time for the team to come together.

Kick Off!

Major League Soccer kicks off it's 15th season tonight. After narrowly avoiding the first work stoppage in league history, the season opener features the league's two newest teams, the Seattle Sounders and the expansion Philadelphia Union. The contest is a snapshot of two very different teams.

The Sounders burst onto the scene in 2009 with a strong fan base and surprising success, finishing with a 12-7-11 record before bowing out of the playoffs in the conference semi-finals. They became the second expansion team in history to win the U.S. Open Cup and make the playoffs during their first season. They also set an MLS attendance record. The Sounders feature a strong squad with veterans Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg, and are expected to pick up where they left off last season.

Unlike Seattle, Philadelphia is a series of unknowns. Philadelphia does not have a strong soccer fan base already in place, so it remains to be seen how much community support the team will receive. The only proven solid player on the squad is Brazilian midfielder Fred. However youngsters Amobi Okugu and Sebastien Le Toux could provide key support. The other big unknown for the Union is the play of Danny Mwanga. The Union's front office convinced the home-grown Mwanga to stay in the States and help build the league rather than flee for Europe. If Mwanga can establish himself as the stalwart of the Union's offense, the team may be able to replicate some of Seattle's success both on the field and in the community.