HexagonalBlog

San Jose go 1-for-2 in MLS record chase

San Jose Earthquakes entered today's match at Portland Timbers with an opportunity to break two long-standing MLS records: become the first team in seven seasons to average more than two points per game and the first to reach that landmark twice (LA Galaxy 1998, Miami Fusion 2001, San Jose Earthquakes 2005), and set the individual goal-scoring mark in a season through two goals by Chris Wondolowski (Roy Lassiter's 27 goals in 1996). 

In the end, the Quakes had to settle for one of the two records as they drew 1-1 with the Timbers.  They finish the regular season with 66 points from 34 matches, two points shy of the 68 required, and one win short of 20 wins, which no MLS team has achieved since 1998.  (The LA Galaxy had 24 wins in 1998, of which two were shootout wins.)  Timbers players said during the week that they were in no mood to gift Wondolowski the record, but when the Quakes drew a penalty midway through the first half, there was no doubt who would take the kick.

So Chris Wondolowski will share MLS' goalscoring record with Lassiter and will almost certainly win Most Valuable Player for this season.  The Quakes will host return legs in all of the MLS Cup playoff ties and host the final should they reach it.  There's no way the league will allow the Final to be played at Buck Shaw Stadium so we'll have to find out if another site in the Bay Area will be available.

2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League: The Knockout Stage

Below are collated results for the knockout stage of the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League.  Ties are two-leg series, aggregate goals, away goals rule in effect unless the tie goes to extra time in the second leg.  Winners of each round are highlighted in bold red lettering.  First leg host is listed first, and first leg host's score is given first for both legs.

QUARTERFINALS (5-7 March 2013 / 12-14 March 2013)

QF1: Xelajú vs Monterrey
QF2: Houston Dynamo vs Santos Laguna
QF3: UANL vs Seattle Sounders
QF4: Herediano vs Los Angeles Galaxy

SEMIFINALS (2-4 April 2013 / 9-11 April 2013)

SF1: QF4 vs QF1
SF2: QF3 vs QF2

FINALS (24 April 2013 / 1 May 2013)

SF2 vs SF1

Xelajú batters through the Mexican fortress

Guatemala's Xelajú MC became the first non-Mexican side to knock a Mexican club out of the CONCACAF Champions League.  The 1-0 win over Guadalajara on 21 August gave them an opening, but Chivas' 1-1 draw to W Connection in Trinidad & Tobago did the most damage to their prospects.  In the end, an Allan Alemán header ten minutes from time on Thursday gave Xelajú the away goal that they needed to advance to the quarterfinals.

CONCACAF's new Champions League setup has given more of an opportunity for American and Mexican clubs to advance to the knockout stages.  Yes, they do have to win the group, but it's a group composed of representatives of relatively weaker leagues than their own. But there's a big catch -- they still have to win the group!  It's been a tough first half of the season for Chivas as they've struggled with injuries and inconsistent play in the league, and the result was an opening that Xelajú charged through.

San Jose win Supporters' Shield, more records to follow?

The San Jose Earthquakes clinched the 2012 MLS Supporters Shield on Saturday night without having to kick a ball -- Sporting Kansas City's goalless draw in the NYC metro left San Jose with an unassailable 64 points.  The Quakes will now play the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League with perhaps an easier draw in the group stage.

The Quakes picked up another point today in a 2-2 draw against California Clásico rivals LA Galaxy, which sets up a history-making weekend.  If the Quakes win at Portland on the 28th they will become the fourth MLS side to win more than two points per match.  If Chris Wondolowski scores a goal (he scored one tonight to move up to 26 goals), he will equal Roy Lassiter's MLS single-season goalscoring record at 27 goals, and he scores two he will own the record outright.

Hexagonal teams can't decide, so FIFA will decide for them

Last Friday was supposed to be the day when representatives of the six Hexagonal teams would come together in Miami to decide on the schedule for next year's matches.  That plan was never going to work; national associations want schedules that give their teams the best chance to decide, and why should competing teams assist in that effort?  As expected there was no agreement on the final schedule, and now FIFA will resolve the impasse by conducting the draw for the final round on 7 November.

Hexagonal sides are cast

So here are the teams that will play in the Hexagonal next year:

Mexico
Costa Rica
Jamaica
USA
Honduras
Panama

Mexico advanced to the final group of six comfortably.  The others, not so much, although some sides had it more difficult.

I'll have more to write about the finalists, and about those who fell short.

How did Canada concede eight goals?

Canada's 8-1 capitulation to Honduras in San Pedro Sula today defied all expectation.  Canada's task wasn't easy -- they had to hold the catrachos to a point in a hostile environment and a must-win match for Honduras.  But the manner in which the Canadians lost must be extremely dismaying to their supporters north of the border.