Weekend Bits

UAH Keep Conference Record Undefeated

Keeping to the script of scoreless first halves, UAH found net 4 times in the second half to come from a goal down for the 4:1 victory at Delta State. Finding themselves trailing by a David Horstman goal in the 52nd minute, UAH responded via hot handed Oscar Leon who converted from a Andres Flores feed in the 57th minute. Sean Kerber found the game winner in the 73rd minute when Kyle Gonclaves found him for the first of his two assists on the day. Kota Kashiwagi provided the rest of the UAH offense with two goals in three minutes and by the 80th minute the contest was over at 4:1.

MLS Playoffs Set

After an amazing weekend, the MLS teams have either claimed thier positions in the post season or started the offseason early. To start the fun Saturday night, Toronto FC was eliminated from the playoffs after being trounced 5:0 by an bottom of the table New York Red Bulls who were playing their last game in Giant Stadium. The LA Galaxy won the west with two goals from Landon Donovan's foot for a 2:0 defeat of San Jose. Real Salt Lake beat fellow Rocky Mountain squad Colorado 3:0 and Seatle beat FC Dallas 2:1 for wildcard spots. On Sunday afternoon, Houston topped Chivas USA 3:2 as both teams qualified for the playoffs and New England beat Supporters Shield winner's Columbus 1:0 for the final wild card spot available.

The wildest game of the weekend had to be the DC United v Kansas City Wizards match up where DCU needed a win over the already eliminated KC squad. After going down a goal in the first half, DC United fought back to tie the match and then pulled out all of the stops. After the 3 allotted substitutions had been made, DCU defender Julius James suffered a leg injury in the 75 minute. He was repositioned from central defense to center forward where he would be expected to do nothing more than hobble around and occupy space. However, despite the damaged leg, it was James who became the improbable goalscorer when he out leaped a KC defender to nod home the go ahead goal in the 80th minute. Unfortunately, as has happened all season for DCU, they could not hold the lead when in the 91st minute, a goal bound ball was stopped by the elbow of Fred. The Brazilian was shown the requisite red card and KC converted the PK. The excitement didn't end there however as DCU rookie Rodney Wallace's last ditch effort from 18 yards beat Kevin Hartman in the KC goal but agonizingly struck the inside of the post only to flash across the wide open goal mouth and referee's whistle blew the end of both teams' season.

Now here's the playoff match-ups:

Columbus vs Chivas USA
Chicago vs New England
Houston vs Seattle
Los Angeles vs Colorado

I'll pass along the TV schedule when details are worked out.


Arsene's Arsenal Built With Brains

The EPL Talk site has a terrific article discussing how Arsene Wenger has built a perennial top club with a fraction of the expenditures that the other top world clubs have.

"Arsenal has finished in the top four every year for the past decade, and under Wenger has collected three Championships, six FA Cups, and went undefeated for the 2003-2004 EPL season. He has done this while spending a small fraction of what his rivals have spent in the transfer market. If you add up all of Wenger spending since he joined the team in 1996 and subtract his sales in the transfer market over that time, his net expenditures are a measly £17 million – less than £2 million per year."

The article goes on to describe the unwritten rules followed by Arsenal in their player acquisition strategy. Simple, really. Buy low, sell high, right? :)