D.C. goes from winless to brink of quarterfinals

October 20, 2009

A year ago, D.C. United managed just one point in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage. Now it’s is on the verge of advancing to the knockout stage.

But to do so, it likely will need accomplish what no other Major League Soccer team has been able to – win in Mexico.

Tied with Marathon with nine points heading into the final round of the Group Stage, D.C. United heads to Estadio Nemesio Diez to face Group B leader Toluca on Tuesday. Los Diablos need a mere draw to become the fourth Mexican squad to advance to the quarterfinals.

D.C. could go through as long as it can equal whatever result Marathon gets against San Juan Jabloteh in Trinidad & Tobago.

D.C. United enters the pivotal match coming off a 1-0 win against the league-leading Columbus Crew Saturday at RFK Stadium, a result that kept D.C.’s playoff hopes alive. A few days being acquired on loan from the Portland Timbers of the United Soccer Leagues First Division, goalkeeper Steve Cronin made six saves to earn the shutout.

Luciano Emilio scored the game’s lone goal in the 10th minute for D.C., which is in a four-way tie for the eighth and final MLS Cup playoff berth.

“Steve did a great job. It’s always difficult coming into a new environment,” D.C. United coach Tom Soehn said. “Early in the week I recall him asking, ‘who’s he?’ and ‘who’s he?’ And you wouldn’t have guessed that today, because he really solidified things, made great decisions. He looks like he’s been with us all year.”

Toluca, comfortably atop Group 1 of the Mexican Apertura, played Tigres to a 1-1 draw on Saturday at home. Hector Mancilla put Toluca in front with a 66th-minute penalty kick, but Francisco Fonseca equalized with two minutes remaining.

“The team remains strong and is always looking to play good football and score goals,” Toluca coach Jose Manuel de la Torre said. “It was not easy against a team like Tigres, which also came to do their job.”

Marathon’s task is seemingly easier as it heads to Port-of-Spain on Thursday to face a Jabloteh side that is winless in the group stage. Marathon has enjoyed recent success in the Honduran Apertura, beating Real Juventud 3-2 on October 4 and winning 3-0 at home against Victoria three days later.

Jabloteh enter the match coming off a wild 5-4 win against Defence Force in the TT Pro League’s Big Six at Larry Gomes Stadium on Thursday.

Noel Williams, who opened his team’s scoring with a 14th-minute penalty kick, scored three more times in the last half hour – twice in the last five minutes, as Jabloteh rallied from a 4-2 deficit.

The top two teams from Group B will advance to the quarterfinals. The knockout stage draw will take place on November 17 at CONCACAF’s headquarters in New York.

By Dylan Butler

Tags: champions league group, columbus crew, concacaf champions league, d c united, D.C., Dylan Butler, francisco fonseca, group stage, hector mancilla, jose manuel, knockout stage, Larry Gomes, lone goal, Major League Soccer, manuel de la torre, mexican apertura, Mexico, mls cup, Nemesio Diez, New York, Noel Williams, playoff berth, port of spain, Portland, portland timbers, rfk stadium, san juan, san juan jabloteh, score goals, Stage, steve cronin, Tobago, Tom Soehn, Trinidad, united soccer leagues, Victoria

MLS teams seek out native CONCACAF talent to restock for new season

January 19, 2009

By Michael Lewis

ST. LOUIS – Major League Soccer clubs have mined Central America and the Caribbean for young talent since its early days. The latest crop will get its chance later this year.

Four players from CONCACAF countries were selected in Thursday’s MLS’ SuperDraft, including three in the first round.

D.C. United selected midfielder Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica) as the sixth overall pick, Real Salt Lake tabbed midfielder-forward Jean Alexandre (Haiti) as the 11th overall selection and the New England Revolution made midfielder Ryan Maxwell (Jamaica) as the 15th overall choice. The Kansas City Wizards picked midfielder Akeem Priestley (Jamaica) in the fourth and final round at the St. Louis convention center.

Here is a quick rundown of the four players:

Midfielder Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica)

Wallace played a key role for the University of Maryland in its march to U.S. college championship in December, scoring three goals and adding three assists. A Costa Rican native who has obtained a U.S. green card as a permanent resident, the 1.80-meter (5-foot-11), 70-kilogram (155-pound) Wallace forged his reputation for speed and vision on the flank. Wallace, 20, who has been a part of MLS’ Generation adidas development program, lives in Rockville, Maryland, north of Washington.

"We feel like he’s got a huge upside," United coach Tom Soehn said. "He’s athletic, he’s a good soccer player, and he’s a winner: he just won a national championship. The first thing you see in him is his composure and his pace. He does a great job as a left back getting forward and creating stuff from the defensive position. His desire and his consistency, I thought, was one thing you could always say about him."

Midfielder-forward Jean Alexandre (Haiti)

Without a scoring threat up front, Lynn University moved Alexandre from central midfield to striker in his senior year. It turned into a great move as Alexandre became one of the U.S. college’s top scorers with 23 goals. The 1.80-meter (5-11), 86-kilo (190-pound) Alexandre impressed Real Salt Lake last season, standing out in a friendly.

"The staff felt that Jean was one of the best athletes at the [MLS] Combine," RSL general manager Garth Lagerway said. "With us moving to a fast and wide field at Rio Tinto Stadium, we feel the need to bring in athletic and versatile players, and selecting Jean helps us accomplish those goals. We took a chance taking a kid from a smaller school, but (assistant coach) Jeff Cassar and I both have numerous contacts in South Florida from our Miami Fusion days that we contacted about Jean, so we felt very comfortable taking a chance with him at that pick."

Midfielder Ryan Maxwell (Jamaica)

Maxwell, 25, was a two-time pick to the U.S. National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s honorary All-South regional select team out of the University of Tampa. The Jamaica native is a former member of the Jamaican Under-20 national team. He played three seasons at Tampa after transferring from San Jacinto Junior College, where Jamaican international and New York Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards played — after his freshman year. In 55 career games at Tampa, the 1.75 (5-9), 75-kilo (165-pound) Maxwell scored 16 goals, including 10 as a senior, and added 14 assists. "I was surprised to go so early, to be honest," Maxwell told the Boston Globe.

“We’re very pleased with our selections today,” Revolution vice president of player personnel Michael Burns said. “We came into the draft with some areas we wanted to address and we believe we accomplished that with these selections. When we open our preseason camp on Feb. 2, we’re going to have some good competition for spots on the field, and we believe that the seven players we chose today will be a big part of that.”

Midfielder Akeem Priestley (Jamaica)

Priestley, an attacking midfielder, was chosen by the Wizards as the 50th overall selection. Priestley, 23, has been capped with the Jamaican national team and was a three-year standout at the University of Connecticut. In 2007, the 1.78-meter (5-10), 75-kilo (165-pound). Priestley recorded 13 assists to earn All-Big East Conference second team honors.

"I think it’s a great opportunity for me, and I’m going to make the best of it," Priestley said. "I want to thank the Kansas City Wizards for giving me this chance. I look forward to working hard to make the team and play in front of their fans."

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