RSL Crushed by Caps - Sounders Virtually Lock 2nd in West
by exSlacker on Oct 6, 2011 10:53 PM PDT
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PrintEditor's note: Moving this to the front page because this is pretty significant news and there's no reason for me to repeat it. - Jeremiah
Real Salt Lake went down a man to a very questionable (in my opinion, bad) "intentional handball in the box" call by official Chris Penso. I believe that's something like 8 reds and 7 pks in only 13 matches for him. The red came pretty early in the first half and set the tone for the rest of the game. Give credit to the Caps for capitalizing...they hit the PK and then hit another later in the game on a much more legitimate handball in the box. Khalfan hit a pretty strike from the top of the box to put it away. 3-0 was the final tally as the 'Caps get it right at BC Place the second time around.
The loss leaves RSL 6 points behind the Sounders with only 2 games to make them up. IF...HUGE IF...the Sounders were to lose all 3 remaining games and RSL wins both remaining games, it would go to the tiebreakers. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head. Both teams won away by identical scores of 2-1. Next. The second is goal differential. With RSL losing by three goals tonight, the Sounders have the advantage here by a whopping ten goals! Let's be extreme now...let's assume that RSL wins out 2-0, 2-0 (against arch-rivals Colorado away and then Portland in Utah..no easy task) AND we'll assume that Seattle loses out 0-2, 0-2, 0-2 ...unlikely, but work with me here. that would erase the 10 goal differential and take us to tiebreak #3 - goals scored. Coming into tonight, the Soudners had a 7 goal advantage. The 3-0 result did not change that in any way. In the scenario spelled out above, RSL's two 2-0 wins still leave the Sounder with a 3 goal advantage.
Unless we utterly disintegrate on the pitch for three games in a row AND Real Salt Lake comes up with massively lopsided victories in their two tough remaining contests, Seattle Sounders FC will be no worse than 2nd in the West. If we put away Philly this weekend, the pressure is all on LA in their "away" derby with Chivas. They follow up with their final game away against Houston, who have everything on the line. These are not easy games. It would take some serious luck, but the Shield is not out of the question.
Go Sounders! It's been one hell of a ride..and I don't want it to end!
FanPosts only represent the opinions of the poster, not of Sounder at Heart.
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If LA doesn’t win the first round of playoffs, we host the semi-final.
Aw man, enough hand-wringing. TAKE EM' ALL BOYS!
We’ve got a Honey Badger, Santo Rosales, and the Church of Fucito.
BURN DESTROY WRECK AND KILL!
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Oct 7, 2011 1:35 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
This means that this only matters until LA win's a game or we lose a game.
After that we need only play folks to keep them fresh.
Does anyone know if MLS sets rules for which nights the semis are?
I’m contemplating going to the RSL away match (if the LAG clinches the SS), but seem to remember some of the games being on Sundays, which would make for an arduous trek to get home for work on Monday.
I just hope for no Halloween night game!
unlikely since it is monday night this year, but still I fear it.
AGREED
It was fun to do it on halloween night and our then 2.5 year old daughter had a blast trick or treating in the stadium, but I’d rather spend the night at home.
by chrisperry1983 on Oct 7, 2011 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Here you go
I can nearly assure you that the game RS would be Saturday
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Highlight reel for anyone who wants to see the calls in question
http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=19810
Coug City Sounder
I'd be pretty furious if I was an RSL fan...
…but as a non-RSL fan, I can sort of see where the ref is coming from on the first call. I don’t like the replay angles very much, but Warner seems to pretty deliberately block the ball. It’s not all that clear to me from having watched many soccer games that there’s an entirely consistent standard for what counts as the chest and what counts as arm once you get to the shoulder region. And if he calls a handball, it has to be a red as well. The second one seems more borderline to me, but one might make the argument that the defender didn’t try to move his hand as the ball approached. The ball didn’t seem to be coming in that fast, but I could see an argument for ball-to-hand there as well.
So ultimately, I guess I’d say the first is borderline whether it is chest/arm and the second is borderline hand-to-ball/ball-to-hand, and both borderline calls went against one team, which is always hard to take.
MINOR CORRECTION: 8 Goals-Scored lead
I quoted 7…it was late…I was distracted…my keyboard moved…I was abducted by aliens and THEY did it. Forgive me.
Yes he is
Both their offense and defense really depends on him. He has a good game, they have a good game. He’s out or has an off day, RSL will struggle.
That's a crappy position for a team to be in
I guess he is sorta like our Alonso.
by chrisperry1983 on Oct 7, 2011 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions
I think of it as Beckerman is their Alonso and Morales is their Rosales (or Montero)
When both are healthy and going well, the team is incredibly strong.
If Morales is back into form (started RSL’s last two games after being out most of the season) and Beckerman is rested for the playoffs, I still don’t want any part of RSL, recent poor form or not.
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