Major Link Soccer: Galaxy win, Canadians tie

A busy Wednesday with games played, suspensions handed out and a lot of player news.

In the lone MLS game of the night the Los Angeles Galaxy sliced and diced the Philadelphia Union in a 4-1 victory that really wasn’t even that close. The impressive win puts Galaxy at 17 points, third in the West and 5 points ahead of the Sounders, who have one game in hand over the galaxy (mlssoccer.com).

(Editor's note: The Galaxy's points and place in the standings was corrected at 12:30 p.m. Pacific time.)

The finals of the Amway Canadian Championship kicked off with Vancouver holding Montreal to a 0-0 draw in Montreal. The second leg is next week in BC Place. Winner gets bragging rights and a spot in CONCACAF Champions League (mlssoccer.com).

Meanwhile, in perhaps the most surprising North American soccer news of the day, Tijuana shocked Palmeiras in Copa Libertadores, winning 2-1 and becoming only the fourth Mexican team to win on Brazilian soil in 33 tries. This Soccer America story focuses on the contributions of 22-year-old American Joe Corona in the victory, with National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann in Brazil to watch as the Xolos moved to the quarterfinals. It’s worth noting that MLS has been talking about sending teams to Cops Libertadores in the future.

The MLS Disciplinary Committee is more active this season than I can ever remember. This week they suspended four players for one game each, including Chivas USA defender Mario de Luna for his shove of a Portland Timbers ball-boy (mlssoccer.com). The MLS players union responded by calling out the ball-boy in a public release, something that didn’t sit well with Richard Farley at Pro Soccer Talk.

DC United defender Robbie Russell has announced his retirement. This Sunday’s game will be his last as he is leaving to pursue a medical degree (DCUnited.com). United has brought in two players on trial from the lower divisions in England, including Frank Simek, an American defender who has played his whole career in England and had a five-game run with the National Team back in 2007 (Black and Red United).

Portland Timbers FC also lost a defender Wednesday, officially letting go Hanyer Mosquera, who had been away from the team on "leave" for "personal reasons" since mid-March. (Stumptown Footy).

While Philadelphia Union players took to social media to say goodbye to teammate Gabriel Farfan (Brotherly Game), one columnist says the trade that sent him to Chivas USA is more evidence that not only does CUSA not get MLS’ player acquisition, but that it is woefully disregarding the way to build a team in the league (goal.com).

And finally, news from England that Frank Lampard has agreed to a new deal to stay one more year at Chelsea, ending speculation he will join Galaxy as a DP this summer (The Telegraph).

- Scott Ayers