That was a deserved win for Columbus, I think they're unbeaten in twenty-two or something at home now and it was easy to see why, they dominated large swaths of the match and were technically much better that the Islanders as well so 2-0 was a fair score line.

Colin Clarke missed this match, he's still suspended for fighting in a CFU Champions Cup match, and it was somewhat apparent. Is Fabrice Noel injured or otherwise unavailable? He should've been in the match for Puerto Rico, particularly considering they missing Jagdeosingh through that phantom red card he picked up against Toronto. Addlery looked isolated and I don't think the Islanders ever really tested Hesmer, Steele's crossing was uncharacteristically poor.

The first goal came indirectly from a set piece, Schelotto -- who's brother incidentally used to play for Puerto Rico -- put in a cross which eventually found it's way to Steven Lenhart via a low cross, Lenhart was never missing, in fact, a patio broom would've scored.

Near the end the second goal also started on the right hand side and finished with Robbie Rogers putting beyond Bill Gaudette, Gaudette it must be said again gave a good account of himself as his goal was more or less under siege for the entire match.

Columbus looked like the MLS champions in this one, and they're obviously a better team than Puerto Rico's previous opponents, Toronto, but I wish they had as many songs as Toronto. I'll probably be hearing that one in my sleep.

Both teams have difficult tests ahead, Champions League runners-up Cruz Azul and Costa Rican giants Saprissa round out the group. Both teams travel next week with Puerto Rico on the plastic pitch at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, while Columbus travel to the Mexican capital.

They might be giants

It's not unusual for Costa Rica to ascend to the top of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying final group as they've done in 2009. Los Ticos won the group for Korea/Japan 2002 and a similar forerunner for Italia '90 (though Mexico were banned from competing that year). On their day Costa Rica is one of CONCACAF's three giants, but on their off days they appear a team that would have a hard time scoring against Montserrat. This week the Ticos proved that once again when they were humiliated 4-0 in San Pedro Sula. Now Honduras isn't a bad team, not at all, with David Suazo set to return there's a legitimate possibility that Honduras could win the group. But Costa Rica can't lose this way if they're to be included in the same conversation as Mexico and the United States. This is the only team to go to the Azteca against Mexico and win. Yes, Mexico hosted two World Cups, but their one loss came in 1970 in Toluca (in '86 they were eliminated on penalties in Monterrey, officially a draw).

I'll openly admit that I defend Costa Rica in debates with Mexicans and other Americans who pass them off as a joke, but the best way for Costa Rica to stop these remarks is to find some stability.

Leasing out soccer-specific stadiums

A big reason behind the push for soccer-specific stadiums in MLS and the USL is the idea that they can help teams become solvent, something they have a problem doing when they lease stadiums from NFL teams. Another reason was that fans were sick of seeing American football lines on the field, and you have to admit, it's very annoying. But those lines could be coming to soccer-specific stadiums as four (well, five) new American football leagues are set to kick-off in the very near future. The United Football League has announced that it's Las Vegas franchise, the Locomotives, will play a "home" game at the Home Depot Center in November. This is after the season ends for the three soccer teams that call the HDC home, and while that particular venue has no problem creating revenue, it's good to see any money coming into the game.

While the UFL is a fall-winter league, the opposite of MLS and the USL, the other three leagues (the AAFL, the UNGL, and the USFL) are planning to play a spring-summer calender which would put them in line with the soccer season, potentially creating turf problems if the stadiums are leased out. Only one of them, the UNGL has a proposed Dallas team, has plans to put a team in an area with a soccer-specific stadium. I guess the MLS teams could put down piss-yellow lines for them.

The fifth league is a bit, well, different. That'd be the Lingerie Football League, and call me "cosmopolitan" for saying it, but this has "novelty" written all over it. This is relevant to the blog post because one team, the Denver Dream, will be playing at Dick's Sporting Goods Park [insert your favorite sexual joke here]. Money is money, I guess.

I know there are arguments that the LFL is indeed a "serious sporting endeavor", but if women really want to American football, they already have a league. I mean, sure, the players aren't in bras, but it's an actual sporting competition. It just strikes me as odd, and THIS strikes me as creepy.

It seems that the LFL will have a Charlotte team in 2010, well, I guess the Grady Cole Center needs a tenant. You can rest assured the local USL team isn't going to ground-share with them.

Donovan has H1N1

Grant Wahl broke the story on SI, although the AP gave credit the LA times for doing so. It seems have contracted it before he arrived in Mexico City and felt tired during the game. That certainly explains why he wasn't up to his usual standard. It has to be said that he did manage to get an assist on Charlie Davies goal though. Landon is the best player this country has ever produced, regardless of his critics, and I wish him well.

It could've been different, but it wasn't. Today once again proved that if you're the American team, you can't sit on a draw.

The United States were actually able to take advantage of the match early when Charlie Davies turned Juarez and put the ball around Ochoa. His pace has become a deadly asset for the United States and he should have a good season with Sochaux in Ligue 1 this year.

Not long after the goal Mexico found a way to threaten and score. Israel Castro hit a thunderbolt which left Tim Howard with no chance, he was never the most likely goal scorer, in fact he's only scored seven times for Pumas, but that was a goal anyone would be proud of. Cuauhtémoc Blanco played a role in the build up.

Somehow after the goal three American defenders found a variety of ways to get booked. Onyewu for handball, which was probably smart considering he was well beaten if the ball had gotten by him and DeMerit and Bocanegra for late tackles. That made the defending complicated for the remainder of the match.

Early in the second half Javier Aguirre took the chance to introduce Carlos Vela into the fold and it wound up paying dividends. Though he wasn't directly involved, it seems the Americans find it extremely difficult to deal with the Arsenal man.

Mexico's winner came when Juarez made amends for his early mistake with a storming run up the right that set up Miguel Sabah. No previous Mexico manager has even cared about the current Morelia man, but he's in a real purple patch as of late and Aguirre's faith in him won Mexico the match today. He's scoring a goal every two games for Mexico, a fabulous return for anyone.

There was some controversy in the match, Nery Castillo was incredibly testy and probably could have been sent off, or at the very least cautioned for grabbing Charlie Davies head as he lay on the ground after cramping.

It must be said that Mexico deserved the win, they outplayed the US outside of the first 15 minutes. It was a win they desperately needed as it, at least for now, moves them into third ahead of Honduras for the last automatic qualification spot. Honduras is at home to leaders Costa Rica tonight, while the Soca Warriors visit El Salvador in the other fixture.

Mexico v United States - CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying

This is the most important and the fiercest rivalry in North American sports. I know some people are likely to take issue with that statement, but don't let your own loyalties cloud your judgment, this is the absolute zenith, it does not get any bigger than this on our continent.

Many things contribute to the rivalry between Mexico and the United States, not least culture and geography. No matter what some misguided people in either country will tell you, the two are sister nations, forever interwoven within the very fabric of the other and it's not just a recent thing, it was ever so. The fact that the United States will very likely field Jose Fransisco Torres, a Texas-born Mexican-American, in this match is proof of that.

Mexico has long been the dominate, nearly undisputed power in CONCACAF, and they have not taken well to the recent rise of their neighbors to the north. Despite winning 5-0 in last month's Gold Cup final at the Meadowlands, many Mexicans still feel the sting from a 2-0 American win during the 2002 World Cup in Korea Republic. But they still have one trump card, the Azteca. The Americans have never won at the vaunted stadium and as such it has begun to carry a mystique about it which makes the stadium itself a factor in the match. It's more than the 110,000 fans right on top of the players, more than the elevation and the pollution in Mexico's Federal District, more than the green of El Tri, the "Colossus of Saint Ursula" is in and of itself the twelth man.

As if either team needed anymore motivation for the match, Mexico's qualification hopes may well hinge on the result. Currently El Tri site fourth in the CONCACAF Final Round -- a playoff spot with South America -- only a single point ahead of a resurgent El Salvador side who face minnows, though newly buoyed, Trinidad & Tobago this week. Be assured that the Americans would revel in having played some part in Mexico missing the World Cup.

Somewhat, okay, very, controversially the English feed for the match will be on the relatively little known Mun2, a sister-network to Telemundo, who hold the Spanish rights to the match. NBC Universal has worked to make sure the match will be accessible to as many people as possible, as expected, they're using this as an opportunity to introduce Mun2 to a wider audience. If they're successful in doing so we could end up seeing more soccer on Mun2, and that's a good thing for the viewing public. Plus I'm addicted to The Chicas Project now, wait, I didn't say that.

DC United v Real Madrid & Seattle Sounders v Barcelona

Two more friendly matches from the "summer of soccer" and I have to say that despite the results I was pleased by both. There was a sellout crowd in Seattle and a nice crowd in Landover -- the match was too big for RFK -- for the DC match. Hats off to both sides.

I don't hate Seattle! I actually think they're very good for the game and genuinely hope they're able to build upon what they currently have.

W-League and PDL Champions

Congratulations must go out to the Pali Blues and the Ventura County Fusion who won the championships of the USL W-League and USL Premier Development League this weekend, respectively. Both teams come from the LA area and show what a great pedigree the area has for the game. While it's mostly known for being the only city with two MLS teams the city offers much more than that in terms of soccer and it really shows. This is the second championship in two years of existence for Pali, and the first for the Fusion. Credit must also be given to the Chicago Fire who are truly one of the most complete clubs in the United States, their reserve team finished as PDL runners-up.

Dani Jarque 1983-2009

As you are all aware, Espanyol's captain Dani Jarque passed away this weekend after suffering a heart attack. At only twenty-six Jarque tragically leaves behind a pregnant girlfriend. It serves as a wrenchingly sad reminder of just how precious life is. May he rest in eternal peace.

That was fully expected. RBNY isn't a comically bad team, it's a tragically bad team. Having seen both Red Bull NY and the Charlotte Eagles, who currently occupy fourth in the USL Second Division, this year, I can say this: Red Bull New York would struggle to make the playoffs in the USL Second Division. Bermuda and Pittsburgh are the only two professional teams in the American pyramid that are worse, and comparing the budgets of the three would literally make your head spin.

I'm not discounting the quality of the TT Pro League, the league in which Red Bull's conquerors W Connection currently sit in sixth -- the lower half of the table, I'm just saying what I think is true.

At times Connection looked horribly disjointed but they can be excused, hey, this is the CONCACAF Champions League, excuses are the norm when MLS teams are involved. To the best of my knowledge there isn't a single FieldTurf surface in the TT Pro League and the surface would've felt extremely foreign to them. They themselves didn't make any excuses though, they simply went out and won. I would say "they made the most of what was given to them" but they didn't, in reality they should've sawn New York apart and Kevin Goldthwaite and Danny Cepero gave them every chance to do so. Cepero made Julian Speroni look like Gigi Buffon.

Despite the fact that they were expected to lose, there will be apologists pointing to the fact that Juan Pablo Angel was out, and I'll counter that by saying Jonathan Fana Frias was out for W Connection. Is he the same player? No. Is he as important to Connection as Angel is to Red Bull? Yes.

It's probably best for American soccer than Red Bull bowed out, they're nothing short of an embarrassment.

Congrats to Connection. It should also be stressed that they have a chance. Pumas will be favored, heavily, to win the group but Connection could get something against Comunicaciones and the winner of Liberia and Real Espana. It'll be interesting for that second transfer spot in Group D.

Here's a piece everyone should read by Kartik Krishnaiyer. He explores why American soccer fans should've all supported Puerto Rico over Toronto and the extreme line taken by MLS apologists in regards to the USL. He also explains how the USL is more than just the USL First Division.

Oh, and just to add: W comes from Williams. W Connection was founded by brothers David John Williams and Patrick John Williams. Officially the club is called W Connection Football Club, but that's where the name comes from.

And that's what happened, Puerto Rico won.

It wasn't that Toronto outplayed them and got unluckly, Puerto Rico just won. Kendall Jagdeosingh scored a classic in the first leg and that was it.

You couldn't really take anything from this match other than Puerto Rico knowing they only had to draw, thus playing the more powerful Addlery from the start, and that Toronto couldn't finish a phone call.

Credit has to go to Puerto Rico keeper Bill Guadette, he's somewhat maligned because of his time wasting tactics but he's a very, very competent stopper and it showed during the tie. Rock solid and Bob Bradley needs to give him a look, I don't care that he's not playing in MLS or Europe.

Excuses will be made for Toronto, excuses are made when MLS teams lose in these competitions, it's the status quo, but none can be greater than Puerto Rico coming off a nine game road spell that included stops in Vancouver and Portland in addition to Toronto and Montreal. Puerto Rico just won, that's what happened.

One problem I need to address is the red card shown to Jagdeosingh in the 84th minute, what exactly did he do? The replay showed no contact with the defender so unless he said something particularly unpleasant to the match official, expect Puerto Rico to appeal that in about 30 minutes, if they haven't already.

At the end of the match Batallon S-10, I believe, raised a banner -- much to the delight of Bill Gaudette -- which stated "USL owns MLS", it's been a point of much contention recently, but tonight, it's nothing other than a fact.

Did I mention that Puerto Rico did it with their manager, Colin Clarke, banished to the stands for both legs? Because they did.

Be proud, Orange Troop, you've earned it.

Pachuca finished their destruction of Jalapa, it ended 7-1 on aggregate.

DC United needed penalties to beat Firpo. The match was horrible at first but got better towards the end. There was a controversial moment when Firpo scored, but there isn't a rule against that kind of penalty. You can't really say DC did well to advance, they're a better team than Firpo and should've beaten them without extra time, let alone penalties since Firpo are in pre-season and only in the Champions League because the other team forgot to register on time.

There weren't any real surprises in the first legs, I guess you could count Puerto Rico winning in Toronto as a surprise but I won't.

Toronto came at Puerto Rico, they just couldn't finish. Puerto Rico, like last year, seemed content to sit back and wait on chance to counter attack or get a set peice, which is what they did. The only goal of the match came from an indirect freekick, the finish was wonderful, but the match wasn't worth watching as a neutral.

New York were, unsurprisingly, held to a draw by W Connection in Trinidad. I understand that the Red Bulls are having a bad season, and anything they do isn't reflective of MLS as a whole, but W Connection aren't exactly flying. They sit fifth in the TT Pro League. No disrespect to the pro league, but MLS likes to tout itself as a regional giant, this isn't the kind of result a regional giant should be getting.

DC United fielded a reserve team for the most part, which kind of excuses their draw at home with Firpo. Firpo weren't actually supposed to be in the competition, they got in since the team that qualified failed to submit the proper paperwork. For parts of the match you would've thought DC were the team in pre-season form, hopefully they'll take the second leg seriously.

Meanwhile, the two Mexican teams handled their opponents, one of whom came from Costa Rica, with reletive ease as Pachuca won 3-0, and Cruz Azul 2-6. The Mexican league is still the standard for CONCACAF, and MLS has a lot of catching up to do.

The other matches saw Liberia of Costa Rica beat Real Espana 3-0 in a match that was played in Alajuelense's stadium as Liberia's doesn't meet the requirments. Panama's San Francisco beat San Juan Jabloteh 2-0, and Olimpia of Honduras saw off Árabe Unido from Panama 2-1.

Tonight marks the start of the 2nd edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. Last season's version is remembered for the remarkable success of two USL teams, the semifinalist Puerto Rico Islanders, and quarter finalists Montreal Impact. The tournement was not much in the way of a success for Major League Soccer, who, with the exception of Houston, left a steaming pile of crap on the carpet, including New England getting thumped 6-1 by part-timers Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago.

Obviously MLS will be hoping to improve on last year's performance, but that dream could well end tonight when Red Bull New York take on CFU Champions W Connection. This season has been dreadful, to say the least, for New York. The Red Bulls are actually on course to be the worst team in the history of Major League Soccer. This probably has outsiders figuring that New York got in as US Open Cup winners, they didn't. New York advanced to the MLS Cup final thanks to the extremely generous playoff structure employed by MLS (which may be about to change). Do not be at all surprised if W Connection lays the wood to an impotent New York side.

Another MLS side in the qualifying round is Toronto FC, and they have a very good chance of getting passed last season's darlings Puerto Rico who qualified by finishing second in the CFU Club Championship. The Islanders sit third (though level points with first) in the First Division but have suffered from iffy form as of late and may be ripe for the taking as the travel up to BMO Field tomorrow, but history will tell us, do not underestimate the Orange Troop.

DC United qualified via the US Open Cup and will fact Salvadorian giants Firpo at RFK Stadium. On paper DC, 5th in the overall MLS classification, should have no trouble seeing off Firpo but will need to professional.

Municipal Liberia won their first Costa Rican championship last season and fact Real Espana of Honduras tomorrow. But the road is likely to end before it starts for Liberia as Real Espana is a powerful club.

Costa Rica's third entry, Herediano, will have it all to do against last season's finalists Cruz Azul. The cement mixers may simply be a mountain too tall for Herediano.

Other ties see Olimpia (Honduras) take on Árabe Unido (Panama), San Francisco (Panama) against San Juan Jabloteh (T&T), and Pachuca (Mexico) square off against Jalapa (Guatemala).

NBC Universal has announced that it will offer a free preview of Mun2 during the August 12th World Cup Qualifying match between Mexico and the United States at the Estadio Azteca.

Also, NBCU has announced that Phil Schoen and former United States defender Marcelo Balboa will handle commentary duties on Mun2, Telemundo's primarily English language sister channel.

Today Mexico handed the United States nothing short of a savage, savage beating at The Meadowlands. After seven years of hearing gloating chants of "Two-Nil!" the Mexicans finally have a chant of their own.

5-0.

While watching the match I was attempting to figure out a way to explain it, as I watched I continued to ask myself how it happened. I didn't know, there was no way to explain it, Mexico simply hammered the United States. Each goal was a lesson in how to play football, how to pass, how to run, how to dribble, how to play off the ball, and how to finish. The penalty could be disputed, but there was no doubt that Jay Heaps grabbed some of Gio dos Santos' top in the process. Giovanni made a meal of the shirt tug, but Heaps should've known better. To be honest, he was a bit of a bomb scare every time he stepped onto the field and he ended his Gold Cup by being sent off stupidly.

It's hard to place blame for the loss, the score was 0-0 at half time and the Americans seemed to be in control, but sometime shortly after the start of the second half a very important component fell off somewhere, and whatever it was, it was missed big time.

Sadly this beating, and it was nothing short of that, will take some of the gloss off of the Confederations Cup run in the eyes of a newer fan who may not fully understand the difference between the teams that played. This was without any doubt our B, or even C team. But we can't make excuses, we simply can't lose 5-0. We can't lose 5-0 anywhere. Not at Azteca, not at Saprissa, and especially not in the United States. It's embarrassing.

We heard a lot about the superior American athletic ability, the superior American strength, and the superior American fitness, and we were shown again why those facts are brought up so much. The inferior American artistry. Yes, we have artistic players, but it's been exposed once again that we aren't producing enough of them. In South Africa we had Benny Feilhaber, Landon Donovan. Charlie Davies, and Clint Dempsey. Men who can paint beautiful pictures with the ball. At the Gold Cup we had Kyle Beckerman and Stuart Holden, both of whom were superb until the final, but seemed overwhelmed by the fact that they were playing Mexico. In this country we value strength and muscle, it's pushed on our young athletes from a young age. We force fed vertical leaps and 40 times until our ears bleed from an overload of numbers. Strength and speed are wonderful, and you absolutely need players who have those things, but we neglect the artistic side of the game. The side of the game that makes Argentina and Brazil so great. This needs to be fixed.

Today Mexico showed us, five times, why this matters so much.

Next month we have to travel to Mexico City, to the feared Estadio Azteca. Yesterday we were actually favored to win this match. Today? No. We have a lot of thinking, and a lot of work ahead of us.