Daily Highlight: New Rivalry in the North West

With the Portland Timbers joining the MLS this season a rivalry has been reawakened in the Northwest.  Seattle and Portland renewed their rivalry last night, but now it is in America's top flight of soccer.

Daily Highlight:

On Basketball's day off, I got some more soccer for you.  I didn't get to see the game, so I don't have much of a breakdown for you.  But soccer goals always make great highlights.  Enjoy!

Manchester United Announces Summer USA Tour

Yesterday Manchester United announced their summer tour in the US this coming July.  Last year was a huge success, and Sir Alex Ferguson cited the improving MLS as the reason why it is a successful preseason trip for United.  Here's the schedule

July 13th against the New England Revolution at Gillette Field in Boston

July 20th against Seattle Sounders at Qwest Field in Seattle

July 23rd against the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field in Chicago

July 27th against the MLS All Stars at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey

July 30th against Barcelona at FedEx Field in Washington DC

I am so sad that none of these games are particularly close to where I live.  It looks like the timing is all off too.  I'm secretly hoping (well I guess not that secretly) that somehow I can get some time off work and the tickets aren't too ridiculously expensive, so I can go to Seattle and see the game against the Sounders on the 20th.  If you live close, you should make a point of going, even if you're not a soccer fan.  You'll see a heck of a display.

MLS Kickoff

The MLS season starts tonight.  And while it's obviously not a top flight soccer league in the world, I'll watch whatever soccer I can get.  The league is getting better, and it's growing.  Expansion teams, star players, and the soccer is improving.  Tonight we have one of those expansion teams verse some of the big stars:  The Seattle Sounders vs Landon Donovan, David Beckham, and the LA Galaxy.

Seattle has the greatest fan base in the MLS averaging about 30,000 fans per home game.  And Freddy Montero is one of the budding stars in the league.  I'll save the talk of David Beckham for another time, but Landon Donovan is a legit star.  Leading the US National Team for the last 8 years or so, Donovan finally lived up to his ability in the last World Cup and in his time at Everton.  But he and David Beckham (who is actually a very good player) will be up against it in Seattle against those crazy fans.  Should be a fun game to watch with some good soccer.  I'm predicting a 2-1 win for the Galaxy.