Free Press Houston
What a week for the Houston Dynamo. They started in fourth place last time I wrote this. Since then, they defeated the Montreal Impact 1-0 at home last Friday night. They where back in play on Wednesday night against second place Sporting K.C. at home. The two Eastern rivals went back and forth with the Dynamo creating most of the scoring opportunities. But the match ended 0-0. Houston (13-10-9) remains in third place with 48 points in the Eastern Conference with two games left in the season. Sporting K.C. (15-10-7) remain in the second with 52 points four points behind league leader the New York Red Bull (15-9-8) with 53 points. The Montreal Impact and the Philadelphia Union are still chasing Houston, but Montreal is 2 points off and the Union 3 points behind. Both clubs play this weekend. Houston has this weekend off but have a tough one on Sunday October 20th when they play the leaders of the East the New York Red Bulls. Match time is 2pm.
For some reason, Major League Soccer does not recognize the international World Cup Qualifying break. Montreal will play New England this weekend; Philadelphia will also play DC United. In the western conference, the Real Salt Lake still leads with 52 points followed close by Seattle with 51 points and the Portland Timber with 50 points. LA are 2 points behind with 48 points tied with the Colorado Rapids. Before leaving, MLS news Houston Star forward Brian Ching announced his retirement from the game after this season. He looks to go into the front office of working with the Dynamo.
Well it is the international break as there is world cup qualifying all over the world. The United States added Houston Dynamo Brad Davis to there roaster. The US team plays Jamaica tonight at Sporting Park in Kansas City. They then play Panama on the 15th in Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernández. Landon Donavon is in for tonight’s game but questions on if he will play on Tuesday are still in the air with a battle between national team commitment and club. He has stated that he would rather play on the national team. It’s also a big night for Mexico as they are close to being out the door as for qualifying. Tonight they play Panama at the Azteca in Mexico City. They are in fifth place in the Hexagonal CONCACAF region of world cup qualifying. Panama are ahead of Mexico on goal scored. Both teams are fighting to play New Zealand in the last chance qualifier. Mexico has fired its old coach and now relies on the former Monterey boss Victor Manuel Vucetich. The former Monterrey boss has bought goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa back onto the team as well as brought back Rafa Márquez to help out the defensive side of the squad.
Other matches for tonight Costa Rica will play Honduras. Honduras is looking for its second straight qualification for the world cup but play a tough Costa Rican side. “We know Costa Rica very well,” Stoke City midfielder Wilson Palacios said who has emerged as the key player for Honduras in Brazil 2024 qualifying. There standings in qualifications are as followed as the United States are in first with 16 points followed by Costa Rica with 15, Honduras with 11, Panama as stated lead Mexico even though tied with 8 points. Jamaica are in last with 4 points. In other qualifying across the world, Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley has been ruled out of England’s final two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland with a calf injury, the Football Association have announced.
England plays Friday afternoon at 2 pm as it’s do or die time for England and their chance of qualifying. In African qualifying, Samuel Eto is back for Cameroon as they play Tunisia for there qualifying. Tunisia only made it as Cape Verde forfeited their match as they fielded an ineligible player. My hope is for Ethiopia to qualify. They have never been to a world cup, despite being one of the oldest federations on the continent of Africa. They have to get over the top team in Africa, Nigeria. The Super Eagles as the Nigerian team is called are the current Africans Nations Cup winners and are ranked fourth in the current FIFA rankings. Looking at other matches Sunday Ivory Coast will play Senegal, Bukini Faso will have there hands full playing Algeria.
Ghana will play Egypt in what will be a interesting match on that side. Over in South America qualifying things are also getting interesting. Argentina still leads by 29 points, followed by Columbia with 26, Chile 24, Ecuador 22 tied with Uruguay. Venezuela with 19 with Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay are at the bottom. Ecuador vs. Uruguay is one of the important matches of the night in Quito. Also Columbia will play Chile in Barranquilla. Both teams have a chance to clinch their spot in the next year’s world cup. Also, tonight could Peru upset top of the table Argentina? Not likely as Argentina has been in top form in the qualifying matches. Also, Argentina has not lost at home ever to Peru. Good Luck!
Will have more on all the news from qualifying next week. You can watch most of the matches all day long on BEIN Sport, Gol TV, FOX1, and ESPN. Watch online using wiziwig or vipboxonline.eu.
-Rad Rich
