ESPN Network:
ESPN.com
ESPN Deportes
Fantasy Games
|
|
|
| Tuesday, April 9, 2002 20:34 EST |
MLS Quick Kicks
[ESPN.com news services]
Burning Questions
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz
Q: What's your general impression of MLS?
A: Major League Soccer is quite different from Guatemalan soccer. Here, the game is much quicker and more aggressive. I have seen a lot of great players with a very high standard of play. Most of all, soccer is on the ascent as compared to soccer from other parts of the CONCACAF region.
Q: What is MLS' image in Central America?
A: I can't speak for all Central American countries, but in Guatemala we pay special attention to MLS because of the Guatemalans in the league, guys like Jorge Rodas, Martin Machon, etc. That kept a focus on the league. It is perceived as a very competitive league. It was important that MLS had the major names of Carlos Valderrama, Hristo Stoitchkov and Marco Etcheverry. Most of all it is seen as a league that is moving up and moving forward.
| Western Conference | Eastern Conference |
Colorado
The Rapids currently have three players in the Top 7 in MLS scoring. M Chris Henderson is second with 7 points (3g, 1a), and F John Spencer and M Mark Chung each have 4 points (1g, 2a) and are ranked sixth and seventh, respectively. |
Chicago
The Fire swept the 2001 season series against the MetroStars (Saturday's opponent) with a 3-1 win in Chicago and a 1-0 triumph at Giants Stadium to clinch its second consecutive division crown ... M Jesse Marsch can become the first player in team history to complete 10,000 min. played. If he starts this weekend he will achieve the mark in the 78th minute. |
Dallas
The Burn face the Galaxy this weekend in the second game of a home-and-home matchup. Through six years of MLS play, the Burn have had 11 instances in which they have faced a team in consecutive games in a home-and-home series. The club has not fared well in the second game, posting a 2-6-3 record, with two of those losses coming at home. But, the team has fared much better in the first game of the series, compiling an 8-3-1 record (including last Saturday's draw at Los Angeles). |
Columbus
The Crew have had more success against the Revs (Saturday's opponent) than any other team in the league, having posted a 16-5-1 record in the first six seasons of the all-time series ... F Brian McBride has six goals and five assists (17 pts.) in 14 career games vs. New England. |
Kansas City
Kansas City owns a 2-4-1 record at RFK Stadium against D.C., but the Wizards most memorable trip to Washington came in October of 2000 when they captured the MLS Cup Championship with a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire ... In his first competitive game in over five and a half months since suffering a torn ACL, M Chris Klein tallied a goal and an assist against San Jose last weekend.
|
D.C. United
D.C. is 7-6-1 all-time against the Kansas City Wizards (Saturday's opponent) ... In their last matchup at RFK on April 7, 2001, the two clubs played an exciting match that United eventually won 3-2 after an 88th minute goal from Mark Lisi. |
Los Angeles
F Carlos Ruiz is off to the best scoring start ever by any first-year player in MLS history. The Guatemalan international took his first steps into the MLS record book on Saturday, equaling the league record for most goals in consecutive games (5 goals), a mark that is shared by seven other players. |
MetroStars
The Metros already look in top form, as they lead MLS in several categories, including points (9), wins (3), goals scored (7), assists (10), shots (69), and fouls suffered (62) ... F Rodrigo Faria (2g, 1a = 5 pts) and rookie Brad Davis (2g = 4pts) are among the top four in scoring. M Petter Villegas leads the league with three assists ... GK Tim Howard leads all keepers in wins (3), save percentage (0.846), and is in the top four with an impressive 0.98 GAA.
|
San Jose
The Quakes' defense, which allowed a league-low five goals in the final 15 minutes of a game in 2001, continued to perform well at the end of games in its first four games of the 2002 season. The club extended its streak of not allowing a goal in the final 15 minutes of a match to 26 games ... F Landon Donovan leads the league in fouls suffered with 12 in three matches. |
New England
F Wolde Harris has five goals in 12 career matches against the Crew (Saturday's opponent) ... GK Juergen Sommer is 2-1-1 with a 1.46 goals-against average vs. his former team.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
